Copa Semifinals

[John]

I don't know a lot about soccer even though the kids play it. Now I *should* know this because my younger is a GK, but was that GK last night awful? I couldn't belp but think as the game unfolded that the wrong keeper was in that box. Why is Tim Howard not playing these games????

 

[progrocks]

Guzan was only at fault for the first goal, and that was the only one on him all tournament. He was not the problem, and Howard had a bad season at Everton and is a couple levels below where he was 2 years ago.

 

[ZooCougar]

I don't know a lot about soccer even though the kids play it. Now I *should* know this because my younger is a GK, but was that GK last night awful? I couldn't belp but think as the game unfolded that the wrong keeper was in that box. Why is Tim Howard not playing these games????

Tim Howard is awful these days. But Guzan wasn't the problem last night.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Tim Howard is awful these days. But Guzan wasn't the problem last night.

Guzan is steady, manages the defense pretty well and makes the saves a decent goalie should make. What he can't do is carry the team with spectacular saves that frustrate the opponent. The young Howard could do that now and then, but not anymore.

 

[junglehusky]

Guzan is steady, manages the defense pretty well and makes the saves a decent goalie should make. What he can't do is carry the team with spectacular saves that frustrate the opponent. The young Howard could do that now and then, but not anymore.

Yeah if Guzan could do that, Villa might have avoided relegation.

 

[meyers7]

LOL. Nope. Birnbaum has to touch the ball, which he easily could have. I can't imagine why he just let it roll.

Nope, that one was on Bradley. One of many poor passes by Bradley. Birnbaum didn't help, but that whole sequence was on Bradley.

And one day someone will explain to me why Birnbaum was there as the back up instead of Omar in the first place.

Yea, can't help you there. Klinnsmann, smh, what you gonna do? He got them to the Semi's though, so he's ours for a couple more years.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Nope, that one was on Bradley. One of many poor passes by Bradley. Birnbaum didn't help, but that whole sequence was on Bradley.



Yea, can't help you there. Klinnsmann, smh, what you gonna do? He got them to the Semi's though, so he's ours for a couple more years.

Are we getting an Olympics or not? This team could really use it ahead of the World Cup, with some additional opportunities for the younger guys to win starting spots.

 

[meyers7]

Are we getting an Olympics or not? This team could really use it ahead of the World Cup, with some additional opportunities for the younger guys to win starting spots.

No, our U23's lost to Honduras in the Semi's. Placed 3rd and had a playoff with Colombia, which we lost. But yes we really could have used the experience.

Honduras and Mexico from CONCACAF. Along with Brazil, Argentina, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, Fiji,
Iraq, Japan, S. Korea and Colombia.

 

[UCFBfan]

Guzan was pretty solid all tournament. Not even Tim Howard from the Belgium WC game would have stopped those goals from going in.

 

[businesslawyer]

Bradley is central and both Johnson and Pulisic are wing players.

The future center mids are Nagbe, Hyndman and maybe Zelalem.

Have you seen Zelalem play? Either with Rangers or the youth national squads he's been on? He has tremendous ball skills, but I'm far from sold. My fear is that he's Adu part 2 -- a truly skilled player who is small, weak and not particularly fast. If you watched the Scottish Cup Finals just a month ago, and think that he could even carry Michael Bradley's water at the moment, you're crazy. Love to see him get to where Arsenal hopes he can be, but I just don't see the size/athleticism combo. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[ZooCougar]

Have you seen Zelalem play? Either with Rangers or the youth national squads he's been on? He has tremendous ball skills, but I'm far from sold. My fear is that he's Adu part 2 -- a truly skilled player who is small, weak and not particularly fast. If you watched the Scottish Cup Finals just a month ago, and think that he could even carry Michael Bradley's water at the moment, you're crazy. Love to see him get to where Arsenal hopes he can be, but I just don't see the size/athleticism combo. Hope I'm wrong.

I saw him in the U20 World Cup and he was pretty sick.

