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SBI World Cup Man of the Match: Jermaine Jones

JermaineJones-GermanyWorldCup2014-Getty

By RYAN TOLMICH

Thursday was sure to be an emotional day for Jermaine Jones. After spending most of his youth and career in Germany, the 32-year-old was charged with defending against the German onslaught with the U.S. Men’s National Team’s advancement on the line.

Jones put those emotions to good use, putting forth yet another spectacular effort that have seen many anoint him as the team’s best player during his time in Brazil.

For much of the game, Jones was a battering ram, running down Germans, teammates and even referees. But when the team needed him to move forward after going down 1-0, Jones did just that, as the 32-year-old advanced up the field in search of a U.S. goal.

A goal never came, but the U.S. did enough to survive and advance to the tournament’s Round of 16. Much of the credit goes  to the play of Jones, who picks up his third SBI World Cup Man of the Match honor, beating out teammates Tim Howard and Omar Gonzalez, as well as German goalscorer Thomas Muller.

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What did you think of Jones’ performance? Who stood out for you in today’s game?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Interesting to compare the U.S. rankings with German sources. Kicker Online ranked Jones worst of all the starters (5.0, which is harsh). They noted Jones’ collisions with the ref and his teammate, and thought the rest of his game undisciplined and ineffective. The only high rankings (3.0) were for Tim Howard and Matt Besler.

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  2. Chatter about German players and nationality. Couple of things to remember.

    1) Every team has dual nationals. The 2 Boatengs are a great example. So is the Belgium team. When it comes to the French and Algerians, given their history, I’m not quite sure where one begins and the other ends. And in this modern world, I think the grey (or brown) area is just awesome.
    2) Unless you are Native American, you too are an immigrant.
    3) Pretty sure Jermaine Jones is a Bradley Sr. pickup. He just got injured before 2010. (Yeah, it’s safe to say he would have been an upgrade as the central midfielder destroyer.) Prior to Bradley, many of the previous coaches had a couple of dual nationals to round out the team.
    4) I’d encourage others to remember that Jones, Johnson, Brooks, and Green are all military brats. I did not serve, but I have many friends who have. I’m going to go ahead and be fine calling these guys Americans. Their fathers’ earned that for them.

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  3. Well done SBI nice to see vindication for Klinsi with his absolutely correct choices of eligible players from abroad. There were many pooh pooing those choices. I actually heard us soccer people making comments like “all he’s done is bring in Germans”. Yeah, well, Thsnkfully!

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    • Pretty hard to go against Mueller for that one, too, with four goals and an assist in three matches.

      But it depends what we mean by MOTM. Mueller plays for an exquisite Germany team and has Mesut Ozil feeding him the ball; by the end of the Portugal game he was just scoring goals for pure amusement. Jermaine Jones, on the other hand, scored a goal because if he didn’t score a damn goal WE WERE GONNA LOSE and he was not gonna allow that.

      So if our MOTM standard is “guy who most clearly put his whole team on his back for long stretches and willed them to earn results you didn’t think they could” then yeah, Jones gets the freakin’ Ballon d’Or as far as I’m concerned.

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  4. How about that you people that hated JJ because of YCs? I believed in this man’s worth from first tackle he made in a US shirt.
    A TRUE NUMBER 6!

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  5. Ancelotti once said football is the most important of the least important things in life!
    Yes! That’s it!
    Happy with the cup all around.
    good job USA
    good job Adu to try again
    good job Landon with the ESPN gig. Wish you were on the field, but hey!
    let’s put water in the beer

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  6. Bradley was neither as good as people made him out to be pre-WC nor as bad as they are making him out to be now, though his is having a Jozy-like run of inconsistent play, his confidence is low and he may not be 100% healthy. Honestly, his current play reminds me a lot of the way he played when his dad was coach, when people couldn’t understand why he was on the field for every minute of every meaningful game even when putting in questionable performances. It makes me wonder if he gets a little complacent when his position is locked in. He seemed to respond pretty well to competition so maybe that would wake him up. Unfortunately, now isn’t the time for that type of coaching.

