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US Men's National Team (17 Viewers)

The Z Machine said:
That's a terrible location. Who the hell chose that over about a billion other stadiums that are better suited to host a soccer game?
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We have been in a run where we seem to be picking terrible stadiums/field conditions.

I know why US Soccer avoids using the MLS stadiums, but there still has to be better choices.

 
My mom is super excited to hear that St. Vincent and The Grenadines got back together for a reunion tour. Says she saw them in concert back in '55 and "they were like Elvis before there was Elvis."

 
Article from the NYTimes about St V&G.

I spent the day after Millenium NYE in St V, travelled to a couple of the Gs afterwards. Beautiful islands, but St Vincent was definitely a little... impoverished. Heard stories about where people were growing their weed to sell, shootouts with the cops- that kind of thing. oh- also where they filmed Pirates of the Caribbean, so there ya go.

If Jurgen Klinsmann, the German coach of the United States national men’s soccer team, thinks he is at his lowest ebb, Cornelius Huggins can offer him a startling reality check. When Klinsmann’s team begins the qualifying cycle for the 2018 World Cup in Russia on Friday night, it will do so on the heels of a string of deeply disappointing results. Fans are grumbling, and faith in Klinsmann’s leadership seems to dim with each new unimpressive display.

Yet if Klinsmann ever fears that all hope is lost, he can always put himself in the shoes of Huggins, who faces a much taller task. Huggins coaches the young national team of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which will serve as the first hurdle for the Americans on the road to Russia. The teams play Friday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Currently ranked 129th in the world by FIFA, St. Vincent encounters the kind of difficulties no major nation — or any of its current opponents in qualifying — will endure. The team, a collection of part-time players, does not even have a training field of its own. Its best-performing striker is a fisherman. The captain is a member of the coast guard. For his tiny Caribbean country to have reached this moment is special.

The 103,000 people who inhabit St. Vincent, a 16-mile-long, economically ravaged island at the southern end of the Caribbean, would fit inside Penn State’s Beaver Stadium with room to spare. But triumphs over Guyana and Aruba in the earlier rounds have given fans, and Huggins’s team, a chance to dream.

St. Vincent has never won a match at this level. In fact, it is only the fifth time a team from the island has reached the main qualifying tournament. Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala make up the rest of its group, but meeting the United States is the main event. “Life here is hard,” said Huggins, the country’s most celebrated player. If not for soccer, Huggins might still be clocking in at the plastic-bag factory where he used to work. Instead, he will lead the Vincy Heat, as St. Vincent’s team is known, into some of the biggest games of their lives.

“It’s a real struggle for the players to make a living for themselves and their families,” he added. “The rich people aren’t playing the game; it’s the poor ones. There’s no professional league in St. Vincent. They get nothing. They work from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., and then at 4:30, they can start doing their stuff.” He called the chance to share the stage with the region’s biggest players and teams “a massive opportunity.”

“That’s why playing for the national team is so important: You go overseas, and someone might see you,” Huggins said. “Scouts come here very rarely, which is a shame, because there is a lot of talent in the smaller Caribbean countries.” Comparing the infrastructure of these two soccer nations, however, is an illuminating exercise. No expense has been spared for Klinsmann and his support staff in the search for progress. In St. Vincent, the situation is strikingly different.

FIFA’s Goal program, which finances development projects — sometimescontroversially — for member associations, approved a project to build a headquarters for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation in 2013. The plans, though, were soon scrapped. “Our main training pitch is the one where we play all our games, and that is a shared facility with a cricket team,” Huggins said. “Now that we are in the World Cup qualifying competition, they have allowed us more freedom. They are still playing on it at this time of year, though, so we don’t always have it totally to ourselves.” He added: “They want to keep training, so we only use certain areas, to go down the sides and keep off the main part. We just need a facility where we can train whenever we like. We can’t keep sharing a surface which is used for other sports.”

While United States striker Jozy Altidore earned about $5 million this year in Major League Soccer, his counterpart, Tevin Slater, made precisely nothing playing for Camdonia F.C. in the St. Vincent Premier League. Slater earns his income by catching fish. No matter. Slater is a raw, exuberant danger in attack, scoring seven goals in his first 11 international appearances, and a Concacaf-leading five in World Cup qualifying. “We are the underdogs, so there is no pressure, but it’s difficult for us,” said the St. Vincent captain, Darren Hamlett. “I am a coast guard officer, so I work from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., go to training, and then come back at night to keep working.

