Top Stories

SBI Friday Rewind: Yedlin disagrees with harsh Donovon comments; Johannsson to have surgery; and more

Aron Johannsson

Photo by John Todd/ISIPhotos.com

By CAITLIN MURRAY

After Landon Donovan blamed a lack of vision from coach Jurgen Klinsmann for the U.S. Men’s National Team failing to make it to the World Cup quarterfinals, everyone seemed to have an opinion about Donovan’s comments. But for DeAndre Yedlin, who experienced a breakout World Cup with the U.S., Donovan’s criticism didn’t ring true. Instead, Yedlin said Klinsmann put the right players on the field at the right time and poor individual performances weren’t Klinsmann’s fault.

One player who didn’t appear in the USMNT’s final match against Belgium was forward Aron Johannsson, and it seems now it may have been because he wasn’t 100 percent. A spokesman for AZ Alkmaar confirmed Friday that Johannsson will undergo ankle surgery soon and be out for as long as eight weeks. The spokesman said he didn’t know when the injury occurred because it happened while Johannsson was with the USMNT.

Meanwhile, the World Cup continues for Brazil, but not as they had hoped. In a devastating blow to the World Cup hosts, superstar striker Neymar is out for the rest of the World Cup. Brazil won over Colombia on Friday, 2-1, but a late challenge from behind by Camilo Zuñiga fractured Neymar’s vertebrae, all but ensuring his World Cup is over. Zuñiga defended his high-flying tackle from behind, telling reporters it was “a normal move” and not meant to injure anyone.

Here is a rundown of all the stories featured on SBI today:

U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
Yedlin disagrees with Donovan comments slamming Klinsmann’s approach

Johannsson scheduled to undergo ankle surgery, will miss 6-8 weeks

WORLD CUP
Neymar ruled out of the World Cup

Brazil holds off Colombia in quarterfinal thriller

SBI World Cup Man of the Match: David Luiz

Germany defeats France to advance to 4th straight World Cup semifinals

SBI World Cup Man of the Match: Mats Hummels

World Cup quarterfinals: A Look Ahead

World Cup and MLS: Your Running Commentary

SBI 2014 World Cup Diary: Entry 5

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Report: Beckham to meet with Broward County about potential soccer-specific stadium

CONCACAF Champions League group schedule released

Crew, Rapids finish locked in stalemate

Dynamo battle back to tie Red Bulls

RSL halts losing streak with win over Revs

NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE
NWSL Ticker: Gulati talks Solo’s status after arrest; Waldrum takes national team job; and more

NWSL Week 13: A Look Ahead

EUROPEAN SOCCER
Friday Kickoff: FIFA engulfed in ticket scandal; Rodriguez valued at €75 million; and more

 

Comments

  1. Wud someone please tell landycakes that the day he checked out for Cambodia he was no longer relevant to USA soccer……so shut up.

    Reply
  2. First off, where did Ives find Caitlin? She’s a really solid writer.

    I get where Landon’s coming from. Against Belgium we would have been better off with two attackers to keep the backs and midfield honest. It wasn’t like the defense was shielding Howard.

    Reply
    • Jacknut,

      Which two attackers did you have in mind? Jozy was hurt and now it seems AJ may have been as well. Wondo came on and actually did his job if not for his miss.

      You have to factor in that Fabian’s early injury made that last substitution really critical.

      And great as Timmy was, he did not do it alone. Many of his saves were routine in the sense that he was supposed to make them.

      Finally, the US got to injury time with the score 0-0 and a chance to end the game.
      I believe Wondo’s miss came at the 92nd minute. Make that and the game is over.

      It was simply bad luck that the US did not win the game.

      Reply
      • During the Sunderland season, people were killing Jozy even though overall he was playing good. The argument always was he was there to score goals. Fair enough. I didn’t totally agree but I understood the argument. Wondo didn’t do his job because he was on the roster specifically for his finishing abilities that he has shown in MLS. He had a perfect ball fall to him and he shanked. Job not even close to being well done.

      • Paul6,

        I wrote “actually did his job if not for his miss”

        Once he came on the US had better offensive opportunities.and then when they finally had one that would have worked he blew it. Unlucky as he was, he normally makes that nine out of ten times but close does not matter.

        So I call it bad luck.

        Still, ther always has to be a goat, someone to blame. Wondo cost the US a great deal and he will never be able to make up for it. But I’m confident that people like you will never let him forget it or live it down until the day he dies.

      • Nope, Wondo doesn’t make that 9 out of 10 times – he basically missed the exact sitter against Panama. Not a hater, but let’s be honest – he shouldn’t have been there.

      • If he only has one chance all game, his job is to finish that chance!! That’s called being a striker. You are wrong. He did NOT do his job. He could not do his job if he misses that chance, missing that chance constitutes failing at his job. Not bad luck, not 9-10 woulda coulda shoulda. He failed. Should not have been there Like Gomez, Findley, Buddle, Cooper, Casey, Ching and Twellman before him because he was out of his depth.

