...because it's Tuesday
...because the other football is not on.
...because I have the Deuce at the Holiday Inn Clearwater.
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Nothing friendly about the first goal.
Bad luck.
Of course it was bad luck. Hulk made contact with the ball and it went in. What are the odds?
As a goalie, I'm giving Guzan a pass on the strange cross---no way to anticipate that.
Nice finish by The Hulk.
Early to bed.
Lotta work to do for our lads.
Did you miss Danny Williams' goal? Wow! A freakin' howitzer.
Just watched.
Goddam new balls have no freaking spin and come at a keeper like a Goddam knuckleball.
Not fair!
OK not Brazil but I didn't feel like starting a new thread for USMNT...
OK, so everyone is feeling good after a cornholing of basically a junior college squad in the Virgin Islands...I mean their keeper is 5'9 FFS...
But the most interesting development IMHO was moving Yedlin to RB, where he's been thriving at Sunderland, and moving Fabian Johnson to the midfield...which brings some much needed youth and athleticism to the MF.
With Yedlin and Cameron in the back line, you've now got two EPL caliber (albeit low to mid table squads) defenders...and if Matt Miazga can get the reps over the next two years, that may be 3/4 of the top back line for Russia.
Also, the addition of Bobby Wood is one that is paying dividends...the dude is about as unlikely of a star as you will find, but he just finds ways to score goals. He's small, and lacks the top end speed you'd want in a guy that size, but he finds holes, and gets body parts on the ball, and the ball in the net.
quote:With Yedlin and Cameron in the back line, you've now got two EPL caliber (albeit low to mid table squads)
Sunderland are below Chelsea. That's pretty low. :toobad:
Orozco replaces Yedlin at RB and Yedlin moves up to RMF for T&T
If USA doesn't win this one, serious questions must be asked. I know T&T is better than VI, but FFS...
Slovenia-Ukraine was much more interesting and had fireworks to boot.
Darlington Nagbe...kid is going to be a difference maker.
Over the last two games, we found out some good things.
Nagbe should be starting.
Fabian Johnson should be playing in the MF or wing.
Yedlin is good enough to start at RB in a pinch.
JK had a lot of confidence in Ream and Cameron...and I think it's starting to pay off.
Some worrisome things...
Jermaine Jones is still the best deep MF option USMNT has...but he's 34 and gets injured a lot. Beckerman is the 2nd best, but like Jones, is on the wrong side of 30.
Jozy continues to be in bad form. It's almost as if JK is afraid of not starting him because it will further hurt his confidence.
We got a tie vs. T&T...and yes, it was on the road, and yes maybe it was part of the strategy...but still...I don't see a USMNT where it needs to be. Right now, at best, it has leveled off. And while T&T is a decent team...we still should have been able to get at least one goal between the pipes.
US passing still continues to be a joke...and the thing is...it's not like I see a vast improvement with the German-Americans who grew up learning soccer in the German academies...it's almost as if the $hitty passing is contagious. Passing got better late, but it was way too loose early on...like it was against the VI...and we paid for it going down 1-0 early.
Hopefully by the time camp resumes in March, these MLS dudes will be rested and fit, and we will look sharper vs Guatemala.