Post-match: Russia vs. USA 11/14 [R]

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by schrutebuck, Nov 14, 2012.

  1. Spursfan1

    Spursfan1 Member+

    Sep 7, 2010
    Atlanta
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    jozy actually played really well in the first half. much better from him.
     
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  2. Mr Martin

    Mr Martin Member+

    Jun 12, 2002
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I thought Jozy was solid in the first half and worked hard with several good touches, but faded in the second, except for the nice cutback pass to Jones.

    Right now, if the US plays with only 1 striker, I'd favor Gomez and have Jozy as the backup. But that does not mean I think Gomez will own the #1 striker spot for the next 24 months.

    It would really help any and all of our strikers if the US could start one more creative, good-passing midfielder.
     
  3. Clenbuterol

    Clenbuterol Red Card

    Aug 25, 2011
    Club:
    --other--
    People are just frustrated with Altidore since he is playing well for his club team but just can't seem to score with the National team.

    The one play where Fabian Johnson sent him through with a nice pass and his first touch failed him made me a bit frustrated too.

    Hopefully he can get his rhythm back by the Hex.
     
  4. Bruce S

    Bruce S Member+

    Sep 10, 1999
    you think away to Russia with almost no practice is a good place to start a newbie? To me, this is why Klinsy is coach and we are internet chat board posters. He has to look at the big picture and players self-confidence.
     
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  5. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would go Agudelo, Corona, Gatt, Mix, Boyd, Adu

    Long term
     
  6. tbonepat11

    tbonepat11 Member+

    Jun 21, 2001
    I too was getting a bit weary with the praise put on Howard by Twellman. I am of the mindset that the goalie is supposed make big saves. That is his job. He made most of them which is why he is our starter.

    I will ask this because I notice Tim does this a lot. Isn't the goalie supposed to cover the near post? Similar to how defenders are always to defend the middle and make the player go wide?
     
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  7. dkstones

    dkstones BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 11, 2009
    Arlington, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Bradley has almost completed his transformation from tank to general.
     
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  8. FloridaFC2MLS

    FloridaFC2MLS Member

    Oct 17, 2009
    Florida
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Its funny actually...
    Agudelo kind of ended up being the most effective striker on the pitch for us today..
     
  9. Bruce S

    Bruce S Member+

    Sep 10, 1999
    I seem to recall a lot of traffic and a clipped ball looked to me like the way to deliver the ball. It was not smashed, it was nicely clipped.
     
  10. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No. That was a good ball. The Russian attacking players were controlling balls like that in tighter spaces with defenders on them.
     
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  11. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    Yep. The starting lineup performed well today:

    Howard, TC, Cameron, Bocanegra, Johnson, Williams, Bradley, Jones, Gomez, Altidore, ??? (I can't quite remember the 11th guy, he couldn't have been a "newbie".)

    Your argument rests on an appeal to authority (Klinsmann), yet the authority undermines your own argument.
     
  12. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    The USA is transitioning from this:

    ---------------GK----------------
    RB------CB-------CB--------LB
    ---------CM------CM-----------
    --AM--------CM----------AM--
    --------------ST-----------------

    To this:

    --------------GK-----------------
    RB------CB-------CB--------LB
    --------------DM----------------
    -------CM---------CM----------
    WF----------CF-------------WF


    Should be obvious why the system doesn't work for a striker like Altidore.
     
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  13. um_chili

    um_chili Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    Losanjealous
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This may be a point for another thread, but anyone who has carefully watched Altidore in Holland will know that he's not succeeding there because of a flukey run of good form. Check out a highlight video of how he's played for AZ for the past year and a half and you'll see an array of skills, including a good first touch, that are not only good but often outstanding.

    So it's entirely reasonable--possibly even beyond argument--that Jozy's club form merits a call up. But the concern remains that he hasn't translated this into play for the USMNT of late. Whether he merits continued inclusion depends on why this is the case. Could it be that he's just got a psych block when he plays for the MNT right now (e.g., too much self-pressure)? Maybe, in which case no worries. Could it be that he's not getting enough service? Maybe, but while the service at AZ is likely better I'm not sure our midfield is that much worse. These problems are remediable, but rather than dismissing Jozy reflexively the right way to think about it is to figure out what the reason is that he's not even approaching his AZ form with the MNT.

    But in any event, any argument that simply observes based on Jozy's form for the MNT that he's not good enough to be called up is simply shortsighted. People should actually observe his club form before making any such conclusions.
     
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  14. Pragidealist

    Pragidealist Member+

    Mar 3, 2010
    I thought the young guys did well for a first national team match. Gatt looked dangerous and creative. Mix fought for the ball and got the goal.

    Overall, I thought the US did well. Had possession for a good part of the match. After the first 15 to 20 minutes anyway, and transitioned well. I think many are responding more to the first 20 mins and the last 20 mins... about half of the game- regarding poor play. The first 20 they were really having hard time getting into a rhythm and holding onto the ball. The last 20, they were really pressing.

    The D held pretty well for most of the night. The goals were silly fluke goals and the chances really didn't start appearing for Russia with any major threat until the end, where the US was gassed and pressing. Cam played particualrly well. Chandler is much more of a threat than Dolo, but Dolo is much more stable and consistent defensively. Johnson was fine. Goodson did what Goodson does every game. He gives up one really really bad chance a night and plays solid the rest of teh game. Its who he is. Sub and hopefully 3rd string in the future.

