June 22, 201610 yr Author Forwards, none Midfield, none Defense, Brooks, Cameron, Johnson. Goalie, Guzan played like poop today. We will disagree on Cameron, but Brooks and Johnson were two that crossed my mind.
June 22, 201610 yr Laying the blame on Klinsmann is ridiculous IMO. They don't have a player on the roster capable of being out there for Argentina, yet somehow his formation and game plan cost them the match? Please. At some point, you have to just be realistic with yourself and realize the US is light years behind being able to compete with the top teams in the world. It's not about losing... it's about being completely non competitive and putting yourself behind the 8-ball before kickoff. Did it stink that we lost all our pace before the game even began due to the suspensions to Jones and Wood? Yeah, but putting in Beckerman and Wondo and still trying to play that press was just plain foolish. Klinsy had a defensive strategy that worked against Paraguay and Ecuador and so he just ran with it, despite not having two of the players with the best work rate in that system stuck on the bench. Beckerman and Wondo simply can't play that. Beckerman and Bradley also can't play next to each other like that. You'd think we'd have learned that by now. They just don't complement each other defensively. Need someone that can cover more ground to cover Bradley.
June 22, 201610 yr Laying the blame on Klinsmann is ridiculous IMO. They don't have a player on the roster capable of being out there for Argentina, yet somehow his formation and game plan cost them the match? Please. At some point, you have to just be realistic with yourself and realize the US is light years behind being able to compete with the top teams in the world. What he did last night was terrible. Were the US going to beat THAT Argentina, NOOOO. Nobody in the world would have. Could they have kept it to a respectable score yes. You don't put in 3 players who have proven time and again that they don't bring a specific strength to the table. Either go for it, or sit back. Don't get stuck in the middle with talent to do neither on the field.
June 22, 201610 yr I guess that's where we really disagree. It wouldn't have mattered what players played, or what strategy they used. Argentina was going to annihilate them either way IMO.
June 22, 201610 yr One day folks will realize America will NEVER been on the same level as the elite soccer powers of the world.
June 22, 201610 yr One day folks will realize America will NEVER been on the same level as the elite soccer powers of the world. Yes but a prepared team can win one game against a powerhouse with the right plan and the right personnel. We got neither of those last night. Little Costa Rica made the World Cup quarterfinals two years ago with just those two ingredients. That second goal, for example, was pure World-class skill with Messi finding the very top corner where no keeper in the world could've stopped it... but it was setup by an unprepared player (Wondolowski) giving away the ball then overcompensating to try and win it back by essentially clotheslining they guy. Time and again US players lost the ball unnecessarily and gave away chances to Argentina. It doesn't have to be like that.
June 22, 201610 yr I guess that's where we really disagree. It wouldn't have mattered what players played, or what strategy they used. Argentina was going to annihilate them either way IMO. It is like being a fan of a football team and watching them run draws on 3rd and long the whole game b/c they know they can't keep up with the Patriots. Yeah, you don't have the horses, but at least compete. It is not ok to just lay down. That lineup was terrible.
June 22, 201610 yr One day folks will realize America will NEVER been on the same level as the elite soccer powers of the world. Never is a long time, but if kids keep only playing soccer in structured settings, you are correct. Argentina players learned the game on the streets and in their neighborhoods. They have an innate ability and touch that comes from playing with your friends for hours each day. US kids grow up from the age of 4 learning to play at practice. Minorities get together to play during the day, but far too few kids have that opportunity as most kids just don't play pickup soccer. It is what it is in that aspect.
June 22, 201610 yr It is like being a fan of a football team and watching them run draws on 3rd and long the whole game b/c they know they can't keep up with the Patriots. Yeah, you don't have the horses, but at least compete. It is not ok to just lay down. That lineup was terrible. That's my point though. They could've put out the best possible lineup with all players available and the result would've been the exact same thing. It wouldn't have changed anything at all, so why blame the coach? Not having the talent to compete isn't the coach's fault.
June 22, 201610 yr That's my point though. They could've put out the best possible lineup with all players available and the result would've been the exact same thing. It wouldn't have changed anything at all, so why blame the coach? Not having the talent to compete isn't the coach's fault. There are things the coach can do to limit the talent gap. Klinsmann doesn't do that. He actually manages to make it worse.
June 22, 201610 yr That's my point though. They could've put out the best possible lineup with all players available and the result would've been the exact same thing. It wouldn't have changed anything at all, so why blame the coach? Not having the talent to compete isn't the coach's fault. B/c EVEN if you are out of your league, you still put your best team out there to compete. They did not. I do not personally believe that you would be ok with a coach of one of your teams conceding defeat with who he played. If you are going to lose, go out swinging.
June 22, 201610 yr B/c EVEN if you are out of your league, you still put your best team out there to compete. They did not. I do not personally believe that you would be ok with a coach of one of your teams conceding defeat with who he played. If you are going to lose, go out swinging. That's exactly what the Reds are doing on a nightly basis and I have zero issue with it. So, you'd have been cool with the same exact 4-0 massacre had a couple of different players been on the field? I call bull. You guys would still be heading the "Fire Klinsmann" train this morning either way.
June 22, 201610 yr 1st, Reds are in a completely different position. This was the semifinals of a tournament on our soil. You have to win the semifinal to advance, so try and win. As for them getting trounced, Klinsmann would have had an out, because he was in a tough position losing Bedoya, Jones, and Wood. Had he put out a team that could at least match Argentina athletically, or to the best of the team's ability, who could fault him? He didn't. He went with the old tried and true and we all know that those 3 players can't play at this level. We don't know what Nagbe can do, or if you put Johnson in the midfield with Besler behind him if that helps.
June 22, 201610 yr It's not just that. They needed to be much more physical. The Americans played like this was a friendly.
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