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Soccer Sunday: Your Running Commentary

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There may be only one English Primer League game on tap Sunday, but there is no shortage of Italian soccer, and one game is a must-see affair.

Inter Milan hosts Juventus at San Siro in the Derby d’Italia, and the hosts will hope that Stevan Jovetic continues his good form to help them to another league win this year.

Inter sits third in Serie A with 16 points after seven game played, while Juventus has struggled to start its 2015-16 campaign, only registering eight points in seven games. However, stars like Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira are all likely to play for Juventus, so an intriguing battle is in the cards Sunday.

The Under-17 World Cup also continues to move along, and Mexico faces a difficult task in its tournament opener against Argentina.

If you will be watching today’s soccer, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Today’s TV schedule is after the jump):

SOCCER SUNDAY

FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP

3 p.m. — Fox Sports 2/Fox Sports Go/Fox Soccer 2Go/Telemundo/NBC Deportes En Vivo Extra — Australia vs. Germany

3 p.m. — Fox Soccer Plus/Fox Soccer 2Go/NBC Deportes En Vivo Extra — Belgium vs. Mali

6 p.m. — Fox Sports 2/Fox Sports Go/Fox Soccer 2Go/NBC Universo/NBC Deportes En Vivo Extra — Mexico vs. Argentina

6 p.m. — Fox Soccer Plus/Fox Soccer 2Go/NBC Deportes En Vivo Extra — Honduras vs. Ecuador

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

11 a.m. — NBCSN/NBC Sports Live Extra — Newcastle United vs. Norwich City

SPANISH LA LIGA

6 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Villarreal vs. Celta de Vigo

10 a.m. — beIN Sports en Español — Real Sociedad vs. Atlético Madrid

12:15 p.m. — beIN Sports en Español — Getafe vs. Las Palmas

2:30 p.m. — beIN Sports en Español — Deportivo La Coruña vs. Atletico Bilbao

GERMAN BUNDESLIGA

9:30 a.m. — Fox Sports 2/Fox Sports Go/Fox Soccer 2Go — Cologne vs. Hannover 96

11:30 a.m. — Fox Sports 2/Fox Sports Go/Fox Soccer 2Go — VfB Stuttgart vs. FC Ingolstadt

FRENCH LIGUE 1

8 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Marseille vs. Lorient

11 a.m. — beIN Sports USA — Bordeaux vs. Montpellier

3 p.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Stade de Rennes vs. Nice

ITALIAN SERIE A

9 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Napoli vs. Fiorentina

9 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Atalanta vs. Carpi

9 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Sassuolo vs. Lazio

9 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Genoa vs. Sampdoria

9 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Hellas Verona vs. Chievo Veronas

9 a.m. — beIN Sports Connect — Frosinone vs. Sampdoria

2:45 p.m. — beIN Sports USA — Inter vs. Juventus

MEXICAN LIGA MX

1 p.m. — Univision Deportes/Univision — Toluca vs. Querétaro

6 p.m. — Univision Deportes/UniMás — Guadalajara vs. Puebla

MLS

2 p.m. — DirecTV/MLS Live/MLS Direct Kick — D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire

3 p.m. — MSG +/MLS Live/MLS Direct Kick — New York Red Bulls vs. Philadelphia Union

5 p.m. — ESPN/ESPN Deportes/WatchESPN — Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders

7 p.m. — Fox Sports 1/Fox Sports Go/Fox Deportes/MLS Live — LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers

NASL

3 p.m. — ESPN3/WatchESPN — Ottawa Fury vs. San Antonio Scorpions

NCAA MEN

Noon — ESPN3 — NC State vs. Syracuse

1 p.m. — Big Ten Network — Michigan State vs. Penn State

1 p.m. — SEC Network + — South Carolina vs. Kentucky

2 p.m. — ESPNU — Tennessee vs. Missouri

2 p.m. — ESPN3 — Southeastern Louisiana vs. Stephen F. Austin

3 p.m. — ESPN3 – Jacksonville vs. Kennesaw State

4 p.m. — ESPNU — Santa Clara vs. Portland

8 p.m. — Pac-12 Network — Washington vs. Oregon State.

