Confederations Cup

[edlova]

At first it seemed to be an obvious bias, with Michael Bradley getting the starts without a doubt.  He has become an amazing player and is possibly the best we have to offer in the middle.  He was on a Dutch team for a while and now is on Monchengladbach (spelling?) in Germany.

Dempsey tries too much fancy crap while he is out there.  Beasley is coming off an injury and plays in Scotland, and he looks horrible.  Freddy Adu doesn't seem to be given a chance either.  I don't know.  The midfield might be more of a mess than the defense.

[carlthames]

Bradley was great against Italy.  Obama just hasn't set any money aside for ref purchasing.

A real problem across the board is that a number of our best players don't get playing time.  Adu and Altidore are probably our best attacking talents, but they never get to play.  Dempsey's ego is writing checks his body can't cash.  Beasley just can't quite cut it anymore, I don't think.  Donovan has a lot of goals, but like 80% of them are from the spot.

[Tim]

Also, no one has raised the point that compared with Italy, Brazil, England, Spain, Argentina, France, Holland etc... not many of the players play in top leagues in Europe. This is a major factor and prob the biggest factor of all. If all the US players played in top divisions in Europe, including squad players, then this would be fantastic for the team as they get all that competitive action from the different leagues, cups, champions league, uefa cup, etc that is just streets ahead of where many of them currently play. It's also to do with talent, Ireland suffer from this too. The only players we have playing in the top 4 in England are John O'Shea and Darron Gibson. Our home league sucks balls. Only a very small group take it seriously. It used to be taken more seriously but people (supporters) just lost interest cos England was so close and all our best players play there. During the Jack Charlton era (86-95), all of the Irish first 11 and most of the squad were playing for Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, Man U, City, Villa, Celtic, or Chelsea, and they continued to for the next 10 years or so. Now most of our squad play for Hull, Stoke, Reading, Wolves, Birmingham, etc... with a few like Keane, McGeady and O'Sheadplaying for Spurs, Celtic and man u.

The talent just isn't there for Ireland. Partially because every school now plays rugby as well as soccer and football (GAA) and hurling. And the emergence of rugby as the no.1 national sport in Ireland is propelled by the fact that we A, have the greatest rugby player possibly ever on our team, B, have the best attacking line up in the world, and C, we just won the grand slam in rugby, should have won it 3 years running but for injuries and now we finally have a manager than can take us to a world cup final and probably win it. So, much like soccer plays second fiddle to other sports here in the USA, the same happens in Ireland with Rugby, (at the national team level) so we are sorta in the same boat.

Eh, sorry about that. What was the question or my main point again....

[brightonpete]

i think the americans kinda suffer of the english disease in that they almost think they have a right  to win,like we always think we can win euros and world cups.the yanks have lost to italy and brazil two real world powers and really the results were as expected.the usa either needs to step up and move to the south american confederation or lower their expectations.
                     i might go to the bar saturday for spain.

[RTBS]

what, the players?  i dont know about that claim.
most of the players out there didnt even let on for a second that they had a chance(ok, there was a good fight the first half v italy)
that seemed pretty apparent to me. 
besides, to have that right to win mentality - it has to stem from some kind of previous success, dont you think...
i'd be interested in where you thought the right to win mentality came out in this tournament
as far as expectations - well nobody should be playing to lose, right

[brightonpete]

the press,players, fans,go have a read around the mls boards.there is this belief that americans playing or going to europe are gonna be instant greats and that mls clubs are on or close to premier league football.that will translate to the national team and there is a"america rules,and don't you dare say it doesn't'mentality'.and i'm not talking about this tournament but in general.i don't think any team plays to lose, but expecting to beat italy and brazil? when really the hope should be maybe a point and a chance at beating egypt and considering that a good tourny.



 

[NandoManiac]

 




And now back to Cup news......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53a2aJnqYlg

[Mallin2]

Or is Bradley Jr. really the best center-mid the USA have? Just curious about the situation.

