US Women's National Team smokes Costa Rica in opening game of Olympic qualifying.
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2016/02/...in-12-seconds/
Of course, who wants to go to Brazil with the Zika virus waiting?
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US Women's National Team smokes Costa Rica in opening game of Olympic qualifying.
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2016/02/...in-12-seconds/
Of course, who wants to go to Brazil with the Zika virus waiting?
I'll admit the game got my attention last year. Pretty cool that they are playing in Frisco. I saw some of my FB friends attended. Bet some of our BBB guys did too.
Yawn
Ranks right up there with the trouncing of Trinidad and Tobago...
When do we play China again?
US beat the split-tail wetbacks 1-0 on a Carli Lloyd goal in the 80th min. Lloyd has become the best player in the world.
USA whips T&T 5-0 to advance to final, vs. Canada. Both teams have already qualified for Rio, but we definitely want to win this one anyway!
USA 2 Canada 0
USWNT blasted thru the Olympic qualifying tourney with a record of 5-0 and out scoring the opposition 22-0 in the five matches. USWNT is now 18-0 all-time in Olympic qualifying matches. They will be seeking their 3rd straight gold medal.
Snooze!!
Gotta be a sucker to find succor in soccer.:icon_razz:
Ok Klinnsman supporters, convince me after Guatemala.
He needs to be gone, but U.S. Soccer tied our entire system to his hype.
USA 4 Guatemala 0 and should have been 5, and could have been 7 easily.
Much better tonite. US dominated from the opening whistle. The way it should be.
Our U23 lost to Columbia, 2-1, and thus we will miss the Olympics again. That is unfortunate. A missed opportunity.
As for the MNT, we should go thru to the next round of World Cup qualifying. But yeah, how (why) we lost to Guatemala down there is baffling. Our historic record vs. Guatemala is staggering in our favor. Yet, we tanked last week. Last night it was an obvious mismatch and we were never threatened, not even challenged, even for a period of time. Final really should have been 7-0.
The Bradley-Beckerman duo in the key midfield roles attacking/holding really clicked last night. MB is getting more comfortable in the attacking MF role.
The USMNT is one of the better funded olympic teams with no results. Is it time to cut the cord and give those resources to the women's curling team? That sport is about to explode while we've been waiting at least 40 years for soccer to do so.
USA 1 Ecuador 0
Just a friendly, with all those subs, but still, beating a team from South America is a rarity for us, so I'll take it. Bradley played holding MF in the 2nd half and the youngsters really stepped up tonite.
USA 4 Bolivia 0
Bolivia is weak, ranked 159th in the world, but they are a South American nation so this was another win over a SA nation. Those have been hard to come by in the history of US men's soccer. Again, the youngsters stepped up. Pulisic (sp ?) a 17-yr-old, got his first goal in a USA uniform. It won't be his last.
Now...up next is Columbia, another SA side, a very strong one, and this won't be a friendly. We open the Copa America tourney Friday against them.
Looked bad against Columbia.
We will be lucky to make it out.
Bradley looked out of it. He was not mentally in this game.
Pulisic and Nagbe should be starters, not subs.
The US is ranked 29th in the world. Columbia is a top 10 side. This is what happens when you are out-classed.
All the more reason to go with youth. If you are not expected to win, play for experience.
Dempsey was out of place playing where Altidore should be.
The "handball" could have been waved off, but wasn't. Still wouldn't have been in that situation if Bradley could actually hold and pass like a 10. Donovan he is not.
Bradley is a holding MF. That is his best role. JK keeps trying to convert him into a 10, but he simply isn't good enough, not comfortable in that position. Yeah, he's had some brilliant moments playing the 10, but he lacks the skills and the mindset to be consistent. Donovan is not only the best player in US history, but he was a legit world class 10. The only other player I can remember that even comes close was Tab Ramos.
Beyond that, the US has always struggled to find/have FOUR world class midfielders at the same time. With Donovan and Bradley (playing holding MF) we came close with two at a time. That and a consistent middle backer has been our biggest weakness.