9 p.m. — ESPN3 — Long Beach State vs. UC Irvine

NCAA WOMEN

1 p.m. — ESPN3 — NC State vs. Syracuse

3 p.m. — Big Ten Network — Illinois vs. Nebraska

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

7:15 a.m. — Fox Soccer Plus/Fox Soccer 2Go — Dundee United vs. Heart of Midlothian

Comments

  1. Sad to see my Union be so god-awful all season but I’m happy to see Toronto finally get into the playoffs and ‘small-market’ Columbus have a great run. As much as we need big names in big cities, I think it’s even more important for clubs in smaller cities have real success as expansion continues.

    Reply
    • Donovan could easily be more important to the US team than Klinsmann. He would at the very least be providing leadership, and that is SORELY lacking. He has much more to contribute to the team than Klinsmann. I’m not saying that he should be coaching, but he should still be on the field and leading the team on the field as we work through this transition with the player pool. Why should we let it go when Donovan still has so much to offer this team? The fact that he was dropped and decided to retire is still affecting this team. I will say it again: Landon Donovan is more important to this team than Jurgen Klinsmann, and he should be the leader, not Klinsmann.

      Reply
      • LoL Ad nauseum

        It’s a team game. The ultimate team game as I see it. A quality team takes numerous key players to contribute. A quality program even more so. A singular focal point is a very counter productive. An archaic relic of an immature/teenage soccer culture. The obsession with LD is ludicrous, particularly in light of his chosen absence. Bad for US Soccer. Unfair to him.

        He, Landon Donovan, decided to retire from soccer. Not just from the NT, from a very good club situation, with a father figure as his manager as well. His sabbatical was pretty telling, yes? He was burned out. At the end of his rope. It wasn’t sudden or brought on by a manager (JK) so much as it was by the ludicrous demand he wore 24/7 going on 15 years as the singular focus of the game in this country on and off the field. His significance to U.S. Soccer is enormous, but it is now in a historical sense. Man earned some rest- now he has it. Sure most of the time he doesn’t miss the attention…. at others… seems he just might. Time moves on, so should US Soccer. It’s bigger than any one person. Well… at least it ought to be.

      • It’s a team game, no doubt. Klinsmann team does not play well together. Traits (not just trends at this point) under his leadership:

        – The team does not show any signs of cohesion or “chemistry.”

        – The rules for who makes the team seem to be greatly screwed in favor of certain players for certain reasons, and, in general, the coach makes it a habit to feud publicly with many of the players.

        – Tactics, or any semblance of a plan at all when it comes to the formation, are few and far between.

        – The coach finds every reason besides himself to explain why things are not going well.

        Donovan would take on some leadership on the field, which is an area that is frustratingly absent. Even if he could not carry the team like he once did, there is absolutely no way that he would be making a negative impact on the team with his presence. I wish the same could be said for Jurgen.

      • don lamb,

        For Landon to do what you suggest the single most important part of it is that Landon has to WANT TO do it.

        At this time, as a casual outside observer, it looks to me like he is having a good time.

        No more rat race, no more training , a guaranteed do-no wrong-bulletproof hero status , , etc.

        Most of all he’s about to become a new dad, a somewhat labor intensive proposition.

        He’d have to be crazy to do what you want anytime before the end of the 2018 WC.

        Maradona didn’t help his reputation much by taking over Argentina.

      • He was devastated by not being selected on the World Cup team. No stretch to think that that accelerated his decision to just go ahead and retire. Seems that Brazil was something that he had been focusing on for a long time, and he was getting primed at just the right time (look at how he played during the Cup for LA).

        Donovan provides the things that Klinsmann is lacking so so in. And, him actually being on the field would literally be a game-changer for Klinsmann (see: Scotland, Gold Cup ’13, farewell match). But we all know…

        I stand by my claim that having Landon Donovan back in the squad and leading them — even if only for another year or so — could be MUCH more influential and positive for US Soccer than whatever it is that’s going on with Klinsmann.

