Any REAL football fans here? (Page 15)

USMNT 1 - 3 Costa Rica

That was just embarassing.  Turf was an excuse but had nothing to do with the fact that we continued to give them WAY too much room to control the ball and do as they pleased.  We looked INCREDIBLY poor.  Outclassed is an understatement.  Lucky to get a goal out of it, the way we played. 

I'm going to the match on Saturday.  I hope they can play better than that at home.  And if they play like this in the WC, we will again be bounced out in the first round and be lucky to get a single point out of our group, I don't care who we go against.  This was pathetic.

Guess this is why ESPN chose to shwo Baseball tonight and not the game?

It wound up being on ESPN2 instead.  It.  Was.  Friggen.  Ugly.

Dont think the US has good history in Costa Rica.....however, they may have been getting complacent...good wake up call and they should still qualify with ease...

They have a terrible record there.  From what they were saying last night, they have yet to win a WC Qualifier match IN Costa Rica.  I also think they have scored maybe 2-3 goals TOTAL and that counts last nights gimmie in the 2nd half stoppage time, PK.

That being said, they could have at least tried.  It is almost as if they didn't even want to be there. 

Fine, the pitch sucks.

Fine it is worse than NY or RFK (Don't remember which one they compared it too).

Fine the environment was incredibly loud and hostile and hard to communicate.

But at least TRY!  Jebus Christ on a Crutch.  It was PAINFUL to watch.  Reminded me of decades past when we didn't even look like we belonged on the pitch. 

And the Beasley experiment, with him in the backfield, has GOT TO STOP.  The first goal can rest squarely on his shoulders.  Too many of his passes were backwards.  He is not a Left Back.  Please Bob, make it stop.

Sigh, I could right a friggen TOME on everything that went wrong last night.  Guess I would rather it happen now, though, than in the actual WC so that we can possibly corrrect it.  If that is possible.

Wow, just surfed onto FSC and am catching some World Cup qualifying. Just happened to be North Korea v Iran in North Korea. Nothing interesting to say about the football, just an interesting matchup, politically speaking.

Heh.  That's funny.

BTW, Saturday night was fun.  55k+ people in Soldier Field to watch USMNT v Honduras.  I'll just say, we were lucky to win.  It wasn't pretty. 

Honduras fans were awesome.  More than anything, they were happy to be there and happy to be able to see their team play.  I would guess it was a 60-40 ratio. Which is a damn site better than it used to be and is when we play teams like Mexico here in the US.

Anyway, I just saw that we travel to Azteca in August to play Tri Colores.  If the US ever wants to get that monkey off their back I think this game is the one to do it in.

I was listening to a replay of WSD ( World soccer daily - its a podcast or on sirius 125 ) - they were debating the merits of Bob Bradley as the MNT coach....saying he is not tactically aware enough to make in game changes etc...they argued for a more world reknown coach to come in...however, I think its the players...even the Euro-based players are not really performing. Dempsey, Beasley, Bradley....all seem to be underperforming. I dont think bringing in a world reknown coach would help..the quality of the players is just not high enough to compete beyond concacaf..and current showing suggests that even in that conference they can struggle.

There are systemic issues to getting the US game on par with the rest of the world....but I dont believe they are addressed currently..despite a healthy youth program nationally -it just does not translate to players coming through to the world level

Just some thoughts to spur debate...while I suffer from SOD....season over disorder..

Well, if you can stomach it, the season doesn't have to be over if you want to watch some MLS.  Yes, yes, I know it is no where near on par with Europe, but they do have some flashes of brilliance.

So, let's take on some of the stuff you have outlined above and the players and a few more.  And I agree with you that the coach is not the end all-be all, but a good coach can get average players to play above average.

Let's start up front and work our way back to GK with some of the better known players.

Donovan - I can't stand Landycakes.  Sorry, but he is not the leader everyone wants him to be.  He never has been.  I don't care if he is the highest scoring player in USMNT history, he is garbage when it comes to games that matter.  Sure, he is awesome when it is a friendly against a nothing squad, but when the pressure is on, he disappears faster than a $10 tip at an all-night diner.

