USMNT v Germany
- Thread starter KurtRambis4
- Start date
Agreed. Beating the defending World Cup champs in their own country is always a good thing. We looked fantastic in the second half.
The first goal was a thing of beauty. Held possession and started from the back up and capped with a perfect cross and finish.
Spoiled it for me. I'll still watch anyway though. Pretty impressive stuff. Even though they're friendlies, beating the Netherlands and Germany on the road is impressive. And it's not like it was our A team playing their B or C teams. They both had a lot of starters in. Also, the U-23 team just finished 3rd in a big tournament in France and the U-20 team is through to the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup.
I've been
extremely impressed w their ability to not only build up, but maintain attacks from the back, over these past two friendlies. It's unlike anything I've seen us do before.
extremely impressed w their ability to not only build up, but maintain attacks from the back, over these past two friendlies. It's unlike anything I've seen us do before.
So...FIFA Officials arrested, then USMNT defeats #6 Netherlands and then #1 Germany on their home turf. Coincidence? ***
And I probably should have left off the sarcasterisks
And I probably should have left off the sarcasterisks
The defenders we have used have played well out of the back, but have had keystone cop defending at times, especially against the Netherlands.
Correct. But, I would have rather had him back there than Beckerman. Sure he is fun looking soccer wook, but we gotta have someone better than he is.
Beckerman has
actually been pretty damn solid over the past year. Especially considering where he came from, but his time has come and gone. We've got a great deal of youth that will replace him, soon.
actually been pretty damn solid over the past year. Especially considering where he came from, but his time has come and gone. We've got a great deal of youth that will replace him, soon.
So what do you do with Bradley when Dempsey's on the field? It's crazy but Bradley is probably our best player and he really doesn't have a position. His biggest challenge may be that he's good at too many positions. Not sure how a coach decides where to play the guy.
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Yeah, unfortunately Dempsey is a forward now, which ultimately happened because of a lack of options. Dempsey and Bradley at center mid would be our best midfield, maybe even a diamond with Dempsey up top and Yedlin and Bradley on the outside. Not sure if we could get wide enough with that though. The past 2 games, Yedlin coming in at winger has given the other team nightmares. These young forwards are going to put a ton of pressure on Altidore by WC time. Possibly enough to get Dempsey back in the midfield, but I doubt it.
I really want to see a game where Yedlin and Jordan Morris play an entire game. Those 2 are indicative of the kind of athletic firepower we can produce in this country and the impact it is incrementally having on soccer as years go by. Youth served notice these last 2 weeks.
Perhaps my favorite thing about Jurgen Klinsman is his refusal to honor sacred cows, even including Donavan. If the young kids are good, they're gonna play, period. He's also the best we've ever had at in-game adjustments, really good at picking the right subs.
He's also taken our overall fitness as a team to a new level. So glad the days of us trying to score early and then hang on are behind us. Good times for the USMNT.
He's also taken our overall fitness as a team to a new level. So glad the days of us trying to score early and then hang on are behind us. Good times for the USMNT.
Actually, Bradley was played as more of an attacking player at the WC when he's traditionally played as a pure CM farther back. He now seems to be growing into that role somewhat. It works as the head of a diamond but I don't think he'd be that great as an attacking mid in a 4-2-3-1.
Honestly, he probably should have included Donovan on the World Cup roster. We could have used him. He may not have been 90-minute match fit, and he was a bit of a flake, but he was one of the most talented players we had available. But yeah, Klinnsman is definitely the most aggressive coach we've ever had, and not afraid to upset the status quo when a change is needed.
I would love to have had Donovan there, but he really left Klinsman no choice by sitting out the 2011 friendlies then taking that 4-month sabbatical right before team selection. Jurgen was trying to build a team and Landon was unavailable. The guys is supposed to wear the #10 for us and he wasn't even there for workouts or matches. It's ultimately on LD.
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I don't disagree with anything you said, and I supported the decision to leave him at home. Like I said, Donovan was always a flake and had a history of bailing whenever he was faced with a challenge. But he's also arguably the best field player the USA has ever produced and he could have helped us in the World Cup last year.
