Top Stories

The Reuters American Soccer Hangout (with Marcelo Balboa, Ives and Simon Evans)

Fans

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIs4y2pqMH8]

Comments

  1. Great video format! Very insightful analysis form Balboa about Gonzales. So true about his limitations. Also agree with the thoughts that Jurgen could do a better job of preparing his mids to service Jozy similar to the way he is serviced with his club team. Over the top with the ball in front of him.

    Reply
  2. Beasley at Left back…lol.

    He had a shocker because he is not a defender. He contains well and applies pressure in the midfield when necessary however, doing the same thing when you are the last line of defense is a whole different ball game. Anyone is able to make mistakes and not get punished for it in the attacking half. Mess up just one in the defense and the game might be over.

    Always go with experienced defenders in qualifiers as opposed to placing an unatural defender that happens to have pace.

    Reply
  3. Calling US soccer Michael Jordan, calling US soccer Michael Jordan, ‘allo, ‘allo…are you there please? Hello, hello, calling US soccer Jason Kidd, US soccer Jason Kidd / Walt Frazier, Jason Kidd / Walt Frazier. ‘allo, ‘allo!

    Reply
  4. Every USA coach seems to make a mistake at the LB position. You had Sampson-Mike Burns, Arena-Jeff Agoos, Bradley-Jonathan Bornstein and likely Klinnsmann-Demarcus Beasley.

    Reply
    • Not sure those pairings are all that accurate. Arena’s LB mistake was more Eddie Lewis at the 2006 WC (Agoos’ rough days were when he played CB at the 2002 WC). And although Bornstein was far from a great USMNT player, he held up pretty well at the 2010 WC (but then had a howler in the Gold Cup final the following year). I see your more general point about our historic LB problem, though. It goes back even further to having to bring in David Regis in 2001.

      Reply
      • I don’t agree with Bornstein holding up well at the World Cup. He didn’t make any major mistakes that lead to goals. However there’s a difference between using your speed and being conservative to good defending. Good defending requires good tackling, good takeaways, closing down space and passing the ball well in tough situations. Stuff that neither Bornstein nor Beasley are capable of.

  5. I really liked the insight Marcelo gave on the altitude effect on the body. Great feature from you guys Ives. Is this something Simon does on the reg?

    Reply
    • I am American. I bleed red-white and blue. But, my mom is Spanish, born in Madrid and raised in Mexico City, DF. So, I spent every summer growing up as a kid in Mexico City at over a mile and a half above sea level (so I am also an America, and an Atletico de Madrid fan, and can even speak a little Catalan and Basque). During the year I played soccer at sea level in Central Jersey in the 1960s and 1970s. I have experienced the steep hill of acclimating to altitude every summer. The burning in your lungs when you are trying to keep up with guys who are totally acclimated and play at altitude all year long, the feeling of your legs turning into lead, the feeling tha you are running through wet sand – I know it well. It takes weeks, if not a month and a half to really adjust your physiology and your mental attitude to the thin air. The air quality in Mexico City was pretty bad back then but now, due to industrial and automobile emissions it is atrocious, add that to the altitude, and it’s like trying to suck air through half a pack of lit Marlboros stuffed in your mouth while you are underwater. Klinsman may not be a Gus Hiddink or an Arsene Wegner as far as sheer tactical genius, but the very fact that he chose to have us train and play in Colorado at 1,5000 ft above sea level before heading to the Azteca says volumes about his strategic planning skills. Other than our recent freak victory at the Azteca, which mind you well, happened within 36 hours of the triumphant return to the capital of Mexico’s Olympic gold medalist U-23 squad (read – the full Mexican NT was partied out and hung over when we played that “friendly”) – the only other time we played Mexico neck and neck in the Azteca was in the Steve Sampson, John Harkes, Eric Wynalda era. Then the core of the USMNT went down to Mexico about 6 weeks before our game at the Azteca and trained like Olympians in the altitude.

      Reply
  6. The video blanked out for me when Ives was talking about the creative midfielder on the horizon. Who did he talk about as a creative midfielder that may be in the pipeline for the USMNT?

    Reply
    • Gatt, Villarreal, Adu (if he can get his own head out of his butt), Mixx etc…we’ve got a few…just need more playing time to mature and reach the consistency of Bradley

      Reply
  7. Ives makes a great point about Beasley at possible left-back. People forget his mistakes at the position were back in 2009, four years ago. Beasley is a matured veteran now and is playing well.

    Reply
    • In 2009-2010, Beasley was 26.

      This notion or implication that Beasley wasn’t mature is puzzling. In soccer terms, he was a grizzled veteran at that point.

