USA National Team Thread

[Xifio]

Nothing I wanted to say hasn't already been said by you two. I have one thing to add: when the hell did the Dutch become Italy v. 2.00 [sic] when it comes to diving? That was just ridiculous to watch.

what? for the penalty? or do you have more examples in mind?

Beasley passed it across the goal mouth to about 5 orange jerseys and no blue in sight.

uh, orange jerseys?

 

[$teauA]

De Jong had a few ridiculous dives. The one where he made a bad touch in front of his box and Beasley ran by him to get the ball except the ref stopped play and called a foul because De Jong had tripped on his shoe laces. The penalty was a dive as well. There were others.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

uh, orange jerseys?

Were they in white? Whatever, you get the point.

 

[Xifio]

De Jong had a few ridiculous dives. The one where he made a bad touch in front of his box and Beasley ran by him to get the ball except the ref stopped play and called a foul because De Jong had tripped on his shoe laces. The penalty was a dive as well. There were others.

I was honestly watching the match with my Oranje fan/critic glasses on, trying to see which players impressed with their passing and movement in their various roles, and which players didn't ... so I was hardly ever judging whether a call made was right or not ... the penalty was very soft ... as for the other calls, fair enough ... I just hope not to see Holland shoot themselves in the foot at the World Cup and get cautions (and eventually suspensions) for simulation ...

Were they in white? Whatever, you get the point.

haha, yes, i do indeed ... it was a rather pedantic comment ... can't blame you for saying "orange"; it just feels like the natural thing to say when talking about the Dutch ... and they should have been playing orange ... it was strangely repulsing seeing almost every team clad in their away kits in yesterday's matches ... goddamn kit manufacturers and their deplorable marketing tactics ...

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England).

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, France), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Clarence Goodson (IK Start, Norway), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan, Italy), Jonathan Spector (West Ham, England).

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus, Denmark), Stuart Holden (Bolton, England), Jose Torres (Pachuca, Mexico).

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Hull, England), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles), Robbie Findley (Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla, Mexico).

I actually quite like the roster, but I'd make a few changes. First, I'd probably leave one of the strikers at home since I think most people are expecting us to play a 4-4-1-1 with Dempsey as the Trequartista. I don't really think Buddle, Findley, or Gomez can fill in for Dempsey, so I'd bring another winger if it was me, and as much as he might not deserve it, I'd probably bring Freddy Adu because he can play Dempsey's position in a pinch, can probably play on the wing, and is capable of making something out of nothing.

Obviously I'd drop DeMarcus for just about anybody, but in particular I'd have brought in Robbie Rodgers.

And maybe I'd drop Bornstein for Pearce too.

Other than that it's exactly what one would expect.

 

[B9Goal]

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England).

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, France), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Clarence Goodson (IK Start, Norway), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan, Italy), Jonathan Spector (West Ham, England).

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus, Denmark), Stuart Holden (Bolton, England), Jose Torres (Pachuca, Mexico).

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Hull, England), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles), Robbie Findley (Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla, Mexico).

I actually quite like the roster, but I'd make a few changes. First, I'd probably leave one of the strikers at home since I think most people are expecting us to play a 4-4-1-1 with Dempsey as the Trequartista. I don't really think Buddle, Findley, or Gomez can fill in for Dempsey, so I'd bring another winger if it was me, and as much as he might not deserve it, I'd probably bring Freddy Adu because he can play Dempsey's position in a pinch, can probably play on the wing, and is capable of making something out of nothing.

Obviously I'd drop DeMarcus for just about anybody, but in particular I'd have brought in Robbie Rodgers.

And maybe I'd drop Bornstein for Pearce too.

Other than that it's exactly what one would expect.

What happened to Jermaine Jones? Didn't he want to play for the USA?

 

[MaestroZidane]

Looking forward to going very far.. :sKIp_E::sKIp_E:

 

[Sevillista]

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England).

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, France), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Clarence Goodson (IK Start, Norway), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan, Italy), Jonathan Spector (West Ham, England).

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus, Denmark), Stuart Holden (Bolton, England), Jose Torres (Pachuca, Mexico).

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Hull, England), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles), Robbie Findley (Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla, Mexico).