      • don lamb,

        It’s great that you stand by your claim.

        You may well be right.

        But your steadfastness and belief do not change the fact that your “claim ” is just an opinion, an opinion whose validity will never be proved one way or the other unless LD actually does this.

        And right now, never mind whether it makes sense or everything else that needs to happen, there is no indication that Landon WANTS TO DO THIS.

        Just because you think he might want to doesn’t mean he does unless you have some inside knowledge of which we are not aware.

      • I’m not saying it should happen. I think the point is that Klinsmann is doing more things to hurt this team than he is doing things that help this team.

      • My point is not that Donovan should be coaching the team. The point is that he COULD offer much needed leadership on the field. That is not going to happen because he is retired, but it just underlines the fact that Klinsmann is really struggling with this team and much of it is his own doing.

      • don lamb,

        LD was a good leader.

        But so are DMB, Mikey, Dempsey , Jones, Beckerman, Howard, etc.
        You are saying that those guys are not as good at leading as Landon.

        Twellman made the point the other day that the players always “hate the manager” and band together “against” him .
        Chicharito, when asked about Mexico’s rotating manager chair said that the players just take care of each other and don’t worry about who the manager is.

        The USMNT doesn’t miss Landon as a “leader”; they miss what he can do on the field as a player.

        If the LD of the 2002-2010 vintage stepped on the field today, yes he would immediately make this a much better team.

        But there is no proof that that version of LD was available for the 2014 WC or going forward.

        And if that playing version of LD wasn’t and isn’t available then he might a well be a coach.
        And no one knows how good a coach he is.

      • The version of Donovan at the 2013 Gold Cup was a pretty good indication. The version that was playing DURING the World Cup for his club team was a pretty good indication. He was sparkling at his farewell game. The times that he has not shown tremendous ability on the field (even under Klinsmann) are more noteworthy than the times that he excelled.

        Maybe you are right though. Klinsmann has created an environment so toxic that nobody else could successfully lead with him at the helm.

        What you say about the Mexican team should absolutely be true. But they also have lots of cohesion and understanding amongst the group of players. The US does not have that, which is partly due to natural turnover that would be happening now, but it is mostly due to the environment that Klinsmann has created where none of the things that allow the Mexican squad to function as a team are present.

        Are you still defending Klinsmann in these responses to me? It doesn’t seem like it, but I can’t tell.

      • don lamb,

        Obviously, you think JK is a cancer.

        I’m not as opinionated as you are. I don’t know if he is or isn’t

        I am neither defending nor criticizing JK.

        I do know that unless the US fails in WC qualifying, or punches out Ives in LAX, JK won’t get fired.

        I am merely pointing out that , with all due respect, your arguments accusing JK of fomenting a toxic atmosphere around the USMNT and thereby bringing the team down cannot be regarded as the Gospel truth.

        Rather, what you are claiming is an opinion to which you are entitled but for which you have no real evidence. I disagree with what you say but I can’t prove you wrong either.

        The only people who can put this all to rest, one way or the other, and accurately comment of the state of that “locker room” are the regular players.

        You and me, we know nothing about that.

        Until a couple of the USMNT regulars follow Chicharito’s lead and come out and candidly discuss your accusations about JK at length we will never really know.

        Are players failing because the locker room is toxic or are they failing because they screwed up? Against Mexico, Mikey missed a couple of his shots on goal that I have seen him make in the past. Is that JK’s fault? I saw Besler commit a handball in the box that probably should have been called. Was that the fault of a toxic atmosphere?
        Would Besler not have committed that handball if LD had been on the team in Brazil and were still playing?

        I often hear people citing interviews given by Howard and Mikey where they spoke about their surprise at LD being left of the WC team. And they cite this as evidence that JK has “lost the team”. Well what did you expect Timmy and Mikey to say?

        LD remains a powerful figure in the “US soccer world” and there is no profit in getting on his wrong side.

        And more to the point, what did the other 21 guys who went to Brazil have to say about it? Or don’t they count?

