3/9 Friendly: US vs. Colombia Post Game Thread [R]

[lond2345]

The A team of the USA is probably at the same level if not better than the A team of Colombia. Today the USA's B team proved they are better than Colombias B team (or were they both c teams??)

Still some people won't give the USA the respect it deserves. I just wonder what would happen if the USA played in the Conmebol qualifiers I bet they would do a decent job.

[aragrev]

Take it for what it is, one win in a friendly. Henao, still a good goalkeeper to me, his defense didn't do him any favors. He was getting bombed in the first half. Colombia had 2-3 solid chances. One header on a free kick just over the goal,one point blank shot in the box in second half just couldn't put away, and the shot and beautiful save from the US goalie. US defense was about as solid as a defense could be. I was also in the cheap seats next to the US cheering section, but great view. I was impressed from my view with Marshall, he is a big,imposing SOB. Yes I was going for Colombia for reasons I don't discuss here. For his first game Marshall looked good, not even an MLS game yet, well preseason. Wonder if he will be on the back line come WC time with Bocanegra, Pope. Crowd was good, cheering section was creative for the US. Thought the ref was card happy both ways, it still seemed to me like the US won almost every ball in the air.

[jmeissen0]

marshall is a second year pro with the columbus crew... all these guys are professionals with at least one year under the belt already

[taco jones]

Colombia had 2-3 solid chances. One header on a free kick just over the goal,one point blank shot in the box in second half just couldn't put away, and the shot and beautiful save from the US goalie.

Yeah, near the end of the game your boys missed an absolute sitter. As well as the US played most of the game, the game could have easily finished 2-2.

[Bruce S]

I must say I am impressed with this.I assumes the US team would lose as this line-up looked experimental.The big winner here is MLS. MLS has progressed to the point that our good MLS players are... good players!
I posted this a month ago, but I think Bruce was using this mainly to see who of the new boys he can use in Mexico and the rest of WCQ- I think it will be Dempsey and maybe Marshall ( and Mastro of course). My guess is he really wanted to get everyone fit but he has a real eye on just a few guys and I would guess it is those guys.

[RevsRule]

Ralston, well, might as well keep him on the roster and see what happens next, until the Euros join the camp...

I don't think we'll see Twellman again for a while--he's always been a bubble player and he comes him as a sub and then 10-15 minutes later he makes a slide tackle and gets the red... just a shame for a player who can do well for club, but struggles to crack into the lineup for country...

Cheers!

Ralston was man of the match with two assists. What else does he have to do to stay on? Arena even singled him out in a post game interview.

Twellman will be back, as soon as he's eligible to play again. I'm sure his bad tackle was a result of trying too hard rather then stupidity and I doubt Arena will send him into exile for that. He won a spot at TnT while Mathis and Ching didn't, he'll be back ... soon

[E. & P.]

Someone asked this before, but do any of the Colombia fans or others know how strong their side was--how, for instance, it compared to the squad that played Mexico?

[Chowderhead]

I've been following the build-up to this game, if you can call it that, in El Tiempo. Guys like Once Caldas' Viafara were included along with U20 studs like Rodellaga.

De hecho....

http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/depo/FUTBOL/ELIM_R/NOTI_E/undcimafecha/ARTICULO-WEB-_NOTA_INTERIOR-2005448.html

This result, watered down line-ups notwithstanding, is going to piss of my wife. I better hide the cutlery.

[The Magpie]

Didn't have the opportunity to watch this game, but a couple of things about Twellman as related to his USMNT play that people should appreciate: he's been hurt, sick, or otherwise not close to 100% for a majority of those games he's played in to this point, Arena has sought for Twellman to play a role and/or position different to that which he ordinarily plays in MLS, and has often come on late in matches where it's difficult to make an immediate or recognizable impact.

He's certainly a good player, and his minutes against Mexico at The Cotton Bowl certainly gave a glimpse of his potential, but with the U.S. options in attack at present, and with Arena's decision to play Twellman in a fashion as not to emphasize his strengths, he's probably not going to get many chances to live up to any potential he might have with the Nat's.

If you ask me, I think Arena would like Twellman to become Joe-Max Moore V2.0: a hard-working, versatile role player who can step into any match and have an immediate impact, but someone who'll take a back seat to players with a bit more size, pace, creativity, etc.

Overall though, very nice effort from the sound of things.

The Magpie

[FirstStar]

EJ. Largely invisible. Seemed to have his back to goal all night. McBride minus the winning headers.

