OT: Boneyard "Other Football" World Cup Thread

[SubbaBub]

Jurgen has picked his 30 training camp squad to be cut down to 23 before Brazil.

http://soccer.si.com/2014/05/12/usmnt-world-cup-roster-jurgen-klinsmann/?eref=sihp

If you are not interested, then go away.

I think I know what JK intends. To use a rotating group in each game to combat the humidity and travel. NOt to mention keep people hungry. Otherwise, the use of Donovan as a pure forward is curious. I'd agree he's more super sub at this point than 90-min tournament guy, but that leaves a lot of quality on the bench because they are all listed as forwards.

 

[Waquoit]

Klinsmann is one of the few guys in sports I can't second guess. I trust him to do what it takes to put the USA in the best position to win.

 

[SubbaBub]

I want Bradley, Dempsey, Donovan, and Johansson on the field at the same time. If Jozy is playing that's impossible.

 

[whaler11]

Any thoughts on him leaving Johnson off the 30? That seemed strange.

 

[SubbaBub]

It's not a huge surprise. The glut of forwards and attacking players all but demanded it. Wondo and Boyd are hot, so they earned their spots in camp.

The buzz over the next three weeks will be what is Donovan's role and does JK really intend to play Jozy.

In my mind both Dempsey and Donovan are center attacking mids/forwards. I can live with LD out wide, but I don't think he has the pace from 2010.

I'd like to see LD and Johansson playing under Dempsey and wide left in a 4-2-3-1.

I'm resigned to a Jones/Bradley midfield, but I wish Jones would accept a defensive role and let MB go forward. In that case they could play a diamond midfield like they did last game. It would allow more of the forwards to play in their favored positions up top.

Jones
Zusi - LD
Bradley
Dempsey - Altidore/Johansson

Or

Jones - Bradley
Zusi - Donovan - F. Johnson/Johansson
Dempsey

 

[BlueMAB]

The second half against Mexico really concerned me. Was that a combination of the US playing flat, the guys on the field, Mexico playing better than they have in a year or more, or all of the above? The offside call was horrendous and the US really won that game. If we get a call like that in Brazil, we may not be able to overcome it.

My biggest concern is the defense. Bradley has been excellent, we've got a few guys that can finish, but our back line is a huge liability. Thoughts?

 

[SubbaBub]

The second half against Mexico really concerned me. Was that a combination of the US playing flat, the guys on the field, Mexico playing better than they have in a year or more, or all of the above? The offside call was horrendous and the US really won that game. If we get a call like that in Brazil, we may not be able to overcome it.

My biggest concern is the defense. Bradley has been excellent, we've got a few guys that can finish, but our back line is a huge liability. Thoughts?

Absolutely the elephant in the room and absolutely nothing to be done about it. Every guy on the roster is prone to making huge gaffs in marking, holding the offside line or in possession.

The only thing we can hope for is they guy on the field isn't the one who'd have blown it.

Gonzo gets a lot of grief here, but I think it's because of the minutes he gets. I'd prefer Goodson and Besler at CB myself.

Full backs are anyone's guess, but if pressed I'd pick Chandler on the left and Cameron on the right. Could live with Johnson or Beasley on the left or Parkhurst on the right. I'd be scared to play Gonzo and Evans.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Johnson didn't deserve to make it. His form has been awful this year, and then throwing his teammates under the bus didn't help, either. I know Jozy hasn't been great, but not playing well for Sunderland is enormously different than not playing well for DC United. They are worlds apart.

That being said, I agree that our backline is questionable. Ronaldo has to be salivating at the chance of playing against them.

Going to have to eek out a point against Portugal or Germany to have a shot at getting out of the group. And probably beat Ghana pretty convincingly to get ahead on point difference.

 

[UConnDan97]

Absolutely the elephant in the room and absolutely nothing to be done about it. Every guy on the roster is prone to making huge gaffs in marking, holding the offside line or in possession.

The only thing we can hope for is they guy on the field isn't the one who'd have blown it.

Gonzo gets a lot of grief here, but I think it's because of the minutes he gets. I'd prefer Goodson and Besler at CB myself.

Full backs are anyone's guess, but if pressed I'd pick Chandler on the left and Cameron on the right. Could live with Johnson or Beasley on the left or Parkhurst on the right. I'd be scared to play Gonzo and Evans.

