General Soccer Thread

[Fat Strat]

Anybody get to watch? How'd they look?

I watched. Looked much, much better. Bradley was playing too high to be very creative, but Bedoya had an incredible game. Several great through balls and crosses. Chandler and Shea on the wings defensively created a lot of opportunities, but Chandler's delivery was lacking accuracy. We easily could have scored 3-4 goals if we had just finished. Bradley missed a wide open net from 10 yards. Bedoya played a header right at the keeper... anything to the corners would have scored. Zardes looked much better up top. He had at least two good scoring chances. Went up against the keeper for a head ball and won it, heading the ball just wide of the goal. Then he got crossed up on a volley. He should have headed it... easy goal if he did. Tried to volley with his left foot and couldn't finish.

Shea's goal on the set piece was terrific. Watch it.

We gave up a goal late after Jozy had been sent off with a red card and we were playing a man down. It wasn't that hard of a tackle, but he said something to the ref and he booked him right away.

A draw with the Swiss in Switzerland with that roster, playing 30 minutes a man down... I think that's a great result. Very happy with how they looked today.

[thrill]

So we have friendlies with Mexico, Netherlands and Germany before the Gold Cup. The Mexico game will be a slog because neither coach will reveal anything tactically and we'll probably get our brains beat in by design vs those other two. Jurgen will want to humble the men before the Gold Cup so they don't go in over confident.

[MrSaigon]

Is set piece defense in soccer kind of like the soft-tossing lefty in baseball, where every fan thinks his team is terrible at it? My team is terrible at it.

[Hoot45]

St. Louis FC won their first game in franchise history on Thursday. This Saturday is their home opener. Anybody going? I'm a STH and for the first time am genuinely optimistic about the long term sustainability of this new club.

[MrSaigon]

Valeri will be back soon and we'll be fine. But I think most coaches in this league could get an offense going with Valeri. The fact that Porter can't really get one going without him--and with what I feel is still a fair bit of attacking talent--is making me question the wunderkind pedigree he rode into Portland on.

Not demanding his ouster or anything. Just starting to form doubts.

[Fat Strat]

FYI, US vs. Mexico tonight. 7:30. Dempsey and Altidore are both out. If you're checking in tonight expecting to see most of our World Cup starters out there, you're probably going to be disappointed.

[Fat Strat]

US v. Mexico was a fun match. Great environment. Terrible field. I thought it was hard to get a read on who did well, who didn't because the pitch was so terrible. Bad bounces or poor touch? Impossible to say. It was good to see Bradley playing up and making two great passes to set up goals. There were a few occasions when I thought he should have taken a shot. Seemed hesitant to pull the trigger. Defense looked a lot better with Omar Gonzales back there. I also still like Diskerud on that club. He's good with the ball, creative passer. I think he's a starter for this club during the Gold Cup. Still not sure about Garza. I would take Brek Shea over Garza at LF every time. Shea might not be as much of a defender, but he's been great going forward. The combo of him and Yedlin on the wing defense gives you so much speed and attacking potential. Need a strong central defense and a strong central defending midfielder.

What can you say about Jordan Morris? There was questions about why he was on the roster, but he looked great last night. So much speed. And not bad with the ball at his feet. Exciting young player.

[thrill]

Jordan Morris is super fast, finishes calmly, has a prematurely receding hairline and dishes cliches in a nasally drone.

When God retires a Landon he opens a window.


Mike Bradley was everywhere last night. Man of the match. Dominated every touch, every pass and every tackle. Yedlin, Omar, Mix and Beckerman also stood out.
Overall, last night paid off on Jurgen's philosophy in dividends. The US was the fitter, faster team and it wasn't close. They were buzzing for 90 minutes and on a field that makes my back yard look like a fairway at the Master's that really matters. Against a team better in possession on a better field, who knows? In CONCACAF, though, it matters a lot.

Agudelo has the best first touch of any of our forwards and is real competition for Jozy's spot, and I think is better than Johannson and co. I don't know the details of what happened in his European year in exile in terms of why he couldn't secure a permanent move to Utrecht or any of the German clubs that were looking at him, but he is a baller and I'm glad he's back on track in MLS. He can still do some big things in the next 10 years.

Mix is really improving defensively and if he can continue that, he could be a really great asset behind Bradley in sort of a Pirloesque role and is certainly better suited to link play from the back to the midfield than Jermaine Jones was at the World Cup. Jermaine was our best player at the Cup, but if Bradley is going to be the linchpin he needs someone who can make the pass to him to initiate the offense.

[33anda3rd]

Chelsea are a heck of a lot more fun when they are not just packing the box with six men to try for a 0-0 draw.

[Hoot45]

STL FC picks up their second win of the season this weekend. It was on the road though so they are still looking for that first home win, despite attendance at 99% capacity through two games. If you're a local, read this thread, and haven't been out for a game yet I would highly recommend it.