USMNT vs. Germany

[Alsacs]

USA played scared the first 20 minutes, but since Mix got the tying goal the USA has been the better team in the 2nd half. Aguello being replaced up top with Zardes has been huge.
Bobby Wood is the closer man.
Honestly this would be the biggest non-tournament win ever. As Germany is playing B+ ish squad. 13 members of the WC team are playing.

 

[Toga]

Well deserved. Way to go boys!

 

[Bortukal]

Awesome win. The team is playing with poise that they typically don't show against European powers.

 

[Alsacs]

Honestly that 2nd half the USA carried the play on the road against an elite team. Now they need to play like that for 90 minutes to be a WC contender. However, Klinsman is running a great program on the upward.

 

[Bortukal]

First win in Italy.
First win in Mexico City.
First win in the Netherlands.
First win in Germany.

Wow.

And the U-20s beat Colombia to advance to the quarterfinals in their WC.

Hope the ladies can bring it home in Canada. Good things are happening for USA soccer.

 

[Alsacs]

First win in Italy.
First win in Mexico City.
First win in the Netherlands.
First win in Germany.

Wow.

And the U-20s beat Colombia to advance to the quarterfinals in their WC.

Hope the ladies can bring it home in Canada. Good things are happening for USA soccer.

You forgot that biggest win. The USA DOJ destroying the FIFA leadership and Blatter. The Europeans love us for taking down Blatter.

 

[Orangezoo]

Been in meetings all day long bummed I miss the game. Really impressive to knock down the dutch and then Germany on their turf. I love what the youth movement up top is bringing to the table.

 

[djcon57]

Hoping Bobby Wood can get on a decent club now.

 

[Alsacs]

Hoping Bobby Wood can get on a decent club now.

He didn't make the provisional Gold Cup roster for that very reason. The USMNT wants him to find a club team. I hope he gets a club in Europe interested now.

 

[CanadianSU]

congrats.

 

[Bortukal]

He didn't make the provisional Gold Cup roster for that very reason. The USMNT wants him to find a club team. I hope he gets a club in Europe interested now.

I imagine Jurgen will make some calls on his behalf...

 

[qdawgg]

Amazing win and add in the fact that Klinsmann still subbed players in, the 2nd half.

 

[CUSU]

Played very well today. This coupled with the NED game and now I'm excited to watch moving forward.

 

[Orangezoo]

Great footie week with the u20s success and women starting out with a w. Whats impressive to me is that jurgen and co did this with chandler being just awful and the cbs playing poorly.

Bradley belongs in europe playing for a champions league lvl squad. He is our pirlo. With that said the fact he is doing this well yet still in mls is a nice feather in the the mls' cap for quality of comp.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

First win in Italy.
First win in Mexico City.
First win in the Netherlands.
First win in Germany.

Wow.

And the U-20s beat Colombia to advance to the quarterfinals in their WC.

Hope the ladies can bring it home in Canada. Good things are happening for USA soccer.

I put zero emphasis on Friendly results. Winning a Friendly is like winning a preseason game.

However, what I do put emphasis on is the way the team plays.

And what has impressed me the most during this two game swing is how the US is improving its play in the final third, not just on the counter but also against a set defense.

Its speed of play, reduction in touches and movement off the ball is as good as I've ever seen (in terms of US teams)...

 

[Orangezoo]

I put zero emphasis on Friendly results. Winning a Friendly is like winning a preseason game.

However, what I do put emphasis on is the way the team plays.

And what has impressed me the most during this two game swing is how the US is improving its play in the final third, not just on the counter but also against a set defense.

Its speed of play, reduction in touches and movement off the ball is as good as I've ever seen (in terms of US teams)...

Good point and that is what got me most excited about these wins. The wins do help in supporting the screwed up ranking system FIFA has but otherwise as you stated it is about the way the game was played way more than the result.

 

[Bortukal]

I put zero emphasis on Friendly results. Winning a Friendly is like winning a preseason game.

However, what I do put emphasis on is the way the team plays.

And what has impressed me the most during this two game swing is how the US is improving its play in the final third, not just on the counter but also against a set defense.

Its speed of play, reduction in touches and movement off the ball is as good as I've ever seen (in terms of US teams)...

You're right of course; friendlies really don't mean squat. However, I would submit that the results are indicative of considerable progress as we've never seen friendly results of this magnitude or consistency in the history of U.S. Soccer. I have to think that it means something; It's an encouraging trend.

The past two games were the first against traditional European powers I can remember in recent history where the U.S. played cohesively, maintained possession for significant stretches, and executed effective passing in the midfield; they didn't look intimidated. We've really seen the team make a beautiful conversion from a historically counterattacking style into a side able to hold possession and build a deliberate attack. Hopefully this signifies that the program has turned the corner in terms of having the mentality to compete against these teams with consistency. But we won't really know if that's the case until Russia 2018 (knock on wood).

 

[Orangezoo]

You're right of course; friendlies really don't mean squat. However, I would submit that the results are indicative of considerable progress as we've never seen friendly results of this magnitude or consistency in the history of U.S. Soccer. I have to think that it means something; It's an encouraging trend.