With the possible exceptions of timmy howard or landycakes, michael bradley is the best player on the USA team.  when his father gets the axe this bradley will remain, it is not a case of nepotism.  he helped borussia monchengladbach stay up this past season, played nearly every league game and scored some crucial goals for them playing as a defensive mid.  he got alot of votes for m'gladbach player of the season.  according to the bavarian papers i get here Stuttgart and Hertha Berlin (the ponytail!) have both put in bids for him.  i think gladbach will hold onto him this summer but he's bound for bigger things, he's only 21.

ps- i own a bradley usa jersey so i am completely biased.  and i hate rino gattuso, cheers to the egyptians

[RTBS]

the press,players, fans,go have a read around the mls boards.there is this belief that americans playing or going to europe are gonna be instant greats and that mls clubs are on or close to premier league football.that will translate to the national team and there is a"america rules,and don't you dare say it doesn't'mentality'.and i'm not talking about this tournament but in general.i don't think any team plays to lose, but expecting to beat italy and brazil? when really the hope should be maybe a point and a chance at beating egypt and considering that a good tourny.

is the press really going to print - "well 'merica has about the same chance as new zealand in this tourny.  but hey! lets watch and maybe our boys not get beaten that badly"! 

post a link to an mls board so we can take a look at this expectation vibe.  it would be interesting ot check out

[edlova]

And now back to Cup news......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53a2aJnqYlg

: Sorry we discussed something related to the topic that was not Torres.  We will try our best next time to not talk about anything else...ever.

[carlthames]

Section 3 - Treason Note

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

[edlova]

the press,players, fans,go have a read around the mls boards.there is this belief that americans playing or going to europe are gonna be instant greats and that mls clubs are on or close to premier league football.that will translate to the national team and there is a"america rules,and don't you dare say it doesn't'mentality'.and i'm not talking about this tournament but in general.i don't think any team plays to lose, but expecting to beat italy and brazil? when really the hope should be maybe a point and a chance at beating egypt and considering that a good tourny.

I agree with you Pete.  I talked to a few people and they just automatically thought the US was getting out of the group.  With only 8 teams involved, it's really not going to be an easy draw for the groups regardless, but I think a point might be asking too much.  They looked terrible against Brazil, worse than they did against Italy, yes Brazil are good, but it looked like my high school were playing Barcelona out there.

And Tim, I think higher competition for some players will help, no MLS is not on par with the Premier League, but when we have talented guys sitting on the bench for a second division team in Spain, it is not automatically better because it is Europe.  We need guys to actually see time (Adu, Altidore) as well.  And completely agree Tim, soccer is MAYBE 4th, probably 5th most popular here as far as viewing, not sure about participation, but chances are, the best athletes are not playing soccer here.  I know many people who watch the US and the Premier League, but won't watch MLS.  The league has improved since the beginning, but something needs to be fixed.

Also, better coaching is needed.  I don't think Bradley is good enough to make the team step up.  We need a coach that would rip Dempsey a new asshole, and not start Beasley after one of his worst games ever.

[Tim]

Yeah Ed, I guess what I meant about Ireland's players playing in the second division (Championship) was that I was just stating a fact. Of course I would love our players to play in the EPL, all of them, but fact is, many of them are not good enough. So compared to the USA, I didn't mean that playing in the second division was better than MLS, I would think that the MLS is probably the lower lower half of the EPL and championship combined but my point was that if players have talent, they will rise to the top division in Europe. For Ireland and the USA, only a few are there right now.

Also, the English league as  whole (all divisions) is far stronger than anything anywhere in the world. Just look at the second divisions across europe compared to the championship. There really is no comparison-it's the reason why up to 8 teams from the EPL can play in europe at any onetime and this is not true of any other league. UEFA see it. (UEFA also, IMO, secretly hate England for whatever reasons, but that is a whole other debate.)

And thirdly, your point that the best athletes in the usa are not playing footy is spot on. Same goes for Ireland. We have 3 other sports way ahead in terms of who plays. Soccer is continually 4th choice behind GAA Football, Hurling and Rugby. But, a difference between here (US) and Ireland is that Soccer is by far and away the most popular sport to watch and is supported way more than the other sports. And that is just crazy and really contradictory. More people play other sports-more people watch soccer. 

[NandoManiac]

Lineup

Spain: Reina Albiol Pique Puyol Villa Xavi Torres Fabregas Sergio Riera Arbeloa

SA: Khune Gaxa Masilela Mokoena Mhlongo Sibaya Pienaar Modise Dikgacoi Booth Parker

[carlthames]

What about the Iraq-Kiwi lineup?  Bush league stuff, leaving them out.