I wasn't expecting us to win this game at all.

Curb my enthusiasm? I don't think my expectations of our team or where we stand are too high. I just do not agree that we are still decades away. There are tons of US players playing in Europe now and MLS has gotten considerably better. Why be PESSIMISTIC? Makes no sense to me.

Yes, but it looked more like 037.

really hope this happens and he pans out. I haven't seen too much of his play but he's seemed to impress at Philly so far.

maybe we'll run good for once and get him to choose us over stupid Congo.

it's a real shame that we couldn't reel in Rossi and Subotic. Had a discussion yesterday with a guy at the bar while watching the US game, and I think that we are a top 15ish side with those two. They'd instantly be our best two players (sorry Deuce, Landon, and Timmy)



---------Altidore---Rossi-----------
--Donovan---MB--Jones---Deuce--
-Boca-Subotic-Onyewu-Chandler-
--------------Howard---------------

le sigh

Brede Hangeland>>>>>>>> Gooch

did we ever have a chance of flipping him?

No idea but that team would be very nice.

we had as much of a chance of flipping him as we did rossi, ie not at all



I think mwanga can pan out for us. He's generally said that he feels closer to the US than he does the congo, which is half the battle right there IMO

Not to mention US has a more prestigious team

and that stopped najar from playing for honduras?

LOL it's not the only factor, but it's certainly a factor.

jeez you and sethy are mad lately.

the biggest key is that he feels more attached to the US. The same can't be said for players that were eligible for the US and didn't play for the US

Mwanga had a nice equalizing goal for Philly last night

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter...?videoID=15498

SoccerInsider Steven Goff
Adu and Bedoya on flanks at moment. Hmmmm. Donovan withdrawn behind Altidore

SoccerInsider Steven Goff
In USA training, Cherundolo on right, Bocanegra on left, Goodson and Onyewu in middle with Bradley and Jones in central MF


nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...





NO!

lol, no way he's starting Adu and Bedoya against Canada.

bump for any residents of the mitten/Ohio

well yeah, but still.

I was kind of hoping he'd declare gooch injured and bring in gonzalez or even demerit who went 90 the other day

btw tonights GC games are on 402 on direct TV in spanish and you should be able to find english feeds on the internet if you want

If the Forwards arent producing is there a way that they can play a 1-2 at the top like what Barca does with Messi? but instead try to do it with Donovan?

LOL^

The majority of the USMNT coaching staff's attention should be at the back, I mean seriously wtf is Bradley thinking... It's not too late...bring back Bora imo...

Is Donovan hurt and if so, how bad?

**** it. Let's just try and be Roma and go 4-6-0.

Not injured, report was he woke up ill day of the Spain game, iirc.

I think Jozy/Agudelo at the top with Donovan and Dempsey wide is enough for the Group Stage games. We can evaluate from there as to whether we need to slide one of Demps/Landy up.

I still like Wondo to play in these group stages. He was obv overmatched against Spain but seems like a guy who would crush against CONCACAF defenses.

if we had a totti-esque player I'd love to see this

agreed. Its also not like we're going up against major competition. May as well see what he can do in games that are relatively safe

Ives predicts (he's very rarely far off) the following for Canada"

------------JA-------JA--------------
Donovan--------------------Dempsey
------------MB------JJ---------------
Boca----Goodson--Gooch------Dolo

Looks about right to me. Normal Bradley style would be to move Dempsey up top as the game progresses, and I would expect that here. I think this is the front 6 that we see, although Edu could be in over Jones and I wouldn't have much quarrel with it. I like this lineup.

In the back, it's kind of a toss up.

Onyewu has been far from convincing, but are we ready to put him out to pasture? Dolo should be the right back and I'm sure that's locked in. Boca at LB is whatever, I'd prefer to see Lichaj personally but we'll see.

Boca can and should be used at CB imo. I'd like to see Ream as well, as I think 1) he's a likely starter at CB for us in the future but he definitely needs games, and 2) his passing out of the back is going to be useful in the Group stages.

If Bob gets him lots of minutes early in the tournament, I'm not opposed to going back to guys he trusts like Boca for Mexico or a game where we're going to be under more pressure (not like you don't need ballplaying CBs when you're under pressure of course, but you know what I mean).

I wouldn't be devastated by

Boca----Gooch---Ream---Dolo.

I'd prefer Lichaj on the left and Dolo on the right. I'm not saying Lichaj is the left back of the future necessarily, but I like him, and good lord are we devoid of talent in the pool at that spot. It sure as hell isn't going to be Boca in Brazil so I'd like to see more Lichaj ASAP. As for RB, I say this cycle we pass the torch from Dolo to Chandler (hoping no funny business with Timmy of course), so I have no problems with Dolo locking down RB for this tournament but let's get Timmy capped in a qualifier as soon as possible.

Any combination of Ream, Boca, and Gooch in the middle is fine, don't have much interest in seeing Goodson. Spector is now a valuable and versatile squad player. Can play across the back and across the midfield (prob not LM but w.e), so he should be called in practically always, but he's not a starter for me.

No interest seeing Goodson? The guy who has played the best at his club for the last year out of all our CBs?