2013 USMNT Year In Review

Photo credit: mlssoccer.com

The United States Men's National Soccer Team enjoyed an outstanding 2013 that saw it win the Gold Cup, win the Hexagonal and qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next summer, rack up the most ever number of victories in a year, and increase squad depth with some solid new additions. Jürgen Klinsmann guided the squad to an impressive 16-4-3 record after a turbulent start to the year and shattered any doubt that he was the right man for the job. Without further ado, here are some "Best Of 2013" categories that I came up with to take a look back on the year that was.

Biggest Winner - Alejandro Bedoya

• Bedoya wasn't really in the World Cup picture to start the year but is now surely a lock (barring injury of course) to make the trip down to Brazil this coming summer after solid performances in the Gold Cup and proceeding World Cup Qualifers. His energetic play and pace down the right side was a welcome sight and his versatility is an extremely useful asset for Klinsmann. Not to mention his move to Ligue 1 side Nantes was probably the best offseason move of any USMNT player this year.

Biggest Loser - Herculez Gomez

• This year was an extremely frustrating year for Herc who saw very little playing time due to injury. A first-team regular last year, I don't see him making the roster for the World Cup due to the emergence of Aron Johannsson (more on him later) and the presence of Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, and even Terrence Boyd. Sadly, I believe he's now too far down the striker pecking order to mount any real threat to make the roster. That still doesn't take away from the fact that he's a freaking awesome human being though. Go follow him on Twitter, you won't regret it.

Most Improved - Matt Besler

• Perhaps a better name for this is the "Most-Surprisingly-Good-Player-Considering-He-Didn't-Have-A-Single-Cap-Before-This-Year" award. Besler was the biggest beneficiary of Klinsmann's decision to delve into MLS in search of defenders considering the lack of options at the center back position. The 2012 MLS Defender of the Year was the most steady option at the back all year long and is now a lock for the World Cup. His pace and ability to read the game are his biggest attributes and he will only get better with more international experience. His selection shows Klinsmann's increasing faith in the growing talent of MLS and hopefully we'll start to see more and more stateside talent play a big part in our international success. Besler also could have won Biggest Winner but I felt the need to include Bedoya somewhere.

Photo credit: www.bleacherreport.com

Best Keeper / Best Facial Hair - Tim Howard

• Yet another solid year in goal for the national team. One of the faces of the United States program, Howard doesn't appear to be letting go of the starting keeper spot any time soon, much less before Brazil. He actually got better as the year went on (perhaps it's the friggin' sweet beard??) and is currently lighting it up for Everton in the Premier League. His leadership and organization at the back will be one of the biggest keys for the squad heading into the World Cup with center backs who don't have the most international experience. Brad Guzan was also solid when called upon, especially in keeping a clean sheet in that historic 0-0 draw in the Azteca back in March. Nick Rimando was also outstanding throughout the Gold Cup. Goalkeeper is the deepest position on our roster, with Howard, Guzan, and Rimando all being top-caliber starting keepers in my humble opinion.

Best Defender - Matt Besler

• See above.

Best Midfielder - Michael Bradley

• Michael Bradley further cemented himself as the absolute most indispensable player on the national team roster in 2013. "Lex Luthor" is the central piece of the team and makes everything tick. We simply play better with Michael Bradley on the field. His vision, box-to-box effort, calming presence, and ability to keep possession bring a dynamic to the midfield that no one else can. The cornerstone of the United States Men's National Team.

Best Forward - Jozy Altidore

• Jozy finally broke out of his national team scoring drought in 2013 and in a very big way. He scored eight goals on the year, including a stretch of a United States Men's National Team record of scoring in five consecutive games. His holdup and linkup has dramatically improved over the last two years and he has finally turned into a dangerous focal point on the team's offense. S/O to Fabian Johnson and Graham Zusi for feeding the beast. Let's just hope Jozy can find some sort of consistent scoring form with struggling Sunderland leading up to the World Cup.

Photo credit: www.upi.com

Best Gold Cup Player - Landon Donovan

• Landon Donovan returned from his sabbatical thing or whatever and promptly DESTROYED the Gold Cup. It was awesome to his him hungry and passionate on the pitch. The best American soccer player of all time was able to carry his Gold Cup form into the following World Cup Qualifiers and he helped the lock up the top spot in the Hexagonal and qualify for Brazil. His goal in Columbus to seal the win over Mexico was the cherry on top of his return. In my humble opinion he is still the best player on the national team (not to be confused with the most important/indispensable player, Michael Bradley). Come at me.

Best Mexican Player - Graham Zusi

Most Important Moment - "The Snow Game" vs. Costa Rica

• A game that will be remembered in USMNT folklore forever. We all remember the circumstances leading up to it - the team being out-of-form and Klinsmann supposedly on the verge of losing the locker room according to that article. It was vital that the squad come out with three points in order to remain in good position for qualification for the rest of the hex, and it did just that in the midst of one of the craziest environments I have ever seen at a sporting event while at the same time answering any questions about the character and will of the team. The referee even stopped the game in the second half to ask if both sides wanted to continue playing. Words don't really do the weather justice so here are the highlights:

Best Individual Performance - Jozy Altidore vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

• This was probably the most thrilling USMNT game of 2013, or at least the second half. After being down 2-0 at the break in this friendly, Jozy Altidore bagged a hat trick and an assist in the 4-3 come-from-behind victory, including a gorgeous free kick from around 25 yards out. Michael Bradley was also instrumental in the comeback. This game was also notable in that we saw John Brooks play with the national team for the first time.

Best Misspelling of a Player's Name: Chris Wondowlowski

• That extra "w" has magical powers.

Best GIF - Landon Donovan

Best "Feel Good" Moment(s) - Brad Evans and Stuart Holden

• Admit it, you had serious doubts about Brad Evans starting at right back for the national team in World Cup Qualifiers (I know I did). Klinsmann was surely a madman for starting an MLS central midfielder at right back against Germany and in a competitive match against Jamaica, right?? Wrong. Evans held his own on the pitch and ended up scoring the game winner in stoppage time down in Kingston to snatch away an extremely valuable three points. I was watching that game at a friend's house with some buddies and we all went absolutely nuts when he scored. Bradley Ray Evans is an American legend and no one should ever belittle him ever again.
• Stuart Holden's goal in the Gold Cup vs. Belize was so good to see after his long bout with various gruesome knee injuries. He worked so hard to come back and it all paid off in a great Gold Cup performance. Unfortunately he injured his ACL yet again in the final and is attempting yet another comeback. Hopefully he returns to be the player we have all seen that he can be when he is fully fit. Keep up the hard work Stu!

Best Pass - Geoff Cameron outside-of-the-boot assist to EJ vs. Panama

• Unfortunately this angle doesn't do it justice. Look up the highlights and watch the replay where it shows it from the front. Couldn't find a GIF of it anywhere.

Best Hair - Mix Diskerud and Jermaine Jones's Snowfro

Best USMNT Twitter Account - Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta)

• Please do yourself a favor and follow him if you aren't already. In my humble opinion he provides some of the of the best player ratings and analyses of anyone out there. And he's always on top of things when it comes to American players abroad. A USMNT Twitter must.

Best Play - Clint Dempsey vs. Mexico

• Clint is a hero for missing that penalty at the end of the game in Columbus in order to preserve the Dos a Cero scoreline. Lol Mexico.

Best Individual Effort - Graham Zusi vs. Mexico

• Zusi likely saved a goal in the draw in the Azteca with an amazing 30 yard sprint back into the penalty area when he barely got his head on a cross that was about to find a wide open Mexican player at the back post. I'm not so sure Guzan would have gotten to it had the cross found its intended target. It was the play of the game and symbolized the effort the USMNT put into that result.

