Adventures in US World Cup Qualifying

I'll take the Vth, but who is getting promoted?

 

Not really WC Qualifying news, but Jay Demerit looks to be starting the biggest game of his career against Italy in the Confederations Cup today. Bocanegra is still out it seems.

Last match was the infamous draw in the 2006 World Cup, but the USA is 0-3-3 overall vs Italy all time.

Should be a tough game.

kicks off in 15 minutes

 

Just been watching the USA v Italy highlights.

Harsh red card. Probably was a penalty, no idea why Chiellini dived in because Altidore would have shanked any shot or cross. He truly is a poor striker, bad first touch, total lack of awareness and the few times i've seen him, he's not much of a finisher either. A player totally dependent on his pace and power.

Rossi scored a couple of cracking goals.

Demerit didn't look too bad.

 

I take it back about Altidore, for now.

 

YES!!!

It's too soon but if we pull this off...

Demerit looks great so far!

 

The second half will be blistering...I'm a little scared!

Nonetheless, this is the first goal against Spain in 451 minutes...wow.

 

Alhough this is not the designated 'Jay playing for USA' thread, I shall comment on here. Only realised it was on at half time. Turned on just in time to see that US were winning and Jay tackle Villa brilliantly as the last man.

I daresay many of our first glimpses of Jay were him lining up against Villa for Zaragoza. Look how far both have come.

That should have been a pen

 

DAMMIT

I have to go into a meeting with the Corporate VP now! In the 70th minute!!!

 

Dragging my heels...AWESOME~!

 

He'd understand surely? Nissan are a pro-soccer organisation.

 

DeMerit was top notch

Well done USA

 

Naw...these fools are all baseball/football people here.

If we were in Tokyo, that'd be a different story.

 

Ps:

Dos a cero
Dos a cero
Dos a cero
Dos a cero
Dos a cero
Dos a cero
Dos a cero
Dos a cero
Dos a cero

Now I understand how the excitable kids who post in huge type feel.

 

Espn made it an instant classic.. probably the first soccer game they made a classic

 

Interesting read written by a Brit on the perception of US Soccer.

You'll have to get past the title though:
"Ignore the Euro-Snobs -GO USA!"

 

Not sure if most of these names mean anything to you, but they might if you follow American sports at all.

It's the product of a conversation we had about wasted soccer talent to other American sports.

 

Dwight Howard playing football? I couldnt imagine that

 

Think Peter Crouch or Jan Koller except faster, stronger and a more killer instinct.

 

I reckon Ray Lewis could do a job in the holdiong midfielder role, and I think Reed is a bit wasted at right back. His ability to get in just the right place would be perfect for a fox-in-the-box, whereas Kobe and Lebron would go down pretty easily.

Plus, I'd put some hockey players on the wings, for the quick one twos and the precise passing, running isn't everything on the flanks. Crosby and Burrows.

Then again, I may put someone like Ohlund at centre back, just for the brute force.

 

Are the skaters Canadian? They don't count then.

 

Witness the glory of Mexican football! Behold Director Tecnico Javier Aguirre's suited pant leg and Italian shoe up a Panamanian player groin! This is from Mexico's CONCACAF Gold Cup 1-1 match against Panama last night. Sort of like Yeovil finishing level with Arsenal.

Mexico is disintegrating. I love it.

I just booked my ticket to Mexico City DF for the August 12th World Cup Qualifier between the USA & Mexico at Estadio Azteca. Let the pee pee bombs and full beer cups fly! The Mexican football federation is playing a game with setting the time of the start. Usually, they play their matches this time of year in the evening, since it is rainy season and hot and humid beyond belief, and the evenings cool down. The daytime could be a blazing sunny day with suffocating 90% humidity and 39C temps, or it could be pouring rain with 90C temps. So The Mex Fut Fed moved the time to 1pm, likely to retaliate for having the Columbus leg in horrible weather...good times. I pray it rains to rinse me of the tossed beer and urine.

Also, it looks like the USA may play Mexico next weekend in Philadelphia for the Gold Cup semifinals...it will be set tomorrow, but trying to talk the wife into letting me go...

