Then we fixed it, by picking a USMNT team to start against Jamaica in Ohio on Tuesday. Here’s our starting XI:

(NOTE:) Goodson was originally in our lineup but, as pointed out in the comments, he’s suspended after collecting two yellows. So welcome back Boca!

Wondering how we came by this lineup? Listen to the five minute podcast excerpt below, in which we explain the thinking behind this lineup and debate whether the USA should play with a high line against Jamaica or not:

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Listen to the latest Total Soccer Show below to find out:

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Or, if your ears can’t take that much awesome, read it in list format below:

1. It’s just a big building. The Azteca we mean. It’s not magic. It’s just some concrete, some steel and a big rectangle of grass in the middle. Yeah, it’s got some serious altitude. But so does a Geoff Cameron defensive header. We now know that a US team can go there and win.

2. Brek Shea knows the way. If there was some sort of anti-American-win force field surrounding Mexican soccer stadiums, Brek Shea is the man who knows how to break through. The big blonde bombshell was on the field last year for a Major League Soccer team’s first win on Mexican soil (FC Dallas beat UNAM 1-0 last August) and he was on the field (and very much involved) for the US national team’s first win at the Azteca on Wednesday.

3. Juergen Klinsmann is a man with a tactical plan. We started out with basically a 4-5-1, clogging the middle (three defensive mids! five if you count Cameron and Edu!) and forcing Mexico to go wide. Then we slowly opened up as the minutes ticked by, culminating in a sort of 4-3-3 with Boyd flanked by genuine wingers Shea and Beasley.

4. Jurgen Klinsmann can not run for President of the United States. We checked.

5. Geoff Cameron should start in the USMNT’s central defense. He wasn’t perfect on Wednesday, but he looked imposing, heading balls away for fun and casually relieving Chicharito of the ball more than once. He’s 27, he’s got all he physical attributes (size, strength, speed, snazzy haircut), he’s all of a sudden got some serious international experience and he’s about to be a Premier League defender. If Boca’s the captain, then Cameron should be his partner when we visit Jamaica next month.

6. Tim Howard sees the Matrix. Those two saves in the last 10 minutes were phenomenal. Not just because of their importance, but because that first one, which was deflected off Edu, already had Howard going the wrong way. Normally that means goal, but Howard said to himself “there is no spoon,” slowed time down and stretched across goal to make the save.

7. Edgar Castillo = Not Terrible Yes, Guardado went by America’s latest comedy leftback with worrying ease, and there were a couple of other nervous moments. But Castillo did a good job of keeping Barrera quiet, and generally directing Mexican attackers to the outside, which–see number 3–was all part of the plan.

8. Kyle Beckerman started the move that earned one of the USA’s most historic wins. He did. Just saying.

9. Ian Darke is good at his job. Did anyone else hear him coin the phrase “floodlight robbery” last night?

10. It was only a friendly. Don’t tell us there’s “no such thing.” You’re being way too literal. Because if this was a WCQ game, then the atmosphere would have been more than a little bit different. So this win doesn’t suddenly mean we are hands down better than Mexico. We may never be, because we keep progressing and they keep progressing. Which is a good thing. Because no one wants to see a one-sided rivalry.

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What did you learn from the USA’s first win at the Azteca?

Click play below to listen to our specially recorded USA vs Brazil podcast:

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1. Edu should hold the fort, Bradley should go hunting. It’s pretty clear to us that Klinsmann got his midfield configuration right versus Scotland, with Edu breaking up play (which is harder than it sounds) and Bradley charging forward alongside Jermaine Jones. Switching it around restricted Bradley and asked Edu to move the ball faster than he was comfortable with. Worth experimenting, but now we know who should go where. And no, Bradley’s Pirlo-esque passes from deep are not worth the trade off.

2. Herculez Gomez might be THE option at forward. We said “might be.” But he looked like everything you’d want in a lone striker. As well as the quick snap of his neck for the goal, he had what we’re calling an assist for the goal Dempsey failed to score AND, in Albert’s words, was “a pest.” In a good way. His touch let him down maybe a couple of times, but no worse than we’ve seen from Altidore or Boyd.