“Some of our squad have just come out of school, while others are unemployed,” he added. “A lot of our players are young, but if you want to become a professional, you have to start acting like one, so we work hard.“That’s what we are up against. But we love football. And we love our country.”
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Very good article on Nagbe from The Guardian.

Have to wonder whether he'll have that Donovan-like personality clash with JK. I actually think that there's a place for a gifted, laid back player. The type that doesn't feel pressure the same way.

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Very good article on Nagbe from The Guardian.

Have to wonder whether he'll have that Donovan-like personality clash with JK. I actually think that there's a place for a gifted, laid back player. The type that doesn't feel pressure the same way.
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I might be reading what you said wrong, but Landon may have been the furthest thing from laid back imo. He was wound tighter than most athletes and let a lot of things bother him mentally.

I don't know a lot about Nagbe's personality the way I knew Landon's from watching him since he was 16, but I don't think they are too similar.

 
NewlyRetired said:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Very good article on Nagbe from The Guardian.

Have to wonder whether he'll have that Donovan-like personality clash with JK. I actually think that there's a place for a gifted, laid back player. The type that doesn't feel pressure the same way.
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I might be reading what you said wrong, but Landon may have been the furthest thing from laid back imo. He was wound tighter than most athletes and let a lot of things bother him mentally.

I don't know a lot about Nagbe's personality the way I knew Landon's from watching him since he was 16, but I don't think they are too similar.
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seems like the similarities are kinda there though- mostly that neither seemed to be caught up in the (maybe teutonic) drive to have to be the best/win/dominate. they both seem like guys who are more aesthetes, wanting to play well and enjoy doing it, but aren't driven to be "the guy" to win the game.

but that was at a skim level.

 
Sunil with lots of comments about JK here

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/united-states/2015/11/13/17306462/gulati-backs-klinsmann-but-acknowledges-us-needs-to-turn?ICID=HP_BN_1

This is the most I have ever read from him on this topic.

All of his comments are generally very political allowing him to make any decision they want or need to going forward.

This comment was interesting lending some weight to the previous rumor that JK's position is being discussed

When you’ve got the worst results, that’s when you get the most questions. That’s normal. And we have the toughest conversations, with Dan and I, for sure.

 
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El Floppo said:
NewlyRetired said:
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Very good article on Nagbe from The Guardian.

Have to wonder whether he'll have that Donovan-like personality clash with JK. I actually think that there's a place for a gifted, laid back player. The type that doesn't feel pressure the same way.
Click to expand...
I might be reading what you said wrong, but Landon may have been the furthest thing from laid back imo. He was wound tighter than most athletes and let a lot of things bother him mentally.

I don't know a lot about Nagbe's personality the way I knew Landon's from watching him since he was 16, but I don't think they are too similar.
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seems like the similarities are kinda there though- mostly that neither seemed to be caught up in the (maybe teutonic) drive to have to be the best/win/dominate. they both seem like guys who are more aesthetes, wanting to play well and enjoy doing it, but aren't driven to be "the guy" to win the game.

but that was at a skim level.
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I don't disagree with any of that.

I was more focusing on the laid back part. Landon was never laid back (say in the way Frankie mastered).

 
here is the lineup

...................Guzan

Yedlin......Cam....Besler....Ream

Zardes...Jones...Bradley....Fab

.........Jozy........Wood

 
I hate these games because you can't take anything from these positive because of the level of the opposition, only negatives.

Tuesday night will give us a MUCH better read on where the team is.

3 points, good GD, and Miazga and Nagbe both cap tied now is all what we expected out of this game and they met all those expectations.

 
NewlyRetired said:
I hate these games because you can't take anything from these positive because of the level of the opposition, only negatives.

Tuesday night will give us a MUCH better read on where the team is.

3 points, good GD, and Miazga and Nagbe both cap tied now is all what we expected out of this game and they met all those expectations.
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I kind of see what you're saying but all they could do tonight is get 3 points and they did. That's enough to be pleased about.