The past two games were the first against traditional European powers I can remember in recent history where the U.S. played cohesively, maintained possession for significant stretches, and executed effective passing in the midfield; they didn't look intimidated. We've really seen the team make a beautiful conversion from a historically counterattacking style into a side able to hold possession and build a deliberate attack. Hopefully this signifies that the program has turned the corner in terms of having the mentality to compete against these teams with consistency. But we won't really know if that's the case until Russia 2018 (knock on wood).

Agreed. Also im curious to see if they can beat up teams in the gold cup like in the previous iteration where it was a goal fest. Its time to now exert some dominance be it they put 11 behind the ball or not.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

You're right of course; friendlies really don't mean squat. However, I would submit that the results are indicative of considerable progress as we've never seen friendly results of this magnitude or consistency in the history of U.S. Soccer. I have to think that it means something; It's an encouraging trend.

The past two games were the first against traditional European powers I can remember in recent history where the U.S. played cohesively, maintained possession for significant stretches, and executed effective passing in the midfield; they didn't look intimidated. We've really seen the team make a beautiful conversion from a historically counterattacking style into a side able to hold possession and build a deliberate attack. Hopefully this signifies that the program has turned the corner in terms of having the mentality to compete against these teams with consistency. But we won't really know if that's the case until Russia 2018 (knock on wood).

Agreed but I take both with a grain of salt.

In both games, the US was thoroughly dominated in the early stages of the game.

My sense, in both, is the the Dutch and the Germans let up once they had established their clear superiority. That would not have happened in a meaningful game.

The good news is that, once the Dutch and Germans made some substitutions, we were able to play against them on reasonably equal terms. That, in and of itself, is a big step forward.

I think any one who thinks we can currently compete on equal terms with the A Dutch and German terms in a meaningful game is deluding themselves.

And, at this point, I would never expect us to. The Dutch and Germans have two of the best, if the not the two very best, youth development systems in the world and there is still a massive gulf in talent. There is a reason no American players play for the top European sides...

 

[Alsacs]

Agreed but I take both with a grain of salt.

In both games, the US was thoroughly dominated in the early stages of the game.

My sense, in both, is the the Dutch and the Germans let up once they had established their clear superiority. That would not have happened in a meaningful game.

The good news is that, once the Dutch and Germans made some substitutions, we were able to play against them on reasonably equal terms. That, in and of itself, is a big step forward.

I think any one who thinks we can currently compete on equal terms with the A Dutch and German terms in a meaningful game is deluding themselves.

And, at this point, I would never expect us to. The Dutch and Germans have two of the best, if the not the two very best, youth development systems in the world and there is still a massive gulf in talent. There is a reason no American players play for the top European sides...

Germany thoroughly dominated the first 20 minutes of the game. They had probably 80% of the possession, but after that the 2nd half of the first half was pretty even. Guzan made only 1 real save and when the Americans scored in the 41st minute it was a long possession and nifty passes and ended with Bradley serving Mix a great pass and finish. The Germans were shocked after we scored. The 2nd half the Germans made subs but the Americans carried the play.

I didn't see the Dutch game live but they dominated the 2nd half till we scored at the end. This wasn't a Germany A squad but it wasn't the Germany B squad we beat in DC 2 years ago. These friendlies matter as Italian fan you know that the loss yesterday to a Ronaldo less Portugal team knocked Italy out of pot 1 for 2018 WC qualifying and unless your Azzuri get put into a group with Wales or Romania it will be a tough group to win.

UEFA/FIFA uses the rankings for seeding teams and Germany and Netherlands lost points and the USA gained points.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

This wasn't a Germany A squad but it wasn't the Germany B squad we beat in DC 2 years ago.

Agreed on that. The US played toe to toe with a German B+ team. It continues to improve.

These friendlies matter as Italian fan you know that the loss yesterday to a Ronaldo less Portugal team knocked Italy out of pot 1 for 2018 WC qualifying and unless your Azzuri get put into a group with Wales or Romania it will be a tough group to win.

UEFA/FIFA uses the rankings for seeding teams and Germany and Netherlands lost points and the USA gained points.

They may matter for World Cup and Euro seeding but, if you think that the players approach a friendly with the same mentality with which they approach a Euro or a World Cup game, you are mistaken.

As an aside, is there anything at all that FIFA does correctly? Wales and Romania as the equivalent of #1 seeds? Really?

 

[Alsacs]

Agreed on that. The US played toe to toe with a German B+ team. It continues to improve.



They may matter for World Cup and Euro seeding but, if you think that the players approach a friendly with the same mentality with which they approach a Euro or a World Cup game, you are mistaken.

As an aside, is there anything at all that FIFA does correctly? Wales and Romania as the equivalent of #1 seeds? Really?

Agreed even with Gareth Bale, Wales has no business in pot 1 they haven't qualified for a WC in 40 yrs. Off the top of my head Romania I know absolutely nobody on that roster.

France and Italy are the obvious pot 2 teams nobody will want in their group. Faroe Islands in pot 4 over pot 6 is insane as well. If Uefa were the NBA under David Stern Italy and France end in Croatia, Romania, or Wales groups and not Spain, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium's groups.