    Williams, not his best game, but I'll let it slide. Everyone has them. Aside from the really bad pass that led to the goal, it wasn't as bad as we've seen from Edu- even in this match. Edu's give away in their own half was horrible.

    Jones was Jones. Horrible spacing, not good movement. Good solid tackler, dribbles too much, holds the ball too much, makes good dangerous runs, and sends a nice pass or two a game in. Blew way too many chances. He's a bad mix with Bradley. If we are playing the Brazils- sure. He he adds muscle, savvvy, and gritt. Against any other team, he hurts more than he helps. We need another option, preferbly more attacking orineted paired with Bradley.

    Jozy, frustrating. I wonder how he would do on the wing, goin gat players more. I don't want to be too harsh. He has moments of brilliance that just seem to miss the mark. The set up to Jones, the nice flick to set up shots. He's got talent. Its really same ole same ole.

    Gomez was Gomez. Smart savvy, dangerous. Not particulary creative or special. We need an upgrade on him as an attacker, but he's really one of the best we have right now. Hussle, Hussle Hussle

    Bradely MotM for me. He was everywhere. Winning tackles, providing an outlet, making smart fouls, backing combination, finding open space, making penetrating passes, and scoring goals. Just very very well played game.

    I like the 4 3 3. I like what Gatt brings to the table. A line up I would't mind seeing at some point.

    ------------------Jozy/Gomez/Eddie Johnson
    Donovan--------Dempsey---------Gatt/Zusi
    ----------------Bradley
    ---------------------------Williams
    Johnson-------Cam--------X-------------Dolo/Chandler
     
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  15. Bruce S

    Bruce S Member+

    Sep 10, 1999
    his style fits VERY well with the international game. I felt the same way. He is agile and technical.
     
  16. Editor In Chimp

    Editor In Chimp Member+

    Sep 7, 2008
    Something else to keep in mind: Goodson doesn't see the field without an injury to Boca. I think JK knows he's just cover at this point, and there's still some time to push him further down the depth chart. Between Gonzalez, Brooks, and whoever else, hopefully we won't have to count on Goodson being on the field in a meaningful moment.
     
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  17. Pragidealist

    Pragidealist Member+

    Mar 3, 2010
    I agree. I wonder if he could play a wing. He makes some of his best runs and plays from there and he's got the ability to take players on 1 v 1. He would just have to work and defend much much better.
     
  18. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    Not necessarily always at THIS level, but in general yes.

    The thing is, at this level (or even the college level, really), players are tricky and skilled enough to catch you cheating to either post and adapt their shot as such. Its more about angles and anticipation, and seeing how the player's body is leaning as they are preparing to shoot.

    Anyway, your assumption about keepers making big saves is somewhat true, BUT those saves today were not "big" in the classical sense. They were good saves, but nothing that other number ones wouldn't make.
     
  19. FloridaFC2MLS

    FloridaFC2MLS Member

    Oct 17, 2009
    Florida
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He should have controlled it. Not defending that. The ball just could have been easier and more simple from Johnson..
     
  20. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Excellent resiliency shown that wasn't there last cycle. Bradley is really elevating himself into a position as the 3rd or 4th best player in them.

    With Castillo, Parkhurst, Chandler, and Cherundolo in the pool there is no excuse for Johnson not to be playing in midfield at least some of the time.

    Goodson. Wish other mls CBs had the moxie to go abroad and improve their games and profiles the way he has. Realistically however 5th or 6th at best on any depth chart of American centerbacks.
     
  21. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He is also one of our smartest players in terms of his movement about the field. If you ask me, one of the major keys to our U23 collapse was losing him and his off the ball movement in the Cuba game.
     
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  22. StrikerX4

    StrikerX4 Member

    Jun 16, 2011
    Lawrence, NJ
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Russia played tight defense all night. Us giving away a cheap one early didn't help, as it allowed them to sit back and defend more.

    Jozy worked well out there today, but in the second half it was clear that he lost some confidence. His touch was loose, and he probably blew a solid chance on goal because of it. That being said, he deserved an assist but Jones missed a solid chance on net.

    Bradley and Jones were clearly the strongest players for us today. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like they worked all that well together. In the attack, Jones was way too close to Bradley. They have different styles (Mike is smoother and calmer, while Jones is frenetic and physically dominant), but their places on the field tend to overlap too much. However, on at least one occasion, the combination of their high motors paid dividends as we forced turnovers from the Russian D based on their high pressuring. I think the jury is still out on if they can effectively team up.

    DW was just OK. Not great, and obviously the blemish from the first goal is on him. After good performances against subpar opponents in the last 2 matches, I (and many others I'm sure) was curious to see how he'd play against stiffer competition. Obviously one friendly doesn't prove anything, but we need to see more from DW against quality teams before we proclaim him as a shutdown DM for this squad.

    The worst part of the game today was the constant turnovers through bad passes. The first goal was the prime example - absolutely unnecessary. Pretty much everyone was guilty of it (except MB and JJ). Maybe due to the lack of preparation and the short turnaround from a busy weekend of club football? Hopefully this isn't something that plagues us going into the games that count.
     
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  23. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    Explain.
     
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  24. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Altidore must have a clone that plays in Holland.
     
  25. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    The more I watch this team, the more it seems to me there is room for only one of Donovan or Dempsey. Bradley is the natural distributor to play in the hole behind the forwards, the "enganche." And one of the sides needs a true winger/forward. Unless it's a weak rival and the USA is playing only one DM and one CM, with room for a central AM/SS, I don't see them both fitting in the system at the same time without getting in each other's way.
     
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