No I don't. I am talking about both talent and tactics being equal factors and I don't hold the coach in the same terrible esteem that you do, I see him as average at this point. Wheras you see him as the anti christ. I think our talent is a notch behind Mexico and our coach is average, ergo we should qualify 2nd in our region. However, I hate Mexico and we just won in Azteca, with our shitty coach for the first time EVER, so I am calling us #1 until they actually take it from us. You then come along and are being completely irrational, have not even made a prediction, which is the OP of this thread and start saying ridiculous things like, having the better talent never matters, it is all tactics... really? you are better than that. On top of which, do you even realize you are digging your own grave? If Klinsi qualifies and comes in second, as we should, you have already conceded that you would view him as a tactical genius lol.
I agree with this. No matter how good the tactics are for Vanuatu are, they aren't likely going to beat Brazil anytime soon. But comparatively speaking, our talent gap isn't THAT superior to other teams remaining in the hex that we can just stroll out there and expect 18 points in the hex. We have been routinely underwhelming against lesser CONCACAF competition in both friendlies and qualifiers to date. So I don't really understand why everyone is predicting a walk in the park.
Everybody has figured out how to play Klinsmann's side, Bunker like a maniac and then kill us on the counter/break away. Mark my words, the lesser teams will do just that, park the bus and make us attack.
Tactics matter, but players matter more in my estimation. Teams that really win things have both. I'm not going to argue too much on this. If you think Klinsmann is so stupid that he will sink our superior roster and we'll get knocked out or finish fourth or whatever that's certainly your right. I just happen to disagree. And, there's not too much reason to belabor the point. We'll see if the gloom and doomers are right soon enough.
Also, predicting that we will finish second does not mean we expect a walk in the park. There will be a lot of hard fought games and players will leave it all out there many times before all is said and done, both for the US and for every other country out there. I personally expect a lot of close, low scoring games. I just feel that in the final analysis, we will come out ahead.
No. The Kardashians are collectively the antichrist. I just see Klinsmann as an incompetent fraud. 1) Mexico 2) Costa Rica 3) Honduras 4) USA 5) Jamaica 6) Panama And I predict that we are a lot closer to 5 than we are to 3 Well not really. See, after we only take 1 point from our first 4 games, Klinsmann gets fired and the guy that replaces him coaches us into second place and he's the tactical genius.
This tactic has been used against us by CONCACAF minnows for over a decade. The only tweek I would add if I was coaching v the USMNT is: double team that Dempsey fellow.
Fair enough. I feel the gap between us and whoever #3 is is fairly large and although I have major doubts about Klinsmann, I don't think he is that terrible. I don't see it as a walk in the park AT ALL. I would also point out that we have had some pretty impressive results this cycle as well, against supposedly superior concacaf competition. So I don't really understand why some people act like qualifying will be impossible.
The difference between then and now is that we actually practiced set pieces, so we were able to score off of them. And on those rare occasions where our opposition came out of its shell, we would get forward with speed rather than pass the ball around the middle third to pad our possession stats.
Some would be one. And a realistic look at that game would see that it came down to Tim Howard playing one the best games of his life coupled with an extremely lucky bounce late in the game. It was a nice result in a friendly to give people a temporary warm and fuzzy feeling. We've also had some results against lesser talented sides in games that actually mattered that were historic for the wrong reasons.
How does that differ from the game plan concacaf teams have employed against us forever? I would also add that master tactical genius, Bob Bradley's teams also struggled to break down a bunker, yet we still topped the region. Yeah, we all need to panic and brace ourselves for the playoff against New Zealand.
I'm with you GV. I don't think Klinsy is any better than Bradley, and I think he is worse than Arena. The idea that Jurgen was going to "change" the USMNT for the better was (and continues to be) laughable.
Look, I am worried. As I said initially, I am less than convinced by Klinsmann, but the situation is not nearly as dark and dire as you paint it imo. And I strongly disagree with the inference that I must be naive, or a moron, if I think we can finish second in qualifying. Just as you say we were better at set pieces under Bob and countered more quickly when we had the opportunity, I wold say we are now a lot less likely to give up stupid goals early and allow teams to bunker up than we were under Bob. I enjoy the give and take and respect your opinions (not the tactics > personnel one ). For now I will agree to disagree and look forward to comparing notes with you on the 7th.
The thing about Bradley, love him or hate him, he knew the player pool and he knew our strengths and he never tried to be anything other than what we were. Some people hate him for that because he "didn't aspire to be more". The reality is, when you're a national team coach, you have to play the hand that your dealt. If you want better cards down the road, you need to stack the deck.
You are misrepresenting what I said. I said that anyone who bases their prediction based solely on the talent of the roster is naive and a moron.
I see it a little differently. Bradley knew how to build a great team but had a hard time with tactics in individual games. For evidence, look at victories against good teams and total collapses as well. Klinsmann knows how to stay in a game and take home an ugly victory but he is really bad at building a team. Just look at how we are coming into the hex wondering who the cb's and forwards should be. It seems to me that he has been so intent on playing with "style" that he has ignored everything else. Let's face it: If we get to Brazil, people will say Jurgen has brought his German style and players to USA - if we win - and they will say Americans cant play if we lose.
We do see things differently. I think tactics and formations (in soccer) are worth next to nothing. Managers (in my opinion) have two main responsibilities: recognize the best players, start the best team
The Honduras match will set the tone. If we lose that we will be under immense pressure. They have good players like Fugueroa, Izaguirre, Valladares, Chavez, Bernardez,Garcia and Costly who would certainly play for us if they were Americans... Najar would also be in the picture! In the end, CONCACAF is a bit stronger now that it previously was but, we are still the best or 2nd best team on paper. The gap now is not like the gap between Man U and a 3rd division side but, Man U and Swansea so, on many of these teams best day they can certainly beat us. The real challenge is making sure we don't have many bad days.
I think that Bradley was actually a very good tactician when you gave him the opportunity to sit down with a chalkboard and draw up X's and O's. He straight up out coached Fabio Capello in the World Cup, jumped out a 2-0 lead against Brazil and Mexico. Got an unimaginable result against Spain. His biggest weakness was in-game adjustments. When the opposing coach made the right adjustments to what he was doing, Bradley struggled to counter it. That why we saw Brazil and Mexico storm back against us in the Confed and Gold cup finals.
Klinsman is encouraging a more attacking playing style, I don't think he was hired by the USSF thinking that he was going to have the team playing like Germany in a year and half. He was brought in to change the playing style from the bottom up, by implementing an attacking mentality and system starting at the youth levels that will start to become evident with the young players coming through the system now years down the road. Anyways, I still think we have the talent to get through Hex in second or third place and with a little luck, maybe even first. Sure it won't be a walk in the park but to think that we will struggle as much as some posters on here are suggesting is surprising. Cup is half full guys!!!
Yes they are!! If the was the EPL we would be Man City and they would be Everton! They are certainly capable of beating us but, we are expected to beat them.
It wasn't a "must win." It was a must win or draw. Here are my standings predictions (go to the CONCACAF forum if you want my predictions for each game): Mexico: 28 (USA 1-1 Mexico and Mexico wins everything else) USA: 17 Honduras: 15 Costa Rica: 9 Panama: 7 Jamaica: 4 The above came from a formula. Based on my predictions the USA is more likely to not qualify than to finish first, but both are unlikely.