I'd actually say this is a B+/A- squad. Rimando is 3rd string keeper for sure....but he ain't no slouch and would be on the 23 for Brazil as it stands right now. Goodson, Omar, Besler (two of those three will be starting in the World Cup, the 3rd will be the 1st off the bench). Beasley is the starting LB with the A team. Donovan is absolutely starting 11 material (anyone who says otherwise at this point is just blinded by irrational retarded hatred for the player). EJ and Wondo could both very easily sneak their way into the 23 man roster, as could Beckerman, Mix and Holden. We're talking about nearly half the roster for this Gold Cup would have a legit shot at being on the WC roster if it were being put together today. That ain't no B team.
33 of those goals have come after switching to a 4-4-1-1, combining direct play and counter attacks with possession out of the back and actually using attacking players in attacking positions. There was a stat mentioned last night that we scored 1.2 goals a game in Klinsmann's first 18 games and 2.5 in his last 17. But when you break it down by the shift in tactics, we are scoring 3.3 goals per game since making the 4-4-1-1 switch and 1.08 goals per game prior. (rounding) Granted the level of competition in our 10 game winning streak has been iffy at times. But like I said before, its nice to see us stepping on people's necks. And its nice to see us finally playing a formation and style that suits our player pool. Keep this up, and we can do damage in Brazil. Revert back to the 4-5-1 and we'll struggle.
1st and foremost, yes, it has been excellent soccer. And this LD person is sorta pretty good. That said, we need to step back from the GC a bit. From roster standpoints, this has been about the weakest GC opponent roster-wise that we've seen in recent years. The sucky teams still suck, but the CA teams (and Mexico) have sent younger/B pool/experimental rosters in a greater percentage than usual. It good that we've stepped on their throats (Honduras goal excluded), we should even with our B team and the overall experience of the US roster. 2007 saw more complete teams from the regular participants, so an apples to apples comparison is difficult. I'll be interested to see if this attitude by mostly non-starters from the regular team carries over. While WC qualifying is going well, with the exception of @ Mexico we have squandered leads in every road qualifying match that we have played. That means we've scored and failed to hold the lead. This 'new' agressive attitude needs to carry over to @ CR & @ Pan and even home vs. Mexico. I expect a shell of a Jamaican team to visit in October.
I agree...don't mind JK getting tossed in the slightest. But I am terrified of the idea of Vasquez coaching the final. Hopefully we don't need to make any subs or in game adjustments. Or, with any luck, JK has the same invisible walkie talkies that Kim Jung Un used to communicate with the North Korean head coach last world cup.
jsut review the tapes watch how many transition moments he ruins. Stoke was to be a fast attacking team, N'zonzi was N'sloppy much of the time when he wasnt back passing into oblivion. He was the main problem on the team last year and if people can't see it, ok, doesnt bother me. I will sit on my island and eat cashews.
Marteen coaching the final reminds me of the time in the qualifier where Gooch hurt himself against CR, where basically the entire CR coaching staff was tossed and they had the strength coach out there doing muscle man impressions. When I saw that guys face, I knew the fear would get to them. Choke city.
Its a combination of both. I don't think we've ever had a straight run of shitty opponents like this before. Guat, Belize, Cuba, El Salvador. Outside of A&B (who we struggled against both home and away mind you) we haven't played 4 teams that shitty since the Barbados beat down in 2008. Much less played 4 in 5 against that horrible of an opponent. That said, we aren't playing down to the level of our opposition, which was an issue under Bruce, Bob and even Jurgen. We're doing to these teams what the England's and Germany's go to the Andorra and San Marinos of their confederation, and its nice to see.
I just want to be clear that any more personal attacks of this kind will get folks tossed from this forum. We're also going to move this discussion to N&A where the only thing that will be tolerated will be soccer discussion - the endless mindless bickering will get you tossed from that forum.
