I'm expecting the Holland game to go as well as the Germany game before the '06 WC, and shatter any confidence the U.S. has going into South Africa.
AW: Re: USMNT Pre World Cup Thread When did the Germany game take place? Seems the confidence-boosting farewell tour hasn't been scheduled yet.
Re: AW: Re: USMNT Pre World Cup Thread It was either March or April of 2006. I believe the score was 4-1.
Re: AW: Re: USMNT Pre World Cup Thread March 22. And I'd rather have us play tough competition than the ridiculous '06 schedule. We played Holland prior to heading to Korea and that loss didn't hurt.
This was our linup: Formation was likely different, but you get the picture. That clearly wasn't an "A" team out there. And raise your hand if you at least once referred to Eddie Johnson as "GAM"? That stands for "grown ass man". I may have done that on occasion. I'm laughing just thinking I once did that. But yeah, several players who featured in the Poland win weren't out there that day. If their confidence was shattered, it's because the US played a ridiculously sheltered schedule in 2005 and held an unrealistically high FIFA ranking as a result. Some US fans bought into that (I remember at the draw in 2006, Lalas and Balboa both considered the US contenders and claimed France was not).
if they can't compete with holland, in holland, then they can't compete at the world cup. so who gives a shit? I wish they could play Italy in Italy, Argentina in Argentina, Brazil in Brazil and Spain in Spain. Who cares if they lost the aggregate of those matches 1-55? At least then (as Chowda points out) ridiculously high expectations wouldn't be placed. At the very worst, you learn what you are, and learn the level of competition you need to face to actually compete at the world cup. The sheltering bullshit is ********ing useless.
I hope the USSF schedules only 1 home match. I like the Honduras match in LA, because it won't really be a full home crowd. They should also try to pick up a game on the African continent. Egypt? Ivory Coast? both? They should also try and pick up Russia, and Ireland/Scotland. All games away. Boy, if I was running USSF, we would easily win the WC.
Not that it matters, but the 4-1 loss in Germany was not on a FIFA date so he had a second team at best. Zavagnin? Also, Germany and Klinsman (sp?) were under a lot of pressure. Didn't they get beat by Italy on the actual FIFA date earlier that March? Anyway, I think Germany had most of its "A" players available. I remember thinking the game was pointless due to the roster, that the game was an example of a motivated A team at home pounding a "B" team in the span of just a few minutes of the second half (like our recent game in Denmark), and remember the game for Dolo's odd 70 yard goal. Regarding playing Holland in Holland, Italy in Italy, etc. I agree. Was it 2002 when we played Italty in Italy, Germany in Germany, and Ireland in Ireland? Remember the last time we played Holland in Holland? We lost 1 - 0 on a Hejduk, but were called out after the game by Holland's coach as being too negative and not offering them a worthwhile game. Hopefully, we will try to use this game as a friendly evaluation and not a win at all costs bunkerfest. Usually, I like to see the friendlies over the first few years after a World Cup be used to evaluate new/fringe players and address holes in the lineup. They should not be win at all cost games in those years. Then in the springtime of the World Cup year it is common to schedule games against teams who are similar to teams you will play in your World Cup group. That is a good idea if you use the game to test possible game plans, lineups, and tactics against the opponents who resemble your World Cup opponents. I guess given our injuries and newly available players (Jones/Castillo) that there will still be some auditioning going on? It is not ideal, but in the end the score of friendlies means nothing. It is how you play that matters, not who wins. Hopefully we will approach these games from that perspective. Regardless, the next game the US will play that will really matter to the team on the other side of the ball is on 6/12 against England. The last game the US played that mattered was against Costa Rica. I know that people got injured, but that was the last time the US will face a motivated opponent before the summer. Costa Rica was playing for their lives. Holland might be more glamorous, but they will not match the desire/motivation of Costa Rica back in October in the up coming friendly. Between the Costa rica and England games we might see individuals on the other teams trying to use the friendlies to solidfy their roster spots, but the games will not have a meaningful intensity. The only game that might have any real intensity would be a game against Mexico, in Mexico. Otherwise, these friendlies are fun to watch and talk about, but mean little else. Since they mean nothing, let's keep the trend going and play them outside of the US. We have plenty of experience playing friendlies at home.
Egypt would be a good game for the US. Algeria's style has been compared to Egypt and that would be benefical.
From Goff: SoccerInsider DCU's Chris Pontius and New England's Kevin Alston invited to USA training camp in a couple weeks? That's what I'm hearing nice!
good, cuz our right back situation sucks. though, i dont think alston is good enough, but i guess we will see.
He might be, but that says more about our options at the position than it does Alston I think Wynne is better, but he sucks internationally, too
Yeah, we're mad thin at RB. I'm not saying Alston is gonna be going to South Africa in June or something, but he could end up working his way into the mix for the 11 Gold Cup(theres a Gold Cup that year right?) and the 2014 qualifiers. Two of our RB options, Hejduk and Cherundolo, are getting up there and are unlikely to be around past the World Cup. Maybe Cherundolo sticks around like Hejduk has in this cycle, but no more than that.
I think I trust him to mark a world class striker more than Alston. His passing skills blow, but his athleticism is great. Anybody but Moor against England or anyone better.
Yes, Germany had lost to Italy a week or two before, and the German Federation required Bundesliga teams to make available their players for the game. I have no problem with a send-off series, but I do hope they schedule a game or two in South Africa or vicinity right before the tournament. It allows our players extra practice and a chance to get used to the climate and atmosphere.
Bradley Calls 30 Players to Begin Training Camp on Jan. 4 U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named 30 players to the training camp roster that will begin gathering Jan. 4 at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Aalborg striker Marcus Tracy and Örebro SK midfielder Alejandro Bedoya will make their first appearances in a camp with the full team. U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION GOALKEEPERS (4): Kevin Hartman (Kansas City), Troy Perkins (Valerenga), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Zach Thornton (Chivas USA) DEFENDERS (8): Kevin Alston (New England Revolution), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC) MIDFIELDERS (12): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Jeff Larentowicz (New England Revolution), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew) FORWARDS (6): Justin Braun (Chivas USA), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Brandon McDonald (San Jose Earthquakes), Marcus Tracy (Aalborg)
Jeff's call up is well deserved. Now if we just get him signed to a new Rev contract I will consider Santa has done us right.
I agree with all of this. I've been calling for JL to get a call up for the Nat's ever since Edu went down with an injury. Clark will do the job but I thought that JL's hardman nature could be a nice thing to have in the middle of the field. I was shocked he didn't get picked for the Gold Cup (also thrilled because the Revs would have been screwed without him.) As far as Alston, I think he is already the third most talented American right-back. Spector, Cherundolo are 1 and 1a and then it's Alston. Hedjuk is old and Wynne is not a soccer player (he's had his shot and just doesn't have the ability to go forward with the ball at his feet.) With Gooch's injury and Bocanegra's bench-warming status center back has suddenly become a question mark. Two people I would have liked to see in the camp are Parkhurst and Barnes. With that said, I can't argue with their exclusion. Parkhurst really is only a sweeper and can't handle the physical requirements of playing center back at the highest level. I am happy to hear that he is getting playing time at right back for his club as that could be where his international future lies. (Although I think he'd make a phenomenal defensive midfielder. Does anyone else agree with me? Quickness, savvy, good technical capabilities and a great passer. I think he'd be great there given time to adjust.)