Don't subscribe to any channel that it was on tonight so couldn't watch, but after seeing the result, and the quality of USMNT play last time out against Costa Rica, yeah, pathetic.
The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread
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skraeling
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I watched it. It was one of the single worst games ive ever seen played by a professional team.
Passing was terrible.
Zero drive to get to balls.
no hustle, none. zip. Get beaten to everything.
The defense oh god the defense. We had some? news to me they never seemed to show up.
We got walked for 89 of the 90 minutes.
Normally I'd say no problem needing wins agains Panama and Trinidad, but with how the US has been playing lately, no WC seems an actual possibility...
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
Pretty much this is all true. I haven't seen the US look that bad in a game they should have been playing with their backs against the wall. Usually after a shock loss the US bounces back because they relish in the underdog role.
I will give Arena a smidge of reprieve in that Brooks and Yedlin were missing. But missing them wasn't the reason that he trotted Zusi out for both games. He could have tried LIchaj (who was better than Zusi in the Gold Cup) or picked Timmy Chandler who's better than Zusi.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
I can understand why Arena didn't pick Timmay. IMHO he was one of the reasons why Los Ticos dropped 4 goals on the US in Herr Klinsmann last match. Arena probably has zero faith in Timmay. Timmay on the other hand gives zero ****s
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
Actually Brooks/Gonzalez was probably the biggest part of that. Those 2 cannot play next to each other because they both are too aggressive. Brooks is an A+ most of the time. But the times he's struggled is when he isn't paired with a smarter CB like Cameron and Besler. He's worked best for us in those types of lineups. Not so much with Gonzalez or ALvarado.
Though Chandler did suck that game too. But I think that also came from a formation switch that lead to him having little midfield coverage. Yedlin is certainly the best USMNT RB. Chandler is certainly better than Zusi. Lichaj may be better than both of them. Either way I don't think Chandler whiffs on a tackle like Zusi did on the effort that lead to the Honduran goal.
Though Chandler did suck that game too. But I think that also came from a formation switch that lead to him having little midfield coverage. Yedlin is certainly the best USMNT RB. Chandler is certainly better than Zusi. Lichaj may be better than both of them. Either way I don't think Chandler whiffs on a tackle like Zusi did on the effort that lead to the Honduran goal.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
3 league home matches played at Wembley & still no win by spuds. This is the reason why I don't hate spuds. They always find a way to bring me comedy xD
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
Arena doesn't pick Johnson, Chandler, or young exciting players like Miazga, Gooch, or Carter-Vickers, I'm over him.
HoppyDaze
Well-Known Member
USMNT is not good, not good at all.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
No Bruce Arena is a moron. First for not picking Fabian Johnson who I know prefers playing left mid, but would be easily our best left back. Second for watching the ****ty performance by Omar Gonzalez last game and going "Yeah lets play him again." and third for not changing that disaster formation. The only reason we beat Panama was individual effort. It wasn't from a solid tactical move or anything like that. It was because of Altidore, Pulisic and Wood taking it to the defense. Why was Nagbe picked ahain after he was medioce to invisible last time? Why was the same formation used? Why not go with amore defensive formation? Why was Villafana used when he's been the worst starter in WCQ? Why Tim Howard?
Arena deserves his "legacy" tarnished by this.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
"Come on guys! Dont be hard on the team, they had to play against two teams at the same time: Trinidad & Tobago"
best joke I heard all day
best joke I heard all day
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
Reading what Arena and Gulati had to say about the loss makes me so mad. We weren't robbed of the WC by a few inches. This wasn't one result that cost us the trip. We failed to get any away wins in WCQ and lost twice at home. That's unacceptable and honestly the only home loss that was kind of sort of acceptable was the Mexico one because we were the better team of the 2 and lost because of fluke goals.
We deserved what we got
MSK_Chess
enthusiastic learner
I am sure gonna miss watching the USA and my heart goes out to their soccer fans. Scotland also failed to qualify 
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
For sure. I don't get how Arena could march the same lineup out again. And for the billionth time this Hex aside from the 2 games we dominted teams build up a strong attack against the left side of our defense. Villafana was terrible but Arena wouldn't pick Fabian Johnson either for defensive coverage in midfield or as a defender. Arena is a moron. I will not watch the USMNT until he's gone.
