USMNT/Soccer Thread
- Thread starter BigBlueSean_rivals178247
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He should have been at the last World Cup and he would not have missed the easy chip in that Wondolowski jacked up.
Can someone tell me why in the blue hell Bedoya cut right in front of Wood when USA had a break after a turnover?
We should be ecstatic with a 4th place finish in the COPA. Until the day comes in this country where dads are putting soccer balls instead of baseballs, footballs, or basketballs in the hands of their newborn sons, then this kind of result is the best we can ever hope for.
We may occasionally pick off a decent team in a World Cup, but we haven't and won't beat the best teams in the world in a non friendly encounter until the best athletes in this country choose soccer.
We may occasionally pick off a decent team in a World Cup, but we haven't and won't beat the best teams in the world in a non friendly encounter until the best athletes in this country choose soccer.
We're actually getting to that point now. Adults that grew up in the 90's playing soccer are now having kids. That paired with the ever increasing push to become elite is producing more kids with an outstanding technical foundation below the age of 10 than in previous generations.
Holy ****....did not think Messi was gonna be the choker....feel bad for Messi and Argentina, but Chile deserved to have bragging rights for 4 years just like everyone else...
I agree about the 4th place finish. The US fans have been shouting, "when are we going to dominate?" But it's the wrong question. We first have to get to the point where 3rd and 4th place finishes in a tournament like this is commonplace.
Like fatguy said, I think dads are doing it now.....but with their kids being <10 yrs old, it's gonna take some time. It has taken decades to get youth soccer leagues into every corner of the US. It has taken decades to get a MLS. It's has taken decades to get developmental leagues. It's taken decades to get soccer on mainstream TV.
So, it's gonna take several more decades for us to truly make a difference consistently.
I don't think we'll ever be consistently in the top 5, but the US can definitely be in the 6-15 range and I think we'll be happy about that. We didn't belong on the same field as Argentina and we don't against anyone in the top 10 when they're playing for real, but I think that will change in the next 10 years. We really need a star though. Can the US get the next Messi or Ronaldo? I think they can, and if so, the sky is the limit.
I think we are on our way to that 6-15 range...and sooner than people think....especially if Jurgen ,or whoever his replacement is should he leave for Southampton keeps a consistent lineup and continues to get our youth some experience. For the first time ever we have quote a bit of our talent playing in the most competitive leagues in the world. Yedlin, Cameron, Wood, Miazga, Brooks, Johansson, Guzan, Fabian Johnson, Terrence Boyd, Bedoya...and Nagbe is gaining interest from teams across the pond as well. Thats what you have to have. I think Pulisic could develop into that star. The #1 thing you gotta have if you are going to step into that light is great technical ability...and he has that.
I mean Ecuador has 2 players in the most competative leagues in the world and are fringe top 10.
I mean Ecuador has 2 players in the most competative leagues in the world and are fringe top 10.
I'm not sure I agree. If you go back 5-10 years, we had a number of players playing in Europe and actually doing well - Dempsey was a star at Fulham, obviously Friedel at Tottenham and Howard at Everton, plus Donovan did really well in his time at Everton and Bradley started at Roma. That's not mentioning people playing and doing well in other leagues, including in the Bundesliga. The point is, it's not a new thing to have players in Europe.
Some of the guys you mentioned in your post (Miazga for example and Pulisic, Julian Green is another) are just too young for us to know if they're going to be good. So, I think what we have is some old stand-bys who are done or about done, and some young kids who might be better as a generation than we've seen before, but it's too early to tell. And, in the middle are a group of players 25-30 who are not good enough
Some of the guys you mentioned in your post (Miazga for example and Pulisic, Julian Green is another) are just too young for us to know if they're going to be good. So, I think what we have is some old stand-bys who are done or about done, and some young kids who might be better as a generation than we've seen before, but it's too early to tell. And, in the middle are a group of players 25-30 who are not good enough
So looking at World Cup qualifying in Sept and moving forward and WC 2018 are we look at pretty much the same group of players for that roster as WC 2014, Gold Cup, and Copa this year?
Probably a little over 50% will be from the WC14 roster. It will likely be the same as this tournament plus putting Altidore, Miazga, Jordan Morris, Omar Gonzales, Castillo, Brek Shea, Diskerud, and perhaps some newcomers like Will Trapp, Villafana, Ethan Finley, Julian Green, Gedion Zedalem and a few others.
I don't think Wondo, Orozco, Zusi, Howard, or Chandler will make the squad - time to move on. I'd love to also move on from Michael Bradley if possible.
Well, even if the all of the dad's in the USA start doing that…you are still going to have a problem. Because you won't have enough to fill out soccer team rosters...all you will wind up with is a country full of goalies.
What is handicapping this team is not finding a suitable full time replacement at LB for Demarcus Beasley. That needs to be JK #1 goal. It's a disservice to Fabian Johnson to continue to play Jim back there. Maybe Besler can make the transition... IMO I would continue to play some older guys but slowly impliment the future... if I were JK by the time 2018 WC comes I'd want the lineup to be this:
Horvath or Guzan
Besler, Miazga, Brooks, Yedlin
Cameron
Zardes, Fabian Johnson
Nagbe
Dempsey, Wood
I think that formation gets our best players in their best positions.
Bench: Pulisic, Ream, Shea, Trapp, Findley, Green, Jones, Zusi, Beckerman, Bradley and a couple others.
Horvath or Guzan
Besler, Miazga, Brooks, Yedlin
Cameron
Zardes, Fabian Johnson
Nagbe
Dempsey, Wood
I think that formation gets our best players in their best positions.
