10/11, USA v Cuba, post-match thread {R}

[babytiger2001]

A very comprehensive 6-1 WCQ win over Cuba at RFK Stadium for the USA -- and a spot in next year's Hexagonal has been clinched in style.

This should please everybody. :)

Two goals from DaMarcus Beasley, and one each to Landon Donovan, Brian Ching, Jozy Altidore and "Gooch" Onyewu. And at least a few of these were from very attractive open play.

Discuss.

[Knave]

This should please everybody. :)

But it won't. :)

[Galaxian]

Great to see Torres , Jozy, and Adu on at the same time. I love having players on the field who can pass a bal, and who actually want the ball at their feet. With LD, Demps, and Bradley, we look very confident on the ball.

Gooch wants a goal, so Gooch gets a goal. And thats that.

Great to see Jozy get a goal. His strength and pace set him up, and he slotted it away perfectly.

[Cweedchop]

The subs for the USA were 18, 19 and 20 years old.

Can't say that's ever happened before in World Cup qualifying.


Mission accomplished. Let the kids play the next two matches.

[Ghosting]

I posted this from the in-game thread:
So at the end it looked to me like we were playing this:

------Howard
Dolo Boca Gooch Bease
----- MB Demps
--- Adu ---- Torres
------LD Josie

It was hard to tell with the streaming vid though... was that right?

[Galaxian]

I posted this from the in-game thread:
So at the end it looked to me like we were playing this:

------Howard
Dolo Boca Gooch Bease
----- MB Demps
--- Adu ---- Torres
------LD Josie

It was hard to tell with the streaming vid though... was that right?

yes, but the great thing about it was that Dempsey, ADu, LD, Jozy and torres were all alternating in their positions, constantly moving and passing, which made it very difficult for Cuba.

[Pagefan]

I think Jozy's staked a claim to be a starter from here on out. He has a combination of qualities that none of our other forwards possess: speed + size + strength + skill + instincts. Some of our other forwards have 2 or 3 of those traits, but none has all of them like Jozy does.

[WaltonFire]

6 goals, 5 from the run of play
Dominated possession throughout
2 goals, 2 assists for Beasley (can people please stop trying to stick a fork in him)
Altidore, Adu, and Torres got playing time this cycle
And most importantly, he clinched a spot in the hex
Nothing anyone can really complain about really

[code1390]

The subs for the USA were 18, 19 and 20 years old.



Gotta like that for 2014 and beyond.

[Maitreya]

I posted this from the in-game thread:
So at the end it looked to me like we were playing this:

------Howard
Dolo Boca Gooch Bease
----- MB Demps
--- Adu ---- Torres
------LD Josie

It was hard to tell with the streaming vid though... was that right?

There was a lot of movement from Adu, Dempsey, and Torres. Freddy and Jose spent some time central and Freddy also supplied an assist from the left. Clint went right at times.

[Ghosting]

yes, but the great thing about it was that Dempsey, ADu, LD, Jozy and torres were all alternating in their positions, constantly moving and passing, which made it very difficult for Cuba.
That's the most attack-minded lineup I've ever seen the US field

[babytiger2001]

But it won't. :)
Even still, I had to say it -- someone's gotta be the voice of optimism around here! :D

And with that, a great result, in the manner in which it was accomplished, and with a lot of great signs for the future as well.

Now Bob Bradley's got the luxury of blooding some new and less experienced players into the mix, before the Hex in 2009.

[Bees Knees]

I think Jozy's staked a claim to be a starter from here on out. He has a combination of qualities that none of our other forwards possess: speed + size + strength + skill + instincts. Some of our other forwards have 2 or 3 of those traits, but none has all of them like Jozy does.

I agree! I think Jozy's goal was our best of the match, because he used pace, strength, and finesse to make something where there should have been nothing. He's the real deal, people!

[Maitreya]

I agree! I think Jozy's goal was our best of the match, because he used pace, strength, and finesse to make something where there should have been nothing. He's the Bees Knees, people!