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    • At this point it’s not really ideal to bench him because of the way our midfield is lined up. If he isn’t looking good against Belgium I fully support Diskerud getting subbed in.

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      • unless we’re winning. I can’t see putting Mix in to defend a lead even if MB is sucking.

      • Hey Jozy is out till the final. A hamstring tear is long term. How can you follow the game and not know this stuff? Anybody who falls down grabbing his hamstring is out for 4 weeks. Period

      • If we go by Jozy history his already missed 2 weeks of game form. So playing Jozy would be a mistake. It takes him awhile to get back in form.

  7. What’s so hard about being a on website dedicated to soccer in the US and questioning how a US player is MOTM. This is soccer by Ives not Fußball Von Ives ..

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  8. Bradley had a decent game against a favorite to win the WC. People calling for him to be benched must be new fans, and thats ok but they’re wrong. He’s been asked to play a more attacking role and thats not his game. He’s had to play world class DM’s and has held his own. Jozy going down hasn’t helped either as his only option going forward is a swarmed Dempsey. There is a reason he is the one players look for. His provided an outlet to relieve pressure and has done it well

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    • +1000

      Without Bradley’s tireless effort, support of teammates and skill on the ball, the US would not be in the round of 16.

      Despite losing Altidore, the rest of the team picked it up a bit and that helped. Who would’ve thought Yedlin would be an impact player?

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  9. Sorry but how on earth is Jones the MOTM over Muller? Germany dominated the match and Muller scored a great goal. It’s fine if Jones is the US’s MOTM but overall game MOTM? No way.

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      • I’d let this one go. This is in theme with the site. If Muller had scored 20 goals he would not be MOTM here.

        It’s not ignorance. SBI doesn’t rate the other team’s players typically in the “Player Grades” … plenty of other sites do and most everybody visits those places too. This is, and has always been, a US-focused site to my knowedge. For all the writing the staff is producing, I can’t see wny of the writers needs to waste half a day writing up German players when others worldwide are doing that already.

        I suppose you could say he should call it USMNT MOTM… but meh.

  10. Jones had a good game, but I thought Omar Gonzalez was the MOM in this game. He came in an started for Cameron, coming off an injury, not having played a full 90 in weeks and he bossed the penalty box, moving and marking well, making key clearances and commanding in the area. Even his yellow card foul was a smart one.

    This by no means says that I think Jones had a bad game, but for me, it’s a 9 vs. 8.5.

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  11. I know it’s water under the bridge and all, but Donovan could have helped us infinitely more than Davis in that match. We squandered many opportunities in transition because of poor decision making. LD is the king of the US counter. Also, Davis wasn’t really effective on either side of the ball because of lack of speed. Too slow to help on D- hence switching to the other side so Zusi could help track, and too slow to be useful on the counter. Poor all around. 🙁 I know he’s know track star anymore, but Davis makes Donovan look like speedy Gonzalez.

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    • This will never go away because it is so true. Donovan would have solidified the weakest part of the team – outside mids. How he did not get a spot over Davis, Green, Yedlin, or even Zusi (assists aside, he’s been exposed as too slow in possession), is beyond my pea-brain’s ability to comprehend.

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      • Assists aside?!? The guy’s played a role in all but one of the goals they’ve scored in the tournament (officially credited with two assists). I’m all for having a discussion about whether LD should have been included or not, but not at the expense of Zusi.

      • Sure.

        Maybe Yedlin, but he’s been really solid and if you want someone with his speed off the bench to run at a fb or force a winger to defend Donovan won’t do it.

        Greens the same way. He’s the same kind of player but on the left wing. The closest comparison we’ve called in was Shea.

        Davis is the one that makes the most sense, but if you want Davis for his dead ball skill, Landon doesn’t measure up there.

