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USMNT 2, South Korea 0: Match Reaction

Eddie Johnson

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

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  1. Soccerhorn — agree with your take on Wondo, although I think there is not really that much quality ahead of him in terms of forwards who can score. I’d be interested in the notion floated by Don the Jewler above: any thoughts of a starting forward tandem of Jozy and LD? Seems to me like they’d complement each other pretty well (potentially), with Jozy responsible for hold-up play and LD running off of him. Just a thought.

    Must disagree on the backline play in the game against SK. Evans was exposed several times by the Korean wingers, and although I think he should likely be in Brazil for his versatility and grit, I would not want to see that starting backline at the WC at all. And Parkhurst — although he did pretty well against SK — is not our starting left back.

    Overall, I kind of think you have to get the starting centerbacks right and then work out from there — the spine of the team and all that. I like Besler, but am not totally sold on Gonzo. For me, I might start Cameron and Besler in the center, and then hope that Dolo/Chandler come in healthy (physically and mentally, in Chandler’s case) for the WC warmup games. Realize there are a lot of ifs/buts in this scenario, but I guess I’m just not feeling that solid with our centerback situation as it stands.

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    • I think I might be the only person but I don’t think Cameron is a very good center back. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t play the position but seems like he is always getting caught out. He takes unnessary risks then seems slow to react often leaving the other centerback out numbered. This seemed to happen a few times in Scotland. I think he could be a great right back or centeral midfielder, I just don’t think he is the answer at centerback.

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  2. There’s a lot more to talk about than just Wondo. Happy that he poached a pair of goals – made my afternoon at the Stub Hub Center quite enjoyable. But there are SO many people in front of him, it’s still unlikely that he gets a nod for Brazil. Meanwhile, Parkhurst and Evans both looked like capable international fullbacks. Maybe only one of them makes the squad, and Beasley remains at LB, but I could live with the starting back line we saw on Saturday.

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    • uh, you might be the only person who thought Evans looked capable. he was awful. he just gave his starting spot to Cameron and Chandler. i don’t think he lost his spot to Brazil, but he is not doing himself any favors.

      i would bring Cameron, Chandler, Lichaj, Johnson, and Beasley.

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      • Hell, neither were “capable international fullbacks.”

        That is an unbelievable comment. Parkhurst NEVER overlapped the entire game. So, if you are saying that he did a good job of holding down the defensive half of the pitch, well, you would be correct. But that won’t cut it against our WC competition, our outside backs will both need to be able to stretch other teams out and keep them honest.

        As for Evans, he had a horrible showing, and it wasn’t his first horrible showing at outside back. He had two crosses into the box on overlap, one directly into the hands of the keeper, and the other somehow dribbled into the box, possibly after a deflection.

        There are serious problems on the outside. We need a miracle recovery from Cherundolo, and I guess I would settle for DeMarcus on the other side if JK insists Fabian play wing.

  3. if his name was chicarito no one would be questioning anything. yes, he does score sloppy goals with a “poachers” style. of course he isnt epl, world class, euro snob, but pretty damn good given his age and circumstances.

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  4. Wondo has been great in MLS and if this were 10 years ago would have been a starter (maybe) for the national team. Fact is he shows up against weaker opponents. He is not up to the quality needed to help the US out in Brazil. Do not get me wrong it is wonderful he has finally scored and helped the team win the gold cup. Then again in the later rounds of the gold cup he was not as effective as he was against powerhouses of Belize and Cuba. Best forward bets are Altidore, AJ, TB supplemented with CD, LD and would be awesome to see Julian Green and/or Agudelo in the mix. Not a big EJ fan either.

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    • it wasn’t just that he was ineffective, JK benched him after the El Salvador game. granted, he did get an assist that game but EJ came on for him and tore it up that game. then started the next two games. poor Wondo didn’t even play in the final.

      i think Jozy, AJ, and Boyd are basically locks. Boyd has to keep scoring for his club, but if he does, JK has shown he’ll bring Boyd in for A team games. the 4th was usually EJ but i think Wondo started really challenging him. unfortunately for both EJ and Wondo, Agudelo got a solid move to Holland. if he keeps up his strong play, he could easily take that last spot.

      Gomez i think has fallen behind and unless he goes crazy in Liga MX, i don’t see that changing.

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    • We’ve had a history of MLS strikers who dominated in the league, but couldn’t bring it at the highest level.