3. It WAS a penalty. You can’t have your arms out there like that Oguchi Onyewu. How do we know this? We asked a referee. What we don’t know is whether giving away the PK shook Gooch up and caused him to have a nervous-looking night, or he was having a shaky night anyway and the PK was a result. Cause or effect, chicken or egg, it was a night to forget for the big man (especially the fourth goal where everyone stepped out for offside … expect Gooch.)

4. Jermaine Jones is nas-tee. This didn’t make it on to the podcast, but Daryl and Peyton watched the game with a friend named Paul who, in the 15th minute, pointed out that Jones was “stalking” Neymar like prey, running alongside him just waiting to put in a tackle to show him who’s boss. Jones didn’t scythe him down until the second half, but when he did it was brutal.

5. The US Men’s National Team can not out-press and out-pass a team like Brazil. In our last BigSoccer blog, we praised the fact that Klinsmann’s US had a recognizable style of high-pressure, high lines and high-tempo passing. But Brazil also does all of that, and does all of it better. So there’s an argument that we need a Plan B should we ever meet Brazil in a World Cup win-or-go-home game.

BUT: It wasn’t all bad! The doom-mongers will be out in force because the scoreboard said 4-1, but the USMNT were actually impressive in patches in the second half, creating multiple chances and putting Brazil under a lot of pressure. Project Klinsmann continues on Sunday night against Canada! (And we’re pretty sure they don’t have a Marcelo.)

What did you learn from this game?

To hear us go into a little more detail about the ideas/opinion above, listen to the show. If you like what you hear then do your ears and your brain a favor and subscribe to the show via iTunes.

There are four Total Soccer Show co-hosts: Albert, Daryl, Josh and Peyton. So to preview Euro 2012 Group A we committed to representing one team each and arguing why our team should win the group, arguing for both the strength of the current team and also the historical significance of the nation. Then we bicker like children. Then we vote. Then someone complains.

> > > PLAY/DOWNLOAD EURO 2012 GROUP A PODCAST

In the case of Euro 2012 Group A we have Albert making the case for Poland by extolling the talents of Robert Lewandowski and the taste of Vodka. Peyton went to bat for Russia by claiming they invented both the wheel (seriously) and modern goalkeeping in the shape of Lev Yashin. Daryl celebrates Greece’s young guns and the fact the Otto Rehhagel era is over, while Josh counters for the Czech Republic with a reinvigorated Petr Cech and the strange case of Victor Lustig — “The man who sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice.”

The seven categories in which we argue for our teams are:

Most Important Player
Team Nickname
Coach
Best National Export
Goalkeeper
Team Backstory
Best Ever Player

We didn’t do anything about best-looking women because 75% of the Total Soccer Show co-hosts are not simpleton misogynists who treat women like objects. But if we had done, then Russia probably would have won on the basis of this nice young lady:

So, it’s Poland (represented by Albert) Greece (Daryl), Russia (Peyton) and the Czech Republic (Josh) in our Euro 2012 Group A preview.

Who do you see finishing top of this group? Listen to the show to find out who wins.

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Click play below to listen to our in-depth review of the game:

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And, as promised, here are five things we learned from watching the game:

1. High pressing and fast passing works. See the US’s first goal for evidence. We win possession deep in Scotland’s half because Torres and Boyd are doubleteaming a fullback, then a few quick passes later and Donovan has the ball in the net. We’re acting not reacting; the Klinsmann style has arrived.

2. Maurice Edu is key. The three man midfield of Edu, Bradley and Jones looks pretty much perfect. Edu does the Makelele/Obi Mikel holding role, allowing Bradley and Jones to charge forward. And, as Daryl says on the podcast, if you advocate trying to “improve” the US midfield by replacing Edu then you deserve a punch in the face for your ignorance.

3. Fabian Johnson is our starting left-back. Timothy Chandler doesn’t seem that keen, and Edgar Castillo doesn’t seem all that good. Fabian Johnson looks like he’s both. Plus he offers genuine width going forward from left back, allowing Torres to step inside and make clever passes.

4. The talk about Landon Donovan losing his passion was bullsh*t. And if you read that Grant Wahl interview, Donovan basically just suggests that he’s getting older and the end of his career is visible in the distance. Every footballer has to retire eventually, and Donovan is no different. But until that day comes, he’ll keep banging hat-tricks past USMNT opposition goalkeepers.

