I agree he should be out wide as well. He is a winger at PSV, and a very dangerous winger at that. I love watching AC Milan put a mark on him as he came on in the Champions League game. To me that was a sign of respect because they knew what he could do to them if left unattended. But I agree. He is most dangerous as a winger. Beasley out wide, Donovan in the middle, EJ up top. It may not be the best in the world but it's plenty dangerous and enough to go far next summer in Germany. I just pray all of them are healthy. I also pray my beloved Blues make it. Geez, Israel has more points than them right now.
I think the most important thing we can take away from these first two games is that Donovan seems to have put away that internationally embarrassing goal celebration.
Back from the game and here's my thoughts and evals: - I think the fans all thought they were in kindergarden again, having a group nap. I'm talking quiet. Player observations that stood out for me: - Vanney just can't play defense @ left back internationally. Some good crosses but a zero on defense. - Pope was good in the first half. Very active. So does anyone know why he was subbed out? He was the last player to leave the field at the half and he was talking to a trainer. - Gooch is just plays at a higher level- literally- than the players around him. - Conrad played better today. I think we should definitely consider him being in the mix for central defense for Germany. Gooch, Gibbs, Pope, Conrad, Bocanegra, Berhalter, Sanneh: roughly in that order. - JOB and Arena were in close touch in the second half with Arena asking him when he needed to sit. Otherwise he looked good. Please, Bruce, we need him at left back. - You know although Dolo and Ralston looked good, particularly Dolo, somehow the two parts just didn't add up as they should have. I wanted more results. Of course sending in crosses to Wolff and Noonan is not a surefire strategy... - .... Which, with Casey now out, makes me want to see Dempsey and Quaranta paired up at forward. - However did you hear the crowd boo the seemingly 35th back pass by Chris Armas?
I did not get to see the game but, FYI, if you have a "movie" setting for your TV, it often helps this problem for me!
This match was much better at the start than the Cuba match. I thought defensivly Canada gave our boys a fit. Yallop has done a good job with what he has has to work with. Other than that this was a draw, but Canada helped us out accidently on their own goal. Also it was nice to see LD score that header for his third of the Cold Cup. I was able to catch the Rogers sportsnet version of Canada Vs USA in English and I have to say that their announcers do a very good job and RSN does a great job producing it as well.
A few thoughts after the game-- I am not a big Vanney fan--I am always expecting him to get just left in the dust by a speedy forward--but I like how he is good for one good crackling shot from outside the box per game. Once in a while I hear they even go in--but it changes the routine of down the wing and cross. i wasn't sure we got on past the first defender all game. I was really looking forward to seeing JOB on the field again. Still can't get used to him with hair--had a hard time picking him out. (Was it just me or was the production horrible--its like they spent $3 for one lens with any close up ability--and every five minutes the GOLD CUP slogan would blot out the TV so they could advertise the Mexico game again and again and you would lose track of where the ball was. And those shadows--it kept looking like Wolff would kick the ball out of bounds for no apparent reason.) Anyway--it was apparent that he is not in top form but I could still see the quality in his play. He too took a shot--a worm burner--from outside the box and actually got it on frame. (and there was much rejoicing) I didn't think he had a great influence on the game, other than, of course, sloting the ball so that it ricocheted off one Canadian player onto the head of another and right into the goal. I keep hearing how Steve Ralston is too slow to play internationally (which is goofy since he obvioulsy is doing so). I always feel when I watch him play that I know I am going to get one supremely great cross-shot that will cause havoc with the defense. Did it in Panama, in Alabama against Guatamala and here today with Noonan's terrible finish. I am also really enjoying watching DMB grow as a soccer player. His subtleness is becoming outstanding. I always used to see him as a speed guy--that was his game--he would try to run you, turn you, out flank you etc. That little chip he hit which almost went in was wonderfully struck, and, more importantly imo, shows he is getting the idea that there are many ways to skin the rabbit. See the GK off his line--let's see if you can get back in time. Great idea. I haven't seen it commented on but I enjoyed watching Gooch take a throw in today. It went a long way--it seemed like a third of the field. I thought he played really well--as did all the defenders. They had good communication. Keller didn't have to be great today. 'Dolo seemed all over the field today. He played a really strong game. I think Canada has a strong defense. (Don't get out much--think they bunker all night) They have allowed three goals in two games--an own goal, a PK (more than dubious call), and that wonderfull header by LD. And they have there "easiest" game with Cuba coming up. Give them credit. (the fact that we can't cross a ball to save our life notwithstanding.) Donovan really is a hell of a good player. (No news there!)
