Just in case you missed it, the always-informative, must-read USMNT blog is now easier to find and read. Check it out.
Also, Donovan has been ruled out of the match with the calf strain and Bradley will not be calling in replacements. Interesting.
Anyways, I was going to make a small comment on the blog but it ended up being a big one, so I think I'll relay it here. I miss you guys.
-------------------------------------------
Goalkeepers (2) – Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC)
Defenders (7) –Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Dan Califf (Aalborg BK), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
Midfielders (6) – Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA)
Forwards (2) – Josmer Altidore (New York Red Bulls), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC)
----------------------
My post (partially in response to someone whining that Rolfe and Ferrari didn't get called up, and to someone else cheering the squad for being attack-minded):
Rolfe and Ferrari would have been good call-ups. (So would Szetela and Zizzo, for that matter.)
Attack-minded? Not so sure about that. Superficially we have seven defenders, six midfielders, and two forwards. That doesn't sound attack minded to me.
What it does sound like is Deuce floating around up top as target man, and while I argue that Dempsey is the best man for the job, I would also like to point out that he produces his best when he's got plenty of support. He and Freddy seem to have something, but will Freddy start? Not likely.
Here's my lineup:
-------------Howard------------
'Dolo---Boca---Gooch---Bornstein
DMB--Edu--Benny--Bradley--Pearce
-------------Deuce-------------
... though I wouldn't be surprised if Kljestan got the start over Benny. I see Bradley and DMB pinching up for flank support.
Potential subs: Adu for Bradley, Pearce or Bornstein, depending on the score. Jozy for Deuce no later than the 80th. Spector for Bornstein in the 1st or 2nd half, depending on the score. Possibly Califf for Gooch. Possibly Guzan for Timmy, depending on the score.
Can Pearce cross well? I haven't seen him as a mid, though I understand he's had a bit of PT there at Rostock.
Showing posts with label Clint Dempsey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clint Dempsey. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
US Nats Handle Swiss, US 1-0 Switzerland
It's been awhile.
I caught the first thirty minutes of the match via an online feed, but the feed was so shitty that I quit it and took a nap and waited for good news and highlights. They came, and I'm delighted.
Players Who Made Strong Cases For Themselves
----------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost, Maurice Edu did wonderful for his first cap. What a great effort. Max Bretos indicated that Edu was fulfilling Mastroeni's role on the field, but I disagree; Edu was certainly more useful than that. Edu reminded me a little bit of young Bradley during the U-20 World Cup, except he didn't have as many messes to clean up and he was much more attack-minded. Edu certainly deserves more international minutes in the future. Great job.
Secondly, this Deuce experiment up top is working. Finally Dempsey is in a position where he can utilize his Texas build and Texas pride in tandem. I don't think it would be a stretch to compare Deuce to Zlatan Ibrahimovic: target strikers with an overabundance of pride and physicality. I like it. What's more, I was browsing ussoccer.com earlier today and watch the video spotlight on Deuce and Zimmerman mentioned that Deuce is great at holding up the ball. It's the damn truth. Deuce is a real asset up top, and I only wish Twellman was an adequate partner.
With the sudden fountain of youth flooding the pitch, it's good to see our old faithful standby Eddie Lewis is still able to turn a few tricks. He made a rather flawless jump from League Two to the Premier League and he brings that same kind of character and ability to the international stage as well. It's noteworthy that Bradley had him starting over Pearce.
Szetela has everyone abuzz yet again. Seems that kid never fails to be noticed. He definitely didn't hurt the team and his cross was quite the looker. I have a good feeling Santander will make the most out of him.
I like Brad Guzan. I genuinely like him. I think he will have a successful international career. Rumors that Arsenal are scouting him don't surprise me. As a defender, I would rather see my keeper out smothering a loose ball at the top of the key than wait for it to bounce into the area. Hahnemann is cool, too, but I like Guzan better.
I was asleep so I didn't see much of Adu, but that little beeline straight down the middle was pretty smart. Benfica is rubbing off on him. Between Edu, Adu, Szetela, Bradley and Feilhaber, the US has a healthy midfield corps that will certainly make us proud come time for the Confederations Cup.
I'm Worried About...
