OT: Premiership Forum

[jstewismybastardson]

I went to the UEFA Women's Euro final today. Too bad Sweden didn't make it past the semi-finals against Germany but the atmosphere was great anyways; more than 41000 people went. Germany was the better team but Norway had some chances, including two missed penalty kicks and a disallowed goal, so the game was intense and fun to watch. Game finished 1-0 to Germany.

Watched this game ... Any game with so much on the line and played so close will have intensity but i gotta say ... 2 of the most poorly taken penalty kicks ive ever seen by the norwegians

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I dont put usa's excellent run of form on klinsman ... I put it on the mls, their residency programs, the pdl and the ncaa

They have developed a huge development pyramid which will continue to feed players to the top ... While teaching an attacking mentality ... Props !

100% the MLS is a big part of it, but I feel like there were certain guys on the US team that underachieved for quite some time under Bradley that now seem to be figuring out whatever it was that was a problem. Maybe that's not Klinsman's doing and it's coincidence, either way I prefer him to Bradley.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

100% the MLS is a big part of it, but I feel like there were certain guys on the US team that underachieved for quite some time under Bradley that now seem to be figuring out whatever it was that was a problem. Maybe that's not Klinsman's doing and it's coincidence, either way I prefer him to Bradley.

Think those underachievers were just guys who are now maturing and being pushed for spots on the team so they need to step up and have to keep their place

And bob bradley isnt some shlub. Look what hes done for a war torn egypt team. And his son

Idk maybe it could have taken a foreign voice for the us players to go over the top ... Sad if thats the case

 

[Slimpikins]

I don't think it had anything to do with foreign or domestic (wait, are we talking about beer?). I think it is just a different coaching style and approach. Kind of like a hockey team can tune a coach out. It took a transition, they lost several games right when Klinsmann came on.

And your point with MLS improving is a good one. I think having quality competition in a domestic league absolutely pays dividends for the national team.

 

[ritari330]

Klinsmann is just a better fit for the United States in terms of tactics. The way he wants to play (or maybe I should say the way he has them playing) suits the players better than Bradley did. I also think he has managed players well in leaving them off the team for a while to make them want to be apart of the team (see Donovan, Landon).

In saddening news, Stuart Holden tore his ACL yesterday. He had just played his first full 90 minute game in over 2 years in the semis. He has some rotten, rotten luck. I just feel for the guy. All the best to him and to a speedy recovery.

 

[ritari330]

One other thing about Klinsmann is that I think he is making the US squad more appealing to many young players (mostly German-Americans) who are not cap tied and have duel citizenship like Mix Diskarud, who had a great Gold Cup. Time will tell on others, but a few other names have been talked about in regards to choosing the US over another country. Time will tell how these players would pan out, however.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

One other thing about Klinsmann is that I think he is making the US squad more appealing to many young players (mostly German-Americans) who are not cap tied and have duel citizenship like Mix Diskarud, who had a great Gold Cup. Time will tell on others, but a few other names have been talked about in regards to choosing the US over another country. Time will tell how these players would pan out, however.

I can't help but think players like that choose to play for the US only because they're not good enough to make a squad like Germany, not because the US team is more appealing.

Let's face it, no matter how much they've improved, the US is still nowhere near the Germans, either on paper - US is 22nd though should certainly climb a few spots when the next ratings come out, Germans are 2nd - or in actual fact.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I can't help but think players like that choose to play for the US only because they're not good enough to make a squad like Germany, not because the US team is more appealing.

Let's face it, no matter how much they've improved, the US is still nowhere near the Germans, either on paper - US is 22nd though should certainly climb a few spots when the next ratings come out, Germans are 2nd - or in actual fact.

kinda agree ... its about an easier opportunity to play on a global stage (which can end up boosting the players potential club/career aspirations) ... again not about klinsman imo ... he may have the pipeline into the germans who are choosing to play for the usmnt but there are other out there ... like:

Making an announcement on his Facebook page, AZ Alkmaar forward Aron Johannsson has decided to pledge his future to the USMNT, rejecting the nation that raised him, Iceland, despite playing for them in the youth levels

Iceland had virtually no shot at making the world cup out of uefa. Plus by Aron pledging to be american he will be a domestic player under quota rules of the MLS and almost guarantees he would be able to finish his career there

 

[jstewismybastardson]

btw the same us soccer writers who were shredding klinsy 18 months ago and calling for change after he "destroyed the room" want his face put on Rushmore after the Gold Cup ... a little balance is necessary

18 months ago he was being called out for being a horrible tactician and now everybody is saying "oh he changed the US style of play" ... please! ... almost every team in the MLS plays an attacking game ... whats going on is that style of play is becoming what american soccer is known for