        It’s not about whether Landon’s just a better player, but whether he’s a better option off the bench in any circumstances. I can’t think of many.

      • Donovan won’t do what? Defend? Feel free to watch any Gold Cup game from last summer. Donovan spent a good deal of time tracking back. Can’t strike a dead ball as well as Brad Davis? Maybe not with his left foot, but with his right he is still pure. And oh btw Donovan has both feet. Neither Davis or Zusi can make that claim.

        What could he do as a sub that we don’t already have? How about subbing in for Bedoya when we need someone who doesn’t get in his teammate’s way? Oh and I’m still dying to know who is going to take our PK’s should we get any. Donovan is “pretty good” at that.

        Oh and comparing Julien Green to Brek Shea. That’s pretty funny. You do realize Shea is 6’3″? And Green is about the size of a jockey?

      • Donavon has skill and he has vision. But, he has lost some of the quickness that made him so dangerous on a counter-attack. Soccer midfielders must cover 6-7 miles in a game, some of it sprinting, that is why you will not find an overweight midfielder playing pro soccer. Donavon was overweight this spring. He was never the most physical player, something that is OK in some situations, but not something the USA can afford. (Green has that in common with him.)

        I thought that in the last few games I saw Donavon play he was not all that good. If I were the USMNT coach, I would not have had the balls to drop him. JK did. It seems to have been not the worst decision given the results so far.

  12. Jones again had me eating all those negative comments I made comparing him to Ricardo Clark. Bradley on the other hand makes me look like a genius.

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  13. Three strikes and you are out. Bradley has had three terrible games. It is time to staple his butt to the bench and bring on Julian Green the future of US soccer. Dang. A song keeps going through my head. Girls just wanna have fun-uh-huh. Girrrls just wanna have fun. Love that song. Time to bring on Julian. I like that name. Julian. And dang I love that song. Can’t get it out of my head. Girls just wanna have fun-uh-huh. Girrrls just wanna have fuuuun!!!!!!!

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    • Bradley had 1 terrible game, 1 good game with an unfortunate sequence for which he is getting way to much criticism, and 1 mediocre game against probably the best team in the world.

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      • +10. Spot on.

        Still problematic though. If we want to play like we did for 70 min against Portugal, we need Bradley to show up.

      • On one hand, I’m glad people care and are criticizing him, and I have been vociferous in my criticism of him, too, but I will say we don;t really have a choice. Bradley is still automatic for me even playing like he has.

      • I think the beyond solid play of the remainder of the central midfield is the reason everyone is killing Bradley. If you told me he would not play well (comparatively to his standard) and we’d be through, I would have laughed. If he gets it going, this team could make a run.

      • The point is, Bradley is arguably our best player and with that comes the expectation of consistent play. He has not demonstrated that, and it is worrisome that after each game, the narrative continues to be, “he will play better”. Not seeing it.

      • Apparently you are blind. He recieves more passes than any other player on the USMNT, clear testament to his ability to play off the ball and get open as well as to his teammates trust in him. He completes more passes than any other US player and has been in the top 3 in pass completion % in each of the 3 games. Now, I am not sure how your blindness will permit you to read the facts, but you must find a way!

  14. OK, signing off now to make a baby and name him Jermaine. See you guys tomorrow when we know who our Tue opponent is gonna be.

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  15. SOOOO glad that he didnt pick up a yellow today as well. Does anyone know if those are wiped clean starting in the round of 16? I hate that rule!

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      • Where is the document that shows this? I believe you cos you are a legit poster for sure, but why is google giving me so little on this? I have heard a lot of people speak on this in comment boards but way too many have been coming out inconsistent among each other.

        I do recall in past WC’s, FIFA has often made this decision “in tournament”… usually to ensure the participation of star players (we won’t get any benefit here). I’m actually fine with this. Actually, I’d love to see them try a WC without any game-to-game YC suspensions (now that van Bommel is gone). It’s always a pity.

