World Cup and European leagues

[jknezek]

12 in a row is 12 in a row. Considering the record is 15 wins in a row in international soccer, 12 is very impressive. What makes it more impressive is a few ancillary facts: 1) only 2 games were friendlies, 2) basically 3 different teams were used (WC qualifiers, Gold Cup, Europe friendly). What makes it less impressive is a few ancillary facts: 1) almost all the games were at home, 2) only 1 game was against a team ranked higher than the U.S. in the FIFA rankings, 3) several games were against teams ranked below 100 in the FIFA rankings.

Yesterday was a nice win, but I'm not as high on the game as the commentators. Yes, winning in Europe is fantastic. Winning against a solid team in Europe is a good omen for the U.S. Both the newbies who saw extended time played as well as could be asked (Brooks and Johannsen) although Brooks got shaky at times as can be expected when your youngster has to hold off Edin Dzeko.

Why wasn't I thrilled? Because the U.S. was thoroughly beaten in the first half, the possibility of 2 missed penalties (for the U.S.) and the possibility both goals scored (against the U.S.) could have been offside, the U.S. was more or less uncoordinated in the back, missing passes in the midfield (Micheal Bradley aside), and Diskerud looked lost playing underneath Jozy. At halftime, B-H played in 4 subs, destorying their teamwork. After the first U.S. goal they subbed in 2 more. That makes more than half the side out before the Jozy goal binge. Not exactly a first team vs. first team comeback.

B-H's subs destroyed their midfield continuity, allowing the U.S. back in the game. Given a competitive game with 3 subs, that would never have happened and it is unlikely the U.S. gets back in the game.

All that being said, it was a very good second half for an A- or B+ U.S. team against a B+ very good European team. It was not, however, the statement game that many commentators and pundits are making it out to be.

Jozy and Bradley were outstanding in both halves. The only two field players who earned that distinction. EJ was completely at fault on the first goal, kind of made up for it early in the second, but those mistakes are unforgivable at a World Cup (right Claudio Reyna?). Cameron and Brooks didn't have the coordination and communication needed to be paired at center back against a player like Dzeko. Not suprising given it was basically 2 days of prep for the game and Brooks debut. Diskerud and Bedoya were both ok going forward, despite missing some ops, but Diskerud was not good enough to play underneath in a 4-2-3-1 system. Jones was not good. I'm souring on him a bit as Bradley's pairing.

Evans continues to impress playing out of position at outside back. Fabian Johnson is not an outside back and needs to play in the midfield. Evans doesn't get forward real well and FJ can't play defense. Interesting problem that needs to be solved before Brazil.

I will say that I think the U.S. has more creative talent that it has ever had before. Unless Johansson comes along very quickly, we're still missing that second impact striker. The midfield has as many options, and is in as good a shape both outside and inside, as I can ever remember it. The center back options continue to grow (if Brooks sticks with the U.S.) and has gone from a glaring weakness to a moderately deep contingent of options, none of which are world class, but many of which are probably good enough to get the job done. Outside back is still in flux. We seem to have lots of options in Beasley, Evans, FJ, Parkhurst and a few others, but all seem to have significant drawbacks that need to be addressed.

[jknezek]

More interesting than the game the other day, MLS continues to retain and sign top American talent. Using a combination of "retention funds" and the designated player label, MLS has either signed or retained Clint Dempsey, Omar Gonzalez, Graham Zusi, Matt Besler, George John, and Tony Beltran... all players who have been to at least a January camp if not earning caps. Add to that Chris Wondolowski and Landon Donovan, both under DP contracts, and Dax McCarty and Chris Pontius, both resigned using retention funds and both at least possibilities for January camps in the future (though Pontius is the better bet based on age and position), and you can see a concerted effort by MLS to keep American talent at home.

Why is this significant? For one thing, it can only help the league get better with talent and more popular with fans as bigger American names show up on the field. That is critical to earning the ever-larger TV packages the league needs to continue signing better players and putting a better product on the field. It is also significant that these Americans are staying home. Having seen some very good careers derailed, or at least stalled, in Europe, I think as long as these players can get paid to stay home and develop a little more it can be a good thing all around.

This is a trend to keep an eye on from a U.S. player development angle, an MLS development angle, and a national team angle. We'll have to see if playing time trumps "challenging yourself at the highest level" in Klinsmann's philosophy and how it affects these players that are choosing to stay home.