I think that JK will favor Beasley on the left, especially in the brutal heat of Brazil. He is by far the most fit wing back that we have on the squad. Also, I think that JK is praying that Timmy Chandler can find his old form prior to injury. Like you said, there isn't much that Klinsmann can do about it. We just have to hope that everyone plays their A+ game and hopefully it's enough to take enough points to get through the murderous group stage...

 

[Carl Spackler]

I think the biggest issue is that Klinsmann has taken the U.S.A. national soccer men's team to a level of expectations that never before existed going into this 2014 World Cup, and then got the TodesGruppe draw.

Before drawing Ghana, Germany and Portugal - and after the qualifying run and international play of recent note - the expectations to advance beyond the group stage were there, to the point that failing to do so, would be considered failure, and Klinsmann was very vocal about the kind of expectations of advancing in the WC competition were going to be moving forward.

Since the draw though, I think reality has set in a bit, and even though the program has made huge strides, the luck of the draw......well Klinsmann, since then has changed the tune and made it pretty clear that they need to beat Ghana in the first match, hugely important, and Ghana is no slouch, and he's been less than clear about what the expectations really are after that.

I like the youth movement on the roster, and I think everybody knows that advancing past the group stage will be a victory for the program. If they can get to the knockout stage, anything is possible.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I think that JK will favor Beasley on the left, especially in the brutal heat of Brazil. He is by far the most fit wing back that we have on the squad. Also, I think that JK is praying that Timmy Chandler can find his old form prior to injury. Like you said, there isn't much that Klinsmann can do about it. We just have to hope that everyone plays their A+ game and hopefully it's enough to take enough points to get through the murderous group stage...

We will need a hot goal keeper and some low scoring games from others I think, to get out of group.

 

[Adios]

Soccer*.

Just in case, the English came up with the term "soccer". Also used in Oz and South Africa.

 

[Kgun7]

Johnson didn't deserve to make it. His form has been awful this year, and then throwing his teammates under the bus didn't help, either. I know Jozy hasn't been great, but not playing well for Sunderland is enormously different than not playing well for DC United. They are worlds apart.

That being said, I agree that our backline is questionable. Ronaldo has to be salivating at the chance of playing against them.

Going to have to eek out a point against Portugal or Germany to have a shot at getting out of the group. And probably beat Ghana pretty convincingly to get ahead on point difference.

EJ played himself out of the 30 on and off the field. Also ... I agree that 4 points is a must to advance. Although I wouldn't be surprised if we lost or drew to Ghana, only to beat beat Portugal. Soccer is a lot like the Big Ten ... reputation makes you the favorite ... but the better team usually wins.

I look at soccer like an offensive line ... skill set vs. familiarity. Klinsmann could very well put the 11 most skilled US players out there, but he might be sacrificing synergy. Spain has proven this point numerous times. Zusi, Besler, Gonzalez, and Evans could all start, and contribute, ... over an EPL starter (Cameron).

If Timmy C does end up beating out Brad Evans at RB ... I hope it's not at the expense of team chemistry ...

 

[SubbaBub]

I would expect to see 3 different starting XI's. JK appears to be going for flexibility in formation and redundant players who can play multiple positions. I think he is hoping the conditions take their toll on the other teams specifically, Portugal.

I could easily see Donovan, Altidore and Jones not starting vs. Portugal and subbing in 2nd half. I also see the wing players rotating through the three games depending how JK feels the matchups work. Zusi/Bedoya on RW and Johnson/Green on the LW. I would also expect the formations to change, a lot, even within the matches themselves. 4-4-2 flat, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2 diamond.

The only thing that is certain is that the attacking high line JK was building toward was scrapped once the draw hit. Defend and counter is the best hope with the quality of the opponent and the questions on defense.

 

[UConnDan97]

The only thing that is certain is that the attacking high line JK was building toward was scrapped once the draw hit. Defend and counter is the best hope with the quality of the opponent and the questions on defense.

Not only is that NOT certain, but I would expect Klinsmann to take the exact opposite tact. For better or for worse, he will press the attack. He knows what many of us already know; that the US is not a counter-attacking team. In fact, we've spent the bulk of the last 3 years beating that mentality out of our players, and into an "attack first, attack often" team. It's the way that Klinsmann prefers to play.

Make no mistake, we are going to have a tough time coming away with points, whether we counter-attack or not. But Klinsmann's philosophy is essentially that if we are going to go down, we are going to go down swinging...

