US World Cup Qualifying

[SubbaBub]

Ya, pretty bad sports day. At least UConn football can't lose this weekend.

Bradley had a bad game, IMO.
Wood and Pulisic are going to be formidable going forward.
Klinsman got too clever the first 30 minutes for his own good with his formation.
Mexico looked good tho.

Yup, JK outsmarted himself. Johnson and (an improved) Chandler are good options as wingbacks. However, our CB pool is not. Not even close. The first goal is on JK.

One he switched to the 4-4-2, we carried most of the play. (Mexico's coach took exactly 15 seconds to make his switch in formation.) The second goal is mental breakdown on corner defense. About 3 guys blew assignments.

The lineup is what we should be seeing throughout the hex if fitness isn't an issue. Altidore had a good game for him off the ball, but his presence limits options for Pulisic and Wood. Those two need to get priority on who plays with them. Jones is still our best midfielder, but I don't think Bradley had a bad game. He isn't being asked to dominate the ball any longer. It was decided a couple years ago that Jones is the one to blast forward more often. I prefer a more defensive connecting role for MB. He is still our best free kick taker. He is playing better than last year. I do what to see Pulisic in the middle of field eventually. Maybe up top underneath Wood in the old Dempsey role in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yup, JK outsmarted himself. Johnson and (an improved) Chandler are good options as wingbacks. However, our CB pool is not. Not even close. The first goal is on JK.

One he switched to the 4-4-2, we carried most of the play. (Mexico's coach took exactly 15 seconds to make his switch in formation.) The second goal is mental breakdown on corner defense. About 3 guys blew assignments.

The lineup is what we should be seeing throughout the hex if fitness isn't an issue. Altidore had a good game for him off the ball, but his presence limits options for Pulisic and Wood. Those two need to get priority on who plays with them. Jones is still our best midfielder, but I don't think Bradley had a bad game. He isn't being asked to dominate the ball any longer. It was decided a couple years ago that Jones is the one to blast forward more often. I prefer a more defensive connecting role for MB. He is still our best free kick taker. He is playing better than last year. I do what to see Pulisic in the middle of field eventually. Maybe up top underneath Wood in the old Dempsey role in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1.

I really would rather see Altidore in a reserve role. He could be a spark off the bench. I also agree that Pulisic needs to play more in the middle of the field sooner rather than later. They do finally have the right role for Bradley, he simply has nothing going forward at this point.

When is Dempsey back? I really want to see him, Wood and Pulisic on the field at the same time. Add in Jones, plus some speed on the wing in the form of Johnson, and that lineup could actually score some goals.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I caught the game at the Outlaws bar in Vegas Friday afternoon. The first Mexico goal is all on JK. The Hex is not the place to play Dr. Frankenstien with the formation. After the team re-set and the ref started to call fouls on Mexico for diving (I think it was Chicharito who somehow turned a tap against his leg into a backflip), I thought the US controlled the game and was unfortunate now to have bagged a few more goals. Mexico had issues with Pulisic all game and basically sent two guys to hack him down each time he touched the ball. The second Mexico goal was on the team as Guzan was flatfooted and the defense was sleeping.

Now, they have to get at least a point in San Jose against Costa Rica.

Thoughts on the formation for Tuesday? With Howard gone for the foreseeable future, stick with Guzan in net or give Horvath the nod?

 

[businesslawyer]

You don't start Horvath in Costa Rica. If you want to look at him ahead of Yarbrough for after the Holidays, fine.

If he doesn't come out in a 4-4-2 I don't even know what to say.

Guzan
Fabian, Brooks, Omar, Chandler or Yedline (Chandler played fine but if Yedlin has fresher legs...)

Pulisic, Jones, Bradley, Bedoya. (Fabian has to play left back in the 4-4-2, so that moves Bedoya into the lineup. I could see playing Green but, in Costa Rica, more likely if he plays it's off the bench. Depending on whether Jones has gas left in the tank, I could see Klejstan playing for him as well).

Altidore, Woods. (Jozy, but for not attacking the last corner kick, had a very good game).

I thought after the absurd start caused by JK thinking too much, the team played fine. Their legs gave way a bit at the end, but both Howard's injury, costing them a sub, JK using the other 2 subs for FBs instead of those who had run more, and the incredible amount of chasing we did in the 3-5-2 probably all contributed to us losing steam at the end.

I'm relatively upbeat about the Costa Rica game. The new stadium is not as intimidating as the old one, we are coming off a demolition of CR in the Copa and result notwithstanding I like a lot about how our team is shaping up. We'll see.

