actually the best this team has done, you would have to go back to the CC. at the WC we always dug a hole and fought our way out of it, except for the ghana game.
I said yesterday that Wondo’s chance was more difficult than it would appear. But after watching the replay, it was an absolute easy chance. A professional striker must finish a chance that easy.
1) First Panama goal…Altidore let his man drift and he refused to track him back. Typically lazy…and his man gets the header. Look…if you can’t be fit and run for 90 minutes get off the pitch.
2) Wondo…he’s a striker right…any VERY avg striker puts that away. It WAS a sitter.
3) We need a creative presence in the center of the pitch that can dictate play. This has been a big red flag under BB.
4) As I mentioned after the CA game, while I like the potentially pairing of CG and TR in the center of defense, there were sure to be growing pains and each player has a glaring weakness. Well, they got exposed.
5) The US needs a finisher. How many goals did the NATS miss? The US could have put 5 away…easily.
Panama has good player in south America and Mexico. Panama defender baloy is in Mexicos Santos laguna is a a beast. It’s hard to get threw him and plus he is the captain. We started to play better in the second half.
The objective is to get to the Gold Cup final. If they can do that, this game will be forgotten. I think BB needs to rest at least three starters that played against Panama. If the U.S. gets a big lead, you would probably see BB make his substitutions earlier than expected. If the U.S. cannot defeat or tie Guadeloupe resting three or four players, they do not deserve to continue in this tournament and major changes would be made thereafter, like new coach. Regardless, no disrespect to BB, the U.S. needs a new coach; 8 years is way too long.
I have been thinking on this question for about a year or so: how good is our team?
The best NATS team I saw play was in 2002 WC. They had cohesion, balanced talent on the pitch, and some good players. I might argue that the talent pool has broadened since then and more of our boys are playing overseas with skill. That being said, we have been dogged with some issues for a couple years now:
1. Lack of a creative, offensive MF
2. No international level LB (and now a transition of the back line)
3. Forwards who can score regularly.
Out of these three issues, I am least concerned with F as I am confident with the upside of Altidore and Agudelo, the promise of Bunbury, and CD9 continuing his comeback.
The MF is a problem. There isn’t a great distinction between them. I think Adu needs to be integrated into this team even if it is only as a super sub.
The promise of Lichaj, Chandler, and Ream means that there are better days ahead for the D and more gaffes to come.
On Bob Bradley … I think too much of the focus is on him. Meaning players play the match. I don’t think we would be much better at this point with another coach.
Should’ve been gone after the WC, but he’s gotten to confortable with the job. The USSF is taking ALOT of heat right now from the fans, twitter,facebook, and more are very very very upset, and their calling for Bob Bradley’s head as he’s the one who puts the players on the field.
Guadeloupe i have you know aren’t as easy as people as you may think, in two matches with only 10 men I believe they’ve nearly beaten Panama(3-2) and narrowly loss to Canada (1-0) I’m sure with nothing to lose they’ll come out with pride for their country, I mean alot of teams think they can beat the US now, Panama before the game said they’d beat the USA they aren’t afraid of us at all, even Slovenia in the World Cup said the same, I bet Japan could beat us. Ranked 22nd in the world? Ha a little to high for the performances they have under Robobob.
Again this not to take any credit from Panama cause those guys came into play and get a win and guess what when you come with that mindset you put yourself in position to win which they did. Panama has always given USA problems and now it works out for them.
This game was shameful for the US. I give credit to Panama for coming and playing the US hard, but the US should have had more hunger to win this game. I think sometimes the players think they can just waltz themselves to the finals, well boys just as the USA has been improving so has other teams in the region. It is not just USA and Mexico anymore. Other teams are improving. Some of these players play in MLS, know US tactics, etc. This was shameful for the way USA played on the field! First the disgrace against Spain and now this. If Bob can’t win this Gold Cup, then I think he should be let go. Maybe it is as far as the guy can go!
Where is the passion, fire and intensity to start the match? We should be dominating all play as one of two super powers of this region. Where are our veterans who lead the team with their play and the fight. What I saw was an uninspired team who forgot to get off the bus in Florida. I love the Nats and will continue to believe, live and breathe this team but honestly coach… Get your team off the bus and let’s play the football we havent consistently played since pre world cup. This tournament is not over, but it feels like from the attitude that most fans are giving up on their country. I know things are rough in USMNT world right now but you never give up on your team. Support til death.
