I am really happy for EJ. He has worked really hard in Seattle. Hope all of you naysayers apologize to him. Good win...a lot of poor play.
EJ has always scored against this comp. I said as much when I first heard the news. Good for Klinsi for realizing. Zusi played well, I thought. I hope Dempsey apologizes to him after the match. Dempsey was sluggish. Gordon contributed. Klinsi may know what he's talking about when it comes to strikers. Bradley was everywhere, this is his best role.
Hmm.... did we completely throw out the counter attack? 87th minute, down 1, Bocanegra walking it up after Antigua has just comitted in numbers on a break. It looked so strange, what a wasted chance. Just as strange, Eddie Johnson reading the play, peeling away from his marker and drifting back post, splitting the centerbacks - attacking header for the goal. Wow. More Gordon and Johnson on together, more people that can cross. Calling Eddie Lewis, are you out there??
I'm glad the scoring was from MLS guys; Ej scored two and Zusi and Gordon with assists, that's great. But, we really played bad. I'm starting to spend more time being angry while watching games than enjoying them.
Sorry, Eddie wasn't good, despite his usual game against a minnow. Nor was Zusi. Nor was Gomez. Nor was anyone else, mostly because those three were terrible. EJ is positionally terrible, Zusi was so, so bad, and Gomez looked like a donkey tonight.
All y'all younguns who are shocked by EJ's efficacy in front of goal may be even more shocked to learn that just about eight years ago exactly (actually, precisely the same game of the cycle--fifth match of the semis), Eddie Johnson made his US debut by scoring a hat trick as a sub against Panama in a 6-0 rout. Then he kept scoring up a storm, something insane like six goals in his first several games. He was the consensus future of US soccer, a la Jozy circa 2008. What happened in the interim is tricky, but the notion that he can light it up when in-form and given good service is not new and something older-school US fans remember well, though from a very brief period. That said, I'm very skeptical that EJ is going to keep scoring with this level of consistency but hey--stranger things have happened. Maybe his career will be a crazy bimodal distribution and whatnot.
Eddie has been terrific in MLS this year. The 2 goals were obviously great, but the time he split the defenders with the dribble on the left side in the 2nd half was a) impressive and b) something he's done with regularity with his club this year. But he's a forward, not a wing.
This is where I get to gloat right? Been saying EJ was the man for the job against this team. Had faith in Gordon as well. The stats that man has dont lie. Jurgen once again proves everyone wrong and all the naysayers can weep in humility. Missing many of our best players, against a questionable ref, in a miniature field (great for bunkering teams), in bad weather, against a team looking for a draw, not giving into pressure and laying it out. Was it pretty? No. Did it work? Yes. EJ may have just closed out Altidore's spot for the time being.
herc just didn't have it tonight. if he finishes like we've come to expect he could've had a brace in the first half. some just heavy heavy touches from him.
I thought Gomez was awful. Sure, he hustles, but he does not help in trying to break down a bunker. EJ can't play on the wing, but obviously deserves a game up top. Dempsey was bad. Zusi played a great ball to EJ on the 1st goal, but other than that was bad. Bradley did so much work and played well, but was a little off at times.
People get pissed when you mention SJ players, but their the best team in the league for a reason. Gordon helped pull victory from the jaws of defeat. Wondo, Lenhart, and Morrow would have done as good or better then their counter parts tonight.
My take is he's learned a great deal. Those, with a better eye than myself who's opinions I greatly respect say he plays a smarter game and from what I've seen, I would have to agree. He had a couple moments there where he seemed confident (something the US seems to lack unless we're down). He was the man of the match for me. I think credit needs to be given to Gordon as well, he was doing exactly what was expected of him when he was on the ball. Props to Jurgen and staff for selecting those two and giving them a chance to prove themselves. That they did.
Probably true. I said this in the game thread, but I think an MLS lineup would have performed better in this scenario. Not that it would or should have happened...
EJ was not good. He was so bad A&B didn't bother marking him in the box... even though they were bunkering...
exactly, we were horrible going forward and looked to be out of ideas from the get-go. for an "attack minded" manager, klinsmann is sure dropping the ball with this team. we've looked out of sorts going forward for some time now.
You can't look at the attack without factoring in the level of competition. And the competition was poor. But beyond that, Gomez was awful beyond belief. Dempsey was nowhere to be found. And amazingly, pretty much the only thing EJ did was put the 2 headers away. With his feet he was terrible again and again. It's clear that his worth to us is as an aerial threat. And good for him for finishing the 2 chances he did. Good on him, but ultimately from a team perspective, this team must create more chances. By the way, did I mention Gomez was awful beyond belief? Two nice chances created for him, and 2 awful touches to blow them. that's just crappy.
Lenhart maybe. I think Wondo MAY deserve another chance. Not sold on Morrow. Lenhart, as a Seattle fan, you love to hate. However, if he was on my team, I'd love him (just not the hair, I mean really, what kind of message does that send to kids ). At the same time, he would get carded in a heart beat in Concacaf games.
Did Gomez contribute anything positive? Maybe he was just too congested on the small field, but this was his worst game for the MNT. I don't know how the commentators kept remarking how they were better off without Jozy
disagree, in that i think the system is more to blame than the players. plugging mls players (or really any other players) into the lineup tonight wouldn't have changed how we played much, the system just isn't working.
Gomez and Dempsey were about as poor as I've ever seen them. Stunk it up bad. EJ was terrific inside the 6-yard box. Largely wasted at LM. Zusi was OK in the 1st half. Bradley had 3 terrific shots and a couple of sweet through balls, but also some sloppy passes and faded in the 2nd half. Kljestan helped and should have come in sooner. Gordon used his height great on that cross to EJ in the 91st minute.