11/27/06: Make it stop, already

[BuffloSoldier]

Holiday music, that is.

Houston, DC draw assignments in Champions Cup--USAToday.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/world/2006-11-25-champions-cup_x.htm)

Wizards to hire coach--Kansas City Star (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/16104745.htm) (Curt Onalfo, come on down...)

John enjoys trial spell at Leeds--BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/6188108.stm)

Coleman looking for a new revolution--Daily Mirror (UK) (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/tm_headline=coleman-looking-for-a-revolution-&method=full&objectid=18164506&siteid=94762-name_page.html)

It'd be a new game for U.S.--LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-klinsmann26nov26,1,7687330.story?coll=la-headlines-sports)

[Honore de Ballsac]

Jones' list of up-and-comers is a good one, but check out this:

"The U.S. is overloaded with talent in midfield, and while Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Bobby Convey and Clint Dempsey are national team fixtures, it soon might be all but impossible for Klinsmann to ignore the claims of players such as Justin Mapp, Benny Feilhaber and Sacha Kljestan, not to mention Freddy Adu, now 17."

How underrated is Pablo Mastroeni - and why is it people are so blind to his talent? He may be the best US player right now, and always raises his game when challenged. He needs to go to Charlton or something. Or get a new agent.

How it is the hype boys always get the overseas trials... makes the whole scouting scene seem very dubious to me.

[Geneva]

How underrated is Pablo Mastroeni - and why is it people are so blind to his talent? He may be the best US player right now, and always raises his game when challenged. He needs to go to Charlton or something. Or get a new agent.Mastroeni is 30, and I think this article was about the young guys.

[Honore de Ballsac]

and Kasey Keller, 36.

[Geneva]

and Kasey Keller, 36.OK, not exclusively the young guys, but we both know that goalkeepers are different than field players. Hey, I think Pablo is great, too, but I don't think his exclusion was disrespectful.

[TheRightHandofDoom]

How underrated is Pablo Mastroeni - and why is it people are so blind to his talent?



They're also aware of his propensity to be ejected from games.

[Honore de Ballsac]

Stopped Keano's career dead in its tracks.

[WJMarx]

Mastroeni is 30, and I think this article was about the young guys.

Young guys yes, but you are ignoring the considerable emphasis on attacking soccer. Mastroeni is a 30 y/o midfield destroyer with NO attacking skills. His field vision is poor, his passing worse! He sorta fit an Arena requirement but clearly he is not international quality!

[Honore de Ballsac]

That's not the Mastroeni I know. You're in Colorado so maybe you see him play in person more than I do but then again the worst thing I can say about him is he usually doesn't play to his ability in MLS. He mails it in a bit and relies on his value as a fighter. For the US he's much more focused.

It does seem like fight is what he's usually asked to provide: this is going back quite a ways but do you remember him as more of a maestro for Miami? (despite whichever superstar was nominally in that role...)

[Honore de Ballsac]

Mastroeni is a 30 y/o midfield destroyer with NO attacking skills.

By the way, was Pablo just clearing the ball when he nearly tagged Buffon's upper corner from 35 yards?