US vs. Mexico in Phoenix

Discussion in 'Prem talk, Those Other Leagues, and International' started by LaxAttack, Mar 26, 2014.

  1. LaxAttack

    LaxAttack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2007
    Glendale to be exact.

    It is not a FIFA international date so mainly MLS/Liga MX guys (plus Julian Green). The Tijuana boys are tied up with CCL next week so they can't go. No surprise additions, but maybe a couple omissions (Jose Torres? Benny Feilhaber?). But overall, I can't argue with this roster based on what is available.

    GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

    DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

    MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

    FORWARDS (4): Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Eddie Johnson (D.C. United), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
     
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  2. tim

    tim Active Member

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    Nov 13, 2007
    Location:
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    It should be one heck of an atmosphere. I was at one point considering making the drive (still may). Even with most of the Europe-based players not available, you have to figure a lot of these guys are Brazil-bound, so this is an important one. We've now reached the point where we really want to see this team start to come together.

    EDIT: Alright, took the plunge, bought a ticket, and I'll be driving out for this. I just hope it's worth the 12 hours in the car.
     
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  3. dcheather

    dcheather Administrator

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    #3
  4. tim

    tim Active Member

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    Nov 13, 2007
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    Los Angeles
    Gamesmanship? Have they forgotten about this?

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE--yWohZro[/youtube]
     
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  5. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    US SOCCER is saying that the match will be live on ESPN … thing is that it's really going to be shown at 2230 Central because they have "real" sports at 2000. No problem for me; I'll be watching it "live" tape delayed.
     
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  6. nevzter

    nevzter Well-Known Member

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    A City by a Bay
    Well, maybe they have forgotten. But Puebla is bottom of the table and they probably don't want to burn two starters on a friendly when they need results in Liga MX come the weekend. Just a thought.
     
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  7. astroevan

    astroevan Well-Known Member

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    Virginia Beach
    Does Puebla have any Mexico national team players? If they released the Mexican nationals but not the US, then we'd have a major problem. However, I don't think they were releasing anyone.

    I'm excited to see if Dempsey, Donovan, and Bradley (and Zusi to a lesser extent) can show some chemistry and skill. I'm also excited to get a first look at Julian Green and hope that Edu gets some quality time on the pitch. I'm not excited that there will be a hodge-podge defense. Though hopefully we can maintain possession in the midfield and avoid a lot of action in front of our goal.

    Speaking of goal, who gets the start? I'm thinking Rimando but can't be certain.

    I haven't looked at Mexico's roster, so I can't make any real predictions. But if I were a betting man, I'd go with 2-0 USA. ;)
     
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  8. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

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    Louisville, KY
    I just want to see Mr. Dempsey get his butt in gear. He's had a very quiet year plus, and we ain't gonna do squat if he's not in form.
     
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  9. AggieMatt

    AggieMatt Well-Known Member

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    Anyone up for the chat room for this one? I think I'll pop in at the start for a bit and see if anyone shows up. Should be an interesting game.

    I'd like to see something from Dempsey, Bradley and Donovan. I'd add Jozy but we'll have to wait on that.
     
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  10. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    I never thought to check; doing so now!
     
    #10
  11. LaxAttack

    LaxAttack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2007
    1) First half > Second half

    2) Michael Bradley is the best player in CONCACAF and needs to play higher up the field like he was tonight. I know Klinsi won't bench Jermaine Jones, so he needs to tell JJ to play back more like Beckerman did tonight (and did it well) and like Cameron did in Seattle against Panama when Bradley also dominated the game.
     
    #11
  12. SoCalJoe

    SoCalJoe Well-Known Member

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    :text-+1: The best I've ever seen Jones was a Champions League match when he was with Schalke at Arsenal, and he literally did not venture more than a few yards past the halfway line. He was the best player on the pitch that night and is capable of that role.
     