 
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
I hate these games because you can't take anything from these positive because of the level of the opposition, only negatives.

Tuesday night will give us a MUCH better read on where the team is.

3 points, good GD, and Miazga and Nagbe both cap tied now is all what we expected out of this game and they met all those expectations.
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I kind of see what you're saying but all they could do tonight is get 3 points and they did. That's enough to be pleased about.
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I agree. That is what my last sentence was suppose to say but I did not write it well.

 
Looks like both Jones and Zardes might have picked up injuries late in the game last night.

If neither can go, I would assume maybe Mix and Nagbe would start for them assuming the same formation.

 
Here are the Concacaf results from last night, home team listed first

Mexico 3 ELS 0

Canada 1 Honduras 0

Costa Rica 1 Haiti 0

Jamaica 0 Panama 2

US 6 St V&G 1

Guat 1 T&T 2

 
Here are the US away results from last cycle. This really shows how hard getting points is on the road.

Guat 1 US 1

Jamaica 2 US 1

Antigua 1 US 2 (EJ injury time winner)

Honduras 2 US 1

Mexico 0 US 0

Jamaica 1 US 2 (Evans injury time winner)

Costa Rica 3 US 1

Panama 2 US 3 (two US goals in injury time)

 
NewlyRetired said:
I hate these games because you can't take anything from these positive because of the level of the opposition, only negatives.

Tuesday night will give us a MUCH better read on where the team is.

3 points, good GD, and Miazga and Nagbe both cap tied now is all what we expected out of this game and they met all those expectations.
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:goodposting:

Optimal result for me last night would've been:

- win

- clean sheet

- quick ball movement and possession.

- individual players stepping up their game

- cap tie mazda and nagbe

- nobody gets hurt

Ticked off a couple of those at least. T&t away is a much better test and clearer indicator of where things stand. All of those clunker touches from players WILL lead to dangerous counters down there.

But kind of hard to feel much of anything about last night given what happened in Paris.

 
Just a reminder for those looking for the US T&T game. The away qualifiers are not controlled by Fox/ESPN.

The game will be shown on beInSport in English and NBCU in Spanish

 
Sebowski said:
U23 take on Brazil todaya at 3et on fox sports 2
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great. thanks for reminding me to see that crap-fest.

I watched the last 35 minutes or so, with the US down 2-1. I was watching while playing with Floppinha- look up and the US would get the ball... look back up a split second later and every time, the US had lost the ball. I didn't see them possess more than a couple of seconds, couple of passes. their touches were pointless, the passes the same- no direction at all. Brazil looked like it was playing 11 v 8. looked like they could walk into the goal anytime they wanted. IIRC, this was our olympic squad... right?... and not a group of fishermen from the caribbean? just have to check.

 
El Floppo said:
Sebowski said:
U23 take on Brazil todaya at 3et on fox sports 2
Click to expand...
great. thanks for reminding me to see that crap-fest.

I watched the last 35 minutes or so, with the US down 2-1. I was watching while playing with Floppinha- look up and the US would get the ball... look back up a split second later and every time, the US had lost the ball. I didn't see them possess more than a couple of seconds, couple of passes. their touches were pointless, the passes the same- no direction at all. Brazil looked like it was playing 11 v 8. looked like they could walk into the goal anytime they wanted. IIRC, this was our olympic squad... right?... and not a group of fishermen from the caribbean? just have to check.
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Suppose to be our Olympic guys, but they don't have Morris, Miazga, Carter-Vickers, Z, Hyndman, Arriola, Thompson, or the vet exceptions. Soooooo..... :confused:

ETA: I guess they do have a couple of those guys there, but they didn't start and I can't find anywhere that lists subs.

 
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Am I wrong in thinking Zardes was one of the worst players on the field for us? His touch is unusually awful for an offensive player.

 
Ray Karpis said:
Am I wrong in thinking Zardes was one of the worst players on the field for us? His touch is unusually awful for an offensive player.
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I also thought he had a poor game. His touch is different from Yedlin's (which is 95% cement). Some time Zardes looks like he understands how much force to use to settle a ball like any pro at his level should know. At other times he figures his shin is as soft as the top of his foot.

Very frustrating to watch. If that was not against the worst team in this entire round of qualifying (all groups), there would have been more concern.