We have one more group game and I want to dominate from the first whistle. BB…you may not be popular right now but you have the opportunity to show up with a prepared team. You still have a job so get it done. Have the team ready to play on Tuesday. Please!
There record this year is 1 win 3 losses and 2 ties, and they’ve been outscored 9 to 5. Terribly inconsistent. This match has gained significant headlines on many soccer sites, front article on FIFA website.
Where’s Wondo? People are surely going to be calling for his head, maybe a bit underserved, but YOU DON’T MISS FROM INSIDE THE 6YD BOX. I don’t know if Dempsey put him off or what, but I think we’ve seen enough of him. Should’ve brought in Herculez
what happened to howard? he committed the most cardinal sin a goalie can make, he just reached for the ball instead of diving/dropping for it and to compound matters worst, he taps it back to the middle of the goal.
Having an off night and losing to a pretty good Panama side is no big deal if your results are generally positive and your competition is mostly top class. But that’s not really the case for us. A thought experiment: if we’d beaten Panama last night would you feel any better about this team? Any more confidence the next time we take the field vs England or Ghana?
The main problem I saw in these last two games is that our middle does not connect with our forwards. We do a decent job in getting the ball from our defense to midfield but from midfield to our forwards it’s just awful. Just an observation.
I wasn’t saying Ream was the problem. I was saying that if you are going to take off a defender for an attacking player, why not leave in the defender that has already scored a goal for you in the game?
I think the issue is not necessarily Wondolowski. It’s this pattern we see with BB experimenting too much because he doesn’t know how to properly evaluate players. Then he throws players with with little international experience and average talent into big situations, and he is surprised when they flop.
I think Bradley is falling into the same trap as Arena in his second tenure. Relying on the same tactics and players. It becomes too predictable and easy to scout which Panama did brilliantly in my opinion.
Where’s santino quaranta when u need him? (Kicks some dirt up)
That’s what happens when you come in over confident…..I took my lumps last niight waatching this game…house full of mexico fans at a b day party….talk about being humbled.
a bad miss yes, not bad enough to blame him more than the other players for playing the way they did in the first half. at least wondolowski was part of the much stronger second half. i put the blame squarely on the players that started the game.
yeah, i can see that. as sad as it is, i had to turn the game off at half because i just don’t have the stomach to watch the panama players faking injuries while the clock winds down, or throw all of their players behind the ball so it’s impossible to score. hopefully we can turn this around. and hopefully wondolowski gets a chance to redeem himself. he is a decent player ( I mean, you know, compared to other forwards in the USMT pool 🙂
No, it was an awful miss. He needs to put that in the net. If he isn’t talented enough to direct that ball on goal, then he shouldn’t be playing on the national team.
That first goal was terrible. Terrible play by the US. The ball goes back out to a Panamanian and every one of the US players are casually jogging forward as if we had a goal kick or something. Boca was just watching and then he shrugged his shoulders after the goal.
surprised everyone is so down on wondolowski for that miss. he barely had time to get his foot on it. that is a difficult shot to make. he maybe should have done better, but it’s no worse that a few other shots by donovan and dempsey. it’s no beasley v mexico anyway.
it might just be me, but before the goodson goal i guarantee you a chart of our touches would have resembled a 3-point shot chart in the NBA. a lot in the flanks, passing around the back with occasional touches further up by MB and Jones. we need more movement off of the ball simply. take for example the MB miss. some great one touch football with movement after the pass and it nearly results in a goal. the US need to build off of this play in order to become more dangerous in the final third.
actually the best this team has done, you would have to go back to the CC. at the WC we always dug a hole and fought our way out of it, except for the ghana game.
I said yesterday that Wondo’s chance was more difficult than it would appear. But after watching the replay, it was an absolute easy chance. A professional striker must finish a chance that easy.
That ball was whipped in just above the knee, trapping would have been very difficult.
Wondo’s instinct was to get a foot on it which is why it soared over the bar.
A more experienced poacher would have re-directed with the inside of the leg or something, not pretty but effective.
Simple…
1) First Panama goal…Altidore let his man drift and he refused to track him back. Typically lazy…and his man gets the header. Look…if you can’t be fit and run for 90 minutes get off the pitch.
2) Wondo…he’s a striker right…any VERY avg striker puts that away. It WAS a sitter.
3) We need a creative presence in the center of the pitch that can dictate play. This has been a big red flag under BB.
4) As I mentioned after the CA game, while I like the potentially pairing of CG and TR in the center of defense, there were sure to be growing pains and each player has a glaring weakness. Well, they got exposed.
