National Team

[gchunn]

I agree with the comments on the red cards. The one on Clark in the Italy game I can understand. The red in the Brazil game I thought was very suspect. The red on Bradley yesterday....pathetic (in my humble opinion).

 

I agree with G and some of the others who posted about possession. I think if we played a more possesion type game it would make us a better and more well rounded team. I think we have the players who can compete and when they play with the heart and passion that they played with against Egypt and then against Spain they can be successful. Yes, you might say that we were lucky against Spain, and in many games you need just a bit of luck, but one of my coaches once told me that you make you own luck. I think the USA defense did just that yesterday.

 

And I did think we played a better possession game against Egypt and during the first half of yesterday's game.

 

Anyway, it was A GREAT WIN for the USA! I loved it.

[chargerfan07]

Stat of the game: USA 2 Shots on goal, 2 goals. Spain 8 Shots on goal, 0 goals.

Tim Howard MVP?

[gchunn]

Stats don't always tell the whole story. Is Spain a better team...Yes...but not yesterday. After going up 1-0 the USA team went very defensive which will usually cause the stats to be a bit miscued. And really, as in any game of any sport, the only stat that counts is the final score...USA 2 - Spain 0. I will take that stat over shots on goal any day.

 

I was very impessed with how well South Africa played today against Brazil. Quite a scrappy team.

[MVM]

Well, I must say the ride has been nice and congrats to the US team for their trip to the finals of the Confederations Cup, but as they say all good things must end.

 

After reading everyones comments of our US team there is not much to disagree with.

 

"G" the possession comment was spot on. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

 

Woodeng I'm still digesting the elite players and college comment. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

Cincy some how I knew you were going to bring up our style of play...Tall Players?? /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" />

 

Gchunn I agree were getting picked on by the refs with the cards.

 

And to Hamlet and Canes .....Yes Bradley has been reading my posts. /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" />

[BigG]

OK, so here is a conundrum of sorts:

 

We have the MLS. Still doesn't make the US men's team an elite force.

 

We DON'T have a women's professional league (since WUSA folded several years back) yet we are the elite force in women's soccer.

 

So why is that? It is because we have very good women's college programs and not as many men's programs because of Title 9 (actually, because of football taking up all the available offered scholarships)? I honestly don't know what the percentage of NCAA womens teams are compared to men... so I could be way off on that question.

 

I know when I was in Brazil, very few women played soccer. Many played volleyball. When I was in Germany, there were very few women that played soccer there, as well. Do they even have women's University teams over in Europe? Anyone know?

 

What makes the big difference between the US men's program and the women's program?

 

(I also wanted to at least somewhat tie this back to women's soccer, being on the girl's soccer thread I was starting to feel a little guilty. We need this Highschool season to start so we have something to talk about!)

[BUtifulGame]

Big G,

 

I have been very quiet as of late - I enjoy reading rather than commenting. However, I thought I would interject this time as I think you are on the right track comparing our WNT performance with out MNT performance. I find it interesting that the national funding for ODP outspends for boys/men via academy residential programs, yet our women's program has more success.

 

I did think I would mention that we DO have women's pro soccer. We are in the inaugural season of the new WPS. Unlike MLS, it has brought a large number of elite international players and coaches to the US to play. This will only serve to elevate the sport for our ladies.

http://www.womensprosoccer.com/

 

In my opinion, we are isolating our young men too early by placing them in the academy bubble which limits the opponents they see. The MLS has not made a concerted effort to play in a "Champions League" type environment that would give the players experience opposing non-american playing styles.

 

Just some thoughts.

[hamlet7478]

It's a relative thing.

 

While it's true that the U.S. women's program is at the very top despite the lack of a MLS type league (there are lower level professional leagues: the W league e.g.), there is no equivalent of the English Premier League in England, Serie A in Italy and Brazil, the Bundesliga in Germany, and so on for women in these countries, unlike the men.

 

So, the development programs for our women is about the best in the world, despite the absence of an MLS type league, whereas the developmental programs for our men (as was pointed out earlier) fall behind the very best professional developmental programs in England, Germany, Italy, and Brazil.

 

Add to that a slight cultural bias that lingers in the soccer power nations, and you can see how the environment for women soccer players in our country is the very best.

