Because it is. Zardes possesses at least some of the necessary skills to play on the wing. Zusi doesn't really have any stand out skills that carry over well to RB. He's not very fast and not a very good team defender.
Bradley, who'd a thunk it . . . Feet. pic.twitter.com/jbhTDqmIWa— Alexander Abnos (@AnAbnos) July 27, 2017
Zardes is a complete mystery to me. It seems like whenever he goes out there for the US good things tend to happen...which doesn't make any sense because as I'm watching him play I'm thinking "something terrible is about to happen."
Disagree as Puli plays the 10/ACM and Arriola plays LW or RW. With the full A team I don't mind him as a sub option off the bench. But that's where I had him pre-GC. Quality players always seem to express themselves to me, as it's in their DNA, no matter the coach. Pulisic plays one way, no matter the manager. Same for Clint.
There are really good players that excel with their club teams but are only mediocre at the international game. I have never seen anything from Chandler that impressed me with the Nats. On top of that, I don't think his heart is in it. He held out for over a year before he committed, as I recall. Same goes with Greene. I read an interview with him where he said that when Klinsman came calling, he told his mother that playing for the US could be good for his career. I prefer to watch players who put on the jersey and it means something to them other than an opportunity to advance their career.
As if playing a cross into a sea of defenders with no American players around and one of them inexplicably heading it back into the middle of his own box is making something happen. That's random chance. If there was something to that, every crosser would do it, instead of attempting to play the ball to an area where their teammate is. He made some good things happen in the tournament and overall was adequate, but that was not one of the good things. There was no causation to it.
Good win for the US. Not sure it happens if Blake is in the game. Hats off to Jamaica. Class group of players. Nagbe had the biggest coming out party in this tourney. He is a first XI player for me. Be it wide or as a number 8. Got to get him out there with Pulisic. Dempsey proved he is a useful super sub who is a must on the 23. Altidore broke out of his funk & scored a wonderful free kick. He or Wood has to start up top. If Pulisic is wide, maybe both. Villafana, Besler, Gonzalez, Zusi, Bedoya, and Morris all seemed to me to grab a spot on the 23 if the picks were made today. Heck, Bedoya might even start in CM if Nagbe does not. Arriola & Acosta did not show quite as well but we won with them starting and I would put both on Arena's top 23 if we had to pick them today. My 23 at the moment: First XI: Howard; Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, F. Johnson; Pulisic, Bradley, Bedoya, Nagbe; Altidore, Wood. Reserves: Guzan; Zusi, Gonzalez, Besler, Villafana; Arriola, Jones, Acosta, Lletget; Dempsey, Morris. No idea on 3rd keeper. Shakiest members: Jones, Acosta, Arriola, Lletget, Guzan. Would love to see Danny Williams get a real look. What Arena does with Jones is a real question. Hope Lletget gets a look once healthy. Would love to see a playmaker type get some more looks (Benny, Klejesten, Rowe, Nguyen, Corona). Hopefully we see a CB make a leap so a Bradley/Cameron pairing gets real looks.
True, he isn't fast, but he does do well as a team defender, which he demonstrated yet again last night. What he doesn't do well is mark quicker guys effectively (i.e. individual defending); that is his primary liability, especially at the top level.
It was a good cross. With pace, head high, at top of six, and swerving away from keeper with no chance for the keeper to claim it. Yeah, the 2 US players were closer to the PK spot (standing on top of each other for some reason) but no coach is going to begrudge that cross as one of them should have made a run near post. Taylor could not just let it go and had to deal with it. He is a very good center back but it was a difficult cross to deal with due to the pace, height and swerve and forced the poor clearance.
Speak about them as individuals, otherwise you say dumb stuff like this, if you group them together. Besler statistically has the best distribution in MLS every season. To say he struggles with distribution is crazy.
And yet, putting in a cross that forces the defender to attempt a clearance while running back toward his own goal is something Arriola failed to do for 70 minutes. In fact, Arriola took a blunderous touch on the six yard box spoiling an easy chance. There's nothing random about Zardes' ability to put dangerous balls into the box because he's a very good passer. He has two assists from left sided crosses in this tournament. His early cross is good and catches everyone by surprise, including Morris and Dempsey. But the ball is in a dangerous enough area that it forces the defender to make an error. Sometimes that's all it takes.
Unlike Nagbe and Acosta, Zardes actually has a feel for how to win a soccer game. All he needs to do now is listen to some good advice from people who really know the game and he will be super effective. He is automatic for Russia. I'd like to see him take over the leadership role and get the Captain's armband. For those not 100% happy with his present form, I would point out that he really hasn't recovered entirely from the broken bone in his foot which he suffered last autumn. I'm hoping Arena comes to his senses and cans Nagbe and Acosta and goes with Zardes, Delgado, McCarty,Bradley in midfield with best of Roldan,Rowe, Arriola thrown in there.
People don't understand that crosses which float in the air too long give the defense time to deal with it. Zardes' crosses are rifle shots that are hard for the defense to deal with. He put that one in the mixer. That's that 6th sense Zardes has that Nagbe and Acosta totally lack. It's called football sense. b.t.w., Zardes is equally effecdtive from left or right side. Additionally, his "speed" is deceptive because he has a very long reach on his cross and can put one in from either side effectively from as far away as the corner flag.
I noticed that Besler, on more than one occasion, advanced towards the halfway line because the defenswe fell back and he stepped up and sent a ball on the ground 30 yds directly to the defenders standing at the 18 yd line. I like that he is taking that space. MLS lacks that training. But its ok to do something other than insisting on hitting a guy who is covered. Sending the ball back to Howard is ok. It's not his fault his cmids are clueless.
I don't think he had his best game with his distribution, but his distribution has been very reliable for our NT for years.
Heard exactly the same in Europe, when they play a disco tune. Makes sense, since most of the people singing don't even speak English. Here it's a bit weird.
The difference between Arena and Klinsmann is sort of like the difference between me and my bro when we play PES: he'll take the player with the highest score, even if in poor form, while I'm more ready to take the mediocre guy in top form. Basically, a 60-point guy giving his 100% is more than the 80-point guy giving his 70%.
The short answer is yes, there's a little bit of a delay in the fans' singing. There is a feed of the anthem straight to the tv truck so it's being played live. The fans' voices are being picked up by various microphones throughout the stadium. They are farther away from the mics so it takes longer for the sound to be picked up and for the signal to make it to the truck.
Can't believe there's people here trying to downplay this cup. Of course, it ain't the Champions League, bu tyou're still ahead of everyone in the region. Kudos for Jamaica for a good fight and an entretaining match. TBH you'll have a better combo between young/experience than us, so keep up the good work and keep Bruce. He knows.
Adam, I'd be interested to see if any of these (valid) opinions are contrary to any of your pre-tournament notions before the tournament (i.e., did someone whom you like as a player get significantly downgraded or someone you don't prefer elevate themselves)? Or was this mostly a confirmation of what you believed before (not that there's anything wrong with it). Thanks.