      Tayor Twellman is a perfect example of this, and that situation is the reason he keeps going on about MLS strikers being so great and powerful. I think he’s compensating for his own poor US career, and thus he’s trying to get his ego up. “I was the original Wondo, guys! MLS strikers like me are so good! If I was playing now, I’d be a lock!”

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      • None of the players listed have top level physical tools or the technical ability to make up for it. That split second advantage their instincts and vision give them over opponents in MLS disappears in top leagues and international competition. I do think Wondo has a poacher’s little magic in comparison to say Ching, Kreis or Twellman, but….. is it enough to get him to Brazil? In spite of my sentimentality rooting for him, the pragmatist in me says it is a long shot.

      • the strikers in today’s MLS vs. when Twellman was scoring are much better and improving noticeably every year. how much MLS do you watch? just curious

      • I agree. I think LD offers much more in that role with speed, the ability to take advantage of space, his vision, touch, unselfishness, his high pressure defense and his ability and willingness tracking back on D. Dempsey in red hot form is a compelling wildcard… enough that you have to find a spot for him on the field. When he’s not, it is sometimes hard to do so because he is a bit of a tweener as a player/isn’t a classic plug in to any position. It really takes a manager familiar with him to trust in the intangibles that make him speacial to plug him in and let him go for a while. I think this hurt him on the open market, with Spurs and…. although I say this as an admirer and a huge fan, it makes it hard to find an ideal place for him starting on this team. Clint really should be home with Seattle getting in tune with his team mates as he really needs to rediscover that tenacious player with a penchant for unexpected magic to cement a place in the starting 11. Should be interesting.

    • At this point he’s too old. He has a DP contract; he’s satisfied at SJ. Beyond the World Cup, he has nothing to prove, and not enough time anyway.

      I don’t think he makes the World Cup. He’s just not dynamic enough to make a difference. Previous international appearances prove that he doesn’t make a difference off the bench; he needs some time to find the game, otherwise he misses sitters.

      With the way things are panning out, I expect our four strikers to be: Jozy, Aron, Dempsey, and EJ. Jozy is a given, even if he’s playing poorly. Aron could be our starter depending on Jozy’s confidence levels. Dempsey isn’t dynamic enough in the hole any longer, but he’s good for goals. Like Wondo, Dempsey has a nose for goal; unlike Wondo, Dempsey brings experience and an X factor. EJ because of his speed and Klinsi’s apparent man-love for him. I’d prefer to see Boyd, but until Boyd actually scores in a US uniform, I think you go with someone who you can depend on off the bench.

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      • i really don’t understand that argument against Boyd. he has barely played at all because he is always called up for the A team. there is no doubt that if he played in the Gold Cup like EJ (and Wondo) got to, he would have scored goals.

        i just don’t see JK dropping him if he keeps his scoring up at the club level. but i also don’t think Dempsey will be listed as a striker. i think JK will list him as a midfielder.

      • Boyd has barely played at all but when he does, he does not look good or do good things. You don’t do dumb stuff like he did against Germany.

        Players in that spot need to something to give JK a reason to give you more minutes. My guess is he impresses in training or they would not ask him back.

        I see no reason to take him to Brazil but I also would not be surprised if they do.

        He has yet to score let alone score against better than CONCACAF opposition, the standard anti-Wondo rationale. So on that basis there is no reason to rank him above Wondo.

      • BS! outside of the Germany game, he has looked just fine. he got the assist on the winner in Mexico and of course he set up AJ’s goal against Panama. you are clearly just holding the Germany thing against him.

        it was a friendly against his “birth” country, he had jitters. Dempsey gave him a good talking to and we haven’t seen it since. JK has called him up for every A team camp last year outside of the loss in Honduras and when he had a dislocated shoulder in August/September 2013. so clearly JK sees something in him.

        the reason he is above Wondo is because JK rates him above Wondo. was Wondo in camp for World Cup qualifiers? nope.

        it’s not just CONCACAF in general, it’s B-teams like the ones Wondo scored against at the Gold Cup and this last game. there is no doubt that if Boyd was part of those teams, he could show well too. i think Wondo is a great finisher, but i do not believe he is the only one capable of scoring against Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, and the South Korean B team.

        we’ll just have to agree to disagree!

    • He’d be a good option down the bench, if we’re trailing against Ghana or Portugal, and we’re overloading the offense.With balls pinging around in the box, we could use his poacher instincts.

      He’s still behind Jozy, AJ, and Johnson, though, in terms of the run of play.

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