This. It was a lot of fun watching the Confed Cup--didn't matter that Germany sent a B team. (That wasn't their C team, right?)
yeah it was fun to watch the B (or as some call them C team). A part of me is kinda sad that we won't see this same team again.Or that some players will most likely never play for Germany again, no real future. By the finale they became a real unit. But in the end the players didn't care that it was a B-team or that the CC is considered a practice tourney to the WC. They all wanted to win the CC because they all wanted and dreamed of playing for Germany. Good chunk of the players had never won a trophy before the CC, so they were even more pumped to win. And making impressions this far off the WC is good way to make a case to make the squad. so yeah just because the GC is an "off year one", doesn't make it lesser.
I think the biggest let down is the absence of stars. I will have liked to see Tacatito and Pulisic, the best prospects in the region.
The Gold cup happens with too great a frequency. It really isn't a bad thing though as we need "B" team tourneys to test new talent and integrate new players. On one hand I would like to see them do away with this off year tourney and replace it with a COPA America. On the other I do not want to over work the "A" players. There are financial reasons Concacaf does not want that, so we are left with this. The"A" team guys do need a rest in the summer prior to a WC. Many of those "A" team guys are about to play for almost two years straight. They have the 17/18 season, then the WC, and then play another season before they get a significant break. Using MLS heavy rosters alleviates the wear and tear concerns, but our "A" team roster is going to have key pieces that are not MLS players who should be resting during that four or so weeks of camp and tourney.
GCs have been bringing a B Team in the off year for years now, because CC is played in the same summer. This started back in 2005. Prior to 2003, the GC and the CC were in different years and the CC was played every other year opposite of the GC. 1997 CC 1998 Gold Cup (World Cup Year) 1999 CC 2000 Gold Cup 2001 CC 2002 Gold Cup (World Cup Year) 2003 Gold Cup (USA A Team played in both) ----------------------- CC changes to every 4 years 2005 B Gold Cup (Mexico A Team, they brought some of the same players to both) 2007 A Gold Cup 2009 B Gold Cup (USA A Team at the CC) 2011 A Gold Cup ----------------------- changed rule to award each GC winner a half spot to the CC 2013 B Gold Cup (Mexico A team at the CC) 2015 A Gold Cup 2017 B Gold Cup (Mexico A team at the CC)
I agree that this GC is not attracting a lot of enthusiastic fans. However, what makes it exciting for me is the thought that maybe someone will emerge who will be one of our next great players. We can always dream, can't we? In any case, I am looking forward to Saturday's game.
Germany has emerged from the "old ways" while the USA is just entering that zone and will have to learn the hard way after playing Cinderella for many years. The good news for us is that Arena is good at organizing a spirited team, anyway. Some things just take time. Germany is certainly fun to watch and I'd like to see us go that way but it will take time. Like the saying goes, Americans always do the right thing, after they have tried everything else.
I would rather see us win. They sold 40,000k for the Nashville opener according to some poster here. As far as stars go, if that is what your interest is, why not buy into the Acosta hype ?
The rise of Gemany has a lot to do with young South Americans going to Europe early and with some South Americans adapting European style. It's more complex than that but these great Spanish and German teams wouldn't beat the Brazil's of Pele or Fat Ronaldo, these were very skilled teams. Germans have found a way to play a well rounded efficient soccer that isn't as fancy as Latin Americans by it works for now.
This part makes no sense. The second part, sure. They have found a style that is not particularly flashy, but is nonetheless technical. Not so much individual skill in dribbling or taking players on one-on-one, but quick, concise passing. Not to mention the fact that they’re pragmatic in their approach, because they’re just as comfortable sitting deep and hitting on the counter as they are dominating a game with possession.
To be able to explain the first part, it will take me sometime. The Germans have always been good though, always, it fact they are good at everything they do. Jurgen didn't know how to use Corona, let's see if he can shine under Bruce.
It had promise, but it fell apart to me with some of the attrition, and the usage of players in the Ghana friendly was souring. Looked like a sign of things to come. We'll see, maybe it's still enjoyable in the end beyond wins and losses, which to me this tourney isn't as much about, but my read right now is it'll be an average b-team GC for integration. Still considerably better than last one.
I don't follow, or perhaps I do but disagree. Nothing wrong in my book with "an average b-team GC for integration." Maybe I'm just too much of an optimist, but I think there are exciting moments ahead in this tournament. There are a lot of guys battling for a place on the depth chart, for a longer look, etc. Sure there are a few inclusions where there is little to be learned (Bedoya, Guzan have been mentioned on these boards), but attrition hasn't been too severe (Saief). When someone pulls on the shirt, they're in to represent and battle--or at least that's how it looks under Bruce. Bottom line: I'm excited for the GC.
Looked like a good crowd today at RBA. Big crowd tomorrow in Nashville. Mexico always brings massive crowds. And that's the sad reason we get this tourney every 2 years instead of every 4. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ If we'd stop attending a "b" GC thing might change.
So, to sum up, "Boo! These games are well-attended!" Really? More international games is a positive 95 percent of the time. I'm wondering how the CONCACAF League of Nations is going to work, because I don't think we need games against St. Vincent and the Grenadines, or Aruba, but otherwise, more games is more time to integrate players and challenge them in a competitive environment.
Is good for the region money wise, for us fans too. Sometimes the people who schedule these games are so dumb. I have been to friendly games of El Salvador vs Honduras in DC, just a friendly game with about 60k people, all El Salvador games that are not vs Mexico or the US should be in DC or LA but again, whoever organizes the tournament lacks common sense. If they bring a few big deal players, more fans, more tv ratings, more money. I am hoping this is the last gold cup with non-stars, the gold cup marketing team is doing a terrible job.
My younger brother is on his way to Nashville so I am going to have my journalist team reporting from the game haha
I was saying because of the exorbitant amount of the pool Klinsmann neglected, I was really looking forward to this Cup as an opportunity for a disproportionate amount of integration than in year's past. But things happened like unavailability (Horvath, Williams, Hyndman, etc.), injury (Lletget, Zimmerman, Saief, etc.) and exclusions from the lineup (seemingly) to prevent that. So it hasn't near met my expectations. That's left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I'll still watch, but more o,ut of curiosity and habit than glee. If Roldan, Lichaj, Hamid, Miazga, Agudelo, and Morrow play against teams with a pulse, that attitude can change. But I thought Bruce showed his hand against Ghana. I don't find Dwyer, Hedges, McCarty, and Rowe an exciting integration core. How much value is that adding to the World Cup roster? I think the players I listed who didn't even receive a minute against Ghana had more realistic potential to add value than the ones he did. Hope Bruce shows some balls and provides a few surprises on today's roster.