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USMNT 4, Bosnia & Herzegovina 3: Field Level Highlights

Fabian Johnson

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsk2QsDiGOo?feature=player_detailpage]

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  1. I love watching these field level views, you get such a better idea of the pace of the game. Everything is so much faster! Even Beckerman might look fast in this view…

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  2. I realized how good Yugoslavia’s national team would be if the country were still around.

    I think that team would be a contender for every World Cup.

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  3. Loved the perspective from the field. Shocked to hear what sounds like chants being aimed at Jozy from Bosnian fans after his goals…? maybe just my imagination and sound artifacts…

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  4. Tim Howard has mild Tourrett’s syndrome and I think the tesnion of those situations results in an “explosive outburst” to release the tension

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    • Actually, Howard has said that his turrets isn’t verbal, he just gets the muscle ticks. So any explative from him is on his own. I’ve read this in several pieces with him

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  5. When it comes to their second goal stop the tape at 2:56, and see the blatant shove in the small of Brooks back to allow the ball to go on to Bicloadlauoajd….vic or whatever his name is.

    I also noticed that on both goals in first half Evans was standing begging for offsides. On the first if he had continued to play, he would have been there to clear the ball off the line. He is a very solid player, but it wasnt a good day for him.

    Was even more amazed by Howard’s save at the 4:55 mark. Incredible stuff. That being said, I hate how he screams at this defense when they make a mistake or give up a shot. I know this is somewhat accepted practice, but what would happen if Bradley started screaming at him in front of 75,000 when lets in a soft goal? Maybe I’m wrong, but …

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    • Same, although I think he’s been getting “better” at it in recent years. He used to scream like a kid almost every time an opponent would get a shot off, let alone a goal. Now, he seems to just do it for goals where defenders made a mistake…his meltdown after the Dos Santos goal in Pasadena was quite epic though.

      Cropper seems to throw some ridiculous hissy fits as well

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    • Who ever is arguing that Evans had a bad day, is an idiot. The guy was solid, he defended well, and even got into the attack. Not to mention the position Evans is playing, wasn’t even his natural position. Second, the guy was offsides, so the player can not be blamed for calling for an call that should have been made.

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      • no, he didn’t defend very well that game, although i did like what he brought to the attack.

        right back not being his natural position doesn’t take away from criticism that he draws; you get judged for the position you’re playing.

        and yes, he absolutely can be ‘blamed for calling for an call that should have been made’. it’s not a defender’s job to call players offside, it’s his job to prevent goals, however he can. keep playing, and let klinsmann yell at the refs; don’t just stand there with your hand in the air.

    • Evans had a couple bad moments but he also did well on his overlaps and showed some nice skills to keep possession under pressure. I thought he had a solid shift.

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  6. After watching this, Eddie Johnson looks even worse than he did during the telecast. At 2:01, he doesn’t make the run, which leaves Altidore’s centering pass to go aimlessly toward the Bosnian defender. He does make the run in the second half at 3:46 to score. Interesting that Jozy continues his run after the pass. Wonder if he didn’t think EJ would continue his run.

    Of course, his 8th minute standabout that led to the first Bosnian goal is just inexplicable, and looks horrible from field level.

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    • I’m going to say this again, EJ is not a wide player. He is a natural FW, and should never be put in as a wide player. Picture putting Aron, a FW, out wide.

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      • Most of Eddie’s WTF moments came in or around the box where you expect forwards to make runs or find pockets of space.

        What makes a good wide player is the willingness to run with or without the ball and pick out dangerous passes. EJ does the first, not so much the 2nd. I could see Aron playing as a flanking attacker, but it’s pretty clear he’s more of a shadow forward and not a pure hold-up forward either. In our 4-2-3-1 he would slot into one of those 3 supporting positions and likely do his share of roaming from side to side.

      • “Most of Eddie’s WTF moments came in or around the box where you expect forwards to make runs or find pockets of space.” Jurgen hasn’t played EJ FW enough, for him to have “WTF moments”. When EJ has played FW, he has played well.

      • Interesting you have Aron as a shadow striker. Competition for Dempsey?

        Aron has played wide left before with Jozy. Not his preferred or natural position, but he’s more capable than EJ.

    • EJ’s definitely wired w/ a forward’s mentality and becomes a little lost so close to his own 18. Have to say to Klinsi, that’s what you get when you play guys out of position!

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      • Are you claiming that Eddie Johnson isn’t intelligent enough to know better than to try and beat a guy on the dribble inside his own 18?

        That’s somehow on the coach? Is EJ a child?

    • I agree with you that EJ did not have his best half (the turnover that started the play that resulted in their first goal was really bad). But I think you’re overstating your case a little bit with your first point about not making the run at 2:01 on Altidore’s centering pass. Jozy should shoot that ball 1,000 times out of a thousand. And on your second point, I think Jozy continues his run at 3:46 not because he is anticipating that EJ will not run but because Jozy didn’t intend to pass – his heavy first touch just happened to end up in EJ’s path.

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      • Whether Jozy should’ve shot instead of center is debatable. Regardless, EJ could’ve been there and wasn’t. From my view, Jozy’s play was reasonable, even if a goal was technically possible. And at the first goal, give Altidore a little credit; assuming he just lost it and the lost ball just happened to meet EJ’s run is a stretching a bit. It’s great that EJ was there. If EJ wasn’t there we could assume that Jozy lost it, but because he was there I’ll give the benefit of doubt to both of them and assume they meant it to happen instead of scoring by lucky accident..

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