The lineup was... exactly the 11 guys who didn't start against Cuba. Bruce had a 22-man squad. ---------------- Keller --------------- Cherundolo - Pope - Onyewu - Vanney -------------- Mastroeni -------------- Ralston ----------------------- Beasley -------------- Donovan --------------- ---- Wolff --------------- Noonan -----
Onyewu - Great player. No doubt he'll be starting in Germany '06. Wolff - He had an average game. And that's the problem, people. Where Donovan, Beasley, and others have average games once in a while, this guys never seems to have a great game. Forwards put the ball in the back of the net and create goals. That's how they need to be evaluated. Wolff doesn't get it done. I hope to God he won't be in WC '06. Sanneh - Had a significantly better game. I can't believe some of you are still considering him for the WC. I hope Arena doesn't. Any Fire fan will tell you Sanneh is nowhere close to where he was in '02. Ralston - I thought he showed enough out there to be looked at some more. Noonan - I don't think this game did anything for his chances. We'll see if he's able to do anything in later games. Having said this, if that chip that hit the crossbar would have gone in, and that header... well... whole different story. He'll get other chances. Let's see what he does with 'em. Donovan - He scored again. Nothing else needs to be said. Beasley - Frustrates at times, but again, he's the type of player that produces goals. That's all you can ask for. I also have a strong feeling that he plays relative to his opponent. I expect him to play much, much bettter against strong teams. He knows he's a lock on the team, so he's not gonna kill himself out there in the Gold Cup.
I seriously doubt Conrad is ahead of Bocanegra in the mix for central defender, or Berhalter for that matter.
As someone else who attended the match in person, here are my observations.... Onyewu - dominant in the air, a little bit shaky when the ball was at his feet in close quarters....read the game very well...could challenge Pope for a starting centerback spot in '06. Cherundolo - has become a great right back O'Brien - looked great....the fact that the air completely went out of the US attack when he was subbed attests to his importance. Mastroeni - very composed in the holding midfield role....could challenge Reyna for the starting spot in that role in '06, just as he capably replaced him in the famous victory over Portgual in WC2002. Noonan - industrious, but missed an asbolute sitter of a header, which you cannot do at the international level. Wolff - was played in a role that does not work for him, i.e. as the front runner with his back to goal (the role normally filled by McBride)...needs to be given space to use his speed in order to be effective, which means he cannot be the target man like he was today.
Kaka, Geez, saw him live at a game at Udinese last year. Whatever skills translate on TV is only a fraction of what this guy is like in real life. Just flat out amazing. I don't know any defender who would want him running at them.
2-0 win against Canada, I wouldn't have been happy winning with an own goal by Canada. Thankful for the Donovan goal.
JOB Thought the line-up for this game was pretty obvious ... will be very interesting to see the starting 11 v CRC given cards and play.
More appropriately, do we have anyone other than Donovan that can finish occasionally? Even LD didn't do too well with his early chances. And after watching the replay I have to say had he missed that last header he should quit the national team.
All of the above at least have the physical ability to put up a fight. They'd just blow right by Vanney. He is too slow. Wingers get to the corner and cross off of him far too easily because he just can't run with them.
We truly have a serious shortage of finishers. EJ is our only other consistent finisher. We're building up, creating the good looks, and just missing far too often. But I think we'll start to see some guys rip the nets as we go forward. There's no way you get as many looks as we do and not get so mad you just start to put them away 'cause you're so damn pissed off after missing so often. Beasley on ussoccer.com said that BA was all over these guys at half-time today about the lack of scoring. Gooch was a monster today, and I loved seeing JOB as a starter again. Conor Casey (sucks that he tore his ACL) seems to be unable to get it together, sort of like Twellman. He was OK against Cuba, giving that the whole team was disjointed, but I wanted to see more of him in a tourney, and I think he's hurt his WC chances. I like the fact that we can throw out a mixed-up line-up against Costa Rica, with the quarters in our pocket. After tomorrow and Monday's games, we should know who we're likely to play. Anyway, we're moving on. Better than Mexico so far. Tomorrow's Guat/Mex game will be huge.
Would you feel better if I told you Cristiano Ronaldo did jack against Canada about six months ago? Unless you count whining and doing step-overs until he was dispossesed as something. You have a very good team (despite appearances today) and the depth is solid. I even thought Vanney looked like a decent back-up leftback. I don't think there's too many teams that have one player that should keep you up nights. cheers, hobbes
We played better in this game then the Cuba game and we had chances to score. I thought for the game I saw Noonan made a pretty good impresseion and O'Brien can still play. Problem is finishing hard to find finishers Noonan can help with that and need Johnson back he will help us. Vanney to many turnovers on bad passes.
Is the next match against Costa Rica? We don't match up that well against them and they are not a bad team. Let's beat them and not put a team on the field that we did against Cuba and it would be a good match for our development.