It's been fun to watch. Especially guys like Mixx, Corona, and Bedoya playing well. And of course, the renaissances for LD, Beasley, and to a lesser degree EJ and Holden. Still, we had a roster with 7 guys with WC experience (LD, Beasley, Onyewu, Goodson, EJ, Torres, Holden) and we've added 2 guys who have been the A team starters at CB (Besler and Gonzalez). Of all the teams in the tournament, we sent the closest thing to our A squad (though Panama and CR can fairly close). We still have to see how JK integrates Dempsey and Donovan, they can't both play in the hole. And how Beasley/FJ work down the left. And if this offense will function remotely like this is we put Jones/Bradley in the CM.
B+, sure. But we're about 7 to 8 starters shy of the full A team. We've got TH, MB, JJ, FJ, Chandler, Deuce and Jozy. Zusi is arguable but I won't go that route. And of course, Cameron, Guzan, Cherundolo would have no problem getting starting positions in this team. I see two ways of looking at this team. Either, it's the MLS/LMX players with a few young Europeans. Or, it's all the players needing more PT. I prefer the latter since even the starter material we have playing in this tournament (Beas, LD, Omar, Belser) have had little time in Klinsmann's setup.
Shea has to start doing things consistently again like he did 2 years ago. The talent is obvious, the issue is he'll look like a difference maker one game and then be useless the next.
Ultimately it is a combination of things....a hybrid if you will. But we went from playing a 4-5-1 with a dedicated 6, and then another 6 in front of him pretending to be a linking player. And then another 6 on the wing. And then at times, another 6 as a pure attacking midfielder. Our striker was asked to do the dirty work all by himself with nobody to interchange with and hold up play while the rest of the team joined the attack. This was the exact argument that people used to justify Jozy being dropped in favor of Herc. We now play a 4-4-1-1 where its either been Dempsey or Donovan playing directly underneath the striker, Jozy or Wondo/EJ. Our central midfield is also completely different in how we play. Instead of a 3 man central midfield with a dedicated 6, we are playing a 2 man central midfield with the two midfielders on a pully if you will. Even in this tournament, Beckerman has pushed up the field a whole lot. Possibly just because the level of competition is so poor, but you'd be hard pressed to call him a dedicated 6 in this tournament. From a tactical standpoint, we have sped things up offensively tremendously and are using far more direct play (whether it be long balls over the top, carrying with speed through the midfield or quick counter attacks). That has been interspersed with better possession out of the back and a willingness to change tempos and slow things down when called for (which is definitely a Klinsmann influence). Its the last part that has a lot of people thinking that we really haven't made any significant adjustments, because we are playing good possession soccer. But the changes we've made formationally, tactically and personnel wise are fairly in your face if you're willing to look for them.
And here is my mindless quibble on that point. Italy rarely, rarely ever beat teams by more than 3 goals, even Liechtenstein etc. They get 2 goals, one early, then go into possession mode, then about minute 60, they get another, then go into possession mode. They conserve energy and they learn how to truly appreciate a one goal lead. Germany simply cannot hang with Italy going back a while because Italy practices those tight matches even against weak opponents. Quibble over.
This is something I had noticed he had really picked up while at Aris. It was his touch and decision making that let him down though. He's gotten better there, but as craptacular as his European adventure was, he absolutely came back a much better player than he was when he left.
Well, if Edu can't make it on athleticism then it's not his first touch that will get him into the league. For what it's worth, I think Edu isn't mentally focused enough on football. His game suffers because he has other things on his mind. If he were able to focus on the match instead of his next tweet or what to wear to the club, I think he could be outstanding.
I'm not trying to get caught up in the minutia, simply saying that this GC squad is much stronger than your ordinary "B" team. Wasn't even saying that all 10 guys I listed would challenge for starting spots with the full A squad (think I specifically pointed out only 4 starters). Just saying that close to 10 guys on this squad have a legit shot at a spot on the 23 man roster for Brazil. Traditionally with a true B team, you're hoping to find 2-3 guys that can move up to the big leagues.
Its an interesting point you make to be certain. The fan in me definitely likes seeing 6-1, 5-0 type scorelines. But I can see your point to a certain extent.
For me, A team are the 11 starters, B team the 11 subs, C team not even subs or starters. So for instance when the full USMNT camp have a practice game they divide into the A team and B team.