USMNT Reset
| Sorry for the lag in postings. Been busy and away. Logging in remotely now. I had planned a longer post on how much I liked Bradley, why I thought it was time for a change anyway, and why I thought it wouldn’t happen regardless. Guess I was wrong. US Soccer sacked Bradley yesterday and apparently [...] |
Determined Spaniards Get Their Revenge, 4-0
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Saturday’s game proved once again that a determined Spaniard always gets their revenge.
Grant Wahl tweeted before kick-off that Spain was resting so many starters that it was like going to see the Beatles with Ringo doing all the singing. Well, if Spain was a Ringo-only Beatles, the US was more like a full strength [...] |  |
Hooray for the Easter Benny!
| MLS recently announced the signing of Benny Feilhaber from AGF Aarhus of the Danish second division. Feilhaber has been a regular sub for the USMNT, often adding a needed jolt of energy to the midfield late in games. He was getting some playing time in Denmark, so this move may not have a huge impact [...] |  |
Inconceivable
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In 2009, the US pulled an historic upset, beating Spain, the best team in the world, in a semi-final of the Confederations Cup. Though I saw the result first-hand, what kept coming to my mind was the inimitable Vizzini from Princess Bride saying “Inconceivable!”
In advance of the next meeting of these two teams, scheduled for [...] |  |
A Deux – US Gold Cup Squad Selected
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Bob Bradley announced his roster selection for the Gold Cup today. Full squad is below. Notable exclusions include Timothy Chandler and Alejandro Bedoya. Apparently they wanted to give Chandler a rest, but otherwise would have selected him. Bedoya apparently got passed up for Robbie Rodgers. Either would be a sub anyway and Bradley said Rodgers [...] |  |
Ream Cheese
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I finally had the opportunity to see Tim Ream play in person when the Nerb (New York Red Bulls) faced the Gals (LA Galaxy) at the HDC a couple of weeks ago. I was truly impressed. Unlike most MLS defenders, he took his time distributing the ball out of the back. And he didn’t just [...] |  |
How’s Klinsy Doing So Far?
| I was only able to watch part of the Slovenia game yesterday. I have been saying for some time that I like Altidore, but he is not good enough to be a lone striker. In theory Klinsmann’s 4-3-3 should put more guys forward, but the reality was that the wingers played more defensive roles and [...] |
Yanks Abroad: April 12
| Here’s how American players did overseas over the weekend.
Goalkeepers:
Tim Howard made four saves and earned his seventh clean sheet of the season in Everton’s 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton. Brad Friedel also got his sixth clean sheet of the season in Aston Villa’s 1-0 win over Newcastle. Brad Guzan made seven saves in Hull City’s 2-1 [...] |
Fresh… and Clean as a Whistle. US 2 – 0 Canada
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Amazing how refreshing a good cleanse can be.
Tonight’s victory over Canada in the Gold Cup washes away the ugly filth of the Spanish drubbing from the weekend. The US team that showed up tonight bore no resemblance to the ramshackle crew assembled against Spain. Granted, Canada is far from the stiffest competition in the world [...] |  |
The Pit of Despair
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I know it was just a friendly. I know it wasn’t the full team. I know it doesn’t mean anything. Yet I still found myself feeling a bit like Wesley in the Pit of Despair, torture device and all.
The real agony is not in losing 1-0 to Costa Rica in a friendly. Nor is it [...] |  |
