If you are going to open up to play out of the back, then play out of the back. Don't blast it up the filed when both CBs are spread that wide.
Better system in place, easier to promote tactical and generational continuity, a more "homogeneous" soccer culture, etc. "Biased" officiating is a convenient scapegoat. Refs are human, they sometimes have long memories. Never hurts to stay on the sunny side of their disposition. All elite athletes are born competitors. Some rise to the occasion better than others. Their is no lack of a desire to perform ie win at that level.
Most honest assessment I've seen. Agree with Shaka, say what you will but this is the worst NT we've seen in a long time. I think you have to go back pre-09 to find a worse team. Aside from Pulisic IMO our top 5 are worse than they've been in a long time. I also don't remember having such holes in midfield and our wing talent is quite poor too, never mind we're starting Villafana and Zusi at fullback in must win qualifiers. Boca/Chero were miles better many years ago. What's a surprising stat is Jozy/Wood have combined for 1 goal in 7 Hex games. That's incredible. More incredible is Bruce saw that and then benched the guy with 4 goals in the Hex.
These two have not been emphasized enough. In their first goal, look where Villafaña is! Ream is marking two men and between both because Jorge has gone missing. Also, Fabian has always been at least decent as a LB. Time to move him there, but what is he says "no"? After all, he's already imposed the condition of only playing in important games.
There was 2 years of clamoring for Villafana from JK bashers and MLS writers alike. Villafaña, Villafaña they said. Mediocre forwards are making him look like shit. What happens when he has to face good wingers in the WC group stage? We need to admit that JK had the backline right and keep Yeldin and FJ back there. With our best backline we dominated defensively for much of copa 2016. That line needs to be healthy and the backups need to be sorted by Russia IF we qualify.
I can't really put this one in the rear view. So amateur. I hope th team can pull it together somehow. Unfortunately they will have to do it with a real nadir in talent.
We had to deal with Jurgen wasting time with Edgar Castillo and Greg Garza. I guess now it's Arena's turn with Villafana. Left back is a tricky position for all NTs, for one because lefties are about 5% of the population, and two that you need players who can adapt in a week for NT duty. It's the one position where it can be somewhat excused to stick to a guy who's inconsistent. The only player we've had there doing it well has been Fabian, but he wants to be a winger, so...
Everyone who says no disrespect, means disrespect. What is a dupes rational? You mean rationale? And how was I being a "dupe" exactly? Nobody was steering me toward that opinion but myself. Individually is the only real way to reasonably compare talent levels. Otherwise you're comparing outcomes, which is influenced by a number of factors, and you could almost always come to the (often wrong) conclusion from that, which is that the team with the better talent won. But there's not even close to a consistent outcome between these teams. Did Costa Rica have more collective talent when they lost 4-0 in Chicago last year, or 2-0 at the Gold Cup? Why such a huge fluctuation in outcomes? They are polar opposites to the qualifiers. I'd say the drastic difference in the outcomes were as a result of strategies, usage, selections, and man management by the coaches. In Chicago, Costa Rica pressed recklessly, while the U.S. was set up pragmatically; so the U.S. won going away. On the road Klinsmann lost the team by then. In the Gold Cup, Costa Rica didn't have the confidence or desire to press hardly at all, while the U.S. were set up to fit their reasonably selected talent well enough, so they won. Last Friday Costa Rica selectively pressed and admitted the U.S. were too predictable going thru Bradley/playing from the back, while the U.S. also made multiple lineup reaches and miscast players (both which I foresaw), so they had the optics of being the worse team again. You'd also be lacking in honesty in this case if you didn't acknowledge that the ref missing key calls and the venue choice; both which Bruce acknowledged in an interview today while claiming no excuses, weren't additional factors in the loss. In spite of this, the U.S. still out-shot Costa Rica 14-9. I wouldn't say you're employing a "dupes rational" by arguing Costa Rica has more collective talent in spite those points, but maybe confirming a bias.
Gotta go back way before 2009. Probably 1999-2000. The 2001-2012 teams pretty much played "all out" every game. Late 2012 is when the armor started to crack.
Awwww, you guys just miss Donovan. Some of those teams probably did work a lot harder. Of course, effort =/= performance.
You're duping yourself by believing "they have less talent than we do." Results speak louder than inaccurate words as the Ticos have clearly proven they are a more talented TEAM than the US. Wrong, collectively is the only way to compare talent levels. It's a team game, they've beaten us 7 of last 8 qualifiers. They are more talented at winning big games, individual talent be darned. The only bias at work here is your rose-colored glasses one towards the losing US team.
WCQers USA vs CR: 9/2/17: CR 2 USA 0 11/15/16: CR 4 USA 0 3/22/13: USA 1 CR 0 6/6/13: CR 3 USA 1 11/14/09: CR 2 USA 2 6/3/09: CR 3 USA 1 That's a 1-4-1 record vs CR. CR 14 goals USA 5 goals They own us. Jurgen has the biggest loss but also the only win since 05.
A new twist from Arena why the team lost last Friday : Bruce Arena Thinks U.S. Immigration Debate Fires up Opposing Players Really Bruce!!
I might have started Dempsey and Wood, but starting Altidore is not unreasonable. Clint is 34 years old. As Altidore is out with yellow card accumulation, we'll see Dempsey start the Honduras match alongside Morris, I'm guessing. Wood will come on for Dempsey or Morris, whoever is struggling more.
Can't say the idea didn't cross my head, they do look more motivated against us this time around. But that's no excuse, when you're better you're better, and your motivation is expected to match theirs. Bruce is starting to sound desperate. Not a good sign. Wonder what he's noticed in training.
Me too. Let's hope he gets it together tonight and we don't have a repeat of the last time we lost a home qualifier.
I can not understand the constant carping about Altidore. He set up CP with 2 shots in the penalty area and drew a foul in the box when the damn game was still 0-0! That's a decent output for a whole game against a team as stingy as CR. They kicked Uruguay's butt with the same core at the World Cup.