Best Goal - Clint Dempsey vs. Germany

• Clint scored a stunning left-footed curler for his second goal of the game from a few yards outside the box. I went ahead and made a video of the top 10 best goals of the year down below. Just missing the cut is Marc-Andre ter Stegen's howler :D

Biggest Revelation - Aron Johannsson

• You could tell that The Iceman was a baller as soon as he made his first appearance for the USMNT vs Bosnia and Herzegovina. The thing I appreciate the most about Johannsson is his willingness to take the ball and go at defenders. He's clever on the ball and is absolutely lethal in the box. He managed to score the cold-blooded winner vs. Panama in the last World Cup Qualifier and has enjoyed a great season so far with AZ Alkmaar in Holland. He brings a different dimension to the national team attack when he is paired with Jozy up top in a two striker formation, a formation that we seem to be the most comfortable with and create the most chances. Striker was one of the thinnest positions on the roster before his arrival but he has now left every other USMNT striker in the dust and will surely be making the trip to Brazil come summer. One of the most exciting players in our pool.

Best Player / MVP of 2013 - Michael Bradley

• As mentioned before, Michael Bradley is the the most important player on the United States Men's National Team. He sets the tempo of the game and runs the midfield. He has been the most consistent performer for the national team for well over a year now. In addition to his ascendancy with the USMNT, Bradley has been improving with his club side Roma in the Italian Serie A and has been getting significant minutes in their outstanding season so far. Any sort of success we can expect to have at the World Cup will fall heavily on his shoulders. The future captain of the USMNT.

----------------------------

I hope you have enjoyed this 2013 USMNT Year In Review! It was a great year to be an American soccer fan. I will leave you with what I think is the best picture of the year. Here's to a successful World Cup run in 2014.

Photo credit: Jozy Altidore's Facebook page

Who I'm Taking To Brazil (September 2013)

The United States Men's National Team has officially punched its ticket to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup next summer. Since winning the Gold Cup, the USMNT has played one friendly and two World Cup qualifiers and there have been a couple changes on my imaginary 23-man roster of who I would take to the tournament if I was Jürgen Klinsmann. I meant to do this at the beginning of the month but I decided to wait until after the last two qualifiers. Without further ado, here is who I'm taking to Brazil as of September 16, 2013:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan, Tim Howard, Nick Rimando

DEFENDERS (7): Timmy Chandler, Brad Evans, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, John Brooks, Clarence Goodson, Damarcus Beasley

MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Geoff Cameron, Mix Diskerud, Fabian Johnson, Graham Zusi, Alejandro Bedoya, Sacha Kljestan

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Johnson, Aron Johannsson

The changes from last month are Brooks (assuming we cap him) for Orozco, Bedoya and Kljestan for Joe Corona and Brek Shea, and Johannsson for Herculez Gomez. Bedoya has carried his solid Gold Cup form into this season with FC Nantes in Ligue 1 and with the national team and is now virtually a lock in my book. I guess I never really watched him before this summer but he is an outstanding player. Kljestan also gets the nod after being left out last month because of his great form to start the season with Anderlecht in Belgium. The most notable addition to the roster this time in my humble opinion is that of the Iceman. Johannsson's inclusion is a much needed depth boost to one of, if not, the thinnest positions on the squad. He's got decent pace, tactical awareness, and great technique. He continues to impress in Holland, where he drew a foul and converted the resulting PK over the weekend (Skip to 2:43, my embedding skills are weak):

So there you have it, that's my roster as of this month. Here is what would by my starting XI if we played the first group game tomorrow:

As you probably know, I prefer Guzan over Howard in goal. Chandler has regained a bit of form as of late and that plus Brad Evans being injured right now has him starting at right back for me. It's really his position to lose, though he's been doing a pretty good job of trying to lose it this year... Geoff Cameron replaces Jermaine Jones as Bradley's midfield partner. I haven't been to impressed with Jones in the last few games and remembering how well Cameron did with Bradley in the Panama game earlier this year has made me switch it up for now. The front four stays the same. I can't stress how important I think it is having Fabian Johnson in the attack as opposed to left back (or right back). Good things happen when he's involved in the buildup.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Joe Corona, Brek Shea, Michael Parkhurst, Jose Francisco Torres, Terrence Boyd, Herculez Gomez, Michael Orozco, Eric Lichaj, Kyle Beckerman, Juan Agudelo, Freddy Adu (get used to it, I won't ever stop lobbying for him)

Some Thoughts on USA-Mexico

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything on here because school has been kicking my butt. Here are some quick thoughts on what I saw in last night's game:

• Mix Diskerud is the truth. That was a brilliant touch to get behind the defense and fire across goal to Landon. That's what technical ability can do for you, folks.
• Clint Dempsey was pretty terrible all night except for a couple sequences here and there. But all is forgiven with missing the penalty that would have made it tres a cero hehe.
• Fabian Johnson didn't have his best game but his run down the right flank while weaving and heading through multiple defenders was fantastic. Parkhurst was good when he came in.
• In my book Alejandro Bedoya is a lock for Brazil. Hope he flourishes in Ligue 1 this year, he has a huge year ahead of him.
• Omar was solid, playing against El Tri seems to bring out the best in him. He and Besler should be starting in the World Cup.
• There's really not much else to say other than Mexico just plain sucks. They have no creativity in the midfield and the wingers don't really know what to do when they get the ball out wide. They're in big trouble. Gio Dos Santos and Chicharito are really the only good players on the team in my opinion.
• This doesn't have to do with this game but those goals by Wilson Palacios and Gabriel Torres... oh my. So good.

Aaaand that'll do it for now. We are going to Brazil!

USA 4-3 Bosnia and Herzegovina

The United States Men's National Team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo Wednesday in an international friendly on the power of a Jozy Altidore hat trick. Before I go into my observations I'd like to mention that yes, this was a friendly and yes, it wasn't a full Bosnia squad and yes, they made several subs at halftime. That being said, we didn't have our A-team either and we still put in a solid performance. It's just always good to have some perspective when analyzing friendlies. I'll start from the back:

• Tim Howard had a solid game, even though Bosnia still put three goals past him. He did extremely well to block the initial attempt on the first goal and the defense let him down (again) by not racing back to defend the goal line. Had a good diving save to deny a surefire Bosnia goal in the second half. Tim will be starting the WCQs barring injury.
• Brad Evans had another decently solid game at right back. Was pretty good defensively and got forward on occasion. Also had a nice piece of control to keep a pass in on the sideline late in the second half that surprised me. He'll be starting the next round of WCQs as well (and maybe beyond?).
• Geoff Cameron played at center back today and looked pretty good in my opinion except for keeping the striker for Bosnia onside for the first goal. He got a toe on a shot that could have been a goal in the first half as well. Going forward, I think he's a good option as a backup center back and I wouldn't cry if we had to use him there in a WCQ, but I would much rather see him in the midfield next to Michael Bradley like in the Panama game. He's such a valuable player because of his versatility.
• It was so good to see John (Anthony) Brooks playing in the waldo jersey, it's about time. He didn't have the greatest game by any means, getting beat for the last goal, but it was promising. He's only twenty and will be a staple of the USMNT for years to come. I still have Besler and Gonzalez as the top two in the pecking order but I wouldn't be surprised if Brooks makes one of them feel uneasy about their spot by the time Brazil rolls around next year.
• I've said it once and I'll say it again: Fabian Johnson NEEDS to be played in the midfield. He's a fantastic attacking player and had a great turn and assist to Jozy for his second goal. He just has a different quality about him than any other left-sided attacker we currently have at the moment. Leave him at left mid for the WCQs and put Beasley at left back where's he's done pretty well so far.
• It's safe to say this was not one of Jermaine Jones's best performances, he gave up possession several times and didn't track back like he can. Hopefully this was just an off day for him.
• Michael Bradley did what Michael Bradley does. Provided a fantastic ball to Altidore which led to EJ's goal and had a great little pass to Jozy for the nail in the coffin. The most important player on the USMNT.
• Alejandro Bedoya was dangerous down the right flank and proved his Gold Cup form wasn't a fluke. He's got bags of pace and I wouldn't be surprised if he sneaks into Klinsy's WCQ roster.
• I really like what I saw of Mix Diskerud at the CAM spot. He should have been awarded a penalty in the first half and had some nice touches and passes around the box. I'm not really sure where he fits into the team whenever we shift to a 4-4-2 though.
• EJ had a really terrible first half, the first Bosnia goal was scored after he gave up possession right outside the box and he didn't look shart at all. And then of course he scored a sweaty goal in the second half. He works best as a super sub in my opinion.
• Jozy Altidore, what else can you really say other than he was absolutely brilliant. His finishing was world-class and his free kick was world-class. His holdup play was fantastic. Obvious choice for Man of the Match.
• Michael Parkhurst, Joe Corona, and Sacha Kljestan didn't really do too much to warrant lengthy discussion, though Kljestan had a nice one-touch pass to The General in the sequence leading up to Jozy's third goal.
• The biggest revelation of the night for me was Aron Johannson. He looked extremely dangerous, took people on (and beat them), had great technique, and made good runs. I honestly think he should be on the WCQ roster for these upcoming games as the second striker on the depth chart behind Jozy. A 4-4-2 with Aron and Jozy is extremely appealing.

Who I'm Taking To Brazil (August 2013)

Brazil 2014 is now less than a year away and Jürgen Klinsmann has the United States Men's National Team in prime position to grab one of the three guaranteed spots the CONCACAF region offers. With four games remaining in the hexagonal, the USMNT sits in first and should be able to punch its ticket during the next few games, barring an all-time epic collapse that would have me reconsidering the meaning of life. Starting with this post, I will be updating my roster for the World Cup at the beginning of every month until the tournament. From what I've seen so far in these qualifiers and the Gold Cup and assuming good health, here is the 23-man roster of who I'm taking to the World Cup next year:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando

DEFENDERS (7): Timmy Chandler, Brad Evans, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, Clarence Goodson, Michael Orozco, Damarcus Beasley

MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Graham Zusi, Geoff Cameron, Fabian Johnson, Mix Diskerud, Joe Corona, Brek Shea

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Eddie Johnson, Herculez Gomez

The goalkeers are pretty much set in stone as far as I'm concerned, not including any injuries of course. This is by far the most solid group of any in our player pool and I would honestly be completely fine with any one of them starting, though I like Guzan the best of the three. 

Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler are my starting center backs, no question. They complement each other very well and are both very good in the air. As the saying goes, "Don't fix what ain't broke" and we have been getting results with these two manning the back. Goodson and Orozco seem to be the next two best center backs in our pool and they make it for insurance purposes. I have to mention that with Geoff Cameron's versatility I could see Klinsmann only taking three of the four to allow for another spot somewhere else. The right back position really up in the air and I have no idea who will be the one to seize the starting job. Chandler is good going forward but Evans has been relatively solid when called upon. Maybe even Cherundolo will take it back if he's healthy? Maybe Parkhurst has a solid year and forces his way in? Who knows. Evans is my starter right now because he's the most recent one to play there. And because he's an American hero. The left back position is also a bit tricky, I'm not sure who I want there either. I think I want Beasley there, but only if it means Fabian is also on the pitch farther up. Fabian is a good left back but he's so lethal at left mid. Putting him in defense like giving a Ferrari a V4 engine. (Maybe not THAT extreme but you get the point.)

Any midfield discussion has to begin with Michael Bradley. He is the single most important piece of this team. When he plays, everything works. Everyone knows their role when he's around and the midfield is organized. For now I still have Jermaine Jones as his partner in the 4-2-3-1 system that Klinsmann seems to favor. He has a great work rate and allows Bradley to get forward and join the attack. I included Cameron among the midfield players in my roster because for me that's where he's at his best. Diskerud and Corona were solid in the Gold Cup and have jumped Kljestan and Danny Williams in my own rankings. Zusi has been extremely solid and is a lock in my opinion. Brek Shea is one of the toughest inclusions I have in the roster right now. He might not be as good as some that are not included at the moment but he offers something not many players in our pool do - pace and the ability to change the game in an instant. That's the type of player you always have to have up your sleeve at a World Cup. Jose Francisco Torres is probably the next player in line for me.

Altidore, Dempsey, and Donovan are locks and will form the cornerstone of the World Cup team along with Bradley and Howard/Guzan/Rimando. I love EJ and what he brings to the side, whether it be at striker or on the wing. Right now I have Gomez because our striker pool after Jozy is extremely depressing. I don't really like Gomez that much but I still have him over Boyd and Wondo at the moment. I actually like Wondo and believe he would do really well with Donovan, Dempsey, Zusi, Fabian, and Bradley feeding him. I just need to see him score goals against real teams, unlike Belize/Cuba/Guatemala.

So there you have it, that is what my Brazil 2014 roster looks like as of August 1, 2013. It will be really interesting to see how much it changes over time. Below is my preferred starting XI as of August 1, 2013.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Alejandro Bedoya, Jose Francisco Torres, Chris Wondolowski, Michael Parkhurst, Sacha Kljestan, Steve Cherundolo, Terrence Boyd, Stu Holden (Well not anymore. Best of luck on your recovery Stu!), Danny Williams, Edgar Castillo, Kyle Beckerman, Maurice Edu, Freddy Adu

(Just kidding about Freddy Adu.)

(But not really.)

(He just needs playing time! He's my favorite player and I feel it's my duty to remind the American public of his ability.)

WILD CARDS: John Anthony Brooks (CAP HIM NOW), DeAndre Yedlin, a healthy Juan Agudelo, Jack McInerney

Valencia CF Top 10 Goals of 2012-2013

I made a video of the top ten goals of Valencia's past season, check it out below. I'm not a professional editor or anything, I just wanted to do this for fun. Hope you enjoy!

USA 5-1 El Salvador

Let's face it, there's only one thing really worth mentioning about this game. I present to you the greatest GIF of all time:

Wait, keep watching it for a bit to let it sink in....

A little longer...

Ok good.

That's all, folks. Try not to have a terrible Monday tomorrow.

