Until espn2 picks up the game, I'm relying on a sometimes reliable Danish stream, so let's hope we have no problems.As always, you can also follow along at the U.S. Soccer Matchtracker.
The USMNT line-up:
Guzan; Hejduk, Spector, Bocanegra, Bornstein, Holden, Bradley, Clark, Feilhaber, Altidore, Cunningham
Back near kickoff...
--
Tons of experience in the Danes' eleven, with four guys carrying at least 70 caps:
Sørensen; Poulsen, Kjær, Krøldrup, Lumb, Jacobsen, Jensen, Poulsen, Rasmussen, Jørgensen, Grønkjær
--
2.24 PM ET - Let's kick off the updates by looking elsewhere for a moment. Algeria are so close to clinching a place, up 1-0 on Egypt very late. Greece have taken the 1-0 game and tie lead at Ukraine and the hosts have about a half hour to get level.
2.29 ET - The rain has cleared up, at least momentarily. U.S. national anthem now playing...
--
FIRST HALF
1'
Denmark in a 4-3-3, game on.
2'
Spector and Hejduk fall asleep on a quickly taken free kick, but Gronkjaer wastes a great opportunity by scooping well over on the run.
6'
Lost stream for 2 minutes. Comes back to a USA corner. Holden takes, Denmark clears. Feilhaber strips a player and draws a save from distance for another corner, which is also cleared and then recovered by Feilhaber. When the U.S. finally cede possession, Benny commits a good foul with Bocanegra caught up a bit.
13'
Jozy seems to twist his ankle a little coming down from a jump and is walking it off.
16'
Cunningham having some trouble reading play and with touches.
At the other end, a fine Bradley tackle gets the U.S. out of trouble.
24'
A pretty uninspiring spectacle thus far. A Denmark corner is eventually worked away, with Benny & Bradley doing the honors.
25'
Cunningham nearly wedges in from near the corner with Sorensen stranded, but catches the wrong side of the post. Not bad from that angle.
Seconds later, a third horrid Denmark pass at the back costs them when Cunningham scoops it up and lashes home lefty from 20. 1-0 USA!!
31'
Holden runs the right to the touch, then looks back to tee up Clark, who fires just over from 20.
33'
On a great run, Cunningham gathers a Feilhaber flick to test the keeper, but is correctly ruled offside. He started looking comfy the second he lined up that freebie shot. Uh oh...
35'
After some nice possession work by Cunningham, Feilhaber's chipped cross is just a little too long for Altidore in the opposite channel. The U.S. attack is beginning to look a bit sharkish.
39'
After a breakdown, Spector makes a huge block to dull Rasmussen's attempted cracker. With the power taken out, Guzan collects easily.
42'
Feilhaber is everywhere.
45'
Hejduk is lucky to escape a booking for the second time. Decaf, Frankie.
HALFTIME
--
The 'Nats have generally played clean ball, and are causing trouble with high pressure. The strikers need more service, they both look quite after it.
Elsewhere, Algeria and Greece have entered the WC10 field. The other three UEFA games are scoreless in the first half.
--
46'
U.S. kicks off...
48'
Spector is beaten over the top by a long ball, and Guzan is beaten by halftime sub Absolonsen's slotted shot. 1-1.
And then I lost my picture for a moment.
52'
Another halftime sub, Rieks, scores to make it 2-1 Denmark, but my picture keeps going in and out. It's a stormy day here, crazy winds.
And now we're back...
55'
Bernburg completes a hat trick of subs scoring inside 10 minutes with a turn-and-fire. The U.S. is searching big time right now. 3-1 Denmark.
62'
Bradley fires over from distance after some possession. The trio of Castillo, Johnson and Rogers come on for Bradley, Cunningham and...
Elsewhere: Slovenia have gone up 1-0 to take an away goals lead into the break at home. Ireland have also gone up 1-0 in France to level the tie. Bosnia and guests Portugal remain scoreless. All three games are at intermission.
69'
Rogers forces a low save from 20 after some nice U.S. passing.
Conrad and Goodson replace Bocanegra and Spector.
73'
A Feilhaber turn over lets Absolonsen fire away from 20+, but his effort flies wide.
75'
Portugal are now up 1-0, and 2-0 for the tie. All three Euro-matches are past the hour.
80'
McCarty in for Jozy.
86'
The lively Rogers wins a danger free kick, from which Clark nods over.
90+1'
A strong Clark surge forward earns a corner. Rogers takes and a Goodson header is well-saved on the line.
FULL TIME 3-1 Denmark
--
I'll be back later with the highlight reel. U.S. Player Ratings will be up tomorrow. Have a great night, folks.
- Greg Seltzer
Posts
12 comments:
I know you love Hejduk, but my god why are we still using him?
There is no reason to not be using a guy like Marvell Wynne or anyone else at the right back spot.
Can't we just completely cut ties with that generation? Please?
I'd assume we are using him because 'Dolo has left, Spector is in the middle and Simek is barely back from a longterm injury.
Oh... and also because, if this sort of selection headache continues or expands, he is a legit World Cup alternative - more so than Wynne, certainly.
My main issue with the line-up tonight, however, is with who is starting at the other wingback. His favoritisms are tiring, especially after this blatant White snub.
Yep, I agree on the Bornstein sentiment. It's the same routine over and over:
1. Kick ball hard down the line.
2. Give up ball over head due to bad positioning.
3. Watch winger run by.
4. Look to Bocanegra for bailout.
5. Repeat.
Are there no other viable right-back candidates anywhere? Certainly there have to be some options we could be looking into instead of Frankie "I should be red-carded every game for my two-foot-studs-up challenges" Hejduk?