-----------------------------
I think it's telling that Gooch didn't worry me much this game, certainly not compared to the anger and woe he's incurred in the past. Bocanegra is a reassuring presence, as is Cherundolo; I'm not worried about them, either. The only spot that does worry me is left back. Heath Pearce and Rostock are to the Bundesliga what Feilhaber and Derby are to the Premier League, both promising young lads on a disappointing squad who need more minutes than they're getting. We need a solid option for left back, and if Lewis is starting over Pearce, I can't say that we've found one. I don't think Pearce can become a viable option for us at left back until he cements himself as Rostock's premier option for left back, much like Cherundolo has done at Hannover.
Beasley's ankle worries me. He's been a revelation for 'Gers and he looked great for those ten minutes on the pitch. I hope he recovers soon.
...and that's it.
It's great for our boys to finally pull one out on European soil against a European side. A gritty win, but utterly necessary.
Before I go on hiatus again, I would like to hereby affirm my utter confidence in Bob Bradley as head coach of the USMNT. He has a head on his shoulders and is definitely moving the program in a positive direction, looking at longterm results rather than flashbang status. I don't think Klinsmann or Pekerman would have had the same kind of patience and foresight to turn friendly matches into the developmental tools and benchmarks that they've become under Bradley. My jury's still out on Nowak; I'm reserving judgment until post-Olympics.
Rossi, if you're thinking about joining the fold, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I have two papers due by tomorrow, so this is it for awhile.
Enjoy.
-QJA
I caught the first thirty minutes of the match via an online feed, but the feed was so shitty that I quit it and took a nap and waited for good news and highlights. They came, and I'm delighted.
Players Who Made Strong Cases For Themselves
----------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost, Maurice Edu did wonderful for his first cap. What a great effort. Max Bretos indicated that Edu was fulfilling Mastroeni's role on the field, but I disagree; Edu was certainly more useful than that. Edu reminded me a little bit of young Bradley during the U-20 World Cup, except he didn't have as many messes to clean up and he was much more attack-minded. Edu certainly deserves more international minutes in the future. Great job.
Secondly, this Deuce experiment up top is working. Finally Dempsey is in a position where he can utilize his Texas build and Texas pride in tandem. I don't think it would be a stretch to compare Deuce to Zlatan Ibrahimovic: target strikers with an overabundance of pride and physicality. I like it. What's more, I was browsing ussoccer.com earlier today and watch the video spotlight on Deuce and Zimmerman mentioned that Deuce is great at holding up the ball. It's the damn truth. Deuce is a real asset up top, and I only wish Twellman was an adequate partner.
With the sudden fountain of youth flooding the pitch, it's good to see our old faithful standby Eddie Lewis is still able to turn a few tricks. He made a rather flawless jump from League Two to the Premier League and he brings that same kind of character and ability to the international stage as well. It's noteworthy that Bradley had him starting over Pearce.
Szetela has everyone abuzz yet again. Seems that kid never fails to be noticed. He definitely didn't hurt the team and his cross was quite the looker. I have a good feeling Santander will make the most out of him.
I like Brad Guzan. I genuinely like him. I think he will have a successful international career. Rumors that Arsenal are scouting him don't surprise me. As a defender, I would rather see my keeper out smothering a loose ball at the top of the key than wait for it to bounce into the area. Hahnemann is cool, too, but I like Guzan better.
I was asleep so I didn't see much of Adu, but that little beeline straight down the middle was pretty smart. Benfica is rubbing off on him. Between Edu, Adu, Szetela, Bradley and Feilhaber, the US has a healthy midfield corps that will certainly make us proud come time for the Confederations Cup.
I'm Worried About...
-----------------------------
I think it's telling that Gooch didn't worry me much this game, certainly not compared to the anger and woe he's incurred in the past. Bocanegra is a reassuring presence, as is Cherundolo; I'm not worried about them, either. The only spot that does worry me is left back. Heath Pearce and Rostock are to the Bundesliga what Feilhaber and Derby are to the Premier League, both promising young lads on a disappointing squad who need more minutes than they're getting. We need a solid option for left back, and if Lewis is starting over Pearce, I can't say that we've found one. I don't think Pearce can become a viable option for us at left back until he cements himself as Rostock's premier option for left back, much like Cherundolo has done at Hannover.
