The Soccer Thread (Version 7.0)

Meanwhile, six Cuban players defect while in Canada. Reports say they players are already within the U.S. Cuba fielded a starting XI, but still. Wild.

And man, USA is playing lazy right now.

 

Saw a Tweet that Cuba literally has no subs. They have a starting 11 and that's it.

 

The "reporter" they went to in Antigua at halftime... wow. It was like an SNL sketch or something. I kept waiting for her to bust out a "Don' talk to me like you KNOW me." Plus she didn't know the players' names and referred to the length of the grass on the "exterior of the field."

Apparently Beinsports isn't investing too heavily in the product just yet.

 

Marcelo Balboa just said it would be "such a great result" if the US could get a point against Antigua.

Absolutely. Aim for the stars.

 

2-1 US in injury time. Eddie Johnson header at the 90 minute mark.

 

Liked the pace and urgency of the final five minutes, but why can't this team play like that all the time? Need to be much more aggressive. This won't fly against the average team.

 

Good lord, thank you to Eddie friggin' Johnson, who had fallen off the USMNT radar for so long.

 

I don't get the network, so I couldn't actually watch the game, so for those who did, could Altidore on his own made much of a difference to the game?

 

Inconsistency? Under Klinsmann? Surely you jest ...

(Seriously, thank goodness for Eddie Johnson. Hope something positive carries over into the Guatemala match on Tuesday.)

 

I just wish they'd show a bit more ambition, rather than playing a 5-4-1 that morphs to a 6-4-0. Andorra did the same thing in Euro qualifying.

And it was an awful game, one that made me wonder why I didn't have anything better to do than watch it.

 

Can't be too upset with three road points but damn ...

The biggest question for Tuesday is will the USA and Guatemala have the old gentleman's agreement and play a dreadfully boring 0-0 tie?

 

I would be shocked if they didn't go that way. U.S., frankly, would be stupid to turn the idea down with the way it's been playing as of late.