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Wood scores as Hamburg tops FC Cologne in DFB-Pokal

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Gideo Jung opened the scoring early to seize control for Hamburg in Tuesday’s DFB-Pokal clash with FC Cologne, but it was Bobby Wood who locked up a quarterfinal berth for the struggling Bundesliga side.

Wood’s late goal all but sealed a spot in the final eight for Hamburg, who toppled Cologne, 2-0, on Tuesday at the Volksparkstadion. The goal is Wood’s third in six games and seventh overall since joining Hamburg this past summer.

Following Jung’s fifth-minute opener, Hamburg conceded possession but still created chances on the attacking end. None came to fruition until Wood’s 75th minute finish, which saw the U.S. Men’s National Team forward dart through the Cologne defense before finishing one-on-one with goalkeeper Thomas Kessler.

The draw for the DFB-Pokal quarterfinals is set for Feb. 8, as Christian Pulisic, Fabian Johnson, Andrew Wooten, John Brooks and Timmy Chandler look to lead their sides to berths in the final eight.

Here’s a closer look at Wood’s finish:

Comments

  1. This seems pretty likely come March

    FIRST XI
    ………Altidore-Wood…….
    Nagbe-Feilhaber-Pulisic
    …………Bradley……….
    FJ-Brooks-Cameron-Yedlin
    …………..Howard………….

    Second XI
    …………Morris-Dempsey…….
    ……Lletget-Kljestan-Green….
    ………………McCarty……….
    Villafana-Besler-Birnbaum-Chandler
    ………………Guzan………….

    Reply
  2. Seems to me that the RB spot is between Chandler and Yedlin. Maybe we should start talking about Lichaj there as well. Starter in the Championship, he was Forest’s captain this past weekend so he must be doing something right.

    I’m not a big Chandler fan, but you can’t dismiss someone who’s a solid starter on the third place Bundesliga team.

    Anyway, back to Wood. He’s a starter, with Jozy. Not sure what Arena will do in the midfield; my guess is Bradley playing as more of defensive center midfielder with Kljestan or Feilhaber in front of him. Not as much protection for our center defenders, but in a must win game at home, we’ve got to attack.

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    • Ultimately we need 2 healthy & qualified Right Backs and 2 Left Backs. Right now we’ve got 1 (Fabian) who could also be of value as a wide midfielder. It doesn’t matter how it breaks-down….Chandler @ either LB or RB….Lichaj @ either LB or RB…Villafana at LB….Yedlin @ RB.
      If these 4 can solidify themselves as quality outside backs that’ll allow Fabian to play further up the field.
      The fact of the matter is that we’ve got more potential options at the wide midfield slots (Pulisic, Green, Gooch, Nagbe, Zardes, Arriola, Lletget) than we do at outside back. So unless the above 4 backs can cut it Fabian will have to remain on the back-line and someone else will take a midfield spot.

      As for Wood, it’s good to see him continue to perform. We’ll need all the in-form attackers we can get. Competition for spots insures that we’ve got quality options in the event that someone gets injured. Last thing we need/want is to have another scenario like we did in 2010 & 2014 where our plans hinged on a single individual (CD9 in 2010….Jozy in 2014). Having Jozy, Wood, Morris, Zardes, ArJo, Boyd, and others playing well insures we don’t end up w/ players like Findlay or Wondo in important games.

      Reply
  3. Timmy Chandler plays very well for Frankfurt and goes end to end.
    I am not sure what the problem is when he puts on a US jersey. I am hoping Arena can get him to play to his potential. If he can, he has solved a big problem and frees up Fabian Johnson to play on wing.

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    • Actually in his very first game for the USA, a 1-1 tie in a friendly vs Argentina , he was probably the best player for the USA, unless you count Bradley who was given the job of marking Messi pretty much all over the field. Chandler defended well in that game and got forward, showing flashes of speed and control.

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  4. I’m trying very hard to understand people who still want to see Chandler on the team. His performances for the USMNT have ranged from at best mediocre (on a few rare occasions) to atrocious (much more common).

