I sort of agree, but I thought a bigger issue was that people lost sight of their roles when we put on 6 defenders. I have always loved how Arena is more likely to add a speedy offensive threat late in the match with the lead. It's aggressive, and confident, and usually more effective than throwing on defenders. Mastro needed off, so I understand the Dempsey move. But I would have expected a move like Wolff for McBride out of Arena. And if you want Berhalter for his aerial defending, put him on for Gibbs or Pope instead of scrambling everyone's roles late in the match. Great to start with 3 points. Also, Mexico's road win vs. CR was huge. Kind of takes the pressure off both teams for the USA-Mexico match.
Yeah, that was a bonus. Today's action couldn't have unfolder any better. I can sleep easy until the end of March.
Are you nuts, it was a complete reaction play just to get his hand on it. You can't be serious thinking he had time to punch that ball. He covered the angle for the shot as best he could, got his hand on the cross and it deflected in, it happens that way sometimes.
Marcello made a comment at halftime about Costa Rica. He said they have an advantage in Saprissa because of a new natural turf field that other teams haven't played on. Does anyone know what he was talking about? I rewound the tape and listened to it three times and I still have no idea what he meant.
Loved the starting line-up - the only change I would have made was to put Boca in the center with Pope and move Gibbs to the left. Boca just didn't have enough speed (or defensive help with Beas on the right) to cover that side. Loved seeing Dempsey get the time. I thought he did well in the role he was given to play, Pablo was gassed, and he was the best option there. This kid can play so give him time. Absolutley hated the other 2 subs...McBride was done and they needed to pull him instead of EJ. If they wanted to keep a strong forward up top to hold the ball and keep possession, they should have put in Twellman. He will work like no other in that situation and can take the abuse. Or put in Wolff if you're looking for that breakaway player to keep the T&T defense honest. The defense died when Berhalter came in - it's like they were all looking at each other expecting someone to get the ball and no one did. No communication. Albright was a disaster! I've never been a fan, but he was awful in the midfield. BA really needs to reconsider his team configuration. I thought he would move Beas and Stevie C to make room for Albright at right back, but he sticks him in the midfield?? He pulls that in Mexico - we are going to be highly embarrassed. KK kept us in charge of that game and saved our backline's errors at least twice in a huge way. I can forgive a late game goal - he was still MOTM. Overall, the fitness wasn't all there and it showed the last 15, Bruce needs to work on sub selection next game, and it was a massive 3 points. Cheers to the boys for pulling this off and hope we get the time we need in camp before the end of March.
Well done men. Thanks for leaving the labor dispute behind (for now), pulling together as a team and taking 3 important points on the road. Your stock is again rising with me.
At the Bar where we were watching, one of the monitors had the closed-captioning so we saw some of the commentary displayed. When JP or Balboa mentioned our keeper, it was displayed as "Kasey Killer". After T&T scored, he went back to being "Kasey Keller."
I watched the CR v Mex game last night. They have a new natural turf field that other teams haven't played on. It's the kind where all the "grass" flies around when you slide. I can't see how putting a uniform surface in Saprissa similar to hundreds of natural turf fields around the world adds to their home field advantage. Seems like I'd rather play on their new turf rather than their old field.
That's one way to look at it . . . but the better way is that it sets up an early decision on who is the BMOC - us or them. If we walk out of there with points - 1 or 3 - we are on the road to dominance in this region and an outside shot at our own group in Germany.
For me, the man of the match for the US was Landon Donovan. I thought he played a very selfless role, constantly trying to set up the other players. Yes, he missed a shot he probably should have scored on, but other than that he was everywhere tracking down balls and playing them in to the other guys. That's a thankless task, and I'm not sure it's one that comes naturally to him, but he did it all game long and did it very well.
Little rubber pellets. That's great news, as far as I'm concerned. The stuff isn't as good as well-maintained grass but it's far better than most CONCACAF fields, for example T&T's cricket grounds. Will make for more attractive soccer. And I agree with you, it's not like this stuff really takes getting used to. It plays very true and pretty much at the same speed as grass.
From your description then, the field is artificial turf, not natural turf. Natural turf to me means real grass. Are these artificial fields are approved by FIFA?
Oops. Never mind. I read about that part about the "grass flying up," saw the word "turf," and took off. Ignore everything I wrote. This time, at least.
Too early to prognosticate, but Costa Rica losing at home can't be good for them - - and Mexico getting an away win against a quality oppponent - - even if they didn't play well - - should make things real interesting. Lets hope the wins keep going and we can clinch the deal Labor Day Weekend with a trashing of Mexico. Also, Thanks for the win boys!!!
