who knows what?

So as I have said before, the pressure is too much. When a team wins 3 - nil, one would think that there wouldnt be criticism or hating on such a performance. But then again whenever England wins there is some hating. They beat Jamaica on the run up to the WC 2006 and people were still talking about a 6 goal difference not being good enough.

Sure, there is reason to have concerns. McClaren is ok, and they havent had a great full 90 but we will see how it turns out come this week against Russia. 3 nil over Estonia means that with a win in Russia they will clinch a spot in Euro.

ok i realized I am all over the place... writing with ADD in many ways

1 - The goals Estonia gave up are the goals you have to capitalize on. SWP's first goal was soft and thru Poom's leg but then again you take it. Rooney coming back and getting the deflection for his first goal in a long time serves him well before the Russia game. Then the OG was pretty impressive for an 18 yard header.

2 - Everyone talks about playing mistake free. This is something Estonia obviously didnt do. When you make mistakes you hope they dont capitalize. England did that. They should be happy with that too. Something none of the commentators mentioned. It seems like every commentator has something to say and some reason that the game was another piece of evidence that English football is going down the tubes.

3 - England should be happy that the didnt take Big Phil as their coach as we have now seen how much crap he is in terms of sportsmanship but then again McClaren might not be the best choice. He has taken some chances and he has won but then again when has he done something people have said is right.

4 - v Russia, it should be interesting to see how Paul Robinson answers to the different turf. Its the stuff we here in the states are used to with the black rubber pellets. I am not happy that this is being used for an international match but oh well it is. He has said he does not want any excuses yet if he gets pulled from the number 1 spot he might start saying some excuses. His play hasnt been up to par and I think he would agree.

Now on to the States.

1 - Its an interesting roster that will face the Swiss come wednesday and I am looking for the states to get out of this slump with international games. Bradley will of course say that this is a learning experience, which Im sure it is. But its time we go out there, especially in Europe (like we should have done in South America), and get some wins and prove people need to be afraid of us.

2 - Hope is back with the team and of course is sitting on the bench. At this point I think Ryan is just taking her and sitting her because she is a contract player and is getting paid anyways and doesnt want to seem like he is wasting money. Abby added to her goal total which is now 85. A machine. Thats all I can say she is. Here are the match facts.

thats all for now folks

My Take on Life

Aight, So I took a break to let the old guys finally have a say, even if they are lost in their old fashion ways... I kid them and I hope they know that although I am sure meanbaldguy will be just that, a very mean bald guy to what ever I say.

First - Gold Cup final was great. We should have put it away in the end and it made my nerves go a little more along with more gray hair on top of my head. With that I have to say there is no better feeling for the rest of the day than beating mexico. We could be playing them in the WC 3rd place game after barely missing the WC final and beat mexico then and I would still act like we actually won the WC. So going along with the AR - we need a striker. I liked how Bradley put Demps up top because he seems to be the only one cocky enough to run at people and be risky and creative. Bornstein's goal... one word... unbelievable.... He was not American when he struck that goal and that goal I believe crushes all hopes mexicans have of beating us on our soil. All we need is that in mexico city, sans pollution or 120,000 people chanting racist chants. (you have noticed that anything to do with the team of the country to our south will never be capitalized due to their dirty play highlighted by their coach hugo).

Second - Bradley - He got my respect with the way we played in the Gold Cup. But since then I am just not sure. I had voiced this concern to meanie and the AR but I really feel like we are disrespected the Copa along with not showing that we are a footie country. These countries do not know that we arent sending our A team and they invited us into their tournament. Its not a given that we will be asked to the tournament everytime they have it and Bradley just say hey ok well lets give some kids a run out... kids like Benny Olsen. Great player no question, but past National Team prime... Yes we should have beat Paraguay - but we had no striker or person willing to take the shot... Twellman will never count as long as he keeps hiking up his shorts and if he is trying show off to the ladies, which will never love him as long as he keeps missing that 24 by 8 box that is the point of the game. So in short, great job on the Gold Cup. Disrespect in the Copa and who can tell who will be the team come fall 2007.

Third - Keller - Howard's reflex save v mexico gives him the #1 jersey for the next 2 years no question. He is getting great experience for the toffies and I hope he continues to progress. Keller should be commended for his past with the US and the big games he has had. But what should be noted is that Keller has no team. He is playing for a contract even more so than Gooch was because he has his with the magpies. His team in deutchland dropped down a league and then dropped him. I think that uncertainty is playin in his mind even though he is getting some Caps. He will be picked up I am sure just not sure by who. Yes Keller has been less than par but in response to the ar, no way should Perkins be brought into the mix. He might be making some great saves but he has a long way to go to prove himself to me about National team merits.

Fourth - We can not rely on our youth forever. It worked in 2002 no question - we stormed the scene and crushed down on Portugal. But we only got to the round of 8. The project back in 2000 was called project 2010 because they said they wanted to be called a threat to any team by 2010 world cup. We need a mixture of youth and experience in order to get through some of the later rounds and have a cool head when the money is on the line. It worked in 2002 with Beaz along with Stewart, or McBride and Donovan. Look we are an athletic country and we should use it as our style and I still have not seen a style that defines the US...