HoppyDaze
Well-Known Member
Sort of easy to say in hindsight. Ultimately it is up to the players to perform. They should have won that match regardless of who was out there. They weren't even trying for some reason. If they don't try for that match, than what match are they going to put effort into? I think it's a reflection of the generation and change in our society...entitled little b!tches flopping around in the grass. Pathetic.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
It's not effort. It's about bad tactical error. Omar Gonzalez screwing up wasn't lack of effort it was a bad technical move. Howard concedeing a 30 yard goal wasn't a lack of effort, but Tim Howard screwed up because he does that sometimes.
Again if Arena had done what he did the rest of the year where Guzan played the majority of road games he saves that 30 yarder and Cameron doesn't concede that own goal.
Again if Arena had done what he did the rest of the year where Guzan played the majority of road games he saves that 30 yarder and Cameron doesn't concede that own goal.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
My man Hippo predicted this failure back when the squad was announced. Remember that Chandler & Johnson weren't selected. You think they could have helped? Think about TnT's goals. Both came from the left side of the pitch. IMHO Johnson would have performed better at that position than Nagbe, but it's neither here or there because we are not going to Russia. Just a dream deferred.
What a day for Crystal Palace to learn to score and us to learn to win at Wembley.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
I read a report from somewhere where they talked about all the US games and basically said every game involved build up from the left side aside from the blowouts. And it got really bad when Villafana became the primary LB.
USMNT wins that game in T&T if they have Johnson at LB and Cameron at CB.
Also they really should ahve deplayed a 4-2-3-1 with Bradley partnered with Dax or Acosta Pulisic, Arriola, and WOod attacking mids and Jozy as the target man. Would have given us much more defensive coverage.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
Or even have Johnson play at LM, his preferred position. But for some silly reason, BA didn't pick Johnson & now the US is looking from the outside at the Big Dance. People might say CONCACAF is easy, but look at the final match day of the Hex. Mexico, Costa Rica & The Yanks all lost. IMHO that is a good thing for the competitiveness of the Region.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
Eh, Mexico and Costa Rica had nothing to play for. The region generally is improving. But Panama, Honduras, and T&T are very far behind the USMNT. But player selection and lineup selection are key. Arena failed at both of them. Not bringing in Johnson, not playing Cameron, not offering any coverage for CBs on the road.
What this screams to me is that USMNT needs a huge shakeup. From the top down. Gulati gone, bring in someone new and they pick the coaches. USMNT has all the talent to dominate CONCACAF aside from Mexico. There was a big failure in a whole generation of goalkeeper that was compounded by Guzan tanking in Europe that didn't buy a little more time. Hopefully Horvath, Gonzalez, Klinsmann, etc. work out for the future. And Bradley's move back to MLS hurt his performance but there was no one to press him. Klinsmann addressed this before, talking about how frustrating it was that no one was pressuring even Jermaine Jones much less Bradley.
What this screams to me is that USMNT needs a huge shakeup. From the top down. Gulati gone, bring in someone new and they pick the coaches. USMNT has all the talent to dominate CONCACAF aside from Mexico. There was a big failure in a whole generation of goalkeeper that was compounded by Guzan tanking in Europe that didn't buy a little more time. Hopefully Horvath, Gonzalez, Klinsmann, etc. work out for the future. And Bradley's move back to MLS hurt his performance but there was no one to press him. Klinsmann addressed this before, talking about how frustrating it was that no one was pressuring even Jermaine Jones much less Bradley.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
for all of you USNMT fans that are singing The Blues, The Baby Nats are tearing it up in India at the U17 World Cup. Today The Baby Nats won 5-0 over Paraguay to advance to the Quarterfinals. Next up will be either England or Japan. I know who most want . BTW checkout #11 Andrew Carleton. That dude is all that & a bag of chips.
