USMNT

International Friendly recap: USMNT 1–4 Brazil

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Brazil defeated the US soundly on Tuesday night, 4–1, with second half sub Neymar scoring a brace. Little went well for the US, aside from Danny Williams’s garbage-time wonder-goal, and it’s hard to see how this was useful prep for October’s huge game against Mexico.

First half

Brazil fielded a “conservative” side, missing living highlight reel Neymar, but still with enough firepower to worry any team. The US welcomed Michael Bradley, and switched up its starting back four, bringing Geoff Cameron in at right back, moving Michael Orozco inside, and Ventura Alvarado as the other center back.

Immediately under heavy pressure from Brazil, the US had several chances for breakouts in the first five minutes, but foundered each time with a poor touch or pass just outside the Brazilian area. And in the ninth, Brazil would break through. A poor giveaway from DeAndre Yedlin led to a knifing run from Willian. The Brazilian blew past both Alejandro Bedoya and then Tim Ream, who did enough to push him to the endline. Willian’s looping cross actually struck the far post and fell for Hulk, who cut once and blasted the ball past Brad Guzan in goal.

The US nearly struck right back. Cameron stormed up the right wing, then found Yedlin on the underlap. Yedlin crossed for Altidore in the box, but he was met by a defender, too, and Altidore mishit his shot. The US earned their first shot on goal in the 28th. Again it was Cameron and Yedlin combining up the right, this time to feed Bradley, who drove into the box for a shot, but it was easily held.

The Brazil attack was mesmeric and came in waves at times, with Guzan and others called into last-ditch action to save the US. The pressure was so great that coach Jurgen Klinsmann made the rarest of decisions: he made a first-half tactical sub, bringing on Danny Wiliams for Bedoya in the 35th minute.

The pace slackened occasionally, and the US had a handful of half-chances and good possessions, but in the main, Brazil’s play left everyone breathless. The US entered the half lucky to be down only one.

Second half

Bobby Wood entered for Zardes at the half for the US, with Neymar introduced for Brazil. Neymar would make the more telling contribution. David Luiz sent a 50-plus-yard ball over the top to Neymar on the left wing. He streamed into the box then but back under pressure from Cameron, who took him down for a penalty. Neymar stuttered up to the ball, but Guzan guessed correctly all the same. But the placement was too perfect, and brushed Guzan’s fingertips as it nestled into the side netting.

Brazil continued its assault, with Michael Orozco and Williams picking up yellows in quick succession for professional fouls. In the 57th, Klinsmann, either waving the white flag or taking an absolute flyer, withdrew Altidore for Jordan Morris. Shortly after, the US had another shot on goal. Tim Ream drove up the left, cutting inside, and found Bradley. Bradley took a touch and shot from distance, but it was another easy catch for the keeper.

In the 64th, Brazil put the final nail in the coffin. After Yedlin had the ball in a promising position high on the right, Brazil forced a turnover and broke the other way. Lucas Moura found Moutinho in the box, who shimmied his defender off and finished from 8 yards. Moments later it was four. Another Brazil attack featuring Lucas Moura found Neymar with the ball at his feet running into the box, and he easily wrong-footed half the US defense before finishing at the near post. In the 70th, it should have been five, but Rafinha couldn’t finish after receiving the ball from Neymar on the penalty spot. In truth, the game had lost all pretense of competition. Brazil was better, everyone knew it, and they proved it.

In the 84th, while playing out the string, the US had its best chance of the game so far, but after a good move up the right side found Mix Diskerud arriving for a shot just inside the box, he put it too close to the keeper who held on. But the US did get on the board, and in spectacular fashion. Ream found Williams thirty yards from goal. Brazil, understandably, didn’t bust a gut to close him down, so Williams stepped forward and unleashed a thunderlaser of a shot that knuckled past Luiz’s head and through the keeper’s fist into the goal.

Luckily, that was the last goal, and the game ended 4–1.

US verdict

A tale of two halves: The first half was bad; the second was way, way worse.

