Attn: soccer fans (just wait 'til next year!)

[Cugalabanza]

2:25pm ET on ESPN

 

Tough, tough game. Teams are taking this tournament seriously. Spain destroyed New Zealand yesterday 5-0. This will be great experience for the U.S. team. Don't be surprised if this is a close one. The U.S. often does better in the underdog role. (And don't forget that only one team was able to take a point from Italy in the 2006 WC, the U.S.). Or, it could be an embarrassing thrashing, who knows?

[Magox]

2:25pm ET on ESPN

 

Tough, tough game. Teams are taking this tournament seriously. Spain destroyed New Zealand yesterday 5-0. This will be great experience for the U.S. team. Don't be surprised if this is a close one. The U.S. often does better in the underdog role. (And don't forget that only one team was able to take a point from Italy in the 2006 WC, the U.S.). Or, it could be an embarrassing thrashing, who knows?

Thanks Gringo

[Cugalabanza]

By the way, ESPN2 is replaying it at 10pm tonight.

[ajzepp]

Thanks Gringo....watching now.

 

Amazing that over 15 min have gone by and we haven't given up a goal yet....wtf???

[ajzepp]

Okay, I want this Spector kid on the field at all times....yeah, it's great we had the PK....but just before that, the ball he fed Jose from mid-field was a thing of BEAUTY. That's the sort of precision and THOUGHT that we need, and that has been missing, IMO. Too often it just seems like this team is playing peewee ball and kicking it wherever w/out looking or thinking about what they're doing. Spector led Jose perfectly, and I want to see more of that.

[Magox]

Okay, I want this Spector kid on the field at all times....yeah, it's great we had the PK....but just before that, the ball he fed Jose from mid-field was a thing of BEAUTY. That's the sort of precision and THOUGHT that we need, and that has been missing, IMO. Too often it just seems like this team is playing peewee ball and kicking it wherever w/out looking or thinking about what they're doing. Spector led Jose perfectly, and I want to see more of that.

Spector played well, lots of poise back there. Too bad Clark received the red card, no doubt that changed the game.

 

btw, what a beautiful play at the end of the game by Pirlo.

[ajzepp]

Spector played well, lots of poise back there. Too bad Clark received the red card, no doubt that changed the game.

 

btw, what a beautiful play at the end of the game by Pirlo.

 

 

Yep, the Italians proved why they are the best....too bad that one Rossi kid is a friggin TRAITOR!!! lol What a strike on that second goal, though....just perfect in every way. There's nothing you can do about that other than just give them props for being the best.

[The Big Cat]

The red card was total bull.

 

Missed a PK opportunity when Donovan drew an un-called foul in the box.

 

Third goal makes the final outcome look a lot more one-sided.

 

All together, not a bad effort playing a man down against the reigning World champs!

 

Our guys need to lighten up though. I know they've got the under-dog chip on their shoulder, but they need to relax and have fun out there.

 

No instinctual play. There's a blatant thought process going on in our players' heads that simply doesn't occur in the brains of teams Italy's caliber, and it slows us down, hinders us as a result.

 

Gimmie some 360 sticks and FIFA 08, and I'll show those greaseballs what's up!

[PTS]

For those of you that haven't heard, FIFA eliminated the age limit by which a player must aligned themselves internationally. Players are now not tied to a country until they play an "A" match game (World Cup, WC Qualifier, regional cup or Confederations Cup game).

 

Last week Jermaine Jones announced he will leave Germany and play for the USA. He's a central midfielder who easily becomes our best player. He was the #4 rated midfielder in the Bundesliga this season. He's great on both sides of the ball and should free up a guy like Donovan and hopefully get Adu onto the pitch more. Despite pressure from fans and the media, the German coach didn't select Jones in recent games and that ticked him enough to "defect". He has to wait 60 days before playing for the US.

 

There's also a very good left back in Mexico's system that looks like he will do the same. That's a major weakness in the US armor.

 

As for today's game. The US could have been up 3-0 at halftime. That red card was a tough call and eventually did them in against a better team. That said, if it was 11v11, they could have very well walked out of the stadium with three points.

[ajzepp]

I think what bothers me is that I'm consistently seeing teams doing things that the US squad simply can't do. The skill level of our players, while better than it was 15 years ago, still isn't up to par with the mid-to-top tier teams. I shouldn't find myself getting this excited about a midfielder who can properly lead a striker, or a shot that is actually on goal instead of heading off on some crazy trajectory nowhere near the target. Great, Donovan knows how to make a PK....what else can this team do on offense?

