August 12th - Mexico vs USA

Will never happen but this is what I would like to see:

------------------- Ochoa --------------------

-- E.Juarez ---- Salcido --- Magallon --- Pinto --

------------ Arce ---------- Torrado -----------

------ Dos Santos --- Vela --- Guardado -------

------------------ Nery Castillo -----------------

why:

Pardo - Past his prime, lacks some speed and hustle. I saw him in that first season in Germany and the guy was great.
Marquez - Not at full speed
Osorio - I hate this freaking guy. He could not pass to save his life. I think he sucks on the national team and sucked somewhat in Germany.
Maza - Is hurt
Venado - Cannot pass. The guy never lifts his head prior to a pass. Good passes are few from this guy and he does not know how to score.
Sabah - I could see him in place of Nery but I like the speed and vision that Nery brings.
Castro(s) - Do not really like how all these guys slow down the game. Play right into US strategy.

Many do not like Nery but watch the third goal against US. Middle striker just jogging being a lazy bastard. This attitude from those around Nery I think finally frustrated the guy. Vela and Gio have no such attitude. Nery would finally have some hustle in the front.
 
U.S. Roster out

The Link

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 11/7 SO)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 21/3), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover: 18/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford: 2/0), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew: 0/0), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan: 16/1), Jonathan Spector (West Ham: 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 10/4), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 5/0), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 17/4), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus: 1/0), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 5/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal: 8/5), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 15/6), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 2/1), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 30/11)

No surprises. Holden gets a nod.
 
For me, Landon is the captain of the US Men's National Team.

Here's an interview following his game yesterday.:The Link

I would really like to win on Wednesday.



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"We're not going there for a point."

Love it. No Marquez and apparently Guardado suffered an injury in training and won't be 100%. With El Tri currently in 4th and Saprissa next on deck for them, we have a chance to deliver a huge blow to their WC qualification. A win at Azteca would be the perfect cap to a tremendous summer for USMNT soccer.
 
I think it was to rest our starters after the Confed Cup and to also give a few guys a chance to prove why they should be allowed more of a chance to make the South Africa WC roster.
 
Seemingly not. I think that maybe they are looking at the bigger picture, the upcoming game at Azteca. From the mental, rivalry aspect a loss to the U.S. with both A teams playing, in Mexico, could crush them. It would likely be the point where they don't qualify for the next World Cup. When was the last time Mexico did not do this?
 
The last time they did not qualify was 1982. In 1990 they were disqualified. Guardado will be fine, he just got a knock to the knee. No damage. Marquez seems to always play his worst against the US, so no real loss there.

Mexico doesn't have the same issues in Saprissa that the US have. They have gotten points there the last three world cup cycles, including a win in 2005 (the vwery first game of the hex). The Cuzcatlan and San Perdo Sula are mexico's problem stadia in Central America.
 
I asked a girl out tomorrow night and didn't realize it until about an hour later that that would conflict with the US/Mex game!
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I was hoping that she'd say "NO"... and she did!
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We're meeting at an 11:30pm tango performance because she's eating with friends who now live out of the country. Wheeeewwww, that was CLOSE!
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Edit:

Is this a day game?
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What time is kickoff?... oh no!!!!!
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This will be a great match with our best chance to date to beat them on their home turf.

I wonder if they will turn nasty if they are losing with a couple minutes left to play...
 
It's finally here! I expect us to lose, but the opportunity the U.S. has in front of them today has me jacked up nonetheless. I'll offer a few worthless opinions:

1) For all the "big game" experience the young Yanks gained this summer in South Africa, we still have only four players that have played at Azteca: Donovan, Gooch, Bocanegra and Cherundolo (I forgot, Torres too if you count Pachuca @ America). And I doubt Dolo plays since Spector is in such good form and the matchup with Guardado so crucial. So that means only 3 guys have been there. For everyone else, this is their first rodeo...and I have a hard time believing not a single American won't get rattled when they walk through the tunnel. All it takes is one guy, one mistake.

