Cugalabanza Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Two more WC qualifiers coming up... Fri. 9/6 at Costa Rica, at 10pm ET (BeIN SPORT) Tue. 9/10 vs. Mexico (in Columbus, OH), at 8pm ET (ESPN) The U.S. will have a very solid roster for these games. All the big names are in camp (Tim Howard, Besler, Bradley, Donovan, Dempsey, Altidore...) They've been looking great lately. 12 wins in a row. I'm curious to see how they look with a true A squad in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Ranks, Rastro!! Oh ... wait ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Chef Jim thanks you for your perseverance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Chef Jim thanks you for your perseverance. Nope I'm done. Last time I hurt their feelings and they deleted the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Go USA soccer! 12 wins in a row is biggest streak in world now I believe. They are playing great! So I checked FIFA rankings, and USA is 19th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Adams Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 FIFA rankings don't mean jack this time of the 4 year cycle. A few years ago, the US was ranked 3rd for a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted September 4, 2013 Author Share Posted September 4, 2013 I think the current FIFA top 20 rankings are pretty accurate. USA at #19 sounds about right. If they keep playing as well as they have lately, it's possible to crack the top 15 by World Cup time. Although I'll be a whole hell of a lot more interested in the ranking immediately following the WC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 USA! USA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewPort71 Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Tuesday Oct. 10. USA hosts Mexico at 8PM ESPN. Huge match for the boys in Red White and Blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 USA 1, Costa Rica 3 The Costa Rica game was a mess! It's understandable to have a letdown after a hot streak and Costa Rica is no joke, but this one was quite bad. Something about Klinsmann's lineup did not click right from the start. Bradley hurt his ankle in warm-ups (could be out a month or so) and he was sorely missed. Cameron replaced him and he and Jermaine Jones looked totally lost in the first half. Orozco at right back and Zuzi on the wing seemed like they didn't know the game had started. 10 minutes in, it was 2-0 Costa Rica and not by any fluke--that told the story. Costa Rica was just way better in this one. Donovan played well and worked hard throughout. Dempsey had a couple nice touches including one excellent strike off the post that might have changed the momentum if it was 8 inches more to the right. Dempsey was lucky on his penalty for the only goal of the game. Fabian Johnson distinguished himself by being mediocre on a night when pretty much everyone else was awful. Beasley was exposed a couple times and gets some blame on a couple goals. Not for lack of effort, but at about 93 lbs., he does not have the presence to compete with a physical attacker, especially in the air. The worst part about the night was suddently losing 4 key players from the roster for Tuesday night's Mexico game. Bradley's ankle MRI supposedly shows some ligament damage, so he might even miss the October qualifiers too. Cameron, Besler and Altidore all have to sit out against Mexico for yellow card accumulation. Altidore's blatant push in stoppage time right in front of the ref was exasperatingly boneheaded. Mexico just lost to Honduras at Azteca. They are on the ropes now and profoundly desperate. The U.S. needs to treat them like a wounded animal. If the U.S. can pull out a win withought three of their most valuable players (Besler, Bradley, Altidore), they'll be back on track and Mexico will be in serious danger of not qualifying. Tomorrow night will be a nervous one. The U.S. seems to always play well against Mexico at home, regardless of the circumstances. Hopefully they will keep that up. I'm sure they'll bring in Goodson to pair with Gonzalez in central defense. In central midfield, I'm afraid Klinsy will go with Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman. Personally, I'd rather see Mix Diskerud instead of Beckerman as he's the more creative passer going forward. Not sure about right back--probably Parkhurst, maybe Brad Evans. In any case, this game will be huge for both sides. Go USA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 USA 1, Costa Rica 3 The Costa Rica game was a mess! It's understandable to have a letdown after a hot streak and Costa Rica is no joke, but this one was quite bad. Something about Klinsmann's lineup did not click right from the start. Bradley hurt his ankle in warm-ups (could be out a month or so) and he was sorely missed. Cameron replaced him and he and Jermaine Jones looked totally lost in the first half. Orozco at right back and Zuzi on the wing seemed like they didn't know the game had started. 