i don't see one of these in the soccer subforum.... is anyone else all in for this friendly vs switzerland?

i'm thinking at least another brace for jozy. this ain't the EPL you know!

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Typical US game as of late. Have a lead and just can't close it out. I know this is an overreaction, but damn after today I think I've seen enough of Michael Bradley for a while.

that sitter he missed in the first half (off of a great ball in from jozy) hearkened all of the danny welbeck related nightmares i've been having this season. i have this tendency on IRC to tell out AIR [WHOEVER/TEAM] when someone steps up and airmails one way over the goal.... and to have an AIR BRADLEY!!!! from like 5 feet out after jozy pulled off a proper moses impression? yikes.

also michael bradley is one of those dudes who i look at and think "this is the archetype of soccer hipster" and that really doesnt help things.

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I know some will argue he's playing out of position, and maybe he is, but the eyeball test says he's just been bad. As for his looks, I never thought hipster. I immediately go to Bonk from Bonk's Adventure.

Anybody tuning in tonight? I know the turf has been an issue but the atmosphere should make up for any sloppy play.

Field does look crappy. And I know I'm being to hard on him, but I never like to see Beckerman out there.

Decent pace of play this first half. Hopefully they'll be some goals scored here in the 2nd.

1 - 0. Ooo S A.

Nice finish there.

2 -0. Another nice finish.

Lose to Jamaica

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For those that think Timmay is overrated, he's sure the fuck better than Brad Guzan.

Brad Guzan. Pride of Providence Catholic.

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That would be Don Sebestyn

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isn't brad guzan technically like 7th or 8th on the all-time premier league clean sheets list? i wanna say howard is like #3 or #4 behind david james and petr cech, but still guzan was around for a hot minute to get on that list in the first place.

i didnt have a chance to watch for more than a min or two yesterday, but when i did turn it on i saw 0-2 to jamaica and the next shot was a closeup of a dejected looking michael bradley. that made me feel really good for some reason, and not in a "i like EUROPEAN soccer so fuck all you USMNT dolts" way, exclusively in a "fuck michael bradley" way. and even that isn't a deep-seeded hate as much as it is a general disdain for pansies who look like moby.

fret not tho, i see timbo's sabbatical is now officially over and he's down to come back starting with a friendley in sept. i guess his "sabbitical" was way more well received by jurgen than landon donovan's, eh? anyone got a white horse he can use?

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FTR

Whens the next event that we wrap ourselves in the flag for?

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Wrestlemania

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Big game in Pasadena Saturday against Mexico for the right to lose in the Confederations Cup. Landon Donovan thinks Herr Klinsmann needs to be held accountable for the shitty results against Jamaica and Brazil. Nice to see Donovan has move on. Klinsmann will probably start an entirely different lineup from the last game.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

oh shit that's saturday? i know whenever the USMNT (do we have our own version of "the mannschaft" like germany does? we have klinsmann so that has to count for SOMETHING =) faces mexico it's one of those "throw out the record books" type affairs and they end up being pretty evenly matched even tho mexico can theoretically throw out chicharito hernandez and carlos vela @ center/forward and that's better than anything on the menschaft!

btw, i've seen people who side with landon donovan and say that good ol klansmann has to go cuz he neglects MLS/NASL/USA-soccer-domestically in favor of capping anyone who is even a reserve player for a team in albania's third league.... like good ol jurgen values euro experience >>>>>> all and he'll str8up overlook promising young american players simply cuz they're in/headed-to MLS in favor of ANYONE who happens to do their footballer thing in europe..... is there truth to that?

regardless i can't say i know all that much about the USMNT and/or young american prospects so i guess i'll watch all rudimentary and be like "wow, arsenal is better than that" and pull for the USA cuz i live here and all, but being a fan of plights overall and given my proclivities with the british game i've basically adopted the english soccer team to be my default international one for when the USA goes away or when it's EURO2016 or something.

speaking of EURO2016 ireland got their biggest win in what, 20-25yrs cuz they beat the mannschaft (germany) today, right? i blame ozil personally.... what a fucking bum!

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Oberfuhrer Klinsmann wants the players playing in European leagues and competitions because they will get tested and be up against better competition. I've felt that way almost since I first started following the sport. MLS makes them too comfortable and the quality of soccer is plodding and unimaginative. There's never been an actual USMNT member to play in a Champions League final. Think about all the little pissant nations of the world that send players to Europe and this country still hasn't produced a European Cup winner.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

have "we" at least got someone in the europa league final? that seems like a more realistic target when teams like sevilla or fiorentina or a dinamo/dynamo team are there in the knockout rounds heading to the big ballyhooed final a week or two b4 the CL final.

hell, if arsenal can somehow manage to get third in their group (as i've heard ppl say that arsenalites are being pompous to even assume 3rd place right now) maybe they'd find that competition at their level? i figure even in the knockout rounds arsene would field C+/B- at best youth/reserve squads cuz no way he takes that competition all that seriously..... not to mention we'd have a bunch of mandatory sunday football cuz of the thursday thing and that's an ugh.... i've seen spurs fans blame all those sunday PL/FA fixtures for some of their woes over the last few years (i.e. selling bale and dropping 100mil and ending up with soldado, who at least tried!)

or wait who am i kidding.... minimum 4/6 points coming from buyern! #YouGottaBelieve!!!!!!

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Dempsey was in the Europa League final a few years ago when playing for Fulham.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Hope Biggie opens chat for the game

You're kidding of course but I'd log on and chat with the five of us during a match. Make it happen Biggie.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Though Mexico was the superior team last night, this was still a disappointing loss. There was no offensive flow whatsoever out there. It looked like we had gone back to the Bora days in the 90's for anyone who remembers that. Dump it in and hope something bounces our way. It was frustrating to watch.

I don't think Altidore and Dempsey can play together successfully. And on top of that, I think some have tuned out Jurgen. I still think he keeps the gig through Russia, but man oh man those calls for his head are only going to get louder. You know Landy-Cakes has the voodoo doll out and is laughing maniacally.

If you do let Klinsmann walk, who takes over?

Had a conversation with a friend of mine during the match and we were discussing Mexico's last goal.

I'll throw it out to the rest of you.

Does Tim Howard save that shot that Mexico got that was their last goal. Just curious because it seemed like Guzan took a step too far to the left and wasn't in a position to make the save'

Also, why did Klinsmann start Guzan to begin with.

Hope you're doing OK, KR.

Im my opinion, Guzan has been shaky at best ever since he's been inserted into the starting lineup. In fairness to him though, Howard has been so good recently that I might have unrealistic expectations. However, when you're thinking it might be time for Nick Rimando you know things aren't going well.

While Howard certainly played great during the last WC, I would say that his overall performance has always left me wanting more. Until the WC, he seemingly never made the big save when the team needed it.

Goalkeeping has never been the USMNT problem. It's the other 10 turds on the field. I found the teams performance to be rather embarrassing.

The midfield was awful and I'm sick of seeing Jozy up top. I know he is a big body, but I think they need to get away from that style of play. They need another dynamic forward to play with Dempsey. And they need a much better center mid. Bradley can play the defensive mid role, but he was brutal against Mexico holding the ball and distributing.

Jozy is a bum slayer, but really, so is most of team.

Most players in CONCACAF are. US makes other teams look like world beaters because they can't possess the ball. How hard of a concept is that?