USA Friendlies

[manU721]

the germany match on the 22 of march we will only have MLS based players but germany will be at full strengh so it could get ugly

 

Nah we will be full strength too, European players and all

[lcsoccer]

Not much in the game today. The snow in the second half kind of killed the flow. Kind of a lucky goal but good effort by the US. Germany March 22!

[mjuhb]

germany 4 usa b-team 1

 

we pretty much let germany do whatever they wanted

 

i hope thats the last time we use a 3-2-3-2

[arsenalisgarbage]

germany 4 usa b-team 1

 

we pretty much let germany do whatever they wanted

 

i hope thats the last time we use a 3-2-3-2

 

What a thrashing, how embarrassing... We were only missing 4-5 starters, we should be deep enough to compete, but we were crap.

[CoachT]

Not much in the game today. The snow in the second half kind of killed the flow. Kind of a lucky goal but good effort by the US. Germany March 22!

My daughter took this picture at the match.

 

[lcsoccer]

I am jealous of you coacht. All of your kids go to watch these games abroad Haha. Anyways, Take away maybe 15 minutes of the game and our reserves played well against them. The first goal killed us and from there it just got worse. Inexperience in the back, but it was just a friendly.

[soccer4life]

Italy beat Germany by the same amount of goals Germany beat the US.... I hope this was only an experiment that went wrong..What was that formation the US was playing?...

[mjuhb]

Italy beat Germany by the same amount of goals Germany beat the US.... I hope this was only an experiment that went wrong..What was that formation the US was playing?...

they were in a poor mans 3-5-2 but they had 2 holding players in the only fullback they had in was playing more of a attacking role i counted it has a 3-2-3-2 thats why germany got up the wings so well

[Chizaggi]

What a thrashing, how embarrassing... We were only missing 4-5 starters, we should be deep enough to compete, but we were crap.

 

Hopefully, the US don't ever use the system they used today. Let that be a lil heads up before the WC, so that Arena can use his best system when there is no starter missing.

Edited March 23, 2006 by Chizaggi

[play2live]

What a thrashing, how embarrassing... We were only missing 4-5 starters, we should be deep enough to compete, but we were crap.

 

 

No we were missing almost all of are starters. These include Claudio Reyna, Eddie Lewis, Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride, Landon Donovan, Eddie Pope, Oguchi Onyewu and DaMarcus Beasley. Also Taylor Twellman, although he is going to be a sub for the team, not to mention that Josh Wolff only played a couple of minutes.

 

This is while Germany was only missing one player that was playing in England. Germany teams let their players go so that they could join their national teams, which is why Keller was there (even though he played horrible).

 

This was USA's JV team versus Germany's Varsity. I wouldn't put any stock in this game.

[stayNskool]

There are a ton of excuses that can be thrown out there to brush aside the US's loss to Germany in such a lackluster showing. But Germany's best team was not on the field and let's face facts... this is a VERY weak German squad in comparison to those of years past.

 

Read the ESPN Soccernet analysis of the game and you can take away what you want from the fact that both teams were missing a little star power(the US missing a complete starting lineup essentially). For me what it boiled down to is heading into the game Bruce Arena knew he would not have his best players available and took this opportunity to see if some Bubble players were able to step it up. They clearly did not

 

While solid performances came from players who had already established themselves a place in Germany 2006 such as Bobby Convey, Corey Gibbs, Steve Cherundolo, and Pablo Mastroeni. Just about every other player on the field looked lost. The Center back pairing of Berhalter and Conrad(to be fair before Donovans late absence Arena had prepared the team to play in a 3-5-2 formation with Cherundolo on the right wing) was absolutely abysmal in the second half. Zavagnin looked well out of his depth athletically(me made good decisions but just doesnt have the physical ability for this level) and the forward pairing of Johnson and Twellman proved 2 things: Johnson isn't back to form (and may not ever get there) and Twellman may never be anything more than a sparkplug coming off the bench in international play.

 

Ben Olsen came off the bench and turned in another solid performance playing with confidence athleticsm and enough bite to get notice. This is a man who leaves me to wonder what could have been, had only he continued his progression from MLS prodigy early on and not had those severe injury problems that robbed him and the national team of a promising young player. Heath Pearce was another sub who looks the business but just isn't experienced enough. Pace and Skill coming up the left flank out of defence makes you believe that one day in the not too distant future Pierce will own that left back position.