      • Yea it was difficult to find but it’s true.. I originally thought they were wiped after the group, but that’s not the case

      • Huh. I’m trying to remember where I read that it will be done this WC as in the past few. The Disciplinary Committee has the authority to do it under article 37 of the Disciplinary Code, but I can’t find any publication that commits them to do it again this year. The precedent is well-established at this point, but you’d think they would actually publish something before now.

  16. Once again Jones was head and shoulders above everyone else while Bradley had yet another mystifying game. Clearly he can’t handle being the star on the team and the pressure has affected his performances. Can’t believe I’m typing this, in my Bradley shirt no less, but we need to look at a replacement for Bradley against Belgium. He’s too much of a liability out there.

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      • Mix is a fine player but it is no comparison. People criticizing Bradley are right to do so for his uncharacteristically poor touches in this tournament thus far but that ignores everything else your CM’s are supposed to bring to the table. Mix is nowhere near Bradley in his defensive work and off-the ball running. If anything, I hope he is watching Bradley, Jones, and Beckerman and learning what the expectation is for a CM in our setup, so that he can grow into this role for 2018, when we has every reason to believe he could be a first choice option.

      • DM you’re quite an intelligent cat. . . .hilarious and spot on with analysis (your take on the Donovan situation, done in humor, was probably the most accurate portrayal of Klinsmann and LDs relationship).

        Do you coach?

      • Thanks for the compliment, Sky. The only coaching I do these days is in FIFA ’14, and in truth I am quite mediocre. (I could’ve sworn Bornstein was due!)

    • It could be a deep run, and his WC is not over. Look for a MOTM / GWG from him in the matches ahead. He is like the Italians of old, keeping his powder dry until the elimination games.

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      • I certainly hope so, because I’m a big Bradley fan, but lately I’ve been cringing when the ball comes to him. It’s his once rock-solid decision making which seems to be so off.

      • I keep wondering if Bradley 2014 is going through Donovan 2006, so much pressure externally and internally that it is nearly impossible to live up to it.

    • Not as down on MB as everyone else. He’s not playing at the level we’ve seen in the past, but this is the WC and we have faced very talented (and motivated) opponents. Also, his responsibities have changed since JA went down. He’s had to pressure up top more (what JA would normally do). And our tactics have changed. Our fullbacks are not making many forward forays because of their defensive duties, so the number of MB’s passes out wide have been reduced. And with less width, the opponents jammed the middle, making it tough to get much flow in our offense. That said, when we had some offensive movement today, he looked better today than in the prior two games.

      “Hello, my name is JAC50 . . . And I’m a MB apologist.”

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      • Despite that, MB completes more passes than any other US player and is in the top 2 or 3 in pass completion %.

        Too many here have opinions that they twist the facts (or completely ignore them) in ways to support to their erroneous judgements. The reason he looked better is all the US team looked better. Jones completed just 49% of his passes vs Ghana and was at 75% vs Germany. For comparison Bradly was 75% vs Ghana and 86% vs Germany.

        People can have their own opinions, but not their own facts!

      • MB90 looked fine. I don’t understand the complaints this game. He runs more and passes better both in quantity and accuracy than anyone on the team. He had some bad giveaways in previous games but I thought he was great today. Also it seems like every time we saw players on top
        Of each other hacking at the ball he came out with it. On top of that, he was inches away from a world class pass to JJ on a breakaway. It’s definitely not his best but I can’t understand the complaining.

  17. well deserved. fantastic hustle and its hard to believe that at one time posters were arguing for a Cameron- Bradley midfield as our best option.

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    • I argued for it and I still don’t think this is the right solution. Not in anyway because Jones isnt good enough to start. Jones Bradley Cameron and Beckerman are all amongst our best 11 players. It’s a matter of finding the best combinations. Bradley has looked useless in the more attacking spot. Beckerman and Jones have looked very very good where they lineup, but it’s hard to get all four on the field and still in good positions.

