We only need one "ball winner" in the midfield on most occasions I think. Having two messes up the spacing a lot of times. Though, Mexico may not play though the midfield and attack our fullbacks again.
I question his desire for a "possession" based team. We don't really have the players for it, and frankly I don't think Klinsmann has ever shown a preference for it. I mean "possession" in the modern, Barca/Spain model. When you look at his Germany teams, and the way Germany plays since his mini revolution, they aren't possession oriented. When they beat Argentina in 2006 to advance to the semis, they had 42% of possession. When they lost to Italy, 43%. Even when they beat Ecuador 3-0 in the group stage they only had 43%. In 2010 (obviously after Juergen's time, but this was his vision, after all), even when they tore apart Argentina 4-0, they had 47%. Hell, England of all teams had more possession than Germany, despite the absolute shellacking they gave the Three Lions. They often have more than weaker opponents, but the model is nowhere near "possession based" in the way that most people mean it in 2011.
I agree entirely. Perhaps my biggest tactical gripe with Bob was his reliance on the 2 DM model when we really should have been more aggressive, especially in his first two years. Against possession teams with more talent than us, like Mexico, the much reviled "Empty Bucket" is actually an entirely acceptable and intelligent choice. I'm not suggesting that Juergen go full on Bob next week, but there's a middle ground between three defensives zeroes (Adu, LD, Torres) in the midfield and the empty bucket.
Yes. Dynamic and attacking don't necessarily mean the slow tempo-controlling, find the open guy making a diagonal run after 10 passes kind of possession game. And if our academy system and youth development mentality were to be revolutionized today, we're still 10 years at least away from having any kind of success with that sort of system. Germany over the past 5 years or so has been a quick tempo, attack from all over the length and width of the pitch kind of team.
Indeed they have been, and FWIW I've been hardcore pushing that model for the US for years. It's exciting, fun to watch and when you have the players for it, extremely effective. As we stand today it's an infinitely easier adjustment to go to the Germany model than it is to go to the Spain model, which would take 10 years at the earliest. In reality it probably would never happen and would just crash and burn.
I think both the National Team, and MLS have been heading in that direction for a while (until Bob decided to play a slow build up possession game post World Cup).
This I completely agree. After the World Cup, it was painfully obvious that MLS teams were moving in this direction while Bob Bradley was fixated on this system. It's funny, because Klinsi's new system may be more of a fit from the natural development I am seeing in MLS.
Our CD is so poor that they need two guys in front because they don't step up well. We can go with a single CDM if our wingbacks play tight,conceding flank attack. Another alternative is the old Arena "skinny diamond" : ___Back 4____ ____Jones____ Bradley(Holden)______Torres ______Donovan_____ Dempsey______Agudelo
I'm not conceding that Mexico has more talent than us. They may have more talent than the teams BB put together but this is a new day and we're starting even again with some of the BB problem children watching on TV. I don't expect instant results but I do have faith that Klinsmann will make us competitive and I never had that feeling under BB
I wasn't suggesting a "Barca-type" approach; rather, one that values much more highly retention of the ball...relatively-speaking with respect to the previous regime..and a focus on forcing the opponent to counteract what the U.S. does as opposed to the other way around. That to me renders even a two-DM model unlikely. My fundamental point is that it seems pretty clear that Klinsmann wants to lean much more heavily on those with the more nuanced technical game and less on the traditional athletic types; of course, he may be forced to re-evaluate that after the first few friendlies but he seems pretty committed to this philosophy which regardless of the tools with which he currently has to work I think is the right one.
I tried my formation on FIFA recently and I beat spain, and brazil twice in online play. Maybe i should try to be the asst coach.
Re: Roster for Mex Just as an interesting FYI, Chandler was listed as "questionable" for his match today...but he's starting.
Well, no but that's not the point. The point is that he was being withheld so that he could recover at Nurnberg...yet he's starting today. I don't have a problem with him staying at his club for the beginning of the season but I thought others might find this news interesting since he's obviously not THAT injured.
So you think it's wise to shuttle a player who's nursing an injury from Europe to America and back within a week? They want him to take it easy. Makes total sense, and speaks volumes about how the club feels about him. EDIT: Nevermind, misread your post
One time on FIFA, I won the Champions League with Grimbsy Town. I did bring in some hired help, Dempsey, Eddie Johnson and Freddy Adu.
Ya, Klinsi needs to talk to him. Tell him to make a choice: US now, or hold out for the German call up. This is complete BS.
The point is he is not very injured. If he can play a club game, he can play a FIFA date game. Me or USSF? Because that is actually the remedy, but it might not be needed if someone grows a pair...