October 11th, 2017 at 12:38 AM ^
??????????????????
Almost beat Italy? That was in 2006. Under Bruce Arena.
I am NOT defending anyone at USSF right now, but give me a break. Though the problems ultimately run deep, Klinsmann got us in this mess in the hex in the first place. The team sucked under both managers, though.
We didn't almost beat anyone in the 2014 World Cup. We somehow beat Ghana but didn't deserve it.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:16 PM ^
Klinnsman had lost the team. It was clear when USMNT played Costa Rica, in the second match of the Hex, that the team had quit on Klinnsman (He was fired after this game). It was clear after that game that the players did not want to play with him. Maybe it had more to do with the players (as we can clearly see now), but Klinnsman had run his course.
October 11th, 2017 at 12:30 AM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 9:31 AM ^
If everyones feelings didnt get hurt because of the decision to leave Landon Donovan at home, this team would be beginning preperations for the cup next summer right now.
You guys can re write history all you want. Klinsman had this team on the rise when he was fired. I dont think you could have asked for more of a joke hire than to bring back Arena.
October 11th, 2017 at 9:45 AM ^
The team was just as lifeless the first two games in the Hex as last night.
He brought in some talent from international soil, but his tactics were crap and the team played with the same fire.
On the rise?? You call starting 0-2, with one of the worst losses in their history (Costa Rica) on the rise?
October 11th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^
that will be playing in the World Cup next year.
Firing Klinsman for Arena was a death sentence for 2018. I publicly stated such at the time.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:22 PM ^
Right, the reason why our team of mostly MLS players can't beat teams made up of players who aren't even good enough for MLS is...MLS.
You're not winning a World Cup with MLS players, but you damn well should be finishing at least 4th in CONCACAF.
October 11th, 2017 at 12:32 PM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^
It's very hard to get better than the people you're playing against.
I was a pretty good chess player growing up--the best player in my high school, then the best at college.
Then I moved to Chicago where there's a sizable Ukrainian/Russian population including some grandmasters and there were master-level players at the university. I wasn't the best any more but my rating went up about 150 points in no time--those guys were beating the crap out of me and I had to figure out why. I never came close to catching up to them, but I got a lot better trying.
October 11th, 2017 at 2:20 AM ^
One quibble: I don't think it's bad that Pulisic will be known for being a Borussia Dortmund star before a US Star. This isn't 1970 anymore where Pele toils away in his domestic league in relative obscurity except when playhing for Brazil. CL and major national domestic league soccer is a huge business. Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo are known first for the clubs that they play for, and have achieved far more significant successes for those clubs than for their flawed national sides.
This is rapidly becoming accepted in the US with the embrace of the Premiership in particular and European football in general. If Pulisic is worthy of stardom on the international stage, it will be his club play where he will be best known. Guys who are known mostly as players for the US National team are guys that aren't making a big impact in Europe. I want Pulisic to be better than that, which means that I want him to score big goals in Dortmund and that means that he'll be best known for that.
October 11th, 2017 at 3:18 AM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
at least this is more embarrassing than losing to MSU!
October 10th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^
This like losing to App St
October 10th, 2017 at 11:42 PM ^
This is like losing to Toledo and Tobago.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:17 PM ^
Sets back development and recruiting. This is how we potentially lose young players with tons of potential like Jonathan Gonzalez.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:25 PM ^
What would have making the WC and get smacked around have done for this program?
This system has been doing the same shit for 50 years. Something like this might be completely necessary to flush what's wrong.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:30 PM ^
cap tie players that we need
October 10th, 2017 at 10:44 PM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 10:21 AM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:11 PM ^
Shit of a son hook bitcher
October 10th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
Son of a bitch shit hooker
October 10th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^
Well, shit.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:08 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:24 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:35 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:47 PM ^
That's not true, at least not last year. I think the odds of Michigan winning the NCAA tournament as a 7 seed are similar to the odds of the US winning the world cup (if they were to make it there and had competent coaching).
October 11th, 2017 at 1:46 AM ^
Huh? The World Cup is never, ever won by a fluke team. Hasn't happened in the history of the event. For all of the weirdness that happens with ultra-low-scoring games, for all of the injustice that comes with penalty shootouts to resolve drawn games after 120 minutes, every World Cup has been won by a powerful, quality side that is unquestionably as good as any in the event.
Michigan had a really good chance to win the NCAA tournament last season. Not like 30% or anything, but a legit shot with key personnel playing well and a legit path. Seeds lower than Michigan have won before. No nation in the effective position of the US (they don't seed the same way, but if they did the US would probably be mid-table) has ever won a World Cup.
Even if the US had played very well in the hex, won it, and qualified easily, they would have basically zero chance to win the World Cup. They don't have the roster. They've never had the roster. It may well never have the roster in our lifetimes.
October 10th, 2017 at 11:40 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:25 PM ^
No worries for you with the auto-qualify spot
October 10th, 2017 at 11:05 PM ^
You would say that Putin!!!!!!!11
October 10th, 2017 at 10:08 PM ^
Is going ABSOLUTELY nuts on ESPNews. Watch the clip of this when they upload it.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:59 PM ^
October 10th, 2017 at 10:58 PM ^
that was great! not a huge soccer guy but that sounds pretty darn accurate to me. hilarious
October 10th, 2017 at 11:19 PM ^
He's not wrong.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:09 PM ^
Yeah they played like complete shit...didn't seem to care until the last 10 minutes when they realized they could be out and that is why you play your hardest when you aren't guarenteed a spot. It's their own fault for not seeming to care.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:10 PM ^
It wouldn't bother me if every single player who stepped on the field tonight never put on the colors again and got shipped off to the 2nd division in Malawi or some shit.
Maybe Pulisic can stay. The rest can GTFO.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:12 PM ^
Agreed, besides Dempsey he played his heart out and nearly scored two or three times but like I said the rest did not seem to care at all
October 10th, 2017 at 10:14 PM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 12:21 AM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 12:29 AM ^
October 11th, 2017 at 9:16 AM ^
I follow the national team like a casual fan which means watching all tournaments and the occasional friendly.
That said I have never understood the Altidore hype. I have been told for what seems like 8 years that this guy is the next great striker but I have never seen it. Can he finish? Ya but I have never seen him create for himself or really blow me away with his effort. Pass.
October 11th, 2017 at 1:41 PM ^
Jozy Altidore is a classic case of too much being expected too early based on the potential he showed as a teenager. He was great or near elite as a 19 year old for being only19 years old. He went to Holland and set records for goals scored in a season in Europe my an American in his early 20's. He went though a major slump in the premier league in his early 20's at which point people started delcaring him a bust. He then returned to MLS which comes with it's own set of criticisms. In the last couple years however (at age 25 and 26 which is still young) he has improved greatly. He tends to not get credit because he is still in MLS. He has really just entered his prime and has been great when healthy lately. I truly believe if he wanted to return to the premier league he'd be an every game starter for a mid table team. The problem is he was trending towards better than that as a 19 year old and since he did not enter his prime until he was back in MLS, he does not get the credit he deserves. He's no Pulisic or Donovan but he is a player that deserves his spot as a starter on the USMNT.
October 11th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
Double post. Sorry.
I'll add here that he's on track to break a bunch of USMNT records held by Donovan and Dempsey (though missing the World Cup is certainly a set back there)
October 10th, 2017 at 10:16 PM ^
They will need to build a team
Around him in 2022.
October 10th, 2017 at 10:38 PM ^
What is this--some sort of modified haiku?