By IVES GALARCEP
WASHINGTON– The U.S. Men’s National Team celebrates the 100th-year anniversary of U.S. Soccer with today’s friendly vs. Germany (2:30pm, ESPN2).
The U.S. come in off a rough 4-2 loss to Belgium in Cleveland and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann is ready to trot out a close to first-choice lineup for the match. Only Herculez Gomez is not available among regular starters, with Michael Bradley and Fabian Johnson slotting into starting roles after missing the Belgium match due to club commitments.
The day marks a very important match for the German-Americans on the U.S. roster, with Jones and Johnson starting and Terrence Boyd and Danny Williams on the bench today.
The U.S. will be taking on a German side missing most of its top starters due to Bayern Munich’s appearance in the German Cup and Borussia Dortmund’s run to the UEFA champions League final. That doesn’t mean the Germans won’t field a strong lineup. They dismantled a respectable Ecuador side on Wednesday.
SBI will be providing live commentary from today’s match so please feel free to follow all of the action here. As always, you are welcome to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s commentary is after the jump):
Castillo was still in Brazil, definitely not the same Castillo that played on Thursday.
@Riggity. I am not pretending to know the pool better. But no one can’t ignore that not ONE player today would be a starter for Germany if they had a WCQ tomorrow. So that is a real B team….
Mertesacker would
Um, you are wrong first of all about no starters. Löw loves Podolski and Klose is most definitely a starter depending on the opponent. Mertesacker is a starer and so is Höwedes. Schürrle is also a regular starter.(Mueller is favored though) Draxler will be a starter and does start for Schalke.
5 starters + Draxler.
They did score 3 on us for a reason. However the reason we score 4 is they brought a super weak midfield and a young Keeper.
Players missing for Germany:
Neuer
Lahm, badstuber, Hummels
Gotze, Reus, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Khedira, Ozil
Muller, Gomez
Starting 11 + 1 sub
They’re the #2 nation in the World and a lot of people’s favorites to win the World Cup.
Depth certainly isn’t an issue considering most of those players would be starters for other nations. That’s the same Germany that trashed the supposed #10 ranked nation in the World, just days ago.
You would also think this group of German players had more to prove fighting for starting spots.
Yet another good point (although, I think a few certainly did).
The front 4 start a lot for Germany. Klose is still preferred depending on the opponent.
But
I would say that our midfield is better than this Germany.
Now if Germany’s real midfield was there… we would be boned but these guys? They didn’t even have the good Bender out there.
What?
Lars and Sven both played in this game What BENDER are you on?
And so it begins…
…apparently Peter thinks he’s the only one familiar with the German player pool. Thanks for the post Pete. A wins a win
No doubt, a German B-team out there today, all of whom play on better teams and/or in better leagues than most of the Americans.
Thanks for explaining why Germany brought a pick up team today. They looked pathetic. Those Germans should stay in the states and look for USL clubs to play for.
Schmelzer is also missing…
Great to get the win. B-team or not, it was still Germany.
However, we must get our defense sorted out. For starters, there was no good reason to not give Bocanegra a chance these last two matches.
The dudes on Univision said that the players told Klinsmann they don’t like the 4-3-3 formation or any variations of it and would rather play a 4-4-2. They looked very good in that formation today but Germany basically conceded the midfield any time they went forward. We should’ve done better when we were attacking in numbers.
Altidore and Dempsey works well when Jozy does a bit of that dirty work, pestering defenders, and also when the midfield is able to win balls and transition them into the attack quickly, something we haven’t really seen much during Klinsmann’s tenure.
Yo hat3rs!
Fun game out there today. Thanks for watching!
Love,
B-Rad
I think you mean Brad “Evens”
(see reference above in comments section)
haha you and DMB were solid
Lol Brad wasn’t the worst player on the field today so he feels the need to stand up and shout. Good game though
You mean Brad Meh-vans?
Boyd desperately needs to work on that first touch. Once he gets it under control, he’s good, but he continuously loses any advantage he has on his first touch.
great WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4-3 USA
Some defensive issue the U.S. still has to resolve but great win against a very very good German side.
As in completely useless since the 60′ minute?
That should be a yellow for diving
Is it me or has Bradley completely disappeared?
I didn’t see much of him either. But, others may say I need a new pair of glasses.
Hope Solo and her dirtbag boyfriend in the house…
Castillo gettin absolutely destroyed
Castilllo is so bad everytime he steps on the field. He may standout in Mexico but everytime he plays against grown @ss men he gets torched
Been awfully quiet during the match. Took you that long to find something to carp about?
We all agree with the last two games that Gonzo is not yet ready for elite competition, but can we finally say that Howard isn’t either? Giving away a near post goal from outside the box, giving up an easy rebound in the middle of the box today… then rewind to the World Cup and remember him getting beat over the top from almost 30 yards out against Slovenia and allowing another nearpost goal from outside the box against Ghana. That’s two in four games in the world’s biggest competition. I think Guzan has earned more playing time than he has been given.
Giving up a near post goal? WTF are you talking about. Howard’s only mistake has been giving up the rebound, but the replay clearly showed he was screened from the shot, hence his delayed response. The shot never should have happened in the first place. The defense today gave the Germans way to much respect (read: time and space).
Agreed. Howard had a less than spectacular World Cup for sure. He’s been suspect for a while. I wouldn’t mind seeing Guzan be #1.
4-3. Howard might have done better to not give up the rebound, which was then put away, but he was screened by a defender. However, once again, ZERO pressure by US defenders let the German stroll across the top of the box and put the shot in. This has been happening all game, defenders sitting back, as if they are afraid to get beat and would rather concede the space.
