All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

anyone else wodner why TrooperBari acts like a match tracker during every U.S. MNT fixture?

 

I like it. I didn't see the game tonight because I was flying cross-country and his posts give me a solid game-tracker to read later.

 

I don't mind him recounting the action on the pitch involving our national side. Wouldn't mind if he described the kits they're wearing during this particular fixture, even if the defense is pants.

That would be brilliant!

 

How can HeyDude score a goal that good when he's so bad at crossing?

EJ was terrible. A couple of nice dummies, but he's a step slow with his instincts.

Lil Bradley impressed, as did Clint D.

How was that not a red on the DeR headbutt? And no yellow on the Canuck who cleated Kasey?

We played scared for no reason during the last 40 minutes.

Was there a reason that Kasey started?

 

TrooperBari had mentioned that Howard had a yellow from the previous match.

 

I'll disagree a bit with Webster on certain things.

1. Lil' Bradley was awful that game. That was probably the worst game I have ever seen him play. He just couldn't get the passes to string together properly. It was as if his whole game plan was to turn the ball over. Then, to top it off, he receives a red card on a horrendously nasty foul. It was a red the second he went after the player. There is no excuse for that type of foul. It didn't just put the US in an awful position as the clock was winding down, but it removed him from being an option for the Final. Stupid.

2. Heydude... wow. Watching the first few minutes of the game, all I could think was Bradley was being a bit arrogant and underestimating Canada's ability by playing Hejduk and Bornstein on the back. Then Heijuk scores a goal and Bradley suddenly looks like a genius. Regardless, I still wasn't sold. Bornstein was getting beat and at times he was getting beat real bad. The same goes for Hejduk. I can understand if he is a great locker room guy and all, but he cannot play in the Final.

3. I liked Dempsey's play. He looked creative.

4. The communication between Keller and the backline was really off. Real early on you had the issue where Onyewu was allowing a ball to roll to the keeper, yet Keller was back too far and didn't seem to realy anticipate that. By the time he ran out to the ball, the Canadian nearly obtained it. There were other instances, particularly some weak passes back to the keeper, but it seemed really off.

5. The studs up cleating to Keller should have been a yellow. No call. I'm not sure about giving a straight up red to DeRosario, but it was damn close. The offsides call to end the game was spot on. Onyewu deflected the ball. When he touched it, the Canadians were offside. It sucks for them, but that is what it is.

6. Eddie Johnson was brutal to watch. He couldn't stay on-sides. He couldn't anticipate the flow of play. The guy just looked lost. Also, he came back way too far, too much.

I watched part of the Mexico game, and do have it recorded at home. The fact that Mexico is having trouble scoring against this teams should be rather troubling for their fans. The US is having trouble scoring but they are at least knocking in 2-goals against these teams.

 

Pastor -- I have to disagree with you. Bradley placed himself in good positions offensively and made some excellent passes. In fact, I thought that our wing players didn't give him the ball enough, instead playing way too many no-hope balls.

I'm not sure if there is a spot for him on this team because he's not strong enough yet on defense, but I was very impressed by him last night (with the caveat that I watched the game at 1 a.m. and did a little fast forwarding in the last 20 minutes).

And I think that we can all agree that EJ was just awful. Jozy better pan out.

 

The MFs and FWs were creative for the most part, and other than Donovan's whiff, I thought he was outstanding.

Anybody wonder why we get Mexican referees? Seriously, in the soccer world, few hate the United States more than Mexico. Do German referees every do England games and vice versa? The referee refused to book that one Canadian for going cleats up to Keller, and DeRosario head butted Hejduk. The Laws of the Game clearly state that striking a player (I think a head butt qualifies) is a red card.

 

I agree on Jozy and EJ. I was severely disappointed last night.

My problem with Bradley's performance wasn't his positioning. On that, he seemed fine. And while there may have been a few passes that were forward, I saw way too many balls that were attempting to go wide, but only ended up at the feet of a red jersey.

I will also state that receiving the type of red card that he received really disppointed me. The play was about as stupid as it gets. He's on the Canadian half of the field. Fouling could be fine. Going in studs up, extending your leg and then kicking the opposition behind the knee... well, forget about it. I thought Mastroeni's red card against Italy was equally stupid (although that was arguably worse).

With that all said... I will look to the future!
My hope for Sunday's line-up (although, with the Copa America roster announced, I see Hejduk playing on Sunday):

---------- Ching --------------------
----------------- Donovan -----------
-- Beasley --------------- Dempsey --
------- Feilhaber -- Mastroeni ------
Spector -- Bocanegra -- Onyewu -- Simek
-------------- Howard ---------------

 

Pastor,
That's the Gold Cup roster, not the Copa America roster.

 

Well, I guess I followed the wrong link. My mistake.

I had read that the roster would be released today and went hunting for it.


And, Ives says, on his blog, that the roster won't be released until 4 PM. Oh well.

 

Henry to Barca?

http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6728975,00.html