OT : USA Soccer

[Carl Spackler]

Just finished watching USA v. Bosnia on ESPN3 through my laptop and HDMI cable to TV.

So who's got the longest win streak in the world? USA. Who just came from behind, and won on European soil for the first time ever? USA.

Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2014 USA is coming.

 

[progrocks]

Jozy just might be special.

 

[Kgun7]

I haven't watched the game yet, but I did watch the goal highlights. Michael Bradley's pass up to Jozy on Eddie Johnson's goal was a thing of beauty!

 

[SubbaBub]

Some good, some bad, some really bad.

Jozy, Bradley and Howard showed why they're at the top if the US pool.

Everyone else showed why they wont be starting in Brazil.

Brooks showed his talent and his inexperience. Cameron showed he may be more valuable to the team somewhere other than CB.

F. Johnson showed LM may be better for him than LB.

Not buying B. Evans at RB but he did OK, Parkhurst showed in 10 min that his performance at the GC wasn't a fluke. JK won't decide this spot until baggage claim in Brazil.

Klijestan still sucks, EJ, Mix, and Jones all broke my cardinal rule for staying on the field coughing up the ball in bad spots. Jones especially had a horrible game. I defended him because he plays so much better for his club team. But, performances like this will get him benched no matter how much JK likes him.

None of the other guys made any gains in my book. The game at Costa Rica will be huge for the fringe players.

 

[UConnDan97]

Some good, some bad, some really bad.

Jozy, Bradley and Howard showed why they're at the top if the US pool.

Everyone else showed why they wont be starting in Brazil.

Brooks showed his talent and his inexperience. Cameron showed he may be more valuable to the team somewhere other than CB.

F. Johnson showed LM may be better for him than LB.

Not buying B. Evans at RB but he did OK, Parkhurst showed in 10 min that his performance at the GC wasn't a fluke. JK won't decide this spot until baggage claim in Brazil.

Klijestan still sucks, EJ, Mix, and Jones all broke my cardinal rule for staying on the field coughing up the ball in bad spots. Jones especially had a horrible game. I defended him because he plays so much better for his club team. But, performances like this will get him benched no matter how much JK likes him.

None of the other guys made any gains in my book. The game at Costa Rica will be huge for the fringe players.

I agree with most of your analysis, with the exception of Diskerud and Eddie Johnson. Diskerud - I thought he was particularly dangerous with the ball, especially in the first 15 minutes of the game, and the referee absolutely robbed him of a clear penalty in the box.

I will emphatically AGREE with your assessment on Jones, and I am yet again perplexed with how this guy is our starting center mid. He forces Bradley deeper back than Bradley would like to play (or should play), and he creates no opportunities for other players. I'm praying that the Jones experiment ends soon from Klinsmann...

 

[BlueMAB]

Bradley and Jozy. Wow. Bradley's vision and touch are special. The fourth goal where they strung together about 4 one touch passes, then Bradley took one touch to settle, and put the ball where it needed to be for Jozy. Great goal. The long pass to Jozy on the first goal was perfect. Jozy is simply playing at a world class level. Playing like he is now, he's good enough for any league in the world IMHO. Bradley too.

The way we are scoring goals, not only long balls and counters, but also off build-up and ball movement is so encouraging and exciting. We're not Spain or Brazil, but if we get our back line straightened out (not an easy task, I know), I believe we can not only make the knockout round, but win a game or two once we are there.

 

[businesslawyer]

I was a Klinsman detractor at the time of the hiring and for his first year. While players win and lose games, obviously I was wrong. This team has the potential to go deeper in the World Cup than we've been in modern history.

Yes, the concern is the back 4. We've had back fours play better together with no more talent than this group. Finding a combo that works has to happen.

 

[SubbaBub]

I agree with most of your analysis, with the exception of Diskerud and Eddie Johnson. Diskerud - I thought he was particularly dangerous with the ball, especially in the first 15 minutes of the game, and the referee absolutely robbed him of a clear penalty in the box.

I will emphatically AGREE with your assessment on Jones, and I am yet again perplexed with how this guy is our starting center mid. He forces Bradley deeper back than Bradley would like to play (or should play), and he creates no opportunities for other players. I'm praying that the Jones experiment ends soon from Klinsmann...

Through sheer numbers we need a Holden/Diskerud to back up Bradley's position. I'm good with the Cameron/Jones as the DM. Mix hustled for sure and did well to hold up the counter attacks on turnovers. But, he was knocked off the ball far too easily and if you consistently turn the ball over, I don't want you on the field.

The Johannsson debut was interesting. No fear, showed great skill and work rate. Probably a little green for brazil with CD and LD holding the 2nd forward spot in the 4-4-2, but by the eyeball test alone I'd take him ahead of Gomez and Wondo if his scores for his Dutch Club in Jozy's old position.