USA 4-1 Cuba

The United States Men's National Team defeated Cuba 4-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday afternoon in their second group game of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and have already locked up a spot in the quarterfinals with one group game remaining. Here are my thoughts on the game in no particular order:

• Brek Shea was totally out of it today. He's looked pretty lively so far in the Guatemala friendly and Belize match so hopefully this was just one of those duds every player in the world has every once in a while. It's also important to keep the big picture in mind - he's coming back from a broken foot and hasn't played very much in several months so he hasn't worked all the rust off just yet. We all know what he can do when he's healthy.
• Rimando hasn't had a clean sheet yet in the Gold Cup but it's hardly his fault, he has been fantastic when called upon. (Side note - I honestly think Rimando is the most underrated American keeper of all time and I would be completely fine if he ever started in place of Howard or Guzan. Boom.) He has great reflexes, reads crosses well, and is great with his feet.
• Onyewu's ball watching on Cuba's goal was really, really bad. The striker literally only had one run he could possibly make and Gooch just let him do it. Poor. Also had an extremely risky play in the second that could have resulted in a penalty where he tried to body a striker off the ball and keep possession rather than just clear it. Other than that he was decent, I don't remember him giving away silly balls out of the back and he won some aerial duels. I don't see him taking the spot of either Gonzalez or Besler anytime soon.
• Is it just me or does Orozco have a weird knack for winning headers in the box? Weird in that he's relatively short for a center back. He had a decent game, didn't really stand out in a good or bad way.
• It must have felt nice for Beltran to play in front of his home crowd. He was ok, not much to say. I don't see him having a realistic shot at a spot on the World Cup roster with Chandler, Parkhurst, Brad Evans, and even Cherundolo ahead of him on the pecking order.
• What a curler from Joe Corona. Good game from him, his best one so far in a USA shirt. Now let's see it versus a real team.
• Castillo was great... in the second half when he was pushed higher up the pitch while not defending. He has never impressed me as a left back, he's such a huge liability in defense. I prefer Beasley and Fabian at that spot.
• Holden had was a bit off today but he gets a pass in my book, he has been outstanding in the last two games and is still shaking off the last bit of rust from his injury.
• Good things happen when Mix Diskerud is on the field. He has great technique and is always looking for that penetrative forward pass. His hair alone deserves its own bullet point, I mean just look at it. It's freaking gorgeous.

• Kyle Beckerman was good, he tracked back well and had a beautiful assist to Wondowlowski. Beckerman gets a lot of flack from USMNT supporters (including myself) but honestly he's very good at what he does and I need to stop bashing him because it's unwarranted. I think we do this to him because we always want our midfielders to play a forward pass every time, which is not what he does. He's also not as "flashy" or "cool" as we want our midfielders to be. Now do I think he should have a place on the World Cup team? No, absolutely not. But he is much better than people give him credit for. After all, he did provide the winning assist against the recently crowned European champions last year...
• Wondo makes outstanding runs in the box (John Terry complimented this aspect of his game in the MLS All-Star game last year) and always has, that's what he makes his living off of. He's finally getting the right service to take advantage of them and what do you know, he has been scoring goals left and right. This is probably an unpopular opinion but I honestly like him a bit more than Herculez Gomez as a striker. Gomez for some reason has never really impressed me as a scorer. Will Wondo keep this up throughout the Gold Cup or is it just the result of playing sucky teams? We shall see. If he does keep it up, it might be enough to solidify a place in the upcoming qualifiers later this year.
• Jose Francisco Torres was solid yet again, much better than Shea today. Had a beautiful outside-of-the-boot pass to Castillo in the buildup to the final goal. I like him.
• Below is my updated, current preferred Gold Cup starting XI. I don't really like any of our center backs so I went with a pairing we haven't seen yet:

• My last point is this: Landon Donovan is still the best American soccer player. He and Michael Bradley are the two biggest keys to this current national team and will be the two keys in Brazil next year. Start him in the upcoming qualifiers, Klinsmann.

USA 6-1 Belize

There really isn't any point in making a full post dissecting this game because Belize is terrible and we shouldn't draw any conclusions over what we saw, we had an insane amount of possession and Belize just plain sucks. Above are the full game highlights from U.S. Soccer which were finally posted just a couple of hours ago (Yes, this game was on Tuesday night and it's currently Friday morning.).

USA 6-0 Guatemala

The United States Men's National Team ended up routing Guatemala in Friday night's friendly after a deluge of goals in an extremely open second half. This was the perfect tune-up ahead of Tuesday's opening Gold Cup match against Belize where we will be looking to replicate our high tempo from the second half. Here are my thoughts from the game, in no particular order:

• The first 40 minutes of this game were extremely sluggish and dull. In short, it looked like our team was playing its first game in a while, which is exactly what it was. Players were rusty and trying to establish chemistry with others and that's to be expected. We played at a really slow pace with not much penetration going forward from the midfield. Things started getting better at the end of the first half, including Jose Francisco Torres's nice ball that eventually found an open Herculez Gomez at the far post for the first goal.
• In case you didn't know, I have to say/type "Jose Francisco Torres" every time I am referring to Jose Francisco Torres. It's just a thing a friend and I do so now you know for future reference.
• The tempo of the game really picked up in the second half with the halftime introductions of Stu Holden and Mix Diskerud  in the midfield. They were able to assert themselves and play positive forward passes to the forwards and wingers, something that was lacking in the first half with Beckerman and Jose Francisco Torres. Brek Shea was also very lively when he was introduced in the  second half.
• Joe Corona was pretty meh for me, don't really have much to say on him.
• Damarcus Beasley and Edgar Castillo combined pretty well on the left a couple of times in the first half. I personally don't really rate Castillo from what I've seen of him wearing the Stars and Stripes. Maybe he would've done better in the second half while playing with Stu and Mix.
• Gooch and Clarence were solid when they had to be, which wasn't that often as we dominated possession for most of the game. I enjoyed seeing Clarence get some top net action on his goal. Not much to say for them, there will be bigger tests coming. Same goes for Rimando - solid when called upon, which wasn't too often.
• Parkhurst wasn't spectacular but he wasn't terrible either. Not much to say from me on him tonight.
• Big congrats to Alejandro Bedoya and Wondo for scoring their first goals with the USMNT.
• Ladies and gentlemen, Stuart Holden is back. He looked absolutely fantastic tonight and made an immediate impact when coming on at halftime. His assist to Donovan and pass to Brek that eventually led to Bedoya's goal were two of the sexiest passes I've seen in a while. He also had a pretty ball to Will Bruin that should've been a goal if not for the striker's bad first touch. He'll be starting soon enough in the Gold Cup with that form. Stu is back for the USMNT and it feels good, man.

Photo credit: soccerbyives.net

• Mix better be cap-tied on Tuesday. Enough of this Norway nonsense.
• I'll go ahead and say it: Herculez Gomez is one of my favorite humans on the planet, just not one of my favorite footballers. I know he got a goal but I just don't think he's THAT good. He's a hard worker and will finish a wide open chance but to me he doesn't have any special, game-changing qualities. But then again, we don't really have anyone else after Jozy. What do you think?
• Landon Donovan is still one of, if not the best player in the USMNT pool. His IQ, movement, passing, and finishing are still at an extremely high level and he makes everyone around him better. He should and will be starting in Brazil next year.

All in all this was a fun game (half) to watch but we need to remember this was a home friendly against Guatemala. But we were looking to play attacking, creative football, which is exactly what we did in the second half. Hopefully that form carries over to Tuesday and the rest of the Gold Cup.

USMNT vs. Jamaica: Three Points Is Three Points

The United States Men's National Team defeated Jamaica 2-1 in Kingston last night to gain a huge road win in a CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier for Brazil 2014. It certainly wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing match to watch, with chances few and far between on both sides. The USMNT was noticeably tired in the second half, which is to be expected in 85°F weather with 70% humidity. Such is life in CONCACAF. And before I go on any further, I want to rant about this for a minute if you don't mind because I think this is something that no one really talks about much. I think we often forget about all the other factors that influence a game and a team's performance in CONCACAF games. In our four WCQ's so far we've encountered tonight's heat and humidity, a 90°F scorcher in Honduras, a freaking blizzard in Denver, and a mile-high altitude in Mexico. These certainly aren't normal conditions for a standard football match and I'm impressed with how the team has handled the elements so far, it's awesome how we are grinding out results in these types of conditions. Anyways, moving on from that mini rant, below are a few thoughts on the actual game. There won't be that many because it's late (I'm writing this at 2 a.m.) and I'm really tired...