. BTW checkout #11 Andrew Carleton. That dude is all that & a bag of chips.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
The U-17 team has some exciting players. Hopefully someone from Europe comes over and buys up Carleton soon. Baffling to me that one of our more exciting prospects isn't getting more PT in MLS. Sargent and Weah are legit as hell though. Sargent just signed to Bremen where he'll be joining them in January. Weah was recently signed by PSG. ANd if he can be as good as his pops was, we'll have a truly amazing player on our hands.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
it seems from my view that most of these players are with Atlanta United. I believe there are at least 3 starters that play for this side & they have appeared with the senior team already. The MLS has assisted both our neighboring countries & our country in producing better talent in the region.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
MLS is assisting and it needs to play an important role. But there is an issue in MLS where they often play older safe vets (see Dax McCarty, Chris Wondolowski or Kyle Beckerman) rather can go with youth. Erik Palmer-Brown may be the best example. Highly regarded CB/CDM for the YNT, was recruited by PSG, Ajax, and Man City (who he signed for the latter) and only played in 10 league games for Sporting KC. A guy Man City considers worth a shot cannot play over Ike Opara or Matt Besler.
Klinsmann said it best when talking about Pulisic, MLS doesn't give it's young players enough opportunity. Don't get me wrong, MLS needs to improve it's youth system and it's already paying off. But what's important to remember is it's still far off from where it needs to be. And where that is involves more young players playing regularly. Some teams are good about it. Others aren't.
And Columbus is looking to move...
Spurs sitting at top of Champions League group on away goal tiebreaker. Above Real Madrid. Went to Bernabeu and didn't lose. I'm floored. Granted we were the luckier to escape with a point. But 1 point far better than the expected zero.
We have to majorly f*** up now to not advance out of a group I thought we had no chance to advance from.
COYS
We have to majorly f*** up now to not advance out of a group I thought we had no chance to advance from.
COYS
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
Also of note the Baby Nats (U17 and U20) both got to the quarterfinals of their respective world cups. Only US and England achieved that this year.
skraeling
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Dude took a page out of Kronke's book.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
I know it's late for this discussion, but I still can't understand why Danny Williams doesn't get called up for the USNMT? The guy can start for his club team vs Man U & put in a shift. IMHO he could have done the same at Trinidad & Tobago.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
Because Bruce Arena only knows and trusts MLS players. Look at our starting Xi vs. T&T. Only Pulisic and Wood never played in MLS. Meanwhile we didn't pick Johnson, Chandler, Williams, CCV, etc. who all would have been quality picks. In fact on his whole roster, those 2 were the only one without a decent amount of MLS as I recall.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
can we make a case for David Wagner then? He did play for the USNMT. What about Preki? I always regarded him as a Great American Hero for scoring the goal for the USA only win over Brazil
I joked with my Liverpool supporting friend about our 9-0 victory bringing us above ManU on GD. Then Kane scores in the first 5 minutes. I joke about it being 18-0. Son scores barely 5 minutes later. My jaw drops.
Of course we took a foot off the gas. But still, that was fun.
We actually beat Liverpool. At Wembley no less.
Of course we took a foot off the gas. But still, that was fun.
We actually beat Liverpool. At Wembley no less.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
can we make a case for David Wagner then? He did play for the USNMT. What about Preki? I always regarded him as a Great American Hero for scoring the goal for the USA only win over Brazil
Wagner I think is the favorite if he'll leave Huddersfield. If he doesn't I think the favorite is either Blanc, Vermes, Pereja, or if we are willing to spend money, Roberto Martinez is my dream pick.
Please, can we forget the Liverpool Spurs game. YNWA.
hoppyhoppyhippo
Well-Known Member
MLS decision day was exciting. Wish Atlanta got the win, but they're an extremely impressive expansion squad.
Giovinco is a golden god.
Giovinco is a golden god.
robdogj
Well-Known Member
so the USNMT will be lead by Dave Sarachan. Ok it's on an interim basis & I guess there is no real rush to get a gaffer since the next comps won't be until 2020. We shall see how this pans out.