      You can not fit a square peg into a round hole. Beasley is not a defender.

      Talk of him being “in form” means very little if that “form” is related to a wing/advanced midfielder with club. Playing LB/defense in general is another beast on it’s own.

      I’d love to be wrong but I don’t believe Beasley is magically ready to play LB now, much less at the international level, because he’s 30 and deemed more “mature”.

      He has never played that position for any length/stretch of time. Why would that suddenly happen now? There’s simply not dots to even connect with that logic.

      Reply
      • Form mattered when Beasley’s poor form going into the Confeds cup led to slow soft play and that colossal gaffe against Brazil. But he’s a good defender (as offensive players go) who’s fit, smart and in good form now. If this is tried, I hope you’re made to eat your words.

      • I hope so, too.

        …and if it’s not tried or is attempted and he looks like the same frail (and this time older with less speed) Beasley, there will be plenty of crow to go around. I hope you’ll be first to attend that meal.

      • I think of Beasley as a turnover machine from what I’ve seen of him for the Nats. He’s never regained his pre-injury form for PSV when I thought he was a very good player. I saw 5 min of a puebla game 2 1/2 weeks ago. He made 3 turnovers in those 5 min. I think Beasley maybe ok against Costa Rica. However, against Mexico it could get ugly. Don’t see how Lichaj could possibly do any worse than Beasley at LB.

  8. Gomez’ comments about the article are hilarious. Short version: you Americans are cute thinking this is drama–come down to Mexico when they lose.

    Reply
  9. Based on the Hangout:

    ————–Guzan
    Cameron-Edu-Goodson-Beasley
    ———-Jones-Bradley
    ————–Dempsey
    —-Gomez*————Johnson**
    ————–Altidore***

    *Corona
    **Shea
    ***Boyd

    Reply
    • Not sold on this Beasley at LB scenario. I will say this EJ’s work rate has been really good for the Nats in his appearances. Beasley is not a very good defender, but hopefully he will be attacking like a bat out of hell which will in turn make his defensive duties easier.

      Between Beasley and Morrow: Morrow is the better defender, but Beasley has more experience in big games, so maybe it’s a wash.

      Reply
    • I trust that defensive line more than the other options with who we have right now. I like the Dempsey, Gomez, Johnson, and Altidore on Offense. Jones and Bradley playing and linking with the Defense and Offense. Jones and Bradley will have to be on top of there game. Also, in this formation Johnson, Gomez, and Altidore will need to poach around the halfway line to help in possession. Gomez, Johnson, and Altidore morph from a 4-5-1 on defense to a 4-3-3 in the offensive half of the field. So, in essence we have an effective defensive and offensive formation in each half of the field. I like it.

      Reply
    • In terms of formation, at this point, I don’t even care. The primary objective should be: Get Jozy service.

      I’ve been labeled a Jozy hater but the time is now. His country, teammates and qualifying need him to step up. Give him the service and let’s see some of that club form translate.

      It probably goes without saying, but if Jozy has two strong matches, we walk away with 4 points. If he doesn’t, whether by lack of service or poor finishing/effort, we may be lucky to advance with a single point.

      Reply
      • I have to agree with the ol saying, “normally a good goal was the result of a good pass”. This holds true with the USMNT. The midfield can beat the defenders with passes, combination play, runs off the ball, and beating players one vs one.

      • Jozy is finally starting to show better movement & tactics off the ball – something Herc, Deuce & LD do regularly. I hope he’s finally starting to get it and mature… he played well in Honduras, but everyone else was at half speed….been a major Jozy hater for his laziness, but am happy he may be starting to turn it around

    • I just don’t see why you put a guy who you never liked before in the most critical position. There is no reason to do that. You either have to show faith in one of the mls guys or put a regular out of position. Putting a guy who hasn’t been around much lately out of position just doesn’t make any sense.
      Why not:
      Edu/gonzo/goodson/cameron
      I know it’s two slow guys in the middle, but I think it’s the smarter choice.
      Also wish Sean Franklin would have been one of the mls call ups, especially if gonzo is going to start

      Reply
      • Goodson is…and you probably aren’t going to count on Gonzo to keep up with Ruiz….but either way. I like this way more than throwing Beasley under the bus. Not to mention that Beasley is a better option on the wing than just about anyone. Definitely better than EJ. I like EJ as a second striker, but not covering the kind of territory he will have to cover if JJ and MB are on the field together

    • If they’re not ready based on film/game tape or by the coaches, any general tips Dempsey can provide are a lost cause.

      Reply

Leave a Comment