What was the plan? What exactly was the thinking behind lining up without a specialist defensive midfielder. That Bedoya was subbed was hardly his fault. He’s no DM, and Brazil was no opponent to blood him there.

Fullbacks wanted: Geoff Cameron looked good at times, as did Tim Ream, but both struggled with the pace of Brazil on the flanks. DaMarcus Beasley might need to unretire again, and Fabian Johnson better be healthy for October 10.

This team is missing something: Be it a true No. 10, or stronger fullbacks, or a better possession game, something just doesn’t quite work right now,

Final thoughts

Brazil destroyed the US tonight, and they weren’t even at their best. Neymar played only a half, and the game was over long before the final whistle. There’s no shame in losing to Brazil, but Brazil looked like they were playing a different game at times. Klinsmann has some serious work to do between now and October 10.

USA
1-Brad Guzan; 20-Geoff Cameron (16-Jonathan Spector, 73), 15-Michael Orozco, 19-Ventura Alvarado, 23-Tim Ream; 13-Jermaine Jones (10-Mix Diskerud, 72), 11-Alejandro Bedoya (14-Danny Williams, 36); 2-DeAndre Yedlin, 4-Michael Bradley (capt.) (9-Aron Johannsson, 79), 21-Gyasi Zardes (18-Bobby Wood, 46); 17-Jozy Altidore (8-Jordan Morris, 57)
Subs Not Used: 3-Omar Gonzalez, 7-Alfredo Morales, 12-Tim Howard, 24-Joe Corona, 25-Greg Garza
Head Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann

Brazil
12-Marcelo Grohe; 2-Fabinho, 3-Miranda (capt.) (13-Marquinhos, 22), 4-David Luiz, 6-Marcelo; 17-Luis Gustavo (5-Fernandinho, 65), 24-Lucas Lima (22-Lucas, 63), 8-Elias; 19-Willian (10-Neymar, 46), 21-Hulk (9-Firmino, 46), 7-Douglas Costa (18-Rafinha, 63)
Subs Not Used: 1-Jefferson, 11-Philippe Coutinho, 14-Gabriel Paulista, 15-Danilo, 16-Douglas Santos, 20-Kaká, 23-Alisson
Head coach: Dunga

Scoring Summary
BRA – Hulk — 9th minute
BRA – Neymar (penalty kick) — 51
BRA – Rafinha (Lucas) — 64
BRA – Neymar (Lucas) — 67
USA – Danny Williams (Tim Ream) — 90+1

Misconduct Summary
USA – Michael Orozco (caution) — 53rd minute
USA – Danny Williams (caution) — 55

Stats Summary (USA / BRA)
Shots: 6 / 15
Shots on Goal: 4 / 7
Saves: 3 / 3
Corner Kicks: 3 / 2
Fouls: 11 / 12
Offside: 0 / 2

Officials
Referee: Joel Aguilar (SLV)
Assistant Referee 1: William Torres (SLV)
Assistant Referee 2: Douglas Bermudez (SLV)
4th Official: Elmer Bonilla (SLV)

Venue: Gillette Stadium; Foxborough, Mass.
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Attendance: 29,308
Weather: 80 degrees; Clear