        I have never heard Timmy or Mikey be as candid as Chicharito and say anything about JK that could be interpreted as anything other than JK is the boss and we are team guys. And again what would you expect? How would it go for you if you criticised your boss to the national media?

        Players don’t represent you. They are about themselves. They are all trying to make the team and stay on the team so, in general they try and give the manager what he wants or they are gone. And with the national team, if they want to play in the World Cup the players have no choice.
        What is Fabian going to do if he doesn’t make up with JK and the rest of the team?
        Play for Germany?

        There was that big Strauss article about all the discord in the USMNT locker room around the time Boca was unceremoniously cut.
        What was the result? A big media brouhaha, that Herc Gomez thought was an encouraging sign that the USMNT was now getting big time attention.
        And then we got the Snow bowl in Denver where the US gave one of their grittiest performances and then went a run of games that just about secured World Cup qualification.

        So, you may be right but pardon me if I take reports of locker room toxicity or dissension with a very, very big grain of salt.

      • I am not basing my opinion of Klinsmann on locker room gossip and other bs. I was psyched about Klinsmann for the first couple of years, less so until after the World Cup, and now I can hardly stand what I see from him. There have been some good points, but after starting from a high point, Klinsmann has trended downhill ever since in my eyes.

        I am now at a point where I see him and the things that he has or has not done over the last four years as major reasons for why the team looks like absolute crap now. The only time in four years that his team has played well was when Landon Donovan was on the field. The team’s form sans Donovan is wretched. I am at a point where I am ready to place a lot of that blame on Klinsmann.

        You imply that you are above other because you don’t rush to judgement. If four years of horrible form isn’t enough evidence for you, I would just say that you have your head in the sand. There have been some good results, but the team’s form has always struggled under Klinsmann. I’m fed up with it, and I want him to do a better job, which probably means that he is going to have to change a lot. If you’re happy with the team right now and the direction, I’m not following you’re lead. Especially after your take on Julian Green’s spot in the US player pool.

      • don Lamb

        “I am not basing my opinion of Klinsmann on locker room gossip and other bs.”

        Wasn’t that your original point? That Donovan should still be playing because he would make up for the leadership that is not coming from the present players or from JK? Isn’t that about the locker room?

        “I am now at a point where I see him and the things that he has or has not done over the last four years as major reasons for why the team looks like absolute crap now.”

        Unlike you, I think the team looks like crap because the players haven’t played well. I’m old fashioned that way.

        “The only time in four years that his team has played well was when Landon Donovan was on the field. The team’s form sans Donovan is wretched. ”

        Fours years means since 2011.
        That means you think the US was wretched in the 2014 World Cup.

        There are more than a few people who would not agree with your opinion. For example the US finally beat Ghana in the World Cup.

        Ghana were the only team in Brazil to take a point off of Germany the eventual champs. They were also the US’ World Cup bogey team, one that ended Bruce’s 2006 World Cup and Bob’s 2010 World Cup, so I enjoyed that game very much.

        If you don’t value what the US players accomplished in Brazil, well the old horse to water business you know?

        Just don’t tell me that it is based on anything other than your subjective opinions and your clear, unvarnished, naked and visceral hatred of JK.

        In addition to the Ghana game, I found the Belgium game fantastic and a wonderful testament to the courage and grit of a thoroughly outclassed US team.

        http://www.espnfc.us/blog/the-match/60/post/1928144/marc-wilmots-and-belgium-defeated-the-usa-but-it-wasnt-easy

        If you did not enjoy the World Cup then it’s your loss.

        “I am at a point where I am ready to place a lot of that blame on Klinsmann.”

        Of course. The players are completely innocent. It was JK who made Mikey fail to kick that ball out of bounds in the dying seconds of the Portugal game, JK who missed Wondo’s shot and JK who got run over by Lukaku allowing him to score. Of course.

        “You imply that you are above other because you don’t rush to
        judgement. If four years of horrible form isn’t enough evidence for you, I would just say that you have your head in the sand.”