 

[ZooCougar]

The US has a tendency to rebound nicely from these. I'll defend JK a bit, but I won't defend this tendency to get it wrong early in competitions.

I get why he tried the 3-5-2, but we shouldn't have to go through that gyration just because one player is out. It's kind of disturbing.

You don't start Horvath in Costa Rica. If you want to look at him ahead of Yarbrough for after the Holidays, fine.

If he doesn't come out in a 4-4-2 I don't even know what to say.

Guzan
Fabian, Brooks, Omar, Chandler or Yedline (Chandler played fine but if Yedlin has fresher legs...)

Pulisic, Jones, Bradley, Bedoya. (Fabian has to play left back in the 4-4-2, so that moves Bedoya into the lineup. I could see playing Green but, in Costa Rica, more likely if he plays it's off the bench. Depending on whether Jones has gas left in the tank, I could see Klejstan playing for him as well).

Altidore, Woods. (Jozy, but for not attacking the last corner kick, had a very good game).

I thought after the absurd start caused by JK thinking too much, the team played fine. Their legs gave way a bit at the end, but both Howard's injury, costing them a sub, JK using the other 2 subs for FBs instead of those who had run more, and the incredible amount of chasing we did in the 3-5-2 probably all contributed to us losing steam at the end.

I'm relatively upbeat about the Costa Rica game. The new stadium is not as intimidating as the old one, we are coming off a demolition of CR in the Copa and result notwithstanding I like a lot about how our team is shaping up. We'll see.

I don't understand what you said about the Fullbacks. Nobody runs more than FBs/Wingbacks in a 3-5-2.

Also, Michael Bradley's performance is really poor. I just don't see anyone who can replace him, but he's not getting it done. Where are those supposedly world class long penetrating passes that Alexi Lalas talks about.

 

[businesslawyer]

The US has a tendency to rebound nicely from these. I'll defend JK a bit, but I won't defend this tendency to get it wrong early in competitions.

I get why he tried the 3-5-2, but we shouldn't have to go through that gyration just because one player is out. It's kind of disturbing.



I don't understand what you said about the Fullbacks. Nobody runs more than FBs/Wingbacks in a 3-5-2.

Also, Michael Bradley's performance is really poor. I just don't see anyone who can replace him, but he's not getting it done. Where are those supposedly world class long penetrating passes that Alexi Lalas talks about.

My point about RFB was that Chandler played 70 minutes on Friday and Yedlin played 20. Chandler's legs, off only 3 days rest, might not be 100%. The outside FBs is the hardest position to play multiple games a week at. That's all I was saying.

I go with Bradley 100% tonight, but maybe for the first time since JK came on I'm now looking for him to play better or asking myself if I have a better option for the March qualifiers. (By the way -- I don't know that I do have a better option, but there have been too many subpar games recently)

 

[ZooCougar]

My point about RFB was that Chandler played 70 minutes on Friday and Yedlin played 20. Chandler's legs, off only 3 days rest, might not be 100%. The outside FBs is the hardest position to play multiple games a week at. That's all I was saying.

I go with Bradley 100% tonight, but maybe for the first time since JK came on I'm now looking for him to play better or asking myself if I have a better option for the March qualifiers. (By the way -- I don't know that I do have a better option, but there have been too many subpar games recently)

I heard this morning that Chandler started because he has been in great form this season after being injured for most of last year-that makes sense to me. He also still plays for a First Division Club-doesn't make as much sense to me. But, I can also see that JK has been less than thrilled with Yedlin's NT efforts as of late.

 

[LIuconn]

Would like to see Sacha more tonight. JK said Brooks lost his man on the corner that resulted in the goal - gotta shore up the set piece defense.

 

[SubbaBub]

Start comparing your expectations of Bradley to Beckermann instead of Donovan or Dempsey. He's not our best player anymore, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

We don't have a good replacement unless you play Jones and Pulisic in the middle. I don't think you can get 90 from Jones in every match, especially in 2018. Perhaps by that time they are a platoon.

Bradley's job right now is to protect the back 4, make the passes from the middle third to the flank or into the strikers, and take certain free kicks. He doesn't need to, nor should he be looking to dribble past people or be the primary playmaker.

 

[ZooCougar]

Start comparing your expectations of Bradley to Beckermann instead of Donovan or Dempsey. He's not our best player anymore, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

We don't have a good replacement unless you play Jones and Pulisic in the middle. I don't think you can get 90 from Jones in every match, especially in 2018. Perhaps by that time they are a platoon.