• There is nothing good about beIN sport. It sucks.
• I've mentioned this before but it's amazing how much Graham Zusi has improved in his relatively short time with the national team. His confidence is really high right now and he's developed into a reliable player. Superb play to skip by his man and deliver the cross to Altidore. His foul that earned him a yellow was a great play even though it ended up in a Jamaica set piece goal. He stopped a counter that was going to be dangerous as there was no one else within 30 yards of the Jamaica player. Unfortunately he will also miss the Panama match due yellow card accumulation. Who will fill his void?  My vote is to put either EJ or Corona out on the right.
• Bradley Ray Evans. Legend.
• I thought Besler and Gonzalez both had good games. The announcers on TV attributed the Jamaica goal to Gonzalez losing his man but it wasn't, he was marking someone else (and being pushed down at that). Omar also had a brilliant sliding challenge to deny a Jamaica chance pretty late in the game. He has those slides down pat, doesn't he? What can I say about Besler, he continues to impress. I don't want to hear anymore bullcrap about how we use MLS center backs. They continue to put in solid shifts and we keep getting results, what else do you want?
• Geoff Cameron was solid in the midfield after coming on for Jones. Don't have much to say here, wonder if he'll start there on Tuesday if Jones isn't ready to go. I wouldn't have too much trouble with that. Maybe he could even give Bradley more license to get a little more forward?
• Jamaica was offside on their goal, no?
• People will be quick to criticize Beasley's performance tonight but honestly it wasn't too bad. He was marking the fastest player on the pitch and one of the fastest players I've ever seen. Sure he got burned a couple times but mostly he got beat on the outside instead of allowing him to cut inside. He also still managed to but him enough when he got beat outside to affect his crosses. Beasley is still the left back for me for the two upcoming qualifiers at least. Let's not be so quick to forget how well he's done in the past games.
• Fabian didn't do too much aside from an early shot but it's really hard to storm down the flanks for a full 90 minutes in 85°F weather and insane humidity. He was clearly affected by the heat, as was everyone else on the field. I want to see him get another start there before casting him off.
• So good to see Jozy score again. Keep it up.

That's all I'm going to say for now. I'm headed to the beach tomorrow for the week so I probably won't write anything about the Panama game, though I will definitely try to watch it. And remember, at the end of the day all that matters in qualifying is getting those three points, which we did. Friendlies and other less important tournaments are where we should be experimenting with players and formations and whatnot.

USMNT vs. Germany: A Positive Step In The Right Direction

The United States Men's National Team defeated Germany 4-3 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. in perhaps their best offensive showing during Jürgen Klinsmann's tenure as head coach. It was a much better display than that of the Belgium loss earlier in the week and will be a great morale booster heading into the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers for Brazil 2014. Before I dive into what I saw, I would like to remind you that this was only a friendly and therefore we as fans should not completely overreact to anything or jump to conclusions on what we saw today; we should reserve judgement of our players on their performances in games that matter. I admit that this is something I struggle with but it's true. Also, Germany did not field anything remotely close to what their best team is. With that, here are my thoughts:

• Tim Howard was decent, not his best performance by any means. Not much to say here, other than he could've parried away the third goal better. Didn't have any spectacular saves and the other two goals weren't his fault. He'll be ready to go in crunch time during these next WCQs.
• That ter Stegen OG was absolutely shocking. And hilarious. At least Timmy didn't pull one of those.
• Pleasant surprise of the match = Brad Evans. He wasn't amazing or anything but he definitely held his own. Had some nice tackles and a couple nice passes forward to Altidore up the sideline. Let his man cut inside too easily on one of Germany's goals but was decent other than that. He didn't offer any overlapping runs going forward but apparently none of our right backs do. Am I wrong to say that he's better at the right back position than Geoff Cameron...?
• Matt Besler is the best U.S. center back right now. If you don't believe that, I challenge you to think of anyone else who's better right now. He's smart, pacey, and doesn't make many stupid mistakes. Surely has to be a lock for the Jamaica game and beyond. Just a solid, solid player.
• Omar Gonzalez was improved from the Belgium match but still had a few mental mistakes, including being directly responsible for the first German goal by losing Westermann in the box off a corner. He shows so many flashes of brilliance though, cutting out so many balls in the air and showing great reach in his slide tackles. Keep in mind that this was only his eighth cap and his amazing performance down in Azteca earlier this year. Once he gets more experience and cuts down on his mental errors he will be a force in our back line for years to come. He's still my preferred partner to Besler right now. Those two have a great chemistry and more playing time together will only help. I'm a believer in Omar.
• I'm also a believer in Damarcus Beasley at left back. That sounds crazy, even a bit to me, but he keeps putting in quality performances there and adds some greatly needed speed to the back line. I keep waiting for him to mess up or have a bad outing but he just doesn't. He got beat on one cutback by André Schürrle but other than that was quite solid defensively. He has been surprisingly adept at defending one-on-one situations during his time in the back. He also had a couple nice runs forward, including beating two defenders and curling a tame shot right at the keeper. The best thing about this revelation has to be...
• ...Allowing Fabian Johnson to move up to left mid, his natural position. He was pretty decent today but didn't get too much of the ball. He also subbed out in the second half as a precautionary measure for his hamstring. Hopefully he'll be good to go vs Jamaica. If you haven't seen him play left mid with Hoffenheim, here's a couple examples of what he can do (he scores the first goal in the first video):

(And yes, that was Steve Cherundolo getting schooled in the first video.)

• Edgar Castillo was horrible, plain and simple. Hopefully this performance was just the result of him being tired after having played in the Copa Libertadores midweek with Xolos. He didn't have much time to recover and train with the team before being thrown out there.
• Brad Davis had another extremely underwhelming performance in my opinion. Klinsmann wants him in there for his left footed services into the box he doesn't really get a chance to do it often and is a HUGE defensive liability. He's not fast and doesn't provide any width or attacking presence on the flank when he's in. I don't really like him on the team, there are other players who could do better in my opinion. He just hasn't shown anything in these friendlies or in the qualifiers earlier in the year, I don't understand why Klinsmann continues to cap him.
• Jermaine Jones was outstanding today. He was great defensively, worked hard, and was good going forward as well. Had a great ball to Altidore that ultimately led to Dempsey's first goal. He and Michael Bradley work really well together in my opinion and are surefire starters for the USMNT. Solid, solid performance.
• Michael Bradley. This wasn't his best game but it's SO obvious how much the USMNT needs him on the field. I know it's cliché to say but he really is the glue of the team, it's the perfect analogy. Everything flows from Michael Bradley. When he's on the field, the midfield is organized and everyone knows exactly what their role is. He gives Jermaine Jones a bit more freedom to move forward and allows Clint Dempsey to stay forward and work his magic underneath Altidore instead of having to come back deep to receive the ball like we saw against Belgium. He makes everything "tick." Michael Bradley is the most important player on the United States Men's National Team.
• Graham Zusi had another decent performance on the right side of midfield. He has blossomed into a very capable international performer and it's been great to watch his confidence grow these last couple years. He tracked back well and had a brilliant cross to Altidore for the first goal. He's obviously not Landon Donovan but he has been a pleasant surprise. If only he had a little more skill to beat people off the dribble and a little more pace.
• Eddie Johnson didn't have too much of an impact as he was subbed on when we were already up and were trying to hold on for dear life. He was mostly defending with the rest of the team so I won't critique him much because he was not doing what he usually does.
• Same thing for Terrence Boyd, didn't get much of the ball because we were defending a lead. Though he did have an outrageous attempt at goal on a counter in the closing minutes of the game that sailed high and wide when he could've simply passed out wide to waste more time. That wasn't very smart and showed his inexperience.

Photo credit: starsandstripesfc.com

• Jozy Altidore had his best game for the national team in a LONG time. He was extremely active and played a part in most of our significant attacking moves, including a superb volley to open the scoring. He had great holdup play and also set up Dempsey's first goal, as well as another Dempsey chance in the first half with a brilliant turn and pass. This was the Altidore that we've become accustomed to seeing with AZ this past season. Sensational performance. I would also like to add how impressed I am with his professionalism and maturity. They interviewed him on TV after the game and you could definitely tell he is a class act. He's not a boy anymore. Below is another example of his astounding maturity and class. This was just after a Dutch league match in which he was racially abused by fans and it's one of the best interviews I've ever seen:

• Speaking of sensational, Clint Dempsey was just that today as well with two great goals. Michael Bradley's return to the pitch meant the skipper could stay forward and do what he does best - roam into free space underneath the center forward and score goals or set up teammates. Another great game from the USA's now second leading scorer all-time. He scores with his left, he scores with his right; that boy Clint Dempsey makes Drogba look shite!

In conclusion, this was a much better performance than against Belgium and it's encouraging to see us score quality goals from the run of play. But for all of our offensive improvement, the defense is still too shaky for comfort and can be unlocked way too easily at times. This needs to be fixed for the upcoming qualifiers when the results actually matter. I'm confident that we'll get through these next games and come out of them in good shape for the rest of the hexagonal later on this year. Today was a step in the right direction, nothing more and nothing less. Let's see what we can do in crunch time.

Top 10 Goals of the Week

I've been slacking on posting this the last few weeks but here you go. Enjoy the weekend!

USMNT vs. Belgium Thoughts

The United States Men's National Team lost 4-2 last night to Belgium in an international friendly in Cleveland, the first of a series of  five matches that include two friendlies and two World Cup Qualifiers. To sum it up we were completely outplayed by a much better team with much better players; Belgium brought their A-team (minus Eden Hazard and Axel Witsel) and their quality definitely showed against a USMNT side fielding several B- and C-team players. Here are some thoughts on what I saw last night:

• Below was Klinsmann's starting XI, players in parentheses were substitutes. Guzan came in for Howard at halftime; EJ came in for Altidore at the break and moved wide when Boyd came in for Davis in the second half; Evans came in for Zusi in the second half; Holden came in for Kljestan at around the 80th minute.

• Tim Howard was good in the first half, he made a some good saves and came off his line to thwart a couple dangerous attacking moves by Belgium. He'll feel hard done by the first goal as he made a great play in coming off his line to block Lukaku's initial attempt only to see his defense snoozing and let Kevin Mirallas walk right up to the rebound and chip it home (beautifully, I might add). Overall an alright performance, not anything special but certainly not bad. Nice to see him back with the National Team after missing the last round of qualifiers with a back injury.
• Brad Guzan also had a decent performance when he was in during the second half, made a couple good saves here and there. Unfortunately for him the floodgates opened during the second half and he was subject to three point blank, uncontested shots on goal which he couldn't keep out of the net. All three weren't his fault as the first was a gaffe from Gonzalez, the second was the result of failing to clear a corner and the third was a simple lobbed pass over the top of the entire backline that put Benteke through. Don't worry that Guzan let in three goals in one half, he is still a great keeper and will be fine going forward. He's still as good as Howard.
• Speaking of the Benteke goal, was he not offside? There was never a clear replay of it but it looked like he might have been. Oh well.
• I'll try to be nice and call this game a "learning experience" for Omar. He was caught snoozing during the first goal and didn't react in time to get in the way of Mirallas's chip. As a defender, whenever you see someone breach your line, aren't you supposed to sprint back for the rebound if the keeper manages to block the shot? Can anyone explain to me why he, Cameron, and Goodson all just stood there and watched the play unfold? Anyways, he also giftwrapped Belgium's second goal by playing a horrendous touch in the box trying to dribble out of pressure instead of just simply clearing the ball. Not really sure what his thought process was right there. Other than those couple boneheaded plays he was ok, he showed his aerial dominance yet again on several occasions. Let's just remember that this was Omar's 7th cap and we were playing  a friendly against one of the most talented teams in the world. He's still one of the USMNT's best centerbacks, whether you agree or not. Tell me who's better at this point. Onyewu? Tim Ream? Orozco? Bocanegra? I don't think so. He'll be fine and should be starting next year in Brazil if we qualify.
• I won't be so nice to Clarence Goodson because I don't like him as a player. I'm sorry but the only good performance I can remember of him in a USA shirt in the last few years was the qualifier against Costa Rica earlier this year, where he was only effective because the snow slowed the opposition and forced  them to try going over the top which played into his aerial strength. He's slow, doesn't read the game particularly well, and can have slow reactions, like the Mirallas goal where he should have been sprinting back to the net to provide cover while Howard was out. I wish Klinsmann would just move on and start trying out other options.
• The more I see of Matt Besler, the more I like him. He had an outstanding tackle on Benteke in the box where he came from behind and poked it away. At first it looked like it might have been a penalty but the replay proved it was the right call and a great tackle. He's pretty quick for a centerback and makes for a nice partner with Omar. I'll go ahead and say that the Gonzalez-Besler pairing is by far the best option we have right now in central defense, their chemistry is undeniable and they complement each other nicely with their pace and aerial ability. These two are who I want to see starting these upcoming WCQ's.
• In contrast to Matt Besler, the more I see of Geoff Cameron at right back, the more I don't like him. In fact, I absolutely hate him at right back. Tonight he was also guilty of falling asleep on the first goal as he let Mirallas walk right by him to get to the rebound. He doesn't get forward to help out in the attack at all and just seems to generally struggle with completing passes on the sideline. I really hope we see Michael Parkhurst get some playing time in the coming games.
• Damarcus Beasley had one of the better performances on the night out of everyone and looks pretty comfortable at the left back position. He let Benteke sneak in behind him on the last goal (that might have been offside) but otherwise was solid. He held his own against Mirallas and Lukaku on the sideline and had a couple nice runs going forward. He's been playing well enough for Klinsmann to consider moving Fabian Johnson up to left mid, which would be a fantastic move in my opinion. This would allow for Beasley and Fabian to interchange positions throughout the run of play, providing problems for defenses not knowing how to handle continuous overlapping. As you may or may not know, I am a Valencia fan. From 2009-2012, they employed this strategy on the left side with Jérémy Mathieu and Jordi Alba to great success. Mathieu would start games at left back with Alba at left mid but they would switch places several times throughout the flow of games. This is something Klinsmann should heavily consider with Beasley and Johnson.
• Moving on to the midfield, it was painfully obvious how much Michael Bradley was missed. Kljestan was meh. He can't pull strings and orchestrate games the way Bradley can. Kljestan along with Jermaine Jones didn't offer too much creativity or possession for that matter in the center of the pitch. In fact, Clint Dempsey dropped all the way back in front of the back line from his center forward spot several times to collect the ball and try to make something happen because Jones and Kljestan weren't offering any creativity. Stu came in for Kljestan but didn't have much time to really exert any influence. Perhaps a Kljestan-Holden combo would have been better suited for more possession? Jermaine did well tracking back and had a few nice passes here and there but was only decent for the most part.
• I don't care about his left foot, Brad Davis should not be playing for the USMNT.
• Neither should Brad Evans.