On a last note, I think MLS is an improving league. In my mind it is at least on par with the top Scandinavian leagues, Belgium, and better than the Eastern European leagues (minus Greece and Turkey), Scotland, and the second tier leagues in England if not better than the second tier leagues in places like Portugal, France, and completely bankrupt Spain. So if those are your transfer options, and you can get paid at least as much in MLS, it makes sense to stay home. If you can transfer to the Premier League, the Bundesliga, La Liga, or Italy, that is going to be a step up. Mexico's LigaMx is also a slight step up, though unless you play for a top team, not as much as it used to be.

What does all this mean? MLS is making strides and flipping past an MLS game on the TV just because it is MLS and not a European league no longer means you are a "serious" soccer fan.

*** as an addendum to this, it is important to note the role MLS single entity structure plays in the process. Most of the players "retained" or signed to DP contracts play on top tier MLS sides (the exception being Pontius at DC United). If you are a star player at a low impact team, it is very hard to move laterally in the league. You are pretty much going to have to agitate to go to Europe to get on a better team. Or play out your contract and then leave on a free transfer. So it makes sense that Seattle, LA, NY, RSL, KC and Dallas have had success holding on to, or attracting, American stars. I don't think many of the other teams would be as successful.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Still 9 years off, but what a mess: FIFA finally noticed that soccer in Qatar in June and July is impossible!  Rather than re-vote the location (and have to give back all those bribes ), they are planning to move the WC to the winter.  Problems: November or December - Fox would no doubt sue for the return of their $400 million rather than see the WC get absolutely buried by the NFL; January and February 2022 is Winter Olympics; March/April would yield incredible backlash from leagues throughout the world; May thru October it is constantly over 100 degrees in the shade (of which there is none in Qatar).

Good to see total corruption occasionally get 'hoist on its own petard'.   (Not that Sepp Blatter gives a flying **** - he'll be dead by 2022.)

[jknezek]

The whole situation was always ridiculous. Hard to complain about a country buying an event given Salt Lake City's Winter Olympic situation a while back, but giving the World Cup to Qatar was a good indication of how FIFA works (or doesn't). It will be a late fall World Cup and I hope Fox does sue to get their money back. They probably won't since they will want to keep some kind of relationship going forward, especially now that they have those Fox Sports Channels to fill with content, but I can see someone taking this to CAS. Probably the English Premier League as they seem the most intractable about the change.

As for the U.S., we can just keep laughing whenever someone says MLS needs to join the "international calendar". MLS would love to see late fall World Cups as it wouldn't interfere with the season. Sure you lose some left over glow because of football, but it makes scheduling a lot easier. Apparently the "international calendar" is for sale, like everything else at FIFA...

[ScotsFan]

Still 9 years off, but what a mess: FIFA finally noticed that soccer in Qatar in June and July is impossible!  Rather than re-vote the location (and have to give back all those bribes ), they are planning to move the WC to the winter.  Problems: November or December - Fox would no doubt sue for the return of their $400 million rather than see the WC get absolutely buried by the NFL; January and February 2022 is Winter Olympics; March/April would yield incredible backlash from leagues throughout the world; May thru October it is constantly over 100 degrees in the shade (of which there is none in Qatar).

Good to see total corruption occasionally get 'hoist on its own petard'.   (Not that Sepp Blatter gives a flying **** - he'll be dead by 2022.)

This is one of the biggest jokes in the history of soccer.  I'm wondering how FIFA is going to deal with all of the pissed off European professional leagues that will either have to interrupt play or go on without their international stars? 

All FIFA saw was the big money being flashed in front of them.  The thought of actually having to play soccer in the summer in Qatar?  Oops???  Forgot to think about then when looking at the overall bids???  It was a travesty when Qatar won the bid over the US in the first place and now that we're facing the possibility of MOVING the World Cup makes this an even bigger travesty?!

With the whole Johnny Football debacle going on with the NCAA, I was having a hard time thinking any organization could be either more corrupt or more inept than the NCAA.  Than this reminded me that FIFA totally fits that description.  Maybe Seth Blatter and Mark Emmert can get together to compare notes as to see just how to continue to one up each other... 

[jknezek]

On the other hand, the 23 man roster the U.S. posted for next week's WC qualifier in Costa Rica might be the best, or at least most in-form, roster I've ever seen the U.S. produce. There isn't a player on that roster that I would cringe if he got on the field. Ok, maybe Edgar Casillo but he did look better in his last game. And maybe Beckerman, but that's just an ongoing issue I have with him and Klinsi's man love for his hair. It's the only possible explanation for his continued call ups.

If we can't win in Costa Rica with this roster, it may never happen.