37 Comments

  1. I get it…yes yes it was Brazil-inho…not Big Brazil..but I am despondent tonight. Any goodwill JK built with me after some European wins has been all but retarded with baking soda as the bunsen burner…
    .
    …blows up in front of our eyes after poor performance on top of poor performance. The USMNT has no identity, no continuity and no chance…and he is as much to blame as the lack of pick up games in the streets and the penchant for tourney after tourney for a bunch 9 year olds… oh I’m sorry, festival after festival…
    .
    I did not expect a massive overhaul in style under his leadership, nor a magnificent ascent into the elite clouds… and maybe in 10 years- as some whimsically hope- we will see the benefit of his great plan but his team(s) is/are terrible..in the ever unfolding NOW.
    .
    Ter.r.i.ble. NOW.
    .
    Just another in a long line of terrible De Andre Yedlin touches and decisions. Just another game where J.Jones is so terrible that he made Danny Williams look brilliant. Just another game against a team playing with a chip on its shoulder so A. Bedoya gets shuttled inside to play against Willian terribly? I mean come on…talk about bringing a knife to a gun fight. “Sure Ally…you will be okay.”
    .
    A bunch of jackhammers and crowbars – to steal my own words- playing a game that requires a slide rule and scalpel. WE ARE SO FAR AWAY.
    .
    And the field. Yet again the field. A field so terrible with pace and bounce it made the terrible field in Arlington for the greatest player in the world to play on appear better… and that field was a pox marked municipal putting green in the late august heat disgrace. What are we doing in this country? What are we doing? These are all rhetorical questions…leave me alone with answers. I am despondent when I watch that utter dreck.
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    Group of death.
    .
    My ass.
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    We are light years away. Maybe we beat Mexico. Maybe we don’t. Doesn’t mean a damn thing if this is the shiite we have to believe in as our way forward… that was a joke of a game. A disgrace. Just some more truth.

    • I’ll ask a simple question: with improved tactics, do we get grossly improved results? Or are we simply (and depressingly) that far behind the rest of the world on a sheer talent basis?
      .
      That may be the harsh truth of the sport in this country. We simply are not good enough.

      • We need better thinking for sure…but we need balls delivered to the correct foot too.
        .
        IMO…our technique is simply not good enough… let alone the thinking to control how and where we want the defense to move.
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        Truly…it is all hope. We string a few passes together..maybe speed exploits an OB from HOnduras… but we have no idea how to manipulate a defense.
        .
        I watched the Argentina game after and how many times did I see Mascherano move – not to influence the play unfolding – but to be positioned for the outcome of the play he was supporting.
        .
        This is why I did not expect miracles….
        .
        …what I expected though was something coming closer to a resemblance of ‘the beautiful game’… I expected a continuity to the roster by now… not moving Yedlin to a winger position solely because he has pace but no technique or defensive mindfulness, or STILL trying to determine who the CB pairing for this team is, or pushing Bradley into a Trequarista role for which he is ill equipped when clearly Bradley best fills the Regista role next to a competent and dominant DM which would allow him freedom to play the deep balls he likes to play and metronome the buildup. This falls on the head coach.
        .
        It is all hope…and I am getting tired of watching his alchemy.
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        Let alone having no international schedule and sod fields laid over turf. What are we doing?

      • The turf argument is a good one. That is embarrassing for US Soccer, as an entity. You want to attract top players to your domestic league? Stop making them play on minefields.
        .
        Our beloved Union have been forced into multiple lineups due to circumstance. It feels as though JK is intentionally sabotaging any possible success by experimenting in matches and killing chemistry.
        .
        But I go back to the basic point: remove the lineup issues, and the potential mismanagement, and it comes down to a God-Given talent argument. I don’t think we are good enough. It’s been said over and over, but until we get the athletes, we won’t truly step up in the world. We need guys like Kobe, and Calvin Johnson, and Mike Trout, etc., to choose soccer. Until they do, we will be victims to a massive talent gap.

      • you had me with Kobe and Calvin being footballers….I can’t picture Trout as s footballer…….your point is spot on though. I always tell my kids………if Michael Jordan were born in Paris, London, or Madrid…he would have been a footballer…….he would have been another Desailly!

      • Oh, c’mon…tell me it wouldn’t be awesome to see a team of guys built like Trout out there! Our fullbacks could be Trout and JJ Watt in the middle, with Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman on the wings. We’ll scare the hell out of teams!

      • too funny…..

      • like the WC 94 Nigeria squad……looked like an NFL team!

      • I don’t buy the talent gap argument–not when it comes to this. While our “program” is still nascent, the US is among the tops when it comes to performance at the world cup.

        I’m only going on recent history because, well, 1980 doesn’t do much to explain how talent looks in 2015.

