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2015 Friendlies

Cali Ed

Cali Ed

New member
Watching the U.S./Switzerland match this morning. Anyone else? Some thoughts so far
1) Was glad to see Gyasi Zardes start for the U.S., though I was disappointed he missed a good chance early in the first half.
2) Alejandro Bedoya looked good. A couple of strong crosses to set up strong scoring opportunities, and seemed comfortable when in possession.
3) Brek Shea made me happy, and that was before the great free kick goal he scored.
4) Looking forward to seeing how the youngster William Yarbrough does in goal in the second half.
 
Altidore sent off for a bad tackle (yellow #1) and then for dropping an "F bomb" on the ref, right to his face (yellow #2). Ugh!
 
Ugh! Conceded the equalizer. Not surprising after a flurry of corner kicks that weren't particularly well defended.
 
Twelve goals conceded in the second half in matches since the World Cup, with only one scored. Was always going to be tough to win away from home with only ten men. Still, the team needs to do better in defending corners.
 
Cali Ed said:
Twelve goals conceded in the second half in matches since the World Cup, with only one scored. Was always going to be tough to win away from home with only ten men. Still, the team needs to do better in defending corners.
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They just need to do better defending period. I've not been impressed with any of the back four groups Jurgen has trotted out since the World Cup. I like the experiment of sliding Shea to fullback, but that ONLY works if you're a LOT more solid at center back.

Color me unimpressed with the "new roster" progress thus far.
 
jeffbear said:
They just need to do better defending period. I've not been impressed with any of the back four groups Jurgen has trotted out since the World Cup. I like the experiment of sliding Shea to fullback, but that ONLY works if you're a LOT more solid at center back.

Color me unimpressed with the "new roster" progress thus far.
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Me too. If we don't win the Gold Cup this year, we'll have to play off against the winner for the right to be the CONCACAF representative to the Confederations Cup in 2017. And right now, we're looking like a losing semifinalist at best.
 
Watched it.

Meh to bad Mexican roster against a decent but unsettled American side. The US pretty clearly outplayed them and the result was earned. The Mexican staff just can't be happy with that level of effort. They literally just got out-hustled on both US goals.
 
For the first time ever, the United States defeated the Netherlands in an international friendly. The final, 4-3, was indicative, to me, of a couple of things:

1) Our back four is STILL a mess. The three goals were all the result of defensive breakdowns, particularly on crosses in from out wide.

2) Despite that, our attack was impressive. Gyasi scored his first-ever, and was a menace whenever the U.S. was near the Dutch goal. We squandered a few chances before getting down 3-1 (minute 70), and then to get those two goals in the 89th and 90th minute from Danny Williams and Bobby Wood? Priceless! Our pace caused them trouble, and Jordan Morris proved he belonged. But the MOTM for the U.S.? Easily Michael Bradley. He was directly responsible for making the plays that helped us get our last three goals, particularly his brilliant run and pass to Morris, who served one up on a platter for Wood to smash home.

The Dutch started van Persie, Huntelaar (brace), Depay (he looked good ... ManU must have been salivating), Blind, Cillessen and Janmaat and brought on Sneijder, van der Wiel, Martins Indi and de Jong. In other words, a strong team.
 
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I still don't see John Brooks as a central defender. Maybe he becomes Jemaine Jones' replacement at 6. Maybe he matures into the role as he gets older. But he's a huge liability there right now.
 
OK ... just got done watching the DVR of that one. Wow.

One thing to note, I know the back four is taking heat for the Dutch goals but be serious here folks. That's a defensive group in transition and the Dutch attack is as good as any in the world. And it's not like they played C Teamers either. I'll look past those issues given the terrific excitement of the game as a whole, the performance of the US' emerging players and the RESULT. Which is what matter after all.

Side note ... I've heard a couple of interviews with Jordan Morris and if he keeps this up he might be the next US star. He's eloquent, thoughtful and insightful ... and freaking 20 years old.
 
andyt said:
So where does Morris end up? MLS or Europe?
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Sounds to me like he's open to both, but isn't a moron. So he'll either get a legit offer that includes some actual playing time from a Euro club or else he'll take the best contract MLS will give him. He'll make more money in the States, but he sounds open to a legit move to Europe. He just doesn't strike me as a guy who's going to have his head turned by a big name club only to get stuck on a reserve squad. That's what would kill the guy's career arc. Go somewhere and PLAY and everything else sorts itself out.
 
Another friendly against a World Cup medalist, another win for the US, this one against Germany, 2-1 on goals by Mix Diskerud and Bobby Wood. It was a mostly 2nd choice German side but Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Schurrle and Gotze started, and Kramer, Khedira and Podolski played. All but Podolski played in the WC final last summer.
 
I didn't see any of it, but by all accounts our defense looks pretty suckalicious going into the Gold Cup. Nice to read Bradley's coming into form, anyway.
 
HNIM said:
I didn't see any of it, but by all accounts our defense looks pretty suckalicious going into the Gold Cup. Nice to read Bradley's coming into form, anyway.
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You ARE aware that we were playing Germany and the Dutch in this set right? And that we won both games? And that even second choice German and Dutch sides are WAY more talented and experienced than the US?

Sorry ... not attacking you personally, but this is nearly all I'm hearing from the traditional outlets today.

Look. The back four is a weak spot for the US right now. It's a time of transition to a younger group, and Jurgen seems committed to let the kids take their lumps while they learn. Fine. BUT ... we bloody went to Europe and BEAT the Dutch and the Germans in a single week. We NEVER do that. Oh, and it wasn't the US' first choice side either.

It's OK to be happy.
 
Good progress to be sure. But I look at the gamecast from Friday and I see a Dutch team that went up two goals early in the second half and figured they had it in the bag. Especially when they gave it away they way the did, and if it had been my team that gave up the equalizer at 89' and the winner in stoppage, i'd definitely be saying we'd given it away.

And if people are looking at the two results as glass half full, it means the bar's been raised. That's a GOOD thing.
 
Yeah ... I'm just not getting that half full stuff. I actually watched those games and we played bloody well. I don't get the reluctance of people who follow American soccer to actual ENJOY it when their teams do well. We always seem to have to make excuses for the other team. Screw that. We went and won two games ... on the road ... in Europe ... enjoy it.

I thought what we wanted from Jurgen was results. These are results.
 
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