Not sure if sarcastic. When was the last time Italy didn't advance out of the group stage at a World Cup? And how often has it happened at a Euro?
I'm guessing Andreas Herzog, rather than Martin Vasquez, would be coaching in the finals. That's who looked to be leading the team in the final minutes after JK was removed.
Well it certainly isn't the A team. Not with Howard, Johnson, Jones, Bradley, Clint, Zusi, and Altidore missing. However it's a MUCH stronger "second squad" than we've seen in the past which I think is a testament to the coaching, player development, and the growth of MLS. How many actual "contenders" were on the 2009 Gold Cup? 3? Ching, Beckerman, and Holden? (Davies and Feilhaber for like one game too I think). I do think the level of competition and the fact that these are all home games for us has had something to do with the blowouts, but this team also got good results against Costa Rica and Honduras. Regardless, the fact that we are stomping on the throats of minnows is a great sight to see. We've had trouble doing that in the past sometimes. I'm really looking forward to the finals because I think Panama and Mexico had a slightly more difficult road to get there. Also, I agree that Donovan is playing out of his mind right now.
I disagree slightly here. I think the 4-5-1 may be useful when we are playing teams that clearly outclass us. Albeit friendlies JK has shown that he knows how to "circle the wagons" (term coined here I believe) and get a result against tough teams and/or in tough environments. I think that tactic can be very useful at certain times.
From what I understand he worked his a$$ of like crazy every day after practice when he was in England to improve his first touch. The improved running off the ball? Not sure how that developed. Might have been simply from seeing/reading the game at a higher and faster level in Europe. Might be from consistent playing time in Seattle. Might be both.
Lol. Yes. I know where the term originated. Was just saying I think it was first used in this thread to describe eeking out wins in Italy, Azteca, etc.
The last world cup! There've been quite a quite a few tournaments were Italy was not able to take advantage of their seeded position because they kept the score too close with lesser nations. 1966 was famous, unable to score against N. Korea. In 1974 they lost on goal differential because they didn't run up the score against Haiti! In 1982 they just barely made it after three ties and then went on to win the whole tournament. In the 2004 Euros they were out because of score differential when they weren't able to run the score against a bad Bulgarian team. 2010 again ties killed them. It's a pretty standard pattern in them.
Well we have to have some consistency. If LA Galaxy play their B team that means the backups with maybe a starter or two, right? Why should it be different for the NT?
...but that's my point. What exactly makes him mercurial or a super talent? He runs fast in a straight line?
Size of the pool. The Galaxy is working off a limited roster size, whereas the US player pool is probably 40 players deep. Granted there is a fairly significant drop off in quality from player 1 to player 40, but simply by virtue of the comparative sizes of the player pools that the Galaxy has to work with vs. the USMNT has to work with, in my opinion, your "A" team doesn't end at player 11 like it would for a club team . If you want to meet in the middle, I could see saying the top 14-18 guys (11 + subs or game day roster) would be a cutoff for the A team. And then the next 14-18 would comprise a B team. By your logic, Bob Bradley practically took a B team to the last World Cup because of the number of injuries we had going into that tournament. I just don't see it that way. But like I said before...whatever.
While at Aris, he had some very good 'touch and go' players...which I felt at the time was going to be a disaster for him because of how 'slow' he was to that style of game. Boy was I wrong! He fit in so well as a CF with that 'possession' based Aris team at that time! I think his touch/skill has been always downplayed because of his time in MLS and how he scored most of his goals/teams he played on. He's had the skill, just needd to tap into it. Remarkable considering his time after Aris/England he came back overweight, out of shape so much so that his Puebla chance was cancelled and left him teamless, not to mentioned recently getting a divorce. He was in a bad place. Sounders gave him an olive branch...and he's run with it all the way to his NT chances and goals! Amazing....
To be fair similar things were said of EJ when he was younger. Now he has developed into a very nice player that, while maybe not a bonafide starter for the USMNT, can make meaningful contributions and is certainly in the discussion for the 23. I've never understood the hype around Shea, and like EJ before him I was very happy to see him move to Europe. I think with hard work and a step up in the talent level around him he might become a very nice USMNT player.
Actually I think the Puebla thing was a problem on their end, not his. Can't remember where I read that...
BF has shown enough over the years that tell he isn't joking, pushing the limits or pushing buttons the vast majority of time. There truly is a "what color is the sky in your world" aura about him.
It's not like we're going to run out of letters. With that logic how often would any team be a B team? I think really only Mexico brought a squad with players outside the top 18. So then we're stuck with having to use A-, B+, B++ for everybody else.
Well, that's why I made the EJ comparison in a previous post. They seem very similar to me, and EJ has become an asset now, but it was a long hard road. Does Shea have the same will EJ had when things get tough, and they will...that is the question.
His runs are pretty good. Dribbling is much improved. I still think that he overrelies on blasts to score instead of placement. His speed and power, of course, is off the charts.
It's a "B squad". But the fact that Donovan is on it makes it hands down the strongest "B squad" in the history of the USMNT.