USMNT: Czech-USA Good, Bad, Ugly

Hopefully Gooch hels a bit more and the rust comes off faster in advance on 6/12

I actually wrote about the odds on the USMNT for their match vs England and for the whole Goup C. Admittedly, its a novice take. But, I find it interesting that in the wake of the English and American friendlies the last two nights that the odds have shifted.

England is now more expensive chalk at -200, up from -188.

The Yanks pay out less on a win at 4.8 to 1, down from 5/1

A draw now pays 3/1, up from 2.8/1

I have no idea what any of it means. I would have figured on the Brits odds becoming chalkier, but not the lesser payouts on the Americans.

Anyone else?

Some guys have a knack for making the exact right play at the exact right moment, Jonathan Bornstein is the Bizarro form of said player.

Gooch will need to up his fitness to contend with the English side. I still have no idea how we will prevent a corner getting to Crouch's massive head. This scares me...

Pretty cool though to see the studs walk down on the field as the game was coming to an end and nod to the fans as if to say...we got this

The World Cup - the best of all possible diversions until September 4

So what the hell do we do with the defense? It doesn't look like Gooch is dealing with rust, it looks like he's not healthy. He just didnt' look comfortable and I really wonder if he can go 90... If he's unable to go 90, he should be on the bench (if we had other options at all, he should be left off to heal). Demerit's apparantly having depth perception issues after recent eye surgery, not exactly what you want in a center back. Goodson looked ok, but is a stick and has almost no experience. Boca's going to have to play in the middle, I think, which just makes the left back situation worse.

Both Pearce and Bornstein are not talented enough to play at this level. Both should probably be cut, but Bornstein will likely make the team. Spector just finished a season where he was the worst starting LB in the EPL by most estimations, but I think he's the starter. I didn't think Cherundolo was as bad as Brian did, he combined well with Holden a few times, but he wasn't above average.

Dolo - Goodson - Boca - Spector  ???

Dolo - Demerit - Boca - Spector

We're probably going to end up with both Bradley and Edu/Clark sitting deep to protect the centerbacks with likely Beasley starting against England to provide cover for the disaster on the left from Lennon or Wolcott torching us on the flank.

I have just a few points of disagreement, Brian.  First, I don't think Gomez should be written off. The guy showed significantly more hustle than Buddle, which I really like in a forward since it forces the D to make passes they don't want to make or havent developed yet = turnovers.  Also, scoring goals that others set up is partly knowing where to be positioning-wise in a specific situation.  Reading the play and knowing where to go so the ball is likely to land at your feet is a talent that can't be taught.  Sure, he didn't finish the 1v1 but pulling off a ridiculous move in his first Nats game with a spot at SA on the line its understandable why he went with a low-risk low-reward play. 

Also, I think you underestimake Torres' defensive ability.  He actually won quite a few balls in the midfield and I was impressed by his presence and ability to get involved and break up plays.  Yeah, he looks like a 12 year old kid running around out there but I think his balls won/balls lost ratio would prob be right up there.   I would use him over Fielhaber just because the last few games I watched Feilhaber didn't play very good and had a tendency to disappear. 

my 11 for England:

Altidore - Dempsey

Donovan - Edu - Bradley - Holden

Boca - Demerit - Goodson - Spector

Notes:  Use Gomez as supersub at forward, Torres at mid if we need playmaking or a late goal.  Beasley/Clark at mid if we are looking to hold.  Boca at LB is a concern because he is going to get beat to some balls or just run by on some plays.  Not sure what else we can do there though.  Some people have suggested Beasley could be the answer there but I really really dont want to see that unless Boca, like, loses a leg.   I am not a huge Dolo fan but if Boca is getting beat like a rented mule we should bring him on first and move Spector left.  Please dont let Bornstein play. 

No Brian Ching.

Findlay is horrible but taking both Findlay and Buddle means something. Bradley is looking for someone athletic to play with Jozy and Ching does not fit. Ching plays to slow to be at the WC. Clint is for sure playing up top 

I feel sometimes like I'm watching a game no one else is: Beasley is not a good player. I think sometimes people are blinded by his athelticism.

Historically, he has not been good enough: despite a promising start at PSV, he completely fizzled out. Not cracking the top 11 on what at the time was the class of the Eredivisie is not the same as not cracking the top 11 in the MLS or anything, but still. He had lost the faith of HIddinck and soon PSV was shopping him around.

From there he had a forgettable stint at Man City and a mostly unremarkable stint with Rangers.

I did a double take when Brian said he was possibly the best US player in 2006. My god, really? Beyond the fact that others would be far more deserving of that title (Donovan, for one), Beasley was a liability. My lasting memory of him was of a player on the ground while the opposing team moved quickly to the attack.

And last years Confederations Cup? He was directly responsible for a Brazilian goal. And what's worse, he was dogging it as well.

All of which leads up to last night. For all the talk of his success, can anyone point to a single moment when he involved another player in a successful possession? His MO was "dribble, dribble, dribble, oh shit i dribbled too much thinking i was faster than everyone on the opposing team and was easily removed from possession".

I really want him to do well with the opportunity he's being given, but it's only for lack of depth that a player of that caliber is on our national team.

This is not the same Czech team that the Americans faced in 2006.  As a Scotland supporter I have been following them recently (just beat them in a friendly and were drawn in the same group  for the 2012 Euros) and they have been absolute garbage of late.  They failed to qualify for South Africa in a group where both Slovenia and Slovakia emerged (not exactly powerhouse sides) and their recent form has been rubbish with losses to Turkey, Scotland, and Azerbaijan (WTF?) as well as draws with the United Arab Emirates and Norhtern Ireland in their last five (scoring only once in the five games) prior to dropping four goals on the USA. 

Giving up four to anybody is alarming, but doing it against this Czech team is particularly disturbing this close to SA.  Hopefully they can get things patched up quickly.

ABE in 2010!

will be the match to look forward too.

Turkey is playing very well, meaning Bob will have to play a (near) starting XI similar to the one against England on the 12th.

As a bonus, Turkey has the craziest, in a good way, national anthem I've eer heard.

...inked for 10 Aug at the new Meadowlands Stadium.  First game post-WC.  As Goff says:

A rematch of the World Cup final, no doubt.