Photo credit: sbnation.com

• Graham Zusi was alright, he did well tracking back and had a few good ideas going forward. Had a nice delivery off a corner to Dempsey at the far post who headed it back across goal to Cameron for the first goal. Zusi has actually become one of the better USMNT players in my opinion, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he is not a naturally wide player. It has become painfully clear that the USMNT has a shortage of true wingers and using Zusi and Davis to fill those spots isn't going to cut it. Donovan needs to come back ASAP. I want to see more of Landon Donovan, Brek Shea, Josh Gatt, Fabian Johnson, even Alejandro Bedoya out wide. Eddie Johnson does pretty well when he's deployed out left but I like him more up top. We are in desperate need of true width and pace to storm down the flanks in our attacks. 
• Jozy Altidore had another forgettable game in a USA shirt under Klinsmann. Everyone always harps on him for not scoring or not working hard enough but the fact of the matter is that he never gets any service. Did you notice how many times he got the ball out on the flanks? He had to constantly drift out wide because that was the only place he could ever receive the ball. We struggle to move the ball up through the middle of the pitch to our strikers so this is what he has to resort to. Terrence Boyd was invisible when he came on in the second half, I only remember him touching the ball two or three times.
• I appreciate what EJ brings to the team whenever he's in the game - he's willing to put his head down and run at defenders. He brings energy and pace to the table, something we don't have much of. He did alright when he came in for Davis, whipping in a couple nice crosses and trying to take defenders on. He's probably our best wing option at the moment for these qualifiers, bar a healthy Fabian Johnson. 

Overall we need to remember that this was only a friendly, and  Belgium is a better team than us and they fielded their best team against our depleted team. I'm glad that we are facing this kind of competition though because it gives us a chance to see what direction we're headed and what needs to be worked on. My biggest concern for these upcoming qualifiers is our lack of wingers. If we're going to be playing Brad Davis and Graham Zusi out wide, with no fullbacks providing much support on the overlap, it's going to be a struggle to break down defenses that flood the middle of the pitch in recognition of our lack of width. Again, this was only a friendly and doesn't count for anything. The real test will come on June 7th when we play our next World Cup Qualifier against Jamaica. 

Number 20

It's official - Major League Soccer's 20th franchise will be New York City Football Club and will start play in 2015. The club will be a joint venture between Manchester City of the English Premier League and the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Here are some of my thoughts on the expansion:

• (In case you haven't figured it out by now, I really like using bullet points. It's a good way to mask my amateur writing skills...)
• New York was always going to get the next expansion franchise over Orlando City. In Don Garber's eyes New York City is the most important market MLS needs to win over for the sake of TV revenue and increased media exposure.
• Speaking of Orlando, don't you guys worry, Orlando City Soccer Club will surely be the next expansion franchise. There's already too much money invested in the club for it not to be and one of the league's next objectives will be to gain some exposure in the southeast.
• To me it looks like the New York Red Bulls are kinda screwed. NYCFC will be located in the middle of New York City, as opposed to New Jersey, which will be a significant advantage in drawing sizable crowds and generating support. Having a public transit system that can run straight to the stadium, or at least really close to it, is something that NYRB can't compete with. It currently takes around 40 minutes for someone to catch a train from New York City over to Red Bull arena. Also, NYCFC will be a bigger draw for top players around the world deciding to come to MLS. With the backing of Sheikh Mansour (Man City) and the Steinbrenners (Yankees), NYCFC will have an insane budget to use on designated players, facilities, and other aspects of running a top football club. NYRB already struggles with attendance as it is. I hope that the introduction of a second New York team will turn out to be healthy for the Energy Drinks, causing them to step up their game and draw in top players and put some more money into their efforts, but it doesn't look to good for them long term right now. Hopefully it won't get as bad as the dynamic between LA Galaxy and Chivas USA.

Photo credit: www.mcfc.co.uk

• Overall this is a great move by MLS. The league's biggest struggle in it's growth process has been it's inability to garner significant TV revenue. Placing this team in one of America's biggest TV markets is only beneficial for the league as a whole. MLS really, really needs to start getting some big TV deals in order to increase national exposure and compete with other professional sports leagues like the NFL and the NBA.
• There aren't many sports teams in the world that are hated more than the Yankees and Manchester City. I can only imagine what kind of hate NYCFC will generate. Yikes.
• #NYCFC is kind of a mouthful, especially on Twitter. I'm not a huge fan.
• I hope the club will be able to establish its own identity apart from Man City and the Yankees. I don't mind it having some players from Man City on loan or something like that but I'd hate to see it become a feeder club for them. It needs to become a destination club, not a feeder.
• It will be interesting to see what becomes of the New York Cosmos, which are going to begin playing in the NASL next year. Will they be able to compete with the two MLS teams in its own city? Will they ever be as big as NYCFC and NYRB? Only time will tell.
• Speaking of the Cosmos, I would like to end this post by presenting to you my find of the week. I came across this fantastic documentary the other day which chronicles the clubs rise and fall during its NASL days in the '70s and '80s. It's an hour and a half long but check it out if you ever have the time, it's extremely well done and gives a great look at the sport during its early days in America. One part I found particularly interesting was the shootouts they would have at the end of tie games in the NASL. Instead of a penalty kick shootout, the kick taker had 5 seconds to go one-on-one with the keeper from 35 yards out and score. I'd never heard of that before and I think it's a really cool idea. That part comes at around the 53:20 mark of the documentary. Below is a video of a full NASL shootout between the New York Cosmos and Washington Diplomats.

USMNT Roster Thoughts

 

Here is Jürgen Klinsmann's USMNT training camp roster for the upcoming friendlies and World Cup Qualifiers, as well as some of my thoughts:

GOALKEEPERS (6): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Tim Howard (Everton), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake).

• Before you freak out after seeing that we have six keepers, note that the four MLS keepers (Hall, Hamid, Johnson, Rimando) are going to be rotating as the third goalkeeper behind Howard and Guzan throughout camp. As far as who claims the starting spot, Howard and Guzan are 1A and 1B in my mind. Both are fantastic keepers that have proved their worth on the international stage and I'm completely fine with either one starting the WCQs. I don't have any issues with this group.

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Parkhust (Augsburg).

• Great to see Castillo called in after a great run of form with Xolos, who just advanced to the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. Also glad to see Fabian back, who was injured during the last round of qualifiers. Timmy Chandler not called in this time because of some apparent ligament damage suffered about 10 days ago in training, but I believe Michael Parkhurst is an extremely solid replacement for now. I don't really have a problem with any of these players being called up, though I am really confused by Steve Cherundolo not being called in. According to the roster notes on ussoccer.com, Cherundolo isn't fully recoverd from the knee injury that kept him out for four months earlier this year. But he's been training and playing with Hannover since April 7th. What gives?

MIDFIELDERS (10): Michael Bradley (Roma), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Maurice Edu (Bursapor), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Brek Shea (Stoke City), Danny Williams (Hofffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City).

• The first thing that jumped out at me when looking at this group was the inclusion of Brek Shea. Supposedly, one of Klinsmann's biggest factors in deciding national team call-ups is consistent playing time at the club level. Judging by that criteria, Brek should not even be getting a sniff of the national team right now as he has barely played for Stoke in the last few months. This decision is baffling to me. Don't get me wrong, I believe Brek is one of our biggest impact players and can change a game at any moment, but Klinsmann needs to start practicing what he preaches. You're gonna leave Landon Donovan off the roster, who has been playing great football for the LA Galaxy since his return, but call in Shea? Doesn't seem right to me. Moving along, it's great to see Stu Holden back in the mix after suffering a broken leg. I hope he gets back to being his old self. I would rather have seen Mix Diskerud called in instead of Brad Davis but I'm sure he'll be in the Gold Cup roster. Davis almost cost us that historic point in Azteca by giving up a silly foul outside of the box in the closing minutes that could have easily led to a set piece goal.

