7/7 Gold Cup: US vs. Cuba PBP/In-Game Chat thread 2nd Half [R]

What a joke line up from Bruce. DMB as a fwd? MH as starting goalie? They looked like crap in the first half.

 

I have a feeling bruce wont' make any subs at half.

of course, I could be wrong. but what are the chances of that?

 

what a joke on the servers too.

 

Bah... I'm going to bed.

Sachin

 

i think dempseys goal was the first time in a long time i didnt go nuts when we scored...i was in shock we actually did something good.

 

Conor Casey blows. That guy is pathetic.

 

Did Bruce get formation ideas from Steve Sampson?

 

I thought Noonan was called up....why isn't he playing or at least on the bench?

 

for newbies: this is what the USA looked like in 1992.

 

I mentioned to someone elsewhere that Dempsey's goal easily ranks last in terms of my personal level of excitement over a US goal.

 

btw - Did I say how much I appreciate this

 

Be interesting to see what line-up comes out for the 2nd half, also curious to see if the US starts attacking more.

 

I'll give Bruce a pass on the GK. We could have started Reis and it shouldn't matter.

I think most people are just trying to understand Bruce's thinking in calling in Hejduk, Sanneh, Olsen, Armas. I mean what is the point of that?

 

Dempsey with a late first-half goal that would be called offsides 9.5 times out of 10. (For the record, I think that he was onsides.)

Ridiculous. Delusions of half-baked MLS grandeur. Total bullsh^t line-up.

Half-time ratings:

Hannemann - 3 - Seems comfortable. Needs to make that huge save (if he does he gets a 7/8).

Hejduk - 3 - Most active and clued-in defender... but, not good.

Conrad - 2 - Last line of defense??? Kee-rist. Does understand offsides trap.

Sanneh - 1 - Ouch. Clueless. His body won't deliver.

Armas - 3 - Active but useless. He gets it, but he can't do it.

Davis - 3 - Useless but active. I don't think he gets it, and I don't think that he can do it.

Olsen - 3 - Active and/but useless. Looks out of his mind.

Quaranta - 5 - Playing within himself... looks OK. I like his size. He looks like he belongs.

Dempsey - 6.5 - Goal adds +1.5. Most dangerous Nat.

Beasley - 6 - Assist adds +1. Playing very withdrawn. Seeking. Seems out of it.

Casey - 1 - Ching at his worst.

 

I don't know whats worse. the play of USA, or the reaction from BS

 

But in 1992 they actually tried.

 

I just got home from work expecting a blowout and 1-1?!?!?! what is this crap?!?!

 

Pitiful half. Dempsey and Beasley are the only to players on that field who deserve tp wear an American jersey. Everyone else looked horrible. Sanneh, Armas, and Hejduk are over the hill. Conrad, Davis, Quaranta, and Olsen shouldnt even have been considered (I was most suprised with Davis's play). He took at least two ill-advised 30 yard shots that completely ended any possibility of an attack. And Conor Casey looked bad too. He makes horrible runs, at least twice he ran away from the ball, leaving Beasley noone to pass to. It was a horrible first half from the Nats and an equally hideous choice of a starting 11. The only reason we're tied is because the two players who deserved to be out there made a goal all by themselves. What a ball from DMB, and what a nice finish from Dempsey. But that's the only positive I gathered from that game.

(Note: I won't even comment on Hannheman. We didn't see him do much, and plus there's no way he'll overtake Keller as the #1, so it really doesn't matter).

P.S. Keller would have saved that shot.

 

we looked pretty good putting the hammer down on CR a few weeks ago.

 

US Goal
http://rapidshare.de/files/2887197/1st_US_goal_vs_Cuba__Gold_Cup_05.avi.html

 

I'll revise my original offside call after viewing the very brief replay at halftime. That ball took a long time to come down.

In the same vein, why didn't Casey (?) take a full volley on service from Beas earlier instead of letting the 'keeper get a free pass to the ball? I'm sorry, but that was set for a perfectly legitimate stike at the ball. Yes, it may have broken the 'keeper's fingers, but that's futbol. You've got to take a poke at the ball that close to goal.