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    • I disagree with you and French. Chandler has had good moments and has been as bad as any other USMNT player during the time he has been involved. Bottom line some people seem to be harsher on Chandler for other off the field stuff (re: commitment, germerican, facial expressions, refused callup, etc). When other players on the team are horrible (and it happens alot with most of our players) people are willing to forget about it and let it slide because that player is more liked for whatever reason. Not with Chandler. But he is clearly a top 3 fullback in our pool (along with F Johnson and Yedlin) and you could argue that he is the best of the bunch (up for debate). Doyle on MLS wrote an article about the projected March roster and he also dislikes Chandler and said he predicts Lichaj or Zusi (or both) on the roster over Chandler. Now to me that seems crazy. I would imagine Arena would want to bring in Chandler to get a look at him for himself, even if Yedlin ultimately starts.

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      • perhaps it is more to do with expectations. He is playing in B.1 against solid competition and receiving praise of his performances. Then he plays for the US and underperforms more often than not. He has his flashes of quality, but also gets beat and it only takes a handful of times being exposed before people take note. Yes, there are other options at wingback and quite frankly they have been exposed as often. But when you are playing at such a high level week in and week out you expect more.

        At this point only Chandler’s club performances are warranting a callup because his intl’ performances have not helped his case. If he was the same player (club and country) in a lesser league I doubt he’d see the roster that often.

    • The “problem” with Chandler is that he has been having an excellent year for a better than expected Frankfurt team. He’s playing stiffer competition than Yedlin or anyone else in our pool at RB. That makes it hard to ignore him.

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      • agreed. It definitely isnt his USMN performances that have been warranting a callup Nothing against him, I would still call him up (due to lack of actual options), but I’d start Yedlin over him any day. Yedlin has his faults, but I feel more confident with his ability getting forward AND recovering back.

        Saying that, has Yedlin been playing wingback for Newcastle? Last I saw (which was before break) he was playing more as a winger than wingback. If that’s the case, could we see a Chandler & Yedlin tandum on the right side, Pulisic & Johnson on the left?

  5. If you can find his other attempt at goal later in the game. That is even more impressive.
    Wood scores and Fabian Johnson picks up an assist.
    After yesterday with Green.
    Not a bad mid-week for a US soccer fan.

    Wood – Green
    Pulisic – Cameron – Bradley – Johnson
    Chandler – Brooks – CCV -Yedlin

    Altidore in row 20 Section 113

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    • While I appreciate the exuberance, I hope you know that will be nowhere close to the starting 11 in March. Altidore is going to start, it’s just a matter whether he has someone up top with him. Cameron and Bradley essentially play the same position, unless you’re suggesting Cameron will be playing further upfield (no chance). I would be shocked if Chandler even makes Arena’s 23, and everyone is excited about CCV, but no way he starts until after 2018.

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    • Ken,

      You need to lay off the crack pipe….seriously.

      The lineup will all likely be:

      —————–Wood———
      ——-Altidore—————–
      Pulisic–Sacha/Nagbe/Benny–Zardes
      FJ—-Brooks—Cameron—Yedlin

      Bench:
      – Chandler (as long as he doesn’t slack), Besler, Birnbaum/Omar, Garza
      – Arriola, 2 of Nagbe/Benny/Sacha, Bedoya
      – Morris, Agudelo/AJo/TBD

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      • Dan, while i had the same reaction initially, i suspect Anthony simply left MB off the lineup. He has “Sacha/Nagbe/Benny” which i take as “take 1 of these three because he also has ” 2 of Nagbe/Benny/Sacha” listed on the bench meaning that only 1 of those three would be starting.

      • I deserved that because I made an error. I was rushing due to work and place 10 on the field. I meant:

        ———————-—–Wood———
        ——–—-Altidore—————–
        Pulisic–Sacha/Nagbe/Benny–Zardes
        ——————–Bradley—————
        FJ—-Brooks—Cameron—Yedlin

  6. Wood went into “beast mode” to blast past that defender.

    Fantastic combination play with that other striker. Jozy looks forward to having a friend up top with him….

    Reply

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