MLS Cup & USA Soccer

[El Kabong]

Well we have the MLS cup going on Sunday with the LA Galaxy vs Real Salt Lake and that game MAY just provide our National side with a solid replacement for Charlie Davies.

Of course the stars of the game are Beckham and Landon Donovan but we should also pay close attention to Kyle 'Rasta' Beckerman and Robbie Findley. If Donovan is moved to striker we're going to need an extra midfielder (Beckerman?) and if Donovan stays at midfield then we're still going to need another striker and that's where Findley may fit in, he's quick, he finds the goal and he gives backs fits with his speed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBAdWO_R5Tc

Granted that's vs MLS competition and he's not tested on the international level but at this point in time what do we have to lose?

[OumaFan]

With Beckerman you know what you're going to get, he's solid, I can't say that I've watched much of Findley, I don't mind the Donovan move to striker but he's probably best in the midfield.

[CutMeMick]

Nothing would please me more then to see Becks win a title here in the states.

[El Kabong]

Nothing would please me more then to see Becks win a title here in the states.

Well hopefully for his sake and the sake of any other big name international players at the tail end of their careers looking to come over to the MLS.

As for the US National side Bradley has a couple of directions he could go in. #1 He could move Dempsey to striker and put Feilhaber in as a starter which we would have done for the second half of all games anyway. #2 He could move in a new striker Adu, Cooper, Findley, anyone but Conor Casey. #3 He could move Donovan to striker and then try to fill in the midfield with someone else but it would make controlling the pace fo the game difficult without Donovan being able to control the ball in the midfield.

Michael Bradley and Benny Feilhaber as most of our midfield move into attack quickly and tend to lapse on defense.

[Master]

Nothing would please me more then to see Becks lose a title here in the states. And not get into the world cup squad.

[El Kabong]

Nothing would please me more then to see Becks lose a title here in the states. And not get into the world cup squad.

...it might be bad for the MLS, so for the league's sake I hope LA wins.

[CutMeMick]

Galaxy was up 1-0 on a thru ball by Becks to Donovan and Donovan centered the ball for MaGee to score...

Then Real tied them in the 2nd half on a stupid goal where the defense couldn't clear the ball out.

[CutMeMick]

46K+ in attendance...

[El Kabong]

46K+ in attendance...

A good sign for US soccer

[El Kabong]

OK well the US National Team has set up friendlies vs Honduras (in January) and Netherlands (in March). We're not going to have our 'A squad' vs Honduras but MAYBE we can find out who our bench players will be in that game. We will have our #1 side going vs Netherlands #1 side.

I sure would like ot see Jermaine Jones play an entire game...if he can play CDM and either Bradley or Feilhaber can replace Dempsey or Donovan if they move up to striker then that would be great.

I still can't help but wonder how good this team would be if we had Rossi paired with Altidore.

[Nameless]

Rumors are very very strong and it seems very likely that next year, our boys from Montreal will join the MSL as well, they are negotiating about that at the moment

[HattonTheHammer]

remember the day beckham announced he was going to play in the US and everyone declaring that by going to the US he was going to play against micky mouse(rubbish) opponents.

Seen at least a dozen MLS games via late night TV and can confirm you guys can actually play the game real well. The crowds are still fairly low and it doesnt seem america has advanced on its embracing of the game. But the football itself has improved drastically hence the reason so many players are now being recruited by european and south american sides!!!

[OumaFan]

The MLS is ok. I don't really know how to compare it to the Championship as I don't ever see Championship games. We have better players in MLS than the Championship (you wouldn't see Beckham, Landon Donovan, even guys like Brian McBride, in the Championship) but the overall talent is probably fairly similar. Better young talent in the Championship I'm sure.

Every once in a while you'll see a game that is just awful though.

Speaking of Donovan it looks as if he is going to Everton on loan.

Speaking of other American players Clint Dempsey and Fulham are through to the next round of the Europa league which really is kind of amazing considering where they were two years ago. Roy Hodgson is amazing, I would love to see him manage the US if he left Fulham.

[El Kabong]

Well what kinds of lineups do you guys forsee the US using vs Honduras and Netherlands. I know Honduras is the last chance to get some quality play for backups and guys who are on the fringe, I see Robbie Findley getting a start vs them just to see how he does and vs the Netherlands it's the last chance to really perfect your World Cup side and if we don't see Jermain Jones vs Honduras we may see him then.

If we could run out a side like this:

ST: Findley, Altidore
CAM: Donovan
LM:Bradley RM: Dempsey
CDM: Jones
LB: Cherundolo CB: Bocanegra, DeMerit RB: Spector
GK: Howard

Maybe Adu at Striker (he has history with Altidore), and maybe Edu at CDM if Jones is a no go. Also we could put Dempsey at striker to start off and replace him with Fielhaber, but we should only do that if our defense is sound. Also I was wondering if maybe Holden or Rodgers could play striker...I know everyone hates Rodgers because he's careless with the ball or tries to do too much (a la Clint Dempsey) but as a striker his improvisation would be welcomed.

Then I would like our chances to be effective in the World Cup. I think the main thing for us vs teams like England, Slovenia, and Algeria is that we need to attack the goal and never let up 100% nonstop attack. Sure we can draw with anyone if we focus on defense but we can't win if we don't score and once you score your first goal momentum builds. In France we didn't score until the last game, every second that ticked off the clock there was more pressure to score and more people wondering why we hadn't scored yet.

[OumaFan]

Lyle your team just lost to Portsmouth, what the hell?

Benitez has to be gone you would think.