soxfan121 said:Green going on loan to Hamburg should be good for him. There's not enough PT to be had in that Bayern front 6.
Titans Bastard said:
I'll say it. I think Green will be a good player, but I don't think he'll ever be Bayern-caliber.
soxfan121 said:
He won't end up being one of the top 25 players at his position in the world? But...but...
You'll never get Sunil's job with that kind of negativity about The Program.
soxfan121 said:
He won't end up being one of the top 25 players at his position in the world? But...but...
You'll never get Sunil's job with that kind of negativity about The Program.
theapportioner said:
He's living up to his claim as the Landon Donovan of SoSH.
Quintanariffic said:I missed the match due to a crazy day at work.
Any observations on the young'uns we haven't seen much of (e.g. Gyau, Hyndman, Rubin, Wood, Ream etc..)?
Infield Infidel said:That would be amazing seeing as the US has never advanced passed the group stage in any WC in Europe. That's the next "hump" in my mind:
2010: win a winnable group
2014: consecutive trips to the second round
2018: advance to second round in Europe
My bad. Thanks for the correction.Infield Infidel said:They made it passed the group stage in US 1994. . . .
I am still bitter about the disallowed goal vs. Italy because of a player in an offside position. That team had potential and did not get any breaks, but did not make any breaks for themselves either.Infield Infidel said:They made it passed the group stage in US 1994. . . .
Italy 90, France 98, Germany 06, they failed to get out of the group stage, the latter two were utter disappointments, dead last in 98, and failing to get out of the group in 06 after making the quarters in 2002. European teams generally play up in World Cups in Europe, so it's a tougher road to hoe.
Infield Infidel said:It's crazy. We've advanced to the second round in every World Cup outside of Europe, and none of the World Cups in Europe. It is unequivocally our kryptonite.
Infield Infidel said:US group stage record (W-D-L) World Cups since 1990
In Europe: 0-1-8
Elsewhere: 4-5-3
Against European Teams
In Europe: 0-1-6
Elsewhere: 1-4-3
Silverdude2167 said:
Can we consider Russia as part of Asia, since the majority of their land mass is in Asia?
dirtynine said:These geographic distinctions were once more powerful - back when international leagues weren't so globalized. For instance European players rarely encountered South American styles, and vice-versa, until international competition. With the element of tactical and athletic surprise in play, the home field environment played a more influential role. Now, when Americans, Englishmen, Brazilians, Italians, Colombians, French, Spanish, Japanese, etc. all migrate to the best leagues and play with each other all the time, that element of surprise is largely gone. The home field / home continent still has significance, but not to the extent it did before. Witness Germany crushing Brazil at home and winning the cup in South American - something (a European team winning in SA) which had never happened before. Before 2014, it was no European team could win outside of Europe, but Spain took care of that. I have no doubt a South American team could win a Russian World Cup in modern times – so I'd extend that logic out and say the US won't have "legacy issues" vis-a-vis achieving in 2018. (They may have quality issues, coaching issues, draw issues, travel issues - to name a few - but those won't be exacerbated because it's Europe vs. anywhere else).
soxfan121 said:The other thing is that regardless of history, USA Soccer would have a hard time selling the idea that "second round in Europe" to a the casual fan. I'm a dumb fan who follows this stuff and my immediate reaction was "fuck that, who gives a shit if its Europe? we can win this thing!" It might be ignorant of history but fringe fans of the team/sport would react as incredulously. (in fact, I kinda want to send Felger the "best we can do is second round" thing and listen to him rant about soccer)
Like it or not, realistic or not, respective of history or not...the expectations are higher than "make it out of the group". Gotta be.*
*I reserve the right to change my mind in four years when we draw Russia, Germany and ColOmbia.
There's always Zelalem, The Next One.soxfan121 said:
He won't end up being one of the top 25 players at his position in the world? But...but...
You'll never get Sunil's job with that kind of negativity about The Program.
FYP. ELO point exchanges are based on where the teams are at the time they play and not affected whatsoever by games that happen later.Joe D Reid said:I recognize the perils of the transitive-property win, but the same Czech team that lost 0-1 to the U.S. just beat the Netherlands in a Euro qualifier. Thatwillwon't help the ELO a bit.
Jed Zeppelin said:
Gyau was good in the 1st half. Strong on the ball and put himself in position to be dangerous from the wing, but never quite found the right cross or final pass. Made some runs off the ball to sneak behind the D but they couldn't slip anything through. Played the full 90 and likely tired a bit, although the 2nd half was dicey all around. Some lapses on the ball and tracking back on D.
In limited minutes, Hyndman looked pretty good in possession aside from one ghastly unforced turnover. Nothing flashy but looked comfortable on the ball.
Things were pretty frantic in the 18 after the wholesale subs (JK used all 6). Ream was okay but at this point he's probably little more than depth anyway. Garza looked a little lost in his first cap but the inexperienced 2nd half MF (and Brek) likely did them no favors.
soxfan121 said:It's hard to tell at this point if Jurgen is leaving no stone unturned or making a point about the existing talent pool.
Not that it changes things any, but I thought Onyewu was a PCL rather than a patella tendon.Infield Infidel said:Every team gets injuries, but you look at the injuries to Davies, Holden, and Onyewu, these were supposed to be contributors at each level of the team, and they were done in by catastrophic, and frankly bizarre, injuries. Davies in the car accident, Holden getting DeJong'd and subsequently more leg damage, and Onyewu rupturing his patellar tendon in the dying embers of a the final qualifier How the last five years would have gone with them fully healthy, or even normal knocks.
Titans Bastard said:Have you heard of Miguel Ibarra?
No? Well, that's because he plays in the second-division NASL for Minnesota United.
ESPN's reporting that he's been called up for the October friendlies.
He's a winger, he's fast, and he's apparently done quite well at Minnesota. Low-round pick by Portland in 2012 out of UC Irvine, but they didn't sign him. He's 24. That's all I got. Klinsmann is certainly casting a wide net.
soxfan121 said:It's hard to tell at this point if Jurgen is leaving no stone unturned or making a point about the existing talent pool.
And how many other diamonds in the rough like Ibarra are sprinkled across all levels of the pyramid, just waiting for a club to invest that extra bit of time and tutelage needed to make them shine?
soxfan121 said:Lots of wide players, no? And Hyndman as the central attacking fulcrum?
Or is looking at the roster tactically a waste of time?