Where are all the tools who were riding all over Landon's ball sack last week? That's right. Crickets. When we advance out of this group, you all better get behind this team.
In 2010, Bob Bradley had no choice but to call in Robbie Findley. In 2014, Juergen Klinsmann faced no such conundrum. I like our chances, too.
I don't. It's been 12 years since we first showed the world we could play on the international stage. 5 since we've really won a meaningful game in the eyes of the rest of the world. We're going to do it again and it's going to come against a top 5 team.
If you think Zusi or Davis are playing well or are a better option than Donovan in a 4-2-3-1 then rethink things.
This is the first US Nats team that looks like a real soccer team. Not just a bunker and counter attack team.
Probably should let the "take that, Donovan fans!" stuff wait until we, you know, actually win a game at the World Cup.
I have news for you, unless Bedoya is hurt in practice it's not going to be Davis or Zusi on the wing, it's going to be Ali B. Do you pay attention to what you're watching on your t.v?
As Ian Darke and Taylor Twellman said yesterday, those players that you watched yesterday were probably the starting 11 vs Ghana and I like how they were linking up and making things happen out there. You'd like to see them be able to get off more shots when they're around the box but when the big-lights are on and the adrenaline is pumping, I think they'll figure it out. Let's do this sh!t!!!
As to the person you were responding to...being against Donovan being left off doesn't mean you aren't behind the team. /facepalm We aren't playing ANYTHING remotely close to 4-2-3-1 so its not even a topic and the position Donovan would do best at is where Bradley is playing anyway although he could take over for our single wide midfielder.
I think leaving Donovan on as a mistake, but we are looking really good as a team right now. That being said, i can't say this is the most confident i feel. I mean in the 2010 WC we were not even a year removed from nearly winning the confederations cup, and were placed in a fairly weak group (in comparison to now). Back then I felt like we had a decent shot to advance from that group even without Charlie Davies. I feel this 2014 team is the better team, but at the same time this group is just brutal. It's good the team is looking sharp going into the tournament, but it's still going to be a tough battle to advance out of this group.
How about we just rename every thread "The Landon Donovan Discussion Thread" and go from there since that seems to be what every thread reverts back to by page 3 anyway. Almost every conversation is being ruined by about 3-4 posters on both sides of the argument.
Well, if the Nigeria game is anything to go by, the USA is playing a bunker and counter attack style for this World Cup. Klinsmann who touted for 3 years a style that was attack oriented, possession based, and creative just went for the Bob Bradley approach that so many seemed to hate some time ago. I'm not against bunker and counter attack - it's actually harder to succeed that way than most other styles. But, let's realize that all the prep work seems to have been for nothing - especially, now that we can see against Nigeria, the USA was willing to let them control the ball and wait for fast counter-attacking breaks when intercepting in midfield.
This was less the case in the second half...I'm going to go out on a limb and say the second half in general might have been the most legitimately sexy futbol I've seen from the Klinsi-fied USMNT. But...do I think teams will eventually stop running hard the way Nigeria did last night in actual World Cup games? No. This has been a concern of mine for a while with this team under Klinsmann...the reason we've racked up some impressive friendly results (and have been behind the curve on intergrating younger talent, especially on defense) over the last couple years is because our coach is taking them way more seriously than the opponents are. When both teams are playing for keeps with their full squads, things don't look nearly as easy for us.
I agree. Which is why in the second half (especially after the 60th minute mark or so) it became obvious that the game was over for all intensive purposes. Nigeria (after losing their starting left back) didn't want to push it and risk more injuries - this is something that certainly affected the psychology of a pre-World Cup friendly, that wouldn't factor in at the actual World Cup. The role of Bradley is still a concern for me -he isn't a natural attacking-midfielder/"trequartista." In the second half, he had lot more freedom to run and play that role because Nigeria took the petal off the metal. However, in the first half, Bradley was consistently tracking back to win the ball and seemed much more comfortable in a defensive minded role. I think Klinsmann realizes that you can't play attacking oriented and have a tight defense. I think the USA should stick with the Nigeria game plan - I just don't think it's some how much different or better than what we've seen from the USA in years past. Remember that WC 2010 game against Algeria - the USA was controlling possession and had many more shots on goal. The USA dominated that game. Anyway, I'm confident if the USA plays this way, they have a solid chance to get out of the group.
I don't even know what you are trying to type with this grammatically-butchered sentence. Anyway, I've written many times on many threads that, no matter if the coach makes shitty roster choices, once the game starts, I will be 100% behind our team. If they get out of their group with a lesser team than they could have had, I'll be pretty damned psyched. With respect to LD, I've also written, many times (please check!), that, if the U.S. is chasing the game in the 2nd half of a WC game, I'd much rather have LD coming off the bench for 15-20 minutes to try to create a spark, than Davis, Green, Zusi, or any other sub currently on our WC roster. Obviously, we were not behind at any point in yesterday's game, so we didn't have a chance to see what JK has in mind for his forward and midfield substitutions if we find ourselves in that situation. Having said that, I hope that we are never behind in any of our matches and we never need to find that out.
Why are you so offended because people have a differing view of whether Donovan should be included? It's part of boards like this. Are you that enamored with Klinsmann that any questioning of his decisions is that offensive to you?
Was excited to see this thread. I usually dread the inflating of expectations that usually happens on here going into a World Cup but was honestly missing it after the doom and gloom of the last couple of weeks. So was excited to see this thread pop up but nope it turned into the typical pissing contest. Looks like there are some people more interested in scoring points on a message board (this just in they don't keep score) than actually enjoy the World Cup. If you want to keep your pissing contest fine, do it in one of the many threads designed for that. But can you leave the rest of them free of this S**T.
I have to say I am a bit more confident today than I was before the send off series. I thought the back line looked solid last night and I think using the two DMs we can grab a point off Portugal.
Okay now onto the optimism. I am not going overboard I still think the odds are against us getting out this group but I have to admit I am starting to get excited let's just look at our biggest issues. Defense: Still a concern but I have more confidence in this group than I have in any back 4 this cycle. I think Cameron is getting more and more comfortable in the CB role and he is an upgrade on Gonzales. Johnson is an upgrade on Evans, and Beasley still makes me nervous but he has a comfort level with Besler which I like. As a whole stronger than I thought we would be. Midfield (Specifically Jones, Bradley): The diamond with Bradley at the tip and Jones either on the left or holding seem to keep them out of each others way and allows Bradley to be the talisman. Also Jones has looked well in either position and has shown a willingness to play the holding role if needed. Altidore: I think at this point it is safe to say he has shook off the year at Sunderland. He will start against Ghana, and I am confident in him. All winter this was my biggest hope, that Altidore would find his form (and confidence) again, and he has. Is everything perfect of course not, but genuine reasons to be optimistic.
[a] Landon should have been on this team. Landon can help this team. This team is weaker for not having Landon. If JTisaTwit was not so busy honoring himself, as only his mouth can, he might have time to reflect a little on how LD's passing and pace would have played out in those key moments yesterday. Think of, for example, those two moments Bedoya misfired. One such misfiring, alone, in the WC, can make all the difference. [a] So you will only get behind this team when we advance out of this group???? We are behind the team now, were yesterday, and will be tomorrow. We want this team to strive for glory, and to give absolutely everything it has in the attempt. We want this team to be the strongest, the most intelligent, the most talented, the most determined, possible. We want a manager who will aim to win the WC. You? You want crickets.