5. Clint Dempsey is not the Alpha and Omega of this US team. Yes, he’s our best player on current form. But the US midfield looked so perfectly balanced versus Scotland that it would be a crime to displace anyone to accommodate him. Including Mo Edu (see above.) If we were to shoehorn Dempsey into the XI that thrashed Scotland, it would probably be up front in place of Terence Boyd. Not because Boyd did anything wrong, but because he was only–in Albert’s words–”adequate,” whereas everyone else was outstanding.

BONUS LESSON: “The Star Spangled Banner” is an extremely difficult song to sing.

AND A HISTORICAL RETHINK: All that talk of Klinsmann being just a grinning figurehead for the 2006 Germany team while Jogi Loew took care of the tactics now looks silly. In less than 12 months, Klinsmann has transformed the USMNT by establishing a high-tempo, high-pressure style of play. You don’t do that without knowing your onions.

What did you learn from this game?

To hear us go into a little more detail about the ideas/opinion above, listen to the show. If you like what you hear then do your ears and your brain a favor and subscribe to the show via iTunes.

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Here’s how Chelsea did it:

1. Give up the ball. Much like Mourinho’s Inter in 2010, Di Matteo’s Chelsea conceded possession to Barcelona.
2. But still dictate the play. They didn’t have the ball, but Chelsea defended with 10 players behind the ball at all times–Drogba sometimes making it a full 11–dictating that Barcelona had to pass the ball around too far from goal to cause trouble.
3. Stay disciplined, stay narrow. Even creative players like Juan Mata and attacking players like Frank Lampard were content to simply hold position and do their job while Barcelona had the ball. This meant no gaps for Barcelona to wriggle through, the only space being out wide, where Barca are least effective.
4. Have an attacking plan that doesn’t leave you exposed. Didier Drogba was heroic versus Barcelona’s defence, and relieved plenty of pressure, often through blatant fakery. But even the big man can’t do it alone. Chelsea looked to counter quickly down the weak/far side whenever Barcelona turned the ball over, which worked perfectly when Lampard played Ramires down the left flank to set up Drogba’s goal.
5. Be lucky. This is maybe the toughest part. But Drogba finished the one good chance he had, while Barcelona player like Fabregas and Busquets were unable to capitalize when opportunities fell their way.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We can’t really claim that Chelsea have found the answer to the tactical riddle that is beating Barcelona unless they can do it all again next Tuesday and claim victory over two legs.

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Here’s how it works: Each of four Total Soccer Show co-hosts is assigned a team to represent. We then argue it out across seven comparative categories. Some serious: like best goalkeeper, some not so much: like best city landmark. After each co-host makes the case for his team we vote, and the team with the most votes takes the point. The team with the most points once we’re though with seven categories is our pick for Champions League winner.

You have to listen to the podcast to find out who emerged as our Champions League winner, but you can see our nominations in each category below:

(Josh got Bayenr Munich, Albert got Real Madrid, Peyton got Chelsea and Daryl got Barcelona)

Most Important Player
Bayern Munich: Mario Gomez
Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo
Chelsea: Juan Mata
Barcelona: Xavi

Jersey & Sponsor
Bayern Munich: Solid red / T-Mobile
Real Madrid: Pure white (or used to be) / Bwin.com
Chelsea: Alternating shades of blue / Samsung
Barcelona: Blue and red stripes / Qatar Foundation

Goalkeeper
Bayern Munich: Manuel Neuer
Real Madrid: Iker Casillas
Chelsea: Petr Cech
Barcelona: Victor Valdes

City Landmark
Bayern Munich: Oktoberfest
Real Madrid: Royal Palace of Madrid
Chelsea: Trafalgar Square
Barcelona: Sagrada Familia

Coach
Bayern Munich: Jupp Heynckes
Real Madrid: Jose Mourinho
Chelsea: Roberto Di Matteo
Barcelona: Pep Guardiola

Stadium
Bayern Munich: Allianz Arena
Real Madrid: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
Chelsea: Stamford Bridge
Barcelona: Camp Nou

Best Ever Player
Bayern Munich: Franz Beckenbauer
Real Madrid: Alfredo Di Stefano
Chelsea: Gianfranco Zola
Barcelona: Johan Cruyff