        Over the last 4 world cups (12 years is a good measure imo), 20 teams reached the round of 16 at least twice. That’s a 50% ratio of moving out of group stage.

        Of those, only 8 of them did it 3 times (Brazil, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, USA, England and Spain).

        Of those 8, only 3 did it in all 4 world cups (Brazil, Mexico and Germany).

        Given that our best performance was in 2002 (the farthest one back), it seems we’ve stagnated, but it’s not for a lack of talent.

        Consider that someone who was 10 back then is 22/23 now. Our talent pool has grown. The league has gotten much better, but something’s amiss.

        2006 was a let down. Arena lost his job over it. 2010 seemed to be a growth stage where we expected to get out of the group and we did. Heck, we won the group over England (albeit on goals, rather than points, but the argument could be made that we would have won the group outright if it wasn’t for Koulibaly). But that squad had Ricardo Clark as our DM. Imagine if Jermaine Jones hadn’t gotten injured, as he had already committed to the US in words, and we had him there instead of Clark. It could be argued that Clark’s gaffe alone gave Ghana the win.

        Klinsmann has only been the beneficiary of a greater talent pool. Yet somehow, we’ve seemed to regress from where we were in 2009/2010.

        Yes, he’s helped us secure some talent (FabJo is really the only one I’m really up on), but he’s bungled everything and consistently insulted our league and the state of soccer in our country.

        He didn’t bring the best players to Brazil. He parked the bus against Germany and hoped for a positive result between Portugal and Ghana to get us through.

        I’m thoroughly fed up with JK.

        Can anyone here say that there aren’t several CBs better than Orozco and Alvarado in our pool–including Edu?

        Mo should have been a CB option in Brazil, had JK the foresight that even Hackworth had with him. Where is Fielhaber?

        His obsession with European based players is obnoxious, and his constant “experimentation” is destroying the team.

        I’m not saying Arena or Bradley. Arena is too “jingoistic” with his player pool (too much of the opposite extreme) and I don’t think Bradley was great. But they both got more out of the team. We don’t have a top 5 or even 10 talent pool, but you don’t need it to be successful. You need a solid team with a good coach.

        Klinsmann is a disaster. If there was a chance he’d be fired if we lost to Mexico, I’d be rooting for Mexico.

      • Whatever your opinion of JK, if our talent has improved, shouldn’t we have players being purchased by the best leagues in the world by now? Players making a difference in Champions League?
        .
        I’m not looking for an American Messi or Ronaldo, but what about our version of Schweingsteiger? Or Gotze? Or Cesc Fàbregas?
        .
        With 326 Million citizens (not to mention the internationals that we are recruiting to play for us), we’re saying we can’t find 5 people who are the caliber of those guys? That’s not on Klinsmann…that’s something much deeper.

      • No, and I don’t see how that follows. I didn’t say we were in the top 5, and how many countries have 5 players of that caliber? 5? 6? Not that many. In addition, our system doesn’t really allow for our young talent to go overseas. With the Home Grown player system and the youth clubs we now have in MLS, young players are much less likely to take the risk, and clubs are much less likely to sell them. Imagine the backlash if Pfeffer had been sold to a Hoffenheim?

        Brazil,Germany and Spain have an overwhelming number of players of that caliber.

        To say we have improved isn’t to say we’re one of the best.

        And I don’t think that the UEFA champions league is the end-all of discussion on the matter of soccer prowess.

        I mean, there is a guy who was in the final last year, starting for the runner up, who is getting humiliated in MLS. Yes, he’s old, but the fact is that just a few months ago, he was in the UEFA final–starting.

        But seriously…how many nations have 5 players having an “impact” in the champions league?

        Well, let’s look at the stats. Among the top 12 goalscorers in 2014-15 UCL, 8 countries were represented. Only 3 countries had more than one in the top 12 (Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay).

        Assists? top 7 is represented by 5 nations, with Spain having 3 of the top 7, and the only nation with more than one. All the others in the top 7 in assists were from the same nations that had more than 1 top goalscorer.

