The 3 game stretch is over...(R)

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by DMTerp02, Jun 8, 2008.

  1. DMTerp02

    DMTerp02 Member+

    Jun 2, 2007
    Annapolis, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And what have we learned?

    Well, we scored a grand total of 0 goals. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

    That's, um, a problem, despite a great effort tonight.
     
  2. FirstStar

    FirstStar Hustlin' for the USA

    Fulham Football Club
    Feb 1, 2005
    Time's Arrow
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dunno what everyone learned, but I can sum up all of the last week of BS in two words:

    Fire Bob.
     
  3. jamtime

    jamtime Member

    Jan 14, 2007
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We learned that Bob Bradley loves Johnson and hates Adu
     
  4. galperin

    galperin Member

    Feb 1, 2001
    Maineville, OH
    We've learned:

    1. Timmy Howard is still the man.
    2. Just how valuable Landon is.
    3. Freddy can now contribute.
    4. Heath Pearce is decent (fabulous against Arg), but we still need other options at LB.
    5. EJ doesn't have it.
    6. Josh Wolff doesn't have it.
    7. Cherundolo is looking a little shaky.
    8. Michael Bradley is not quite ready for the big time.
    9. Bob Bradley picks very poor lineups.
     
  5. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Howard is stepping up into Brad Friedel territory.

    Edu has established himself as the most and gifted of the true central mids.

    Pearce is the number #1 left back and hopefully made himself some money if not this season then down the road.

    Adu needs to start.

    EJ needs to sit.

    Bradley should not be an automatic starter.

    Eddie Lewis > Beasley

    Kljestan ready for the next level?

    Fire Bob.
     
  6. galperin

    galperin Member

    Feb 1, 2001
    Maineville, OH
    Ain't that the truth. :mad:
     
  7. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    I'll agree with everything, but the Cherundolo line. He's probably the most unappreciated Nat we've go.

    We played Spain and England away, and Argentina at home, and gave up a grand total of 4 goals. That's actually very good. Mexico lost just to Argentina 4-1 this past week. You're going to give up goals to those teams, they just have so much talent. So the defense (and especially the goalkeeping) are in good shape going into qualifying. I'm not worried about that.

    I'm worried about where the goals are gonna come from. Not against Barbados, or Cuba, or El Salvador. Against the top teams in the world we seem to be a bit naive up top. I'd say SIT EDDIE! But I'm not sure the other options are any better. Altidore's still got something to prove at this level. Let me re-phrase. I'm not sure the other options are better, but I'm certainly willing to find out.
     
  8. DMTerp02

    DMTerp02 Member+

    Jun 2, 2007
    Annapolis, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agreed, the defense was decent, given the competition. But we HAVE to figure out how to score in the run of play. We're too dependent on set pieces and we can't even convert those against good comp. We're turning into England lite, and this squad looks too much like the one we saw in the WC 2 years ago.
     
  9. flux82

    flux82 Member

    Aug 9, 2001
    Mississippi
    It is the same thing that has always plagued the NT: poor finishing. Also, the Argentina game showed me we have some young players that need to be unleashed. Finally, desperately want to see three things, all concerning our attack:

    1. Robbie Rogers: there is a reason he is being hacked unmercifully right now in MLS.
    2. Kenny Cooper: unlike EJ, he has some confidence in from of goal.
    3. Jozy Altidore: there were extenuating circumstances, but I can't wait until he becomes a full-timer for us.
     
  10. jamtime

    jamtime Member

    Jan 14, 2007
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Are you mad???? Haven't you heard he's the next Pele? Check out his highlight real
     
  11. YankatOxford

    YankatOxford Member+

    Oct 15, 2007

    Did I miss one someplace? 2-0 to England (Terry, Gerrard) 1-0 to Spain (Xavi) ; 0-0 against Argentina
     
  12. galaxyfan03

    galaxyfan03 Member

    Jul 4, 2001
    Glendale, California
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Goal-scoring is still a MAJOR problem...especially, in the run of play!! But I did like the way we got better with each game...from HORRIBLE v England to SOLID v Argentina!! And I have NO doubt that we will score A PLENTY next week!!

    Oh yeah...Tim Howard is THE man!!!
     
  13. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    At this point in time. He just came off an injury and has not looked particularly sharp, though he looked better today than in the other two matches. Nevertheless, if I'm filling out my line-up card for the first game against Barbados, Lewis's name is on the first XI and Beasley's is not.
     
  14. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Don't know that I'd say there was improvement; it just seems that Tim Howard had a great game for us.
     
  15. olephill2

    olephill2 Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Club:
    Watford FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No. Cherundolo looked fine in all 3 matches. He's far and away still our best RB, as proven when Hejduk got absolutely scorched in the 2nd half against Spain.

    As Clint Eastwood rightly points out, Steve Cherundolo is probably the most underappreciated player on our squad.
     
  16. Lord15

    Lord15 New Member

    Jun 20, 2001
    Southeast
    It's tough to score goals when you insist on always playing with two dmids and one forward - It's also easier to keep the score down.

    The real test of Bradley is if he comes out against Barbados with his normal (suckass) formation, or if he comes out to win the game.

    If it's the former, Sunil should fire him at the end of the game.
     
  17. dsnipes1

    dsnipes1 Member

    Aug 12, 2005
    bob bradley has effectively neutered the team. and so long as he is in charge, we will remain offensively inept. its not the players, its the system . . .

    the sad thing is, the 0-0 draw from today will buoy those that can't see how bad things are.
     
  18. DMTerp02

    DMTerp02 Member+

    Jun 2, 2007
    Annapolis, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dolo is soooo underappreciated. And again I was impressed by Pearce on the left.
     
  19. Nutmeg

    Nutmeg Member+

    Aug 24, 1999
    And one more. The future is now. Our young guns + Landon, Howard, and Pearce.
     
  20. minya

    minya Member

    Mar 27, 2008
    san diego, ca
    But in any case Sunil should fire him at the end of the second game.
     
  21. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    You don't agree about Edu? :)
     
  22. Nutmeg

    Nutmeg Member+

    Aug 24, 1999
    Uh, that one just seems obvious? I'm sure Nowak saw that performance and thought Edu looked like a marvelous central defender, though.
     
  23. Missionary

    Missionary Member

    Jul 13, 2003
    Mission Viejo
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can't take this team seriously until they get Rogers out there to run with Freddy, Sacha and Josy.
     
  24. Nutmeg

    Nutmeg Member+

    Aug 24, 1999
    Don't hold your breath. Going through a hypothetical starting 11, I realized it came down to Rogers or Donovan.

    I know you're a fan, but I hope you're not a delusional one.
     
  25. FnordUnitedFC

    FnordUnitedFC Member

    Jun 22, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We learned that Tim Howard saved Bob Bradley's job tonight because we should have been down 4-0 at halftime with that stupid ass lineup.

    We also learned that we can be very resilient and that Adu/Edu should be on the field, and we look good when we PUSH FORWARD AND NOT DEFEND INCESSANTLY FOR 90 MINUTES.

    As much as I hate Bob for the lineup, I will give him credit for the subs in finally taking baby Bradley and Dempsey off, and having a go at Argentina.

    That's all we've been asking of Bob to do, have a go at people, and look how good we looked in the second half doing it!
     

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