By IVES GALARCEP
The U.S. Men’s National Team takes on Scotland today in Glasgow in their next-to-last match of the year (3 p.m., ESPN2).
The U.S. team is without Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan for today’s match, but that will open the door for Sacha Kljestan and Alejandro Bedoya to earn starts in the 4-2-3-1 formation Klinsmann will deploy today.
SBI will be providing love commentary on tonight’s match so please feel free to follow along with 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):
Also was Wondoloski playing on the right wing? I couldn’t really figure out what was going on at the end there.
That is the worst game I have seen the U.S. play under Klinsman. Why Does Jones continue to get starts. He is consistenly giving the ball away. Aron and Mix deserve to start the next game.
Mix looked like he drank two Monster drinks..LOL
Not taking anything from this game. Same ol trying to put circles into square holes. I did see more compact movement. That was promising to see. We saw more of it in the second half. Also, we play better with two forwards, but Klinnsman is too stubborn. Same ol same ol blah blah blah. Tired of repeating myself on here..you would imagine the players and coaches would be tired of repeating what they do..blah blah blah..nothing to take from this game except better more compact movement by the midfield and forwards.
no wonder some players have so called injuries…
Unimpressed and depressed.
My take aways from the match-
EJ isn’t a left winger,
Both full back spots are still up for grabs
Three central midfielders doesn’t work
Cameron probably isn’t a centerback unless he gets more time there for his club
Whats the point of giving Boyd 2 minutes?
So pretty much nothing we didn’t know going into this
+999999999999999999999999999
I would add that Shea is very much still in the picture, based on his performance. He was one of the better players for the USA today. He MOVES FORWARD and attacks! The team needs more of that.
Also, the Iceman is the real deal. Seriously, how amazing is he?? I can’t see him staying in Holland after this the World Cup. He is much too good.
Also Scotland is much improved. they lost their WC bid with a different team than they brought today.
It didn’t seem like we get much help from the ref today, whenever we touched them they dropped to the turf like they just took a sniper round. and constantly got the call. However we got almost no calls as they slashed us consistently.
What a waste of time and money, there was nothing learned in this game other than most of these guys mailed it in and Bradley may have played the worst game in US jersey. I hope he has more than that in his bag.
The team is looking poor. I worry about the World cup.
Is anyone else totally sick of watching the ball being passed BACKWARDS???? I swear, Beasley passed the ball back to Howard so many times it was infuriating to the point of blood pressure increases. One thing we can all agree on about Shea is he doesn’t do that. He attacks and attacks and is sharp at it. In fact, he had quite a good game IMHO.
Jozy was miserable. Although he plays well for Sunderland, the lack of goals and playing time is affecting him. He needs to step it up at the club level to get his mind clearer.
And what can we say about the Iceman?? If I were from Iceland I would be PISSED. He is pure class. He smothers defenders and wins the ball. He attacks and is sharp. He was very dangerous and was very unlucky to have not scored. All in all, I would like to see him start more often.
Glad to see Lichaj back. I would like to see the Brad Evans experiment come to it’s end already.
I am not happy with the overall picture. My prediction for the team at the World Cup; zero wins, zero goals.
Yes I think we set a record for back passes with no pressure. Seriously, what’s the point of playing conservative against a lower tier side in a friendly??
Well, glad I checked on the game so I don’t have to waste 2 hours with the DVR version later. Fact of the matter, this wasn’t a full group, it’s in November and so not as important as much as JK is trying to make it be, save for a few guys trying to make the fringes. Now that isn’t an excuse for guys to not play as well. Let’s see what happens with Austria. I’m sure some of the usual guys are already looking at next summer, 7 MONTHS AWAY, as a World Cup failure, due to one friendly in Scotland.
Yanks didn’t seem that eager to bag a goal until the first trio of subs came on. Shea can bring it if he has time and space on the wing. He also defended well. Overall the US conceded way to much space to a dull Scottish side.
Everyone kept going on about why is Shea in this team, but if the options are Shea or putting EJ out there, I’d take Shea.
Shea seem to be the only player in a USA jersey who can actually outrun an opponent. I thought it was a fluke the other times i saw him do it, because he is not that fluid or athletic, but he is The ONLY guy we have that EVER gets around a defender on the wing.
He may not be fluid, but Shea is a fantastic athlete.
Stinker
The part that upsets me though is that JK will most likely NOT sit people that had bad a bad game and reward those that did.
We lost the game because Wondolowski did not start.
Well, if AJ doesn’t become a starter, and very soon, I don’t know what JK is thinking.
Kevin Bacon is clearly our most dangerous player.
Strange how all of a sudden we had about 10 chances after AJ was brought in, and about 1/3 that many chances the rest of the game. We have solid players, but we need dynamic players like AJ…….
I never want to see Eddie Johnson play again for the US. Johansson should be starting all the time.
He isn’t a left winger what do you expect
Left winger or not he’s terrible. He can’t dribble or pass and rarely beats his man.
OMG WONDOLOWSKI IS IN THE GAME. IT IS A GOOD DAY TO BE AN AMERICAN AOMHIGUUURRRRRHHHDD.
USA going to take the Haggis cup on aggregate.
How many bore draws in the Klinsi era?
And the “Almanac” provides the answer, just like that.
WONDO in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Mix thinks we’re wearing the blue jerseys
What are people’s expectations for the World Cup?
FAILURE
You’re looking at it.
out in the round of 16 only if the team has a relatively easy group
No STDs.
Bonus points if Lichaj responded to the call-up with a “You talkin’ to me?”
okay now i know why Jurgen has been so reluctant to call in Lichaj… what is that thing growing on his head…
Annnd Lichaj has the same barber as Shea…
Lichaj as Mr. T.
