USA vs HON

Really fun game to watch. The attack finally woke up mid way through the first and kept the fuse lit. Honduras is a good team.

They have crazy speed...they don't just have one guy that outruns Yedlin, they have multiple guys.

 

A win is a win, and the beauty of soccer is in a tournament, level of play can vary from game to game...significantly. 

 

JK definitely sacrificed youth for experience and we saw a dip in speed. I love Beckerman, but lawd, the guy is slow.

 

Zardes looks promising but needs more caps. He also needs to be playing in Europe.

Not sure about the part about outrunning Yedlin(Yedlin has crazy speed), but they do have lots of speed. If their center forward could finish, this would have been a very different game.

They had a couple dudes outrunning Yedlin...maybe fatigue was an issue. Yedlin is definitely the fastest American...but there's a couple dudes I can think of who can match him if not exceed him...Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one, Devante Cole is another...just blazers.

 

USA got very lucky...Honduras had a couple of chances late, as you said if the CF can finish...

 

I love the young players on the team...Yedlin, Mix, Zardes, Johansson...all those dudes I think are poised to be stars for the next 10-15 years. 

 

Wish Zack Steffen would hurry up and get to the senior squad...the way he performed in the U20 WC was outstanding...I truly believe he will be the starting keeper in the next 5 years.

Saw the first half.

 

Man, that was a game played a 1 1/2 speed.

Re: Steffen.

 

I don't know of the lad, but I do know keepers are better around 30 than than when they're around 22.

Unless your Goddam acl's blew out like happened to a guy I know.

Ooh, Blair Kiel is going to regale us with stories of his attempts to play GK.

And your curriculum vitae in soccer, sir?

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soccer CV pissing contests again ? Really Kiel ?

 

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Jesus ****

 

Sore spot.

 

Sorry.

U.S.A. sports fans crowing about winning in soccer, who would have thunk it ? 

Pretty amazing how long it took the Pele-led Cosmos to catch on

1977 until 2015 = 38 years

 

 

Nice math.

 

I've been there the whole damn time.

 

Never bought into the "Sport of the future" crap.

 

I saw Pele play in Soldier(s) Field live in "76. Got that going for me.

I've never been good at sports. 

I'm also too young to have seen the Pele-led Cosmos.  I think my first soccer match was the '82 WC final.  West Germany should have won. 

NBC had the WC '86 final, and the local NBC station decided to show a telethon instead of the final live.  I had to stay up until 1:30 to watch the end of the match.

**** Maradona.

Steffen did a great job...USA lost on PK to eventual champ Serbia. You are right about GK peaking around 30...guys like De Gea and Courtois are rare birds being so good around 23-24.

 

I am guessing Howard's hiatus ends in Sept. The pressure to come back and play a lot will be lessened if USA wins Gold Cup because it means they qualify for the Federations Cup in 2017 automatically. I anticipate post Sept, Howard and Guzan will split time and they will bring Yarbrough along as #3. Rimando's days are near done. Barring a physical breakdown, Howard will be between pipes in 17 and WC...after 18, Steffen will likely be the guy IMHO.

 

Questions will remain though, because I am not certain JK goes beyond 2018..unless he really feels the team is on the precipice of greatness (by USA standards).

 

Right now soccer is hip in the US, largely I think because there are so many soccer fans from other countries who make it popular...but EPL getting on American TV has been huge...and I anticipate once Bundesliga starts airing popularity will grow. USMNT players being prevalent in MLS will help grow that league, but the true soccer lovers will always treat it as 2nd tier...which may be generous...La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, EPL, Ligue 1...first tier...Eredivisie, Juplier, Portuguese Liga, Primera Argentina and Brasilero are 2nd tier...MLS, Liga MX, etc are third tier.

 

Going to watch FC Barca vs. Man U in Santa Clara in a couple weeks...first big time game I will attend...been to a few Galaxy and Earthquake games, and a bunch of college games...really excited for the experience. Of course, I am expecting few of the star players to actually play.

 

Really wanted to see Man U vs PSG @ Soldier Field but timing wasn't right.