He is probably a bit too old now to suddenly figure out how to be consistent touch wise so I guess we just need to take the good with the bad as it is obvious JK loves him so we are likely to see plenty more of his game.

 
Nearly every soccer reporter who reports on US Soccer has written a piece the last 24+ hours speculating that JK has a chance to be tossed regardless of the result on Tuesday night.

I think they might be reading way too much into Sunil's recent public comments I posted earlier but in their defense it is hard to ignore how wishy washy Sunil was when discussing JK's future.

 
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NewlyRetired said:
Nearly every soccer reporter who reports on US Soccer has written a piece the last 24+ hours speculating that JK has a chance to be tossed regardless of the result on Tuesday night.

I think they might be reading way too much into Sunil's recent public comments I posted earlier but in their defense it is hard to ignore how wishy washy Sunil was when discussing JK's future.
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More than anything, it seems sort of pointless at this point in time if they win tomorrow, especially since Nagbe is just now entering the picture.

FWIW, I really liked what Nagbe brought especially since he allows Bradley to be the pivot in the back. We'll have to see how it works against better opposition, but if those two mesh, you probably have your center-mid pairing especially if you want to be a tad more offensive. The best part of Nagbe from what I saw, was he pretty clearly understood tactics, triangles, where to be, being the outlet, etc.

and if Nagbe really is all that, I'm fine with dropping Dempsey for the time being if you are going to be running Wood/Altidore with Jones or Nagbe with Bradley. If Nagbe's strength is providing tactical attacking support, Wood (who's best trait seems to be tactical runs into space) seems like a better pairing.

More than anything, Nagbe seems to allows the setup of the team to be more natural.

 
Sammy3469 said:
NewlyRetired said:
Nearly every soccer reporter who reports on US Soccer has written a piece the last 24+ hours speculating that JK has a chance to be tossed regardless of the result on Tuesday night.

I think they might be reading way too much into Sunil's recent public comments I posted earlier but in their defense it is hard to ignore how wishy washy Sunil was when discussing JK's future.
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More than anything, it seems sort of pointless at this point in time if they win tomorrow, especially since Nagbe is just now entering the picture.

FWIW, I really liked what Nagbe brought especially since he allows Bradley to be the pivot in the back. We'll have to see how it works against better opposition, but if those two mesh, you probably have your center-mid pairing especially if you want to be a tad more offensive. The best part of Nagbe from what I saw, was he pretty clearly understood tactics, triangles, where to be, being the outlet, etc.

and if Nagbe really is all that, I'm fine with dropping Dempsey for the time being if you are going to be running Wood/Altidore with Jones or Nagbe with Bradley. If Nagbe's strength is providing tactical attacking support, Wood (who's best trait seems to be tactical runs into space) seems like a better pairing.

More than anything, Nagbe seems to allows the setup of the team to be more natural.
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interesting... I'm a big Nagbe fan, but I felt like he was too static in the game. almost lazy. watched Bradley running all over, still filling the holes... and I could see where I wanted Nagbe to run to anticipate the 2nd pass/triangle... but didn't see him make the runs. :shrug: . but again- I'm a fan, and I think he has been for club, and could be that guy for the US.

 
NewlyRetired said:
Just a reminder for those looking for the US T&T game. The away qualifiers are not controlled by Fox/ESPN.

The game will be shown on beInSport in English and NBCU in Spanish
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Ugh, I'm in a hotel tomorrow night. I seriously doubt they have BEiN or NBCU. I'm sure there will be 'illegal' streams online, but that sucks because picture quality can be so hit/miss.

Does either BEiN or NBCU have direct feeds? I have my login information for cable.

 
Poke_4_Life said:
NewlyRetired said:
Just a reminder for those looking for the US T&T game. The away qualifiers are not controlled by Fox/ESPN.

The game will be shown on beInSport in English and NBCU in Spanish
Click to expand...
Ugh, I'm in a hotel tomorrow night. I seriously doubt they have BEiN or NBCU. I'm sure there will be 'illegal' streams online, but that sucks because picture quality can be so hit/miss.

Does either BEiN or NBCU have direct feeds? I have my login information for cable.
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I think NBCU does but BEin does not, you'd have to download the fubo tv app to stream that way.

 
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