I feel some of that comment is stemming from your frustration over being asked what the deal with the yellow cards are. Rub your ears and repeat after me... Goosfraba
I hope you are prescient! Seriously though, today's match is a great opportunity. Opportunities like this do not come around very often, so we must make the most of it. Opportunities like this are for confidence and mental growth as a nation. The GoldCup doesn't offer such...we've grown past the point of "if only we could surpass Mexico." Even if we lose (there will be a winner tonight), I will not be disappointed if he gave it our 100% best effort on the pitch.
Consider it brung. All the Portland crew here will guarantee it. Sorry, one nation, one team, etc. CASCADIA!!! CASCADIA!! Oops, USA USA!!!
Do you have cable? If so, download the Fox Sports app, and log in with your cable account User ID and password, and you can watch anywhere in the world. (Except Canada...seriously-they jack us on legal rights with Internet access) cable?
FWIW, our best performance of the Klinsmann era was in Seattle (dominant 2-0 win over Panama in a WC qualifier). But players like Fabian (at LW) and Cameron (CDM) were deployed as they were called for, for a long time. He got the width plan right more or less in that one. Plus, Clint was a little younger man, and we had a Beaze that wasn't way over the hill. So it was a mixture of the two factors probably. In this game we could have more problems with width given it's going to be a harder time for the fb's like Fabian to get up the field, one will likely be MOF, they will be occupied by Montero + Antonio Valencia, and Zardes + Bedoya aren't exactly ideal winger types. Might have a tough time playing out of the middle too between Michael and Jermaine. Could be pinned back a lot in this one, and require magical moments from Clint and Bobby, which they are capable of providing. Montero and Valencia are going to get a fair amount of crosses in. That's just going to happen. Doesn't matter if MOF plays back. Montero will just pull up/cut in. Again, we're relying on Brooks to come up big clearing them out. Can't get caught napping on Enner Valencia in the middle, Jones is going to have to be disciplined and not get reckless then foul in dangerous areas, Bradley is going to have to not turn it over in dangerous areas to give them chances on dangerous set pieces and when we aren't ready. Don't know what the friendly performance was worth, good or bad. Ecuador has a little different squad, we played a sleepy first half with the starters, and Pulisic + Nagbe changed the game in the 2nd. Might need them in the 2nd to take control of midfield, help us connect d + attack, get some sustained possession. Seems like a toss-up, as the SPI suggests, so don't see sense in picking. We'll just have to see what happens.
Thank you!! (and everyone else!) I am in Canada (yeah, I know, boo!!! I'm Boston born) with no cable in the apartment! Definitely appreciate your help ImaPuppy, and I will be pm'ing you!
For what it is worth.... "@FutbolFM_am: Atención! 11 confirmado de #USA y #Ecuador #LaCopaEnLaRedonda Puesto de transmisión #DesdeSeattle pic.twitter.com/b1ql220tqo"— MARKHEIM FONTEIN (@MARKHEIMROCK) June 16, 2016
Birnbaum vs. Montero would be something, and not in a good way. At least should be at CB, with Cameron moving to RB. It would be the next best thing to Besler at CB, Cameron RB.
Looks like it could be legit. Cameron isn't the speediest, but has experience playing against top wingers at Right Back in the Premier League. I'm ok with him being out right (I was nervous penciling Orozco in at RB). Birnbaum at CB is surprising, as I would have thought it would be Besler. But then again, Klinsmann has shown in recent months that he really rates Birnbaum, so that isn't actually that surprising. The rest of the lineup looks the same. Now I'm just wondering if we are lining them up in a 4-3-3 or the 4-4-2 from the get-go...
I am concerned about breaking up the Brooks/Cameron pairing as they have been solid for us. Maybe it would have been better just to take our chances with MOF at RB and keep the rest of the lineup the same?
If true, I think it's more just a RCB/LCB thing. JK seems to stick to that and I don't think Besler or Brooks have ever played RCB for USA.
Birnbaum at CB makes more sense than Besler. Besler and Brooks are both LCBs and JK generally slots CBs into one or the other of those pots and doesn't mix them. Plus, Birnbaum and Brooks played together in the friendly against Ecuador, so they not only have experience playing as a tandem, but they are familiar with their opponent.