Bench: Pulisic, Ream, Shea, Trapp, Findley, Green, Jones, Zusi, Beckerman, Bradley and a couple others.
My semi-finals for Euros:
Portugal v. Belgium
Italy v. France
Final:
Italy v. Belgium
Champ: Italy
Portugal v. Belgium
Italy v. France
Final:
Italy v. Belgium
Champ: Italy
You may be right and maybe dad's are doing that now, but I still don't think so. Either way, the difference is that in most European, African, South and Central American countries not only have dads been doing it, but so have grandfathers, great grandfathers, great great grandfathers and you get the point.
I think we have already seen american players doing decently well in some of the toughest soccer leagues in the world, but it has not translated into WC winning potential. I hope I am wrong, but I don't think it ever will.
Kids in this country may be starting to play soccer at an earlier age, but they are also playing baseball, basketball, football, hide and seek, and with their Playstation. Kids in the rest of the world mostly play with a soccer ball all day long. You see this difference on the field in fundamental things. Controlling hard passes and dribbling are essential to the game, and I always notice a difference in other countries and the USA. I do hope these things change, but in almost 50 years on this planet, it hasn't happened yet.
The USMNT has never really had a long-term starter at left back. Beasley was a midfielder and only played at left back in the last WC buildup an tournament. He was one in a long line of fill-ins and converted midfielders to play that role. I agree that it would be better to play Fabian Johnson in his natural midfield role , but he's actually an upgrade on most of the players who have played at left back over the years (including Beasley) so I don't think that's a major handicap or a problem.
I agree that other countries have soccer way more ingrained in their culture than we do. And clearly they develop players better than we do but I think the US has a solution to that.....volume.
Argentina is one of the larger South American countries and obviously a powerhouse in soccer. They obviously value soccer more than we do as a general rule and their developmental academies put ours to shame but the entire population is about 42 million. The US population is about 320 million.....and every single yr the US has over 1 million immigrants who apply for citizenship. The vast majority of those immigrants value soccer like Argentina does. It's entirely conceivable that the US will develop a competitive team based off population and volume.
Now think of countries like Ecuador (16 mil), Germany (80 mil), Italy (60 mil), etc.
Me personally, I don't know if we will ever be a powerhouse like Argentina or Brazil but I can't definitively rule it out. I feel pretty confident we can be like Ecuador or England who bounces around inside the top 25 regularly.
But it's gonna take time......a long time. Like I said above, it took decades to get MLS. It took decades to get USL. It took decades to get football on TV. It took decades to get youth leagues to every corner of the US. Furthering the sport is going to take a lot more time.
I think the floodgates will open once the U.S. finally produces its first "big" soccer talent. I can tell you anecdotally that a lot of kids my son's age (9) who once upon a time would be abandoning soccer to play basketball, baseball, etc. are sticking with soccer. And these are kids who would likely thrive athletically no matter what they played.
I think the U.S. desperately needs to find a way to get Hispanic and African-American kids into the club team system and to keep them there. It's pretty damn white right now, and that shows up in our national teams, imo.
I think the U.S. desperately needs to find a way to get Hispanic and African-American kids into the club team system and to keep them there. It's pretty damn white right now, and that shows up in our national teams, imo.
Agree... I still dont get how the US made a world sport made for the poor into an elitist sport. Its going to be really interesting to see how how Atlanta United FC pans out and how receptive the sport is received in the deep south.
In 2 yrs he still won't be able to buy a beer in the US.....I hope he hasn't topped out by then.
But I understand what you are saying. Dempsey likely won't be able to carry the load in '18. You can never count on Jozy. Wood seems to be blossoming into a fine forward but I'm not convinced he's a ST.
They need a new system to settle ties. I suggest: A) one 15 minutes OT with each side forced to take one player off to open up the game. B) Second 15 minutes with another player off. Could even have opponent decide who you have to take off. C) Sudden death with no keeper. In all cases, it's still open field soccer.
NORTH AMERICAN SOCCER LEAGUE, CBS SPORTS NETWORK ANNOUNCE NATIONAL TELEVISION PARTNERSHIP FOR 2016
http://www.nasl.com/news/2016/03/31...unce-national-television-partnership-for-2016
http://www.nasl.com/news/2016/03/31...unce-national-television-partnership-for-2016
Gnr update************
3 mullets one guy blazing next to me, and 1500 1988 gnr t shirts that are outdated
3 mullets one guy blazing next to me, and 1500 1988 gnr t shirts that are outdated
This is great. Wish it were USL but I understand it's more regional. Guess I'll have to find a NASL team to support.
Pretty crazy that UEFA Champions League qualifying is already under way. How about Celtic FC losing to a semi pro team Lincoln Red Imps FC. Probably not the way Brendan Rodgers want to start his run as Celtic boss.
One month until the Premier League season gets going. Will be nice to have that back on weekend mornings.
One month until the Premier League season gets going. Will be nice to have that back on weekend mornings.
Did anyone watch the Copa Libertadores semifinal between Athletico National and Sao Paulo FC last night? When you're watching matches like that in Medellin it reminds me of the scene in King Kong where the villagers are trying to beckon King Kong while behind their fortification...except the Athletico fans are practically in full riot chants before the match even starts and literally don't let up and stay full throated the whole match.
Nice that teams have started preseason friendlies. Nice to stream some games this morning.
Portland-Seattle gets national coverage tomorrow with the game being shown on FOX.
Portland-Seattle gets national coverage tomorrow with the game being shown on FOX.