United States v Venezuela: Friendly Gamethread
by Dave Clark on Jan 21, 2012 5:50 PM PST
in US National Team, World Cup and Other International Soccer
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PrintThe January friendlies are usually for the hardest of die hards. Being held outside of a FIFA sanctioned window means that player pool is reduced for both sides, and tonight's game isn't against the highest profile of opponents. Venezuela is decent, currently ranked 31st and slightly ahead of the United States by ESPN's Soccer Power Index.
For Seattle Sounders fans, and MLS fans in general, this is an opportunity for a small handful of players to take that step from fringes and get into the regular call. Both Brad Evans and Jeff Parke were on the fringe of the fringe, being called in only as replacements, but with health and other issues Jurgen Klinsmann is likely to give both of them playing time.
Tonight's match is at 6PM Pacific on ESPN3.com (or which ever name it goes by this month) and Galavision if your cable/dish provider carry that station. The biggest question that could be answered in these next two games will be who can score goals, something distinctly lacking when Donovan and Dempsey aren't in Red, White and Blue.
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to see two of our own compete at this level.
What are the chances to see B-rad and Sparkles in 2d half?
by Brougham Hooligan on Jan 21, 2012 6:01 PM PST reply actions
There are 6 allowed subs
and only 6 on the bench, so pretty good
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It's important to remember that Jurgen plays a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1
So Evans role is going to be quite different than typical. He’ll either be quite a holding mid, quite a CAM or out wide on the right.
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Thoughts on Jermaine Jones being named Captain?
pluses – it could cause him to act responsibly, he’s a relative vet
minuses – he rearely actus responsibly, he’s serving an 8 game suspension for a reason
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I think its a big plus
He is one of the few lock 1st team players on the field tonight, having him gain USMNT leadership experience will only help the 1st team moving forward.
Definitely not thrilled with this
I don’t think we should be giving someone who has a history of dirty play a leadership position. It makes the US program as a whole look bad. =/
Although, to be fair, when Donovan isn’t rolling around on the ground, he’s complaining to the officials, so I guess we don’t have the best recent history with captains.
Donovan isn't often the captain
Usually Bocanerga
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My ears are a bit red now - whoops!
I just associate him with the team because he gets most of the coverage..
brek Shea will be a difference maker tonight
by alexyepz on Jan 21, 2012 6:10 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Here you go
Hamid; Pearce, Parkhurst, Cameron, DeLaGarza; Larentowitz, Jones; Shea, Zusi, Feilhaber; Bunbury
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by the way
following this game while making a beurre blanc may be a bit difficult
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
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Funny too because he's a CB for Galaxy
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Watching on Galavision
Only word I’ve recognized so far is “Feilhaber”.
ESPN360
Is far more hassle to stream to my telly than pressing “404” on the remote.
by Targaff on Jan 21, 2012 6:48 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Turn off the volume on your TV
and turn up the volume on espn360?
by SoundersForever on Jan 21, 2012 7:00 PM PST up reply actions
Cha
Like, that Donovan guys isn’t playing.
by Adam Waltering on Jan 21, 2012 6:34 PM PST up reply actions
The B- team v a no-name nation
That wouldn’t be a draw anywhere, but would be awful in Seattle in a slushpile
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See Gold Cup 2009
USA C squad v horrid country and 15k
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DeLaGarza
I don’t like how high he’s pushing.
Also, I don’t like this formation very much.
I know it’s the B team and it’s January but I’m not terribly impressed by anyone, yet.
But hey, Americans playing soccer! I’ll take it.
I think it works against Venezula.
They aren’t keeping a hold of the ball…
by SoundersForever on Jan 21, 2012 6:42 PM PST up reply actions
I read somewhere
that this is Venezuela’s 3 team.
by Adam Waltering on Jan 21, 2012 6:56 PM PST up reply actions
It's lineup is in the same relationship to the USA's
most of their first choice isn’t available.
By the way, with all the recent loans look for the USA to track upwards in the SPI over the next two months.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
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Maybe I'm just not seeing things right
But he’s looked like a very positive part of the US offence to me.
He has been and that's what I don't like.
He’s a true CB playing RB and a lot of the offense seems to be flowing through him. He’s pushed high with and without the ball but hasn’t really created anything dangerous, yet.
He's quite an unconventional CB really
he does a lot of free work to get the second ball using his speed
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
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He pushes forward for the Galaxy *a lot*.
