Result today different with Howard in goal? [R]

[blueisthecolor]

I like Timmy Howard as much as the next guy, but his preformance in this competition has been very unusual for him. He hlet in 1 goal in each of the first two games that were definitly savable. That would have gotten us a tie with Italy in the first game and we wouldnt have even been in this situation today. Guzan was outstanding today and controlled the box beautifully. So my question is simple would we have advance today with Tim Howard in goal? I say no.

[cleansheetbsc]

Just a reminder. Remember how "good" Guzan was at El Salvador, when Gooch was suspended? We had our Captain Boca out there and the defense was pure crap.

Guzan and Howard will only be as good as the defense in front of them.

[ty webb]

Yes.

Bob didn't f*** up the tactics or player selection this game, which allowed the team to perform. Howard also would have pitched a shut out in my view.

[Cliveworshipper]

No difference. It wasn't the keeper that mattered.
A better question is do we score three goals if we play like we did the last two games.

[tehGEO]

Yes.

Bob didn't f*** up the tactics or player selection this game, which allowed the team to perform. Howard also would have pitched a shut out in my view.

What do you mean, he didn't play Adu?

Bob did what he always does, the difference was how the players played. It's shocking that you can't understand this.

[TheRustyEunuch]

I don't know how to answer the question so I will look at this going forward. I think Bradley just wanted to get Guzan a real game since we had "no" chance of moving on and Guzan played well and we miraculously moved on. Who knows what Bob will do but at this point I say we mind as well leave Guzan in. If nothing else it shows nobody's job is safe if Howard could be replaced. Despite his goal and ball to Donovan I think Dempsey should get at least some bench time but that is another story.

[tambo]

"Do we win against Egypt by 3 goals with Howard in Goal"

Oh how I dislike the sportscaster subjunctive.

Just a little humor for the fellow grammar nazis in the crowd. (But I really do dislike it!)

[Ghost]

I don't think this tourney has been Howard's career highlight. I was disappointed by his reaction and failure to get to the corner on the second Italy goal. But then again, what about those two point blank saves late against Italy? Do we go if those saves aren't made?

[KALM]

There were at least 7 or 8 goal scoring opportunities for our opponents across the first two matches that were more threatening than just about anything Guzan had to deal with today.

Which makes sense since those first two games were against Brazil and Italy, and the last was against Egypt.

[ty webb]

What do you mean, he didn't play Adu?

Bob did what he always does, the difference was how the players played. It's shocking that you can't understand this.

No. Bob did things MUCH differently today.

He didn't let an out of form Beasley touch the field and was also obviously unable to play him out of position since he didn't touch the field.
He didn't let an out of form Sacha touch the field.
He didn't play an unfamiliar formation.
He didn't play our players out of position.
He had the players ready to play from the start.
He gave the players a better chance to be successful.
He played what is very close to our best eleven.
etc....

[Jough]

Do we win by 3 goals if Casey starts instead of Conor?

Do we win by 3 goals if Cherundalo is healthy?

Do we win by 3 goals if Bradley was fired weeks ago?

Are we asking rhetorical questions with little basis in reality?

The answers to all of these questions is.... maybe?

[TX Bill]

Yawn.

[cyberthoth]

I think we do but I will say Guzan's performance may be exactly what Howard needs.

Howard has not had a particularly good tournament. Not saying he let in any easy goals but a US goalie has to make a few spectacular saves for us to advance and he hasn't.

Maybe a little competition will help.

[KennyWoo]

No. Bob did things MUCH differently today.

He didn't let an out of form Beasley touch the field and was also obviously unable to play him out of position since he didn't touch the field.
He didn't let an out of form Sacha touch the field.
He didn't play an unfamiliar formation.
He didn't play our players out of position.
He had the players ready to play from the start.
He gave the players a better chance to be successful.
He played what is very close to our best eleven.
etc....

Bradley would be the greatest coach of all time had he played Sacha today!

[luciusmagister]

No. Bob did things MUCH differently today.

He didn't let an out of form Beasley touch the field and was also obviously unable to play him out of position since he didn't touch the field.
He didn't let an out of form Sacha touch the field.
He didn't play an unfamiliar formation.
He didn't play our players out of position.
He had the players ready to play from the start.
He gave the players a better chance to be successful.
He played what is very close to our best eleven.
etc....
I'm still waiting for Bob to pick our best eleven but today he was as close as I've seen Bob get to it. Minus Bornstein and Guzan the defense was close to having our best players on the field at least.

[Soccerprep]

Just a reminder. Remember how "good" Guzan was at El Salvador, when Gooch was suspended? We had our Captain Boca out there and the defense was pure crap.

Guzan and Howard will only be as good as the defense in front of them.

since the el salvador game guzan has lost a lot more hair. if he loses any more he just may be world class.

the difference was not the defense, it was the amount of hair guzan has

[olephill2]

Brad Guzan had a very good match today in what was a high pressure affair. He made 1-2 excellent saves and commanded the box fairly well.

That said, this was against Egypt. Tim Howard was in goal against Brazil and Italy. That should tell us all we need to know. Howard wasn't at his most brilliant in either of those matches, but he made at least 2 great saves in each match that, as things turned out, helped preserve the goal differential necessary for us to advance.

[luftmensch]

Do we win by 3 goals if Casey starts instead of Conor?

Do we win by 3 goals if Cherundalo is healthy?

Do we win by 3 goals if Bradley was fired weeks ago?

Are we asking rhetorical questions with little basis in reality?

The answers to all of these questions is.... maybe?

That first question is the real mind-blower.

[Cliveworshipper]

That first question is the real mind-blower.

I thought so too at first.

Then I was glad some guys showed up today who weren't there last game....

[ECUNCHATER]

Egypt isn't as good as Brazil and Italy, so that had something to do with our 3-0 win. Watch a rerun of the Egypt vs Italy game. There were at least 2 really good chances for Italy to score. Egypt was pretty lucky to escape with the win. Don't forget that they did give up 4 goals vs Brazil and it was 1 minute of poor soccer by Brazil that kept their first game from being a blowout loss. Howard is still probably the better keeper.