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham), Herculez Gomez (Santos Laguna), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC).

• Not much to say here, solid choices. Jozy is coming off an absolutely fantastic season in Holland and hopefully carries that form into these qualifiers. Eddie Johnson has some haters but I am not one of them, I freaking love him. He's fast and dynamic, something that the USMNT usually lacks across the board. He seems to do extremely well in qualifiers and I hope we see that this time around.

Summer...Finally

I haven't been able to write much lately because I have been swamped with finals...but they're over and summer is here! Hooray! With that I will just give some of my random football thoughts and observations from the last week or so:

1. Benfica plays at Porto this weekend with a chance to clinch the Primeira Liga title. Both sides are unbeaten in the league this season. This will be one of the biggest games of the year in all leagues and the atmosphere is going to be absolutely incredible. Must-see TV.

2. Graham Zusi single-handedly dominated Chivas USA over the weekend in SKC's blowout win. One of, if not the best individual MLS performances I've ever seen.

3. I'm a Valencia supporter if you haven't figured that out by now, and Los Che had a perfect weekend - they beat Osasuna 4-0 and Real Sociedad lost to Getafe. Valencia only trails la Real by two points for the last Champions League spot. It's gonna go right down to the wire.

4. Gareth Bale.

5. Jürgen Klopp is a hero. I freaking love that guy. In addition to being a football genius his personality is top-class entertainment. He should have a TV camera on his face at all times. Can't wait for the Champions League final at Wembley.

6. Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and anyone who makes an argument to that is insane. I mean I already knew that but that fact was just reiterated to me again with his display against Betis over the weekend. His mere presence on the field changes the atmosphere of an entire game, from the fans to the players on both teams. It's incredible to watch. I'm so grateful that we live in an age where everything he does on the pitch is saved for posterity on the internet. People will be able to appreciate him years and years from now.

Well that's it for now but hopefully I'll be able to post a little more regularly since I'm out of school. Happy summer to all.

Top 10 Goals of the Week

Happy Friday! Here are the Top 10 Goals of the Week.

Atticus' Big Day

I have been extremely busy with finals and haven't been tweeting or posting much, but this story is just too good not to pass along. Massive props to the Portland Timbers and their fans for making all of this possible for Atticus, an eight-year-old boy who was diagnosed with cancer last year.

Top 10 Goals of the Week

Here are the Top 10 Goals of the Week. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Valencia 5 - Málaga 1

Valencia breezed past Málaga yesterday in La Liga by a score of 5-1 in perhaps their greatest moment of the season thus far. Los Che put on a spectacular display in the first half, scoring an astounding four goals in just six minutes. Here is an uncut video of the second, third, and fourth goals, which were scored in just over  three minutes. Enjoy.

Valencia CF vs Malaga CF 4-0 GOOL FULL-HD by sason5000

Top 10 Goals of the Week

Here are the Top 10 Goals of the Week. I'll try to share these every Friday from now on.

Freddy Adu - The Missing Piece of the USMNT Puzzle

Photo credit: www.theshinguardian.com

"Freddy Adu is washed up."

"Freddy Adu...oh yeah I remember him! He was that kid that was supposed to be really good and never panned out."

"Freddy Adu is a waste of talent."

"Freddy Adu is a failure."

 

These are just some of the criticisms that Freddy Adu has to face every day. The once highly-touted American phenom was burdened with the weight of completely unfair expectations as a 14-year-old and hasn't quite lived up to them. My question is how the heck are you supposed to live up to being compared to Pelé, arguably the greatest footballer of all time? There will never be another Pelé. Oh well. Ironically, Adu now finds himself in Pelé's old stomping grounds of Brazil after just having signed with Bahia, where he will be looking to erase the memories of his time with the Philadelphia Union. Many criticized Adu while he was in Philadelphia for not providing the number of goals and assists expected out of one with the salary he had. And yes, his stats were rather poor during this time. But don't think for one second that it was his own fault; he created several goalscoring opportunities that his teammates consistently failed to capitalize on. Take a look at this video, a compilation of chances he created during the 2012 season with Philly:

 

If Adu's teammates had finished even half of the chances he set up for them he would have been among the league leaders in assists, right?. I mean how frustrating must it be to see Lionard Pajoy waste all of your glorious passes? As a D.C. United fan I get frustrated enough just watching him on TV. You can't just look at a player's stats when assessing whether or not he is a good player. There's no stat for hockey assists or "passes that should have been assists." If you do this, Freddy Adu fails to impress. But if you actually watch the game you will see just how much of an influence he is.

Last year I went with a couple of friends over Spring Break to watch the U-23s play their Olympic qualifying games in Nashville. I watched the Cuba and Canada games in person and watched the El Salvador game online. The thing that stood out to us the most during each game was how much better Freddy Adu was than everyone else. He was simply on another level, both technically and visually - it was evident in perfect full-field switches that hit Brek Shea in stride, in splitting through balls in and around the box, in retaining possession while dribbling out of the pressure of multiple defenders. It was stunning, honestly. My friends and I found ourselves asking "Wait, so why doesn't this guy play for the senior team again? He clearly belongs there. He's a better dribbler than anyone on that team and one of the best passers. He has plenty of creativity, something the team has been lacking for who knows how long. What are we missing? What is Klinsmann not seeing?" It's truly dumbfounding to me. Here are some of his highlights while with the U-23s (sorry it's not the best quality):

People also like to attack Adu's leaderhip of that team. "Yeah he was the captain but look where that got 'em." Well how would you like to captain a team that plays Ike Opara and Perry Kitchen at centerback? Perry Kitchen is a midfielder and Opara is simply a disaster. Anyone would have failed with that backline.

One prevalent criticism of Jürgen Klinsmann's stint with the USMNT has been the lack of goals. And it's a very valid criticism. We have indeed struggled to score multiple goals in games during his time. It's pretty easy to see why - we consistently field more defensive-minded midfielders than we need to (ex. Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, and Danny Williams at the same time) and we field other players out of their natural positions (playing Herculez Gomez or Sacha Kljestan at left wing are just a couple of examples). We don't have that one guy who can "unlock" the defense in and around the box. Michael Bradley is probably the closest to this but he's more of a deep lying playmaker that likes to control the tempo of the game. He's not one to dribble through multiple defenders and make something out of nothing. But you know who is? Yep, you guessed it - Freddy Adu. Let's take a look at the last time Freddy was called up to the senior team and actually played significant minutes:

He made an instant impact as soon as he was subbed on and gave life to a stale U.S. attack. Isn't this what we're looking for? Why doesn't Klinsmann give him a look? He has plenty of experience and has shown he can be a difference maker at the international level. Why is he not playing?

As this post comes to a close I would like to remind you that Freddy Adu is still 23 years old. Clint Dempsey was 24 years old when he moved to Fulham in the Premier League and look at what he has gone on to accomplish. Why can't Freddy do the same? Why are we so quick to write him off and say his career is over? He still has plenty of time to get better and come back better than ever. Best of luck to him as he starts this new chapter in Brazil.

Freddy Adu is exactly what the USMNT needs right now - a spark. He is the missing piece. He is the missing creativity. He's the missing flair. He's done it before. Please, Jürgen, just give him another chance. Call him up for the Gold Cup this summer and let him show what he can do. It worked out last time.

Again, what am I missing? What does Klinsmann see in Adu that makes him avoid calling him up while we can't score goals? Why is it so obvious that Adu is EXACTLY what the USMNT needs to everyone except Klinsmann? If anyone could let me know that would be great.


Hope you all have a great weekend.