 

2010 World Cup mock U.S. roster from ESPN.GO.COM

1. Tim Howard
2. Landon Donovan
3. Clint Dempsey

 

Interesting to see Jay at no. 9, rated 3rd defender - especially taking into consideration the comment re. Bocanegra that he may switch from centerback to full back.

In your opinion Fitz - how likely is it that Bradley will move Bocanegra to left fullback to accomodate DeMerit?

 

I am biased of course, but I think it will happen...go Jay!

 

A preview of the upcoming CONCACAF championship game by a friend.

 

Mexico 5-0 USA

In the last ten years, there is typically a point in USA-Mex games where the Mexican psyche self destructs and El Tri does some stupid things that end up costing the game.

The moment that looked like it would happen to the Mexicans due to cheap shot calls and rising frustrations over being a superior team and being in stale mate to an inferior team, it happened, but to the USA instead.

The turnaround was so complete and so dominating for the Mexicans.

Like Isaac said in his preview, this match is the start of the new generation of players to replace the old guard that tended to meltdown like clockwork.

I'm happy for them. It's been a little sad predictably defeating them game after game. Hopefully there will be a little more back and forth in the games in the future.

The young American team on the field today, only two of whom will likely be called up for the August World Cup Qualifier in Mexico City, had a chance to gain some experience and learn what it's like to get their asses handed to them and make them hungrier. These guys are embarassed now, rightfully so, which is a shame since they played the first half very well.

The Mexican team and football culture is likely to take this huge result as mandate to come into the upcoming Qualifiers with a swagger that traditionally leads to their disappointment...we'll see how this all shakes out in a couple weeks.

 

From reading the bit from your mate, a Mexico win seemed in the cards. Shame it was a drubbing but as you say - the strong ones will learn and grow stonger from this - the rest will fade away.

I still can't believe you are actually happy for them. Dos A Cero? Course you're not happy - but I believe you are okay as it is the result in the WC qualifier that matters and the US team that shows up for that one will be completely different I bet.

 

You're right. Happy may be a bit strong a word...
I just think it's a good thing for CONCACAF and for the prospect of good competition in the region that they are getting their act together at last.

Really troubling is Bob Bradley's inability to sustain momentum in big games, like this one and like the Confederations Cup final.

The USA lineup was so weak, I half expected us not to get to the finals, and in fact, had we played Costa Rica in the Semi's, I'm pretty sure we'd have lost. But the second half self destruction was very un-American, and it's troubling we've done it under Bradley in two finals in a row.

I think we are stuck with Coach Bob Bradley through 2010, but I hope we get a good foreign coach after that point. Someone like Guus Hiddink would be great for us. His teams always play way above their level, which is what American sports is all about.

 

Here we go again:
10 DAYS until I depart for Mexico City and near certain death on what is very likely a suicide mission to see the USA beat Mexico for the first time at Estadio Azteca...

Got my fingers crossed for 'legendary' but will settle for merely 'alive' upon return.

 

Tuesday morning the flight leaves for Mexico City.

Wednesday afternoon, the USA plays Mexico at the gigantic Estadio Azteca.



This game will be interesting with Mexico high from their 5-0 drubbing of the USA in the Gold Cup, and the USA wanting to get even. Mexico tends to get very emotional about these games so if anything goes bad for them, the team is likely to implode with red cards aplenty. USA will likely remain composed no matter what happens.

The USA has NEVER won at Azteca. This is probably the best chance USA has ever had to notch a win there.

Really looking forward to the trip. More later...

 

Please don't injure Jay.

I don't want Mariappa to play any more than he needs to.

 

I'll try!

 

AND IT'S ALL GONE QUIET OVER THERE!

Bad luck Fitzgerald. I hope the free beer comes to make up for it.

 

Just got back...didn't bring the computer.

Good times! Azteca is unbelievable. USA sucked hard. Mexico played pretty well, but the Mexico fans are first class *****, which is very very different from the ordinary people of the Mexico City themselves.

More later.

 

The view from our seats:

The stands:

My crew:


The following picture belies the violence of the scene seconds before as we were ushered out of Azteca:


The riot outside our hotel that I may have had a hand in fomenting.


A tequila toast to Mexico City and the USA: