I'm throwing Klinsi under the bus on this one. We should have came out with more pace on the pitch. Wondo is done with the national team. Bruin should of started.
His scoring for the nats has sometimes been sub-par, but you'll do well to find his hold-up play is infinitely better than EJs, or anyone else on our team. Altidore at least knows how to connect with the midfield, EJ tonight showed he still takes too long to get the ball off his feet if he's not passing it right back to the player who passed him the ball.
This game has been very ehhh. So far the highlight has been the anthems being sung before the game. That lady could sing. And it was very inspiring to hear the stadium sing along. Maybe after the game instead of doing the ususal ...discuss the defense, coaching.... maybe we could discuss the pregame show. Like how the stadium singers were rushing through the national anthem and were singing faster the the lady. I don't know maybe we need to call up some new stadium singers or something. I wrote the above halfway thru the second half. I thought things would have gotten better... they didn't. It takes more.
I think you forgot the 'raw' part about it. Gatt has the speed, dribble, ability to get by guys based on purely that... all he needs is a good cross, but we've seen him finish.... at 21... I wonder what he'll look like in a couple of years! Hell... try next year at the WC!
I thought Gatt was a bright spot and Davis showed more than most out there. Wondo doesn't cut it at this level.
Because Univision pulls giant numbers and ESPN wants some of that action. Can't say they're wrong. Soccer support is soccer support. We can now watch them and root against them and learn more.
He did more in his sub appearance than the entire CM during the first half. It wasn't great by any means, but we're dealing with a pile of mediocrity here. Feilhaber has at least proven he can raise his game.
It's hard to draw conclusions. Couln't pay attention most of the game (the pre-Libertadores game on my other monitor was 100X more fun, and after that one was over, this game put me half to sleep in 5 minutes). From what I saw, the problem is simple: total lack of creativity in the final third. Canada is dire. Even if this is USA's B/C team and Canada's A/B, the display was pathetic. If you cannot get through a certain way, you're expected to try something different. This team couldn't even change rhythm, and the movement off-the-ball was almost non-existent in the game (but for Gatt and DeRo in Canada). Just a friendly though. Not very encouraging. The quality drop after the first XI seems to be huge. Something we already more or less knew, no? The USMNT does better when they concede the ball to the other team and can hit them on the counter. That way, they could defeat Italy and Mexico, not even playing the best 11. It's when they got the ball that things don't work out. Off-the-ball movement, changing rhythm, being able to threaten on a wider front, and having someone to score crosses (heck, having someone to make decent crosses!). All those are needed.
Ej was trash, he and wondo needed to link up in the final third but no he would just pass it back to the midfield only to see the attack die.... sigh
I can't figure out who I'm more frustrated with. Just when I think Jurgen might be getting a grip on tactics, he trots out a defensive lineup against the bunker of all bunkers. Brad Evans was terrible, better at RB than Beltran, but still terrible. Morrow looks like a centerback playing leftback, he was horrible when moving forward. So I don't understand the narrow lineup Klinnsman trotted out. His narrow CM/RM hybrid system works with zusi and such when we have fullbacks that are actually capable, but here we got absolutely zero width, and all I saw was two defensively constructed teams flailing around playing horrible soccer. Then on the other hand, you have the Canadians, who come in and bunker for their lives in a friendly. Obviously they wanted to win, but why would US soccer schedule such a terrible match if they did the exact same thing last year?
Really disappointing. US played down to Canuck level which was pretty darn poor. Almost no energy, lethargic, passing too slow. Way too few off the ball runs. Only one person checking to the ball. Canada would be the worst of the worst MLS teams. How can the best of MLS players plus some overseas guys play so badly? That said, the game shows flaws in the US development system because there is no excuse for not playing better and with greater speed. We all know that sometimes a team loses or ties out of bad luck, despite playing well. This was not one of those games. The individuals on the field simply failed to play up to their level of competence, electing instead to play down to Canada' level of incompetence.
If by "raising his game" you mean hitting free kicks directly into the wall then I suppose I agree with you.
Did well Gonzo Davis Gatt Morales Beltran S. Johnson Bedoya Zusi Sucked Failhaber Wondo Evans Besler Not sure EJ Bruin Agudelo Morrow Beckerman
I think people watch these games in the wrong way. Would it have been great if we had won 5-0? Sure. But the main point of the game is to evaluate potential talent going into WCQ. That's not to say the game wasn't boring (it was), but if you're a fan of the team, you're not solely looking for entertainment. Gatt showed some energy and skill. I though Agudelo looked good. Zusi looked alright, same with EJ. Not incredible from either, but serviceable. Gonzalez looks dangerous on set pieces, but neither him or Besler were tested too much on defense; when they were, they didn't seem to make any mistakes. Feilhaber seems to be too hit or miss; I think he has the vision, but not the skill (this is based on multiple appearances, in addition to tonight). Wondo doesn't cut it internationally unfortunately. Unconvinced by either of the outside backs or outside mids, not enough beating their man and not good enough crosses. Besler, Gonzalez, Zusi, Agudelo, Gatt, EJ would be the considerations for WCQ. Beckerman maybe for depth/experience in the DM position. I don't think any of them should start though, outside of maybe Zusi. EJ/Gatt/Agudelo maybe for subs depending on circumstance (air/speed/skill), Gonzalez for an injury/issue to Cameron/Boca. Also, I disagree with scheduling friendlies with Canada for the near future if we have any other options... They haven't typically been a tough opponent, they're boring to watch, they're boring for us to play. That's also our fault in terms of creativity, but I'd rather play an El Salvador, Panama type of team for the style of play they use. It's more beneficial for the hex, and it can't be any more boring to watch. We're also more likely to have a higher attendance (Friendly vs El Salvador in DC for instance) for profitability.
If the rest of the Canadian team is NASL quality, then God help the American team if their 4-5 good players are ever unavailable. Too bad Canada never had military bases in Germany.
Relevant players: EJ - Can we stop putting EJ in our expected line-ups for WCQ games? He's not good enough. He's lucky he's not Jermaine Jones otherwise people would be talking about strike up into row ZZ for more than 5seconds. Zusi - You really can't make a career out of whipping crosses into the box without picking your head up. You were the veteran on the field. Demand the ball, make shit happen. You disappeared a lot. Gatt - Hey, you opened the field... figure out what to do after that. Agudelo - If you're going to make it in Europe, don't let yourself get muscled so hard. Glad you were able to keep at it. Omar and Besler had little to nothing to talk about. Would've loved for Omar to put that header away but that was a bad look. JK - Why didn't Mix see the field? Why was Evans in front of Failed Harder or Mix?
Fair enough. While Gatt isn't a 'playmaker' like LD can be and has been at times... his tools really make him an interesting prospect to take what LD's place was on the last NT he played (BB's) which was as a left winger who would make runs, pinch and and finish as forward, or make crosses from his runs on the left which were pure SICKNESS!! He'd do the same on the right side too.
Feilhaber looks same as he always does. Guy is pretty useless when starting though, for the A team that is. Super sub last cycle.
Don't know if this was on MLS. Honestly. That's too easy/pat of an answer. Why? All of the teams (minus Chivas and Revs) that these guys come from play better than what we saw tonight. MILES better.