Beasley's ankle worries me. He's been a revelation for 'Gers and he looked great for those ten minutes on the pitch. I hope he recovers soon.
...and that's it.
It's great for our boys to finally pull one out on European soil against a European side. A gritty win, but utterly necessary.
Before I go on hiatus again, I would like to hereby affirm my utter confidence in Bob Bradley as head coach of the USMNT. He has a head on his shoulders and is definitely moving the program in a positive direction, looking at longterm results rather than flashbang status. I don't think Klinsmann or Pekerman would have had the same kind of patience and foresight to turn friendly matches into the developmental tools and benchmarks that they've become under Bradley. My jury's still out on Nowak; I'm reserving judgment until post-Olympics.
Rossi, if you're thinking about joining the fold, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I have two papers due by tomorrow, so this is it for awhile.
Enjoy.
-QJA
Sunday, August 12, 2007
European Recap: Weekend thru 08-12-07
Short takes from the weekend's European action.
Chelsea 3-2 Birmingham
- Shaun Wright-Phillips and Florent Malouda are two crucial pieces of Chelsea's attack. They both figure to have a brilliant season with the Blues this campaign. Sidwell could also make a decisive impact this season should he make the most of his minutes coming off the bench.
- Essien keeps the long bombs coming. He's petitioning the powers that be to reconsider the timing of the African Nations Cup this January; I think he can feel the positive momentum Mourinho's building for the season. Let's hope someone sees the wisdom in holding the tournament over the summer.
- It makes me happy to see that Malouda and Pizarro not only scored on their league debuts, but turned to celebrate with the fans immediately after. Good sign of morale, that.
- Cech is still struggling to regain his status as a world-renowned keeper and I've got to think that we won't really see him back to normal until at least the midpoint of the season.
- Don't know Birmingham and don't much care to learn, but ex-Juventus midfielder Kapo is gun for putting that lefty past Cech at such an angle. No windup at all, just smacked it standing completely erect and put it on in. We'll see him later in the season, I'm sure.
Rangers 2-0 St. Mirren
- Dominant victory in which DaMarcus Beasley was a key component. He's really dangerous in the SPL, a real force to be reckoned with. And after hearing all these reports of his abuse on the pitch, I really think he'll develop as an international presence as well. This trial by fire with the Light Blues will toughen him up for the more physical matches. Italy, England, and Germany are names that immediately come to mind, but we'll cross those bridges if and when we get to them.
- It's interesting to see that with the Gers, Beasley has the freedom to work out of the center of the pitch and apparently it suits him well. Beasley could easily surpass Donovan as America's #1 midfielder if his SPL campaign finishes as it's started.
- Stepping back a bit to view the overall performance, Barry Ferguson and Danny Cousin did well to put Rangers in the lead. St. Mirren's poor keeper stood little chance against the onslaught: Both goals were scored from inside 10 yards.
- Good service from the back line and good orchestration from the midfield are evidence that the Teddy Bears (no joke, check Wikipedia) have built a quality side during the off season. Expectations are rising.
FC Bayern 3-0 Rostock
- You wouldn't expect much less from a lineup that includes Klose, Toni, Schweinsteiger, van Bommel, and Ribéry. Bayern Munich is pure class and utilized all of it to dismantle the visiting debutantes.
- I predict that Ribéry will score one of the top ten Champions League goals this season simply because he has a beautiful way with dead ball situations.
- Heath Pearce made an admirable start to his first Bundesliga season, but I think he should perform better once he's had a month to adjust. On the other hand, Rostock's offense has to learn to penetrate these Bundesliga defenses; one month could be all it takes to permanently sabotage their 07-08 top-flight campaign. Let's hope they learn their lesson sooner rather than later.
Manchester United 0-0 Reading
- This result is flattering; United were abusing the Royals' defense.
- Hahnemann won MotM for his heroics at the back to earn Reading the draw.
- Convey is still recovering from his injury.
- Rooney's foot fracture is very concerning to a good many England supporters.
Arsenal 2-1 Fulham
- Holy sh*t-- van Persie punished the net.
- Healy was gifted that goal, though props for being on top of Lehmann.
