Finally tally from the United States' hard fought 0-0 draw with Argentina Sunday night:
20,000 Lionel Messi jerseys (Argentina/Barcelona)
1 Wigan Athletic jersey.
Okay, maybe that's not the place to start, but figured that's something you'd like to know. Also worth noting, it really couldn't have been any warmer at Giants Stadium (less than five miles from Guiseppe Rossi's place of birth -- Teaneck, N.J.) -- unless this was played on a pitch in the Sahara desert.
Unlike the last two times out in losses to England and Spain, the Yanks seemed -- surpirse -- organized and committed to do something other than putting on their uniforms and showing up for 90 minutes.
The result clearly would have been different if not for a heroic performance by Tim Howard in nets. On a day Kasey Keller was honored for his 100th cap, he was hardly missed. Go figure.
This game was billed by the USSF as an "historic event". Huh? What a game that Pablo Mastroeni doesn't get a red card. Wait. That happened.
Sarcasm aside, the US looked pretty competent for a change. The 4-5-1 with Eddie Johnson at the time continues to be a failed experiment. How many chances will he get? Of course, he'll probably score twice against Barbados next week and the U.S. soccer marks will be back on his jock.
And speaking of marks, there's something that's still off putting by the U.S. fans. The Sam's Army concept was good 10 years ago, now it just seems divisive. To their credit, the red guys behind the goal made some noise, though unlike other U.S. "home" games, the Argies weren't very lively and the chanting was at a minimum. Probably because of the heat.
It's still surprising how uninformed most U.S. fans are. Seriously, how can anyone over the age of 16 rock a Landon Donovan t-shirt jersey?
As loathed as he is, Landon Donovan brought a new component into the U.S. game. Damarcus Beasley continues to be a tireless worker on the left. Heath Pearce looked pretty scrappy at left back and is clearly a step up from Jon Bornstein.
Argentina was really disappointing. It seemed like they simply expected to win because they set foot on the field. The ref tried to help him out. (Surprise, a bad showing from a CONCACAF official. Shock.)
Messi did most of his working checking back on defense. Kun Aguero was their best attacker, creating a lot of one-touch stuff. They played a very strange 3-5-3 formation, that seemed to be a try out of sorts. Bayern Munich youngster José Ernesto Sosa made an impression as a second half sub.
Overall, Argentina disappointed for those wanting beautiful stuff. Maybe the U.S. did something to muck them up. It's safe to say if before the game I told you the U.S. would have a backline featuring Heath Pearce, Dan Califf and Jay DeMerit you wouldn't bet on the U.S. cleansheet.
Have I gone this far without mentioning it started raining. More like down pouring in the closing ten minutes. Let me just say, Giants Stadium is a true nightmare to navigate this days. Thank god I was fleet of foot to my car. Oh, there were krieg lightning bolts, too.
Sorry if this is really disjointed, but my brain is fried -- and a little let down by the lack of Javier Mascherano chants (to the tune of 'Seven Nation Army'.)
It was a true positive for the US. When they play Barbados on Sunday, it will be like moving from "Legendary" difficulty on a "FIFA" game, to amateur. There's no excuse for missing a result, though the lack of goals over the three high-profile friendlies is concerning.
Adios.
Random notes:
* Messi got a ovation worthy of the Pope.
* Keller 100-cap celebration ovation, worthy of Eddie Pope.
* Allen Hopkins appeared for a few seconds on the jumbrotron wiping his brow. Anyone else notice that?
* Miscellanous meat kebab in the parking lot was good, though I prefer propane to charcoal. I like to taste the meat, not the heat.
* A kid in an Argentina shirt ran onto the field at halftime and eluded the stadium cops for a good while and drew the biggest applause after Messi. Too bad the security gave him a Bill Goldberg spear takedown.
* Random homemade t-shirt, "Bush = fascismo (front); Messi = revolucion (back)"
* Best homemade outfit, this guy with a fake Lincoln beard and stovepipe hat who also had a markered shirt that read, "USA # 1". Classy.