Bradley's job right now is to protect the back 4, make the passes from the middle third to the flank or into the strikers, and take certain free kicks. He doesn't need to, nor should he be looking to dribble past people or be the primary playmaker.

I don't think Jones was particularly good the other not. Too many conservative horizontal and backwards passes. Several times he contemplated making diagonals to Pulisic but gave up.

I think Pulisic is lost a bit in the middle. He shines on the flanks and creating from there. Maybe down the line he can play there but his game isn't there yet. We need a true Center Attacking Mid like Sacha or Benny Feilhaber. Guys that live to deliver that final ball or arrive late in the box to finish off a loose ball.

Michael Bradley is not that. Jermaine Jones is a box to box destroyer. The only true attacking center mids that we have had in camp lately are Sacha and Lee Nguyen. Bedoya is a not really that, he's not a #10.

For tonight's match, I really think we can see Pulisic romp IF Costa Rica isn't pressing. They don't typically press so if they give him a little room, he could really be a nightmare. Hopefully Sacha is ready to go as well.

Guzan
Chandler, Gonzales, Brooks, Johnson
Bradley
Bedoya, Sacha, Pulisic
Wood, Altidore

 

[bobbygt]

If Jones is ok, Klinsmann is going to play him imo. Unfortunately, I don't think the Jones and Bradley combo is working right now. I have no problem with Bedoya playing for Jones, since he's better with the ball.

I'm not a big fan of Gonzalez either, but I guess it's the only option right now.

Is Morris healthy?

It would be great to get a point tonight.

 

[SubbaBub]

That was some hot garbage in the first half. Several (all?) players seemed lost. Brooks was a gaff machine. Everyone looks put of gas. Heavy touches all around.

 

[SAMCRO]

That was some hot garbage in the first half. Several (all?) players seemed lost. Brooks was a gaff machine. Everyone looks put of gas. Heavy touches all around.

yup. Brooks, Bradley, Jones, and Gonzalez are struggling. Total team is flat out getting out-worked. Lucky to only be down 1.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

That was some hot garbage in the first half. Several (all?) players seemed lost. Brooks was a gaff machine. Everyone looks put of gas. Heavy touches all around.

At least the US is back to a 4-4-2. The Ticos are countering the US to death. Only had a pair of good chances, generated by Wood and Pulisic. No surprise. Defense looks lost and disinterested. Would have liked to see Jones pulled (who is low on gas and has a yellow and thus out next game along with Chanlder) and replaced with Kljestan, who had a better touch and more creatively. I need another drink.

 

[bobbygt]

This is turning into an epically bad november

 

[ZooCougar]

It's time.

 

[whaler11]

It's time.

To shoot JK to the sun? Good to finally have you on board.

 

[SAMCRO]

I'm about to give up on sports.... all my teams in every sport I follow suck (save Spurs, who are good but frustrating). If you have any alternative hobby recommendations, I'm all ears.

 

[meyers7]

That was just horrible. Probably the worst I've seen the USA play in quite some time. Time for some changes.

 

[JSM1970]

I know it wasn't him, but boy does Guzan blow. Howard can't come back soon enough. The talent is so bad. This country can't develop good talent on any scale. Find the top 25 players in each U14-U19 group and send them to European academies or have the super KC academy with 80% European coaches.

 

[whaler11]

I agree. I have no idea how they run Guzan out there ever again.

Who was the joker on the football board claiming the US was one of the 8 best teams in the world. LOL.

 

[businesslawyer]

1. Seems pretty clear that the team has quit on JK. Regardless of the reasons, he now needs to go. I'm guessing the last straw was him publicly blaming Brooks, Bradley and Jones for the loss to Mexico, when the players must all be blaming him for the formation.

2. That having been said, all 11 starters should be embarassed to put on their uniforms next time. Possible exception of Bobby Wood.

3. Fabian has to play LB, unless we have an answer for the position that we haven't seen yet. (The two names we haven't seen would be Robby Rogers, who hasn't had a sniff of a call up since coming out of the closet, and the former Timber now playing in Mexico whose name escapes me. But playing a center back with no speed outside isn't the answer. And I don't care if Chandler is all league in the Bundestag -- I don't want to see him in an important game any time soon.

4. If we go back to Copa, there were many here who whined and whined and whined about how unskilled Zardes and Bedoya were on the flanks, and didn't care that they worked harder than anyone else on the squad tracking bag and playing D. Thanks Obama. Boy, we sure looked great with skilled Bundesliga players on the flanks instead.

