6/9, USA v T&T -- coaching {R}

[babytiger2001]

Discuss Bob Bradley's lineups, substitutions and tactics in the USA's 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago that sealed a second-round CONCACAF Gold Cup berth...

[Blue Celery]

Bradley did what we all would have done. Give our players some rest and let the others in the squad step up. They did. Big time. Credit to the players for dominating possesion and attacking. Simek and Spector were great on the back wings. Mapp ran well. And Eddie Johnson scored again. Donovan also came on and proved why he is the most skilled. The last few minutes was fun to watch, when Twellman and Donovan were one-twoing back and forth. Good game.

[shinzui]

Bradley's strategy was fine. It has become quite apparent that our current strikers suck. This entire group needs to be gone from the national team by 2010 if we are to progress.

[Cmack]

I am kinda of dissapointed with Johnson, he stands around alot and at times doesnt go all out. Donovan set him up perfect but anyone could of scored that goal. Our starting forwards should be Donovan and Ching. They play so well together and just feed off each other better than any of the players on the NT. Mapp played great today. One last thing, Michael Bradley is over-rated. I just dont understand what people see in this kid. It just surprises me how the announcers can go on and on about this kid. He just seems like an average player and not the superstar they are saying he is.

[wrench]

Subbing Benny for MB with Ricardo still in the middle was not the best move. Maybe there were no other options. It leaves 6 guys watching each other.

[Nutmeg]

I am kinda of dissapointed with Johnson, he stands around alot and at times doesnt go all out.

He may have been hurting or just run out of gas. In the first half, his runs were perfect and should have resulted in at least 2 1v1s with the keeper. He was screwed, bigtime, by the linesman. I think that had to impact his game. Of course, I don't expect a lot of perspective when people evaluate him on BS.

I thought Bradley did a good job. He didn't get up and punch the lineman. That had to take a lot of restraint.

[Cmack]

He may have been hurting or just run out of gas. In the first half, his runs were perfect and should have resulted in at least 2 1v1s with the keeper. He was screwed, bigtime, by the linesman. I think that had to impact his game. Of course, I don't expect a lot of perspective when people evaluate him on BS.

I thought Bradley did a good job. He didn't get up and punch the lineman. That had to take a lot of restraint.

He did have a few good plays but overall he didnt seem in the game. Ching was all over the place trying to create. So was Justin Mapp. And why dont you expect a lot of perspective on here. I just got done watching the same game you did. The linesman did suck, but tired or not Johnson was a waste out there. Bad passes and not keeping his head in the game.

[superdave]

I am kinda of dissapointed with Johnson, he stands around alot and at times doesnt go all out.
He's a forward. That's what he's supposed to do.

[Dr.Phil]

Still undefeated

[Cmack]

He's a forward. That's what he's supposed to do.

Ching doesnt do that, Donovan doesnt do that when he plays forward, even Twellman is always moving

[superdave]

Yes, let's have more strikers like Twellman rather than Johnson. :eek: :rolleyes:

That's what we call an autogol.

[Frans]

Tactically naive as there is no need to go all out all game long thus actually giving T&T little chances. US needs to work on killing off and slowing down the game once up 1-0. We know they are fit and can run but can they control and kill off a game by playing it smart?

[Nidal Baba Superstar]

You could say something about a lack of drive, killer instinct, and inspiration during long stretches of the game, and pawn it off on Bob. But this was T&T B in the afternoon with a lot of stupid horns blowing. Sometimes it's just the circumstances.

[seeds]

don't think coaching is our problem right now. Bob is doing all the right things organizationally, bringing in the new blood and mixing it with experience to see who can contribute and who can't. even if we had the tacticle genius a lot of people think we need, I don't think enough time has gone by for the new team to absorb that philosophy and execute it well.

our problems are many. we lack killer instinct, several players are not finishing, we seem to lose focus mentally and make tight mistakes when the momentum even slightly turns against us.

some of this just might be nerves, not just on the part of the new players but on the part of some vets who now know they are not bit players anymore.

while there is something to be positive about with some of the new players, we just don't have anyone in the mix right now who has a Donovan level mix of pace, vision, and creativity.