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      • Exactly. Bradley never plays well at attacking mid. Never plays well with a partner at defensive mid because he’s always out of position. Toronto is undefeated without him. Last year when he was hurt, Roma was undefeated. He gets transferred from M’gladbach and they qualify for the Champions League. Now, what might happen if the US drops him? See the pattern?

  18. Jones is playing for that last good contract. Amazing what these guys do when money is on the line. But I don’t care what is motivating him, he is playing great.

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    • No way, dude. Jones is playing for personal pride… especially today. You don’t think he got called some nasty names as a kid in Germany? This is the last big career achievement within his reach. You’re right that he’s in his thirties, so he’s not going to be a key cog on a Champion’s League winner in the future or anything like that… but he’s leaving it all on the field to be THE MAN on a pretty decent World Cup squad. This is something to tell the grandkids about.

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      • Great post. This is more than likely his last chance to play in a World Cup, and he’s making the most of it.

      • This!

        This is JJ’s first and maybe last WC, the pinnacle of a soccer player’s career. He’s playing for the glory, and based on his performances thus far, he can look back with pride after all is said and done.

  19. Bradley has to be hurt. That foot “injection” must have been part of a bigger problem. But in the current 4-1-4-1, it is clear that Jones has been the most effective, followed closely by Zusi.

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    • Disagree on Zusi. His touch was awful today. His corners were garbage as well. I’m not a Zusi basher. Love his work rate and defense, and usually he gives reliable service, but he’s struggled offensively.

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      • He’s 50-50 on corners, which at this level isn’t good enough. I don’t know who we have that can hit a good corner every or nearly every time.

      • Brad Davis. On the starting 11 though however… Maybe have Fabian take some crosses? Have the mids cover for him until he gets back.

      • Really? We made it out of the group without him. I think its time to get over. Therapy, I hear is good for letting go. 🙂

      • Brad Davis just showed today why he shouldn’t be on the roster. And the cup doesn’t end with the group stage. There’s a lackluster Belgium team ahead of us, and we don’t have a solid corner kick taker.

      • Agree. He’s overdoing it, doesn’t look relaxed. I think not having LD around played with his psyche–as in, he feels like he has to lift the team. He doesn’t. He’s got great players around him. Needs to relax.

      • No he must keep up the work rate. Without his support, much of the US possession would have ended prematurely. It is not sexy and it puts Bradley in difficult spots at times, but his availability to teammates is what makes this team work.

  20. So I’m guessing Schalke will sell him somewhere nice, since they don’t want him. I’m trying to think who is helping his stock as a player most in this tournament. Clearly Memo Ochoa, then maybe Jones. Whom am I missing?

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    • How about Besler? Not a “star” in the sense that he’s a centerback, but the fact that he’s been very solid – coupled with playing in MLS on a relatively low salary (compared to any of the big leagues) – should make him a wanted man.

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      • Yes, this. (His first touch on the ball today notwithstanding) Yedlin should also draw the interest of some clubs…

      • I give Yedlin more credit than that. He’s blazingly fast, only 20 yet, and has had good crosses in. Looks great. I would say he should possibly even start, and push Johnson up to midfield.

      • Yedlin been a big surprise. I agree with Jack if you start him play him at RM with Fabian at RB. So when Fabian attacks Yedlin can go back into RB to cover for him

      • Amazing how he single-handedly transformed the Japan game when he subbed in. Serious stud.

    • Jones is 32, does a euro team really spend to get a player his age? I’m guessing he gets the move to LA he’s been wanting. Besler, at 27, will get looks, but in the end….

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      • One thing that I would want to look at is an MRI and X ray of Jones’ knees. It they’re good, I’d snag him in a heartbeat if he fit the culture and philosophy of my team. I have a feeling though, with the way he has played throughout his career, that top teams won’t take him for the money he will want. Having said that, I think he might be – yes, I do mean this – the best field player we’ve seen in a World Cup for the USMNT. The competitors are Reyna and O’Brian 2002

      • Besler been one of the big surprises for this cycle. Talk about a guy who jumped over Omar, Cameron and Ream to take that job. I think his def euro ready.

