Comments on: I Must Have Missed The Trophy Presentation http://www.tiricosuave.com/2009/06/25/i-must-have-missed-the-trophy-presentation/ The Rhythm Is The Bass And The Bass Is The Treble Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:19:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: travis http://www.tiricosuave.com/2009/06/25/i-must-have-missed-the-trophy-presentation/comment-page-1/#comment-47591 travis Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:33:08 +0000 http://www.tiricosuave.com/?p=5797#comment-47591 lol @ soccer. lol @ soccer.

]]> By: Losloseeboy http://www.tiricosuave.com/2009/06/25/i-must-have-missed-the-trophy-presentation/comment-page-1/#comment-47588 Losloseeboy Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:44:32 +0000 http://www.tiricosuave.com/?p=5797#comment-47588 I think the FIFA rankings are pretty much meaningless. And under NO CIRCUMSTANCES do we belong in the same class as Germany, Russia, Netherlands and France. I mean, we haven't won a meaningful game on the world stage since 2002. For me, simply getting out of group play in 2010 would be equivalent to making the finals. Out of the players you listed — Boca, Benny, Guzan and Howard — Howard is the only one that can "truly" hold his own against the world's best. And I think you are severely underrating some of the "role players" from the European powers. Shit, Germany's Jermaine Jones didn't even make the national team. Now, he's talking of coming to the US. Guess what? He'd immediately be our best central midfielder. And that's the difference. I think the FIFA rankings are pretty much meaningless.

And under NO CIRCUMSTANCES do we belong in the same class as Germany, Russia, Netherlands and France. I mean, we haven't won a meaningful game on the world stage since 2002.

For me, simply getting out of group play in 2010 would be equivalent to making the finals.

Out of the players you listed — Boca, Benny, Guzan and Howard — Howard is the only one that can "truly" hold his own against the world's best.

And I think you are severely underrating some of the "role players" from the European powers.

Shit, Germany's Jermaine Jones didn't even make the national team. Now, he's talking of coming to the US. Guess what? He'd immediately be our best central midfielder.

And that's the difference.

]]> By: brad http://www.tiricosuave.com/2009/06/25/i-must-have-missed-the-trophy-presentation/comment-page-1/#comment-47583 brad Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:14:29 +0000 http://www.tiricosuave.com/?p=5797#comment-47583 I'm not saying I expect the team to go win the World Cup, but I will be disappointed if they don't move past group play, I expect them to be competetive in the knockout rounds. Right now there are maybe 4 countries that can EXPECT more than that from their teams. For me there have been two squads that show up, the one that draws with El Salvador and the one that beats Spain, to me it's not illegitimate to expect the one that beats Spain to show up more frequently. It doesn't mean they beat Spain even 5 times out of 10, but that they give themselves a chance every time. They've proven that they can, why would it not be legit to ask that of them? I'm not saying I expect the team to go win the World Cup, but I will be disappointed if they don't move past group play, I expect them to be competetive in the knockout rounds. Right now there are maybe 4 countries that can EXPECT more than that from their teams. For me there have been two squads that show up, the one that draws with El Salvador and the one that beats Spain, to me it's not illegitimate to expect the one that beats Spain to show up more frequently. It doesn't mean they beat Spain even 5 times out of 10, but that they give themselves a chance every time. They've proven that they can, why would it not be legit to ask that of them?

]]> By: brad http://www.tiricosuave.com/2009/06/25/i-must-have-missed-the-trophy-presentation/comment-page-1/#comment-47584 brad Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:14:13 +0000 http://www.tiricosuave.com/?p=5797#comment-47584 Maybe our definitions of world-class are different. Howard, Guzan, Bocanegra, Feilhaber are all guys I think can keep up with the best of them, they aren't going to win Player of the Year, but neither is anybody from Germany, or Holland or the Czech Republic. The US are ranked 12 in the latest FIFA rankings, I would say, talent-wise that's close to where they are. If I were to make tiers I'd put the US in the second. 1. Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, England. 2. Germany, Russia, Netherlands, France, USA. (cont.) Maybe our definitions of world-class are different. Howard, Guzan, Bocanegra, Feilhaber are all guys I think can keep up with the best of them, they aren't going to win Player of the Year, but neither is anybody from Germany, or Holland or the Czech Republic. The US are ranked 12 in the latest FIFA rankings, I would say, talent-wise that's close to where they are. If I were to make tiers I'd put the US in the second. 1. Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, England. 2. Germany, Russia, Netherlands, France, USA.

