Having slept obscenely late to prepare for tonight's USMNT v Trinidad & Tobago World Cup qualifier, it's time again to take a quick lap around the soccer world before some niiiice yoga...
#1 - An overly cute French girl brought me homemade food out of the blue... that's right, suckas! She aimed right for my tummy, which tells me she's a smart one.
Luis Arroyave ain't the only one who can taunt his readers by talking about choice dames. Yeah.
#2 - I will again be posting some thoughts as the U.S. match unfolds tonight. I would really like to see us put the chess set away and play some ball for once.
I'm going to say 2-0 again, but not as a prediction this time. This time, it's a "minimum requirement" type of thing.
Seriously... all work and no play makes Jack go three-and-out at World Cup 2010. We are coming home after going 100% in the first two games away and I've actually played on the Toyota Park pitch - it's time to see one quick one-touch passing with mind to attack.
Pleeeeease.
#3 - In a related bit, Mr. Arroyave had a little chat with USMNT #1 Tim Howard, who rejects the idea that the 'Nats would be better served by a European tactician.
While I fully believe Timmy is sincere, it's probably best that we also file this in the "Well, what's he supposed to say?" drawer. As for the website he's referring to, I kinda assume he means BigSoccer (link on the right in NSC Hangouts).
#4 - Continuing with the USA v T&T theme, watch coaches Bob Bradley and Piotr Nowak, and captain Carlos Bocanegra talk about returning to "Sweet Home Chicago" (which I was going to make Cut of the Day until unsatisfied with the mp3's I found).
#5 - Former Tottenham washout Serhiy Rebrov has shoved boot firmly in mouth with shamelessly racists remarks made as advice to new Spurs signing Roman Pavlyuchenko. The 34-year old Rubin Kazan attacker suggested that it's best not to walk at night in that area, what with all the 'dark-skinned' folks around.
It's 2008... why are people still this proud to be openly ignorant?
#6 - Has anyone else noticed that San Jose is unbeaten in eight and steadily creeping up the MLS playoff berth table? In fact, GM John Doyle and coach Frank Yallop have gotten this ship righted so quickly that a team largely written off in July is now ticked off with themselves after a victory.
More to come in a spell...
- Greg Seltzer
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8 comments:
Thanks for the write-ups!
Question for you:
If you could call in the US squad and put out your own starting lineup, who would it be and why?
If you'd rather not answer that fully, then is there any player(s) you'd bring in over player(s) on the current call-up?
Greg and Yoga? Very nice! :)
Do you mean for this particular game?
I'm 39 now, Johannes. GOTTA love the yoga if you still plan on running with the 20-somethings on the park pitch! :D
Sure, we'll say for this game.
Did anyone else watch the England-Croatia game? Rooney and Walcott were rampant, as Walcott went for a hat-trick.
Ryguy, if I'd made only one different call-up, it would have been Charlie Davies. I think the roster is one true forward light as I don't consider Deuce & Donovan to be forwards.
Then again, my quibble with the coach has rarely been his call-ups.
As for tonight, I'd probably go 4-4-2 diamond, with Donovan as the #10 and Bradley taking a night off from starting. I'd go with Dempsey on the right, and since I don't feel Beasley is 100% match fit, let's say Lewis or Kljestan on the left.
Timmy in goal of course, backline the same, except Cherundolo returns to right back.
Up front, let's say Johnson and Ching.
Anybody who's read me over the last 5-6 years knows I believe the USMNT would do well to adopt a 4-3-3 set, but it's not the kind of thing I'd throw out there on a moment's notice.
A 4-3-3 would certainly fit our personnel fairly well. We have a stable of guys who could play the holding\central midfield spots - Bradley, Feilhaber, Edu, Spector - and speedy guys who could be serviceable as Dutch wingers.
Unfortunately, I don't see this coaching staff ever messing up their favored 4-4-2\4-2-3-1 setup. Though, to be fair, I'm certainly not against the 4-2-3-1. It allows for a team without true wingers to use a some hybrid players (like Dempsey or Adu).
Oh, and I just recently found your blog, so I might be a bit behind on your likes\dislikes with the coaching staff, etc.
Thanks for the response!
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