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Thread: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

  1. #181
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by bucksfan2 View Post
    So this Omar Gonzalez are there any rumors about him going to Europe to play?

    Also how does the Mexican league compare to the MLS? and to European leagues?
    Wouldn't surprise me if Gonzalez moves to Europe next winter, ideally to Germany or Spain and not the EPL.

    Mexico's a superior league to MLS. Hard to compare it to Euro leagues, but it's probably as good as the Dutch league (fewer high quality imports, but deeper in homegrown talent).
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  3. #182
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by M2 View Post
    And the Gals turned from horrible to top team in the league immediately after drafting him too. Gonzalez is like a one-man wall. Mexico's grousing about unawarded penalties because scoring from the run of play wasn't really on the table.

    One thing that should be noted about the U.S. is that the team's 4-2-3-1 has become too much of a 4-5-1. It's great that the defense played so well the past two games, but it would be nice to see the team play less defense.
    That's a good point. One problem it always seems like the US faces is unlucky allocation in its best players.
    For year's it's seemed like the US has had two or three keepers who could play at the top level, but of course you can only play one at a time.

    Similarly, it seems like Jones and Bradley all are good enough to contribute, but basically are redundant.
    Ideally, I'd think it would be great to devote more resources to offense and play something like 4-1-3-2 with Bradley/Jones as the main defensive midfielder. But because they both play, and they both seem to be defensive midfielders, it seems to limit the offense a bit.

    Of course the fact that they're both(or one and Edu) are both necessary shows that maybe one couldn't play particularly well by himself. It would be great to trade a keeper and a defensive midfielder for a true offensive talent.
    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    Honest I can't say it any better than Hoosier Red did in his post, he sums it up basically perfectly.

  4. #183
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    I've got a feeling the next big thing is going to be the return of forwards. 4-1-3-2 seems like a sensible evolutionary step.
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  5. #184
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by M2 View Post
    I've got a feeling the next big thing is going to be the return of forwards. 4-1-3-2 seems like a sensible evolutionary step.
    But the question then is can Bradley or Jones play in a more offensive oriented role? And can the US maintain enough defense if only one of them is really playing the defensive midfielder role?
    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    Honest I can't say it any better than Hoosier Red did in his post, he sums it up basically perfectly.

  6. #185
    Are we not men? Yachtzee's Avatar
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    I was thinking about the lineup in the wake of Bocanegra getting dropped and Gonzalez and Besler getting more playing time. It could turn out to be a brilliant move on Klinsman's part if Gonzalez and Besler are able to gel into a stalwart defensive middle for Brazil 2014. Bocanegra isn't getting any younger and seeing how they played against Mexico, Gonzalez and Besler could be really good. Then, if they have the defensive back line solved, Klinsman can have the freedom to go with fewer defensive-minded midfielders and throw more players into the attack.
    Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!

  7. #186
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by Yachtzee View Post
    I was thinking about the lineup in the wake of Bocanegra getting dropped and Gonzalez and Besler getting more playing time. It could turn out to be a brilliant move on Klinsman's part if Gonzalez and Besler are able to gel into a stalwart defensive middle for Brazil 2014. Bocanegra isn't getting any younger and seeing how they played against Mexico, Gonzalez and Besler could be really good. Then, if they have the defensive back line solved, Klinsman can have the freedom to go with fewer defensive-minded midfielders and throw more players into the attack.
    It's a long way from the World Cup and health has been an obvious issue recently for this team, but I think you can certainly count on guys like Donovan and Chandler who have been missing. Also guys like Holden (if he can ever stay healthy) and young guys like Boyd will hopefully be able to work their way in. The team that played Mexico wasn't close to a full strength squad and happened to be a little more defensive focused.