(cont.)

]]> By: Losloseeboy http://www.tiricosuave.com/2009/06/25/i-must-have-missed-the-trophy-presentation/comment-page-1/#comment-47574 Losloseeboy Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:57:05 +0000 http://www.tiricosuave.com/?p=5797#comment-47574 It was impressive, yes. But who cares about the way it appears at the midway point of a match? Isn't it about the final score? And I disagree with this statement: "There are plenty of world-class players on the American side." Outside of Donovan and Dempsey (who disappears for long stretches at a time) the Yanks have limited players with world-class skill. If the US had such players, the game would have been over. All they needed to do was win the possession battle and play keep away. A lot of this has to be blamed on the strikers. While Altidore has a lot of promise, he has an ATROCIOUS first touch and can't carry the ball under duress. In reality, I don't think a European coach changes things. The training methods from the youth-on-up are just so much different across the pond. Let's put it this way: In Europe, the kids are doing the same type of dribbling exercises as over here — only they are using a fucking tennis ball. That, right there, is the difference. It would take another 20-25 years to breed a crop of players that could compete skill-wise with the world's elite. Still, I agree with you in terms of the US's work rate, which was beyond impressive. That's one thing that will always keep me coming back for more. These boys don't give up. Right now, that's all we can legitimately ask of them. It was impressive, yes.

But who cares about the way it appears at the midway point of a match?

Isn't it about the final score?

And I disagree with this statement: "There are plenty of world-class players on the American side."

Outside of Donovan and Dempsey (who disappears for long stretches at a time) the Yanks have limited players with world-class skill.

If the US had such players, the game would have been over. All they needed to do was win the possession battle and play keep away. A lot of this has to be blamed on the strikers.

While Altidore has a lot of promise, he has an ATROCIOUS first touch and can't carry the ball under duress.

In reality, I don't think a European coach changes things. The training methods from the youth-on-up are just so much different across the pond.

Let's put it this way: In Europe, the kids are doing the same type of dribbling exercises as over here — only they are using a fucking tennis ball. That, right there, is the difference.

It would take another 20-25 years to breed a crop of players that could compete skill-wise with the world's elite.

Still, I agree with you in terms of the US's work rate, which was beyond impressive. That's one thing that will always keep me coming back for more. These boys don't give up. Right now, that's all we can legitimately ask of them.

]]> By: brad http://www.tiricosuave.com/2009/06/25/i-must-have-missed-the-trophy-presentation/comment-page-1/#comment-47559 brad Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:06:45 +0000 http://www.tiricosuave.com/?p=5797#comment-47559 I agree with you for the most part, but you have to admit it was impressive that they were able to do the same thing against Brazil for 45 minutes. If Bradley hadn't forgotten what subs are for they may have been able to pull off a 2-1 upset. It was pretty clear to me that Spector was tired after a superb first half and Brazil was exploiting that left side like Kathie Lee Gifford. So Bradley decides (too late) to put in two subs in the middle. I think the main problem is not the talent. There are plenty of world-class players on the American side. Don't get me wrong they aren't Spain, Brazil, or Argentina, but there's talent. I think they need to get hire a European coach. Someone who has been successful at the highest levels of competition in the sport, right now there is no American coach with that sort of experience. I agree with you for the most part, but you have to admit it was impressive that they were able to do the same thing against Brazil for 45 minutes. If Bradley hadn't forgotten what subs are for they may have been able to pull off a 2-1 upset. It was pretty clear to me that Spector was tired after a superb first half and Brazil was exploiting that left side like Kathie Lee Gifford. So Bradley decides (too late) to put in two subs in the middle.

I think the main problem is not the talent. There are plenty of world-class players on the American side. Don't get me wrong they aren't Spain, Brazil, or Argentina, but there's talent. I think they need to get hire a European coach. Someone who has been successful at the highest levels of competition in the sport, right now there is no American coach with that sort of experience.

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