 

All of these negatives but one thing you can look at for the USMNT is that these were all MLS players or players working their way back from injury and therefore are in their offseason while ALL of the German players are in Midseason form. This is a reverse of what will come this summer when many US players will be in peak fitness and many European players will be tired having had a VERY short recovery period after a long season and possibly not be on top of their games for the Tournament.

 

And for those of you watching at home. The formation was meant to be a 3-5-2 with 2 holding midfielders, Klein on the right Convey on the left and Donovan in the number 10 spot but with his injury/illness they reverted to a 4-4-2 with 2 holding midlfielders. There was a clear vacancy in the spot Donovan would have filled in connecting the defense to the attack and giving the forwards more creative balls to run onto.

Edited March 30, 2006 by stayNskool

[stayNskool]

oh and just for my input on what everyone was talking about earlier... If every USA player is healthy and available here is my team for Germany 2006:

 

GK:

Kasey Keller (Germany-Moechengladbach)

Tim Howard (England-Man United)

Marcus Hahneman(Engalnd-Reading)

 

RB:

Steve Cherundolo(Germany-Hanover)

Jonathan Spector(England-Charlton)

 

CB:

Oguchi Onyewu(Belgium-Standard Liege)

Corey Gibbs(Holland-Den Haag)

Carlos Bocanegra(England-Fulham)

Eddie Pope(MLS-Real Salt Lake)

 

LB:

Todd Dunivant(MLS-Galaxy)

Heathe Pearce(Denmark-Nordsjaelland)

 

RM:

John O'Brien(Holland-Den Haag)

Clint Dempsey(MLS-Revolution)

 

CM:

Claudio Reyna(England-Man City)

Landon Donovan(MLS-Galaxy)

Pablo Mastroeni(MLS-Rapids)

 

LM:

DaMarcus Beasley(Holland-PSV)

Bobby Convey(England-Reading)

Eddie Lewis(England-Leeds)

 

ST:

Brian McBride(England-Fulham)

Eddie Johnson(MLS-Wizards)

Taylor Twellman(MLS-Revolution)

Josh Wolff(MLS-Wizards)

 

I Like a Formation with Dunivant and Cherundolo as Marking backs because Dunivant is solid and steady with a great Long-ball and Cherundolo will mark anyone off the pitch while also managing to cause havoc coming up that right flank

 

Onyewu and Pope being paired in the middle gives you the wisdom of the USMNT best ever defender(who still has some kick in his legs afterall) and Onyewu who looks poised to become the first American Star in Europe when he gets a well deserved move to one of the Big Clubs. With both of those 2 in front of one of the better GK's in Europe right now the US Defense should be rock solid.

 

With Reyna directing traffic from deep and Donovan teaming with Beasley and making those runs into the attack there is a ton of pace and creativity. Beasley will give the flank threat many teams lack due to his blazing speed while also marking his man into frustration and generally... a card or 2. O'brien is probably the USMNT best all around player when healthy and all accounts are that he will be ready come training camp time. His technical ability, athleticsm and experience will be proven and many fans will finally see why Ajax took it to heart when his injuries became too numerous... They did not want to let go of him, believe that.

 

Up top if on form Johnson is easily the selection to pair with McBride. Johnsons speed and ability to also get up for headers makes him a prototype striker and McBride is like a Battle tested tank. He will dutifully fling himself at every cross and hand out his share of punishment along the way. Not only that but he has been finishing his chances with Fulham of late and a confident striker is something every National team needs.

 

Reserves:

I went with a mix of Youth and Experience. Tim Howard is a very gifted Keeper who needs experience and playing for your National team can give that to you. With regards to Hahneman his place has been secured by being easily the best Keeper in the English Championship. Next season Hahneman may just be the pick of hte litter now that Reading is in Englands Top Flight!

 

Pearce is the Left back of the future with size speed and technical ability in abundance and Spector is young versatile and will really grow from an experience like this. Then with your centerbacks you have Bocanegra who is good enough to be the starter over pope or can cover your outside left back as well. Same story with Gibbs, these 2 centerbacks could easily be your starting pairing you may see that with the number of games in short succession the US could possibly be playing.

 

Convey and Dempsey are as versatile of Midfielders as they come and both bring that ability to change a game with their unpredictability on the ball. Mastroeni and Lewis are all about experience and confidence. Both players ooze both qualities and can either start or come into a game late and have great affect.

 

With the strikers it all comes down to development and Experience. You want to give Twellman a chance to prove he can do the job on this level because McBride isn't likely to have many years left in the tank. And Wolff, despite his lack of goals lately for the National team always seems to come up with them when it matters and has the confidence to never back down in any circumstance.