Everything you've read? LOL, from whom? El Salvador didn't do anything to win that game. I mean, did you actually watch the game? I wouldn't blame ya if you didn't, it was a horrible game by both teams. The spanish media alluded to the fact that Guatemala was the better team and deserved to win their game but the American media said the opposite. Who should I believe if I didn't watch the game?
SMH! anyone who thinks Hedges is better than Chandler is wrong on the head or smokes crack on a daily basis.
Anyone know if this will be on an English network? Last time we went to Azteca I had to watch it in Spanish.
I wouldn't mind having Hedges in Camp Cupcake but saying he might be better than Timmy Chandler and having him start against Mexico in el Azteca is one of the most idiotic things I have read on BigSoccer.
i say New Blood... we know what the old blood can do and we need to see if these players can take their game to the next level. Who i really want to see: Geoff Cameron, Tim Ream, Seb Hines, Eric Lichaj, Daniel Williams (at CDM or FB), Josh Gatt, Freddy Adu, and Chris Pontius Who i don't want to see: Goodson, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Onyewu, and Donovan. Also i wouldn't call up Chandler either. if he wants to be part of the USMNT then he can accept the qualifier call-ups. My line-up: GK Howard, Meara DEF Lichaj, Castillo, Johnson, Beitashour, Ream, John, Hines, Cameron *Note: i'd still contact Henley and Sakai. MID Williams, Jones, Torres, Bradley, Zusi, Kljestan *Note: Morales, Mix, Corona, and Holden can wait. FWD Gomez, Cooper, Adu, Gatt, Pontius, Dempsey *Note: Boyd, Shea, Gyau, and Wooten can wait. Gomez deserves the call and Jozy deserves to sit. -------------------Gomez------------------- --------Dempsey-----------Adu------------ ------------Torres------Bradley------------ --------------------Jones-------------------- Johnson-------------------------------Lichaj -------------Ream-------Cameron---------- -------------------Howard------------------- Bench: Meara, Hines, Williams, Kljestan, Pontius, Gatt, Cooper
My own eyeballs from watching the highlights and ESPN. Multiple posters on here. The general assessment of Mexico's first two games. But thanks for playing. Take your arrogance elsewhere. At least our fans recognize when we play poorly and work on how to fix it.
Your own assessment from watching highlights? You must be right....after all, you watched highlights of the game and read opinions on the internet. hmmm I don't know about that, I've seen a lot of sugar coating from some fans and media since Klinsmann took over. Talk of "transition" and other things to excuse poor performances while Tim Howard says the core of the team has been together for years and certain player changes shouldn't affect the overall performance of the team. Who should I believe? The guy who watches highlights and eats up internet opinions or the starting GK for the US team? tough one indeed....
My hope is that we bring a strong roster to this match without too much experimentation. However, since it is August, it might be advisable to spare European-based players that are at new clubs the arduous continental trip. For example, a player like Mo Edu is likely to be at a new club fighting to establish himself in the rotation in mid-August. We can leave him in Europe and give the roster spot to a guy like Zusi. Boyd could stay behind to fight for his spot at Rapid Vienna so an in-form, mid-season MLS guy like Cooper or Sapong is given a chance.
I've been thinking about it a little more and I believe that if he passes his test at RB at Azteca, we could think, as well, about bringing him more centrally, say, into Edu's spot on a trial basis. I like his pass to mids out of the back and it looks like his decision making is light years faster than, say, the sluggish Chandler. However, we haven't seen Hedges yet against top flite competition. Aug 15 Azteca would be way too early for a midfield role. RB is a simple position to play. It's just a question of how good the player is at playing that position. We'll start him there. b.t.w., Wenger just scored a goal for Montreal. They have him playing up top in 4231. You haven't mentioned him, just Hedges. Any opinions on Wenger as a back up to Donovan and giving him a run at Azteca? Don't have a baby, Bimmer, none of this happening.
Yep 0% chance that Hedges and Wenger get called in for the August game. Also its ok to be mad at Timmy but trying to say Hedges a nobody is better than Timmy is just dumb, its like me saying Jozy might be better than the sluggish Rossi it's just dumb.
I'm sure it has been stated several times by now, but..... There's no way any competent coach brings a youthful approach to this game. I don't think there are too many people who don't believe that Mexico have the upper hand in CONCACAF right now. Going into Azteca for a friendly, as long as we don't allow ourselves to get embarrassed, is a win-win for The U.S. a) If we get beaten and hold our own doing so, the new blood that is already a part of JK's "core group" will have pre-Hex experience in the toughest venue they'll likely ever play in for the USMNT.......and so what if they lost. Most everyone loses in Azteca. b) If we win or tie there, then some of that mystique that helps make Mexico so difficult to play in Azteca is lost and we gain confidence for the next visit......a huge result to build off of. But, there's one sire fire way to turn this positive opportunity into a disaster. And that's to try blooding a bunch of talented, inexperienced players just because it's a friendly. Too much to lose in THIS game.
Did you know that the average of the German national team at the Euros now playing is 24? Average age of Dempsey, Donovan, Gomez, Jones, C-Dolo, Boca, Onyewu, Howard, must be something like, what 32? Add in Bradley at 24, Edu at 26, Johnson at 24 and I'm guessing that the average age of the team is over 30. Oldest team at Euros this year? Ireland with an average age of 28. We are 2 years older than the oldest team at the Euros and you put it down to competence?
What were those teams' average age two years ago? There's too much at stake in a friendly in Azteca to risk the team getting shellacked for the sake of blooding a bunch of young players. Confidence is a huge issue. That's no way to go about gaining it. So, yes. It's down to competence in this case.
Why? It would scare me to start inexperienced players against Mexico en el Azteca because it would be Deja Vu from the 09 GC final all over again.
Oh boy. This thread has provided many laughs for me today. Even as a hypothetical, it's insane. Hedges? In Mexico? Riiiiighhhtt. Wenger has scored one goal...he is a relatively old rookie coming straight out of college. Yeah, no. If we are going for youth, we know who is in the pipeline. Adu, Gatt, Lichaj, Ream, Gyau, Shea, Corona, Mix, Morales, Agudelo, Sapong....it's not a random MLSer who has never been called to the national team. I hope everyone realizes that our deepest and most extended roster consists of about 40 players at most, right? There are no surprises at this point, unless one of our German 2nd/3rd division players or someone playing in Bosnia or Israel scores 40 goals. Like everyone other wunderkind touted by Big Soccer posters....see you in January..... maybe, but probably not.
Wow. I didn't even refer to any of this. You have no idea about my opinions on Klinsmann. I made one simple statement about 1 game - one that isn't foreign or just me. Overreaction much? Other people in this thread who aren't Mexican national team fans - apologies for entertaining the troll. Will stop now.
There is a difference in bringing a youth team to a friendly to Azteca in 2 months and projecting your World Cup roster, which will not include as starters several of the players you've listed: Gooch (on current form), Dolo or Boca. Most likely also Gomez. Howard is a GK, and thus outside of the average. EDIT: SeaOtter said it better than I did.