        The squad of the season had 8 nations represented, with only 4 nations having more than 1 player on it. 5 of which were from Spain.

        I guess my point in all this is that your standard of “improvement” is unduly harsh, considering how many nations actually fit the bill.

        That said, should we be able to compete with the likes of Germany, Brazil and Spain? Yes. Should we be getting trounced 4-1? No. Should Brazil have gotten trounced 7-1 at the world cup? no. What did they do?

      • klinsmann is the furthest thing from an alchemist. i’m tempted to use the word charlatan

  2. “The Brazilians toyed with the Americans as if they were a pub team.” http://wapo.st/1JRLzT8
    .
    So much can be said about this game. I think the talent question is a good one, but right now I have to put that game on JK and his tinkering/evaluating. It’s tough to judge our talent when he is not putting the best players (absent of injury) in the best positions to win.
    .
    He could have easily started Ream and Cameron at CB. If you want to establish momentum, you don’t start players in positions they virtually have no experience in.
    .
    I would have liked to seen this:
    Guzan
    Garza,Ream, Cameron, Yedlin
    Williams, Jones
    Zardes, Bradley, Bedoya
    Johannson
    .
    I am sick of Altidore.

  3. Friendlies are definitely a time for a manager to experiment, but given the Gold Cup debacle and our upcoming play-off with Mexico, now was neither the time nor the place to go this direction.

    It’s a given that we’re not one of the world powers, but we’ve shown in the past that we are good enough to consistently be in that second grouping of teams. Under JK, we’re no longer at that level as long as he continues to trot out players who aren’t prepared or good enough to play at an international level yet. If that’s your core group, you’re in trouble.

    Don’t even get me started on his tactical decisions.

    It’s gotten to a point where I don’t even want to watch the US play under JK. He’s actually made the USMNT worse in many ways.

    • Wearing my Le Bleu Zidane jersey as we speak.
      .
      For me there is only Zidane.

      • Coolest man ever in world football. I still will find myself watching videos of him on You Tube at least once a year so I can remember his brilliance. First time I saw him do that pirouette around a defender, my mind was blown. I miss him.

      • One word comes to mind when watching Zizou………grace. Moved like he was on air……..

  4. I think part of the problem is that JK is doing things the way its done across the pond. JK expects to be able to insert players into positions without there being a let up in quality. Take the Germans this past weekend against the Scots. That was clearly a second unit Germany played, but there really wasn’t a drop off in quality and they still got a result against a stubborn and confident Scottish side. Germany can go 40 deep without a real effect on quality…….JK expects the same here……BUT, we do not have depth like that. Often, in Europe, coaches will insert players in secondary roles they are not used to, but expect them to produce…..shit, its your job….your a footballer….learn to play here as well for the national side…..no big deal. In the States, we are still wrapping our heads around this….and, we may need to do things differently here….we are not Europe. Quality and depth are still the major issue…..to even think we have 11 footballers that can match Brazil is comical. My Mexican friends have a great saying with me…….they always say: ” your first 11 can play with our first 11, but whenever El Tri and the US play each other with second units…..the US gets flamed, we grow up playing football….you guys don’t. we can put three units out there with little drop off…..you can’t do that”. Guess what? They were right 10 years ago…..and they are still right today. No coincidence that a lot the talent in Texas and So Cal is heading south of the border!

    • I think that you’re giving JK too much of a pass. How many nations in the world can go 40 deep without a drop in quality?

      Germany, France, Spain, Argentina…that’s it, that’s the list.

      I think that Brazil used to be on that list, but have really fallen behind as they’ve focused more on the physical side than the technical. I don’t think that Italy is on that list either as they can’t let go of old stalwarts (i.e. – Buffon, Pirlo, Maldini, etc.). They are doing the right thing domestically now, but will need time to see that approach flower.

      So, with all due respect because I generally like your posts, I think your premise about JK is flawed. He’s just not a good manager without a talented staff around him.