The lack of a world class midfield will keep the US from becoming a legit, consistent top 10 side. We will always hover somewhere between 20-30, with occasional flirts with being a top 15 side. But, that won't get you past the Round of 16 at the World Cup, or help win other major tournaments.
When I coached soccer, and got a new bunch of players, I'd work on two things at once until I was as satisfied as I thought I could be:
1. develop a keeper
2. develop midfielders
The rest of the positions I could/would fill in after I did what I could with those two items.
The US has the keeper thingy down pat. It's #2 that continues to haunt us.
U.S. Vs Costa Rica tonight
Who you got?
I think the US will beat Costa Rica tonite....US 2 CR 1
2-0!
Looked better than I thought we would. Of course, I should have considered our home record vs. Costa Rica, now 13-0-3 all time.
USA 1 Paraguay 0
What a grinder! That was a gutsy win. Brooks was a wall on defense. Great effort all around.
That ref....well, let me be kind and put it this way: HE SUCKS!
US wins group!
Costa Rica 3 Columbia 2
Wow! idiot coach of Columbia started 10 different players, rather than his regular starting line up and as a result, the US probably avoids Brazil in the quarterfinals. Thanks, dude!
I say "probably" because given what just happened, I won't assume Brazil will beat Peru later today and win their group. But, it's expected. The US should get Peru in the quarters, and be on the opposite side of the bracket of Brazil. Can't see those guys until the championship game.
Yesterday was fun. Euro 2016 all morning, Belmont stakes in the afternoon, then Copa to round off the evening!
Brasil is out! Wow! Peru wins group....on a horrible non-call, and Ecuador finishes 2nd. The US gets Ecuador in the quarterfinals. And Brasil gets to get on a plane and go home.
Peru! What a game! Yea the goal was controversial...but I'll take the cards falling to my team once in a while.
Haven't seen the official bracket, but I suspect we're on the same side as Argentina. That leaves Columbia on the other side, and if so, they have to be the prohibitive favorite to reach the final from that side.
Regardless, we should beat Ecuador and advance to the semis. No excuse for not doing so.
USA 2 Ecuador 1
Whew!
Not a good final 20 mins. Got lucky they didn't get the equalizer, or worse!
Happy to be moving on, and likely will see Argentina in the semis. But, we have got to play a full, strong 90 mins. Lapses like that vs. Messi will get us bitch-slapped by 3 or 4 goals.
last post here
unsubscribing due to lack of interest.
Have never liked that stupid cumulative card suspension crapola.
Someone has got to step up to fill Woods' shoes. He has been so active up top it has allowed Dempsey to loaf around and then do what he does best: be in the right spot at the right time.
Chili 7 Los Cuhlos 0
I despise Mexico and all the azzholes from there.
Enjoyed this one :D.
Final Four:
USA (31) vs. Argentina (1)
Columbia (3) vs. Chili (5)
The FIFA rankings are baffling. We entered this tourney ranked 29th in the world. Since then we lost to #3 Columbia and have beaten #23 Costa Rica, #44 Paraguay, and #11 Ecuador....yet we have dropped two places.
Hmmmm....regardless we are in high company in this FF gathering.
A HUGE game tonight. Playing the number 1 ranked team in the world.
Understatement alert!!!
Just kidding (a little). Yes, a huge match. Gonna get my colors on....that would be red, white, and blue for you libtards out there, and get ready to scream my lungs out. Ole! Ole! Ole!
USA!!!
@Rivals_Javi: Well at least the US will get a big check for playing an FBS team.
Argentina will win Copa.
Messi is easily the best player in the game today, maybe ever.
That said, please never ever play Wondolowski again. He is worse than awful.
Wondo has no business being on the national team.
Guzan sucked last night. Not only was it his worst performance ever, but it was the worst game by a US GK in the past....well, maybe forever! That first goal....OMG! that first goal....I can't believe what I saw. It's the type of mistake we would correct early on in GK camps....with U10 kids!!!
Wondo, Guzan....all that said, we were not going to win last night. But, it should have been more competitive. Argentina is ranked #1 in the world for a reason. We are ranked #31 (and probably dropping) for an equally good reason. We were so out-classed it ain't funny. I think Arg should/will win Copa, but I'm not counting out tonite's winner, Columbia vs Chili. They are ranked #3 and #5 in the world and either is capable of springing the upset.
