Carlisle: U.S. likely to meet Mexico in Gold Cup final

[illinizissou]

Article about USMNT being a favorite in the Gold Cup. Not much new:

Link (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=412963&root=us&cc=5901)

"I think it's nice to be a favorite every once in a while, and to deal with that pressure," Conrad said. "People expect us to win this tournament, and that's a nice role change for us. And it's another challenge that if U.S. soccer wants to get over that hump of proving that we're one of the best year in and year out, then this is the kind of event that we need to do that in."

[MarioKempes]

Article about USMNT being a favorite in the Gold Cup. Not much new:

Link (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=412963&root=us&cc=5901)

Duh. US and Mexico are the top two teams in the region. This is the only hard game of the Gold Cup for the US, unlike Copa America. I'm sure glad we're sending our best team to the Gold Cup.

[onefineesq]

Duh. US and Mexico are the top two teams in the region. This is the only hard game of the Gold Cup for the US, unlike Copa America. I'm sure glad we're sending our best team to the Gold Cup. We are? I thought we are sending the Europeans to the Gold Cup, which is not the same as "best team". Right now on our best team, the starting strikers would probably all be from MLS. The team has played with 2 dmids so far under Bradley. Our best team probably has both of those positions covered by MLS. In the back 4, it would seem that our best team has at least one guaranteed starter (Conrad) from MLS at the moment, and it seems that Bornstein is leading the race for the left back position. That's 6 MLS'ers out of the starting eleven. We haven't even decided whether or not Donovan is one of the midfielders under our "best team" format, because if he is, that is 7 MLS'ers. The notion that our "best team" is a de facto Euro team simply isn't true.

[MarioKempes]

We are? I thought we are sending the Europeans to the Gold Cup, which is not the same as "best team".
...
The notion that our "best team" is a de facto Euro team simply isn't true.

I don't have that notion. Who does? How do you know we're sending all Europeans to the Gold Cup?

[tab5g]

everyone knows our "best" team is the one Rongen will assemble and then lead on a 7-game win streak to easily win the U-20 WC in Canada this summer.

[m vann]

Hey Carlisle, no shit, good observation, where did you come up with this conclusion? :rolleyes:


We still have to play our best but the odds are in our favor to advance the finals.

[ButlerBob]

I don't have that notion. Who does? How do you know we're sending all Europeans to the Gold Cup?

Because that's pretty much what Bradley said in a recent interview/podcast (on the US Soccer site).http://www.ussoccer.com/sights/audio/index.jsp.html

He mentioned that the Eruopean clubs have to release them for the Gold Cup because it's the Confederation's championships. That they were not required to do this for the Copa America. Also that it would be harder to get clubs to release in July, because the would be into their pre season training camps.

[cpwilson80]

Leave it to Conrad to reveal the true story. Instead of "Will the US make the final?", I think the more subtle - and far more interesting - question is "Can the US play consistently like a favorite?"

We were a favorite in 2005 as well, and yet, we played like utter crap in plenty of games (the deceiving 4-1 win over Cuba, the 0-0 game against Canada, the final.)

It's time for our team to mature into one that relies on more than hardwork, defensive posture, and counter-attacks to win games. This summer in the Gold Cup, I'd like to see us outclass some opponents.

[Davids26]

Leave it to Conrad to reveal the true story. Instead of "Will the US make the final?", I think the more subtle - and far more interesting - question is "Can the US play consistently like a favorite?"

We were a favorite in 2005 as well, and yet, we played like utter crap in plenty of games (the deceiving 4-1 win over Cuba, the 0-0 game against Canada, the final.)

It's time for our team to mature into one that relies on more than hardwork, defensive posture, and counter-attacks to win games. This summer in the Gold Cup, I'd like to see us outclass some opponents.

0-0 draw was against Costa Rica -- I think we started Noonan and Dempsey up top that game! The 2-0 result against Canada a few days before wasn't exactly a spectacular effort on our part either and we trailed and were tied with the Cubans for a long stretch of time before we finally got the go-ahead and then pummeled them at the end.

The only game in that whole tournament where we played halfway decent was against the Jamaican hackfest. We almost went to extra time with Honduras if not for a beautiful Gooch header and had to win on penalties in the final against Panama. What an ugly tournament.

[cpwilson80]

0-0 draw was against Costa Rica -- I think we started Noonan and Dempsey up top that game! The 2-0 result against Canada a few days before wasn't exactly a spectacular effort on our part either and we trailed and were tied with the Cubans for a long stretch of time before we finally got the go-ahead and then pummeled them at the end.

The only game in that whole tournament where we played halfway decent was against the Jamaican hackfest. We almost went to extra time with Honduras if not for a beautiful Gooch header and had to win on penalties in the final against Panama. What an ugly tournament.


My bad. Good call on the Canada game. I remember Noonan having a good chip that hit the crossbar, but forgot about the own goal and Donovan's last minute goal.

I agree that, despite the title, last year's performance was all kinds of suck.

[Martin Fischer]

Because that's pretty much what Bradley said in a recent interview/podcast (on the US Soccer site).http://www.ussoccer.com/sights/audio/index.jsp.html

He mentioned that the Eruopean clubs have to release them for the Gold Cup because it's the Confederation's championships. That they were not required to do this for the Copa America. Also that it would be harder to get clubs to release in July, because the would be into their pre season training camps.

True, that's what he said. But none of this means the Gold Cup team is going to be all Europeans.

[Adam Zebrowski]

i think the gold cup squad might have the likes of donovan and mastroeni, making it almost an A- squad...

i think the caveat if where euros like feilhaber and demerit end up playing...

are they gold cup OR copa....

if it's 15 euros and 3 mls for gold cup AND 15 mls and 3 euros for copa america, then the experienced guys are playing in gold cup....

still, discount costa rica at your peril....it's this attitude of we're better than everyone which'll get usa in trouble...

usa isn't that much better than anyone in concacaf, although USA group it's hard to find a difficult match...

but in the elimination phase, things get tougher...

[MarioKempes]

still, discount costa rica at your peril....it's this attitude of we're better than everyone which'll get usa in trouble...


We're fans....we don't play. :)

Our attitude means nothing.

[Lloyd Heilbrunn]

I agree that, despite the title, last year's performance was all kinds of suck.

Yeah,we missed the 2006 WC writing on the wall there.....

[sidefootsitter]

A more important question is whether Bob will play twin d-mids vs. El Salvador.

[ugaaccountant]

A more important question is whether Bob will play twin d-mids vs. El Salvador.

He could play the olsen twins and beat El Salvador

[Lloyd Heilbrunn]

He could play the olsen twins and beat El Salvador

That's Ben and Kate, right??

[sidefootsitter]

He could play the olsen twins and beat El Salvador
The Olsen twins can buy El Salvador.