 

Jozy has the potential to be a very physical player, but instead of using his physique to his advantage, it seems like he's playing up the dive more than he should. On the play where we ended up with the PK, what I would have rather seen was him get himself turned square and put a shot on goal. I have the same issue with Onyewu. This guy should be overpowering people right and left. He should have no problem establishing position and winning the ball. With a couple exceptions, this team is too damn soft. They appear to become winded much earlier and more often than their opponent, and until someone gets these pussies in shape and gets them back to basic winning soccer, we're going to be perpetually disappointed with their performance on the world stage.

[The Big Cat]

I think what bothers me is that I'm consistently seeing teams doing things that the US squad simply can't do. The skill level of our players, while better than it was 15 years ago, still isn't up to par with the mid-to-top tier teams. I shouldn't find myself getting this excited about a midfielder who can properly lead a striker, or a shot that is actually on goal instead of heading off on some crazy trajectory nowhere near the target. Great, Donovan knows how to make a PK....what else can this team do on offense?

 

Jozy has the potential to be a very physical player, but instead of using his physique to his advantage, it seems like he's playing up the dive more than he should. On the play where we ended up with the PK, what I would have rather seen was him get himself turned square and put a shot on goal. I have the same issue with Onyewu. This guy should be overpowering people right and left. He should have no problem establishing position and winning the ball. With a couple exceptions, this team is too damn soft. They appear to become winded much earlier and more often than their opponent, and until someone gets these pussies in shape and gets them back to basic winning soccer, we're going to be perpetually disappointed with their performance on the world stage.

 

My significant other is close to landing a job with US Soccer. Your cries will not go unheard!

 

I totally agree about Onyewu, just a big softy out there. With his body he should be tossing clowns.

[ajzepp]

My significant other is close to landing a job with US Soccer. Your cries will not go unheard!

 

I totally agree about Onyewu, just a big softy out there. With his body he should be tossing clowns.

 

 

Tell her to convince them that their heads are WAY up their asses if they don't get Klinsmann in here dammit!! lol

[Cugalabanza]

Good effort overall. They showed real hustle and courage in the first half. They faded some in the second half, but it's understandable. The red card changes the game.

 

I agree about Spector. Good skills and his intelligence and heart elevate the whole team's play. When Cherundolo comes back, they will make a good back line with Onyewu and Bocanegra / DeMerit.

 

I like seeing Feilhaber get the start. He's a little rusty, but I've always felt that he has superior instincts moving the ball forward. I want him to have a chance to earn a starting spot for next summer. Bradley played very well today, but he pisses it all away with that sad near-whiff on a great ball from Donovan.

 

Every time I see Beasley with the ball, I feel uneasy. He just never makes a quality play. For a left winger, he is just miserable at delivering crosses from that side.

 

I'm encouraged by the effort, but unsatisfied with having the game ruined somewhat by the early red card. I hope the U.S. players are as anxious as I am to take out some frustration against Brazil on Thursday.

[meazza]

This Italy team will not be champion in 2010. A few moments of brilliance from some great players allowed Italy to come out with a win but this team will not win against the bigger countries. Not because they can't attack, but because they can't defend.

[Cugalabanza]

This Italy team will not be champion in 2010. A few moments of brilliance from some great players allowed Italy to come out with a win but this team will not win against the bigger countries. Not because they can't attack, but because they can't defend.

You may be right, but who do you think will be the WC champs? Spain? Argentina? I can't think of anyone else that really has it all together right now. It could be kind of wide open for a sleeper nation to make a run. I'm getting excited already. The only thing I'm worried about is those South African fans with those damn horns that never stop. Every game sounds like a plague of locusts.

[Andrew in CA]

You may be right, but who do you think will be the WC champs? Spain? Argentina? I can't think of anyone else that really has it all together right now. It could be kind of wide open for a sleeper nation to make a run. I'm getting excited already. The only thing I'm worried about is those South African fans with those damn horns that never stop. Every game sounds like a plague of locusts.

Yeah, those horns were really distracting. I had to mute it after a few minutes. I'm thinking Spain takes it next year.