Before you listen to the podcast, who would you pick to win using the above criteria? If it helps you decide, here’s a handy cut and paste of the categories so you can share your winners in the comments:

Most Important Player:
Jersey & Sponsor:
Goalkeeper:
City Landmark:
Coach:
Stadium:
Best Ever Player:

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So on the latest Total Soccer Show, we review Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Everton and mount something of a defence of Carroll. Specifically, Albert is keen to take issue with Fox Soccer commentator Stewart Robson’s criticism of Carroll not winning enough balls in the air for a man of his height. It’s a misconception, says 6’2″ Albert, that being tall means you should win every single aerial challenge just because you have two or three inches on a defender. There are different types of aerial challenges from all different angles, and it’s more about positioning and technique than it is how far the top of your head is from the ground.

We also debate Steven Gerrard’s role. What will he become for Liverpool as he gets deeper into his 30s? Gerrard can’t pretend it’s 2005 anymore, but is it too much to ask him to calm down and play a simpler game with less of the big diagonal passes, less of the surging forward runs?

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Here are 10 of the questions we ask on the show. Please give your own answers in the comments, and/or listen to our answers in the podcast.

1. How bad is this? How much will missing the Olympics suck?

2. How much can we blame Caleb Porter? And how much damage does this do to Porter’s reputation?

3. How much can we blame college soccer in general? Is it possible that time spent playing college soccer makes you poorly prepared for an international tournament against guys who’ve been in the more cutthroat world of pro soccer–even if only El Salvadorian pro soccer?

4. Or, is it possible that too many of our U23s are doing too well–Altidore, Gatt, Morales, Chandler, Williams–and thereby making themselves unavailable for selection?

5. What now for Freddy Adu? He’s got no youth teams left to play for.

6. Does Josh Gatt really exist? Or is he just a cruel YouTube-based hoax?

7. How many of these U23 players are ready to feature for the senior team in the World Cup qualifying cycle?

8. Does losing to so-so CONCACAF teams mean we’re not as dominant in the region as we like to think?

9. Could losing be good experience going forward?

10. Can we blame Jurgen Klinsmann? Or is there justification for him thinking bigger picture and having all USMNT teams adapt to similar style and mentality (which is partly why Porter was hired, we think) even at the expense of Olympic qualification?

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On the latest Total Soccer Show, we review the USMNT’s 2-0 defeat to Canada. How and why did it happen? It all starts with a Christmas tree. Canada clogged the midfield with five men by playing a 4-3-2-1, with the pace (and, later, emphatic hand gestures) of Randy Edwini-Bonsu as the deadly angel on top.

Caleb Porter’s answer was for the US to go out wide. For Freddy Adu and Brek Shea to work the flanks, with fullbacks Zarek Valenti and Jorge Villafaña overlapping to create some 2 vs 1 troble for the Canucks. And when that didn’t work? Well, try it again. If it didn’t worth the first 20 times then it has to work the 21st time. Right?

Wrong. Throw in an uncharacteristic error from Bill Hamid (just jump and catch it Bill!), some overenthusiastic defending from Ike Opara and an absolute refusal to understand the offside law from Teal Bunbury (Albert makes an apt Ruud van Nistelrooy half-comparison) and you’ve got a recipe for a 2-0 defeat.

Good news is that all the US has to do is beat El Salvador on Monday night (9pm eastern folks, Universal Sports Network, Mun2 and CONCACAF.com) and we’re through to the semis. Fingers crossed.

Elsewhere on the latest Total Soccer Show, we discuss:

• Rangers 3-2 win over Celtic in the Old Firm Derby. A victory that doesn’t mean much SPL-title wise or Rangers-finances wise, but still seemed to mean the world to Rangers fans.
• Vancouver nil, DC United nil. Should we have listened to our buddy Bryce and watched “The Blind Side” on ABC Family instead?
• Houston Dynamo’s Colin Clark unleashing an alliterative homophobic slur on a ball boy in Seattle. Not cool Colin. Get ready for the fine.
• The first ever one versus one Wikipedia Game, in which Albert tests Daryl’s knowledge of USMNT players, and Daryl does the same to Albert with England players. We’re calling it “Wikipedia Battleship.”

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