5) The US needs a finisher. How many goals did the NATS miss? The US could have put 5 away…easily.
Panama has good player in south America and Mexico. Panama defender baloy is in Mexicos Santos laguna is a a beast. It’s hard to get threw him and plus he is the captain. We started to play better in the second half.
The objective is to get to the Gold Cup final. If they can do that, this game will be forgotten. I think BB needs to rest at least three starters that played against Panama. If the U.S. gets a big lead, you would probably see BB make his substitutions earlier than expected. If the U.S. cannot defeat or tie Guadeloupe resting three or four players, they do not deserve to continue in this tournament and major changes would be made thereafter, like new coach. Regardless, no disrespect to BB, the U.S. needs a new coach; 8 years is way too long.
I have been thinking on this question for about a year or so: how good is our team?
The best NATS team I saw play was in 2002 WC. They had cohesion, balanced talent on the pitch, and some good players. I might argue that the talent pool has broadened since then and more of our boys are playing overseas with skill. That being said, we have been dogged with some issues for a couple years now:
1. Lack of a creative, offensive MF
2. No international level LB (and now a transition of the back line)
3. Forwards who can score regularly.
Out of these three issues, I am least concerned with F as I am confident with the upside of Altidore and Agudelo, the promise of Bunbury, and CD9 continuing his comeback.
The MF is a problem. There isn’t a great distinction between them. I think Adu needs to be integrated into this team even if it is only as a super sub.
The promise of Lichaj, Chandler, and Ream means that there are better days ahead for the D and more gaffes to come.
On Bob Bradley … I think too much of the focus is on him. Meaning players play the match. I don’t think we would be much better at this point with another coach.
Should’ve been gone after the WC, but he’s gotten to confortable with the job. The USSF is taking ALOT of heat right now from the fans, twitter,facebook, and more are very very very upset, and their calling for Bob Bradley’s head as he’s the one who puts the players on the field.
Guadeloupe i have you know aren’t as easy as people as you may think, in two matches with only 10 men I believe they’ve nearly beaten Panama(3-2) and narrowly loss to Canada (1-0) I’m sure with nothing to lose they’ll come out with pride for their country, I mean alot of teams think they can beat the US now, Panama before the game said they’d beat the USA they aren’t afraid of us at all, even Slovenia in the World Cup said the same, I bet Japan could beat us. Ranked 22nd in the world? Ha a little to high for the performances they have under Robobob.
Again this not to take any credit from Panama cause those guys came into play and get a win and guess what when you come with that mindset you put yourself in position to win which they did. Panama has always given USA problems and now it works out for them.
Look at it again. He had time to trap it and side foot it into the net. But no…
Besides, that was the ONE thing he was called in to do. He failed.
This game was shameful for the US. I give credit to Panama for coming and playing the US hard, but the US should have had more hunger to win this game. I think sometimes the players think they can just waltz themselves to the finals, well boys just as the USA has been improving so has other teams in the region. It is not just USA and Mexico anymore. Other teams are improving. Some of these players play in MLS, know US tactics, etc. This was shameful for the way USA played on the field! First the disgrace against Spain and now this. If Bob can’t win this Gold Cup, then I think he should be let go. Maybe it is as far as the guy can go!
This and an in process revamping of our back line are our two biggest challenges IMO.
Where is the passion, fire and intensity to start the match? We should be dominating all play as one of two super powers of this region. Where are our veterans who lead the team with their play and the fight. What I saw was an uninspired team who forgot to get off the bus in Florida. I love the Nats and will continue to believe, live and breathe this team but honestly coach… Get your team off the bus and let’s play the football we havent consistently played since pre world cup. This tournament is not over, but it feels like from the attitude that most fans are giving up on their country. I know things are rough in USMNT world right now but you never give up on your team. Support til death.
We have one more group game and I want to dominate from the first whistle. BB…you may not be popular right now but you have the opportunity to show up with a prepared team. You still have a job so get it done. Have the team ready to play on Tuesday. Please!
There record this year is 1 win 3 losses and 2 ties, and they’ve been outscored 9 to 5. Terribly inconsistent. This match has gained significant headlines on many soccer sites, front article on FIFA website.
#4 how can you miss when you are right in front of the net! The hardest thing was to miss and he managed to miss that goal!
Got what they deserved, support the Fire bob Bradley Facebook.