Mathis at his peak, McBride, JOB when healthy, ditto Reyna. we've lost it all and I haven't yet seen talent in the pipeline that comes close to it.

[Cmack]

Yes, let's have more strikers like Twellman rather than Johnson. :eek: :rolleyes:

That's what we call an autogol.

Oh im not fan of his by far however, he is usually into the game more than johnson, he makes better passes and is better with the ball. I dont like him but he is better than Johnson. I want Ching and Donovan up top.

[Matrim55]

Yes, let's have more strikers like Twellman rather than Johnson. :eek: :rolleyes:

That's what we call an autogol.
No it's not.

If Johnson - or any of our otherwise talented forwards - were as smart, instinctive and aggressive as Twellman we'd be collective much less emo as a fanbase.

But hey, why go for accuracy when you can score cheap points on a message board. Your analysis is always appreciated.

[Nidal Baba Superstar]

our problems are many. we lack killer instinct, several players are not finishing, we seem to lose focus mentally and make tight mistakes when the momentum even slightly turns against us.

I think the US is muddling through because it hasn't really been challenged. The conditions of our tournament so far have been alternately frustrating and soporific. Guatemala arrived without even a pretense toward playing the sport they had ostensibly flown here to participate in. We took an early lead and drifted off. T&T came without much chance to really challenge us, and knowing it full well. We took an early lead and drifted off again, like a smart kid falling asleep in a remedial class because he isn't challenged.

I think it's an open question whether we'll snap out of it when faced with a proper opponent. We might well get lulled right out of this Cup.

[proxyone]

Overall, Impressive considering the relative youth and international inexperience, I thought. These are great warm up games and teams, if you ask me, and Bradley knows that. He's fielding lots of players and using all his subs, so he can develop the players. Guatemala game was more troubling, considering the shakey play of our more "experienced" players.

For a little perspective, let me remind everyone that our most internationally experienced player on that field today was Landon, who is twenty-four. Yes, Trindidad was young and inexperienced too. We should have had them better. But thank god BB is looking at the long view. If we can field a two teams scarcely older than the Olympic squad in 2007, then we should be on target to field one solid experienced team in 2010. That is, after all, the goal, right?

So while we wait for Zimmerman, Altidore, and Ferarri to get a few U-20's under their belt, let's give EJ a chance to turn it around in the CONCALAUGH. Give little Bradley and Feilhaber time to develop on our watch (rather than hoping that they get enough Europe play) and suss out whether DeMerit really can replacy Gooch, if Spector can shape up, and if Simek will continue to develop as a great R Back. Ching, I fear, will never make the 2010 squad (too inconsistant) nor will EJ unless he "finds" himself on the international stage, and Twellman is the kind of work horse all around player striker that used to be our only kind of striker. Now we have all three, plus the versital (if not vilified) Donovan, Cooper- solid wingers who can net (Dempsey, Beasley, Mapp) and a few more promising ones on the way? Now we can field two backlines that can deliver a shut-out in international tournament play.

Why are you all complaining?

Evaluation is great and fun, but I think there needs to be more perspective overall on BS about the MNT. They are young, they are delivering the performances needed, their grinding out wins and getting shut outs. Are they ready to topple Germany and Brazil? No. But this is a young new rebuilt team. One has to take the first step right to land the second and third.

I for one am thrilled to see the development of our youth playing at a level that we used to rely on a smaller, older and more experienced player pool for. That gives us plenty of opportunity for growth.

[beergod]

You could say something about a lack of drive, killer instinct, and inspiration during long stretches of the game, and pawn it off on Bob. But this was T&T B in the afternoon with a lot of stupid horns blowing. Sometimes it's just the circumstances.

Did you see the couple of guys using a horn as a funnel? Now if we can only convince the rest of the fans that that is what they are for we would have a great atmosphere!

[DoctorD]

Did you see the couple of guys using a horn as a funnel? Now if we can only convince the rest of the fans that that is what they are for we would have a great atmosphere!
That was great. You live up to your moniker.