FYP :p

[WaltonFire]

I think Jozy's staked a claim to be a starter from here on out. He has a combination of qualities that none of our other forwards possess: speed + size + strength + skill + instincts. Some of our other forwards have 2 or 3 of those traits, but none has all of them like Jozy does.

A word of caution though, everyone was ready to annoint EJ when he first started out (8g in first 8 games) and now his name is mud. I personally am an Altidore fan, I just think a late goal against a tired, man-down Cuba is too little evidence to call Altidore the lock first team starting forward just yet.

[DirtyJerzey]

I posted this from the in-game thread:
So at the end it looked to me like we were playing this:

------Howard
Dolo Boca Gooch Bease
----- MB Demps
--- Adu ---- Torres
------LD Josie

It was hard to tell with the streaming vid though... was that right?

I feel it was more like

Dolo Boca Gooch Bease
---------MB----------
---Adu-Demps-Torres-
---------LD----------
--------Jozy---------

Seemed that Adu, Dempsey and Torres had the liberty to come back as deep or go forward as they liked, which was refreshing.

The interesting would be can the Beas play LB? Pearce is often the weak link on the squad ... just saying.

[OWN(yewu)ED]

I posted this from the in-game thread:
So at the end it looked to me like we were playing this:

------Howard
Dolo Boca Gooch Bease
----- MB Demps
--- Adu ---- Torres
------LD Josie

It was hard to tell with the streaming vid though... was that right?

It was still hard to discern the lineup, they were switching left and right, all day. thats what we should be doing, getting confident players who are versatile and can switch on a dime like that, and it looked like we did that. :)

I hope we do indeed rest alot of the vets after this game and gives the newbs a runout. Get Bradley, Gooch, Boca, Kljestan, Ching back to their clubs.
----------------------Guzan--------------------

-----------------OTC-------Orozco-------------
Dolo---------------------------------------DMB

------------------------Edu---------------------
Dempsey----------------------------------Torres
-----------Donovan--------------Adu-------------

-----------------------Altidore--------------------


And just run wild all day with those switches we were running today. Only midfielder that really needs to stay home is Edu.

[fire428]

i thought we finished like this

stevec gooch boc beas
bradley
demps torres
adu
lando jozy

i never really liked that idea of beas at keft back because i like him a lot in the attack. but wow i loved the way that lineup at the end played. again WOW.

[Ghosting]

I agree! I think Jozy's goal was our best of the match, because he used pace, strength, and finesse to make something where there should have been nothing. He's the real deal, people!
I thought Jozy looked great... and he may well break into the lineup full time from here on out. However, 20 minutes against a tired Cuba that is down a man doesn't cement a position for anyone. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he continues to ease into more playing time.

He is an exciting player, and has a dimension that none of our other target players have.

[m vann]

It was just Cuba but the fluidity and movement of the ball tonight was superb. It didn't necessarily start like that in the first 15-20 minutes but once we got settled in I liked what I see. We seem to be clicking on all cylinders. Beasley, the MOTM, was outstanding. For the first time since his injury he looked speedy, aware, and not shy. Two beautifully timed runs and two very nice finishes. He and Donovan play so well together. It's instinctive. Imagine if they played on the same club team. Rangers for Donovan? :D Donovan played provider tonight. Started off slowly but played extremely well in the second half. He's so much better fit to play in that "free roaming" role. I could on and on about the good performances tonight but those two stood out since their chemistry with each other was on.


I do wanna say this; that we took the game up a notch when Torres, Altidore, and Adu entered. Yeah, Cuba was dead tired and a man down but the movement inside the attacking half became even faster. It became a game of short passing, limited touches, quick movement off the ball especially the passes. I love to see that. That's how out future play will align itself. We know what Adu and Alitidore can do but I was thoroughly impressed with Torres. He honestly looked exactly like he does for Pachuca, same role, same passes, same movement. That says a lot for a guy that he can replicate his club play on the international level. I'm eager to see if he can sustain that for 90 minutes. We'll see against T&T because I expect him to play from the start.