Shambolic effort by JJ on that closeout. He turned his body like a 12-year old girl frantically trying to avoid the ball.
Too easy. Lazy defending by the US now to bring it back to one
O god
Boyd for Altidore in 81′.
4-2. Unstoppable rip from 22 yards. And again, no pressure from US defenders.
MB equals midfield maestro. He completely changes the entire flow of the match.
Really? I’ve been looking for years and I still don’t see it. Jones? Yes.
Jones provides the energy and pressure. Bradley provides the calmness and direction from the midfield.
If you don’t see it at this point, you’re choosing not to or may not know what to look for.
Jones in central midfield provides pressure, forward runs, forward passes, defensive breakups, smart (and occasionally unsmart) fouls, bite, and combination play with our outside mids. He does it all. And, he shouldn’t have to. I’m honestly trying to see what MB brings beside one or maybe two quality ball movements a game. Our opponents run right around him all the time. For every average pass he also gives the ball away a lot. He’s not good under pressure. I’m honestly trying.
Perhaps your next effort ought to be contacting Roma’s front office for their perspective.
Deuce and Jones one-two’ing backwards for about 15 yards?
Swag….
Deuce is ballin’. Sweet bend on the finish from distance and nice juke to create the space for the shot.
Texas on the Potamac!
Dempsey is pretty good
Holy snikies
What a goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 4-1
JOZZZZZZZZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Altidore exhibiting complete play today. Nice hold up and weighted ball or Deuce to bury.
*for* Deuce to bury.
Yaaa, Terrence Boyd should start over Altidore…what a crock
In fairness, THIS Jozy hasn’t been present on the national team in over two years.
Everyone’s job is in jeopardy if you don’t produce. That’s international soccer.
what??? just stop. The US team hasn’t targeted him with direct balls and provided any service to him in 1.5 years, nor paired im up top with another stiker
YEAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DEMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dang it. Now I gotta keep watching to see how Castillo does.
Good run by MB almost finished; probably should have done better but good run.
DB
JK – Jogi, I need a big favor.
JL – Ja
JK – I really need to win this game. The US fans know more than you think and they are all over my a$$. Please bring the B- team, don’t mark Jozy so he can score uncontested. When your forwards get in position to score, have them miss far post. Oh, have your keeper “mis-touch” the ball so it goes in as an own goal. That would be really funny to see!
JL – Ja
JK – Danke, I really owe you one. Oh, place a bet on the US, you’ll win big!
Germans are definitely on holiday. But, Yanks have stepped up.
This is the same German team that knocked off the #10 (insert laughter) Ecuador without breaking a sweat.
It’s a friendly but the US took the game to the Germans and earned this result, it wasn’t given.
What result?
That result.
Good one, it was. Now, let’s be ready for the hacking, fouling, spitting, and biting we’ll see in the real games.
OG out of position again
I’d like to see Germany push the game a little more. Granted it’s a friendly, but the intensity level is very “friendly” . Our D needs to tighten up…Germany with their foot off the gas still getting easy looks at goal. Their effort flatters our performance…still very happy to be up two.
Jozy getting more service than he has in ages, and would you look at that – he scores. Funny how that works.
I’m at the game in the nosebleeds and can’t figure out why Germany didn’t get that goal- was it offside? It looked fine from here, but then again, I’m in the nosebleeds. Last time I was in this stadium there were 4 goals in the first 30 minutes. Magical things happen here!
Yep, “the German team on the field today is not nearly as good as the tough Belgium team we faced Wednesday and has some big weaknesses in the backline,” like I predicted above. But even I did not think bad enough for that own goal which will go down in German soccer history. Cannot believe Ter Stegen let that happen, and the initial pass from Howedes was not wise either. The Germans looking awful and like they don’t even want to be there while our guys playing with heart and wanting to win every ball. Jozy and Zusi are both looking very good. Fabian not convincing up front in my book. Hope Klinsmann lets DMB and Fabian switch positions for the second half. Our defense tough as nails and Belser-Omar are the future.
Someone on the Guardian’s MBM asked about Lichaj. I’m gunna have to like find “Lichaj hightlights”
What is a good game he played in? Maybe I can hunt it down.
Defended well in the last Gold Cup. Played good against Colombia. IK there was one game a couple years ago where he completely shutdown Gareth Bale. Even the commentators said they had never seen Gareth Bale shut down that bad before
That’s not an easy thing to do. If nothing else keeper keeping pace with Bale is huge.
amazing how much Jozy can give when the tactics play to his strengths. LOVE the direct ball targeting he’s seen so far, the attack up the flanks looking to serve it into the middle
surprised Germany imo
What changes if any for Klinsi’s side 2nd half, Ives?
that second goal looked like what I see in my boy’s U9 games sometimes…wow
Encouraging. Now sub everyone out.
So Jurgen Klinsmann knows what he’s doing huh? Brad Evans.
Evans hasn’t put a foot wrong
Germany had several good chances come from his side. Beasly got burned a couple of times too. But, I am encouraged to see goals come from some effort in this friendly. Now sub everyone out that are starting on Friday.
Schueler is pretty good. He doesn’t get the press that Reus or Mueller does but… I would say he is almost as good.
Nice one and two touch pa$$ing all around.
Nice one touch passing all around
4-4-2, playing direct balls to Jozy and playing up the flank and playing long balls, Jozy with a strike partner, and the US looking to counter
Old School USA tactics, and they are working, and the team looks comfortable playing this kind of system 35th minute
Not at all what is happening. We are passing through the middle with Jones and Bradley. Dempsey is dropping back to pick up balls and combine with them, and yes, we are also feeding it out to the flanks.
Poor header by Besler into the middle