For US, well, we get to be out-classed again in the 3rd place game Saturday. I'll watch it and hope for the best. Maybe the other side won't be very interested and we can pull off a surprise. Maybe....
Gawd, Argentina is fun to watch. Reminds me of the great Spain team that won the World Cup back a few years back. Possession, possession, and more possession. Messi? Yeah, he's pretty good :shocked2:.
I wore my damn "Merica shirt for that BS????
Time to cut losses and invest that money in the women's team
Next day thoughts...
We missed Wood's runs and Jones's tenacity. Even the announcers were wondering why we didn't take more yellow cards.
Pulisic will be a special player and has great potential for American soccer.
Nagbe could be a great midfielder. He has the right tools.
Brooks is growing as a defender and made some good stops. He was tested regularly against Argentina.
Need a long term keeper. Guzan is not a long term solution. (Was exposed)
Guzan is not a youngster, so yeah, we need to be grooming a replacement. For now, and for the upcoming WC qualifiers, Guzan is our #1 keeper. He had an awful night. True, teams like Argentina "expose" weaknesses in lots of keepers, players, teams....but, he made inexcusable mistakes. That first goal allowed.....wow! Would never have thought I'd see a mistake like that at this level.
Midfield continues to be our hugest deficiency. Hugest? Is that a word? I used to be a big Michael Bradley supporter, but after repeated head-shaker performances, I'm soured on him. I think we should try MB on the back line. He'd make a good defender, I think. He sucks as a MF.
So....we get Columbia again. I'll withhold final judgment on the "state of affairs" until after Saturday. Maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised...
Bradley is no world class midfielder - US announcers need to drop that tag off him.
This USA team is mediocre at best - no threat on the flank.
Bradley was developing, but he's just not a midfielder. He's much better in the backfield. The problem is Beckerman is not any better. The US Men desperately need a holding midfielder who controls the ball. I think Nagbe has the tools but needs to develop outside of MLS. They have good threats on the flanks emerging: Wood and Pulisic will be great if they continue to develop.
I'm coaching U-6 this year and every single practice I teach passing and dribbling. Thats it. It's fundamentals that elite countries are great at. It's fundamentals that get us beat every time. I'm so tired of seeing sloppy passes in elite level play.
Klinnsman is deserved to be sacked after this loss. No shot attempt for a full 90 minutes of playing time is unacceptable. I haven't seen any improvement with this team in the last 2 years.
Did Guzan suck vs. Argentina? Apparently JK thinks so. Tim Howard is back in the net in the game vs. Columbia tonite.
I think Guzan sucked too. He has been very good back there for US, and I chalk it up as just "one of those nights." But, the one position where the USA has consistently excelled at, at a world class level, has been keeper. Can't afford to give up our one trump card. We don't have the capacity to make up for it elsewhere.
I want to see a great effort tonite. I expect our guys to dig deep and play with pride and zest.
BTW, that game tomorrow, Chili vs. Argentina is gonna be one "for the ages." It's best matchup of the year so far, and may be the best, period, all year. And I say that even with the Euro Cup going on and the Olympics coming up soon. Argentina is a solid #1 and Chili enters ranked #5, but the way they are playing right now, this is really #1 vs. #2.
hah! so it is.
Orozco should never be in a US uniform again. I don't care what Columbia did. That childish BS has no place in the game.
I feel terrible about our experience. Bradley and Dempsey sometimes disappear. Especially in big games. I feel good about our youth. Yedlin/Cameron/Brooks/Zardes are getting better every year. Woods/Pulisic could be a deadly tandem.
Big questions in the middle and GK. Can Nagbe succeed? Who is going to fill Howard/Guzan shoes?
Nagbe hasn't shown me anything. But, all the pundits are high on him, so, we'll see how he develops. The other youths, especially Bobby Wood, have a bright future. Heck, Wood is having a bright present!
I agree Bradley/Dempsey disappear in big games. Instead of stepping up their games and leading by example, they get buried and lost.