- Dempsey had 45 minutes to make an impact but couldn't. Brian McBride was ineffective all match.
- In spite of Fulham's impotent offense, Bocanegra did very well to hold van Persie down the whole match. Good to see that he's asserting himself at the top of a stacked defensive lineup that includes Paul Konchesky, Philippe Christanval, Aron Hughes, and Chris Baird. Too bad Hleb played him like a puppet for a last-gasp winner. We'll see what Lawrie Sanchez thinks of his performance when the Cottagers host Bolton on Wednesday.
Chelsea 3-2 Birmingham
- Shaun Wright-Phillips and Florent Malouda are two crucial pieces of Chelsea's attack. They both figure to have a brilliant season with the Blues this campaign. Sidwell could also make a decisive impact this season should he make the most of his minutes coming off the bench.
- Essien keeps the long bombs coming. He's petitioning the powers that be to reconsider the timing of the African Nations Cup this January; I think he can feel the positive momentum Mourinho's building for the season. Let's hope someone sees the wisdom in holding the tournament over the summer.
- It makes me happy to see that Malouda and Pizarro not only scored on their league debuts, but turned to celebrate with the fans immediately after. Good sign of morale, that.
- Cech is still struggling to regain his status as a world-renowned keeper and I've got to think that we won't really see him back to normal until at least the midpoint of the season.
- Don't know Birmingham and don't much care to learn, but ex-Juventus midfielder Kapo is gun for putting that lefty past Cech at such an angle. No windup at all, just smacked it standing completely erect and put it on in. We'll see him later in the season, I'm sure.
Rangers 2-0 St. Mirren
- Dominant victory in which DaMarcus Beasley was a key component. He's really dangerous in the SPL, a real force to be reckoned with. And after hearing all these reports of his abuse on the pitch, I really think he'll develop as an international presence as well. This trial by fire with the Light Blues will toughen him up for the more physical matches. Italy, England, and Germany are names that immediately come to mind, but we'll cross those bridges if and when we get to them.
- It's interesting to see that with the Gers, Beasley has the freedom to work out of the center of the pitch and apparently it suits him well. Beasley could easily surpass Donovan as America's #1 midfielder if his SPL campaign finishes as it's started.
- Stepping back a bit to view the overall performance, Barry Ferguson and Danny Cousin did well to put Rangers in the lead. St. Mirren's poor keeper stood little chance against the onslaught: Both goals were scored from inside 10 yards.
- Good service from the back line and good orchestration from the midfield are evidence that the Teddy Bears (no joke, check Wikipedia) have built a quality side during the off season. Expectations are rising.
FC Bayern 3-0 Rostock
- You wouldn't expect much less from a lineup that includes Klose, Toni, Schweinsteiger, van Bommel, and Ribéry. Bayern Munich is pure class and utilized all of it to dismantle the visiting debutantes.
- I predict that Ribéry will score one of the top ten Champions League goals this season simply because he has a beautiful way with dead ball situations.
- Heath Pearce made an admirable start to his first Bundesliga season, but I think he should perform better once he's had a month to adjust. On the other hand, Rostock's offense has to learn to penetrate these Bundesliga defenses; one month could be all it takes to permanently sabotage their 07-08 top-flight campaign. Let's hope they learn their lesson sooner rather than later.
Manchester United 0-0 Reading
- This result is flattering; United were abusing the Royals' defense.
- Hahnemann won MotM for his heroics at the back to earn Reading the draw.
- Convey is still recovering from his injury.
- Rooney's foot fracture is very concerning to a good many England supporters.
Arsenal 2-1 Fulham
- Holy sh*t-- van Persie punished the net.
- Healy was gifted that goal, though props for being on top of Lehmann.
- Dempsey had 45 minutes to make an impact but couldn't. Brian McBride was ineffective all match.
- In spite of Fulham's impotent offense, Bocanegra did very well to hold van Persie down the whole match. Good to see that he's asserting himself at the top of a stacked defensive lineup that includes Paul Konchesky, Philippe Christanval, Aron Hughes, and Chris Baird. Too bad Hleb played him like a puppet for a last-gasp winner. We'll see what Lawrie Sanchez thinks of his performance when the Cottagers host Bolton on Wednesday.
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