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World Cup 2014

So who are the leaders on this team now? Dempsey? Beasley? I don't recognize a lot of these young faces....

Dempsey and Howard, I'd imagine.

A few names to watch:
Chris "Wondo" Wondolowski. Has a real "nose for the goal," and could really being some fire to the offense.

Julian Green. Dual citizenship with the US and Germany, currently plays for a very solid German club (Bayern Munich) chose to play for the US. Should bring speed and creativity to the wing.

Jozy Altidore. Paired with Wondo at striker, Jozy is one of the few Americans who is good enough to play in the Premiere League.

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Boone,

Demps is the Captain so leadership there is obvious but I think Bradley is the real leader on this squad. He should probably be the Captain. Howard is obviously the defensive leader.

Lanky, I don't think you can say leaving Donovan off was somewhat expected. No one expected it except maybe Jurgen and I think he was planning this all along. If the squad makes it out of the group stage, no one will remember that he left our all time international goal scorer off the team and if we don't advance, no one will forget. Jurgen could spend the next 4 years trying to make us forget what he did here.

Guys to watch?

Beckerman and Jones....who plays that #6 spot? Jones seems to be Jurgen's favored guy but Bradley has looked better when paired with Beckerman and if Klinsmann goes with any of the 4-4-2 using a midfield diamond Beckerman would be natural to hold down the bottom position as it is what he does week in and week out at RSL.

Johanson...love this kid and without Donovan he is one guy on the squad who can take the ball and go head up right at the opposition. He is the only reason I am not totally freaked out today by leaving Donovan off the team.

Whoever plays the 4 defensive positions. Right now I think Besler is the only definite starter here and the other 3 positions are up for grabs after nearly every guy to play back there over the last year has had a questionable qame or two.

And lastly...Jurgen Klinsmann. He has make some bold choices with this team, going with youth and athleticism over experience. He went with 5 German Americans, two of which have zero international experience (I don't think Green gets into the 18 for a single match much less on the pitch). At some point, in one of the first 3 matches, we are going to look at the situation and wish he had Donovan sitting on the bench to bring in late as an impact sub and Donovan is going to be sitting home in LA. I hope I'm wrong but I'm afraid I won't be.
 
I don't know, I've been following the selection process and commentary for the past year pretty closely, and it was clear (at least to me) that Landon's spot was up for grabs, and that he would have to earn it. Comments like those, when dealing with an aging, fan-favorite veteran, are (at least in my mind) made to soften the blow when he's left off the team. So while it wasn't absolutely clear he would be left in LA, it wasn't totally unexpected, out of the blue if you'd been reading between the lines of the coachspeak.

You don't think Green will play? I'd be shocked if he didn't. He's got European experience with Bayern Munich, and brings all that extra young athleticism you're talking about. I think this year's roster is a tip of the cap to the future, to get some young guys WC experience. Nobody expects them to even make it out of the group stage, so it's a "rebuilding" year, so to speak.

Brad Davis could also fill Landon's role. He's a solid, steady performer, and a big reason the Dynamo have dominated mls the past few seasons.

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This is a fake account (Julian Green has nothing to do with it) but I thought it was pretty funny.

agupu8ej.jpg


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I don't know, I've been following the selection process and commentary for the past year pretty closely, and it was clear (at least to me) that Landon's spot was up for grabs, and that he would have to earn it. Comments like those, when dealing with an aging, fan-favorite veteran, are (at least in my mind) made to soften the blow when he's left off the team. So while it wasn't absolutely clear he would be left in LA, it wasn't totally unexpected, out of the blue if you'd been reading between the lines of the coachspeak.

Jurgen has a long history of jerking Landon's chain to motivate him. Just look at what happened last year in the Gold Cup after Jurgen had left Donovan of several WC qualifying squads. No, I don't think this was expected by anyone. I think everyone who knew their history and had watched them together thought Jurgen was just trying to motivate Donovan and that seems to jive with what the guys on the USMNT beat are thinking today. No one is calling this "expected" and pretty much everyone thinks Klinsmann is gambling here. Is Donovan the best American soccer player today? No, not so much and almost no one will argue over that. Are there 23 American soccer players in the world better than Donovan today? Seems only Jurgen Klinsmann thinks so today. For all our sake, I hope he is right.

You don't think Green will play? I'd be shocked if he didn't. He's got European experience with Bayern Munich, and brings all that extra young athleticism you're talking about. I think this year's roster is a tip of the cap to the future, to get some young guys WC experience. Nobody expects them to even make it out of the group stage, so it's a "rebuilding" year, so to speak.

Nope, I don't think he plays. Like I said, I don't think he makes the 18. He has European experience with Bayern but it is with their team playing 4th division soccer, which isn't even on par with MLS. It isn't like he is starting (or even in the 18) for the first team along side Ribery, Robbin and Schweinstiger. He isn't. He is young and not experienced even by club standards.