As for the game last night, we battled 'em toe to toe. We had the run of play most of the match, just couldn't finish. Also, that ref sucked. Missed TWO hand balls in the box against them, and that stoppage of play on the foul when Zardes was gone on the break.....sheeesh! If ever there was an obvious advantage call in the entire history of futbol, that was it!
Columbia is over-rated at #3. They aren't that good. But, they are good, definitely top 15 and maybe top 10 (8th or 9th). And if we are ever to break thru and become a legit, consistent elite side Columbia is the kind of team we need to beat.
Midfield has to be the focus of development. Time for Bradley to take a back seat, maybe switch to the back line, and let's start developing youth at MF.
It was a helluva save! Even watching the replay, and knowing what happened, I swear it looks like it has to go in. Wood hit wood on his shot late in the match. But then, just before, they boinked one off the bar as well. We had chances in the box, but we simply are not clinical enough.
At the half...Chile vs. Argentina, and the match is all about the ref. That's a shame.
As a former soccer ref I feel for him. It's a tough job. I know I had some awful nights as a ref, and I missed some calls in an otherwise good night. There are 22 players on a large field and there's a lot going on...all at once. Players know when the ref has turned his head and will commit fouls at those instants. I'm not casting stones at tonite's ref, because I know how hard it is. But....he has lost control of the match.
Adding to the woes is the "tradition" of dissent from players and coaches. If the ref wants to be yellow-happy he should pop the card for dissent, quickly and emphatically. That is one thing I did do well as a ref. I had a lot of upset players, coaches, fans not happy with me, but few dared to express that dissatisfaction to me. Those that did watched the rest of the match from the bus.
Much better 2nd half by the ref and by the teams.
Congrats to Chile.
Hate it when ref decided the game was all about him.
US Women 1 France 0
Real gut check win. Carli Lloyd scores in 63rd min., and Hope Solo shows (again) while she is the best GK in the world. USA is ranked #1 but France is a well-deserved #3. They are fast and athletic. Lucky to escape with the "W."
http://www.dynamotheory.com/2016/8/2...rgen-klinsmann
This is an interesting perspective.
I suppose it depends on your expectations and desired level of success. Personally, I am nowhere close to being satisfied where we are. So, the US Men's team is generally ranked in the top 30, give or take. Been as high as 11th in recent years. There are 300+ nations with national soccer teams, so we mostly rank in the top 10%. The gap, the HUGE gap, between a 30th ranked side and a legit top 5 side manifests in major tournaments when we get completely out-classed by a Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and in many years, France, Italy, etc.. We need to get past this.
The US does have a nice group of up and coming young talent. We need to nurture it and start building our new roster.
World Cup Qualifying(WCQ) has begun: USA 6 St. Vincent 0
Not much can be said about this match. Poor ole St. Vincent is the resident "SWAC" member of our region. They get hammered by everyone.
Was glad to see our youngsters shine in this one though.
As for the WCQ, for those of you who don't know, it's an arduous two-year endeavor where EVERY nation on Earth who fields a national soccer team, and that is just about EVERY nation on Earth! starts at square one. Doesn't matter if you're Germany, Brazil or little ole St. Vincent, every team must go through the same qualifying marathon. This means that EVERY team has a chance to be World Cup Champions...if they can produce on the field.
So, while the World Cup "Finals" (the final 32 teams) is every four years, the WC cycle is really three years. There is only one "off year."
On to the Hexagon.
There is a mathematical, albeit unlikely, scenario where the US could be eliminated from the WC tonite. We would have to lose to T&T by at least 3 goals, and Guatemala would have to beat St. Vincent by at least 10 goals. In that case, were it to happen, we would end up tied with Guatemala in pool play, with 10 pts ea, but they would advance on GD.
This is the dangers and the appeal of the WC. Back in 2006, one of the highest ranked sides in the world failed to earn a qualifier in early round pool play, and had to advance by winning a play-in tourney. Who was that? Why, just eventual 2006 World Cup champ Italy!! They were "coasting" and "assuming" they would get it done in the pool play and Hello! gotta show up and play every match.