GAM only scores in WC play, everybond knows that. These friendlies don't pay enough. :D

[Mason16]

Just a couple of comments:

I will compare the line-ups for Colombia vs Mexico to last night's line-up a little later. I will say that their keeper was with Once Caldas, who won the Copa Libertadores last year thanks in part to his strong performance in goal. He now plays for Santos in Brazil. This win is a valid and very impressive, particularly given that it was an all MLS lineup for us and several guys earned their first cap.

The Backline for us amazes me. That was an impressive scoreline for the defenders we had. Albright had looked pretty good in his recent outings as a RB so kudos to him for holding it together in what must have been a very unfamiliar position on the left. It's also great to hear that Marshall had a good start to what looks like will be a long MNT career and I'm glad Mullen finally got on the field for us.

[dxp969]

During the Argentina, Mexico game there was something about this game being on telemundo on sunday at 1:00pm. EE UU vs Colombia on sunday at 1:00pm to be more exact.

[sregis]

Twellman will be back, as soon as he's eligible to play again. I'm sure his bad tackle was a result of trying too hard rather then stupidity and I doubt Arena will send him into exile for that. He won a spot at TnT while Mathis and Ching didn't, he'll be back ... soon

spoken like a true revs fan ;) . he may well be back in a pinch, but he badly needed a good showing and obviously didn't get it.

[um_chili]

A Colombian perspective. Their title, "Thank God it was a friendly":

http://www.colombia.com/futbol/noticias/DetalleNoticia25939.asp

[braun]

Perhaps this is premature, and the next friendly might help Arena solidify his roster selection, but do the results of this match say anything about whether Mastroeni will line up at DM rather than Zavagnin (who I think had a good game vs Saprissa last night) vs Mexico?

What about Ralston at RM?

[JohnR]

The big winner here is MLS. MLS has progressed to the point that our good MLS players are... good players!

Yes, that is the story. U.S. squad depth is unprecedented. For the first time, Arena truly needs to worry that some of the guys on the U.S. national team roster "A" list might be worse than the guys who normally aren't invited.

A great problem to have.

[Chung'sleftboot]

I saw it as an own goal.

Some quick thoughts before bed...

Ratings

Busch 7 -Active off kine, made a few good saves, one was very impressive on a looping header not unlike the one that beat Howard yesterday.

Albright 7 -Strong first half, weaker second half. Colombia was better when they challenged our defenders to make the simple plays in the second hald. I felt in the fitst half they gave our back line more respect then they deserved.

Marshal 9 -What a game. Made our makeshift backline seem very solid. Nice goal. Great play all around

Mullan 6 -not much to say

Dempsy 7 -I didn't notice him much. He had some nice plays passing the ball and fired quite a rocket that was not too far wide near the end of the half. Seemed more comfortable going forward then defending.

Mastro. 10 -My MOM - he wins everything. Dominating performance.

Mathas 7 -So lazy. Still fat. Effective when it doesn't require running. Nice passes. His "goal" was a corner into the box headed into the net by Columbia from the inside the 8 yard line. As it trickled over, GAM was there but I guess didn't touch it. If this game was on TV, they would have to admit it was an OG.

Ralston 6-I believe it was he who chipped the keeper and hit the bar before Noonan slammed home. NICE

Noonan -7 Played hard and smart on the left side. Nice to watch. Seemed like a wide left midfielder as much as a second forward.

GAM -6.5 -Not terribly effective as a loan strker. (It seemed that way to me.

4-1-3-1-1 Or something sort of similar.

SUBS - No one stood out except that Twellman got the red. Not sure why. I was to far away to tell why Count Dracula thought it was worthy of a red card.

Ching must have fallen down 15 times in his 20 odd minutes.

Good performance from a makeshift backline.

I'll answer any questions about the game anyone has since I was lucky enough to be there.

Or at least I will in the morning....

Mike

Mike,

Thanks, great report! Can I ask you how Ritchie Kotschau played? It was his first cap.

Thanks,

CLB

[Chowderhead]

Henao was, in fact their keeper. Cantor recently described him as "without any doubt the best keeper in all of the Americas."

That ought to tell you what Cantor knows.

[Sandon Mibut]

First USMNT game I've ever been to. I can't give you stats or reviews on anyone. All I can say is it was damned fun.I thought this quote was worth repeating and emphasizing.

Let's never forget that, at the end of the day, this is what soccer, and all sports, is supposed to be about.

Here's to more "damned fun" the rest of the month!

[onefineesq]

Yes, that is the story. U.S. squad depth is unprecedented. For the first time, Arena truly needs to worry that some of the guys on the U.S. national team roster "A" list might be worse than the guys who normally aren't invited.

A great problem to have. I 100% agree with that 2nd sentence of yours. I wish that some of us on BS would come to that conclusion instead of automatically calling for the inclusion of players who they believed were better in their peak, but are in fact now inferior selections to some of the other guys that are now available.