USA National Team Thread

[ShiftyPowers]

Berhalter isn't bad, but I'll be more comfortable if he doesn't have to play in the tournament.

I feel the exact same way. Except I think he IS bad. If we have to play Berhalter in the tournament, all I can think about is Agoos in '02.

 

[Run DMB]

I feel the exact same way. Except I think he IS bad. If we have to play Berhalter in the tournament, all I can think about is Agoos in '02.

He did lead and captain his team to promotion to the 1.Bundesliga this season. And he's not going to re-sign for them so that must mean he has other Bundesliga teams interested in him. On the other hand, he's slow and mistake-prone. Practically all my nightmares invovle Berhalter marking Milan Baros.

Does anyone else think we should drop Bease from the starting line-up? Suggesting something like that a couple of years ago would have been deemed heretical. However, his recent form - for both club and country - has been less-than-spectacular. He's playing well defensively because he's ridiculously quick and hustles back. But where did his 1-v-1 dribbling go? The Bease is turning into Frankie Hejduk before our very eyes. If both Reyna and O'Brien are healthy, I think he has to be dropped.

--------------Reyna--------O'Brien--------------
-----Donovan-----------------------Convey-----

Convey is just playing too well to keep him off the starting line-up. He's playing with confidence fueled by Reading's dream season. Even if O'Brien or Reyna aren't healthy, my guess is Bruce will plug in Mastroeni, rather than doing a diamond midfield:

----------------------Reyna---------------------
-------Beasley----------------------Convey------
---------------------Donovan--------------------

I think the Reyna-O'Brien-Donovan-Convey midfield with Johnson and McBride up top is the best we can do. Off the bench we'll have Dempsey as an attacking substitution and Beasley as more of a defensive substitution.

 

[Bobby]

Convey has to take our set peices, has to.

 

[Bummy_JaB]

Johnson was awesome against Venezuela yesterday. I really wanted him to score but he put in a sweet assist for Dempsey. The only thing I didnt like about his game is that he falls too easily to the ground on 50/50 balls. He is still young though and can develop more strength in the future.

 

[SlayerDeuS]

I think they should have picked Twellman, i like Ching though and i thought he deserves to go

You're right, Twellman deserves to be there....in place of Josh Wolff.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I actually though we should have brought Adu in place of Ching to sit on the bench and get a taste of the atmosphere. And of course TT instead of Wolff.

 

[Run DMB]

My grades for the Latvia game:

Keller - 7

Lewis - 5.5 (made a couple of bad giveaways and got caught out of position a couple of times)
Conrad - 6.5 (a little bit better than in the Venezuela game)
Pope - 6.5 (quiet game, didn't have much to do)
Cherundolo - 7.5 (the positive definitely outweighs the negative in this game)

Mastroeni - 7.5 (he's going to make it hard for Arena to keep him out of the starting line-up)
O'Brien - 7 (not much more you could have asked from him; now all he needs to do is not get injured)
Beasley - 5 (not a terrible game, but he looked mediocre on a night where every other US midfielder looked good)
Donovan - 7.5 (did a good job of running the show)

Johnson - 7 (he may not have scored, but he was a pain in the ass for Latvia all game long)
McBride - 7 (solid, nice goal)

 

[$teauA]

So how do you give yourself legendary status in a friendly you ask?

Playing with

<--- that on your head (couldn't find a better pic) and scoring the winning goal with your head :Bow:

 

[pede54]

I like the look of the USA team. They looked very strong, hungry and up for it. Brian McBride is a great player in my opinion. One of my favourite strikers in the EPL. He reminds me a lot of Teddy Sherringham at his peak. Good luck in Germany USA. I really hope you go far.

@ Run DMB......I owe you an apology man, for my very rude attitude towards you a while ago. I'm sorry dude and I hope you will accept that from me. No excuses, i was a prick.

 

[$teauA]

Two problems that I have:

1 - Our finishing still sucks.
2 - Why are the players getting so tired with 25-30 minutes to go ?

 

[bjmenge]

2 - Why are the players getting so tired with 25-30 minutes to go ?

Because Frankie isn't there to show them how running yourself into the ground for 90 minutes is done.




Okay, I'll leave now.

 

[Voltaic Borusse]

I rescind the comments I made about Ching earlier. While he may not have fully deserved his call-up, tactically he was the right choice.

 

[$teauA]

Oh and if Bruce starts Conrad I'm gonna shoot myself.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Two problems that I have:

1 - Our finishing still sucks.
2 - Why are the players getting so tired with 25-30 minutes to go ?

I agree with the first part, but I only saw the last 30 minutes and we didn't really look tired. In fact, except for some stupid mistakes at the back that should have led to at least one goal, we controlled the game and looked very talented. Eddie Johnson convinced me that he just needs to start at the World Cup, he looked incredibly talented and is probably ready for a move across the pond.

The other problem we have is the counter attack. We're very poor defending the counter attack.

 

[$teauA]

I agree with the first part, but I only saw the last 30 minutes and we didn't really look tired. In fact, except for some stupid mistakes at the back that should have led to at least one goal, we controlled the game and looked very talented. Eddie Johnson convinced me that he just needs to start at the World Cup, he looked incredibly talented and is probably ready for a move across the pond.

The other problem we have is the counter attack. We're very poor defending the counter attack.

Yeah you're right they didn't really look that tired in the game against Latvia but they sure did in the first two games and you can see it in their body language.

As for the counter attack, unless we change our strategy that's not gonna change. Our two wing backs are very key in our attack so obviously there's gonna be some gaps there when a team goes on a counter (:/). We should just be glad we have a world class GK to take care of dangerous counter attacks.

 

[$teauA]

Let's start throwing out some line-ups for our first game:

--------------------Keller------------------

Cherundolo----Pope---------Gooch----Lewis

--------------------Reyna-----------------

Beasley-----------------------------Convey

-------------------Donovan---------------

----------Johnson---------McBride--------


If Reyna isn't healthy, Mastroeni.

 

[jim]

I actually though we should have brought Adu in place of Ching to sit on the bench and get a taste of the atmosphere. And of course TT instead of Wolff.

what has Adu done to warrant a NT call up? As much as the MLS wants to promote this kid, the line has to be drawn somewhere. Wolff's continued presence on the team mystifies me as well.

 

[Run DMB]

----------------------Keller---------------------


---------------Pope----------Onyewu-----------
---Cherundolo--------------------------Lewis----


-----------Reyna-----------Mastroeni------------
---------Donovan---------------------Beasley----


-------------Johnson------McBride---------------


That is what I believe Arena will choose vs. the Czechs. Mastroeni will be keeping an eye on Rosicky, Reyna will be marking Nedved. Beasley will be given the job of tracking back to keep Poborsky out of the game.

If it was up to me, I would be more attack-minded and use this midfield:

------------Reyna-------O'Brien-------------
------Donovan------------------Convey-----

 

[$teauA]

Yeah you're actually right, Beas doesn't deserve to start. He was s*it in those friendlys while Convey and O'Brien played well.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

what has Adu done to warrant a NT call up? As much as the MLS wants to promote this kid, the line has to be drawn somewhere. Wolff's continued presence on the team mystifies me as well.

Because you know he's going to be there in the future and you bring his as the last man on the squad to soak in the atmosphere. Like Ronaldo in 94.