Ill write some more before I head up to Minny for my tourney and Ill try to post while I am there. I have been playing on the weekends and been getting goals and assists 4 goals 6 assists in 3 weeks of playing.

we are currently down 1 - nil to columbia and Eddie Johnson needs to shoot the ball

ISO -- A Finisher

Two games down and two losses. This one didn't have to be. The US lost an early chance to take a lead when Sacha Kljestan missed an open header off a beautiful cross. Other misses followed. Many other misses followed. And then, disaster. Jonathan Bornstein was trying to clear the ball back to Keller, Jimmy Conrad let the ball go by, and a Paraguayan pounced. Unlike the US, this fellow knew what to do with the ball, a frozen keeper and and open net. A 2-1 deficit gave Paraguay the opportunity to play 10 back of the ball and counterattck. Nonetheless, we had more chances. None were converted. (And the Paraguay keeper made a couple of solid saves. Unlike . . . well, see the post below.)

So one more game to go with this collection of guys. Some positives, some negatives (can't anyone score!), some porous defense.

Keller's not the answer

Just a quick note at halftime of the USA-Paraguay game.

Kasey Keller is not the answer to the US goalkeeping question. He's been getting a lot of playing time here and got a lot in the Hold Cup. I think that's a mistake. We should be trying out some of the other keepers who are playing in MLS or overseas. I leave it to the Ref to know who they are. But my problem with Keller is that he doesn't make that kind of save that energizes his team. Was the goal in the Paraguay game his "fault?" Probably not. But it seems like the type of goal that the Mexican keeper would have saved (based on his performance against Ecuador). And in the Argentina game, Keller was let down by his defense, but he seemed slow off his line and slow to react to the play coming at him.

The Ref, before donning the yellow jersey, played keeper for the local public high school team (not the school he attended -- see this one), so he may have a different or more nuanced appreciation for the challenges playing that position. But I think we need a change between the nets.

10-0-1

Just a short post -- maybe generate some discussion.

Bob Bradley is 10-0-1 in his first six months at the helm of the USMNT. Thanks to Donovan's sure-footed placement of PKs and Benny Feilhaber's brilliant volley, the US defeated Mexico 2-1 in the Gold Cup final. Unlike what happened at the WC when the US fell behind late in the first half against Ghana, the team didn't quit and played hard and won, coming from behind. The mark of good coaching?

When Bradley was selected, there were some folks who were quite dismayed at the decision. Yet since his selection, we've seen the introduction of many new players into the pool of those from which the team is being created for different games and tournaments. It seems to me that he's taking a very methodological approach to putting together a team that will be better able to compete on a world stage, be it at the Confederations Cup in 09 or the WC a year later.

The team selected to play in the Copa America starting Thursday has several players with fewer than ten caps: Jonathan Bornstein, Jay DeMerit, Ricardo Clark, Justin Mapp, and Feilhaber (plus 11 other relatively inexperienced players). To a certain extent, Bradley's hands were tied by some players' club commitments. But as regards others, he seems to be saying: let's see who is available and able to compete at this level. So maybe the US doesn't get out of group play this time. To me, the goal is a better showing on an international stage in 09 and 10. And relying, as it seems we have for the past couple of WCs, on the same core group of players has not worked.

Klinsmann withdraws from consideration!

ESPN is reporting that Jurgen Klinsmann has withdrawn his name from consideration for the USMNT head coach position. The article notes:

"Klinsmann, in a statement sent to ESPN, said: 'Sunil [Gulati] and I have concluded our discussions about the U.S. men's national team program, and I have withdrawn my name from consideration as coach. I'm not going to go into details about our conversations. But, I certainly want to wish the next coach of the U.S. men's national team much success, and I want to, also, thank Sunil for the opportunity to exchange ideas.'"

Apparently, the problem was neither money nor the potential Nike/Addidas conflict. Rather, the issue was control of the program. According to Fox Soccer Channel, "there had always been the question of whether or not Klinsmann would accept the culture of U.S. Soccer. Power, and the sharing of it, was said to be a consistent theme in the talks and it could be that despite agreeing in principle, the two parties could not settle on an agreement that would give Klinsmann the autonomy he desired."

Fox is also reporting that for now, Bob Bradley, the Chivas USA coach, will lead the team on an interim basis as it prepares for friendlies against Denmark and Mexico.

This is a stunning disappointment and it lends support to the Ref's comment earlier this week that what the US MNT needs is not only a strong coach, but new civilian leadership at the top. If team control is the make or break issue, one has to wonder whether the team would be more successful if the coach has the authority to make player personnel decisions as opposed to other team management officials. Given the results from Germany, I'd have had no doubts about trying it Klinsmann's way until such time as it proved unsuccessful.

I think

US Soccer needs a new president