FYI: U.S. Mens Soccer Team Plays Tonight

[RPI-Fan]

Vs. Wales (who is on fire right now), at San Jose's stadium.

It's on at 10:00pm EST, on ESPN2.

Just thought I'd let anybody know who's interested in this sort of thing.

[GrantDawg]

Thanks. Had no idea.

[Calis]

Sweetness, thanks for the heads up! I hadn't heard about this yet. I can actually watch them this time also.

[GrantDawg]

If they'll just let this horrid baseball game die!!!!

[Calis]

hehe, I was about to rage as well. Glad I wasn't alone. :D

[SirFozzie]

Good game for the US.. Couple soft goals (PK's are never good, and the other one just caught the goalie by surprise), and Rimando made the save he had to.

[GoldenEagle]

Great match. Really just a team thrown togehter of a few European players and then DC United and San Jose players. Donovan proved he is becoming a top class footballer. Richard Mulrooney had a great match at defensive mid and Nick Rimando was very impressive.

[Tekneek]

Man, what about that baseball game? Up by 5 or 6 runs and the pitcher is having a meltdown on the mound. Just finish the game, guy. Give him strikes and get the thing over with.

I am sure the Wales guys were a little jetlagged, but they seemed to think the US guys were going to be pushovers. The guy who hit Kirovski in the head to generate the first PK opportunity was out of his mind. He should've been given a second yellow and sent off right then.

[GoldenEagle]

The PK was nice. Donovan showed left all the way then went right. Very hard for a keeper to read. Lewi's goal should have been saved. But Convey should have scored on that breakway and Donovan was rough finishing too.

Did anyone see Eddie Lewis pick a peice of gum off thepitch and put it in his mouth? Just crazy.

[BishopMVP]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
Did anyone see Eddie Lewis pick a peice of gum off thepitch and put it in his mouth? Just crazy.

To be fair, it was in a wrapper; he's no Rod Beck.

As for the game, Donovan had a great run near the end, too bad the keeper saved it. The young playes looked good; Donovan, Convey and Rimando all stood out. I hate Jeff Agoos though. Just get rid of him and put Bocanegra or Pope in at CD for the foreseeable future.

Any clue if they will show any Confederations Cup matches on ESPN2/FSNET?

[cthomer5000]

thanks for the heads up. Gives me something good to flip between during the Mavs game.

[Tekneek]

The game was last night.

[cthomer5000]

d'oh!

[tucker342]

damn! One night to late:(

[lcjjdnh]

Originally posted by BishopMVP


Any clue if they will show any Confederations Cup matches on ESPN2/FSNET?

According to soccertv.com, FIFA has not sold the US english language rights to anyone. But, if you don't car efor the commentary I believe one of the spanish stations will be carrying it.

[RPI-Fan]

Last night was pretty good. Donovan is a world-class player. Greg Vanney, was IMO, one of the best players on the pitch. He made very few mistakes all night, and jumped into the attack well with some great crosses.

Lewis was deservingly MOM. I used to question this guy, but he's shown a lot. Him and Beaseley could be great for World Cup Qualifying.

What do you all think the starting lineup for qualifying is looking like right now?

I'd say...

GK: Friedel
LD: Sanneh
CD: Pope
CD: Bocanegra
RD: Hejduk
LW: Lewis
Mid: Reyna
Mid: Olson
Mid: John O'Brien
RW: Beasely
FW: Donovan

That leaves a ton of talent on the bench, too. Mathis, among others, are all great options. Plus you've got guys like Vanney, and all those bulky central defenders. And that midfield is pretty scary.

~rpi-fan

[GoldenEagle]

I like O'Brien at left back and Convey in the mid. Beasley will not be playing up top in Arena's system.

[daedalus]

Beaseley is a lefty. Putting a lefty on the right wing seems . . . counterproductive.

Last I saw, I thought Reyna was broken.

As good a job as Senneh at left back and O'Brien did in the midfield in WC, it seems like it'd be a waste to have O'Brien take over for Senneh.

I also liked Mastroeni a lot during WC.

[Craptacular]

Originally posted by SirFozzie
... and Rimando made the save he had to.

Shouldn't he play for Brazil??

[GoldenEagle]

Originally posted by daedalus
Beaseley is a lefty. Putting a lefty on the right wing seems . . . counterproductive.

Last I saw, I thought Reyna was broken.

As good a job as Senneh at left back and O'Brien did in the midfield in WC, it seems like it'd be a waste to have O'Brien take over for Senneh.

I also liked Mastroeni a lot during WC.

Reyna tore his ACL but should be back soon. He did some light training with the team at this past camp.

If we are deep enough we can move O'Brien to left back. This is what he plays for Ajax mostly. He would be better than Sanneh.

[RPI-Fan]

His normal play may be better at left back, but there's no way you're going to convince me that Sanneh didn't earn that spot (at least temporarily) based on his play in the Cup.