10 minutes in, it was 2-0 Costa Rica and not by any fluke--that told the story. Costa Rica was just way better in this one. Though he wouldn't have started, he will miss the derby. I hate international games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewPort71 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 USA record in matches AT Costa Rica is 0-8-2. Mexico will be like a wounded animal on Tuesday night Very dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Game night Huge game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 (edited) Game night Huge game! Yup, especially for Mexico. They just fired their coach and the fans are losing patience. If Mexico loses tonight and Honduras wins against Panama, as expected, then Mexico will be five points out of the crucial third place slot* in qualifying, with only two games left. *in CONCACAF, the top 3 teams qualify for the World Cup. The fourth place CONCACAF team plays a two game (home and away) tiebreaker with the top Oceania region team (New Zealand). In other words, Mexico is in free fall and could conceivably not qualify for next summer in Brazil. USA is currently in second place, behind Costa Rica. So they're in decent shape as long as they get some points from their remaining games (Mexico, Jamaica, Panama). A draw tonight would be disappointing, but they could live with it. A loss would make qualifying sketchy, but still salvageable. Edited September 11, 2013 by Cugalabanza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Adams Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 That should do it! Great work USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I know Mexico was in disarray, but this is just such a satisfying win. Very happy for Klinsi, especially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 USA!! USA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted September 11, 2013 Author Share Posted September 11, 2013 (edited) Great night for the USA. At halftime, it still looked like it could go either way, but in the second half, USA just took Mexico apart. Nice work all around from this lineup. Eddie Johnson has turned into an excellent striker. Five years ago, I never would have believed I'd be saying that in 2013. He had two beautiful headers--one saved, one in the back of the net for the winning goal. Almost had a very memorable dipschitt slapstick moment from Beasley early on when he whiffed so badly on a clearance in his own box that the ball deflected off his other knee and nearly into his own net. Beasley made up for it later on though with hard work, speed and the inevitable failed final touch [sigh]. Nice work from the tandems of Gonzalez/Goodson and Jones/Beckerman to close everything down. Jermaine Jones was 100x better in this game compared to the other night in Costa Rica. I think I believe in him again. Loved seeing Mix Diskerud come in late and immediately show a flash of invention, leading to the nail-in-the-coffin second goal. I love this player--I think he has a vision and knack for playmaking that is world class. I hope he's on the plane to Brazil. Mexico is pooping in their pantelones. They sit in fourth place. Lucky for them, Honduras only got the draw last night against Panama, so Mexico is only three points out of that third place slot instead of five points out. Still, they are in panic mode. It's looking likely Mexico find themselves in a playoff situation against New Zealand for that last WC qualifying spot. Ugly and embarrassing for them. I find it amusing. Congrats to Klinsmann and team USA. It's official--they are going to Brazil! Edited September 11, 2013 by Cugalabanza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 This is off topic from the thread but related to soccer but there is an interview on Bloomberg with the commissioner of the MLS and James Pallotta who is the CEO of my beloved club AS Roma. http://www.bloomberg.com/video/garber-gulati-pallotta-on-soccer-outlook-SoAMxVEVTPerpie7pkuGjQ.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTS Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 (edited) Cug: Actually, Mexico is currently in fifth place and isn't even in position for the inter-continental playoff against New Zealand. That honor goes to Panama, who is Mexico's next opponent on Match Day 9. Mexico HAS to win as even a draw will almost certainly knock them out of the World Cup. Panama will be heading into Azteca knowing that they only need a draw and that Mexico will have the most unbearable pressure on them. I honestly expected that Mexico would find a way but the more I see of them, the more I question them. At this point, they don't deserve to go and even if they face the Kiwis, I'm not sure they will win that playoff. Last night would have been uglier if US didn't have their suspension and injury issues. Hell, even Dempsey is out of form. As for the US, big win again that displays the depth of the program. I've done a complete 180 on Beckerman. I hated seeing him on Bob Bradley's teams but Klinsmann has stuck with him from day one. Honestly, if everyone is healthy, I would prefer Beckerman with Bradley as opposed to Jones. Bradley is the engine that powers the US and Jones tries to be that too. Here's the 23 Players I'd Select as of Today: G: Howard, Guzan, Rimando CB: Besler, Gonzalez, Goodson, Brooks LB/RB: Cameron, Chandler, Beasley, Castillo CM: Bradley, Jones, Diskerud, Beckerman AM: Donovan, Zusi, Bedoya, F. Johnson CF: Dempsey, Johannsson ST: Altidore, E. Johnson Edited September 11, 2013 by PTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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