 

[Jarhead_1775]

When it comes to international competition, the US will continue to get hosed again and again. Our GDP and military spending coupled with our foreign policy hasn't enamored us with too many around the world. Hence the drawing in the group of death. I don't think it's a stretch to say the fix was in. Another example? Cutting olympic sports that we dominate despite true worldwide popularity (baseball and softball) and keeping shuttlec0ck.

 

[SAMCRO]

It will require a lot of things bouncing our way to get out the of group stage, and Ghana is an absolute must win game. I'm Curious to see how some of the European sides (particularly northern Europe) fare playing in South America, especially as the tournament drags on. I'm Hoping the Germans are wilting in the heat and humidity of Recife on June 26th.

 

[SubbaBub]

Not only is that NOT certain, but I would expect Klinsmann to take the exact opposite tact. For better or for worse, he will press the attack. He knows what many of us already know; that the US is not a counter-attacking team. In fact, we've spent the bulk of the last 3 years beating that mentality out of our players, and into an "attack first, attack often" team. It's the way that Klinsmann prefers to play.

Make no mistake, we are going to have a tough time coming away with points, whether we counter-attack or not. But Klinsmann's philosophy is essentially that if we are going to go down, we are going to go down swinging...

That was the plan, but I think JK fears leaving the back exposed against that level of competition. He'll attack v. Ghana, but park the bus against P/G.

Maybe he surprises, hoping the one on one vs. Ronaldo holds, and tries to exploit the other 10 where we actually match up OK, but I think that's a big risk with our D, considering our attackers are good on the counter.

 

[HuskyHawk]

For what it is worth, I talked to my former boss yesterday (also named Juergen, and a German). He just got back from Brazil, where he spends a lot of time. He says it is a disaster. The travel situation in Brazil is going to be completely inadequate.

 

[UConnDan97]

For what it is worth, I talked to my former boss yesterday (also named Juergen, and a German). He just got back from Brazil, where he spends a lot of time. He says it is a disaster. The travel situation in Brazil is going to be completely inadequate.

Let's be honest about one thing: this World Cup should NOT be held in Brazil this year! Political unrest. Stadiums that aren't even completed yet (with 3 weeks left to go). Inadequate travel situation, including inadequate hotels, etc. This is already a disaster. But this is also because FIFA is a mess as well. The next two World Cups should be even funnier, as we will head to Russia and Qatar respectively...

 

[UConnDan97]

That was the plan, but I think JK fears leaving the back exposed against that level of competition. He'll attack v. Ghana, but park the bus against P/G.

Maybe he surprises, hoping the one on one vs. Ronaldo holds, and tries to exploit the other 10 where we actually match up OK, but I think that's a big risk with our D, considering our attackers are good on the counter.

Of course JK fears the back line, but there is not much that he can do to mask that. It's not like we are a team that is built to play a "catenaccio" style of play. And if we can take anything away from the games that the US has already played against bigger soccer countries (Germany, Belgium, etc.), it's that he will not stop trying to press the issue. He'll try to win the game 3-2 rather than 1-0, because that's who he is and that's how he has shaped this team over the last 3 years.

As the old saying goes, "You dance with the one that brung ya"...

 

[LRock34]

Does anyone really think we have a realistic shot of advancing? Its crazy because this is probably the most talented USA team ever but the draw is ridiculous. I will be watching and rooting regardless but that defense is going to have trouble with all 3 of the group teams.

 

[Waquoit]

Does anyone really think we have a realistic shot of advancing? Its crazy because this is probably the most talented USA team ever but the draw is ridiculous. I will be watching and rooting regardless but that defense is going to have trouble with all 3 of the group teams.

Of course we do. Germany had to cheat to beat the USA in 2002. Portugal is a 1 man team. We have a shot.

 

[LRock34]

Of course we do. Germany had to cheat to beat the USA in 2002. Portugal is a 1 man team. We have a shot.

I hope you're right, advancing out of this group will be huge for the sport. We need to get the world cup back here soon.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

And if we can take anything away from the games that the US has already played against bigger soccer countries (Germany, Belgium, etc.), it's that he will not stop trying to press the issue. He'll try to win the game 3-2 rather than 1-0, because that's who he is and that's how he has shaped this team over the last 3 years.

Nothing wrong with playing the Liverpool way.