Pre-match: USA vs. South Korea - February 1st, 2014 (Carson, CA)

South Korea beat Costa Rica 1-0



And if anyone cares to watch, full match in Spanish

 

Okay, I guess Toronto FC did actually start their "preseason" yesterday:
http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2014/01/reds-announce-2014-preseason-plans

So, contrary to what I had assumed, Bradley does actually have something else to do this week. I withdraw my "polite fiction" characterization.

 

Also, South Korea faces Mexico on Wednesday this week, live from San Antonio on UniMas:

Wednesday, January 29, 2014
9:00PM EST
Friendly
at Alamodome
Mexico


South Korea
UniMas

 

FWIW, UniMas looks to be offering some extended lead-in coverage, as their programming for this friendly is listed to start at 4:30 pm ET.

http://futbol.univision.com/horario...u&ftpos=HomepageMainMenu:Deportes:Futbol:EnTv

(And they've got an hour of pre-game show planned for Wednesday night's Mexico vs South Korea friendly.)

 

MB is with TFC in Florida, but not 'training', because he already went through pre season camp and Nelsen doesn't think it's necessary for MB to do what other players are doing right now.

 

Possibly disruptive to team chemistry down the road? I'd be surprised if Bradley didn't prefer to work with the rest of the players from the jump.

 

What's with those Costa Rica jerseys?

 

It's homage to the uniform they used in the 1990 World Cup, their best showing so far, when they beat Sweden:

 

http://www.tsn.ca/videohub/?collection=72&show=282562

 

Can't view the video outside Canada but from the caption it appears as if Bradley is present? Is De Rosario also given special status?

 

And beat Scotland as well, while also only losing 1-0 to Brazil, making the Round of 16 (the only time a CONCACAF team has made the knockout stage and they weren't either the USA or Mexico)

 

Mexico just beat S. Korea 4-0.

 

The scoreline wasn't exactly representative of the game though. That was the most even 4-0 game I've ever watched

 

I only saw the second half, but Korea did not look threatening. Lots of pressuring, though. Will force accurate play if us tries to keep possession.

 

The scoreline is what represents the game. Possession and shots are statistical byproducts of trying to achieve the better scoreline, which is what matters.

 

To exaggerate a little bit, if a team had 15 shots on goal, and they lost 1-0 on a 90th minute own goal, would that scoreline still represent the game? No, it wouldn't. I'm not saying that Mexico didn't dominate. To be honest I don't really care much how well Mexico does (outside of playing against the US), and I couldn't watch the game anyway, so I have no idea how the game actually went. However, you're making a blanket statement for all games, and in my view, the scoreline only tells part of the story.

 

The scoreline tells the main story. No amount of possession or shots make up for a drubbing.

That 1-0 you mention does represent the game. Their 15 shots don't erase their own goal.

 

Well, the Koreans have been pushing themselves with the travelling. Trying to simulate the conditions of the actual WC, probably, where every passing game you're more tired than the previous one. Today they didn't play well at all, after the first 30 minutes they looked done. I don't think they'll be such a great test for the MLSers.

 

Like I said, you're making a blanket statement, and, once again, I'm not talking about this particular game. What if a game's scoreline is the other way? No amount of possession or shots makes up for a 1-0 defeat? Or a 0-0 tie? Really? At some point, we may have to agree to disagree here.

 

If we beat SK 4-0 and Mexico fans came in here saying that afterwards, we'd laugh them out of here and rightly so.

 

Thanks for the video. Medford made Sweden his bitch.

 

Okay fair enough. Let me rephrase that. The scoreline wasn't representative of the run of play during the game. It was 100% representative of the result. I stand by the second half of my statement. That was the most even 4-0 game I've ever seen.

Well sure. My comment was to prevent people from expecting the same result Saturday and then making these threads unreadable after we tie them 0-0.

 

Yup

 

I disagree on the bolded. Korea upped their tempo in the second half and really pushed Mexico back for while, but this Korean team seems to lack that certain something in final third to really threaten on goal. Most of the limited offense came from getting the ball out wide right and swinging in crosses. Had one wide open header they should have scored on but muffed it.

Mexico looked pretty good, much better than their HEX form, more possession, creativity, variety, and movement off the ball. I think Herrera is doing a good job in righting the ship. Though I wonder what will happen when he integrates their Euros into the team.

If they continue like this I see them getting out of their group. I then give them a puncher's chance against Holland or Chile, but less against Spain.

Strange, I would say Mexico is more likely to advance than us, but less likely to get to the QFs than us. Which is worse, being in the GOD, or running into the GOD in R16? This would be the second time for Mex in the last 3 WCs.

 

They couldn't match the Mexicans on the counter. Korea is not used to having the initiative, their style works better when they have to counter. On the other hand, Mexico is a team that depends a lot on the mental side: if they get scored on, they have a hard time coming back. But if they score, then they can go on a romp. You rarely see the USA beating teams by the "goleadas" Mexico inflicts, because our team tends to take the foot off the gas, or just scores too late for it.

When the Mexicans score one fairly early, they can go on to stomp on their rival 5-0 or 6-0. Score on them, though, and (unless they have no respect because it's some small team) it's game over. It was strange to see them lose confidence against Honduras in SPS, for example: they're not used to getting tied after being ahead 2-0.

That was the moment many (myself included) realized the players had no faith in Chepo.