CONCACAF Gold Cup starts tonight
- Thread starter Kbee3
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Me neither. He's a strictly worse version of Clint Dempsey.
But we're not exactly swimming in strikers, so...
This is more like watching a hockey game than a soccer match.
Up and down the field with full checking.
Up and down the field with full checking.
I highly doubt Honduras is more fit than we are. Not that that changes the fact that we struggled at times, especially in our third, but we did also have some nice scoring chances and converted two, although I think their keeper should've gotten to Dempsey's 2nd header goal before he did.
I watched the second half of the game... is it just me, or was our passing just really bad? Seemed we were routinely kicking the ball out of bounds, or to no one (which ended up going to Honduras), or kicking it way too far in front of (or over the head of) the intended target.
Remember, the women's team was sloppy in the group stage of the World Cup too. Let's see how the men's team comes together. We got the three points and the other group game ended as a draw, so one more win gets us through, and probably wins the group.
That said, yes, there is plenty of room for improvement.
That said, yes, there is plenty of room for improvement.
Wasn't just you. US played badly. Luckily, Honduras couldn't reliably put the ball on frame. They had more quality scoring chances, better movement off the ball, demonstrated better skill with the ball... honestly, I'd have to go back and rewatch the game to understand how they lost.
It was depressingly bad. We can play a lot better w/these players, so hopefully it's a case of just having an off game.
It's impossible for us to say which team is actually more fit after watching the one game. And the US teams are traditionally very fit. But Honduras sure looked to have more energy, more pace, and it's a good thing the game ended when it did. Our players were done 5-10 minutes before the game ended.
That's exactly what I meant, mildone. Our guys were absolutely gassed by the 75th minute. Honduras looked like they could play another 30. We're lucky they were so bad in the boxes.
Listening to XMFC before the game they were expecting that we would dominate the time of possession and Honduras would have to look for counter attack opportunities. They went as far to say we would not have to pout in a defensive minded lineup (as if we are able to do so).
Well they got it half right, Honduras counter attacked but we did not control the ball well at all. We looked slow and not in sync other than the couple of set plays.
That said, once we scored the result was never really in doubt. We have gotten to the point where we can beat most CONCACAF teams without playing at our best. Like any tournament, the key is to advance from Group play and we are now in good shape after the other teams tied. I do wish we had maintained the 2 goal differential but we look good atop the group.
I want to win this Cup to guarantee our spot in the Confederation Cup. With that in 20017 and Copa America in 2016, Klinsman will have a great opportunity to build his roster for the 2018 World Cup.
Well they got it half right, Honduras counter attacked but we did not control the ball well at all. We looked slow and not in sync other than the couple of set plays.
That said, once we scored the result was never really in doubt. We have gotten to the point where we can beat most CONCACAF teams without playing at our best. Like any tournament, the key is to advance from Group play and we are now in good shape after the other teams tied. I do wish we had maintained the 2 goal differential but we look good atop the group.
I want to win this Cup to guarantee our spot in the Confederation Cup. With that in 20017 and Copa America in 2016, Klinsman will have a great opportunity to build his roster for the 2018 World Cup.
I would not compare Wondo's style or character to Dempsey's. But you are both right in suggesting he is useless. Not useless in MLS, but useless for this WC cycle.
Our guys seemed thrown off their collective games largely because the ref seemingly swallowed his whistle whenever we had possession and Hond. made an aggressive play. The result was poor passing and slow transition against the counter. Can't happen, but there were many fouls/cards that could've been issued against Hond. imo.
Jimmy, I don't think anyone said she didn't play well for the first 5 1/2 games of the tournament. The last game and a half, when the competition was toughest and the stakes were highest, not so much. But hey, the great thing is that we are having this discussion after winning the cup. Luckily for the US, Carli Lloyd stepped up big time when it counted the most!
As for the men, it wasn't pretty but they got the result they needed against probably the fourth best team in the tournament. With Haiti's surprising tie against Panama in the other game, the US will probably advance now even if they suffer a shock result in one of the remaining group games. Hopefully, they will play better going forward.
Plenty of Time to worry about that. It is likely a good portion of the team on the field will be different by that time, including dempsey not being there.
Agreed....... Hondorus also is the toughest game in our group so at least we got it out of the way.
I thought the Honduras manager did a great job playing his wing backs high up the field early on to force yedlin and zardes to take on defensive responsibilities. Zardes in particular struggled early because of the approach. Pinto is a good manager and Costa Rica should've met his demands to retain him.
