I don't think Belgium is a top European team like Germany, Holland, France, Italy, or Spain (Spain & Italy before this World Cup), but they are a solid European team now. However, the quality in passing, first touch, and ball possession showed in the Belgium players whereas the US players tended to struggle more with their passing, ball possession, first touch, etc. Using Altidore as an example, he probably wouldn't have made the roster for either Portugual, Germany, or Belgium. However, we are so reliant on Altidore because he is the best talent we have. If the salary cap grows and better players play in the MLS, American MLS players will gradually get better and the US can gradually catch up to countries like Belgium. Enjoy 2 consecutive Round of 16 appearances in the World Cup- that's something that many other countries can't say they've accomplished.
I actually think there's a strong crop of 15-20 year-olds coming through from various outlets. Green, Yedlin, and Brooks are a little taste of what's coming. It probably won't be ten years. We will probably see the fruits of a revamped youth development structure as early as the 2016 Super Copa America or whatever the heck they're gonna call it. I do agree that by 2022, we will probably have a legitimate contender for the big prize, especially if the tournament is staged here in the United States.
And somewhere along that timeline we'll develop our first world class outfield player?? This is going to take much more than 10 years.
It'll take longer than that before we're on par talent-wise with the European and South American powers, but there is hope with the young kids all showing glimmers of talent.
I'm very ok with 10 years to start getting Belgium-level talent. I'm thinking it's more like 20 myself, which is also ok on account what we'd have to do for soccer in the US.
I would say Green, Flores, Zelalem, Brooks, and Yedlin are a pretty good starting place. Which is why important to get 2022 to the US.
Look at the young and maturing professionals we have now: Altidore (oh, if he was healthy), Green running off him, Yedlin, Brooks, Mix, Bacon, and the other mid-20 guys like Fabian, Bradley, Omar, Chandler, we have a solid base to work from. Yes, we need to see an emerging talent blow us away, that is always the dream, but who's to say one of our youngsters above won't surprise over the next few years of development. Jermaine Junior Jones and Timmy Howard appear on the back end of their careers, not sure those 2 performances for this WC can be replaced, but players emerging in other areas may cause that to be a moot point.
I say we get C. Ronaldo to gain a U.S citizenship (he love the U.S anyway) and so we can get him to play for our national team by 2018.
I say 4 years...... We were in every game we played this WC, with a chance to win late in a few of them. I think the talent that is here now, and coming in the next couple years will surprise many.
Only 10? I hope you are right but seems like a very conservative estimate to me. How many players does a country like Belgium having playing in first division teams in the big 5? 50? 75? I really dont know the number. How many do we have? 6 or 7? The gulf is pretty big right now.
I think they are on the level of the Superpower you listed. People underrate them because they dont have the footballing history the other nations have. But on paper they are about as good as any of those teams. In fact they are arguably the most talented team left in the tournament. Plus, when you consider how young their players are, They are gonna be competing for World Cups and Euros for a while. Origi is 19, Lukaku is 21, De Bruyne 22, Hazard 23, Januzaj 19, Courtois is 22. Benteke who got hurt and missed the tournament is 23. They have Michy batsuayi 20, And Thorgan Hazard 20 who are highly rated players. In fact, apart from Van Buyten, not one key player on the team is over 28, and should be around for the next World Cup. This will be up with the best teams in the World for a while.
Let's work on one field player being a top guy at a top club. That alone will probably take ten years.
I agree. We are in the right path. Yedlin played wonderful and will be Greenes teammate for time to come. 18 WC will be decent. Yedlin, Jozy, Bradley, Greene, will be on the squad. 22 Is what we are really looking at. By then, several youngsters will have been called up such as Ben Lederman, and the 2 American boys that are currently in Argentina.
I think the US is actually only missing a good central midfielder and a good forward away from being able to be in games like this. So many people focus on the attacking prowess that most of the great teams have, but there are not many teams that are completely well rounded. Take for example Germany, a very deep team, their defense is quite suspect at time. The only team with a very good back line that will be in the quarterfinals is the team we just faced. However, we have a great defense, we have (had... and it isn't like Guzan is much younger) a great keeper. But the back line and defense don't win games.
About the bolded, massive spending in the EPL has not done a thing for the English players or English NT. IF anything they have regressed. MLS would be a lesser version of a league that already fails it's NT.
a great defense does not give up that many shots on goal. Only way Howard sets that 50 year record for saves is with a swiss cheese defense in front of him.
Question is what are we doing in youth development to get better technical players getting into pro academies/environments and skipping the 4 months of college soccer route.. That to me is the fork in the road, and where we fall behind.. rest of the world= playing pro environment soccer @18 yrs old year around.. Americans= playing college 4 years 4 months a year... Yes, we have exceptions, and college can produce Dempseys, but it has to change. Its a numbers game.
If you're only looking at stats it would seem that way. Part of a good defense, as in other sports, is having a good "offense." If you can really say that the defense didn't do an outstanding job when in reality Belgium was on our end of the field for more than 3/4 of the game, then I'm not sure what constitutes a good defense. Additionally, people underestimate the ability of the defenders to try to close out and at least make better angles for the keeper. Tim Howard made a lot of saves and had a hell of a game. 16 saves, but in reality only about 5 of them weren't within a 2 foot radius of him. I think we're our defense does lack is confidence on the ball. Our defense results to clearance rather than build up from the back. That is where the major problem is. As far as pure marking though, I didn't see a much better effort out of any other team I've watched so far. You're talking about a team who barely had possession the whole world cup, yet let in as few goals as we did.