Confederations Cup, USA vs. Italy: A loss

Why are you so down On Clark? I think he has provided some good toughness in the midfield.

Posted from  United States

He’s down on Clark because the guy really really sucks. That should be pretty obvious by now.

Posted from  United States

* I thought Dempsey left us out to dry on the pass back to Feilhaber on the first goal. Great finish from Rossi.

* Donovan worked tirelessly. Finally started running at people.

* Bradley really showed well again against top-notch competition, IMO. Sucked that he could’t connect on Donovan’s well-placed ball.

* Jozy really should have taken that shot.

* That’s too long to hold up w/10 vs. a top-notch side. Yes, a crap red, but total frustration foul from Clark after the initial takeaway.

* So so from Feilhaber.

I wrote and in-depth look at all 14 U.S. players performance on my Web site at: http://intelligentsoccer.com/?p=270

Posted from  United States

Watching the Egypt-Brazil match showed just what’s wrong to Bob Bradley’s approach. I think the announcer said at one point that only three of Egypt’s starting eleven play outside of the Egyptian league, but they more than held their own against the more talented Brazilians. They linked up passes well, attacked aggressively, and pretty much took it to Brazil.

Meanwhile, we couldn’t seem to hold possession for longer than five seconds, and our entire offensive strategy seemed to be to knock a long-ball up to Jozy and hope that he could draw a foul. The only players who seemed to be trying to make runs or play any kind of short game were Donovan and Bradley. If our back four hadn’t been as solid (outside of Bornstein, who isn’t the answer at left back), that would have been a lot worse. Pathetic showing by the US.

Posted from  United States

1. isnt that clark’s second red card in as many tournaments? America’s joey barton perhaps?
2. the amount of back passes needs to be cut by like 80%
3. papa bradley’s formation for the next match: 8-1-1
4. I think this game proves again that our team gets worse automatically when beasley steps on the pitch
5. I generally liked how spector and demerit played

Spector is a future star, he plays with so much poise. I remember him getting beat, but getting back to stop the play. He is probably our best defender.

I was rather impressed overall by the US performance, but there were some clear negatives that hurt the US

@ Joe – Ricardo Clark may bring toughness, but he also brings stupidity. He is our “Joey Barton.” I don’t care what sort of talent Clark has, he is an idiot on the pitch. Remember when he kicked Carlos Ruiz and got suspended for nine games? I imagine that the only reason Clark played is because Edu is injured.

@texbuck – The Egyptian league is so much better than the MLS. The Egyptian League attracts the best talent from across Africa. The MLS attracts the second rate American players, third tier Latin American players, and the odd Kiwi (I was surprised to find out how many of New Zealand’s players are from the MLS during the NZ-Spain match). I spent some time in Egypt, and I’ve seen a handful of games, so I have a little first hand experience to make this comparison.

What this game told me was that the US is starting to find a decent formation that works for us. The 4-2-3-1 should be a standard formation. It works best, given the talent we have, and the dearth of strikers. Put Bradley and Maurice Edu (once he’s healthy) in the two holding roles. These two are playing regularly in Europe, and they understand what needs to be done. I like Altidore up top. He’s big, and he showed that he can hold the ball up. Besides, he better than Ching. Alitodre simply got tired today from not getting enough playing time in Spain. The same could be said for Feilhaber. Playing Feilhaber with Donovan and Dempsey works well. I imagine Adu will also fit in well in that attackign midfield three.
The back four looked good, even Bornstein. I don’t understand why Bocanegra doesn’t play in the left back role – he is left-footed! Imagine a back line of Spector, Demeritt, Onyewu (who looked good today), and Bocanegra. It’s not the most attacking group, but it would provide a solid back line.

The future looks good, especially if Jermaine Jones starts playing for us. Alongside Bradley, they could make a strong midfield pair in the 4-2-3-1.

Posted from  United States

You know what would be a really cool and novel idea? To play Italy 11 v. 11. I’d really enjoy to see that one day.

Posted from  United States

Also, a little disappointed in Rossi’s celebration after his first goal. (I know, I know, he chose Italy. I’m over that. Whatever)I thought I read somewhere that if he were to score against the US he wouldn’t celebrate. Maybe I read it online, maybe I read it in Nothing. Once I saw him running around like he scored in Extra Time of the WC Final, then I started yelling “Turncoat”.

Posted from  United States

@ Bram: Good point on formation: “The 4-2-3-1 should be a standard formation.”

With Jones coming into the fold, it opens the door for Adu to play a meaningful role (though I’m sure Feilhaber will have something to say about it.)

Posted from  United States

does anyone know if jermaine jones has ever played at leftback for schalke? i know he is more than solid defensively and he’s left-footed.

Posted from  Poland

I’m currently in an airport terminal and I only saw twenty minutes of the game, but I’m gonna keep to the same points. Fire Bob Bradley. Play Freddy Adu (if for nothing else then because he’s the only guy on the team who can hit a free kick). Get Jermaine Jones asap.

Posted from  United States

11 v 11 would be nice.
Every one of our holding mids is a card waiting to happen. To be fair though, no way Ricos foul is a straight red. I am so tired of refs making bad decisions that so critically change the game.
“Its cataclysmic-like!”

Posted from  United States

Blaming the ref is pointless. It was Clark’s fault for committing that high late foul and giving the ref the opportunity to send him off. If you want to take it one step further, it was Bob Bradley’s fault for playing Clark.

Posted from  United States

One thing that is repeatedly killing this team is the high rate of turnovers we have by our midfield. We play too many guys that either a) hold the ball too long, b) can’t make an advancing pass (way too many pass backs), and c) have no vision or creativity or for that matter, ability.

Posted from  United States