US / South Africa friendly Pre and Post Game [R]

Tell your barber he needs to get FSC!

 

SAF v. USA - 15 Hours and Counting

My winning line-up:

-------------------------------- Howard --------------------------------

--- 'Dolo ------- Onyewu ---------------- Boca -------- Spector ----

----- Adu ------- Feilhaber ---------- Bradley ------- Beasley ------

------------ Dempsey ------------------- Josy!!! ----------------------

We will be getting downright offensive in this one.

Final: 1 - 4

I'll go to the chat room early if anyone is interested in joining.

Video of Our Boys: http://www.ussoccer.com/sights/showVideo.jsp_434-1.html

 

I will have to miss this one in favor of my son's game.

 

I watched the game.. or started to. I mean I couldnt keep my concentration on it... I did see the goal first hand {without replay} and it was a nice one.

I could be all-wet, and probably am... but it didnt seem to me US really cared much about the outcome and expected to only do enough to not get beaten badly.
SA in my opinion even had the bulk of the attack in the first. The US seemed to be almost lethargic in its play, but I think in retrospect it was because they felt they had SA's number and werent going to overplay.

 

I was just disappointed not to see Dempsey and Altidore on the field together. I think our youngsters up top (Jozy, Adu), with Clint behind them is our best attacking option. Bradley is good enough at defensive mid to handle that himself and Demps has proved he can come back and defend as needed.

We do have a weak spot at Right Mid - the closest thing we have to a true Right Winger is Bobby Convey, who is a lefty (he has been playing some right mid at Reading this year and, while his left footed crosses are better, his right foot isn't bad). Adu, Donovan, and Dempsey can play Right Mid, but they are more central attackers. I just don't like Benny on the wing; it doesn't fit with his playing style.

 

Adu showed a flash of the form many fear(ed) he has a tendency to revert to. Head down, streaking toward goal from the right at an impossible angle, three defenders on him, Beasley WIDE OPEN in front of the goal. What did Adu do? Try for the impossible shot with his left. Very concerning.

Of course he did absolutely work an RSA defender while in the corner earlier in the match.

Overall though, first half was impressive somewhat, and second half was u-g-l-y. 'Dolo is the man, right now.

 

Speaking of which, hoping Dolo wasn't seriously injury, he looked to be hobbling badly at the end of the half.

 

How was that not a card on the dude who hacked him down? Regardless, before that injury I think he demonstrated why he's our first choice right back if he's healthy. Spector looked good when he came on for Dolo but he doesn't have the attacking skill.

Pearce wasn't bad but I don't see why you think he's significantly better than Bornstein, Don.

Danny Califf is crap. Was he out of position playing center back? Because he looked like he had no idea what he was doing. If central back is his main position then for my money he's behind at least Boca, Gooch, DeMerit, Conrad and Parkhurst on the depth chart.

A lot of our guys seemed like they weren't really interested in this match.

I thought Feilhaber went to Derby so he could play regularly - what's the point if he's not going to?

Neither Dempsey nor Adu are truly forwards. It kind of seems like we played a 4-6-0 for a lot of the match. I didn't like that lineup - it really begged for Brian Ching or Kenny Cooper or someone else with size up top.

 

You mean the Rapids, of course.

 

You mean the Rapids, of course.

Otherwise, you could be right.

 

by the way, my lineup was spot on for this match thank you very much! just call me Bob Bradley. anyways, I thought we played pretty good in the first half. We possessed the ball well and made them chase us all over the field. great overlapping runs by 'Dolo and Pearce getting into the attack and I actually thought Benny was good on the right because he pinched in to the middle a lot and that gave 'Dolo space to run up the sideline unimpeded. That's why he was so open on the goal. Edu was the man of the match in my opinion. hadn't seen a lot of this kid until the last two matches, but man am I impressed. Bradley may as well have a lock symbol put next to his name when it appears on the tv cuz IMO he's a lock in that defensive mid spot. The reason Pearce is better than Bornstein is he defends better. Doesn't quite have Bornstein's pace, but is better at defending (even though he did look poor in the second half, but Pineear is really good.) Disappointed that we sat on the lead in the second half, although I'll admit I'd rather take a win over attractive football. My projections thus far for 2010:

------Howard-----
'Dolo--?---Boca----?
?-----?-----Bradley---?
-----?------?----------

A little early for 2010 i know, but i'm just saying I think you can pencil in those 3 guys for sure.

 

If I'm going to "pencil" someone in, then it ain't a lock. But perhaps that is what you meant.

Can't say anyone is a "lock" yet. But once some are, I'll have my Sharpie at the ready.

 

haha...thanks for the correction.

 

Well with an ego like THAT, I sure cant call you 'Jim Tressel'.

Bwahahahahahaha!

 

That's 4 guys. :lol:

 

I agree with the snore fest comment. It was a boring game. SA gave our team a ton of space, and we did not capitalize on it.

Benny is a central midfielder. The Edu/Bradley combo is too defensive.

Josy should have started.

Pearce was sending too many long balls, but played well otherwise.

Whatever happened to Simek?