* Will anyone on Argentina remember the handshake from Jersey governor John Corzine?
* If this game wasn't a 70,000+ sellout, I don't know what was.
* Also, let it be known I was sitting in the absolute last possible row of the upper deck of the stadium for most of the game.
* Finally, some fans simply parked on the grass by the side of the Route-3/Jersey Turnpike connector. Bravo.
20,000 Lionel Messi jerseys (Argentina/Barcelona)
1 Wigan Athletic jersey.
Okay, maybe that's not the place to start, but figured that's something you'd like to know. Also worth noting, it really couldn't have been any warmer at Giants Stadium (less than five miles from Guiseppe Rossi's place of birth -- Teaneck, N.J.) -- unless this was played on a pitch in the Sahara desert.
Unlike the last two times out in losses to England and Spain, the Yanks seemed -- surpirse -- organized and committed to do something other than putting on their uniforms and showing up for 90 minutes.
The result clearly would have been different if not for a heroic performance by Tim Howard in nets. On a day Kasey Keller was honored for his 100th cap, he was hardly missed. Go figure.
This game was billed by the USSF as an "historic event". Huh? What a game that Pablo Mastroeni doesn't get a red card. Wait. That happened.
Sarcasm aside, the US looked pretty competent for a change. The 4-5-1 with Eddie Johnson at the time continues to be a failed experiment. How many chances will he get? Of course, he'll probably score twice against Barbados next week and the U.S. soccer marks will be back on his jock.
And speaking of marks, there's something that's still off putting by the U.S. fans. The Sam's Army concept was good 10 years ago, now it just seems divisive. To their credit, the red guys behind the goal made some noise, though unlike other U.S. "home" games, the Argies weren't very lively and the chanting was at a minimum. Probably because of the heat.
It's still surprising how uninformed most U.S. fans are. Seriously, how can anyone over the age of 16 rock a Landon Donovan t-shirt jersey?
As loathed as he is, Landon Donovan brought a new component into the U.S. game. Damarcus Beasley continues to be a tireless worker on the left. Heath Pearce looked pretty scrappy at left back and is clearly a step up from Jon Bornstein.
Argentina was really disappointing. It seemed like they simply expected to win because they set foot on the field. The ref tried to help him out. (Surprise, a bad showing from a CONCACAF official. Shock.)
Messi did most of his working checking back on defense. Kun Aguero was their best attacker, creating a lot of one-touch stuff. They played a very strange 3-5-3 formation, that seemed to be a try out of sorts. Bayern Munich youngster José Ernesto Sosa made an impression as a second half sub.
Overall, Argentina disappointed for those wanting beautiful stuff. Maybe the U.S. did something to muck them up. It's safe to say if before the game I told you the U.S. would have a backline featuring Heath Pearce, Dan Califf and Jay DeMerit you wouldn't bet on the U.S. cleansheet.
Have I gone this far without mentioning it started raining. More like down pouring in the closing ten minutes. Let me just say, Giants Stadium is a true nightmare to navigate this days. Thank god I was fleet of foot to my car. Oh, there were krieg lightning bolts, too.
Sorry if this is really disjointed, but my brain is fried -- and a little let down by the lack of Javier Mascherano chants (to the tune of 'Seven Nation Army'.)
It was a true positive for the US. When they play Barbados on Sunday, it will be like moving from "Legendary" difficulty on a "FIFA" game, to amateur. There's no excuse for missing a result, though the lack of goals over the three high-profile friendlies is concerning.
Adios.
Random notes:
* Messi got a ovation worthy of the Pope.
* Keller 100-cap celebration ovation, worthy of Eddie Pope.
* Allen Hopkins appeared for a few seconds on the jumbrotron wiping his brow. Anyone else notice that?
* Miscellanous meat kebab in the parking lot was good, though I prefer propane to charcoal. I like to taste the meat, not the heat.