[FCGrizzliesGrad]

So much for things clearing up in the Hex... US falling 3-1... Mexico losing at the Azteca 2-1... Panama scoreless draw... Costa Rica now leads things with the US 1 point behind. Honduras has passed Mexico for the 3rd automatic spot and Mexico is just 1 point ahead of Panama for the playoff spot.

During the Mexico game they were talking about how coach Chepo probably wouldn't coach the World Cup if they made it but that the loss could mean he wouldn't be around for the US game... just found out that he has indeed been fired.

[jknezek]

So much for things clearing up in the Hex... US falling 3-1... Mexico losing at the Azteca 2-1... Panama scoreless draw... Costa Rica now leads things with the US 1 point behind. Honduras has passed Mexico for the 3rd automatic spot and Mexico is just 1 point ahead of Panama for the playoff spot.

During the Mexico game they were talking about how coach Chepo probably wouldn't coach the World Cup if they made it but that the loss could mean he wouldn't be around for the US game... just found out that he has indeed been fired.

The U.S. game was an embarrassing mess. Part of it can be blamed on Bradley getting hurt in warmups. Anyone who doesn't think he is the most important player on our team just has to look at last night's midfield and defense to know without him creating order and doing the dirty work, we are in big trouble. I just can't even comment on it. The U.S. looked overwhelmed, underprepared, without a clue, and like a team that has never played together before. Very disappointing. I don't mind losing a road qualifier, especially to one of the region's better teams, but the skill, effort and desire has to be better than what the U.S. laid out in a stinker last night.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Sepp Blatter has now admitted that they knew all along that playing the WC in Qatar in June, July was impossible, and that 'we may well have made a mistake'.  He then went into a phony PC diatribe about soccer being no longer just a European and South American sport and we must recognize that Europe no longer rules the world (translation: we are NOT giving back all those petrodollars; besides I'll be retired and/or dead by 2022).

FIFA is infinitely beyond the IOC and NCAA for cluelessness and/or corruption.

[jknezek]

FIFA is infinitely beyond the IOC and NCAA for cluelessness and/or corruption.

+K. Although I will say that this has been the case for quite a while.

[woacfan]

I envision the pitch looking something like this... one of the indoor ski areas that Qatar built for jet setters to enjoy in the middle of the desert.

[jknezek]

The legend of Dos a Cero grows for Columbus. At this point, it's just weird. The U.S. weathered a brutal first twenty minutes before clawing their way back into the game. Around halftime it was a much more even contest and by the end, Mexico's will was broken and the U.S. had total control.

Considering we were missing a lot of pieces, this was a good win. I'm still wondering how much losing Bradley in warmups cost us in Costa Rica. He is crucial for the U.S., and the defensive and midfield game plan hinge on him. Not having him as a last minute surprise really did a number on us. With a few days to prepare, Beckerman and Jones together did most of what Bradley does by himself. That tied us down a little bit deep and kept us from playing the kind of possession ball we have recently showed. But it worked out in the end.

Nice to know we have qualified, though that should ALWAYS be the expectation given how qualifying is currently set up. Hopefully we can top CONCACAF and end up in a decent group in Brazil. We won't be a seed, definatelyl haven't earned that right, so we are going to have a big dog in the group with us. Hopefully it will be a big puppy like England and not a big wolf like Brazil.

[Sirius90]

The legend of Dos a Cero grows for Columbus.

Mysterious legend indeed, including jinxing Dempsey into spraying the PK 3 feet wide...

[jknezek]

The legend of Dos a Cero grows for Columbus.

Mysterious legend indeed, including jinxing Dempsey into spraying the PK 3 feet wide...

With Donovan on the field, Dempsey should not be taking penalties. That being said, I still can't decide if he missed on purpose knowing it didn't matter. Don't think he did, but kind of hope he did. That was his second straight bad penalty.

[ScotsFan]

What a great way to punch their tickets to Brazil by beating El Tri and putting their chances of automatic qualifying in serious jeopardy!   

They might want to re-name Crew Stadium to Dos a Cero Field or something along those lines!  Crazy how we end up with that score line against Mexico every time we play them in Columbus!

And lastly, what an atmosphere in that stadium last night!  I saw Donovan comment on how hostile the away stadiums can be in qualifying and he mentioned last night it was nice to finally have a hostile crowd on their side!  I'm so used to seeing the stands half filled with visiting fans especially when we're playing Mexico or other CONCACAF squads and it was refreshing to see at least 95% of that capacity crowd pro-USA!  It was also pretty cool to see the boys come out and celebrate on the field with the thousand or so fans that stuck around until the finish of the Panama match!