Altidore - probably shows the greatest promise of any USMNT member in decades.  The kid is big and strong, has a decent first touch and a nose for the back of the net.  That being said, he is languishing on the bench in Europe.  He needs to get playing time, and plenty of it.  I honestly think that if he does, he could be a relatively prolific goal scorer.  Something that hasn't been seen in the US for a long time, if ever.

Dempsey - I like Clint.  Especially with the buzz cut.  He is a hard worker.  He can be one hell of a pest.  These last two matches, though, have either showed his fatigue from a long season with Fulham (where he was integral to keeping them up again this year) or started to show that he has reached his peak.  I honestly thought he would continue to improve, but I haven't seen it much lately.

Beasley - Should never, ever, ever, ever (did I say EVER) be put at left back ever again.  I was on his bandwagon a few years ago when he was quick, aggressive and always seemed to be bolting down the left side from midfield.  Lately, he has caused more cockups in the backfield than I care to remember.  Goal 1 against Costa Rica rests squarely on his shoulders.  And so did Goal 1 against El Salvador.  I don't think he has it anymore.  I don't know what it is, but he should no longer be on the top 24.  He needs to go.

Edu - One word.  Overhyped.

Bradley Jr - is a relatively calming influence in the Center.  At first, I thought, "Great, a coaches son", but he has worked his butt off to stay in there and I respect him for it.  He isn't the greatest, but he is definitely the best we currently have for that area.

Hedjuk - I call him the gnat.  Can't stand him when he is with Columbus but love him on the USMNT.  He is one of the old guard.  He is, by no means, a talented player, but he is all guts.  I wish more of the team had his drive, desire and guts.  No fear going into tackles.  Literally will go end-to-end on the pitch to catch up to the player and ball.  I've seen him give one away at one end of the pitch and actually take it back away at the other end to make up for it.  We need more Frankie's on the team.  If in drive and desire alone.  But he is on his last legs and I believe 2010 will be his swan song.

Ching - is almost starting to remind me of Landycakes.  Great when it comes to nothing matches but invisible when it counts.

Casey - showed some promise on Saturday night, but that is the only game I've seen him (that I can remember) in so I'll have to reserve judgement.

Howard - Just signed for 5 more years at Everton.  And up to this past week had a very clean sheet in USMNT matches.  But I can't fault him for those because the backfield was terrible.  I'm never worried about our GK because the US has a history at fielding good, strong and sometimes exceptional GK's. 

I guess, in a round about way, I'm agreeing with you.  We have reached a plateau with the team and it is no longer just up to the coach.  It is up to the system in the US.  And at this point, I don't see it making a significant impact on the quality of play on the field for at least another 8 years.

Thanks for the discussion on the USMNT, guys. That's some good background and insight.

I guess the other story today is Kaka transferring from AC Milan to Real Madrid--for an unconfirmed 90 million US. Unbelievable money. It was a big enough story that I saw it on the ticker on ESPN.

On Donovan - I think he is too comfortable...wins awards, gets his place on the MNT and accolades from the MLS etc....he is not challenged here...but does not seek to find that challenge in Europe on a permenant basis..hence he is stagnating here.

I've seen Dempsey play since he was 12..played against teams I coached..he may have peaked...for some reason I think he coasts through games and would have more to offer if he put in an extra 10% effort...maybe the big EPL money is sapping his enthuiasm or the long European season then trans-continental travel in the off season causes fatigue..either way..he does not show the energy of his youth!

At the back the MNT lacks any dominance - the array of players used by Bradley are good athletes and determined but they lack awareness and a ruthless edge to really close down and hold top flight forwards...think Vidic or Maldini etc...class players and hard nosed to go with it.

Goalkeeper is the one area that the US really excels on the world stage...Keller, Freidel ( probably the best EPL keeper), Howard, Hanneman etc...many exports to Europe...

Unfortunately - there is also no cream to the crop in the squad currently...lots of good players but none that you could say really excel and are targets for overseas clubs to sign..none in the world class catagory - so I think mediocre performances will be here to stay for a while...

The confederation cup in SA coming up in a week or so will really test them....

Egypt, Italy and Brazil.....tough group..

I will say one thing about the Confederation Cup.  I will give them kuddo's for going.  They need to be tested.  I mean REALLY tested.  

You make some great points, BTW. 

Also, even if the USMNT were to think of canning Bradley I think it is too late.  You know?  12 months to the WC.  Would we REALLY can a coach that close to the big dance?  Just curious.