    • Not that his stock has much further to rise, but Sanchez has been tearing it up. Also, Ruiz has been solid and might warrant a look by a higher level team.

      Disappointed in Aguero, despite Argentine success.

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      • Moreno has been excellent as well.
        How about Depay from Netherlands? I bet he gets bought quick after the tourney. Joel Campbell also. Ahmed Musa looked pretty impressive for Nigeria as well. and Origi from Belgium.

  21. Jones seem to have a hard time making passes and holding the ball. I would have to say that Howard, Besler, Gonzalez, and Beasley had better performances not that it is saying much.

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    • Agree. He was very sloppy in possession. I still think overall he did well, but not MoM like the last two performances. I never every thought I’d type these words, but I think Beckerman may have been better today. Maybe even MoM.

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      • That yellow card tackle was ill advised. Otherwise he was solid. Amazing how beckerman has found another dimension to his game by simply turning with the ball and passing forward.

        We got the good Omar today. Glad to see he has confidence again. I forgot Davis was in the game until he was subbed out. No impact whatsoever.

        Beasley performed much better. If we fall behind belgium early, i hope to see the first appearence of mix. And maybe the normal bradley willl show up as well.

      • Actually Beckerman’s challenge on that play may have prevented Jones from getting the yellow. Both of them were making a tactical foul and it was only that Beckermann came in from behind that saved Jones sitting out the next match.

      • Do you guys think everybody had a good game for the US? We must have watched a different game. Cause I watched a game where Germany owned us and we only took 3 shots none of them were direct shots. Nobody had a good game for the US. We just bunker down and held Germany.

      • Beckerman is benefiting from the very low expecttations for his play. He’s very much still Backpasserman, and seemed inches away on multiple occasions from disaster.

      • I agree. The fact that Beckerman slips into the starting lineup for the World Cup and NOBODY seems to even notice his play is a testament to how well he has played. I wasn’t sold on him, but he is tidy in possession we all know his defensive qualities. The biggest surprise to me is that he has not been exposed athletically (I thought we was too slow for this level).

        Aside from Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman is my man of the tournament.

      • Beckerman is playing as he often has played for RSL, and has always been good at possession. I am very happy to see him playing up to his potential as a true 6; he fits very well into the current scheme and makes us a lot stronger. The passing, however, has always been there.

      • Beckerman, only beat out for man of the tournament by Jones? I’m wondering who could possibly have seen your post coming just a few months ago.

      • So true. Jones was my choice for games 1 and 2, but this game I rated Gonzalez, Beckerman and Beasley higher. Jones looked exhausted.

      • I’m pleasantly surprised by the athleticism thing as well. I think there are two things at play there:

        1) He’s actually faster (at least as a north-south runner) than people (including myself) have given him credit for.

        2) To the extent that he’s still not exactly a burner speed-wise, the scheme that Klinsmann is playing helps cover for it. Because Jones and Bedoya/Zusi have been deployed as an additional layer of defense, Beckerman doesn’t have to get every single stop or worry about getting forward unless there’s a clear opportunity. Beckerman/Jones/Bedoya has performed incredibly well as a midfield unit.

        I’ve always liked Beckerman but have been skeptical of him as a national team player. No more. I’m a fan and a believer.

      • Totally with ya. JJ #1, KB right there, a Dempsey being a wonderful honorable mentioned with his strong finishing. God if only Jozy had not got hurt, this team would be so much more deadly going forward? probably too many jozy haters on this board to agree with me, but trust me, we would have cruised against ghana and portugal had he not got hurt.

        BUT, gotta move forward. hope to see Mix get subbed in and never see brad davis again. what a waste….his one chance to shine, and he desides to be a spectator instead of a player in the game. yedlin a wonderful bench psark; who saw that coming????

