USA 2 : 3 Brazil - Confederations Cup final
Sunday, 28 June 09, 03:33 PM · Comments (6)
I'm very proud of our team. Our players showed incredible heart and passion, they played with a pride and intensity we rarely see from American male national teams. Last summer the basketball team showed it as they swept to victory in Beijing but usually players look at national duty as a waste of time. That isn't the case with our soccer team, maybe because of soccer's international standing. But I was particularly impressed with the players and their level of passion throughout the Confederations Cup.
I wasn't impressed with Bob Bradley's tactics. He seemed scared and overly cautious. He waited until Brazil equalised to make a change and did the wrong things when he made them. Again, I can't fault the players he brought on, they did what they were asked, but I have to ask why he picked them.
Our most dangerous players were Landon Donovan and Charlie Davies, both looked especially dangerous when they got the ball out wide exposing Brazil's weakness on the wings by getting the ball away from Brazil's strong spine. Bradley's change was to bring on Sacha Kljestan and Jonathan Bornstein. Bornstein made since, he's a pacy wide player with an ability to get into the box, Kljestan did not. In certain situations I like Sascha Kljenstan, he provides a nice option at times, but today wasn't the time for him. Many question Bradley's reliance on players he coached at club level, and their questions may have merit.
Aside from his sub there is the question of Bradley's tactics. After taking the lead he again seemed content to go into his now infamous bunker. We don't have the players for this. Our defenders play their best when pressure isn't being heaped on them, and in particular Brazilian pressure. You could tell the defenders were tired. While Tim Howard is one of the world's top goalkeepers he remains human, he is not superman, there is no superman. Howard was heroic today, and while you may look at the scoreline and say he let in three, you don't see the saves he had to make thanks in large part to the bunker tactics.
Our team has changed, this new generation of American players has brought good attacking promise, and it must be used. Bradley isn't tapping it correctly with his tactics, and if the Brazil game wasn't proof enough, look at Costa Rica and El Salvador. Or Italy. That tactic doesn't work for us, that tactic doesn't work for anyone. It's antiquated and exposed.
I am no manager, I never claimed to be, but I'd have brought on Freddy Adu. Freddy would've provided the same thing Donovan, Dempsey and Davies did, he would've provided what was working.
Again, I'm proud of our players. They deserve us to be proud of them, we should all be proud of them. I just feel upset that Bradley's current tactical scheme may be doing our players a grave disservice.
Hats off to Landon Donovan. You're a hell of a player, it's time everyone admits that.
Congratulations to Brazil. What is this? Trophy number 84? Heh.
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Random rantings about football
6 Comments · Add yours
i'm proud of the players but disgusted at the result. up by 2 at half time and lose the game.
to me bob's the reason we lost the game, tactics and subs. we didn't play well b/c of him. but so many people are taking this as a moral victory and not a soul crushing defeat like most countries would. and bob doesn't just rely on players he coached at chivas usa, but mls players in general. how the hell does conor casey deserve to be on that field?
and my last part- i would've rather seen torres than adu in place of kleijstan. torres seems much more composed on the ball, and he's actually been playing. but neither of those two provide defensive cover which is what he was going for, but sacha didn't do anything on offense or defense
Although I hate to agree with a Gooner (;-0), Danking is spot on. Screw this "moral victory" crap. If you're up 2-0 at halftime, you should win. If what you've been doing has given you a 2-goal lead, why suddenly go all defensive? And to give one back less than two minutes into the second half reveals poor organization and resolve. The sad part is so many of us saw it coming. My 6-year-old was crowing at halftime, and I said, "Remember what happened to Tottenham at ManU?"
still no trophies won for the usa... im happy donovan is not going to be champion.. not in this lifetime landon jeje
The US are the defending North American champions, they do have trophies.
When walking my dog after the game and talking with fellow fans of football about the finals, I made the suggestion that it was unfortunate that Kaka's goal was not given. This I believe would have forced a more attack oriented approach and it would have occurred early enough in the 2nd half that maybe something could happen.
I don't know anything about the American squad to make a suggestion as to who should have been brought on, but when Brazil made three substitution at the same time and Alves was one of them, I was dumb founded that the American coach did not bring on players at the same time nor did it look like he had players warming up to go on at a moment's notice. Reading the comments on the American coach's preference to play players he already coached makes me wonder further how it is that Jurgen Klinsman was not selected to be the US head coach.
Jurgen wanted more control than the USSF was willing to give. Stuff like control of youth development, ect.
In hindsight, they should've given it to him. Our youth development needs a revamp. We produce good players but you sometimes wonder if they're exceptions to the rule when you consider just how many players are in the system.