I'm also not in the "Castillo is the answer" camp that many US fans are in, but I was fairly disappointed that we brought him in only to play him in the midfield.
A positive development, in my opinion, is the revelation of Robbie Rogers on the right, instead of the left. I wrote, repeatedly, during the Gold Cup that Rogers was a one-trick pony on the left and really struggled to make an impact against any defender with minimal competence.
Why is it, then, that Rogers looks an entirely different player altogether when played on the right?
Sorry, but this needs to be said.
An open letter to Jozy Altidore:
You have a ton of talent. You have physical gifts. You have resources. But you are lazy and you don't want it. You don't want to win. You don't want to be the best. You prove it with your lethargy and carelessness on the field.
There was one game against Costa Rica where you came out inspired. Your good friend and teammate Charlie Davies was in a horrific accident, and you channeled his energy...his desire...his pure drive...his belief that if he worked hard enough, he would be the best.
But you only did it for one game. On Saturday and tonight, you proved that you forgot that it could all be taken away from you in an instant. You have proven at Hull City that you expect it to be delivered to you on a silver platter.
Jozy, I don't have the talent. I don't have the physical gifts. I will probably be derided for even offering this.
But you are going the way of Eddie Johnson. You are rapidly re-enforcing the trend of great American talent that can't compete. Not because you aren't capable, but because you don't want it. Mark my words--you better turn around your attitude and you better prove that you want it. Stop the twitters, stop the B.S.
Or we'll see you in MLS in a couple of years.
Sincerely,
KO
@ bham: Right back past that group?
Well... you have guys like Moor, Kazlauskas and a few MLS rookies.
Personally, I'm thinking Spector needs to stay right for now. Conrad (another one Bradley seems oddly pained to play) can act as middle cover just fine.
I was also displeased by another 90 full minutes of Bornstein. Pearce should have been given this start. That being said, Castillo kinda almost had to play in midfield because we didn't have another wing guy... like, say... a Jeremiah White.
@ KO: Sorry, I can't agree with all that. It's a bit hyperbolic for me.
Greg--
I recognize that most people don't see it. And maybe I was still too in the moment when I wrote it. But I have to believe that if we go back and watch his games, you will agree with me.
He has no energy--almost lifeless on the field. I don't understand it. I often defer to your soccer knowledge--can you name another forward (heck, another PLAYER) that lacks energy and desire like Jozy? (e.g., 18th minute of last night's game). He plainly lacks the desire and drive right now.
Remember how everyone said that Altidore looked like "a man inspired" against Costa Rica? Shouldn't he look that way every time he walks out on the field? I think so.
Maybe the MLS thing in two years went too far. After all, Adu has managed to squeeze two years out of his European vacation.
This is an issue where we may all agree to disagree. My opinion is a bit radical, but I feel that I know the game pretty well, and I hope that I won't be right.
No, I do not think that Jozy should come out every time as if his friend just got in a car accident.
Now Greg--I post on here enough that I feel you should know that is not what I meant. I mean, c'mon. He SHOULD be playing inspired soccer, i.e. he should play like he wants every ball, every time.
He should be running balls down. I am not saying that he should be applying pressure where there isn't team pressure, but he should be showing more effort. His focus is non-existent. I suppose some can attribute that to a lack of playing time, but isn't that a "chicken or the egg" question?
Let me provide two examples from the Costa Rica game of things we saw from Jozy that we had not seen much of before, and certainly haven't seen much of since.
9th Minute: Shield, burst, well-weighted ball to Casey
44th Minute: chasing down a ball, tackling, getting up and sparking an attack
The game is on my DVR, so I can go back and check it out if you want more examples. Again, I don't claim to be an expert, but I feel spot-on with this one.
Maybe we could ask his Hull City and Xerez coaches...
I wasn't implying anything, I was answering your question. And your question asked if I think he should be/look as inspired as the Costa Rica game - in other words, as inspired as the most inspired he's ever felt for outside reasons three days a World Cup place has been clinched.
It's just not reasonable to ask THAT kind of inspired effort every time out. Can he give more? Perhaps. Can he give that much more every time? No, of course not.
I think that may have been too far a leap in logic.
My point is that he proved he has the capacity to play with intensity. And I would disagree with you that he can't play with that type of intensity a majority of the time. I could throw examples out there (Rooney), but I already know the response: Altidore isn't Rooney and Rooney is a superstar.
Indeed.
And I have never seen Altidore come close to that intensity. Not even 50%. I am starting to see why he fails to get playing time on loan. If I were a coach, I would be wondering if he really cares. His performance last night and against Slovakia was dreadful.
With Charlie gone, I have noticed something. Charlie wasn't just the best striker on the USMNT in the summer. His skill and desire almost made me forget that Jozy was on the field.
Finally, I get that we won't agree on this one, and that's fine. But I have a feeling that unless there is a noticeable change in his approach to the game, he will be riding the pine for a soon-to-be relegated EPL team for the remainder of the loan.
Rooney is also about 4 years older.
And again, I just find it hyperbolic to worry he'll sit at Hull all season when he started their last game.
But Rooney has played the same way since he was with Everton . . . when he was three years younger than Jozy is right now.
Maybe its overreaction, but I don't think its hyperbolic.
Post a Comment