I actually quite like the roster, but I'd make a few changes. First, I'd probably leave one of the strikers at home since I think most people are expecting us to play a 4-4-1-1 with Dempsey as the Trequartista. I don't really think Buddle, Findley, or Gomez can fill in for Dempsey, so I'd bring another winger if it was me, and as much as he might not deserve it, I'd probably bring Freddy Adu because he can play Dempsey's position in a pinch, can probably play on the wing, and is capable of making something out of nothing.

Obviously I'd drop DeMarcus for just about anybody, but in particular I'd have brought in Robbie Rodgers.

And maybe I'd drop Bornstein for Pearce too.

Other than that it's exactly what one would expect.

What do you expect the starting XI to be? I'd also like any insight you have on who to keep an eye on with this team. They'll be the team I watch most after Spain but I have to admit I haven't kept up with them at all.

Also, I'm very surprised by how many players from the NT now come from European clubs. 17! And that's not counting Donovan's stint at Everton.

 

[Xifio]

Dempsey is someone I have really grown to like ... he has had a very impressive season with Fulham, with some thumping good goals ... but more than anything, I like his attitude, the fact that he keeps his feet on the ground, and keeps on going ... he is on the cusp of becoming a player for the top level, and the World Cup could be a great way to announce that ... if Donovan can fire too, then 2010 could match 2002 ...

but if they are to have only one good performance in them, I really hope it comes in their opening match ...

 

[ShiftyPowers]

What do you expect the starting XI to be? I'd also like any insight you have on who to keep an eye on with this team. They'll be the team I watch most after Spain but I have to admit I haven't kept up with them at all.

Well I obviously can't tell you certainly who will play, or even if they'll go with the 4-4-1-1. Maybe he'll put Gomez and Altidore up front (got I hope not). But here's how I would play (it's basically a counter-attacking formation that can also resemble the 4-2-3-1 that everyone plays these days since Donovan and Holden are much more offensive minded than Clark and Bradley). If I thought we were capable of keeping possession against any side in the World Cup then I'd go to bat for Cherundolo, but unfortunately Team USA is good at running and kicking. Not so much tempo and passing.

------------Howard---------------
Spector-Onyewu-DeMerit-Bocanegra
Holden---Clark---Bradley---Donovan
------------Dempsey--------------
-------------Altidore--------------

 

[Back Door Skip]

Did Holden really improve over the past year, or did the US not have a better choice for RM?

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Did Holden really improve over the past year, or did the US not have a better choice for RM?

I thought he's looked good whenever I've seen him. He's at Bolton now, so I guess I wasn't the only one. And like I said, I don't know exactly how they'll play, Bulgarian Shifty is probably the better resource if he ever shows up again. It wouldn't really surprise me to see Beasley start the first game and upset every fan.

 

[B9Goal]

Awesome comeback win!!!

 

[MaestroZidane]

Clint Dempsey will carry us to World cup glory!!

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I'm about to watch the replay, but it looks like we're playing the formation I suggested (Felihaber instead of Holden, and Donovan on the Right), but Felihaber will be a more central left midfielder than a winger, which will open up opportunities for Bocanegra down the left flank (haha).

Edit: Watched the first half, and that was all I needed to see as far as I'm concerned. Felihaber is not a winger, and he sure as ******* **** isn't a left winger. About 25 minutes into the game Landon just sent him right and switched with him. I would rather have Beasley out there, and that is really saying something. I also don't know if we understand how to play in a 4-4-1-1. Dempsey does, because that's how Fulham play, but I don't think anyone else quite understands how to use the forwards, and that includes Altidore.

It might make us better if we just play Findley or Gomez or whoever up top with Altidore in a 4-4-2 because at least everyone on the team will understand a 4-4-2. And one more time... NO FELIHABER OUT WIDE! I've been told Torres did a good job outside in the second half, so use him or Holden or someone. No Felihaber.

 

[yoyo913]

Dude, hypocracy!!!

The way he is fan of USA you are fan of Albania.

 

[B9Goal]

Wait. We beat the almighty Guus Hiddink at his own game?

 

[jimorrizon]

panama 2

usa 1

FINAL: Gomez and Tejada

 

[jimorrizon]

Gold Cup Final:

Mexico 4

usa 2

FINAL: Barrera 2x, Guardado, and Dos Santos

 

[B9Goal]

Jonathan Bornstein and Bob Bradley are a couple of Peter Puffers! <--- Full Metal Carlos*et reference for those who don't know.