~rpi-fan

[Butter]

Originally posted by BishopMVP
I hate Jeff Agoos though. Just get rid of him and put Bocanegra or Pope in at CD for the foreseeable future.

Or Mastroeni. Agreed, though, Agoos has had it. I admire Arena's loyalty to some of the older team members, but Agoos has overstayed his usefulness.

[Cards4ever]

You do realize we beat a Wales team without Giggs and Hartson, if they had played, it might have been a different story. Either that, or, foreign teams are not taking us seriously.

[Butter]

Yeah, but how many first team players did WE play? 2 or 3?

[Cards4ever]

Originally posted by Butter_of_69
Yeah, but how many first team players did WE play? 2 or 3?

I'd say about half of our team were regulars.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=98086&cc=5901

[henry296]

I agree with some of the others that Beasley will not play up front. The one guy RPI-Fan left off was Brian McBride. Therefore, you put Beasley at Left Mid and perhaps slide O'Brien into a central midfield role instead of Olson.

Todd

[Butter]

Judging from the 2 rosters, about 4 regulars were playing for each side. A fair verdict, I think.

[condors]

i just think its great you can actually debate some of the #1 guys on the team period

[MrBug708]

I think one guy that is valuable off the bench is Cobi Jones. He's played a lot of matches in his days and is getting up there in age, but in the previous World Cup he was invaluable versus Mexico with his one on one ability in the corners which is probably best in America. One of the greatest our nation has produced and it'll be a sad day when he hangs his shoes up

[GoldenEagle]

Four regulars? We played maybe two players who will start for our qualifying run and thats Lewis and Donovan. Convey may or may not.

You can forget about Agoos, Vanney, Stewart, Kirvoksi, Mulrooney, Brown, Rimando, Lagoos, Petke, and Ching for qualifiying.

Wales certianlty didnt send a first team. But honestly, our team was a split between DC United and San Jose (two teams that had bye weeks in MLS) and a few European based players. No where near our best squad.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally posted by MrBug708
I think one guy that is valuable off the bench is Cobi Jones. He's played a lot of matches in his days and is getting up there in age, but in the previous World Cup he was invaluable versus Mexico with his one on one ability in the corners which is probably best in America. One of the greatest our nation has produced and it'll be a sad day when he hangs his shoes up

Cobi will not make the 2006 roster. That being said, it should be Cobi should be honored for putting American soccer on the map with Americans. His off the field work has been just as important with his on the pitch work.

[Cards4ever]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
Four regulars? We played maybe two players who will start for our qualifying run and thats Lewis and Donovan. Convey may or may not.

You can forget about Agoos, Vanney, Stewart, Kirvoksi, Mulrooney, Brown, Rimando, Lagoos, Petke, and Ching for qualifiying.

Wales certianlty didnt send a first team. But honestly, our team was a split between DC United and San Jose (two teams that had bye weeks in MLS) and a few European based players. No where near our best squad.

Sure, some of those guys aren't going to be on the qualifying or WC teams, but, they were regulars very recently, and as such, I would count them as regulars.

I guess we are ready to take on Brazil the way some are thinking.

[GoldenEagle]

Honestly, I think we can compete with Brazil if we bring our 'A' game. Soccer is a game where if you avoid mistakes, you win.

Look at the World Cup. Brazil beat Germany 3-0 in the final. Kahn made two critical mistakes. So Germany could have just lost 1-0. Everyone says the US out played Germany. So couldnt they compete with Brazil and even win if the ball bouced their way?

[Cards4ever]

I don't believe so. You are talking about luck, I'm talking about skill. I think we are a couple of WC's away from playing with the big boys.

[BishopMVP]

The only change I could see in the lineup RPI-Fan posted other than moving Beasley to the wing might be move Donovan back to an attacking mid spot for Olsen, with McBride and Mathis at forward. If we're playing a 4-5-1, which I doubt, there is no way that Donovan would be the only forward.

[tucker342]

Don't be surprised to see everyones favorite 13 year old, Adu to be in the 2006 World Cup when he's 17. USA is looking good for the next World Cup...

[BishopMVP]

Originally posted by tucker342
Don't be surprised to see everyones favorite 13 year old, Adu to be in the 2006 World Cup when he's 17. USA is looking good for the next World Cup...

Even though its nothing but a pipe dream, with the Confederations Cup not even being shown on an American station, but I wish they showed the U-17 Cup they're playing in S.Korea in the couple weeks just so I could see Adu.

[SirFozzie]

Bishop: One good thing is that it does have USA airing, on Univision/Galavision.. so you get the game, - the stupid ESPN announcers.. +...


GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!

[GoldenEagle]

Some of us do not have the Spanish networks.

[aquavit]

That was a US C team with a really only one regular starter (Donovan, arguably Lewis and Convey) vs. a Wales C team with a few regular starters (Davies, Melville, Jones) and we killed them. Could have been 5-0 with better finishing. Wales really is a better team than that. Too bad we didn't play against Giggs, Bellamy, Hartson, etc. That would have been a great game!