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USMNT vs. Ukraine (SBI Live Match Commentary)

USAUkrainePanel

By IVES GALARCEP

The U.S. Men’s National Team takes on Ukraine in Cyprus today in the last match Jurgen Klinsmann will have to evaluate his European-based players ahead of the pre-World Cup training camp in May (2pm, ESPN2).

Several players who haven’t been with the national team in some time are with the team today, and Klinsmann will be taking a closer look at some of those players. Players like Oguchi Onyewu, Danny Williams and Juan Agudelo.

SBI will be providing live commentary on today’s match so please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Today’s live commentary is after the jump):

Comments

  1. Yea Klinsi was sooo wrong to be worried that the quality of Clint’s play would diminish by going to MLS …

    And Aaron bacon needs to get a shot starting Altidore just isn’t getting it done.

    Sad that Klinsi is showing the Bob Bradleyesque way of being loyal to obviously out of form players

    Also Castillo is Klinsi ‘s Bornstein.

    Also just on the news Julian Greene has commited to play for Germany

    Right after the game

    Reply
    • Dempsey’s decline can’t be so simply blamed on MLS. He was in bad form from the moment he stepped on the “pitch” in Seattle. It’s not like he waltzed into MLS at the top of his game. I think the inconsistency we saw from him at Tottenham, both in performance and playing time, had as much to do with his shoddy form as anything else. What’s for certain: Going back to the EPL on loan did not bring out the old Deuce. So your argument fails pretty soundly.

      Reply
  2. Did anyone think as I did, that when the camera fixed on Klinsmann he looked a little out of it, confused or something? Like he had a question and didn’t know the answer?

    Reply
      • I definitely agree that the games look way different, and the quality is night and day, but remember that the US hasn’t had all it’s best players on the same field at the same time since literally 2010 at the last WC. Let’s not pass any judgement and assess our chances beforw we see the last 3 send off games. European teams don’t have this “guys over here guys over there” problem like we do, with different seasons/scheduling always complicating who plays in what friendly or tournament and when. Casting a wide net has its plusses and minuses, but once we have our last 23 squad, you can be confident JK will choose the best people taking into account what combos will work best. Don’t be surprised if people we consider the most talented are left at home for better overall pitch combos.

      • Thanks for the kind, interesting and thoughtful response.

        However, I can’t agree with any of it.

        The team has looked completely disjointed for YEARS now. To this very day, we have no idea who are the players that JK wants to be play in Brazil. He mentioned a “spine” but that was only 6 players. What about the rest of the team?

        Who will be the fullbacks? Who do you really want in the midfield? Jones and Bradley don’t work well together and when Bradley is gone, the team is completely lost. Who are our wingers? There are just too many unanswered questions.

        I have watch 99% of the USMNT games since the World Cup in 2010. Since JK took over, the team has lost of it’s old qualities, while gaining no new qualities.

        The team used to be able to handle high caliber teams, counter with pace, defend very well, and boss around lesser teams. There was a sense of community and mutual support and love. You saw it on the field and off. It’s all gone now.

        All in all, I see no positives outside of Tim Howard.

        I think too many of the fans are overly positive. Rose-colored glasses. Too many excuses. Too much resting on this last teams numbers and not on the actual quality of the team or it’s opponents.

        The team is really a total joke right now. The World Cup is going to be a disaster. All one needs to do is just watch the games.

  3. I think Jozy and Clint are real issues going into the World Cup. Neither is playing well and both are long term starters for the USA and part of the “spine.” I am very worried that JK has invested so much in them that he can’t bench them. They may not be his best options at this point though.

    Reply
    • Klinsmann has left Jozy behind before even when playing well for his club. When Klinsmann made Clint captain it was for one reason. He was an example to other players to go fight for a spot at a big club. Of coarse Tottenham being one he spent some time at as a player himself. Now thats he’s in MLS I don’t see Klinsmann being as invested in Dempsey.

      Reply
  4. Why was Brooks just jogging back on the second goal? He could have recovered had he gone into a full sprint. Instead he halfheartedly jogged back while Tim was working his ass off. No wonder his German coach hates him.

    Reply
    • + 1

      And that was the whole point. Win or lose – this was about seeing who has it and better yet who wants it. Bring on the red maker!

      Reply
  5. GK: Howard, Guzan

    LB: Fabian Johnson, Beasley

    RB: Evans, Cameron, Parkhurst

    CB: Besler, Gonzo, Goodson

    CM: Bradley, Jones, Williams

    Att Wing: Donovan, Zusi, Bedoya, Eddie Johnson, Shea

    CAM: Dempsey, Mix

    ST: Altidore, Johannson, Wondolowski

    Reply
  6. Are we gonna see Chris Schuler get called up for Mexico in April? What other MLS central defenders might deserve a look?

    Reply
  7. You can take a good or bad team or whatever lineup you choose. IF the team does not get numbers in the penalty area the odds are very much against the team. Ukraine made effort after effort to get numbers in the penalty area and the focus they had showed on the second goal.

    Reply
    • Ukraine came to win. They pressed, attacked and played with some passion and emotion. Tip you’re hat when the opponent is better and wants it more. They’re quite good. I wonder how the MLS US squad would have managed. I would predict a 0-0 draw. Then again S Korea missed a few sure goals in that last game.

      Reply
      • Right now all national teams are out to win. This is a World Cup Year, and players are wanting to be there.

  8. Well that makes it simple for Klinsi to elimanate players from the pre WC camp.

    NAY: Sacha K, Gooch, Young JAB (he’s one for the next cycle), Castillo, (didn’t play Packwood, Spektor)

    YEA: Williams, Agudelo

    Everyone else deserves a final look in the pre WC camp which doesn’t mean inclusion in the final squad.

    Reply
  9. Very disappointed in the, how shall we say, the rough play from Clint in a friendly. I can understand that he maybe wanted to get the team fired up, but not cool and he could have received a red card for that tussle on the ground. Why the ref gave a yellow to the Ukrainian is a mystery.

    Reply
    • thank goodness he didn’t connect with that. would have been that much more horrible against a Ukraine team representing their country in crisis. embarrassing

      Reply
  10. The US played uninspired tonight, just hope mexico loses Nigeria! Can’t wait till the US plays in Nigeria! Also JK don’t play Castillo at LB anymore use him at LM where he plays at for TJ

    Reply
  11. I would like to be positive since most of the comments here are negative. Castillo was great at sucking. Kliestian was totally awesome at being anonymous. Our central defenders trusted their goalie to make great saves and he didn’t disappoint them.

    Reply
  12. JA and CD are on the bubble for me.

    I’m sure they’ll end up in Brazil, but at the moment they don’t deserve to be there.

    Reply
      • People act like 2013 didn’t exist. Like jozy and Clint didn’t lead us to the World Cup in the most recent calendar year. Club form aside they have been hugely important for USA getting to WC. Take away their goals last year and we Wouldn’tve made the WC. Club form is different. They usually play well for USA. Assuming Bradley and Donovan play too (chemistry is huge). Jozy, Dempsey, Landon, Bradley and jones make up our best attack. Add zusi, bedoya, or FJ and we have the talent to succeed.

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