  8. #187
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by Hoosier Red View Post
    But the question then is can Bradley or Jones play in a more offensive oriented role? And can the US maintain enough defense if only one of them is really playing the defensive midfielder role?
    My guess would be that one them (Jones) wouldn't start if Klinsmann went to that formation.
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  9. #188
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    It's a long way from the World Cup and health has been an obvious issue recently for this team, but I think you can certainly count on guys like Donovan and Chandler who have been missing. Also guys like Holden (if he can ever stay healthy) and young guys like Boyd will hopefully be able to work their way in. The team that played Mexico wasn't close to a full strength squad and happened to be a little more defensive focused.
    True it wasn't a full strength squad. I actually think it's good because it got some guys without a lot of caps in there and the fact that they were able to get a result in hostile territory hopefully gives them confidence they can build on. What I'm hoping that translates to is depth down the road, such that when a player gets injured or has poor form, they have experienced players who can step in without having to change formation too much to avoid having a weaker or inexperienced player get exposed. In the past, such situations have lead the US to resort to bunkering at times. My hope is that Klinsman knows what he's doing and is trying to get them beyond that. Of course, he doesn't seem to be good at communicating his plans, so we're kind of left to speculation.
    Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!

  10. #189
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by BuckeyeRed27 View Post
    It's a long way from the World Cup and health has been an obvious issue recently for this team, but I think you can certainly count on guys like Donovan and Chandler who have been missing. Also guys like Holden (if he can ever stay healthy) and young guys like Boyd will hopefully be able to work their way in. The team that played Mexico wasn't close to a full strength squad and happened to be a little more defensive focused.
    I read an article that basically said that Donovan wasn't fully buying into Klinsman's system. He has been pretty coy about when he is going to return to the team. I wonder if they just aren't better off cutting ties with him. He was the face of American soccer for a decade now but I wonder his effectiveness and how much he wants to play.

  11. #190
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by bucksfan2 View Post
    I read an article that basically said that Donovan wasn't fully buying into Klinsman's system. He has been pretty coy about when he is going to return to the team. I wonder if they just aren't better off cutting ties with him. He was the face of American soccer for a decade now but I wonder his effectiveness and how much he wants to play.
    Donovan has proven to be kind of flighty throughout his career, particularly in club ball. But, the USMNT really missed his playmaking and pressure against Mexico. They didn't make the Mexican back line work, and they didn't force the Mexican midfielders worry about the US midfield. Donovan can do both of those things.
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    They need Donovan desperately. No one in the pool comes close to providing what he does.

  13. #192
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by WMR View Post
    They need Donovan desperately. No one in the pool comes close to providing what he does.
    Yup. They need someone who can be dynamic with the ball in the final third to help create scoring opportunities.

    The problem Donovan won't solve is the generally poor quality of service on passes into the attack for the American side. You watch the upper-level international teams play, and there is a precision to the passing (and first touch off the pass) that is lacking for the Americans. The international game moves too fast for teams to overcome bad touches or passes that don't find their targets quickly.
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  15. #193
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    Quote Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor View Post
    Yup. They need someone who can be dynamic with the ball in the final third to help create scoring opportunities.

    The problem Donovan won't solve is the generally poor quality of service on passes into the attack for the American side. You watch the upper-level international teams play, and there is a precision to the passing (and first touch off the pass) that is lacking for the Americans. The international game moves too fast for teams to overcome bad touches or passes that don't find their targets quickly.
    Bradley is getting close. He's been efficient as a center mid for AS Roma. But he's also passing to players who know how to move without the ball to find open spaces in the defense.
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  16. #194
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    One thing I've noticed about the USMNT (and MLS) over the years: Our defenders are usually good at stopping the opposing attackers, but they are not very good at moving the ball up to the holding midfielders. They do WAY too many long clearances that the opposition tends to win.
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  17. #195
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    Re: USMNT: The March to Brazil - World Cup 2014

    I just heard that the national team will play Belgium in May. That is really exciting, because Belgium might be a top ten team in the world. They have some superb talent.
    Eden Hazard
    Dembele
    Fellaini
    Vertonghen
    Lukaku
    Vermaelen
    Kompany

    That is a massive back line.
    Variatio delectat - Cicero


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