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Gold Cup - The Past is Prologue
Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 03:20 PM by Dan Loney
Updated 24 Jul 2009 at 03:37 PM by Dan Loney (So I can't tell the difference between stadiums thousands of miles apart. What am I, Encyclopedia Brown here?)
Updated 24 Jul 2009 at 03:37 PM by Dan Loney (So I can't tell the difference between stadiums thousands of miles apart. What am I, Encyclopedia Brown here?)
All that has come before this moment is meaningless.
Well, not totally meaningless. Freddy Adu still played himself off the World Cup squad, that still happened.
I was all concerned about trying to chart who has helped themselves potentially grab a 2010 roster spot, and who hurt their chances. Now, it's easy. Whoever plays well against the Adversary can look forward next summer to wearing one of those numbers in the teens that are left over after the starters pick. Whoever doesn't play well will play very well next summer, like Twellman did in 2006.
Contrary to what Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan said (boy, there's a line that I should have on a macro), I don't think Brian Ching is an automatic roster pick. Right now, the US World Cup roster = Confederations Cup roster - Kljestan + Holden.
Ah, but what if Holden stinks it up on Sunday?
"So what?" you might reply. "He's had a great tournament besides that."
"Sew buttons," I smirk, proud of my Venture Brothers call-back.
Actually, for all I know, this isn't at all how Maximum Bob picks his roster. But that's how I would do it. Play well on Sunday, get your pledge pin.
First of all, a summer afternoon against Mexico in front of (I assume) a pro-Mexico crowd. I want guys who can do well in that situation.
Second, the World Cup is all about unfairness. It's all about how you do in one game. Hell, in one moment of one game. Jeff Agoos is going to the US Soccer Hall of Fame this fall, on the strength of four MLS Cups and a hundred or so caps. What do you picture when you think of him? Precisely. We don't have too many chances to replicate that kind of situation. A cup final against the Others - that's as close as we had a right to expect in this tournament.
Third...well, a lot of American fans really have grown attached to that whole "never losing to Mexico anywhere except Mexico" thing. Remember how we US fans used to act whenever we were informed that Mexico had sent their "B" or "C" team to whichever was the most recent humiliation? Well, trust me, the Blockbusters aren't going to say "That's true, you were starting Jay Heaps," if we have to plead for mercy. It's the same shirt no matter who wears it. At least, when it comes to Them.
And that's how it should be. It's the Mexico factor that turns this from another scrimmage to a final cut match. Okay, MAYBE Holden, Ching and Rogers will survive sixty or ninety minutes of Mexiboning and get invited back in January. Everyone else - make other summer plans.
There's a fairly obvious upside. Play well against the Opponent, and maybes turn into probablies. Clarence Goodson has made the most of his opportunity, for example, and if he closes the deal Sunday, he's in the mix as much as Holden. And there's a big difference between Troy Perkins shutting out Honduras and shutting out Mexico, all other factors being equal.
Don't bother doing the Pascal's Wager thing about trading a loss Sunday for a win in August, either. Yes, if we MUST have Mexico fans crowing at us, it would be nice if it was only for a couple of weeks. But we may, arguably, want this one more than we thought we would. We already know the first team can beat good teams, and none of the games in South Africa are going to be at 7,000 feet above sea level in the smog at high noon. Winning in Chicago [EDIT - or something Chicagoesque, like New Jersey], though, gives us a deeper roster with more options for next summer. Besides, Mexico fans are also doing the Pascal's Wager thing, and God has to screw one of us over.
And, my prediction: what I usually do in these situations is pick the team I'd rather not see win. If the Enemy wins, then I get to look smart. If we win, then yay, we win! So, Mexico, 6-0. I'll take the under on red cards; I think this one is going to be all business, or mostly all.
Oh, quick US women's national team update: we're unwatchable. Quick Canadian women's national team update: makes the US look like Brazil 1970. Thank God for WPS, at least their games are entertaining.
Well, not totally meaningless. Freddy Adu still played himself off the World Cup squad, that still happened.
I was all concerned about trying to chart who has helped themselves potentially grab a 2010 roster spot, and who hurt their chances. Now, it's easy. Whoever plays well against the Adversary can look forward next summer to wearing one of those numbers in the teens that are left over after the starters pick. Whoever doesn't play well will play very well next summer, like Twellman did in 2006.
Contrary to what Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan said (boy, there's a line that I should have on a macro), I don't think Brian Ching is an automatic roster pick. Right now, the US World Cup roster = Confederations Cup roster - Kljestan + Holden.
Ah, but what if Holden stinks it up on Sunday?
"So what?" you might reply. "He's had a great tournament besides that."
"Sew buttons," I smirk, proud of my Venture Brothers call-back.
Actually, for all I know, this isn't at all how Maximum Bob picks his roster. But that's how I would do it. Play well on Sunday, get your pledge pin.
First of all, a summer afternoon against Mexico in front of (I assume) a pro-Mexico crowd. I want guys who can do well in that situation.
Second, the World Cup is all about unfairness. It's all about how you do in one game. Hell, in one moment of one game. Jeff Agoos is going to the US Soccer Hall of Fame this fall, on the strength of four MLS Cups and a hundred or so caps. What do you picture when you think of him? Precisely. We don't have too many chances to replicate that kind of situation. A cup final against the Others - that's as close as we had a right to expect in this tournament.