 

[ZooCougar]

I was a Klinsman detractor at the time of the hiring and for his first year. While players win and lose games, obviously I was wrong. This team has the potential to go deeper in the World Cup than we've been in modern history.

Yes, the concern is the back 4. We've had back fours play better together with no more talent than this group. Finding a combo that works has to happen.

I just took time for him to get everything in place and opportunity to capitalize.

He did it faster than Pasqualoni.

 

[rich1122]

Bosnia made wholesale changes in the 2nd half, I think many on D. So I am not going to oversell the win. However, they are 13th in the world. Klinsman change to 4-4-2 in 2nd half was a good tactical change.

 

[SubbaBub]

Bosnia made wholesale changes in the 2nd half, I think many on D. So I am not going to oversell the win. However, they are 13th in the world. Klinsman change to 4-4-2 in 2nd half was a good tactical change.

Agree the second half of any friendly should be discounted somewhat. The thing to take away are the teams tactics and individual skills and or breakdowns shown by the players.

There is a certain AAA vs. MLB threshold when it comes to playing international soccer. Some guys just can't match the level of play.

 

[Waquoit]

Bosnia made wholesale changes in the 2nd half, I think many on D. So I am not going to oversell the win. However, they are 13th in the world. Klinsman change to 4-4-2 in 2nd half was a good tactical change.

I was afraid you we're going to go Lalas on us at the start. Did you hear him when asked what the win meant? He says "nothing". It's wasn't nothing, B-H was on their own roll and our guys beat them. Altidore's goals were world class. And I think JK gives the USA an absolute top-flight coach.

 

[rich1122]

I was afraid you we're going to go Lalas on us at the start. Did you hear him when asked what the win meant? He says "nothing". It's wasn't nothing, B-H was on their own roll and our guys beat them. Altidore's goals were world class. And I think JK gives the USA an absolute top-flight coach.

It gives the coach a chance to look at all of the players and most of all implement the style of play so it permeates throughout. Not so much the individual play, but how things fit together. Give Klinsman an A+. They really look more skilled and play together much better than any US team that I have seen.

 

[Carl Spackler]

The next game is always the most important. Klinsmann's oft stated, single most important reason, why USA Soccer has not yet ever become a world power, is because the American public hasn't demanded it. And he's absolutely right.

He's bringing the program along, in such a way that fundamentally makes sense for building a world class national team squad - that's not the difficult part - he's done that before in Germany building up that program from where it was headed.

The difficult part, and the part that he's got really no control over at all, except having the good timing, to walk into the perfect storm for - is building expectations for the American public. American Soccer is being covered on television regularly now, and in sports media regularly, like never before.

Had this win streak, and several milestone victories along the way, and buildup to the 2014 world cup happened in 1988-1989, or in 1996-1997 - nobody except a select/small group of sports followers would care. But this USA program now, has the opportunity to generate significant national following in the media, and American public, in the next year working towards Brazil and then competiting there - and with that exposure, and competition, should follow - the ramping up of expectations from the American public and the snowball gets rolling.

The rest of the world, in soccer, has enjoyed a long time, of the United States public - not caring.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Klinsmann seems to be intent on building a deep bench through a lot of competition for key spots on the team and it is working. The US is mauling teams it should be in CONACAF, has been able to flight from behind and win against good teams away, and does not seem to be afraid to play anyone. The backline does need work; but, it has size to defend in the air, which can’t be taught, and the US has had world-class keepers in place now for nearly 20 years to lend a hand. The big change I have seen this year in WC Qualifiers, the GC and today is goal scoring. The US’s Achilles’ heel for years has been the inability to find the net consistently with more than 1 player (Donavan, McBride, etc.).

This could be a big year from 2013 to 2014 for US soccer. With MLS healthy (outside of some stadium issues with Columbus, New England and money with LA Chivas) the US producing more local talent, the build-up to the WC if this momentum continues could be huge. With the environment that a WC in Brazil should create, the fact that most games will be prime time as Brazil shares the same time zones as the US, and a potential run by the US past the round robin (with a little ‘luck’ on the pool draw and FIFA officials who actually have a clue), soccer could get a massive boost.

 

[Mots010]

Bosnia made some subs in the 2nd half, but so did the US, and our subs improved our play. I actually thought the US controlled pace in the first half, and that Bosnia was fortunate to be up 2-0. First, the 2nd goal was a clear offsides, and Mix should have been awarded a PK. On the other hand, the US had good posession and generated a few good chances. Altidore gave up a point blank shot for reasons i still cant explain.

I also think Johansson is going to be a keeper. He showed us a lot in his 30 minutes or so. Guys like Wondo and Shea should be worried.