The Way Too Early Gold Cup Thread

[ZooCougar]

Well Bedoya cuts in a lot. And I know Chandler and Johnson like to get forward. But when they do the midfield coughs up the ball and we keep getting burnt on the counter. And the FB's get antsy about getting forward. (I don't think we'll be confused for Juventus anytime soon. )


I certainly wouldn't consider Beckerman as a trustworthy mid. Not sure Dempsey can play that CF either. Not really his best position. We saw them try that at the WC, with Bradley in behind him and it didn't work at all.

I think Mix and Bradley pretty much both should play the 8, but having both of them out there and no 6 doesn't seem to work too well. Maybe Jones or Williams with them? But then not sure what to do with Dempsey??? Need a good CF to play a 4-5-1 (4-3-3). We don't really have one. Altidore is a close as we've got and....well...there you go. Don't know if Zardes or Wood can do that???

For the Gold Cup purposes, Dempsey is fine as a CF, really he is more like a False 9.

Joe Corona is a good add. Very experienced CONCACAF, can hold the ball and is creative. Jones roams too much to be a trustworthy 6. And I disagree on Beckerman as a 6. He's usually really good in that role. And he's more than good enough for the Gold Cup where games are more like rock fights.

 

[ZooCougar]

I gotta say, of all the MLS stadiums I've wanted to go to, it was always Portland but after seeing the game last night I think KC is up there. On TV the stadium sounded like it was rocking. Maybe it's the difference between a football stadium like Gillette and a soccer specific one like KC, but it was a massively different sounding crowd between the two games.

KC and Red Bull Arena are by far the nicest. Sporting Park was built to be the classic American soccer stadium. The roof is designed to hold in the sound and the crowd is really close to the field.

When we played Seattle, I sat next to Adrian Hanuaer's (Seattle Owner) pilot. He's been to every stadium in the league and he told me KC and Seattle had the best atmosphere. I was suprised he didn't say Portland, and when I asked him he said that Portland looks great on TV but that in person it didn't measure up to KC.

My only beef with the KC Supporters is that the chants are really unoriginal. It's the same old stuff every game. But the heckling from The Cauldron is always funny as hell without getting offensive.

 

[ZooCougar]

this could not have gone any better for the USA as far as a path to the finals. No excuses now (not that any would be okay before hand)

Yeah, I expect a much better performance from the team from here on out. By Saturday, the team will have been together for 3 weeks. Normally, for the World Cup they get about three weeks and a few friendlies to sort things out.

So we'll get a third place team to work out some kinks before the semis, and then it gets real.

 

[ZooCougar]

USA has to be thrilled with the way the bracket is panning out (assuming Mexico avoids 3rd place meaning an insanely early US/Mexico matchup in Baltimore).
USA will likely have to get through ElSalvador/Guatemala and Jamaica to get to the final (no cakewalk but considering what the other half of the bracket looks like...)

Jamaica is really tricky. They have loaded up on Brits who have some Jamaican passports. Plus they have been together since Copa America. Keep an eye on Haiti. They are no joke.

 

[meyers7]

For the Gold Cup purposes, Dempsey is fine as a CF, really he is more like a False 9.

umm, yea, ok I can see that for Gold Cup purposes. And yea I agree a false 9. Good description.

Joe Corona is a good add. Very experienced CONCACAF, can hold the ball and is creative.

I agree. Probably won't see much, if any, time anyway. And I'd much prefer him to Morales anyway. Kind of a poor man's Bedoya.

Jones roams too much to be a trustworthy 6. And I disagree on Beckerman as a 6. He's usually really good in that role. And he's more than good enough for the Gold Cup where games are more like rock fights.

Jones does roam, but I think only because Klinsmann lets him. If told to hold down the 6, I think he could. At least much, much better than Beckermann does. He's just too slow against athletic teams. Jamaica will eat him alive. Hell, Panama did. But matters not, because Jones isn't available anyway. Hopefully getting into the WC Qualifying we can use Jones and/or Williams instead of Beckermann.

 

[ZooCougar]

umm, yea, ok I can see that for Gold Cup purposes. And yea I agree a false 9. Good description.


I agree. Probably won't see much, if any, time anyway. And I'd much prefer him to Morales anyway. Kind of a poor man's Bedoya.


Jones does roam, but I think only because Klinsmann lets him. If told to hold down the 6, I think he could. At least much, much better than Beckermann does. He's just too slow against athletic teams. Jamaica will eat him alive. Hell, Panama did. But matters not, because Jones isn't available anyway. Hopefully getting into the WC Qualifying we can use Jones and/or Williams instead of Beckermann.

He roamed even as a centerback and he does it with the Revs as well. He's a box to box destroyer. The Revs line him up next to Caldwell who is a bit more disciplined positionally so it works.