2) The U.S. has been pumping out this whole "we're there to win" mantra, but over the last week it's begun to seem a bit contrived imo. You can't honestly tell me they wouldn't be content and/or thrilled with a draw. I know this matchup is about more than just the game, it's regional dominance, border war, yada yada yada...but don't be ridiculous. You had to scrap for a draw at El Salvador; you were smoked after 15 minutes at Costa Rica; and oh yeah, you're 0-18-1 (or whatever it is) at Azteca...and now you're saying anything less than a win is a disappointment? I'm all for confidence and lofty goals, but you gotta crawl before you can walk, fellas.

Since Mexico can't afford to drop 2, let alone 3 points, their hand is forced. They'll press and the counterattack opportunities will be there for the States. I like the way we match up in this game, but I just don't see it happening. I expect us to look disjointed and out of rhythm. I hope I'm wrong.

2-0 Mexico.

Question: With all the talk about the altitude/smog, has the U.S. had a tendency to concede late goals at Azetca? It seems to me that they're much more vulnerable to conceding the early goal when the energy/crowd/intensity play a factor, but before fatigue sets in.
 
The last two games there had Mexico score in the first half. The one in 2005, though, saw the US wilt and if Mexico had any kind of decent finishing, it would have been much worse than the 2-1 score.
 
I'd like us to knock it around for about 60 to 70 minutes and then start going for the juggler.

Of course if we do this, I'll miss all the good action, because I can only watch the first half.
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nice post, ground. i agree that expectations should be tempered, but the mexicans are down and we've shown better consistency in big games. i think we can pull this one off. if anyone is going to be the first GK to win at azteca, might as well be howard. i went to the WC qualifier in '01 at azteca and walking in that stadium i had no hope of us winning (honestly, being in the minority, i felt a mex victory might save my life.) turns out, right as i crack my second glass bottle corona in the 3rd upper deck, mex scores in the 11th minute. whew.
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go yanks!
 
Where is this ref from again?

This game has turned into a joke. The incompetency of the ref is amazing. It is something I expect from HS refs in Texas, not in a major international match.
 
Good game, but couldn't hold it up. I agree the ref was way inconsistent. You want to card for fouls then card for fouls both ways. And when a dude grabs the other guy by the head you gotta control that stuff. He was not the worst I've seen but pretty bad.
 
very odd decisions by the ref and especially the line judges, but that's the way it goes. Mexico needed the help to stay in contention for 2010. Forget about it and roll on through CONCACAF
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I'd prefer we lose 5-0 and play to win. That was frustrating hunkering down and playing for a draw.

We need to learn how to play from our own end when the goalie has the ball.

We do not play the "beautiful" game.
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Who the heck is Charlie Davis?

Why the heck are representatives of the United States waving the flag of Mexico?

When the heck did Panama become the ally of Mexico?

How in the heck can anyone support a team full of floppers, whiners, instigators? Oh wait...People who throw urine, batteries, fecal matter and require riot police and barbed wire fences to be put up between them and the field.
 
OK, I didn't watch the game, but how is this not a RED CARD?
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Someone check the rule book for "both hands clutching the opponent's throat" as a bookable offense.

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Much like the Brazil game, I expected a loss only to see the U.S. take the lead, get my hopes up and then have them dashed as the Yanks relinquished said lead.

Not a major setback, but another opportunity squandered and ultimately a disappointing result.

Notes:
1) Cherundolo was overmatched and Ching made no impact on the game whatsoever. Why Jozy and Spector were left out of the starting lineup is beyond me. We really could've used Spector's ability to distribute from the back and push forward in the attack, not to mention a few more crosses into the danger area.
2) Do Mexicans even like Nery Castillo? What an assclown.
3) My dad, not a soccer follower, passes by as Torrado appears on screen. Dad: "Is that guy an albino?"
4) Officiating was pretty poor, but I never felt like it cost us the game. It does get extremely frustrating to repeatedly see our guys get clipped, lose possession and then not get a call because they don't hit the deck like a sniper just picked em off.
5) I won't give them kudos, cause they're arrogant ******** that lack intergrity, BUT...Mexico didn't quit and found a way to grind out the 3 points they needed. Surprised me.
6) Gold Cup/Azteca withstanding, this is still our region. As Landon said, anywhere else in the world, we beat them. We took the aggregate.
7) Mexican fans and players will hail this game as an exclamation for the program, but behind closed doors they're letting out a sigh of relief. We let them off the hook...
 
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