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

Just to confirm guys, the "Fire Bruce" chat is a joke right?

If not, please pass me some of what you are on. I can just imagine the headline "US Head Coach fired in the middle of World Cup qualification for his poor roster decision in winning a meaningless game 4-1."

 

Coaching was an D- tonight. Would have been an F if it wasn't for the subs. When has the US ever played well with 3 in the back? 4-4-2 is what we do. And why call in Keller if you aren't going to start him? For that matter, if you aren't using Keller you may as well use MLS goalies, because all the other Euro based keepers are either retired or suck. What a waste of Beasley's time as well. Why would you use arguably our best midfielder as a forward when you have Donovan on the bench?

 

It's not meaningless, it's our confederation's championship.

 

Um, June 17, 2002, against Mexico in the World Cup. Worked pretty well that day.

While I don't think much of Arena's starting lineup, one of Bruce's strengths is to fit the formation to the players he has on the field and the tactics he wants to use, rather than blindly sticking to a formation because it's "what we do".

 

It sounds as if the U.S. played a horrid match tonight. One thing that surprised me was the hating of Cuba. Their FIFA Ranking is higher than most think, they are #70, somewhat respectable. Canada is #85, T&T is #58, Guatemala is #59, Honduras is #50, Haiti is #88, and Panama is #98. We beat Panama 6-0 at home and 3-0 on the road recently. That would lead you to believe that we should win by 3 or 4 on full strength. We were well below that. Playing our B Gold Cup side which is closer to third string. From what I read it was a 1 or 2 goal win as far as possession goes.

Quick (read: not perfectly accurate) assessment of placement on depth chart
Hahnemann- #2
Hejduk- #2
Conrad- #6
Sanneh- #4
Armas- #5
Olsen- #6
Quaranta- #4
Davis- #4
Dempsey- #2
Casey- #4
Beasley- N/A; out of position

Bring in JOB (#1), Donovan (#1), Wolff (#3) and we go from a 2-1 win assuming we stick with the first XI to a blowout. This shows that we only have a certain amount of depth. It isn't limitless as England, Holland, Brazil, Italy, Spain, etc. seemingly have.

 

Holy cow. Can't believe that one squeezed through there with no props. LMFAO

 

I agree with Fire-Chop on Hejduk and the goal allowed!!!!

I too haven't read the entire thread... Hejduk's play along with Sanneh's poor stab at the shot allowed the goal.

I'm not completely an MLS expert, but how is Hejduk allowed on the USMNT with no left foot? I am completely amazed to see a someone on the professional level with without the capability to use both feet. I never realized it until I saw him in person at the 2003 MLS All-Star game, he doesn't even trap the ball with his left foot!!! Also, are the USMNT in such dire need for a defender that they have to play one with a broken wrist and artificial left foot?

I know Copa del Oro is not a major tournament, and Arena is trying out players for the WC2006 stretch run, but PUUULEASSEE do NOT select Hejduk for 2006!!!

Also pretty much the rest of the USA right side of the pitch was a waste tonight. How many times did the right forward fall down and completely wifff on the crosses? Nine....ten times....

Great to see Beasly and Donovan save the team!!!

 

I'd say this "chart" is grossly inacurate.

As much as I like Brad Davis, he is probably number 8 on the depth chart for his position on the USMNT. And Olsen? PLEASE! He doesn't belong.

 

I remember him allright. He was the best field player the US had in the tournament. He was stunning shutting down Figo in the opening game and had that perfect cross to McBride which gave us the largest does of confidence.

One game is correct. Every player can have an off game. But this one is terrible. He looks outclassed by Cuba. Ditto for Armas and Casey.

I do think Quaranta looks promising. Unafraid to go at the defense and has that determined stare. Dempsey, while missing a few sitters, still has that uncanny ability to be in the right spot at the right time. I like that.

 

I think 2-3 yrs. from now I wont even remember I saw this match.

Whew, it rivals a Chivas USA v. Fire preseason scrimmage....wholy hell, that last ten minutes looked crazy. Cuba just laid down (literally, that, for the GK)...we must've had 90% posession in those last 20 minutes.

Agst. that backline Cuba should've scored 3-4 goals...Sanneh is off the charts on his backchecking, he just must feel personally embarassed about his performance tonite...too bad. I'll remember some great Tony S. from '02 and hope he hangs 'em up.

We can score but, this was Cuba. We'll see El Tri in the finals and then we'll see what works.

Nite.

 

...which Canada won recently in a final that had less than 5000 people attend, IIRC. It isn't that big a deal, frankly. It's a nice thing to say you've won, but not more.