This is another group of death. Panama played in The Gold Finals twice already and The Haitians are absolute wizards on the ball. Haiti is more physical and athletic than the rest, but isn't well funded or coached. They've got European based players that know what they're doing
Let's not overuse the "group of death" moniker. It is only the gold cup after all. AND Mex/Costa Rica are on the other side. The only real test in the group stage is now behind the USMNT.
The Honduras goal was a bit out of the blue and put a lot of wind in their sails while simultaneously punched us in the gut. I kind of point to the 2nd goal as a turning point, as the US kind of went into a shell, looking for counterattacking possibilities while soaking the pressure. As it was, they allowed Honduras a bit too much space to play. Part of that is having 2 relative newcomers on the wings (Zardes & Yedlin, which BTW isn't their natural positions), so the midfield really didn't do much to constrict the passing lanes, while Beckerman & Bradley were rather amiss in their defensive spacing. All the sudden, Honduras was stringing more passes together & looking threatening.
Klinsman's subs were rather abysmal as well. Wondo for Altidore? Would have rather used that for another midfielder, as Wondo did not have the speed or passing to hurt Honduras. Evans for Chandler? Probably should've taken out Yedlin instead, especially if we were going into a shell. While Yedlin was useful as an outlet & a possible counterattack, we really didn't press for a 3rd goal, so I would rather be a bit more defensively sound. At least Evans was instrumental in denying another goal. Zusi for Zardes? Makes sense, but Zusi really had a brain fart in the last minute.
Average performance by the U.S., but our average performance now is good enough to get wins.
Honduras was very physical. I was pretty surprised they received so few cards. A win is a win, keep getting better, keep advancing.
Honduras was very physical. I was pretty surprised they received so few cards. A win is a win, keep getting better, keep advancing.
Yep, they got away with a lot of fouls and only 1 YC. In the back of my mind, I was thinking "Mexican Referee".
Wondo is a straight-up poacher. He's the kind of player I want to put in when I need a goal because for whatever reason he finds himself in the right position or the ball just finds him. Good player to have on in the last 10 minutes when down a goal. Last night I would want someone with speed to run a channel on a cleared ball and keep the Honduran defense honest (why I don't mind leaving Yedlin in - his speed has to be respected). Replacing Zardes makes sense because he has defensive deficiencies to begin with, no need to stay vulnerable with him in the game late (but Zusi did not play well).
As a Spurs fan I love how Jurgen is using Yedlin though. I suspect this was the plan for him at Spurs all along. He's nowhere near good enough defensively to stay at RB, so moving him up to the wing to utilize his speed makes much more sense. And he's shown an ability to get a decent ball in from that flank. Hopefully that continues to develop and he keeps this role for both club and country.
As a Spurs fan I love how Jurgen is using Yedlin though. I suspect this was the plan for him at Spurs all along. He's nowhere near good enough defensively to stay at RB, so moving him up to the wing to utilize his speed makes much more sense. And he's shown an ability to get a decent ball in from that flank. Hopefully that continues to develop and he keeps this role for both club and country.
Agree. Its not a "Group of Death" if your the best team in the Group.
At last year's World up, we called our Group a Group of Death. Germany called it a Group.
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At one point, he had Honduras w/three players just outside the US penalty area on a US goal kick. Not something you see every day in international soccer.
Yeah you're right. In fact, it's the only reason he is on the squad. To finish in front of goal in the dying minutes of a match. Using his good positioning and movement to make up for his lack of athletic ability. It's just a shame the only meaningful poaching attempt in front of goal he ever had he sailed in front of millions fans watching a certain match in Brazil with the World Cup quarterfinals on the line.....
I just can't believe that in all the United States, we can't find a better striker than Wondolowski. Hell, I've played pickup ball w/college players who seem better than Wondo. We don't need garbage men, we need some kids with speed, an impeccable first touch, an ability to break down defenses off the dribble and finishing ability.
Now that I said all that, watch him go on to score 10 goals in the next two matches. Well, if he does, I'm taking full karma credit. LOL
Now that I said all that, watch him go on to score 10 goals in the next two matches. Well, if he does, I'm taking full karma credit. LOL
Following that miss against Belgium, I get a little sick to my stomach every time I see his name appear on a national team roster (regardless of whether some observers think he would have been flagged for offside).
Yeah, seeing him even being considered for national team roster makes me angry. Granted, he has his uses, but I'd think there are some in the player pool who could do a similar job. Like I said above, I don't understand subbing him in for Altidore, especially since we were ahead. I get that he's used to the CONCACAF wars, but besides the last Gold Cup, he really hasn't produced that much as a poacher.
Kind of annoying that besides the US games, no other games are televised, except maybe on Univision.
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