Klinsmann and the USA really starting to look good

[FWHORN]

You cant help but be impressed by last nights domination of Scotland. 5-1 and a hat trick for Donovan. World Cup qualifying begins later this summer and the USA is coming into the kind of form we all expected with Klinsmann at the helm.

The Link

 

[ViperHorn]

Wake me when the Round of 16 starts.

 

[l00p]

I am liking this too and agree they are on a good pace for top form. I was and still am sort of bummed about the fiasco surrounding the Olympics but meh, no big deal if this is the result. We beat Italy and now Scotland in convincing fashion. This is not Klinsmann's first rodeo.

 

[SyracuseHorn]

If we can ever get to full strength, we'll be pretty good (see 2002 for example). Dempsey, Altidore, and Holden are significant contributors that can make this team dangerous. Frankly I don't expect Holden to be back with the USMNT. Not many guys with repeatedly rebuilt knees make it back to the top level.

My biggest concern is the age of our defenders. Cherundolo and Bocanegra will be 35 in 2014. I've seen enough from Gooch to know he's definitely not going to play in 2014. We may have a back line of World Cup rookies. It does seem like we have finally found a decent LB, so there's a silver lining.

I'm eager to see this team against Brazil. I'd love to see Altidore and Dempsey on the pitch, but Clint didn't seem optimistic yesterday that he'd be ready. Still, if we can hang with Brazil on Wednesday, then this year's qualifying round should be pretty fun to watch. World Cup qualifying is only slightly behind TX-OU in my book.

 

[1899horn]

I have seen enough 5-1 scorelines in friendlies against crap teams to not eat the cheese. If the US plays the high pressure game against Brazil as they did against the Scots, they will be cut to pieces.

Klinsmann has already stated that the US cannot take risks like that against better teams, so expect them to hang back and counter like they did in Italy. Clint got a good goal, but the Italians dominated the game and should have scored more than once. The US got very lucky that night.

 

[l00p]

ooops

 

[Horns11]

It was a solid beating. Not quite the drubbing that a 3-goal deficit implies, but the age of the defense was showing. I thought Howard actually looked pretty good for most of the game and the mids/forwards just didn't get the job done on close plays.

 

[Horns11]

And now the ugly draw against a weak Canada team. I have a feeling that we might look good in 2014, but it'll be tough to qualify if we don't start picking the pace up.

 

[1899horn]

I have a feeling Klinsi is going to be in for a rude awakening in Guatemala and Jamaica, and because of such, they absolutely cannot afford to drop points at home.

 

[bedhead]

USA never has a good young defense.
I remember way back when they kept playing the guy, Jeff Agoos that looked like a caveman, he was slow, easily faked, and just all-around awful.

We need to work on development of defenders, starting to look better wiith scoring forwards that are playing in Europe,etc. Get to work on defense!

 

[HornsForever'93]

Never, ever, ever play Obwegu (SP.) on defense ever, ever, ever

 

[Horns11]

Onyewu was the one who underestimated the Antiguan striker. He looked lost out there.

 

[Horns11]

The tie against Guatemala was understandable. The refs really had it out for the midfielders and the US couldn't get away with much. Johnson lost control in the 83rd minute... you have to know where you are on the field if you're going to be that physical.

 

[FWHORN]

Goal for this first round of qualifying should be 14 points based on 3 wins at home, 1 road win and two road draws. 14 points assures qualification to the hexagonal. Winning last night would have been great but I really expected draws at Guatemala and Jamaica with road win over Antigua and Barbuda. USA is on track but cannot stumble.