I fear we are destined to always be good but never great

Kevin8833 · 14 Nov 2009, 05:40 PM

We played a good game today against Slovakia don't get me wrong. However, we have enough trouble breaking down unorganized, small CONCACAF teams much less very disciplined, organized, and big teams such as Slovakia. They are far from great but the way they played is always going to expose us. Our lack of technical ability, and imagination will always prevent us from breaking down a well organized team like Slovakia, our forwards are athletes and not soccer players and today exposed that, no touch no idea how to move off the ball, zero combinations. Donovan and Davies have been masking the lack of quality around them, so now we are down to only Donovan, he is going to have to set the world on fire if we are going to get anywhere at all in South Africa in my opinion.

It goes down to how we develop our players in this country, from the youngest ages with very few exceptions our players are afraid to try anything spectacular, and alway play simple. I am not discouraging simple possession play at all, but what was needed were those two or three moments of individual magic to unlock the opponents. It is nice that we kept the ball on the ground and held possession better but there was no cutting edge and no threat from our possession. These are the reasons I worry we are doomed to consistently produce good players and good teams but never great players and great teams. Until we encourage brilliance we will never get to the level of Brazil or Spain, who of all the games I saw today are clearly the class of the world right now.

usry723 · 14 Nov 2009, 05:45 PM

When Clint Dempsey is taking most of your set pieces you are probably f***ed. This game was meaningless. The Denmark match will be more telling.

Otergod · 14 Nov 2009, 05:49 PM

Rome wasnt built in a day....

our current pool may be destined to be good but never great, but things are changing....

we may not ever be "great" but we certainly might be formidable...

Roehl Sybing · 14 Nov 2009, 05:50 PM

You're right, let's give up now.

Kevin8833 · 14 Nov 2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roehl Sybing

You're right, let's give up now.

That's not what I am saying, we really are a good team and if we play well and get some lucky bounces we could get out of the group. I am saying we really need to do things differently in this country if we are ever going to be great. As for the post above it I have mixed emotions because our U20's were very poor but our U-17's played some quality soccer and have some good players, and that was without supposedly three of the better players even participating so that could be a sign that we are getting better as each generation comes up. We already are "formidable" in my opinion but I would like to be more than that.

Master O · 14 Nov 2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin8833

That's not what I am saying....

It sounds like it.

Otergod · 14 Nov 2009, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin8833

That's not what I am saying, we really are a good team and if we play well and get some lucky bounces we could get out of the group. I am saying we really need to do things differently in this country if we are ever going to be great. As for the post above it I have mixed emotions because our U20's were very poor but our U-17's played some quality soccer and have some good players, and that was without supposedly three of the better players even participating so that could be a sign that we are getting better as each generation comes up. We already are "formidable" in my opinion but I would like to be more than that.

take youth results with a grain of salt... so long as we can get 2-3 players from each youth cycle who can contribute to the US later, we'll be fine

we are too inconsistent to be "formidable"... given an another 10-15 yrs and we might have a completely new style of play and consistency level... but our boys are too hit or miss to really be considered "formidable"... we are able to beat the biggest of boys, but we are also capable of losing to the smallest of fish... give it time