USA vs Sweden Recap

Blah.

That’s what that was.

No one looked great.

In my pre-match briefing, the three guys I talked about were Clint, Landy, and Bob Bradley.

I said Clint needed to really step up and show that fire and flair that would blind you if you were anywhere in the country of Germany last summer. I didn’t really see it. He looked ok, made some good touches, a few flicks, and most importantly missed a chance at goal. He really needs to finish his chances when he gets them if he is going to be a forward for this team.

After I saw Beasley blow a similar chance early in the game, I had frightening flashbacks to the Copa America with the finishing the USA displayed. The number one reason this team is horrendous at finishing, well, besides the fact that the whole team are crappy finishers, is because we basically play six midfielders and no forwards. Sure you can stick Landy and Duece up top and call them the “forwards” for the day, but they’re not really forwards. Until we naturalize Frank Lampard and burn Fifa cap records, we can’t depend on midfielders for goals. And Super Frank has his own issues on the international level.

Landon, as I feared, was pretty invisible for his stint out on the pitch in Sweden, but that was to be expected I guess. Why he went in the first place is kind of a head scratcher.

Which brings us to Bob Bradley.

Now, I’m not going to start questioning the hire, not for one minute (as of now), but someone is, maybe even a few. That was Bob’s fourth straight loss. I know circumstances are different in certain situations, but losses are losses. He picked a good roster, made some good technical changes, but overall the players just didn’t play good, and when that doesn’t happen, you usually don’t win. Not Bob’s fault here.

Other notes…

-Bobby Convey looked like he really didn’t belong. Let him regain his form in the league before calling him back in. I’m sorry but I just don’t think he is going to have the goods for 2010.

-Kamani Hill had a very nice run out with solid touches and smart play. I want to see more. Deffinatley has to be in the running for forwards in 2010, but who isn’t.

-Bob, call up Jozy and Freddy. It is almost rediculous how much of what we are missing they can provide. Take the Sweden game for example. The US was missing someone to make an impact on the game, someone to take a player on and create something instead of just knonck it around, someone to finish one of the chances that came there way. Hello Jozy and Freddy. The impact from the two this early on will probably only be in flashes because of the inexperience, but if they are to be impact players for 2010 the process starts now.