      • No way giving him a pass……I think he is a horrible match day coach. Probably could be a good technical director somewhere….but he makes some really wtf? decisions out there. My point is….he’s trying to bring the Euro version of the game here.,..you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole. Of course bring the modern tactics, training, and technology that Europe has to offer…but we can’t adopt the way they do things whole sale….we are not Europe, we need to take what works and make it our own….

      • Ah, got you. I totally agree.

      • I ramble dude……my bad.

      • “he’s trying to bring the Euro version of the game here”

        That is my biggest beef with JK, and I mean beyond his game day tactics. It’s the euro “sport” mentality, which, in my opinion, is a carryover from the continental mentality in general as it pertains to practically everything (wealth, achievement, status, etc.)

        The mentality is that the “best are the best and you can only be the best if you are the best”. The continental mentality doesn’t understand the underdog like Americans do. The continental mentality doesn’t have this undying belief that you can start from the bottom and work your way to the top, regardless of the obstacles.

        Imagine if some of his quotes were out of the mouths of professional coaches and managers in other American sports. If a team makes the playoffs, are they simply content with that? No. It’s a “new season”. Rally caps, beards, what have you, there are always the underdogs that over perform, and eventually become the top dogs themselves.

        In 1995, where would you have rated the Patriots organization?

        At the beginning of the 2001 season, who would have bet on the Diamondbacks beating the Yankees?

        In 2008, even at the start of the playoffs, would you have taken a bet on the Giants beating the Patriots?

        I really dislike his game day tactics. I despise his attitude towards MLS, but I absolutely HATE his mentality of achievement. As long as you’re in a “good league” (i.e. any league besides mls), you’re higher on his chart.

        He doesn’t have an American mentality, and I think he undersells our team. That has a ripple effect. It doesn’t matter how hard you try if you’re Benny Fielhaber, Perry Kitchen, Maurice Edu and many others. It doesn’t matter what you do. You’re not in a 2nd division team in Germany, you’re garbage.

        I hate that.

      • culture does matter in this sport……..+1. Everyone else seems to grasp this but us. The Brits have their version, the Spanish theirs, the Brazilians, the Ghanians…..what is our identity? You know when any of those countries walk onto the pitch….you know what brand of football your going to be presented with……..you can’t say that about us…….

      • and remember this past summer….Mexico sent a B side down to the Copa America. While they didn’t advance, they certainly didn’t show poorly either. Could we ever send a B side to the Copa America and do that? We would get flamed!!!!

    • There is no real rebuttal to the depth issue…and maybe how it is impacting the choices JK is making– what I know is I expected a bit better by now. Really that was very hard to watch with a straight face.
      .

  5. OneManWolfpack says:

    To much mixing and matching lineups, positions, etc. Bedoya was wrecked last night playing out of position. Really JK? Why did you play him there only to pull him after 30 mins of being destroyed. No continuity. This team has to get it together somehow or miss out on the Con Fed Cup that was all but a lock 3 months ago. This is on JK.

  6. Klinsmann has done a nice job adding depth and broadening the potential player pool, so I’ll give him credit in the program building category. But the game to game tinkering, with little apparent rhyme or reason is taking its toll. Where’s the continuity? Can anyone possibly predict the starting 11 against Mexico? Pencil in Guzan, Bradley, Dempsey, Altidore…maybe Bedoya somewhere (?). After that, it’s anybody’s guess.

  7. As a more casual fan than most of you, I tend to believe winning is the litmus test of USMNT coaches – it’s what will expand the American audience the fastest – and JK still has the best percentage. But when the stat sheet from the Panama game resembles the WC Belgium match, it’s more than just failing to win the GC. We can’t match Brazil’s B-team, especially when injuries and club play combine to force some experimenting (the latter a particularly sore spot with JK – rightfully so). Maybe MB4 as a false 10 last night was in search of a fallback should Deuce be hurt in the future. Would Mix have done better? If JK is planning in reverse from Russia in 2018 (which I think we want him to), he needs to fill in behind starters who will be exiting before (Howard) or then (Beckerman, Jones?). But JK’s facing his Waterloo – with the fanbase – in Pasadena next month. If fit and in good form, Dempsey-Altidore-Johnson-Jones-Bradlwy-Beckerman-Yedlin-Ream-Gonzalez-Besler-Cameron-Guzan could be our XI and get us past El Tri. That might calm the waters. And then renew the quest to build the 2018 team that will make the quarters. Not in a beautiful way, but in a way that – like in Brazil – meets or exceeds the target stage.

