Back to the future, again.

USA 1-Italy 0

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/usa/s...linsmann-022912

Where Klinsmann deserves credit is for not forcing some ill-fitting persona on the United States. He took Bradley and Maurice Edu, planted them in the middle of the field, and built a wall for Andrea Pirlo and Italy’s attackers to climb. He then positioned Altidore as a lone forward, giving him the unenviable task of being a battering ram without much attacking support, freeing up Dempsey to roam the space in midfield behind Altidore, further squeezing the space Italy’s playmakers had to work in.

Jurgen Klinsmann deserves his share of credit for that. No, he didn’t re-invent the wheel or transform the United States into some high-flying attacking squad like some thought he might. What he did was play to his team’s strengths: a strong defensive core, committed team defending, and the capabilities of Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore.

If the formula sounds familiar, it's because it's the same recipe the United States used to defeat Spain in 2009. That day, the Americans road strong goalkeeping (from Howard), a resolute defensive display (anchored by Michael Bradley in midfield), and goals from Altidore and Dempsey.
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451 defend to win, works.

Not sure who I'm more proud, of the US MNT for beating Italy 1-0, or the US U23/Olympic team for their 2-0 win over Mexico.



-The MNT team used good tactics to win an important friendly game away from home.

-The U23 team looked great all around and dominated possession against a strong possession oriented team.

= A new generation of American football is ahead of us (at the end of the tunnel).

This was not a shift in the paradigm of US soccer, but a simple example of why defending is so important in our game. Once in a while you can get out with a win vs a stronger team when they are struggling to hit the back of the net.



The goal looked simple but many of the players on the field had a big part of that historic goal in Genoa on February 29, 2012.

The first half was not a well played game by ether team. It was nothing more than an opportunistic game of ping pong.

The second half changed right from the start and the Italians were now completely in control of the ball in the middle third. The US was forced to chase in their own half for the first eight minutes. They defended well and regained possession and made the very best of their first strong possession after the half scoring a goal.



The one goal by the US was a classic possession play goal and showed why having players move to train and play games in Europe is a positive thing for US Soccer development. The play included many aspects of good solid possession soccer which had good decisions, good technique and most important good execution. It looked simple to score on Italy.



-#8 Edu drew the foul after defending for 8+ minutes in your own half, create a short rest for the 10 players working hard.

http://screencast.com/t/maDuHzbcbP



-A simply great possession play goal which included nine players.
#7 Willams decision -Play not on, go back keep possession #2 Cherundolo, around the back to #8 Edu, to #4 Goodson, to #5 Bocanegra, to #6 Bradley, switch the point of attack out to #3 Johnson, play into to #9 Altidore, hold the ball with your back to the goal and lay it off, (combine) for #10 Dempsey to shoot a screened shot at goal.

http://screencast.com/t/XaFNEaEWRQ6



A great team attacking goal.

We need a more effective D2 and D3 leagues in the US. The US Open Cup could help bring more fans to the lower divisions in America. It could be marketed better creating brand association and awareness by a better promotion plan using the US Open Cup round two and three games.

We have a youth to pro player development problem we need to address better.

Some players get better while playing overseas on foreign teams, but many don't and we end up losing some of our best players.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mls...VV_story_1.html

The lower-tier teams provide an ideal venue for young prospects to get significant minutes in games. American Terrence Boyd, for example, has played in 63 games for Borussia Dortmund’s reserve team over the past two seasons in Germany. At age 21, he has yet to make his debut for Dortmund’s first team, but he started in a recent friendly for the U.S. national team under Klinsmann.

The goal is to “deal with the transition time from youth soccer to first-team soccer” more effectively, Durbin said.

GREATEST STUFF SO FAR!

USA 1 Mexico 0 (in Mexico City)

First win at Azteca stadium in Mexico City.

We played using their style and pace inside their home and beat them without all our Euro based players...

We did what American's do best: We "adapt, improvise, and overcome"!

We defended well enough to keep the one goal lead.
Attacking possession could have been better, but we did not need it tonight we had Tim Howard at his best.


Thank You Guys!
We Needed That.



Jurgen Klinsmann
..."Believe"!
2450

Great Stuff!

Huge win, but what I take from it was a pretty memorable performance by Tim Howard. Very likable guy but there have been games on the big stage that he just wasn't able to make that critical save. Not Wednesday. Not only did he deliver, but he delivered in a place where the USA has never delivered. I am wondering if this performance may do wonders going forward.

Ok this is a bit of disturbing news from our team.
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JK quotes -1/8/13

“It's not really a preseason camp, like it was always in the recent years, because of that Feb. 6 date in Honduras. It's actually a World Cup qualifying preparation camp..."

“based on what happens in Europe, in Mexico, we can then see how many players from this [camp's] roster will feed into that one. Off the top of my head, probably six, eight, nine players maybe.”

One who will not be considered for the qualifier is LA Galaxy captain Landon Donovan

“We don't have him in our sheet for Honduras, because if you're not part of this camp, you have basically no preparation for a World Cup qualifier,”


“We've seen many [players] that are now part of this camp play on a very consistent high level, and that's what we want to see now in this camp, that they kind of prove that consistency in their game, that they are ready personality-wise to step in another level up, because that's what is needed on the international surface. And so we are really curious to see how much they can confirm of what they have already shown in MLS.”

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A national team and its coach's job is to get the very best out of his very best players. At this point of a WC qualifying attempt he should have his whole team clearly in place and all working together in well coordinated roles of a clearly defined team system of play. They should be working on ways to adjust to different opponents and how a switch of defending tactics will be used best with complementary altered attacking tactics. The key at this point should be a well practiced adjustable team system executed to perfection by the best players working together. Confidence would be enhanced with a good predictable system and clear leadership strongly in place.

But, instead we have players scattered all over the globe, some enjoying their off season, some not wanting to play at the moment, some playing key roles on their high level teams overseas, and some not playing all that much in systems that are a bit questionable...

MLS/single entity ownership league clearly has some player control/usage problems, which encourages many players to move away from MLS to gain in personal skill development and the wealth they deserve.

We have a coach that seems to be a bit frustrated...

Consistency in the makeup of our team players and their playing system/s is the key to success at the international level and we have not seen any consistency at all for two years now. US Soccer, MLS, the collage system of developing players at the prime 19-23 age group all share in creating this problem of stunted player growth in America.

We seem to be lacking quality leadership of the big/whole picture at the moment.
Is this really the best we can do?

http://theshinguardian.com/2013/01/07/january-2013-jurgen-klinsmanns-depth-chart/

We seem to waste a lot more good players than other countries do.
3778

Re-posted here also to add to this ongoing thread.

http://www.usldiscussions.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/287544#Post287544

Don't really know what to say, still in shock.


http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminari...s_box_1#2002590


The field was as slow as..., ...? ..., my current thinking!

No excuses are real at this point. The performance was poor we just did not show up, again.
The US MNT roller coaster ride continues now for over a full decade.