Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

[dubcity]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

That's most likely what will happen (US 2nd in A, Brazil 1st in B).

And I would bet on that match being competitive.

[dickey1331]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

And I would bet on that match being competitive.

It better be. Every game is a home game for us.

[fugazi]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

I'm not quite so bullish on the USA making it out of that group.

Costa Rica will definitely want out and bleed for it.
Paraguay is tough, and won't be pushed over, even if their quality isn't always apparent.

50/50 for me.

[ImTellinTim]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

Couple things happening today.

4:30 Eastern the U23s play the first leg of the Olympic qualifying playoff against Colombia. This will be a tough one - wouldn't be surprised if the US misses out on the Olympics for the 2nd time in a row.

10:00 Eastern the big boys play the first of two matches against Guatemala in World Cup qualifying. This one is in Guatemala, where the US played to a draw last time they visited in 2014 qualifying. Definitely not a gimmie, but if we can win this and beat them at home next week, qualification to the Hex will be all but guaranteed.

[ImTellinTim]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

U23s will be happy with 1-1 away.

[dickey1331]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

I can't watch the game cuz I'm at work but this Guatemala game looks terrible for the US

[redsrule]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

So... Klinsmann fired yet?

[ImTellinTim]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

Defensive lapses and bad finishing. Not a good combo. Need to bounce back with a win next week.

[~LiverpoolRed~]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

Tim Howard's quality has been fading for quite a while now. He was very poor on the 1st goal.

[ImTellinTim]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

Tim Howard's quality has been fading for quite a while now. He was very poor on the 1st goal.

Next week's starter, Brad Guzan, is in the worst form of his life as well. Not that he has anything resembling a team in front of him, but did you see his last game? Yikes.

[jasontoddwhitt]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

It's a sorry state of affairs when a poor result against Guatemala next week could knock the US out of the World Cup....before the Hex.

What happened to being a proactive club?
What's with playing players out of position?
Why do you keep chopping and changing every match?

I don't expect us to be world beaters, but we have the talent to be the best in CONCACAF. Settle on a keeper (though I realize that the form of both Howard and Guzan leaves lots to be desired), settle on a midfield partner for Bradley, figure out where Yedlin fits into this squad and leave him there, pick a center back pairing and stay with it.

I've been an ardent supporter of Klinsmann since before he took the post (I argued for Klinsmann before Bradley), but even I'm starting to waver now.

[ImTellinTim]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

Weren't we like 10 mins away from missing the Hex last time around?

I'm not panicking...yet.

EDIT: Looked it up. It took an Eddie Johnson goal in the 90th minute against Antigua & Barbuda in the 2nd to last match then coming back from going down to Guatemala in the final match to go through. On paper this stage should be a gimmie, but this is two cycles in a row now where it will probably come down to the end.

[Brahvocado]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

Guzan's form is much better than Howard, who has barely even played the last few months.

We've completely gone in the wrong direction honestly. We simply don't have the talent to play the kind of game he wants us to play. We used to be a team, and we played very well as a team. That was our thing, our players weren't great, but they had lots of stamina, great physical fitness, tons of speed and immeasurable cohesion. We were a tough team to beat because we played well together and could break quickly on the counter.

These days, with the players available, we are actually even BETTER suited for that old system than before. We have players with a reasonable amount of talent to go with their physical gifts. Yet we think we can play like Germany.

We need to get a coach that understands this. We are a dangerous team when we play that way.

[jasontoddwhitt]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

"We never play anybody out of position"

Hmmm.....

Mix is an attacking midfielder. Played him as a holding mid.
Bradley is a box-to-box midfielder. Played him as an attacking mid.
Cameron is a natural center back. Played him as right back.
Yedlin is a right back. Played him as a right winger.
Bedoya is a right winger. Played him as a left winger.

I realize that injuries sometimes force things, but jeez. Would it hurt to play players in positions and roles they play at their respective clubs?

[Matt10]

re: Official USMNT/USWNT Thread

"We never play anybody out of position"

Hmmm.....

Mix is an attacking midfielder. Played him as a holding mid.
Bradley is a box-to-box midfielder. Played him as an attacking mid.
Cameron is a natural center back. Played him as right back.
Yedlin is a right back. Played him as a right winger.
Bedoya is a right winger. Played him as a left winger.

I realize that injuries sometimes force things, but jeez. Would it hurt to play players in positions and roles they play at their respective clubs?

Meh, the only thing I would be upset about really is that Mix playing a holding mid role. Bedoya did well to cut in when he could, and was a good outlet for Castillo, not to mention Bedoya tracks back and can run for days. Cameron has played RB for Stoke before, and has a solid cross on him. Yedlin's speed was over-valued and a pretty obvious tactic that Guatemala were already prepped for - with the bouncy field surface there, not sure it was the best choice to send in hopeful balls over the top like they did.

Pretty scary to think that with a loss tonight, we're out. Yikes.