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

btw the same us soccer writers who were shredding klinsy 18 months ago and calling for change after he "destroyed the room" want his face put on Rushmore after the Gold Cup ... a little balance is necessary

18 months ago he was being called out for being a horrible tactician and now everybody is saying "oh he changed the US style of play" ... please! ... almost every team in the MLS plays an attacking game ... whats going on is that style of play is becoming what american soccer is known for

I don't think that's a fair assessment. The USMNT is basically playing a German style at this point. Klinsmann was a top-tier striker for a high-scoring offensive-minded team. I think him being the coach has a lot to do with the team playing such an attacking game.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Klinsmann is just a better fit for the United States in terms of tactics. The way he wants to play (or maybe I should say the way he has them playing) suits the players better than Bradley did. I also think he has managed players well in leaving them off the team for a while to make them want to be apart of the team (see Donovan, Landon).

In saddening news, Stuart Holden tore his ACL yesterday. He had just played his first full 90 minute game in over 2 years in the semis. He has some rotten, rotten luck. I just feel for the guy. All the best to him and to a speedy recovery.

Yeah that's a bummer, I like Holden. I knew it was bad because it looked like there wasn't much contact on that play at all. Non contact injuries usually mean surgery. ACL will be tough to come back from.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I don't think that's a fair assessment. The USMNT is basically playing a German style at this point. Klinsmann was a top-tier striker for a high-scoring offensive-minded team. I think him being the coach has a lot to do with the team playing such an attacking game.

I think it is ... MLS teams have had to play an attacking offensive game based on energy and pressing to survive in north america and counter backward thinkers who see 0-0 soccer games as boring as hell ... in the past it was because the players didnt have the technical skills but this generation of players has acquired that thanks to a ltdp in US soccer that stresses it ... from the bottom up

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

I think it is ... MLS teams have had to play an attacking offensive game based on energy and pressing to survive in north america and counter backward thinkers who see 0-0 soccer games as boring as hell ... in the past it was because the players didnt have the technical skills but this generation of players has acquired that thanks to a ltdp in US soccer that stresses it ... from the bottom up

I don't disagree that the MLS teams play that way and why. Where I think we disagree is on why that style has carried to the USMNT.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Yes and no about the MLS. It obviously helps that homegrown talent have better competition, but a bunch of the A Team guys for the US aren't MLS guys and their games seemed to have improved tremendously (Altidore, Bradley, Fabian Johnson).

I don't think it's one factor that's contributing to the US success but a couple of things. I think Klinsman's personality and style help, improvement in the MLS helps, couple of key guys now entering their prime etc. Regardless of why they're getting better, the bottom line is the US has become unbelievably fun to watch. I'm excited for the next round of WC qualifiers (unfortunately I don't think any will be in my area) and I think they could make some noise in Brazil.

 

[dash]

I think they could make some noise in Brazil.

It will be great to see USA and Germany drawn into the same group for WC 2014. Klinsy would be fired up for that game.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

It will be great to see USA and Germany drawn into the same group for WC 2014. Klinsy would be fired up for that game.

I still don't see it being a close affair. The German squad is so far above and beyond the US team at this point.

Two months ago I probably would have said 5-1 Germany. Now I'd be more likely to put it at 3-1.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I still don't see it being a close affair. The German squad is so far above and beyond the US team at this point.

Two months ago I probably would have said 5-1 Germany. Now I'd be more likely to put it at 3-1.

It's Spain and Germany as the clear favorites and then a gap between the rest of the competition. If one of these teams don't win it something went wrong along the way.

Maybe a South American team can ride the hometown crowd momentum toward an upset?

 

[dash]

I still don't see it being a close affair. The German squad is so far above and beyond the US team at this point.

Two months ago I probably would have said 5-1 Germany. Now I'd be more likely to put it at 3-1.

Obviously, the Germans would be heavy favo(u)rites, but strange things happen to Germany when they play WC games outside of Europe.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

It's Spain and Germany as the clear favorites and then a gap between the rest of the competition. If one of these teams don't win it something went wrong along the way.

Maybe a South American team can ride the hometown crowd momentum toward an upset?

Between the homefield advantage and their recent performance at the Confederations Cup, I would be willing to put Brazil as the 3rd team in the favo(u)rites bucket.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

I still don't see it being a close affair. The German squad is so far above and beyond the US team at this point.

Two months ago I probably would have said 5-1 Germany. Now I'd be more likely to put it at 3-1.

2 months ago i would have said 4 - 3 USA

U.S. Men?s National Team Defeats Germany 4-3 in Centennial Celebration Match in Nation's Capital - U.S. Soccer