        Head in the sand? Is there something that I am supposed to do to stop the USMNT from falling of a cliff? You give me way too much credit. I have zero ability to affect anything the USMNT does.

        Feel free rush to judgment all you want. Go ahead and set your hair on fire. You are seem to be panicking while I think things are only just beginning to get interesting .

        By the way, it’s not four years.
        The first cycle ended when the 2014 World Cup ended. That cycle is in the history books.

        This is a new cycle now one that is about 24 games and less than a year old. Some of the 2014 team may be a part of the eventual WC team but at this point, no one is guaranteed a place in Russia, if they even qualify.

        Brooks, Yedlin and yes, maybe even Green have a shot at Russia but it should be obvious to anyone that the team for 2018 is probably going to be very different from the Brazil crew.

        Unlike you I feel that that most people have had unrealistic expectations of the USMNT player pool since 2002. I haven’t seen a tremendous improvement in quality in the USMNT player pool since then.

        Quantity yes. But quality?

        No.

        For example, who is the next Eddie Lewis, John OBrien or Claudio Reyna? Who is the next DMB? I don’t see anyone. People forget Demarcus was an important part of PSV’s Champion’s League run, essentially replacing Arjen Robben. He scored 4 goals in 12 games and played in the semi finals which is , as far as I know, the farthest any American player has gotten in the CL. He played in Scotland, Holland, Germany., England and Mexico.

        I would argue that JK and BB before him did not have the kind quality that Bruce had. And I haven’t even talked about LD.

        But I also feel that there just might be the beginnings of a bit of improvement in time for 2018.
        Since the World Cup JK has blooded Rubin, Wood and Morris. Those three look like they just might be the beginnings of a nice group of forwards. Yedlin seems to be progressing nicely at Sunderland. The Under 23’s are interesting and are far from dead in the Olympics. So there is SOME hope going forward.

        The Confederations Cup might have been nice but I’ll take some comfort from the fact that Bruce Arena considers it a useless money grab tournament that we may be better off not playing.

        Put it this way since 2002 Mexico has exactly the same World Cup record as the US except for 2006 when Mexico finished second in their group and then lost their knockout game to Argentina. And Mexico have had a superior player pool the whole time. That tells you that Bruce, Bob and JK have all done a very good job with a limited player pool.

        You assume the US is divinely ENTITLED to the World Cup success it has had, that any manager can just take a USMNT into the next round and the knockout game. It’s not that easy . It’s a new ball game every tournament.

        “There have been some good results, but the team’s form has always struggled under Klinsmann. I’m fed up with it, and I want him to do a better job, which probably means that he is going to have to change a lot. If you’re happy with the team right now and the direction, I’m not following you’re lead. Especially after your take on Julian Green’s spot in the US player pool.”

        Didn’t you just say that “The only time in four years that his team has played well was when Landon Donovan was on the field. The team’s form sans Donovan is wretched. “?

        The way that reads, unless LD is in the team you don’t think the US has played well in the last four years, including the World Cup . So which is it? Has the USMNT ever played well in the last four years without LD or not?

        As for my lead, I’m not leading anyone anywhere.

        If you think what I say is factually incorrect most of it can be looked up and confirmed. If something is in error I’m sure you’ll let us all know.

        And for the rest that is my own subjective opinion, If you just don’t agree with that, well hey this is America. You are free to feel as you wish.

      • You don’t need to be in the locker room to see that this team has SERIOUS issues. And it’s obvious that Klinsmann is not helping.

        Yes, I am not fan of how we played in the World Cup. Performance was VERY overrated because we got results. Anyway, that is such a small sample size. Those games were far from wretched, but just as far from encouraging when you consider who played and where (the team was built around Jones and his style of play).

        I don’t hate JK, I just feel like he is really hurting the national team. You are crazy if you can’t respect that opinion.

        As a high point, the team’s play at the World Cup was a disappointment. Mission accomplished, so I’m fine with how it played out, but not ecstatic. I don’t care what Ghana did against Germany, or what they have done to us in the past. We were fortunate to win that game based on how we played. We played a spirited game against Portugal. That’s two decent games that mattered. Everything else I have seen from Klinsmann’s team far outweighs those games.