More than 2 years out from the WC Finals (the Final 32) and already there are surprises and "ooops!" No major powers have suffered a setback, not at the level of Italy in '06 (yet), but some ranked sides have made life more difficult for themselves. Why, the US has! We are ranked 30th in the world, and as such, are expected to reach the Finals. Yet, here we are, the work is not done just to advance to the next round.
Mission accomplished in style! US 4 Trinidad 0
We need a healthy Altidore. Huge game tonite. He is so strong and can hold the ball with the best of 'em. That makes such a HUGE difference in the attacking one-third. And this kid, Pulisic. Just 17-yrs-old. Our new Landon Donovan and he has made Dempsey irrelevant. Wood, Morris...our youngsters are shining.
The US will host Mexico in November in the opening match of the Hexagon. Can you say Columbus, Ohio and dos a cero !!!
On the women's side, another good showing last night at the Georgia Dome. But, man, what is up with the turf? Looks like the GA Dome drug out some 1970's turf. Yuck!
In the game, USA 3 Holland 1. Holland is ranked 12th in the world and is a strong side. That was a solid performance by our gals. We are unbeaten in 2016, now 18-3-0. (ties are shown second, losses last).
Just in case you were interested, I know you were, over the past 5 years the record is:
95-19-6
That's 6 losses, all in friendlies, in 5 years.
But wait, we "lost" to Sweden in the Olympics this year, that was no friendly (in more ways than one). True, but FIFA treats all draws as draws. How a tournament decides tie-breakers, including the World Cup, is irrelevant to a side's overall record. A tie is a tie is a tie.
Why the US national team NEEDS a healthy Altidore...
this is a great goal:
http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/201...elievable-goal
That would be a terrific trio up top. But then, who fills the midfield? Michael Bradley has disappeared.
USA playing Cuba today for the first time in 70 years.
USA 2 Cuba 0
We are 10-0 all-time vs. Cuba, which represents our best record against any nation.
USA 1 New Zealand 1
Last tune-up before start of the Hex and the all-important home game vs. Mexico.
Very uninspiring. Hard to imagine what such a lackluster effort does to help a team prepare for the battle that is next.
This is my issue with Altidore. He can be one of the best players on the pitch or he disappears completely.
Bradley is quickly becoming a liability on the pitch. Uninspiring as captain.
It was a good showing for some our youth. Good shots on goal from some very young players. Twice they almost won it in the final minutes.
Women's National Team blasts Switzerland 4-0, with 2nd half surge. Switzerland is ranked 15th in the world, and they were dominated last night. Shows the huge gap between the USA and most of the rest of the world.
And talk about youth! Last night the US played mostly "kids." Lynn Williams started the 2nd half, her first ever game on the NT, and she scored in just 51 seconds! There were a handful of players who got their first cap last night, and they just took it to the veteran Switzerland side. Like a hot knife thru butter, as they say. I love the attacking attitude. If they were dispossessed of the ball, they didn't back off and allow the Swiss player room. Hell no! they attacked and took the ball back, and then immediately were on the offense threatening the Swiss goal. BTW, to her credit, the Swiss keeper made some sensational saves. Otherwise it might have been 7-0.
Game day!
Opening match of the Hexagon, the final round-robin tourney to qualify for the 2018 WC finals.
USA vs. Mexico
Match in Columbus, Ohio.
Hopefully another "dos a cero!"
Gonna be protests and other shows of defiance by Mexican fans at this game. Hopefully, it won't get too disruptive.
Probably about 70% of the crowd, of this game in Ohio, will be Mexicans. Always amazes me how so many down-trodden Mexicans can manage to travel to these games, get expensive tickets, hotel rooms, etc...
American fans showed up....the team did not.
Fire Klinsmann.
Rough day for my teams. Hopefully Wales and the Dawgs can get me feeling better today.
Klinsmann has got to go. He's over his head. Players looked lost. No heart. No passion.
He doesn't have control of this team.
We may not qualify out of the Hexagon.
Not qualifying out of the Hex at this point would actually be better in the long run because it would get rid of Klinsmann sooner. More accidental success will keep him here.