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  13. tim

    tim Active Member

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    Nov 13, 2007
    Location:
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    Pretty cracking atmosphere in Glendale tonight. The crowd was (not surprisingly) a good 80%+ for Mexico.

    Bradley was all over the freaking field. That guy is going to be responsible for any success we have in Brazil. Dempsey was showing a lot of attitude, especially after a couple calls didn't go his way. Unfortunately he wasn't able to channel it into anything productive.

    My twitter feed tells me EJ was deemed offside (and that replays showed he wasn't). Certainly from where I was sitting I couldn't figure out why the goal was disallowed.

    Wondo's done enough to earn a seat on the plane.

    And lastly, I'm now fully willing to eat my praise of Omar from past years.
     
    #13
  14. LaxAttack

    LaxAttack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2007
    3) Omar Gonzalez scares the crap out of me now. Either have to go with Goodson next to Besler or start Cameron at CB and stick Evans/F. Johnson/Parkhurst at RB.
     
    #14
  15. dcheather

    dcheather Administrator

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    Jul 29, 2005
    Bradley is by far our best player right now. Thought Yedlin looked good out there too. And Green is well, too green for this cycle.
     
    #15
  16. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

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    Louisville, KY
    Michael Effin' Bradley. That is all.
     
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  17. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Whatever else happens this summer, I hope that kid has a MONSTROUS Brazil. I want all those European snob teams that marginalized him to suck it and eat their actions of disrespect to him. Especially M'gladbach, Roma and DOUBLE ESPECIALLY Aston effin' Villa. They're ALL gonna wish they had given him more playing time and, in the case of the Village idiots from Birmingham, I hope they get relegated next season for being such great evaluators of American soccer talent....NOT!
     
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  18. dcheather

    dcheather Administrator

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    Jul 29, 2005
    What about Guzan?
     
    #18
  19. AggieMatt

    AggieMatt Well-Known Member

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    Alamo City, Texas
    And Friedel as well.

    As for the match, obviously Bradley stole the show. If Wondo hasn't earned a spot for Brazil, I don't know what he has to do. Clint looked a lot more like his old self and he played a part in most of the positive things we did. He had the nice flick out to the wing that resulted in our 2nd goal. Beckerman was solid yet again. I've never been a fan but we look more solid with him in there. That said, Edu did put in a couple of really nice crunching tackles. I liked both rb's. More going forward than defending, but they both hustled back well and looked really pacy. The design and execution of the corner for the first goal was excellent. I thought we completely bossed the midfield in the first half and that dictated the game. That dropped off once we started substituting in the 2nd half.

    I liked what I saw of Green. You really can't judge the first outing for a kid like that due to the adjustment and nerves. But he showed pace and a fearlessness and some glimmers that he's going to be good down the road. We'd have to see more to get a better idea how far down the road that is.

    As for the bad. Omar Gonzalez. Wow. I really liked him the first few times I saw him with the Nats but he looked he was wearing concrete boots. He was so slow and was beaten for both goals and a couple of other chances. Maybe he's carrying a knock or something, but that was not good. Aside for the incorrectly disallowed goal, I thought Eddie looked wasteful for the most part. I'm pretty sure this was the first I've seen Donovan since the sabbatical to go find himself. Also alarming. When he had the chance to make those typical Landon runs he looked tentative and slower. I don't think he was so far off the pace that I'd rule him out, but the announcers were saying he's looked the same at LA. It could just be an age thing, but it doesn't seem like it was that long ago that he looked a completely different player.

    Teams that can stretch us will beat us. We'll have a good shot against those that can't. Unfortunately, our group is probably going to be too much for us this go round. All in all though, it was a cracking match and I think there were more positives than negatives coming out of it.
     
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  20. dcheather

    dcheather Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2005
    So you didn't watch the Gold Cup last summer? He's been ok since his sabbatical return but nowhere near the form he's shown when he's been at his best, which I think might be down to aging.
     
    #20
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