International Fútbol Tournaments and World Cup Qualification

[Don]

I know its "just" England but he did shut out England in the World Cup. He was awesome in the World Cup but people forget about that.

[HedleyLamarr]

Howard is the best keeper the USA has, and he is damn good. Yeah hes frustrated the team in front of him is playing like .

On Mexico's 3rd and 4th goals, I watched Howard dive over a ball that never left the ground, and Howard flop around like a fish.

I'm of the mindset that having a great goalie isn't that much of an advantage in international play.

Tim Howard may as well change his name to Tim Luongo.

[Kevin W.]

I know its "just" England but he did shut out England in the World Cup.

No he didn't. It was a 1-1 tie.

[NEW.ERA]

I know its "just" England but he did shut out England in the World Cup. He was awesome in the World Cup but people forget about that.

True forgot about the Robert Green gaffe game. Howard is a great keeper and it's really not all on him, the US produces fine keepers, but it's just the squad in front can't help him out when he needs it the most.

[HedleyLamarr]

I know its "just" England but he did shut out England in the World Cup. He was awesome in the World Cup but people forget about that.

Wasn't that game against England a 1-1 draw? He also gave up 2 goals vs. mighty Slovenia and Ghana.

[AnythingChicago]

I know its "just" England but he did shut out England in the World Cup. He was awesome in the World Cup but people forget about that.

Wasn't that game against England a 1-1 draw? He also gave up 2 goals vs. mighty Slovenia and Ghana.

I just think he needs anger management. He has to learn to clear his mind after 1 let in goal. But he doesn't, and more goals poor in.

Being a goalie in soccer is kind of like striking out, or making an error, or pitching like in baseball.

[Don]

OK my bad on the shutting out England thing, I remembered wrong. That draw was a bigger deal at the time.

Having a great keeper is a great advantage is you park the bus in every match and play like Italy does, but thats about it. USAs core needs to get younger I think. Dempseys good but Donovans losing it at the international level I think. Adu played well in the tournament coming out of nowhere. I think hes got to be back in USAs good graces.

[dfwabel]

Howard is the best keeper the USA has, and he is damn good. Yeah hes frustrated the team in front of him is playing like .

On Mexico's 3rd and 4th goals, I watched Howard dive over a ball that never left the ground, and Howard flop around like a fish.

I'm of the mindset that having a great goalie isn't that much of an advantage in international play.

Tim Howard may as well change his name to Tim Luongo.

That game was entertaining and frenetic. Even the USA's quick start did not convinve me that they were in control of the pace of play.

Speed up the USMNT, they get rattled by the pace and the defense dramatically suffers. There is no reason for that (but for lack of talent).

Somewhere Jurgen Klinsmann laughs and has another Bitburger.

[BrySmalls]

Hmmm, I thought old Timmah was in anger management therapy since being called up to start for the MetroStars in 1998.

[crashcarson15]

I know its "just" England but he did shut out England in the World Cup. He was awesome in the World Cup but people forget about that.

Wasn't that game against England a 1-1 draw? He also gave up 2 goals vs. mighty Slovenia and Ghana.

I just think he needs anger management. He has to learn to clear his mind after 1 let in goal. But he doesn't, and more goals poor in.

Being a goalie in soccer is kind of like striking out, or making an error, or pitching like in baseball.

Well, yeah... he has tourretes.

On a similar route, why don't we give Brad Guzan a shot sometime soon? Also, Bob Bradley needs to go. El Tri isn't that good. At all.

[BrySmalls]

So which was worse, the 4-0 throttling by Spain or failing to maintain a lead en route to a 4-2 collapse against Mexico?

[Kevin W.]

Mexico. Losing to Spain is to be expected. We can beat Mexico without a miracle.

[Drew22]

Howard is the best keeper the USA has, and he is damn good. Yeah hes frustrated the team in front of him is playing like .

On Mexico's 3rd and 4th goals, I watched Howard dive over a ball that never left the ground, and Howard flop around like a fish.

I'm of the mindset that having a great goalie isn't that much of an advantage in international play.

Tim Howard may as well change his name to Tim Luongo.

I laughed. Well played.

Bradley has to go.

[NEW.ERA]

Of course this tournament will make Mexico and the US look like world beaters.

[WJMorris3]

Of course this tournament will make Mexico and the US look like world beaters.

The way the USA looks, they'll stumble in the World Cup and struggle to even make it out of the group stage (having only qualified because let's face it, it's highly unlikely for them not to.)

[Don]

For some reason, I think that US Soccer doesnt think anyones paying attention, and thats why Bob Bradley still has his job. Me thinks its time for some good old Vancouver style soccer riots after Tourneys like this for them to realize that people really do give a about soccer in this country.

[Viper]

So which was worse, the 4-0 throttling by Spain or failing to maintain a lead en route to a 4-2 collapse against Mexico?

Last night's collapse. It continues a disturbing trend (started in the '09 Confederations Cup final) of taking a big lead in tournament final matches and then blowing said lead in spectacular fashion. Team USA may be the international equivalent of the Emirates-era Gunners - frequent contenders for hardware, only to choke it away every time.

[HedleyLamarr]

So which was worse, the 4-0 throttling by Spain or failing to maintain a lead en route to a 4-2 collapse against Mexico?

Last night's collapse. It continues a disturbing trend (started in the '09 Confederations Cup final) of taking a big lead in tournament final matches and then blowing said lead in spectacular fashion. Team USA may be the international equivalent of the Emirates-era Gunners - frequent contenders for hardware, only to choke it away every time.

If it's not blowing multi-goal leads, it's letting just about any opponent score in the opening ten minutes of the game....

[TFoA]

Welp, had some time to calm down & digest the game:

#1: Mexico was clearly the better side. As soon as they got past our midfield, it was all on Tim Howard because they treated our defense like practice cones. Dos Santos' goal (despite it coming against one of the more lackadaisical back fours you'll ever see in a Cup Final) was absolutely amazing. Mexico was the best team throughout the tournament, and they deserved to win it.

#2: I know it's probably been said ad nauseam in this thread, but last night was the straw that did it. Bob Bradley's gotta go. Same script, different cast. Was there really anybody watching this game who didn't think that the game would eventually be tied or lost? I'm just surprised that it happened as quickly as it did, but either way, this is part of a disturbing trend: Either we get leads on good teams & choke them away in crazy fashion, we get blown out by good teams, or we play down to the opposition which happened a hell of a lot during the road to South Africa. Either way, after seeing one cycle of this and part of another, I think it's time to go in a different direction. Who do I think should lead the squad, now? No clue. But I know Bradley's gotta go.

#3: The way our back line just absolutely fell into disarray without Cherundolo was disturbing. I know that Mexico's top is one of the most talented on this side of the planet (they're young and only going to get more experienced. This is scary.), but man, our guys looked like they were in quicksand compared to ours. If this is what our defense will look like once 'dolo decides to hang em up...well, we'd better hope that the USSF starts developing world class strikers of our own, because they're gonna have to win games like the soccer version of the Mike Martz Rams if THAT is what our defense is looking like. Or, we could just apply that to our defense.

Either way, just when you think that our national team is taking major steps towards being a major international player, they have a summer like this to remind you that the USMNT still has a LONG way to go. No shame in losing to Mexico (still, UGH.), but that was just a huge gutpunch.

[WJMorris3]

Agreed fully, TFoA. We need a coach that will get us to the point of 7 wins and 7 clean sheets in the World Cup. Anything less MUST be viewed as a disappointment.