6/9, USA v T&T -- general post-match thread {R}

[babytiger2001]

Six points from two games, as goals from Johnson and Ching propel the USA into the second round of the Gold Cup, in a 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago.

All-encompassing thoughts here...

[nowherenova]

Mapp was good. Nice run by Donovan for the goal. Simek with some nice work.

Overall probably subpar performance against a weakened T&T.

[Nidal Baba Superstar]

Bit of a sleepwalk.

[seeds]

don't get it. we start with energy. create chances that don't get finished. let crap opposition in the game, and then tighten up. this one should have been finished after 25 minutes. keller should have played the whole game sitting on his ass.

[SgtSchultz]

I am fine with the performance. Second half was a yawner.

Having professional players really makes a difference. You young soccer fans would not understand.

[Flyin Ryan]

by Envisionz:

when the ball was shot, they were onsides..

...

Offside [Law 11] is like the analogous rule in American football, although there are obviously some differences because a soccer game isn't divided into discrete plays each with its own line of scrimmage. The soccer law says a player can't play behind the other team's defense unless he dribbled the ball there himself, or unless he's chasing a ball that was played to him when he was not behind the other team's defense. The place behind the other team's defense is called offside position. A player is in an offside position if she is all of these things:

A player is involved in active play (participating is a term often used) and subject to being called for offside if she does any one of these:

interferes with play (such as receiving a pass or trying for the ball), or
interferes with an opponent (such as getting in their way or challenging for possession), or
gains an advantage as a result of being in that offside position (such as getting the rebound off a goalkeeper's save, or being in the right spot to capitalize on a defender's miskick).

[Nidal Baba Superstar]

don't get it. we start with energy. create chances that don't get finished. let crap opposition in the game, and then tighten up. this one should have been finished after 25 minutes. keller should have played the whole game sitting on his ass.
I think we would have scored more against tougher opposition. We do have a tendency to play down to the level of opponents. I think that the China game might have been 1-0 if not for the unusual field conditions forcing a lot of action.

[SoCalian]

anybody want to give the lineup for those of us not fortunate to catch the begining of the game?

[SAMBA]

2 Boring games.

2 wins.(I'll take it)

Next...

[delo_pata]

any word on EJ?

[golazo68]

Despite the new guys, its a similar story for US Nat team:

- despite our dominance, we are far, far still from being most skillful in the region

- way too many careless and lazy errors

- we always leave too many doors open, that better teams will punish

- we shoot like p*ssies

But the inevitable fitness, overall coordination, strength + breakdowns in other team's defense give us our goals.

Its good enough to be top/near top of our region. Not good enough to be a consistent top 16 or 8 World Cup team.

Bradley is NOT the strong technical coach needed to remake US, and have these guys really CONCENTRATE on what they are doing + their movements off the ball.
The mistake of Bradley will likely only become clear at the next World Cup.

Paul Caliguiri makes my ears bleed. Mr. SUYA (sunshine up your arsh) was painful to listen too. 'Orange wedges + rah rah'...hey, if it gets MLS a 500m domed stadium in Vegas, whatever...

[Plxix]

We sucked. We won because T&T sucked. I'm tired of seeing the same old names on the team and they suck time and again. The 2 goals that we scored sucked, and scored by sucky players.

I'm excited about the new comers, Mapp, Demerit, Simek. But I wish we played with the up and coming players like Nguyen, Altidore, Ferrari. Maybe even Adu or Cooper. We need to figure out the striker issue and sort it, and get these guys to gel.

If we play like this in the Copa we're gonna get seriously spanked.

[nowherenova]

I am fine with the performance. Second half was a yawner.

Having professional players really makes a difference. You young soccer fans would not understand.

because we don't need naps like you do ?

[Jabinho]

Didn't get an answer in the last thread.. They said in the broadcast the USA was now into the next round but is that true? I don't think so unless I'm missing something.. If we lose the last and Guatemala wins that's 3 with 6 points and down to GD..
I guess I better go check the other scores from before.. I must be wrong about something..;)

[blue32828]

The main impression I have from this game is that we really need a "MONEY" striker. Our midfield has created several chances and our forwards keep blowing them. I don't think any of the strikers on our current roster would make the national team on any other country in FIFA's top 40.

[delo_pata]

Paul Caliguiri makes my ears bleed.

Yeah, and he was inexcapable...

[Easy Morning Rebel]

Six points from two games, as goals from Johnson and Ching propel the USA into the second round of the Gold Cup, in a 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago.

supplied by Mapp and Donovan

[An Unpaved Road]

Chances were there, finishing wasn't. This should've been an easy 5-0.

[evanpemsocr]

Ive always been a huge Keller fan. IMO, hes our best ever keeper. However, today he showed his age. He seemed to be tired the whole match and made some very questionable saves. I know that he isnt our number 1 anymore but against a quality team he would have given up a goal today.

[branko97]

FlyinRyan, I don't know what exactly you're quoting from, but the rule is: if the player is onside when the shot is taken he remains onside when the goalkeeper saves the shot, no matter where the defenders are. And the T&T players were onside when the shot was taken.