        It’s not that the players are completely innocent, but the coach cannot expect anything different because of the way that he is running things. Players are not going to play well in the environment he has created. They are not overly skilled, but they are not playing together. Not playing with confidence. Not playing smart. Not playing all that hard. They take some blame, and I am not pretending like we have world class players, but that makes it all the more important to get the most out of them, and it is SO obvious that Klinsmann is not doing that.

        Get your head out of the sand. I’m not panicking or rushing to judgement. I am looking at reality and it took me a LONG time to come to these conclusions.

        You think I feel entitlement about the US and World Cup success?? You are rich, my brother. No, I feel like we have to work for any success that will come our way. Individually, the players need to play at the top of their game, but more than anything we need everyone on the same page and playing together.

        Again, I stand by my comment that the team has not played well except when Donovan was on the field. There were some good results, but I would not call the World Cup games well-played.

        I have changed my opinion on Klinsmann very very slowly over the last four years. It seems like your problem is that you are incapable of changing yours. You say things that you feel you have to defend to the death.

        You keep on going back to the World Cup, which was over a year away. That was the point where I said to myself, “Okay, let’s see what happens from here. Klinsmann can really do what he wants with this team now…” He was about level at that point. I was not enamored as I first was, and I was not fed up with him as I am now. The play since the World Cup has been atrocious, and it has been worse than I ever could have expected. The Brazil game was the ugliest game I have ever seen the US play. The Gold Cup (the only tournament that matters for a two year period) was horrible from start to finish. We were thoroughly outplayed by our rivals after that. And the way these performances have played out suggests that Klinsmann is not a good man manager and that he is even worse with tactics.

        You either have your head in the sand, or you are incapable of analyzing the game on a deep level. Again, not surprising since you anointed Green as a 17 year old before he had ever played a meaningful game.

      • don lamb,

        Respecting someone’s opinion does not mean one agrees with it.

        Everything you appear to believe in regarding the USMNT makes little sense to me but I respect your right to have your opinion on it.

        We have a different perspective on the team. For me only the World Cup matters. You are jumping out of windows while I think, now it gets really interesting.

        My view is now more in alignment with something Bruce Arena said recently. I had a higher opinion of the importance of the Confederations Cup than he did but since that is gone then I take comfort from what he says about it.

        http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015/10/08/la-galaxys-bruce-arena-questions-usefulness-confederations-cup

        “The new format, with the CONCACAF Cup, ensures every Gold Cup winner can qualify for the Confederations Cup.
        “It’s an interesting concept,” Arena said of the CONCACAF Cup. “It’s a money-maker. It’s footing the bill of a confederation that, somehow, their books have not added up right over the years, and they’re probably trying to get a little bit in reserve.
        “I think it’s a great concept, though, but if this happened between El Salvador and Mexico – no disrespect to El Salvador – I’m not sure it would bring [the kind of crowds and money that US-Mexico will].”
        Former Galaxy captain Landon Donovan this week suggested in an interview with ESPN FC that Jurgen Klinsmann’s job ought to be in jeopardy if the US, following the failure at the Gold Cup in July, fail to win at the Rose Bowl. Arena said that only certain national team results actually matter.
        “The only judge as national team coach is World Cup qualifying and the World Cup. Nothing else,” Arena said. “All the other stuff is meaningless, to be honest with you. Your confederation championship is important as well.
        “Friendlies are a waste of time, they’re a complete waste of time. The scores, the results, who wins, loses or ties, it doesn’t mean anything. They’re played at a different level for a different purpose. …
        “There’s always a focus on results, but you’ve got to know what results mean anything.”

      • GW is definitely the best poster on this site.

        All I will add to that is that Donovan has never been known for being a leader. That’s not to knock him, he was a great player, but he never had that in his personality. One reason he will never be a coach, for example. We’ve all known this for years, and your claim that the team somehow “needs” him right now is ridiculous.