Where’s Wondo? People are surely going to be calling for his head, maybe a bit underserved, but YOU DON’T MISS FROM INSIDE THE 6YD BOX. I don’t know if Dempsey put him off or what, but I think we’ve seen enough of him. Should’ve brought in Herculez
what happened to howard? he committed the most cardinal sin a goalie can make, he just reached for the ball instead of diving/dropping for it and to compound matters worst, he taps it back to the middle of the goal.
I guess the whole team had an off day also.
Having an off night and losing to a pretty good Panama side is no big deal if your results are generally positive and your competition is mostly top class. But that’s not really the case for us. A thought experiment: if we’d beaten Panama last night would you feel any better about this team? Any more confidence the next time we take the field vs England or Ghana?
The main problem I saw in these last two games is that our middle does not connect with our forwards. We do a decent job in getting the ball from our defense to midfield but from midfield to our forwards it’s just awful. Just an observation.
Whoops, that was supposed to be a reply to BrianK.
Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
-Albert Einstien
I wasn’t saying Ream was the problem. I was saying that if you are going to take off a defender for an attacking player, why not leave in the defender that has already scored a goal for you in the game?
After seeing these replays again, I think M. Bradley’s miss was almost as bad as Wondolowski’s.
There where Highlights?
def. not a sitter, but at this level you need to turn those into goals. We had many, many chances – gotta put the rock in the net
I think the issue is not necessarily Wondolowski. It’s this pattern we see with BB experimenting too much because he doesn’t know how to properly evaluate players. Then he throws players with with little international experience and average talent into big situations, and he is surprised when they flop.
Agreed.
Ream is not the problem.
The good news is that BB played the best team the USMNT has (x-injured Stu Holden),…the bad news is that this is our best team.
BTW,…Wondolowski’s chance was not a sitter.
Does anyone think Ream should have been taken off instead of Goodson? At least we would have had an aerial threat on set pieces with him still in.
I think Bradley is falling into the same trap as Arena in his second tenure. Relying on the same tactics and players. It becomes too predictable and easy to scout which Panama did brilliantly in my opinion.
4. Wondolowski???
Where’s santino quaranta when u need him? (Kicks some dirt up)
That’s what happens when you come in over confident…..I took my lumps last niight waatching this game…house full of mexico fans at a b day party….talk about being humbled.
a bad miss yes, not bad enough to blame him more than the other players for playing the way they did in the first half. at least wondolowski was part of the much stronger second half. i put the blame squarely on the players that started the game.
I was hoping this was a bad dream when I woke up this morning with a violent hangover.
Love the Nats (Well, mosf of them.), Hate Bradley.
yeah, i can see that. as sad as it is, i had to turn the game off at half because i just don’t have the stomach to watch the panama players faking injuries while the clock winds down, or throw all of their players behind the ball so it’s impossible to score. hopefully we can turn this around. and hopefully wondolowski gets a chance to redeem himself. he is a decent player ( I mean, you know, compared to other forwards in the USMT pool 🙂
No, it was an awful miss. He needs to put that in the net. If he isn’t talented enough to direct that ball on goal, then he shouldn’t be playing on the national team.
We had too much control in the first 10 minutes to hand the game away.
I don’t blame Cherundolo for losing (I blame Wondo, Ream, and just the team in general), but his crossing was terrible all game.
Yes. 4. No creativity in the midfield.
I think it’s just that the moment summed up a whole night of futility.
That first goal was terrible. Terrible play by the US. The ball goes back out to a Panamanian and every one of the US players are casually jogging forward as if we had a goal kick or something. Boca was just watching and then he shrugged his shoulders after the goal.
surprised everyone is so down on wondolowski for that miss. he barely had time to get his foot on it. that is a difficult shot to make. he maybe should have done better, but it’s no worse that a few other shots by donovan and dempsey. it’s no beasley v mexico anyway.
This result ruined my 21st birthday (What I remember of it)
Profit?
it might just be me, but before the goodson goal i guarantee you a chart of our touches would have resembled a 3-point shot chart in the NBA. a lot in the flanks, passing around the back with occasional touches further up by MB and Jones. we need more movement off of the ball simply. take for example the MB miss. some great one touch football with movement after the pass and it nearly results in a goal. the US need to build off of this play in order to become more dangerous in the final third.
Hey USMNT…
I still believe in you.
For the remainder of this tournament just go and play like I know you can!
P.S. That means “much better” than what we saw last night!
1. BB was outcoached.
2. Our forwards didn’t score (and very rarely do).
3. We started slowly (as we so often do).
4.
Does anyone want to fill in No. 4?
Don’t remind me