      • Beckerman played in JK’s first game as USMNT manager.

        Since then he has basically been an ever present in JK’s rosters.

        He has also been consistently cited for the past three years as proof of JK’s inability to judge talent.

        It’s interesting to see so many people suddenly jump on the band wagon.

      • Beckerman looked shaky on the ball and had more than one give-away in dangerous positions. I’m glad he’s having a good tournament overall…always felt he deserved more respect but today wasn’t a great game for him, imo.

      • i actually thought Beckerman had a very strong game. especially in the 2nd half. his stats were very good.

      • You do know he had the highest pass completion % for the US starters in 3 games. He, Bradley and Besler have been consistently the best in that stat. He is also second to Bradley in passes completed.

      • You guys are crazy if you think Beckerman or anybody had a good game today. Very sloppy game for the US.

    • He made a few surges up the middle, but in the end, did nothing with it. I noticed a number of times where he lost the ball and was very slow to recover defensivley. Was he active, yes, did he have a great game, no. I am surprised he was able to finish the game, I figured he would get a red or not be able to continue after running into the ref and Bedoya (What was he doing running into Bedoya?????).

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      • Are you confusing Jones and Beckerman? Jones ran into Bedoya. Yes he looked tired. Beckerman has more dreds than Jones.

      • No confusion. Jones lost the ball and was slow to recover many times throughout the game. Also, for all his runs, he didn’t produce. So, as I said, he was active, but not great. Those are very different things. His goal against Portgual aside, he has been poor with the ball. His main move is to hold the ball, throw his body between the ball and defender, then fall down hoping for a foul. Even when he has space, he looks to take a foul. He has been ok defensivley, but slow to recover in transition, and poor with the ball. He has been active though.

    • Disagree entirely El Comandante. Jones not only played an excellent game, but had to deal with Schweinsteiger, who clearly had a single mission today – get under Jones’ skin and get him out of the match. The maturity he’s shown throughout makes Jones the USMNT man of the tournament. Mueller may have scored, but he was no threat until they put goetze in and went with a more attacking formation. It’s a complicated game, try to keep up.

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    • You will have to wait El Comandante. Expat is presently tied up pretending to be futbolismo… he should be along shortly to agree with you. You guys are the cutest troll tag team. I can practically picture you both sharing a fruit roll up before naptime.

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    • He’s been reincarnated into prime Michael Essien for us. Box-to-box midfield destroyer with a terrific shot from distance. Love it how he’s all over the field for us. 4 days of rest will do this team wonders.

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    • He’s played so well, I’m going to buy a Shalke jersey for him, if I can find a place to buy one. It’s surprisingly difficult to find soccer jerseys for whatever reason.

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      • Jermaine Jones is looking primed for a DP slot in MLS in July. Who has an opening? Portland? San Jose?

      • I actually wouldn’t mind him in San Jose. He would definitely be an upgrade from Pierazzi, Cronin, Stephenson, etc. Especially if we’re going to be changing systems, he would be an excellent guy to build around for the next few years. Of course the Quakes ownership will never shell out the money for him, but one can dream.

        I don’t see him being a particularly good fit in Portland, given that Chara and Johnson already have made the midfield their own and are each years younger than Jones.

    • CR7 didn’t do much aside from allay our fears of being eliminated by Ghana. A Ghana-Portugal draw would have sufficed as it was…

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  22. With the exception of Brad Davis, I was very pleased with the play of the entire team, but Jones was clearly a dynamo. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen him play so well or have so much an effect on an entire game. Well done.

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      • Michael Bradley is missing one hell of a tournament. The mind wanders considering the reason why…

      • It’s absolutely true. I love the guy but expect more of the him. The two other middies have been making up for his subpar play.