        The other thing is that it’s impossible to be a great leader when you don’t really have the drive. Landon quit soccer. He came back, and then showed up to a friendly three months before the World Cup with a beer belly. Then in training camp he publicly stated that he couldn’t train 100% anymore. He was burned out.

        You can’t be a leader if you lack drive, certainly not when the coach’s project heavily emphasizes fitness. Klinsmann picked Brad Davis and Chris Wondolowski because he thought they would be a better influence in the locker room than a former legend who expects to play even though he can’t go a full 90 anymore, something that would have created a huge amount of drama (why isn’t Landon on the field? when is he coming on?). Having played in several top European clubs and having won a world cup, Klinsmann knows a thing or two about locker room dynamics and he’s a big believer in the importance of psychology. He decided that the team would be better off with players that want more than anything to be there than someone who feels entitled to be there based on his talent alone. And it worked. Not bringing Donovan was a huge risk considered our lack of attacking talent but we still had a fantastic World Cup because of the desire of our players.

        Jones and Beasley, now those guys are leaders who love the game and didn’t burn out. Dempsey, neither, and even if he’s not really vocal he leads by example. Donovan could have been like one of those guys but he chose not to be. That was his choice, and we shouldn’t get mad at him for it, but don’t blame anyone else than Landon Donovan.

        LD was great but it’s 2015 and you need to move on.

  2. Had Bradley never left he could still be a starter for Roma. KEVIN strootman has been mostly injured since he joined. Bradley didnt handle the pressure and chased the money and it explains his horrinle WC performance.

    Reply
    • Perhaps but they had also just brought in Nainggolan. He probably would have been in a rotation the next season as they had to balance Champions league. However I don’t know if he’d get regular minutes. Personally I don’t really see a decline in Bradley, I think some people just remember the past as being better then it really was.

      Reply
      • He was maybe their 4th best CM but he def would have seen many minutes being rotated and all. Sure he earned 3-4 times more at TFC but the team just sucks. I bet he wishes he were back at Roma. Didnt he always wanna play in the CL?

      • He was for a period but only when Zeman had a falling out with De Rossi. Roma ended up being like mid-table that season.

      • Yeah, people talk like if Bradley was a starter for the CL roma when in fact they were a midtable team at best when he was there, only after he left they went back to the CL.

      • True but I don’t want to put it all on Bradley. They had a bunch of kids starting like Lamela, Marquinhos, Dodo who had there ups and downs. Zeman had this run and gun approach also that just didn’t work, as they leaked goals. Once he was gone they sold the young players and bought experience on the back line. That’s really what put them at the top of the table.

      • Roma had finished 6th and 7th the years before as well, So it wasn’t as if there was a some drop off just as he showed up either. That’s about where they had been the few years before.

  3. The national team needs to bring back Landon Donovan! He’s the only talented soccer player that the U.S. has ever produced. I think he can still play at his age. We need to convince him to go back. Maybe he could play as left back or something because of his age, kinda like Beasley.

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  4. Let me guess NATO/Last Legion/Jozy Going To Do….

    You are the same person, and you are so bored you come on these daily commentary pages and throw out inane questions like top five strikers in the world? Or…Remember when Clint was at Fulham?

    Go find something to do outside today. It’s a beautiful Sunday.

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  5. You guys remember a decade ago? Like 05-10

    When all of the top 4 PL clubs were among the top 10 clubs in the world. Back when Liverpool was a Titan in the CL and Arsenal had world class players at every position. What happened?

    Back when Inter Milan was a huge club. Best in Italy and AC Milan was big as well

    Back before Ronaldo and Messi dominated the game

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  6. Do you guys see him possible returning to Europe in January or next summer? Hes getting paid 4.5 million dollars and he isnt worth half of that. Maybe if he were to return to Holland or Turkey or even France. He could regain his form

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  7. Out of the USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea?

    Which do you believe has the most talented players? Most consistent performance in world football? Most prestigious football league?

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    • like Louis said it would be Japan, J League is on the same level as MLS but they export way more players and their NT is rated higher (at least on terms of individual talent) than the USMNT.

      Reply

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