Plus I think he’s played FB for LA quite a bit. I don’t have the stats to back that up though.
by SoundersForever on Jan 21, 2012 6:59 PM PST up reply actions
I think we are getting a lot of one touches to an open man,
but we don’t seem to have good shape.
by SoundersForever on Jan 21, 2012 6:44 PM PST reply actions
Don't get caught up...
in the baby games.
I wouldn't call it a baby game some coaches around the world get fired for losing these games just saying
by alexyepz on Jan 21, 2012 6:53 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
No,
that’s what Twellman said about 10 mins ago.
by Adam Waltering on Jan 21, 2012 6:54 PM PST up reply actions
on another note
santos has won 1-0 and they seem to get better every game
by alexyepz on Jan 21, 2012 7:08 PM PST via mobile reply actions
hey all
just saw that this game was going on while watching ESPN. have we seen any hints of Brad or Jeff yet?
I met a possum.
on the bench
but the entire bench might get subbed on
by Adam Waltering on Jan 21, 2012 7:20 PM PST up reply actions
It would be astretch to call this team our "starters"
They started this game, but that’s about it.
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Jan 21, 2012 7:33 PM PST up reply actions
So has Klinsmann decided that he's going to change everyone's jersey number every time there's a friendly?
I met a possum.
it's positional
that’s why there’s no names on the jerseys.
by Adam Waltering on Jan 21, 2012 7:24 PM PST up reply actions
It makes me wonder
is klinsmann playing with 1 striker in order to force the midfield to play off eachother more efficiently?
4-4-2 is a dying formation
not just for the USMNT, but around soccer
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
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Right,
but at this point with these players is that the best idea? Or is he willing to take his lumps in order to foster the new style?
by Adam Waltering on Jan 21, 2012 7:38 PM PST up reply actions
Well even when we play 4-4-2 it isn't really a 4-4-2
The wingers are pushed forward enough to be kind of a 4-2-2-2 (if that’s the proper term, I’m not a tactician)
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Jan 21, 2012 7:42 PM PST up reply actions
He's definately about putting his new style in place
and more concerned with that then winning friendlies.
Also, which two forwards should be playing instead of Zusi?
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
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Jermaine Jones with the conclusion to a possession of fail
Started when Brek Shea took a pass to the back.
I met a possum.
whats
with he lack of calls for foul in box?
Refs have an aversion to penalty kicks
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Jan 21, 2012 7:56 PM PST up reply actions
evans is in
with about 3 mins left, lol
by coachferrell on Jan 21, 2012 7:59 PM PST up reply actions
The US shirt numbers
Do strange things on-screen close up.
Why is a tie an attractive result, Venezuela?
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Jan 21, 2012 8:02 PM PST up reply actions
Is this a reaction to the Jones free kick?
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Jan 21, 2012 8:05 PM PST up reply actions
IN THE 97TH MINUTE!!!
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Jan 21, 2012 8:08 PM PST up reply actions
oh my gosh!
are you kidding me????!!!! incredible
Well deserved win.
Had it’s bad spots but ball movement looked pretty good and over all a pretty good performance I think.
Really like Shea in the National colors
The thing about Brek Shea
I keep expecting him to be the next Donovan and get really frustrated whenever he’s not. That’s not so much his fault as it is the media’s, though.
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Jan 21, 2012 8:34 PM PST up reply actions
Mr. Chavez ain't very happy
I think that we can safely say that with the way Hugo Chavez uses the U.S. to personalize everything, the results of the game are not to his liking.
Attendance was 22,000.
It was 17,000 for the women’s game here in November, and that’s compared to 20,000 for the Red Bulls/Atlas friendly last February. The crowd was very on and off into it, but had a steady enthusiasm from minute 60 onward. As expected, the curse words and vulgarities started getting hurled in great numbers during the time wasting, and the place blew up on the goal. It was pretty awesome. The empty sections I believe were the Venezuela specific supporters sections.
Also of interest, the Coyotes game tonight was dollar beer, soda, and hot dog night, which convinced some of the season ticket holders (what coyotes season ticket holders, amirite?) who may have attended the game, to just save the money and catch the Yotes.
by Jason Riptide on Jan 21, 2012 8:33 PM PST via Android app reply actions
And for those who dont know Glendale...
The Yotes play 100 yards away from where the US game was. The US game still probably did 3x what the Coyotes game did.
by Jason Riptide on Jan 21, 2012 8:35 PM PST via Android app up reply actions
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