So this whole discussion goes back to that series of articles that were in ESPN.  Sure, the team today is probably better than the team 10-20 years ago (maybe).  It could probably be argued that the teams 10-20 years ago played with more heart and definintely played with a chip on their shoulder.  But there still aren't any "Stars" in the pipeline.  Outside of Altidore.  He is the closest thing we have.  But when do YOU think we will start to see a beefier pipeline of talent?  4 years?  8?  16? 20? 

3 years ago, I made a prediction, during the WC that I thought we were 8 years away from making it into the semi's, even with the performance in the last WC.  Now, I'm not so sure.

Agreed - US players are scattered across the many leagues in Europe BUT how many play regularly for a team in the Champions league or on teams in the top 3 of their respective leagues....the introduction of these players is huge but they are mainly squad players on middle of the pack teams...what the MNT need are impact players..

Compare them to who they have to play internationally and those players are playing in the top of their league and against the top competition every year. There is a huge difference in talent.

Crowny - to your point, we have debated youth soccer and its faults here before....when will it change?...i dont think it will - the fate of US soccer I think is the same as European teams like Belgium or Ukraine or Norway etc....good, but never great...competitive and capable of one off results but never enough quality to challenge for a World Cup...

As an aside about the Confederations Cup, I would love to know how the Groups were set.  Jesus!  Brazil, Italy and Egypt and us in one and Iraq, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain in the other.  Talk about Group of Death.  Spain should make it out of Group A quite easily.  Out of ours, it is not going to be easy.  Egypt has won the Africa Cup quite often and they are not to be taken lightly.  Italy, though, might be past their prime, I hope.  Brazil,,,,, well, it is Brazil.

Either way, I'm still glad we are up against those three teams.  I would prefer for us to continue to see high quality footy.

I honestly hope you are wrong about our Youth program.  Deep down I am PRAYING you are wrong. 

ManUre trades Ronaldo to Real Madrid!!

That must be good news for the rest of the teams in the Prem--especially the other teams near the top and vying for the league title. And wow, Madrid is spending money like drunken sailors. First Kaka and now Ronaldo. Too bad I hardly ever get to see Spanish footie. FSC is mostly EPL, Serie A and MLS.

While he did show flashes of quality this year..I think he was overall not as much of an impact. Knowing that Old red nose has shown to be very shrewd in the market - I expect them to use the funds to come out stronger...probably with 2 or 3 impact players...Unfortunately, Ronaldo was very tempremental and moody...so did not always show his true ability...

As for Real - he who does not learn from history is doomed to repeat it - remember the last "Galatico's"? Won nothing...played poorly and not a great period in Real club history...

NOOO, don't say that!! Seriously, you're probably right, but I hope not. I'm just hoping that his absence will have some impact. I mean, he did score 18 goals--only 1 behind Anelka for the most in the EPL. It will be interesting to see how they make up for that.

I'm just thankful I don't have to see his mug anymore.  Can't stand that tw@t!  He dives more than the Olympic Diving team does in practice!  Yes he can move, and has pretty good skills.  but I agree with B above, I think he has lost a little step this year.  Good riddance I say.  now, if we could just find a way to get ride of Shrek off the island as well, my day would be complete. 

Crap.

3-1 Italy in Confederations Cup.

Nuts.  Saw the summary.  0 Corner kicks and not a single shot in the second half till the 79th minute.  WTF!?!  Ok, so sure, we were a man down (and I'll reserve judgement till I see the replay), but NO shots till the 79th minute?!?!?

*sigh*.  I hope the match looks better than it read online.

Good game analysis, Johnny. I agree that the red card was harsh. I think the 3-1 score doesn't reflect how well the US competed. I heard an analyst comment on how the midfielders allowed to much space and that contributed directly to the long goals.

I'm also looking forward to Brazil, but realistically don't hold out much hope of the US advancing. They can't really afford to lose again.

You mentioned the Brazil/Egypt game. I was only able to catch the first 15 minutes while getting ready for work, and by the time I had to walk out the door it was already 2-1 Brazil. The commentator exclaimed "It's raining goals!" Made me laugh.

I read the same thing about the defense.  And playing a man down is never easy.  Would be nice if we could get some kind of result out of the other two games.