      • Honesty, I don’t think it’s just this tournament. During the Send-Off Series I didn’t think he was playing particularly well either. Certainly not as well as we’d seen him play in the past. He just didn’t have the regular crispness and precision we’re used to seeing so often (sublime assist to Mix notwithstanding).

      • Totally agree, and I think I posted this elsewhere before, but that one amazing assist to Johnson sort of overshadowed the larger issue that Bradley didn’t play very well in the send-off series, and it’s carried over to the WC.

      • Bradley is expending too much effort running, to the detriment of ball control. He has sold himself on his own statement that the team that wins is the team that suffers the most – hence putting in the highest mileage of any player in the WC. This wasn’t the way Bradley played at AS Roma, but when he moved to Toronto with the huge expectations and salary, those first few games he ran himself into the ground trying to win every ball. It ended up he had to miss a few games from exhaustion. That’s what I see here – he isn’t being smart about conserving energy and it leads to unforced turnovers and less effective play late in the games. Still, an incredible asset to the USMNT.

      • Agree. I was kind of shocked to see him chasing the goalie and defenders during the game today—that sort of visible effort is useless, when he should be working in the midfield to create. He needs to be smarter. I still hold out hope but wonder if Diskerud might flourish in his role.

      • You are just beginning to realize how much defense Jozy played and Mikey is trying to make up for that since Clint is not that good at it.

        I still think that tough guy and all that aside, he’s not completely unaffected by his broken nose.

      • I was okay with him chasing the keeper and defense because Dempsey looked spent. My problem is that he is a good possession midfielder and solid in the middle. But he seems pulled between being that holding/linking midfielder and an attacking midfielder. He’s really missing the presence of a true attacking midfielder ahead of him–a Donovan or Mix-type of player.

      • Saw today that he has run the further than EVERY SINGLE PLAYER in the entire tournament so perhaps he is a bit exhausted.

        23.6 miles…WOW!!!

      • @Del Griffin.

        Nonsense. Bradley was the player for the US who was most available to teammates to make a pass and relieve pressure. Most possession the US had was a direct result of Bradley’s movement to stay in good spots to support his teammates. Without that support, a lot of his teammates would have struggled. The only player who even came close in that regard was Beckerman.

        For the 3rd game in a row, Bradley completed the most passes for the US (nearly twice as many as Jones) and Bradley was again among the team leader in pass completion % at 86% well ahead of the team average of 75%.

        Jones is definitely a bull dog and he did very well, but too often he still tends to try to pull off things that he is not capable of. When Jones failed, Bradley or Beckerman was there to bail him out. It is interesting that it was Jones who played with athletic intensity while the American born Beckerman and Bradley were the ones who played more intelligently.

      • I can comeback with that and say drop Jones and see how good Bradley and Beckerman are. Jones is good without Bradley. His been doing it for a long time in Germany. Give the guy his kudos. His better then Bradley. With that said I think Bradley did a better job then what people think

      • Completely nuts, with all due respect. Jones is having a great tournament and I love him generally. Teams need players like him. But much of the space he has enjoyed is directly due to the attention Bradley has drawn.

        No team is concerned enough about Jones to benefit Bradley.

    • We lost so we can advance and lose again!

      Ha, just kidding, sort of. But seriously, well done group-stage work. They def deserve to be the # 2.

      Reply
      • Shut up. If Belgium play against us the way they played against Russia we’ll eat them up.

      • “Shut up”? Really? I’m just playin’ around. I encourage you to lighten up a bit and have a sense of humor.

      • I have a sense of humor about many things but not the USMNT and their advancement at the world cup.

      • You’re telling me to grow up? Are you serious. Because I told you to shut up about your ridiculous none joke?

      • Wait, aren’t you the guy who showed up here a few weeks ago talking all kinds of smack about Portugal? LOL

      • People who tell others to develop a sense of humour usually do that because they are not funny and have to blame others for their incompetence in that area.

        Not unlike the people who claim that those who do not “get” their attempts at sarcasm are mentally deficient.

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