 

Despite these advantages, we manage to produce stultifying women's performances like the last women's World Cup where we could not possess the ball to save our lives and the only attack we could manage was kick the ball long to Abby Wambach and hope.

 

IMO the Brazilians are the best right now. The women's soccer is still relatively small down there, but growing, slowly overcoming the major cultural bias against women in that nation. Their women are very athletic, they play hard, and, of course, they have that Brazilian flair (see: Marta).

[BUtifulGame]

"lack of a MLS type league (there are lower level professional leagues: the W league e.g.), "

 

Where are our soccer fans? Again - WE DO have women's professional soccer. The new WPS has is in its first season back and is enjoying better fan support and media support than the WUSA. Despite tht fact, apparently many in TN have missed it.

 

You mentioned the Brazilians and specifically Marta. How have you missed that she is playing HERE in the WPS for the LA Sol?

 

This lackluster fan support is what de-railed the WUSA. Get on board and show your support - Atlanta adds a por team in the 2010 season!

[soccermom127]

"lack of a MLS type league (there are lower level professional leagues: the W league e.g.), "

 

Where are our soccer fans? Again - WE DO have women's professional soccer. The new WPS has is in its first season back and is enjoying better fan support and media support than the WUSA. Despite tht fact, apparently many in TN have missed it.

 

You mentioned the Brazilians and specifically Marta. How have you missed that she is playing HERE in the WPS for the LA Sol?

 

This lackluster fan support is what de-railed the WUSA. Get on board and show your support - Atlanta adds a por team in the 2010 season!

 

 

 

And....if anyone is interested, there is typically a game televised every Sunday at 5:00 (central time) on FSC......the games are great to watch.

[Solomon]

Thoughts from a very, very casual soccer fan who is about one year ahead of caring about soccer again. (But I do plan on watching Sunday.)

 

1. In my opinion, we are too fundamental, if that makes sense. I guess too organized from too early of an age would be a better phrase. IMO, baseball is similar. Americans are specializing in this sport (much like baseball) from a very early age, and while they know "how to play" fundamentally they really don't know "how to play" in a street smart sense. You see the same thing with the players from Latin America in baseball. Every time I watch the MNT I think this. I've always said you can teach fundamentals at a later age, you can't teach instinct. That is developed by playing on the playgrounds.

 

2. Soccer is still the 4th sport in America (5th if you count golf). Good athletes are playing it, but the best athletes predominatly aren't as compared to other countries. Which leads me to......

 

3. The professional leagues. To be honest - I've tried to watch a MLS game or two, and I can't. It's like watching AA baseball. While soccer fans might can watch them, to a casual fan like myself, it's boring as heck. That said, if I ever catch a Premier League game on TV, I will typically sit and watch for a while because it's entertaining. There is no buzz to make kids want to go out and play soccer in the same way as football or basketball. I guess that goes back to marketing. That ties into........

 

4. We need to play more friendlies against European and South American teams. That is on the national team level. Also, what would be superb is if MLS could find a way to get a team in the Champions League in Europe, fully knowing they would be crushed, but it would generate some buzz more frequently that once every 4 years (or two years depending on your stance on the Olympics). Ideally though, American soccer has got to do more to promote soccer against international teams because it's not going to work doing it solely in America and playing teams from North and Central America. Do a Nike Cup here. Winner of MLS and 3 teams from Europe.

 

Like I said, just thoughts from a casual fan.

[gchunn]

Solomon,

 

Couldn't agree with you more.

 

1. I don't watch a lot of MLS. They play such a direct game (very little possesion). I often wonder if they are trying to win over the American football fan with that type of game.

 

2. If we could get our children to go outside and "play" soccer. Just like my generation did with football. We were alway playing the game. And without coaches and parents telling us what we were doing that was wrong.

 

3. More games with the teams from overseas is a great idea.

 

GREAT POST!

[gchunn]

G,

This has been such a great thread...I have enjoyed reading everybodies comments. Can you take it off the Girls Soccer and give it a TITLE all it's own? It would be fun keeping up with everybodies thoughts as teams finish up World Cup Qualifing and head into the World Cup itself.