More like Travis Bickkle
Eh, I’d rather not make that comparison, for Lichaj’s sake.
Nice hair Lichaj
bedoya canot make a diagonal pass foward; its rather astounding.
Agudelo is the closest thing we have to a Neymar. ICEMAN is our Gareth Bale
What does the fox say? The fox says some gibberish similar to your post.
Ya, everyone agrees with this…
To those who think Jozy is not suffering due to Sunderland, look at his lack of precision.
Biggest issue for him tonight just like at Sunderland…very little opportunities imo
You are absolutely correct. He plays well for them but it’s clear it has affected his mental game greatly. Jozy is a great player but his game is too dominated by his mind. Lack of mental control, IMO, seems to be his biggest weakness.
Sunderland is a garage team. They are miserable to watch and they it’s clear they don’t value Jozy has much as the should IMO. He is great but doesn’t do well on his own.
Jozy just needs to step it up and get a goal, no matter what it takes. He needs it.
Can Sacha actually run forward with the ball? Why is JK starting him so high on the pitch?
Sweet, took him out.
Sometimes it seems like a high school game where the “seniors” get automatic playing time. EJ is a decent forward but played out position on the left.
Evans. Slow. Not very good.
Experiment over please.
Bedoya should go to England he was good for Birmingham
Evans is so average in International play
Zusi is worse
USA comes out high pressing to start 2nd half
You just feel like Evans is going to give a PK at some point trying to recover
That was almost it. Probably should have seen yellow.
Whitecaps’ Kenny Miller on at halftime on Sky. Unfortunately, I cannot understand a word he is saying. Something about Snodgrass and Fletch. Any interpreters out there?
Klinsi needs to decide, do i take new young blood to brazil or take experience players who dont have nothing new to showcase but just play for pride and age.
Per se, dempsey is not going to get better, same with donovan and altidore. Altidore might get better in the EPL, but his team totally sucks. As for EJ, he is a mysterious player.
Like I said before, klinsi can make history with the depth in the team, but he also f*ck up in a heart beat, due to lack of chemistry and hot heads.
Imagine donovan, dempsey, altidore with johanson, diskereud and boyd, what an awkward trip, since they know they wont play together again in a world cup.
So is it world cup history or fail……….its in your hands klinsi.
i meant to say, he can also f*ck up in a heart beat…………
As usual – total nonsense. JK takes the best team in 2014 to Brazil, the WC isn’t about planning for the future or worrying about potential.
you could try reading without bias. he didn’t say anything about ‘planning for the future or worrying about potential’. i gathered he was more talking about taking guys who don’t have the international experience, but instead have something to prove.
Well, if the point of certain position is to provide an attack, passing, and danger, then Altidore, Kljestan, Bedoya, and EJ did not look good, outside of two, maybe three moments. However, if running and covering ground are a top qualities, then Kljestan and Bedoya were alright.
Does any one want to pass the ball forward?
not Beasley-the guy passed to Howard more than anyone up the field
or brad evans
This USA back four would be one of the worst in Brazil. JK needs to figure it out quickly.
Omar has been fine, Cameron not so much, I dont know what he was thinking going for that one, maybe he just been playing right back so much
Omar is the best of this bunch, but his performance drops off when he’s not paired with Besler. Evans and Beasley are shaky and while they have performed admirably over the last year, they have barely done the job against a class of teams below the level they will see in Brazil.
Surprisingly Cameron’s been off on almost every tough. Aside for letting Fletcher in once while ball watching, Gonzalez has been decent.
Evans has proven that his good form in mid summer was a flash in the pan, and that his out-of-placedness from the last several WCQ matches is more the norm.
*off on almost every touch
doubt that, but Evans shuld play CB & Cameron RB..as they do in ther clubs. Evans too slow for RB.
This match needs more Bacon.
Its a good thing no one is watching this game. Not the best advert for the beautiful game. Both midfield’s are disjointed, the forward lines are slow to discover space, and the Scottish finishing is embarrassingly bad. All in all an ugly 90 minutes
90 minutes? It’s halftime.
Or, do you have a time machine and you’re telling us the 2nd half isn’t worth watching?
Seems he was right…
I guess you could call watching these USMNT cash grab friendlies on FIFA international dates that mean nothing for a long time a “time machine.” They’re obnoxious. Let the players rest.
Altidore is so bad.
You bite fingers! Now you tell me who’s bad?
Altidore is a beast…our best all around striker by far.
Looks like both tesms playing in mud…neither side willing to press making possession easier to keep but more difficult to create chances. Gonzo good so far cleaning up the D area, 42nd minute
Wow evans is looks like Hagis out there smh.
EJ looks horrible
He’s picking it up a bit now.
Ridiculousness by Bedoya. Good play from sacha as well
Kljestan has been ho hum, along with Bedoya, who still cannot make a forward pass. But, to be fair, no one looks particularly good, outside of maybe Bradley.
Kljestan’s touches have looked good. The problem is… he had about 3 in the whole first half. He’s set up decent balls around the box, but only when the rest of the team manages to get the ball that high.
I thought Kljestan put in one of the best shifts of the first half.
Seems like ej has moved up front and sacha has gone out wide.
USA moving the ball around well..
USA fans are just as loud as the home team’s!
Never have been a fan of Johnson on the left. JUST BECAUSE he’s played there before does not mean he’s good there. He was put there because of his speed, but he’s not a true winger who will pass the ball in.
hes a forward, not a winger.. hopefully they just play unbalanced.
Very true. Definitely a forward in almost the same mold as Jozy. Never liked seeing EJ on the left in a midfield position.
I didnt even know eddie johnson was on the field until the 16 min
Slow soccer brain
actually he is playing the defensive role of the midfielder/winger quite well so far…
Absent for the first 40 minutes. Needs to be out at halftime.