  8. I’m not so sure talent is the problem. But I’m pretty sure sure JK is at this point. When he first got here, after hearing the stories about Jk having a lack of tactical ability, what I expected was that he would improve the technical abilities of the UMNT. That has not happened.
    .
    Against Brazil there were too many stagnant players. No one made runs into the box. No one moved, after they passed the ball, or even without the ball, to get into an open position. Now this is where I think as a country we lack the ability to run with the big boys. We have advanced to the point that we can create passing triangles. It’s just that those triangles don’t move. In other countries(name your favorites) their passing triangles have the ability to take it from their own end line, to the oppositions. We can’t do that as a team, or a Nation. Of the two, yes only two, that can do this, one was absent in Dempsey, and the other was surrounded and shut down, in Bradley. During the game, you could see, Brazil knew to cover Bradley. Every time he touched the ball he was surrounded by three players. Brazil stopped Bradley, which in turn stopped the US.
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    With the USMNT’s lacking of a true number 10 that job has fallen to Bradley. We all know it’s not his best position. I’m sure, in his heart, JK knows this too. But he has no other choice. There is no creater yet. But even if there was, there is no one to make the runs to make that #10 effective. Other countries interchange their players positioning throughout a match. They move in coordination to be open, and to cover those who moved to be open. Maybe they have that ability because for years the rest of the world has studied soccer while our kids watch baseball, football, basketball. It has been proven that once a human being learns something, it then becomes easier for another to learn to do the same thing. Thus, around the world, creative soccer has entered the conscious mind of the general public, just because they’ve seen it for so long. Here, in the US, I think we are just in our infancy when it comes to this ability.
    .
    For me, JK just seems to expect his players to play like European players, without ever giving/teaching them the abilities to do this. This is where he’s failed. This is where we should have been transitioning to since he started. We took the work hard, underdog effort to it’s peak. It served us well through the years. But that doesn’t win World Cups. Since JK has taken over, we’ve gone away from this, rightfully so. But JK hasn’t replaced it with anything. This was the job he was given. This is the job he has failed at.

    • Excellent work my only point of contention is that in the rest of the wod futbol is a subconscious activity while here it is in the conscious mind rambling around all the wires connecting cortex and campus and ganglia.
      .
      It’s the old saying by Bruce Lee…a punch is just a punch…then a punch becomes so much more than just a punch – then someday…a punch just becomes a punch again.

      • You are most likely right. I should probably change conscious to sub-conscious. The coffee still hasn’t kicked in today. I think it’s the weather. Can I blame the weather?

  9. how come some people are still fooled by this JK guy? This guy coulnt set up a cardboard box, much less a team. What is this nonsense about technical director? That guy from Jonestown was a good technical director. They all drank the coolaid. Curtin could do no worse in setting up a USMNT. Lets give him a shot

  10. 0:48 In Europe, Neymar wouldn’t have time to do that. Here our derdenefs actually go for the ball or the legs? and don’t stay petrified like scared little childs.If Neymar comes to Europe to be a show off like that, he’s gonna have a bad time

  11. This site is most definalty not shit. I enjoy renidag the articles on here and think when Wrighty7 has been on Goonernews a bit longer he will get many readers. Keep up the good work Wrighty7 and ignore the odd idiot that u will get on here.

  12. Anon 17:43 seriously fuck off. U ask if I’m adeoptd? I ask u what its like to be a test tube baby? Go back to your tube u mistake. Hows it feel to be a test tube mistake?

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