February 29th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^
Listen, I know all about Jozy's role. I think you missed my initial point, though. I was refering to a few chances that he missed on the counter attack to link up with Dempsey through quicker play. If you look at the move where he was easily pushed off of the ball, or even the play that he drew the fould that led to Dempsey's free kick, you could clearly see some frustration from Dempsey about Jozy's slow pace.
That was a lovely lay off by Jozy on Clint's goal, though!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:08 PM ^
Yeah I guess I missed your initial point.
February 29th, 2012 at 3:59 PM ^
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
DEUCE
February 29th, 2012 at 3:59 PM ^
Where are my Jozy haters now!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:01 PM ^
That was a great set up.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:00 PM ^
Wow, what a result this would be! Shit's about to start getting real here for about 35 minutes...
February 29th, 2012 at 4:01 PM ^
Fabian Johnson has been just as good as Bradley in this match. That guy is the real deal at LB.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:04 PM ^
He is probably the future at LB for us. It is going to be down to him or Chandler because those two seem to be ahead of Eric Lichaj right now.
LB has been a really weak spot for us so it is really great to have young prospects at that position.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:06 PM ^
Chandler and Lichaj can fight it out for the spot at RB. I love 'Dolo, but he's getting old. I think Chandler could also be deployed as a holding mid if he's needed there. Obviously we have a ton of people at that spot right now. Otherwise Lichaj might be able to play CB. I really like the German defenders though.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:13 PM ^
I love Dolo too, but he might be too old once 2014 rolls around. We have no idea how his body will hold up in the remaining two years.
When we are healthy our MF is really deep.
I can't wait to see the Olympic team because I'm really excited to see these young players. I'm especially excited to see guys like Gayu, Gatt and Mixx.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:02 PM ^
Our bench is NOT strong today. could really hurt us in the last 30...
February 29th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^
Injuries have killed our depth at MF. Torres, Jones and Landy are all out.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:10 PM ^
And just think about what a healthy Stuart Holden could add to our midfield!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:14 PM ^
Hate to say it but there's as good a chance that he's the next John O'Brien as there is he rounds back into the superb form he was in before the injury.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:08 PM ^
Screw Italy. In the ear.
Go Go USA!!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:11 PM ^
MB90 so classy. Dude could probably play Champion's League.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:23 PM ^
No. I like him a lot, don't get me wrong, but he's basically a less skilled Dirk Kuyt. He runs around the field and is useful in clogging up passing lanes. He's a good player phyiscally and mentally, but his technical abilities are nowhere near CL level.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:35 PM ^
Kuyt is a striker and MB is a holding mid. Kuyt just happens to play as a forward like he's playing a completely different positition. The reason people criticize Kuyt for his lack of skill is because he plays at a position where skill is more important. At CDM it's more important to be tough, physical, strong, and aggressive.
Look at Nigel De Jong or either of the Toure. They don't need to be super skilled because their position doesn't call for it, needless to say they are starters on the best team in the EPL.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:41 PM ^
The difference between MB and De Jong is that MB doesn't go in studs up to the chest.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:46 PM ^
You do have a point about techinical skills not mattering as much, but even the players you mention are much better passers and dribblers than Bradley. Bradley is a solid box-to-box midfielder for a mid table team in the big European leagues, but he's not going to get better than that. Similar midfielders for the top teams have a lot of skill. Examples: Song, De Rossi, Yaya Toure, Van Bommel, Cambiasso, etc. All of them have skills that Bradley simply doesn't have.
February 29th, 2012 at 5:44 PM ^
Sergio Busquets and Xavi are the best holding midfielders in the world. Find ONE example of either of those two guys doing a fancy step-over move or anything you'd consider "technical."
Being a good holding midfielder is about being in good position, playing the way you face in 1 or 2 touches, and controlling the pace. Bradley does a phenominal job of all those things and I could see him EASILY fitting into a CL squad. He still struggles in his own box, but he is a high quality player.
February 29th, 2012 at 6:38 PM ^
Sergio Busquests is a good player, but I hate the way he plays the game. You are obviously a Barca fan so you might disagree, but he is the worst when it comes to diving.
February 29th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^
yeah, i am embaressed when he dives the way he does. But his touch, positioning, vision, and passing skills are second to none. I call him Biscuits when he dives like a bitch.
February 29th, 2012 at 11:26 PM ^
Comparing Michael Bradley to Xavi and Busquets? Overstating your point much. Xavi is the best midfielder and best passer in the world, and Busquets is also a much better passer than Bradley. They would (and have) run circles around Bradley.
February 29th, 2012 at 6:16 PM ^
The initial point was that Bradley can play Champions League football. Not that he was better than Alex Song, Cambiasso, De Rossi, Yaya Toure, or Mark Van Bommel.
Bradley is having as good a season as any holding midfielders in Serie A right now.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:16 PM ^
I don't think the USA looked this good in the World Cup. Outside of some shaky play in the back, they've looked great. Bradley's doing his job as a box-to-box mid, Altidore with a beautiful layoff and using his size to draw fouls in dangerous positions, Clint putting the ball on net, Maurice Edu holding shit down in the back middle, Shea making dangerous runs down the flank, and Fabian Johnson being an actual solution at LB as a guy who can push forward and hold his line.
Replace Dolo with Timmy Chandler and Danny Williams with Landon Donovan and we got ourselves a squad. Would love to see one of the young CBs step up too because the Goodson/Boca combo makes me nervous.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:16 PM ^
This may be the first time in his life that Kljestan has been subbed in with a 1-0 lead.
February 29th, 2012 at 5:21 PM ^
last as well. Dude should have bought a ticket if he was just going to stand there and watch his man burn him.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:20 PM ^
Spector still looks like a skinny Kenny Powers to me.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:22 PM ^
I'm excited to see this kid
February 29th, 2012 at 4:24 PM ^
Boyd coming in like Liu Kang there. That's one way to shake the nerves.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:27 PM ^
Holllllllllllllllld
February 29th, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^
Missed the first part of this half, how much extra time? I would say 3 from what I have seen.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^
Is there anything scarier at this point than seeing Pirlo with the ball at the top of the circle?
February 29th, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^
Let their fullbacks keep crossing the ball. Their dangerous crosses come from in behind the defense, not out wide from the fullbacks. Their fullbacks cannot cross at all.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:36 PM ^
Wow. I almost had a heart attack there.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:38 PM ^
Unbelievable. I just watched the USMNT beat Italy...
February 29th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
Can't say I was expecting anything close to that result! Great win for JK!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:38 PM ^
U-S-A! U-S-A!! U-S-A!!!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
WOW, that is awesome. Didn't think I would see that. Maybe US soccer will be a threat next world cup? :-D
February 29th, 2012 at 4:43 PM ^
It is really hard to project what our team is going to look like. The Olympics should show us what we should be expecting from these young players.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
Even though it was a friendly, that win still feels good
February 29th, 2012 at 4:52 PM ^
They used 6 subs and brought out alll the big guns available. That was a quality win.
February 29th, 2012 at 5:21 PM ^
I was very jealous of the depth they had on the bench.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
USA POSBANG!!!!!!!!!!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:40 PM ^
Good game, but not one of the best results in US soccer history, no matter what Darke and Twellman say. It was a good defensive performance, especially considering how shaky Goodson and Boca can look at times. But definitely a good sign going forward.
February 29th, 2012 at 4:46 PM ^
OK, it's just a friendly, not the World Cup, but c'mon, we beat Italy IN ITALY!
February 29th, 2012 at 4:48 PM ^
Future is bright.