If you want to complain re: Bruce, do so if he plays Sanneh or Olsen any more in the WC run-up.

I sound like a broken record when I say this, but Bruce knows waaaaaaaay more about what's going on w/ US players and how to get to and succeed in a World Cup than ANYONE, BAR NONE, on these boards. We can say "what the hell was he doing there?" all we want to, but come on, we really can't question whether he deserves his spot as coach at this point.

Bruce is getting ready for '06, period.

That being said, it sounds like a super-crappy match. No doubt the Mexies will use it as fodder for their "US is in decline/Mexico is ascending" lines they've been foisting on us lately.

 

Is this the monlogue from that scene in Animal house where they all hum "God Bless America" and march out of the courtroom? I really liked that scene, but where's the part about Pearl Harbor?

 

say what? all i've read was how bad the US played, and that they are young and inexperienced, that Arena it's seeing how they would handle the pressure(like beating Cuba is any kind of pressure)..etc...

 

Those are actually two different scenes too.

The "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" bit was later on in the film.

 

Agreed, if they want it to be more, then stop inviting 2 guest teams, we have more than enough teams in our confederation to fill up the 12 spots.

 

It looked like on both goals, he just tapped his chest with both hands. Like he was burping a baby.

OMG. Is someone preggers????

 

Especially since we use NHL players in the Olympics now.

Bill Baker: Minnesota
Steve Janaszak: Minnesota
Eric Strobel: Minnesota
Steve Christoff: Minnesota
Rob McClanahan: Minnesota
Mike Ramsey: Minnesota
Neal Broten: Minnesota
Buzz Schneider: Minnesota
Phil Verchota: Minnesota

Mark Johnson: Wisconsin
Bob Suter: Wisconsin

Ken Morrow: Bowling Green
Mark Wells: Bowling Green

Dave Christian: North Dakota

Mike Eruzione: Boston U.
Dave Silk: Boston U.
Jack O'Callahan: Boston U.
Jim Craig: Boston U.

Mark Pavelich: Minnesota-Duluth
John Harrington: Minnesota-Duluth

 

In 24 hours, I'll rep you for this. Trust me. Well freaking done.

 

Surely you're kidding. The folks at sportscenter had absolutely no clue that the US even played last night, let alone in what tournament. Soccer is NOT recognized as a sport by mainstream America. Deal with it. It's a lot less frustrating !

 

I am afraid that this squad will not replicate the heroics of the last World Cup - they werent winning for 87 mins against a 10 man Cuba team.....ouch

 

Originally Posted by PaulGascoigne
I sound like a broken record when I say this, but Bruce knows waaaaaaaay more about what's going on w/ US players and how to get to and succeed in a World Cup than ANYONE, BAR NONE, on these boards. We can say "what the hell was he doing there?" all we want to, but come on, we really can't question whether he deserves his spot as coach at this point.

Bruce is getting ready for '06, period.
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ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!!!!

bs posters much prefer the "what was bruce thinking" hyperbole. but give bruce an A tonight for playing the lower rung horses against what he thought was going to be the worst of the 3 teams he had to play in 5 days.

yes, folks. 3 games in 5 days. and he does not have a 28 man roster like the epl does and even they holler and gripe about this kind of tight scheduling when it happens occasionally over there.

bruce has repeatedly railed against this kind of schedule. he says it disrespects and insults the players and the fans. it's and impossibility, if you want to see the players going full bore for the full 90 as you would expect in the championship of the confederation.

one day's rest and he has to trot them out again on saturday, and then 2 days rest and travel and then he has to play again.

if costa rica or mexico (i know they're not in our group) was the first opponent, you would have seen a different team.

he found what could be a gem of a player in quaranta at one of our desperately awful positions - right mid, he saw that sanneh and olsen can't hack it even against cuba, he discovered that conrad and davis can be serviceable agains second rate international sides, he got 3 points, and he did all that without using up most of his ammunition.

again, he has his faults, but give the man an A!

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serie Zed
To say that Sanneh is rusty would be an insult to oxides everywhere.

ballstatemiddie's reply:
Holy cow. Can't believe that one squeezed through there with no props. LMFAO
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just read thru the thread today. usually i skim thru the first few pages and then go to the last page. but i'm glad i took the time or else i would have missed serie zed's POTY!!!!!!!

 

Great post, serie. For all the bitching, we know from the tournament that at least 3 players (Olsen and Sanneh are over the hill--too slow; Casey won't be ready almost certainly). It's addition by subtraction.

I saw none of the tournament, but I think with few exceptions Bruce won't cap too many new faces before the WC, barring more injuries. There are too many people who need to be given more run-outs.