[meazza]

You may be right, but who do you think will be the WC champs? Spain? Argentina? I can't think of anyone else that really has it all together right now. It could be kind of wide open for a sleeper nation to make a run. I'm getting excited already. The only thing I'm worried about is those South African fans with those damn horns that never stop. Every game sounds like a plague of locusts.

 

With Kaka, Pato, Ronaldhino, Rubinho and company, I wouldn't count out Brazil for #6.

[Magox]

With Kaka, Pato, Ronaldhino, Rubinho and company, I wouldn't count out Brazil for #6.

You never count out Brazil, but as of right now, the Spaniards look to be at top form. In regards to Onyewu, I thought he played a good game, and yes, I like the idea of Demerit, Bocanegra, Spector, Cherundulo along with Onyewu, and possibly Hedjuk. Out of those 6, 4 of those should be the starters on defense.

 

I don't know what to think of Feilhaber, I've seen him look gifted and skilled at times, then he has appeared to be timid, weak and defenders easily dispossess the ball from him, just like what happened when De Rossi took the ball away from him and made that incredible shot. I wouldn't mind having Bradley and Jermaine Jones as our two central midfielders, I believe Bradley has the ability to distribute the ball, and having both of those guys in the midfield would cause havoc on opposing offenses. The only issue I have with Jones is if he is able to integrate himself on to this team and what it would do to team chemistry. But, I'm all for having him play, what do we have to lose?

[ajzepp]

In regards to Onyewu, I thought he played a good game

 

 

Don't you think that overall this guy is a huge under achiever? I remember back before WC2006 reading all these articles that were touting him as a future "special" player. At this point, I'd take "consistently very good" over special. How many times do we have to watch opposing strikers maneuver unchallenged until they create an open shot while our defenders are seemingly standing around? Where is his presence on corners? I admit, in the Italy game there were maybe two times in the first half where I had an Onyewu sighting, but aside from that, teams often have their way with us.

 

This is why I, like some of you guys, get so frustrated with the Adu situation. I'm sick of the Freddy-phobia....this kid is one of the few on the team with the ball skills to perform on the big stage, IMO.....and what do we do? We keep his ass on the bench. If this was really all this team was capable of, then that's one thing. But there are building blocks here to create a dynamic team that should be able to compete with the best....I'm just not sure we have the leadership in place brave enough to do what needs to be done.

[Magox]

Don't you think that overall this guy is a huge under achiever? I remember back before WC2006 reading all these articles that were touting him as a future "special" player. At this point, I'd take "consistently very good" over special. How many times do we have to watch opposing strikers maneuver unchallenged until they create an open shot while our defenders are seemingly standing around? Where is his presence on corners? I admit, in the Italy game there were maybe two times in the first half where I had an Onyewu sighting, but aside from that, teams often have their way with us.

 

This is why I, like some of you guys, get so frustrated with the Adu situation. I'm sick of the Freddy-phobia....this kid is one of the few on the team with the ball skills to perform on the big stage, IMO.....and what do we do? We keep his ass on the bench. If this was really all this team was capable of, then that's one thing. But there are building blocks here to create a dynamic team that should be able to compete with the best....I'm just not sure we have the leadership in place brave enough to do what needs to be done.

No, I don't think he is an underachiever. I believe he is very solid, I do believe he is extremely physical, he wins the vast majority of the battles in the air and I also believe he is one of our best defenders. Is he clumsy? at times he is, but here is how ESPN rated his performance:

 

D, Oguchi Onyewu, 6 -- Dominant in the air and delivered some good passes out of the back. Replays appeared to show that he should have done better to block De Rossi's game-winning goal, but it was still an excellent performance from Onyewu.

 

and this is what Lippi, Italy's coach had to say about his performance:

"They were well organised and made it quite difficult for us, especially their number five player (Oguchi Onyewu) and 17 (Jozy Altidore), who caused us lots of problem. Yes, we won, but it was not easy."

 

In regards to Adu, he has been a disappointment so far, and I am hoping that he gains some muscle, he also seems to get disposessed way too often. He is a dynamic player, and I hope that one day he lives up to half the billing of what he was hyped up to be. I am excited about Jozy Altidore, the kid has got some skills, he seemed to do a good job of keeping the ball up front, sort of like what Brian Ching does. I was some what miffed that he decided to pass that ball off, a striker has got to at least take that shot, and a world class striker usually finishes that opportunity. I don't quite understand why he didn't shoot that ball. Either way, I believe he can be a very effective striker for us.