It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

[BuffloSoldier]

Yeah, last night was tough.

Some things are just obivious, just jump out off the screen at you. We bring in Gaven, Gomez and Beckerman--they bring in Aimar, Tevez and Gago. That's about $50-75 million versus $1 million or so.

I've been in the Keller corner since the first heady days of Kasey v. Brad. It's time for the latter's namesake to get blooded against Paraguay.

You can complain at times about the play of the youngsters--but most were not given the chance to perform at their strengths. Mapp, by my recollection, had one or two chances, ball at his feet, with the game still in the balance. And it proved that MLS moves might get you past Dan Gargan or Denmark's second-string outside back, but it won't get you past Javier Zanetti.

Bornstein did well. Wynne, for the most part, too, in his bow for the national team. He had lapses, yes...those will fade, hopefully, in time. He never really got to run at anybody, and the one or two times he got upfield in the second half the ball went the other way.

Insults will fly the way of Johnson and Twellman--and for last night, good reason. The former won the penalty, yes, and his speed was dangerous--but the hesitations were killers. The back passes? Momentum hitting a brick wall. And Twellman? Just seemingly on 33rpm when 78 was needed.

It's not time to abandon the Copa ship just yet. A third place birth is seemingly still within the grasp of the U.S. But two solid, 90 minute performances must take place--and Bob Bradley's first real test is already in session.

[Reignking]

Mapp was absolutely stymied; I couldn't for the life of me figure out why Hudson was praising him so much. I actually liked what I saw from EJ...until he slowed the game down so much, with his backpasses and hesitation. Not to mention that those backpasses aren't even all the sharp, truly disrupting any rhythm. I wish that his brain were as quick as his feet.

Bornstein shut Messi down; great coaching to not give their players any space, but eventually, they got too tired to keep it going.

And the game did what we needed it to do -- see how our fringe players (Gaven, Mapp(y)) can perform.

[MyHouse!]

I'll give the forwards a pass for last night because the midfield was truly non-existant last night.

[I_Eat_CBRs]

The boys played hard and went toe-to-toe with some of the best in the world for 60 minutes. Taking Ben Olsen out was the back breaker. Depressing end to an otherwise solid effort.

[BuffloSoldier]

On another note, more and more I'm drawn to the Spanish language channels--from an audio sense, it's a fun listen, and mentally I can make a better "judgment" on a personal basis without the announcers.

That, and I log off BS soon after the game was done.

[jaa1029]

Herculez needs a chance. Should give him a start next game. Twellman and Johnson are not finishers. I know it was against Argentina. However, they've been doing the same thing all year.

[soccercptn]

Bornstein was badly out of position on the Mexico goal, and was out of position on two of the goals last night. He was good in individual defending, but his positioning is quite lacking at this point.

Two years ago, Keller would have stopped three of the four goals. He was slow off his line and made clumsy challenges.

For me, Argentina struggled ot attack down the middle, so Felhaiber and Clark did their job. Felhaiber I thought had a strong game and did not seem rattled. Olsen competed well, and Wynne had a pretty strong game. Mapp and Twellman don't have it at this level, at least not yet.

[FCDallas96]

The moment the game changed was when Gaven came in for Olsen. Gaven just watched Messi run right by him and that led to the 2nd Argie goal.

[FCDallas96]

Herculez needs a chance. Should give him a start next game. Twellman and Johnson are not finishers. I know it was against Argentina. However, they've been doing the same thing all year.
I really enjoyed watching Gomez not hustle to challenge the Argie defenders. Twellman might not be able score at this level but hustle and drive does create fouls in dangerous areas.

[zcgf02]

The moment the game changed was when Gaven came in for Olsen. Gaven just watched Messi run right by him and that led to the 2nd Argie goal.

I totally agree. I was shocked when Bradley subbed in Gaven for Olsen. That completely changed the game -- especially since Argentina had switched Messi from their right side (where Bornstein actually handled him OK for the most part) to their left. Olsen -- unless he was totally gassed -- might have been better able to contain Messi. But Gaven is not exactly known for his tenacity and commitment to defense.

Argentina might have won anyway, but that sub totally changed the game.

I thought Clark did a pretty good job on Riquelme in the middle of the park but totally fell asleep on the third goal. He let the guy who scored it run right into the heart of the penalty box.

I hope this game was as much of a learning experience for Bradley as it was for some of the players.