That sabbatical ended over a year before team selection, not right before. If skipping 2 or 3 qualifiers is enough for him to not make it, so be it. But if that's 100% the reason, he could have been told a lot sooner.
And patdog, what is his history of being a flake? I only remember this one instance. Players often take international breaks (Howard's on one currently). If that's the only evidence of him being a flake, that's pretty flimsy. I suppose you're referring to the Germany stint, but he later had a successful spell in England, and more importantly, if struggling in Europe before returning to MLS makes you a flake, then we've got a team full of them.
And patdog, what is his history of being a flake? I only remember this one instance. Players often take international breaks (Howard's on one currently). If that's the only evidence of him being a flake, that's pretty flimsy. I suppose you're referring to the Germany stint, but he later had a successful spell in England, and more importantly, if struggling in Europe before returning to MLS makes you a flake, then we've got a team full of them.
You can't seriously be trying to compare an international break (Howard still played the full season for Everton) the year AFTER a World Cup to a player going AWOL from both international and club soccer the year before a World Cup. As for his "successful" spell in England, if you call a total of 22 appearances over 2 loan spells with 2 goals successful, then you're setting a pretty low bar.
To me, an
outsider, he just didn't have the drive to be the best or compete at the top. That sentiment is pretty much backed up by those that have coached him and played with him. Also, to me, retiring at 32 says a great deal to that point.
outsider, he just didn't have the drive to be the best or compete at the top. That sentiment is pretty much backed up by those that have coached him and played with him. Also, to me, retiring at 32 says a great deal to that point.
It was time for us to part ways. It was important to get others reps for the future. He wouldn't have been a difference maker in the past Cup and had no chance to make the team for 2018. He WAS the best player that the US has produced, but as we are seeing the up and comers are taking us to another level.
I don't think Donovan at that particular point in his career was a better option than Julian Green.
To me, aside from all the baggage Donovan brought into the camp and then him saying he wasn't capable of doing 100% of the drills, I think Klinsmann could bring 1 of 2 and figured bringing a 19 year old would be more valuable long term than bringing a soon-to-be-retired great who, as it turned out, wouldn't play but in the twilight of the final game.
I think Donovan being a bum and coming in out of shape sealed the deal.
People should celebrate Donovan but understand that he wasn't exactly a role model.
ETA: Howard taking a leave from international play is fine. Guzan is a great goalie who has earned his right to play finally. If not for being a few years younger than one of the best goalies in the world, he'd be one of the better starting FIFA goalies out there.
To me, aside from all the baggage Donovan brought into the camp and then him saying he wasn't capable of doing 100% of the drills, I think Klinsmann could bring 1 of 2 and figured bringing a 19 year old would be more valuable long term than bringing a soon-to-be-retired great who, as it turned out, wouldn't play but in the twilight of the final game.
I think Donovan being a bum and coming in out of shape sealed the deal.
People should celebrate Donovan but understand that he wasn't exactly a role model.
ETA: Howard taking a leave from international play is fine. Guzan is a great goalie who has earned his right to play finally. If not for being a few years younger than one of the best goalies in the world, he'd be one of the better starting FIFA goalies out there.
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Mostly fair enough, but Donovan was still there for most of the important games the year before the WC. You're making it sound like he showed up at the pre-WC training camp after being gone the entire prior year.
"As for his "successful" spell in England, if you call a total of 22 appearances over 2 loan spells with 2 goals successful, then you're setting a pretty low bar."
When he went on loan to Everton, it was a successful loan spell. I think he even won Premier League player of the month.
Regardless, my main point to you was asking if there was more than just the sabbatical to back up the claim that he has a history of being flaky. There honestly might be and I'm unaware of it. However, him failing in Germany when he was younger isn't very condemning to me.
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He showed up to camp and told the media he had to sit out every other drill. Sabbatical or not, he was done.
I blame Donovan's Adidas cleats ***
Seriously, even with all that, Donovan was the last man out for the WC team. Dude can still play futbol
Seriously, even with all that, Donovan was the last man out for the WC team. Dude can still play futbol
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