The World Cup comes around once every 4 years. Teams can't afford to "rebuild". You take your best 23 and you go to win every point you can.

And I think a lot of folks believe we can advance. "Expect" might be too strong a word but plenty see a real possibility. This is not a team in "transition". This is the best squad we have ever sent to the WC, even without Donovan. Our talent pool is deeper than ever. I can totally see the US beating Ghana, getting either a draw or out right win over Portugal and maybe even drawing with Germany. Sure, we are in the toughest group in this year's draw but we are by no means punching out of our weight class any longer. No team in the world looks at the US and sees an easy result any longer

Brad Davis could also fill Landon's role. He's a solid, steady performer, and a big reason the Dynamo have dominated mls the past few seasons.

You have just given the reason Davis can't fill Donovan's roll. He is a "solid, steady performer". Donovan is that and more. I'm not saying Davis is bad, far from it and I might even start him on left wing over Donovan but in the last 30 minutes of a match, needing a goal to advance, there is no way I would take Davis over Donovan. No one on the US squad sees the field and the game as well as Donovan except maybe Michael Bradley and no one runs the counter-attack as well, which is something that will be huge against both Portugal and Germany.
 
Jurgen has a long history of jerking Landon's chain to motivate him. Just look at what happened last year in the Gold Cup after Jurgen had left Donovan of several WC qualifying squads. No, I don't think this was expected by anyone. I think everyone who knew their history and had watched them together thought Jurgen was just trying to motivate Donovan and that seems to jive with what the guys on the USMNT beat are thinking today. No one is calling this "expected" and pretty much everyone thinks Klinsmann is gambling here. Is Donovan the best American soccer player today? No, not so much and almost no one will argue over that. Are there 23 American soccer players in the world better than Donovan today? Seems only Jurgen Klinsmann thinks so today. For all our sake, I hope he is right.

Well, I didn't think it was totally unexpected. He also wouldn't have even started, and there's a long history of starters being relegated to the bench becoming problematic for coaches.

Nope, I don't think he plays. Like I said, I don't think he makes the 18. He has European experience with Bayern but it is with their team playing 4th division soccer, which isn't even on par with MLS. It isn't like he is starting (or even in the 18) for the first team along side Ribery, Robbin and Schweinstiger. He isn't. He is young and not experienced even by club standards.

I think 4th division is about in part with MLS. Bayern Munich would probably beat most MLS clubs on any given day.

The World Cup comes around once every 4 years. Teams can't afford to "rebuild". You take your best 23 and you go to win every point you can.

And I think a lot of folks believe we can advance. "Expect" might be too strong a word but plenty see a real possibility. This is not a team in "transition". This is the best squad we have ever sent to the WC, even without Donovan. Our talent pool is deeper than ever. I can totally see the US beating Ghana, getting either a draw or out right win over Portugal and maybe even drawing with Germany. Sure, we are in the toughest group in this year's draw but we are by no means punching out of our weight class any longer. No team in the world looks at the US and sees an easy result any longer

Everything I've read refers to our draw as the "group of death," and it'll be a long shot for them to advance. Oh well.

You have just given the reason Davis can't fill Donovan's roll. He is a "solid, steady performer". Donovan is that and more. I'm not saying Davis is bad, far from it and I might even start him on left wing over Donovan but in the last 30 minutes of a match, needing a goal to advance, there is no way I would take Davis over Donovan. No one on the US squad sees the field and the game as well as Donovan except maybe Michael Bradley and no one runs the counter-attack as well, which is something that will be huge against both Portugal and Germany.

Well, he's a season removed from being runner up for MLS MVP, so maybe he's slightly better than solid and steady. I only meant he's not going to let them down, whereas outside of the Algeria goal, Landon hasn't done much in the past two WCs. Davis is a creator, as evidenced by all his assists.


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Well, I didn't think it was totally unexpected. He also wouldn't have even started, and there's a long history of starters being relegated to the bench becoming problematic for coaches.

He probably wouldn't have started depending on formation but no one thinks he would have been a problem in the locker room if he didn't start. He isn't a diva. He is a team guy and has always been willing to fill whatever roll was asked of him.

I think 4th division is about in part with MLS. Bayern Munich would probably beat most MLS clubs on any given day.

No offense but there is no way the German 4th division is on par with MLS. The starting XI for most MLS sides could hold their own with teams in the German 2nd division and maybe even the bottom teams in the top division. Where MLS has issues is in depth and that is due to the salary structure. There is just no way to have quality depth when the guys at the bottom of the roster make less yearly than most school teachers.

No, they couldn't play toe to toe with Bayern's top team. Almost no club in the world can. They won the UEFA Champions league last year and then won the FIFA club World Cup. They are seriously good. One of the best 5 or 6 sides in the world. But that is just the top side.