I think he just hit a bumpy spot this season. I didn't see him play for Rangers, but from what I have read, size and athleticism aren't what ailed him. It's like he took a step backwards in knowing what to do when he got the ball.

I don't place the same emphasis on size or athleticism. And most other countries don't either. That hasn't really led us to the promised land yet. We could use a few players who are more technically oriented. But Zelalem needs to make the jump to the adult game first.

 

[SubbaBub]

Guzan was pretty solid all tournament. Not even Tim Howard from the Belgium WC game would have stopped those goals from going in.

I might be the only one who thinks Guzan should have at least got a hand on Messi's free kick as brilliant as it was. Guzan took a false step and was unable to recover a well placed but reachable kick.

He still proved his worth in earlier games. Without his numerous point blank saves we go out in the group.

Though I still think Howard is the better keeper today if not in 2018.

 

[businesslawyer]

I saw him in the U20 World Cup and he was pretty sick.

I think he just hit a bumpy spot this season. I didn't see him play for Rangers, but from what I have read, size and athleticism aren't what ailed him. It's like he took a step backwards in knowing what to do when he got the ball.

I don't place the same emphasis on size or athleticism. And most other countries don't either. That hasn't really led us to the promised land yet. We could use a few players who are more technically oriented. But Zelalem needs to make the jump to the adult game first.

1. Don't disagree that we need players who are more technically oriented. But they also need to be athletic enough to compete.

2. I also saw Zelalem play in the U20s, and was less impressed. But obviously folks think he has potential, so we'll see.

 

[UCFBfan]

I might be the only one who thinks Guzan should have at least got a hand on Messi's free kick as brilliant as it was. Guzan took a false step and was unable to recover a well placed but reachable kick.

He still proved his worth in earlier games. Without his numerous point blank saves we go out in the group.

Though I still think Howard is the better keeper today if not in 2018.

I'm not so sure about your assessment on the Messi FK. Messi went to a corner few would ever try and Guzan took his first step in the direction he thought he'd logically go. I don't think anyone would have been able to save that goal.

In the end, Guzan has been solid and I can't put much fault on him for that slaughter, outside the first goal which came off his mistake.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I'm not so sure about your assessment on the Messi FK. Messi went to a corner few would ever try and Guzan took his first step in the direction he thought he'd logically go. I don't think anyone would have been able to save that goal.

In the end, Guzan has been solid and I can't put much fault on him for that slaughter, outside the first goal which came off his mistake.

Also, the ball hooked a ton. It looked like he was going opposite corner off his foot. That's why that shot is so hard to stop - you can't read it until it's basically by you, and then he basically places it in the corner of the goal.

 

[Waquoit]

We can't do better than Guzan?

 

[Jaker]

Did Bradley really say todays game was a waste of time??Hope he see's the bench today.

 

[ZooCougar]

Did Bradley really say todays game was a waste of time??Hope he see's the bench today.

Struggling Michael Bradley needs defined midfield role with USMNT

With Michael Bradley struggling, the USMNT never had a chance against Argentina


Bradley will finish Copa on high note - Klinsmann

 

[Jaker]

Really hope we come out and attack Colombia, a win today would cap off what has been a good tourney all the way around.

And I expect a very good final, chile will give aFa a great game.

 

[junglehusky]

So what do you guys make of Brooks being left on the bench? Well earned rest? Uhhhh... experimentation? And no Nagbe to start - hope he goes in at halftime.

 

[Jaker]

We are playing very well, but do need Brooks in and Orozco out. Or Jones back in.

Good game though.

 

[Tenspro2002]

So what do you guys make of Brooks being left on the bench? Well earned rest? Uhhhh... experimentation? And no Nagbe to start - hope he goes in at halftime.

I heard Brooks and Johnson are both nursing nagging injuries. No need to push it in a 3rd place game.

 

[Jaker]

Fantastic game, wide open, attacking football

 

[junglehusky]

Oh Bobby Wood. I probably can't complain about the frame stopping him since it also stopped a Colombia goal.

 

[Jaker]

Put Nagbe in, pull Bradly