Third...well, a lot of American fans really have grown attached to that whole "never losing to Mexico anywhere except Mexico" thing. Remember how we US fans used to act whenever we were informed that Mexico had sent their "B" or "C" team to whichever was the most recent humiliation? Well, trust me, the Blockbusters aren't going to say "That's true, you were starting Jay Heaps," if we have to plead for mercy. It's the same shirt no matter who wears it. At least, when it comes to Them.
And that's how it should be. It's the Mexico factor that turns this from another scrimmage to a final cut match. Okay, MAYBE Holden, Ching and Rogers will survive sixty or ninety minutes of Mexiboning and get invited back in January. Everyone else - make other summer plans.
There's a fairly obvious upside. Play well against the Opponent, and maybes turn into probablies. Clarence Goodson has made the most of his opportunity, for example, and if he closes the deal Sunday, he's in the mix as much as Holden. And there's a big difference between Troy Perkins shutting out Honduras and shutting out Mexico, all other factors being equal.
Don't bother doing the Pascal's Wager thing about trading a loss Sunday for a win in August, either. Yes, if we MUST have Mexico fans crowing at us, it would be nice if it was only for a couple of weeks. But we may, arguably, want this one more than we thought we would. We already know the first team can beat good teams, and none of the games in South Africa are going to be at 7,000 feet above sea level in the smog at high noon. Winning in Chicago [EDIT - or something Chicagoesque, like New Jersey], though, gives us a deeper roster with more options for next summer. Besides, Mexico fans are also doing the Pascal's Wager thing, and God has to screw one of us over.
And, my prediction: what I usually do in these situations is pick the team I'd rather not see win. If the Enemy wins, then I get to look smart. If we win, then yay, we win! So, Mexico, 6-0. I'll take the under on red cards; I think this one is going to be all business, or mostly all.
Oh, quick US women's national team update: we're unwatchable. Quick Canadian women's national team update: makes the US look like Brazil 1970. Thank God for WPS, at least their games are entertaining.
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Total Comments 28
Comments
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"Winning in Chicago, though, gives us . . ."
Um, isn't the final in Jersey? Not "Chicago" as such.
God damn it. -D.Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 03:30 PM by IHateDC 
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A few more minus's than just Kljestan. For example most important player to take the field in the gold cup was Cherundolo if he's fit he's in. I think Ching doesn't belong as well but I'd take him over Conor Casey anyday. I do agree though that this game is the measuring stick. I'm looking at Chad Marshall in this one.Quote:the US World Cup roster = Confederations Cup roster - Kljestan + Holden.
Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 03:39 PM by Speedyg
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Does anyone know if they will be laying down real grass for the final Sunday?
Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 04:14 PM by soccerusa517
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New Jersey = Chicagoesque?
On the corrupt politicos with bad hair side, I suppose...otherwise?Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 04:41 PM by Martininho
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I really hope the final is played on grass.
As for the roster, here's what the Confederations Cup roster looked like:
----Altidore-Davies----
----------------------
-Donovan----Dempsey-
----------------------
----Bradley-Clark------
----------------------
-Bocanegra---Spector-
---DeMerit-Onyewu---
----------------------
-------Howard-------
GK: Guzan, Robles
DF: Bornstein, Pearce, Wynne, Califf
MF: Beasley, Kljestan, Adu, Torres, Feilhaber
FW: Casey
I think that based on the last two months:
Robles (terrible) should be replaced by Hahnemann (experience)
Wynne should be replaced by Cherundolo (injury)
Califf should be replaced by Marshall (great)
Bornstein should be replaced by Hejduk (experience)
Beasley (terrible) should be replaced by Rogers (great)
Kljestan (terrible) should be replaced by Holden (great)
Adu should be replaced by Edu (injury)
Torres should be replaced by Jones (new)
Casey should be replaced by Ching (injury)
to give a roster that should look like this:
----Altidore-Davies----
----------------------
-Donovan----Dempsey-
----------------------
----Bradley-Jones----
----------------------
-Bocanegra---Spector-
---DeMerit-Onyewu---
----------------------
-------Howard--------
GK: Guzan, Hahnemann
DF: Pearce, Cherundolo, Marshall, Hejduk
MF: Clark, Feilhaber, Rogers, Holden, Edu
FW: Ching
Thoughts?Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 04:48 PM by grant.alpaugh
Updated 24 Jul 2009 at 07:37 PM by grant.alpaugh -
Your post lacks internal consistency.
WC = CC - Kljestan + Holden.
Yet you said earlier Adu played himself off. Last time I checked, Freddy was on the CC roster.
Plus, you think Dolo and Ching are off, and Wynne and Casey are on? Really? That is just plain stupid.
Stoooopid!Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 04:50 PM by TrueCrew
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Five MLS Cups.
Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 04:52 PM by ThreeApples 
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100% Ching goes to SA. 99.9% he starts game 1.
Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 04:56 PM by SomeKindofStranger
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rofl. You guys are saying you would measure players in this game over WC Qualifiers. That's smart.
Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 04:56 PM by DonJuego
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Dude - re-read his post... then write 'Scissor Kick Me' on a piece of paper and tape it to your back...Quote:Originally Posted by TrueCrew
Your post lacks internal consistency.
WC = CC - Kljestan + Holden.
Yet you said earlier Adu played himself off. Last time I checked, Freddy was on the CC roster.
Plus, you think Dolo and Ching are off, and Wynne and Casey are on? Really? That is just plain stupid.
Stoooopid!Posted 24 Jul 2009 at 05:04 PM by JohhnyCaps
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