Bright Spots Mastro looked very strong and decisive as DM. LD did play a selfless role and really dominated the first 20 of the second half. More consistency in terms of dictating the pace is needed from him. Dolo looked great. He was like Hejduk without getting beat, spraying crosses and the obligatory stepover. He didn't seem to wilt in the heat either. DMB looked great until he seemed winded late. Low lights Fitness, obviously, for too many guys. To be expected somewhat. Boca played a really uneven match even without getting beat on the goal. He's always seemed so consistent that this was very disappointing. Lowest of the lowlights Bruce's subs made little sense. I love Clint and I thought that was the right move and he did ok. But when Albright and Berhalter came in, it was like they didn't really have a position. Just get back there and don't let him knock in a long ball for dangerous headers! They seemed lost and the rest of the guys seemed confused. i would've liked Wolff or TT to help hold possession and pressure up top so they can't get those long balls in in the first place. Similarly, LD and DMB need to kill clock in a much smarter fashion. Beas looked gassed, but when we got the ball back he attacked 2v4 with gusto only to lose it quickly.
Watched the end of the game again today. I agree the defense looked unorganized after the third sub. I don't think that was the best move BA could have made. The offsides trap fell apart too many times after that as there were too many White shirts in the backline. Fitness was a big key at the end-- to many guys waiting for the play to come to them. US defenders lost the first step time and time again. Good news (in my mind) is that all these problems are easily solved and shouldn't carry over to the next match.
I have a negative for you. Landon Donovan sporting the captains band. Absolute rubbish, other players on the pitch that deserved it 10 fold.
Yes, Saprissa Stadium has FieldTurf installed. If you've ever played on it, you'd know right away watching on TV when all the black pellets kick up. FIFA initially told CR they couldn't hold qualifiers there last spring, but has since relented and officially said approved artificial pitches like FieldTurf are okay. CR played a couple of qualifiers there in the last round as well.
Can someone answer me a question? I watched the 2nd half of the Mex-Ticos game. For very long spells mexico sat back and played defense. They hardly controlled the ball at all for long long stretched during the 2nd half. They did, however, look dangerous on their counter-attacks. My question is whether they did this because they were already up 2-1 at that time (thus bunkering in as we were nearly shown up for) or were the Ticos really taking it to them? My impression was that Costa Rica looked danergous on the attack but their defense (except perhaps their keeper) was horrible. Mexico looked very well organized and mature...patient....but not dominating. So did Costa Rico just play better ball that second half or was Mexico bunkering? thnx
I never thought I would be wishing to see Cobi Jones in the game, but heck, I wanted him there in the last 15 minutes, taking the ball in the corner, playing with it, shielding it, drawing a foul, ticking off valuable time. Seriously - 10 minutes to go, up 2, but vulnerable to long-ball counters that Yorke and John love, why are we playing the ball forward, trying to score another? Why are we not knocking the ball between mid and defense, tiring out their strikers as they chase it? Some idiot pushed up and took a shot/tried to thread a tough pass forward, and for the last 5 minutes, we chased the ball and never had possession for more than a minute straight. Whoever it was deserved to run around the field after the game for 40 straight minutes to counter the other 5min x 8 men making up for his bonehead mistake.
Mexico dropped further down, with a more compressed defense beginning about 50 yards away from own goal, especially after taking awful Borghetti off the field, but whenever it had gotten the ball back, it did push it forward very quickly by giving it to their flank players - Blanco, Lozano, Fonseca - in own half and then forward to CR's goal. (no passes over the middle!!!) I assume that if CR had began to create a lot of goal scoring chances, Lavolpe might have switched to something else but his defense held very well (suprised the heck out of me) and then, as the Ticos kept pushing foward, the Mexicans explouted the empty gaps superbly. Kikin himself blew three break-aways and his team mates blew three others.
Yes. The current (3rd?) generation artificial surface fields do have to pass the inspection and the set of prescribed maintenance requirements (these fields have to be washed frequently) but they are getting increasingly popular in places where natural turf is hard to grow (Scandinavia, Russia, Africa) or where there's extensive use of the pitch, such as in San Siro where Milan and Inter share the same field/stadium. BTW, I believe that FieldTurf in Saprissa is about 2 years old and newer fields are somewhat improved in stitching, the quality of "grass blades", the undeneath padding, etc.
I don't have much to add to the emerging concensus here, except to add: 1. Is McBride finished as an international? That's harsh, but he was such a non-factor in the game. Of course the question is who else should we put in there? Ching may work as a target forward. I am not convinced that Twellman is an answer. Or maybe if Reyna and JOB are in the line up, Donovan and EJ are the forwards? 2. I'm a big DMB fan, but I thought he had a poor game. He got muscled off the ball alot, made some poor decisions (especially late when he should have been killing time), and didn't show his usual burst. I'm sure he'll bounce back, however.