Pre-match: US V Netherlands Pre match (R's)

Those are some pretty disrespectful comments from this Foppe de Haan guy. If the Dutch come into this game overconfident, they could be in for a rude surprise. This has tended to be a big advantage for the US historically. I hope the players and coaches hear about this.

 

And we have a winner.

This is the money quote.

 

my bad I meant the ING cup not Toulon. They have not looked very good in their last 2 matches. I mean to not even create even one good scoring chance against Nigeria (a team whose defence has often given me heart palpitations). I think they are overhyped personally, or just not stepping up to the occasion.

 

Yeah, I'd like that too, can we maybe take a cue from our own U20's and play something like this:

---------------Guzan----------------
Wynne---Edu---Parkhurst---Orozco
-------Bradley---Szetela--------
--Holden---------------Rogers--
-------------Adu---------------
-------------Altidore------------

It worked before, we saw Adu thrive with the freedom to be in the "hole" and have 2 strong players behind him who both like to make runs forward from time to time as well. Sacha just had a bad game, and turned the ball over too much, which killed many attacks and hurt our rhythm. I think Altidore/Adu will look better than Altidore/McHead which hurts to say cuz I love McB, but I think this would be a very strong lineup.

 

Ah, bulletin board material. Now I am going to be really upset if we lose this game.

 

IMO, the biggest worry is Michael Bradley's club teammate, Gerald Sibon - all 6-feet-6 of him.

Sibon is coming off a career year at 'veen, scoring 17 goals. IMO, this is where the US will be punished for Nowak (and by extension, Rongen and Schmid in the last two U20 cycles) never giving any bigger (6-3 and up) centerbacks a longer look.

Given the lack of size on our backline - Sibin is 6 inches taller than Edu and 8 taller than Parky - the key, IMO, to containing Sibon is for the wingbacks and flank mids to contain the service into the box.

Edu and Orozco will have their hands full but we all know Dutch fullbacks love to get into the attack and that's the widemids mark so it's imperative that Rongers and Holden stay with them and don't allow them to get accurat crosses in.

With the US flanks likely unable to pinch in much, it puts a lot more pressure on Michael Bradley and whoever his partner in midfield is but odds are it also means another of the dreaded empty bucket formations to avoid putting to much pressure on Mikey to clog things up the middle by himself.

Also, the pressure is on to not commit a of fouls in dangerous free kick areas because of Sibon, as well.

Basically, a team with a prodcutive big forward, strong flank play and technical players who draw a lot of fouls is the worst nightmare for this US team to defend.

 

You judge upon a wacky translation. What he really said wasnot disrespectful. He said that Nigeria has a few (2, 3) players that are very good, but that the US team has a more evenly distributed quality what effects the kind of team it is. Nigeria is a team that depends on the quality of those few players, as the US team depends more on being a team (=not playing as servants of a few stars).
It's called an analysis, not a sneer..

 

Being the first Euro team to win the Euro title in succession is a sure thing to being overhyped. As far as my English linguistic skills go overhyped means being given qualities that are not present in reality.
So if I understand you correctly winning the Euro title twice in a row isnot a sign of quality.

That doesnot mean that I think the USA doesnot have a chance to win the match. They do, as any team can. We are good, but not invincable, especially in the weird circumstances the matches are being played it all can fall towards the team that has the luck of being the one that dehydrates the least or smart enough to run as little as possible.

 

I have worked with Dutch people in trhe Netherland Antilles. They defiintely do not mince words. I can see how this comment comes off. The dutch coach probably meant nothing (read a more balanced team) by it but I can see how this can rile the olympic US team.

 

Wacky translation?!? Who are you calling wacky?!? So you mean this isn't going to be a body-bag game? We're not going to have to start Seitz as a field player with instructions to put Sibon into some sort of complicated submission hold? You mean we're getting fired up over nothing?

Well, I'm afraid it's too late, we're aflame. So go stick your finger into something - you're leaking!

 

Well, in that heat pressure cooker that's all we can ask for. I would be more worried when you said you were cool as an iceberg

 

You're flaming? I didn't know this was a confessional thread

 

IMO this is absolutely the best lineup we could see.

 

Yo traigo fuego!

 

I think I'd put Davies in instead of McBride if you feel the need to play two guys up top. McBride is a post player and won't (and shouldn't) drift wide to keep the outside backs honest. Davies has a better skillset for this role, IMO.

That being said, I'd still start Adu and Altidore up top, and bring in Szetela for Sacha. Leave Rogers on the left, Danny on the right, and Holden shifts to the middle. I think Holden is better two-way than Sacha and would work better there.

 

Seconded.

 

So, what would your solution be if de Haan would put in the team I posted?

--------------------------------Guzan--------------------------------
Wynne------------Edu----------------------------Parkhurst-----Orozco
----------------------Bradley--------------Szetela------------------------------------------------Holden---------------Rogers--
--------------------------------Adu--------------------------------
--------------------------------Altidore--------------------------------

--------------------------------Sibon--------------------------------
-----Drenthe------------------- Babel------------------de Guzman----
-----------------Emanuelson-----------------Maduro------------------
Jon A Pin-----------Marcellis-----------------Jaliens-----------Zuiverloon
--------------------------------Vermeer--------------------------------

or this solution:

--------------------------------Guzan--------------------------------
Wynne----------Parkhurst------------------Edu-----------------Orozco
-----------Holden--------------Bradley----------------Rogers----------
--------------------------------Adu--------------------------------
-----------------------Altidore--------McBride-----------------------

--------------------------------Sibon--------------------------------
-----Drenthe------------------- Babel------------------de Guzman----
-----------------Emanuelson-----------------Maduro------------------
Jon A Pin-----------Marcellis-----------------Jaliens-----------Zuiverloon
--------------------------------Vermeer--------------------------------

 

Off-topic: is there any great site where i can watch live/replay video streaming of all Olympics men soccer matches? I've been advised that NBC had a good one, but alas it was not meant for International viewing (only USA). Help please???

 

bump that one!

 

The idea of putting Babel out wide (where he plays for Liverpool) and running him at Orozco is pretty scarry. Orozco is going to need help and it probably will not come from Rogers.

 

Does anyone know why Orozco was the only player to not participate in the opening ceremonies?

 

As a one on one defender I have a lot of confidence in Orozco, but he was caught out of position a few times against Japan, which worries me as well.

 

Saving his legs for Sunday?

 

Yes, that seems logical. Except that you need McBride's grit and experience for this one, to say nothing of his ability on set pieces. Also, playing Altidore next to him and Adu underneath will relieve a lot of the work he has to do when he's the lone striker.

McBride is a warrior and this is exactly the type of game he was added to the team for. Give him 50-60 minutes, then bring in Davies to run at the tired Dutch defenders.