5. Jones, coming off his injury at his age, should not have been asked to go back out there and start last night. But he and Bradley were just not good enough over these two games. Whether or not there is a coaching change, new options need to be explored. Whether it's playing Klejstan (who I thought earned more of a chance of the last round of qualifiers), getting Fielhaber back into camp, trying a new pure defensive Beckerman type (whether we give Morales more of a look or try Dax McCarty or Kitchen) to pair with Sachs or Benny, whatever. I'm just afraid we're past the "use by" date on Bradley and JOnes.

Embarassing and disgusting. Sports should not be allowed to be played in November any more.

 

[ZooCougar]

To shoot JK to the sun? Good to finally have you on board.

When we get some Don Garber suckboy who wants to start Ethan Finley or Graham Zusi over Johnson and Pulisic you won't be singing the same tune.

Firing Jurgen won't make Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore not suck.

With an MLS suckboy in charge we'd never get players like Jordan Morris and Bobby Wood on the big team this early. The idiots who run MLS wouldn't even have the sense to play Christian Pulisic this early since they have no incentive to develop younger players earlier. They probably would have done something dumb like send him to play at Wake Forest or something.

So yeah, it's time to replace him. But it won't fix any of the root issues that have kept the nation from progressing. Nobody wants to blow up ODP and College Soccer because those are sacred cows, one financially lucrative and another emotional.

Hate to sound Waylonesque, but in 2018 I'll be saying "I TOLD YOU SO".

 

[businesslawyer]

When we get some Don Garber suckboy who wants to start Ethan Finley or Graham Zusi over Johnson and Pulisic you won't be singing the same tune.

Firing Jurgen won't make Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore not suck.

With an MLS suckboy in charge we'd never get players like Jordan Morris and Bobby Wood on the big team this early. The idiots who run MLS wouldn't even have the sense to play Christian Pulisic this early since they have no incentive to develop younger players earlier. They probably would have done something dumb like send him to play at Wake Forest or something.

So yeah, it's time to replace him. But it won't fix any of the root issues that have kept the nation from progressing. Nobody wants to blow up ODP and College Soccer because those are sacred cows, one financially lucrative and another emotional.

Hate to sound Waylonesque, but in 2018 I'll be saying "I TOLD YOU SO".

Out of curiosity, how do you blow up college soccer? You think the USSF has the power to tell the NCAA what it can and can't do?

If you are saying the infrastructure isn't there to get us to challenge for a world cup, well, duh. If you are saying we have to accept last night's level of play, that's crazy. We have made one World Cup QF and have never in the modern era failed to get out of a first round not played in Europe.

Players quit on a coach. Doesn't matter why. Makes it time for a new coach.

 

[ZooCougar]

1. Seems pretty clear that the team has quit on JK. Regardless of the reasons, he now needs to go. I'm guessing the last straw was him publicly blaming Brooks, Bradley and Jones for the loss to Mexico, when the players must all be blaming him for the formation.

2. That having been said, all 11 starters should be embarassed to put on their uniforms next time. Possible exception of Bobby Wood.

3. Fabian has to play LB, unless we have an answer for the position that we haven't seen yet. (The two names we haven't seen would be Robby Rogers, who hasn't had a sniff of a call up since coming out of the closet, and the former Timber now playing in Mexico whose name escapes me. But playing a center back with no speed outside isn't the answer. And I don't care if Chandler is all league in the Bundestag -- I don't want to see him in an important game any time soon.

4. If we go back to Copa, there were many here who whined and whined and whined about how unskilled Zardes and Bedoya were on the flanks, and didn't care that they worked harder than anyone else on the squad tracking bag and playing D. Thanks Obama. Boy, we sure looked great with skilled Bundesliga players on the flanks instead.

5. Jones, coming off his injury at his age, should not have been asked to go back out there and start last night. But he and Bradley were just not good enough over these two games. Whether or not there is a coaching change, new options need to be explored. Whether it's playing Klejstan (who I thought earned more of a chance of the last round of qualifiers), getting Fielhaber back into camp, trying a new pure defensive Beckerman type (whether we give Morales more of a look or try Dax McCarty or Kitchen) to pair with Sachs or Benny, whatever. I'm just afraid we're past the "use by" date on Bradley and JOnes.

Embarassing and disgusting. Sports should not be allowed to be played in November any more.

Robby Rogers should be our starting left back now. He's just super smart and has played at a high level for a long time. Feilhaber and Sacha should be competing to be our #10s.

I thought Jones looked really dull out there. Bradley hasn't been good and the effects of the long season are amplifying that.

Christian Pulisic is our Gareth Bale. Going forward the whole team should be built around him. We're still going to qualify. The top 4 teams get in. But we need to transform the team starting now.