Everything I've read refers to our draw as the "group of death," and it'll be a long shot for them to advance. Oh well.

It is the "Group of Death". No question. But the US is still the 13th ranked side in the world right now. That is not small potatoes. While I may not expect to advance I can't call it a "long shot". Granted, I may just be a homer but I haven't missed a USMNT match since before the last World Cup and the team I see now, even without Donovan, can play with any team in the world.

Well, he's a season removed from being runner up for MLS MVP, so maybe he's slightly better than solid and steady. I only meant he's not going to let them down, whereas outside of the Algeria goal, Landon hasn't done much in the past two WCs. Davis is a creator, as evidenced by all his assists.

Davis is very good. I'm not questioning that. If anything, I am questioning why Green is on this roster ahead of Donovan. Or Wondo. Or Bedoya. While all three of these guys have their spot, Donovan can and has played in all their spots. He is nearly a universal attacker. And while I know Davis is a creator, I think you are underselling Donovan in that roll. He is not just the all time US goal scorer, he is also the all time US assist leader and has more assists then he has goals on the international stage.

And to say that Donovan didn't "do much" in the past two WC's outside the goal against Algeria is just wrong. With the US down 2-0 to Slovenia in the match before Algeria he scored a beauty to give the US life. Without that goal the Algeria match would have been meaningless. I'll give you him being less than stellar in Germany in 2006 but then the entire US squad was less then stellar there.

Here is a stat for you...in 12 WC matches Donovan has 5 goals. In 31 combined WC matches Cristiano, Messi, Rooney and Ibrahimovic (4 of the greatest goal scorers in the world today) have 3 goals total.

*shrug*

It is water under the bridge now. We will never know.
 
First comment on this deadspin article explains my POV. To be fair, they say it was a "shocking" decision also.

http://deadspin.com/jurgen-klinsmann-explains-why-he-left-landon-donovan-of-1580603965

"If anyone hasn't seen the 60 Minutes Sports piece on Jurgen, probably a good time to check it out. Watching it now, it's hard not to see the writing on the wall for Landon. Everything from Jurgen's constant harping on each player earning their spot without consideration of past achievements to him saying that Landon wasn't at 100%. He even takes the reporter's bait and says that he would never have been permitted to have taken a "mental health" break during his playing days. Sorry, Landon. We'll always have Algeria."




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Alright fùtbol fanatics, I have created an ESPN Group for filling out your World Cup bracket. If you want an invite to play send me a PM with the e-mail you want to use and I will hook you up.
 
Well yeah...You and Om didn't have a choice. ;)
 
Have at thee.
 
Last tune up stateside tonight...
 
Not seeing it on my TV schedule :(

***Duh - nevermind - it's on ESPN...taping it so I can watch the Belmont Stakes :)
 
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Three straight Ws, three straight 2 goal outings. Guarantees nothing when they start using live bullets, but nice to see consistent production on the eve of group play.

Of course as we know, preseason means nothing.


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Morning all, hope everyone's excited?! Just 33-odd hours until kick off (not that I'm counting) and I'm officially excited... obviously tempered by my distain for the giant, whorey, corporate pantomime that it's become... but that aside, I can't wait!

Anyone have any thoughts on the opening game? Brazil will be the overwhelming favourites, but I worry about them in this spotlight. Particularly as so much of the focus is on young Neymar, who's yet to truly produce whenever I've watched him. Undoubtedly, the talent radiates from him, but being asked to put it all together under these circumstances is a huge ask. His supporting cast don't suggest he's being surrounded by enough wiley, battle-hardened characters to get it done. Possession and experience win world cups.

Croatia. Having had a season ticket through all of Luka Modric's Tottenham career, I can ASSURE you, he is every bit as good as you've heard. An absolute magician. If he was Spanish or Brazilian, he'd be in the conversation for top-5 in the world. This is worth a read: Real Madrid's Luka Modric: from Balkan warzone to the Bernabéu | Football | theguardian.com and true of many of the squad, so they have the mental fortitude to deal with the atmosphere... by the way, the 'rocky start' they speak of in the article is LONG forgotten. He was instrumental in Real winning the Champions League this year, and is one of the first names on the team sheet every week.

Having said all of that, while Modric is surrounded by a number of solid to good players, the Brazilians are the far more talented group, and should have too much for Croatia... just can't shake the feeling that we're about to see another France v Senegal opening game shocker a la WC2002.

Wouldn't be surprised by any outcome, but going with the gut and a 1-0 Croatia win for a massive upset to kick it all off.
 
Well, at 25 minutes it's hardly a result, but 1-0 nil Croatia we are certainly looking at a motivated Brazilian offense. :)
 
And then reality set in.

Relieved the cheap penalty didn't end up being the deciding moment.
 

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