        Don’t believe me? What did Julian Green (an 18 yr old who’s career is already more prestigious than Wondo’s is at 31) do with his one chance??

      • Of course Wondo failed but that is not the same as saying he should not have been there.

        I don’t care if he missed the exact same chance in another game, better players than him have missed easier chances. I’ve seen Clint have worse misses.

        You can’t predict that sort of miss.

  3. Landon continues to affirm why he was not part of team! Move on Landycakes!! The team was inches away from going to quarter finals and Team selection was spot on. The fact is – Begium out-shot the USA by a wide margin. And USA missed the few good chances we had – exception was Greens dream goal. How can that be a Klinsmann? Looking forward to Donavan growing up and supporting USA team – not his own agenda!

    Reply
    • The members of this were far from spot on and its silly for you to say as much but i get it, your hate for Donovan is clouding your judgment! Your naive if you think this team was put together to make a finals run and reason being is that any good manager would have capable backups for issues with fatigue and injuries. Its unfathomable that Mix, nor Chandler or Johansson for that matter didn’t see any time otherwise why bring them? Every good player has a healthy ego and its just a shame that managers was bigger! This team was set up to fail as stated by LD, and not just because he wasn’t there but because JK couldn’t see the big picture! Olayer selection was disappointing and his inability to change tactics was a failure and he deserves to be called out for it and sorry if that hurts your feelings

      Reply
      • ronniet,

        How would you have set up this team to suceed?

        What would your team roster have looked like?

  4. Landon continues to affirm why he was not part of team! Move on Landycakes!! The team was inches away from going to quarter finals and Team selection was spot on. The fact is – Begium out-shot the USA by a wide margin. And USA missed the few good chances we had – exception was Greens dream goal. How can that be a Klinsman? Looking forward to Donavan growing up and supporting USA team – not his own agenda!

    Reply
    • I don’t think that Landon, at this point, is failing to move on. Reporters have asked his opinion and he has a reputation for honesty, whether it is politically correct or not.

      Remember, he was a big source for Grant Wahl’s SI article about how Beckham wasn’t well received by the Galaxy lockerroom.

      I do agree that this type of “tell my opinion” was a big reason why he was left off. At the end of the day, to each his own on this one.

      Reply
      • Landon has always been very sharp. His playing career is nearly done and his time with the USMNT is absolutely done.

        I’d be shocked if these comments on JK and the USMNT were not very well considered beforehand.

        He made it very clear during ESPN interviews earlier in this World Cup that he took on his ESPN role because he saw it as a great way to prepare for his post playing career as a media pundit on soccer.
        If I were him I would do the same thing and he will never have a bigger opportunity to make his case for a career in the media. And after all he is from LA so celebrity exposure matters.

        The people who should watch out are Alexi and Taylor particularly Lalas who could easily be displaced by Donovan.

      • Unfortunately, Lalas (while I can’t stand him almost every time he opens his mouth) has a quality, very basic, yet crucial to being on TV that Landon sorely lacks: charisma.

        Landon on the other hand is monotonous, ineloquent and (sounds) boring… when you process the words coming out of his mouth he becomes anything BUT boring, but nonetheless, that is not the sort of handicap you want to have onscreen.

      • It is possible that LD could develop that.

        Michael Ballack was stiff and boring as an ESPN pundit in 2010 and this go around is much more appealing.

        And it is clear that Landon at least is more current and is hopefully more informed than Alexi whose tactical grasp appears to be on par with an informed fan. I’m not sure he understands anything other than set pieces. I can’t remember Alexi ever saying anything particularly illuminating. He does keep stressing the “American Way” as if he was the only person who ever played on a team with fighting spirit and a never say die attitude.

  5. Ran across this article about the value of each team in the World Cup, which should pretty much (but won’t) put paid to any notion that Klinsmann somehow “underachieved” in Brazil.

    In total value, the US is ranked #28 out of 32 World Cup teams. Only teams below us – Iran, Costa Rica, Australia, and Honduras. Our total team value is something like the square root of Brazil’s, who ranks #1.

    FYI…Germany is #4, Portugal #9…and Belgium #7. I was surprised how low Ghana was valuated at.

    Food for thought. We overachieved. Mightily. Especially since we lost Jozy Altidore – who represents about $8 million of our total team value of $77 million – 15 minutes into the tournament. On paper, anyhow, we had absolutely zero business getting out of the Group of Death, much less almost knicking Belgium.

    Only team that overachieved more than we did is Costa Rica. They won a group composed of two Top-10 most-valuable teams (Italy, England), and the #11 team, Uruguay…with one of the least valuable rosters in the World Cup.

    http://www.thescore.com/worldcup/news/511056

    Reply
    • It’s only that simple if you think the $$$ put on players in the market represents their actual skill level. It’s well known that there’s a bias against American players in the Euro market that represses their value.

      Reply

Leave a Reply to quozzel Cancel reply