 

[progrocks]

So the USA gets Cuba. This should give some goal scoring confidence before a tougher, but still not tough semifinals

Great job by the Caribbean teams a total poop the bed by Central America. Will be interesting to see if this is really Caribbean rising or just CA falling over the next year

 

[SAMCRO]

Wow, credit to Cuba. They've had a couple defections and visa issues, but they hung in their to get a big result.

As for whether or not Carib is rising or CA is falling....IMO it's a combo of both. Honduras is going to be fine and will improve under new management. Costa Rica is going to slide with their change in management. Guatemala and El Salvador, who knows. T&T, Jamaica, and Haiti are improving (Haiti getting French converts and Jamaica getting Brits). Should be an entertaining Hex.

 

[progrocks]

WOW, Islands be RISING!

MexiLOL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Of the three seeded countries, only the US took care of business. That has to make some people feel better.

Prediction, US wins next two game by at least two and we will see who we play in the finals.

 

[SAMCRO]

The 2nd half of the Trinidad-Mexico draw was one of the most entertaining halfs of soccer I have ever seen. If you missed it, just watch from the 88th minute on. Epic ending.

 

[Mots010]

That Trinidad player got absolutely showered with garbage by the Mexican fans on that final corner, and executed a perfect cross for the tie, and to win the group. Glad I flipped it on in the 85th minute.

 

[meyers7]

He roamed even as a centerback and he does it with the Revs as well. He's a box to box destroyer. The Revs line him up next to Caldwell who is a bit more disciplined positionally so it works.

Yea when he's with Caldwell, he's more playing the 8. And I agree, he's not a CB.

 

[ZooCougar]

LOL Mexico. That's all I have to say.

 

[junglehusky]

Can a 6-0 game be a yawner?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I have no ill will towards Cuba. They just have too much going against them, right now. I mean they 'lost' 4 players so far in the US. Cripes.

That said, the US played well against sub par competition and did not let off the gas, which is good to see. Dempsey is in beast mode right now. Bradley reappeared as the US's backline was not pressured much by Cuba today so he did not have to drop back like he had to against Panama and Haiti. Chandler was OK and got an assist, though I hope this is his last start, sorry, Timmy. Evans should start in the semi-final. Ditto for Ace Ventura with Gonzalez taking his slot. Johannsson has impressed me so far in the Gold Cup acting like a pain in the arse, which is what a good striker does, catching the Cuban keeper off his line for a chip and earning Dempsey's PK.

 

[businesslawyer]

I have no ill will towards Cuba. They just have too much going against them, right now. I mean they 'lost' 4 players so far in the US. Cripes.

That said, the US played well against sub par competition and did not let off the gas, which is good to see. Dempsey is in beast mode right now. Bradley reappeared as the US's backline was not pressured much by Cuba today so he did not have to drop back like he had to against Panama and Haiti. Chandler was OK and got an assist, though I hope this is his last start, sorry, Timmy. Evans should start in the semi-final. Ditto for Ace Ventura with Gonzalez taking his slot. Johannsson has impressed me so far in the Gold Cup acting like a pain in the arse, which is what a good striker does, catching the Cuban keeper off his line for a chip and earning Dempsey's PK.

Was at the game yesterday. You can't read anything into it -- we just weren't tested. I don't know what the announcers were saying, but it had to be well over 100 on the field, so it was more a test of determination than anything else When we scored early, that was it.

 

[ucjoet]

Do we know it e of game Wednesday. Hoping for the later game.

 

[UCFBfan]

Do we know it e of game Wednesday. Hoping for the later game.

6:00. First game

 

[ucjoet]

6:00. First game[/QUOT
Thanks. My golf league starts at 5pm. Going to Dvr game and watch once I get home

 

[ucjoet]

6:00. First game

Thanks. My golf league starts at 5pm. Going to Dvr game and watch once I get home

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Only caught the last 10 minutes of CR v Mexico on a small TV from about 10yards away. That PK looked like a blown call. The Mexican striker pushed off from the CR defender and after missing the kicked did a swan dive that the ref bought. Anyone have a better view?

 

[progrocks]

That is what happened. Also, he should have been red carded a bit before that with a nasty scissors kick to a CR player.

Costa Rica was CONCACAF'd

 

[junglehusky]

For a second I thought the defender might have had a hand on the back but on the replay, no. It was a terrible call at the worst possible time. And the ref was having a decent game until the extra period.

 

[meyers7]

That is what happened. Also, he should have been red carded a bit before that with a nasty scissors kick to a CR player.

Costa Rica was CONCACAF'd

Agree. Terrible calls there. Also a few minutes before when Campbell went on this run, it was nice the CR played the advantage, but he needed to come back and YC the player who tried to rip off Campbell's shirt.

 

[SAMCRO]

The Mexico Diving Team strikes again. Awful call. Mexico had the better of the play for the game, but what a BS way to go out in literally the final minute before it went to PK's. Irony is, the linesman who called it was an American. WTF....