[JcUSA]

What the hell was Keller doing on the first goal?? I thought he could have come out and punched that ball away... Anyone else think so?

[Progresso]

I agree, this was the first time I've seen Keller look bad.

[MrSparkle]

What the hell was Keller doing on the first goal?? I thought he could have come out and punched that ball away... Anyone else think so?

I felt Keller did what he could do.

More importantly, why the hell were there four unmarked Argentines on that first goal?

[usasoccerhooligan]

Keller was a shadow of his former self last night. i remember thinking on the first goal how surprised i was he didn't save it considering some of his saves two years ago in the Hex.

i agree about the Gaven for Olsen sub. it became a completely different game. it looked like Olsen was pretty tired though coming off.

i'm not sure why we would necessarily need a third-place berth. last i checked we could still win the next two games and still have a good chance at second. the -3 GD will hurt, but that's only a tiebreaker. i'm not saying we will win the next two games, but let's not get too down yet.

[Rob Base]

Johnson's indecision and the appearance that he was out for a morning jog had me thinking I didn't want to see him for the US again. Knee-jerk reaction? No, as I've seen this from him repeatedly for a while now in a nats uniform. That was frustrating. Hell, the penalty was a gift considering he had no idea what to do with the ball once he got behind the defence! The other frustration was the fact that our midfield couldn't keep the ball at all against some quality, but not exactly high pressure defending. No player had the confidence/skill to dribble a single Argie, and that's what we desperately needed to break them down.

Not a good match for us, but a learning experience. I hope Bradley and the players take something from it.

[FCDallas96]

What the hell was Keller doing on the first goal?? I thought he could have come out and punched that ball away... Anyone else think so?
I think he has lost a step. If not a full step, then at least a 1/2 step. Seaman was great well into his thirties but when the decline hit, it hit hard and he was no longer a reliable keeper. I think we could be seeing the beginning stages of this happening to Keller.

[Nosyap]

Here's what I saw,
The good
on a hot hot night in venezuela eddie johnson wanted to conserve some of his energy, and ocssionally passed back to bring more teammates into the game, there are times however where i wish he could dribble but that has never really been part of his skill set. He did look hesistant on the edge of the 18 where he seemed to take his foot off the gas when it would have been better to go forward, but he was the offense so credit him for taking responsibility and having the conjones. I thought that feilhaber had a tremendous game and was probably dead at the end of this one cause all the good offensive ideas were flowing through him, just don't let him take anymore set peices till he learns how to take them properly. i thought both outside backs looked solid with notable lapses wynne missed his assignment when crespo? had way too much time to cross for Aimar's goal. Bornstein on the first goal set peice. Conrad and Demerit work well together but Conrad stood out for me making some titanic interceptions. Olsen showed he can can complain equally well in spanish and english and made it tough for any albicieste in his path he was more of a third central midfielder than a winger but he did lots of dirty work his substitution was telling of his defensive work. Keller kept his team in it for as long as he could graet save on veron and on crespos header.
So-so
Clark put in a solid effort defensively but his passing was woeful, just keep the ball on the ground kid. Maybe it was a case of being tired but he didn't have much to contribute offensively. Twellman's game is combonation play and speed of thought, while he and johnson combined well at times twellman was subbed cause he didn't offer a threat.
Not so good
Mapps game is more about confidence than any other starter and he didn't have it. granted he has going against one the most elegant defenders in the world in zanetti, but ya gotta start somewhere i guess. Gaven didn't do much he but he wanted no part of the argentine left back and his confidence at this level is non exsitent. Gomez was passenger and didn't do much at all. beckerman gets a pass. US players learned that energy and skill are required to get past these types of teams and they didn't have enough skill.

[Anthony]

I thought the defense was wanting. Too many times it seemed 3 or 4 Argentines were standing around in the box with no blue jersey in sight.

[camilop]

I felt Keller did what he could do.

More importantly, why the hell were there four unmarked Argentines on that first goal?

Amen. The only excuse I can think of is that the defense thought Keller was going to punch it out of there and wanted to counterattack. Crespo was all alone though.

[I_Eat_CBRs]

Gomez looked awful. Why does he deserve a chance? Wasn't last night enough? And Keller...atrocious. We always have known he isn't good at distribution, but he doesn't seem too good at shot stopping either now. The first and second goals were quite stoppable.