* A kid in an Argentina shirt ran onto the field at halftime and eluded the stadium cops for a good while and drew the biggest applause after Messi. Too bad the security gave him a Bill Goldberg spear takedown.
* Random homemade t-shirt, "Bush = fascismo (front); Messi = revolucion (back)"
* Best homemade outfit, this guy with a fake Lincoln beard and stovepipe hat who also had a markered shirt that read, "USA # 1". Classy.
* Will anyone on Argentina remember the handshake from Jersey governor John Corzine?
* If this game wasn't a 70,000+ sellout, I don't know what was.
* Also, let it be known I was sitting in the absolute last possible row of the upper deck of the stadium for most of the game.
* Finally, some fans simply parked on the grass by the side of the Route-3/Jersey Turnpike connector. Bravo.
Great observations. Whether Argentina was ar their best, or the US didn't allow it, it's debatable. Either way it is one of the most fought 0-0 ties I have seen in a while. Also, what happenned to Damarcus in the second half? I didn't even know he was in there! He must have been hiding as a ballboy or something until he was substituted late in the 2nd half. Howard was outstanding! Cruz for Argentina in the other hand, is the Johnson of the US. He can score a bunch when he's playing a second division team in the Italian league, but his presence in the National Team continues to be questionable. Johnson, however, is younger and looks more promising. I guess if he continues to score two or three against Barbados it will be "aight". All in all, it was an entertaining game, and it was probably the best intensity out of all the soccer games that were televised on US soil, including the Euros. What a bore that was yesterday. Looking forward to Italy and Holland though...
Big D
Nobody joined in with our "Your steak is overrated" chant. And I couldn't quite figure out how to fit "We're better 'cuz we don't let former first ladies become presidents" in rhyming sing-song.
I gotta say, that was some of the most fun I've ever had. The eventual downpour to cool off the crowd for the last 20 minutes...that was a thing of beauty. There were 78,000 there last night, and i think every one of them wanted that rainstorm as badly as they wanted to know why Kasey Keller was honored last night.
Anyway, I was genuinely proud of the USMNT last night. Was it a friendly? Sure. But after the England match, and after ARG mopped the floor with Blessed Heart of Mary -- whoops, sorry, Mexico (slipped into Guffman mode) -- I thought this was be embarrassing. Turns out, we really held our own. Timmy Howard was just studly in net, turning back everything. Heath Pearce gets my non-keeper MotM award. BIG performance.
Eddie Johnson...I just don't get it. How long does Bradley need to figure out that he's awful? And why did we keep lobbing balls to his head in the second half?! He didn't win a single one! This guy sucks, plain and simple. Fast? Yes. Awful? Also, yes.
The 'turf laid over artificial grass' concept has gotta go.
Although the field looked semi-playable (the announcers called it 'heavy'), you can tell the players are at all confident on it.
The pitch in Seattle for Brazil/Canada was as unplayable of a surface as I've ever seen.
Top teams and top players won't play on it, especially in a meaningless game.
Sacha's dart to the net in extra time and the header off the bar early in the 2nd half were the offensive highlights for the US. I think that the most exciting part of the match was when the skies opened up, there's something about pouring rain, thunder and lightning that made the last 10 minutes that much more exciting.
I sat in the Argentina section (which one, right?) behind the net, directly behind a couple who brought their 3 WEEK OLD child. He was smaller than a football. I'm pretty sure at 3 weeks old he still cursed out the ref.
The one downside to the match? The 3 hour drive from Stamford that usually takes an hour. Not good times.
You know made me more angry than anything else while watching this game (party b/c it makes me sick to say this, partly b/c there is just so much promise, and partly because I wanna karate chop him right in groin) is how good Landon Donovan is. He plays so much faster and so much quicker than his teammates (minus Beas) are unable to keep up.
This guy is diving me crazy!! I hate him yet without him, me nothing. Any one opinion is clouded by subjective hatred.
Also our collective D is a joke. A couple of times Argentina when from their box to ours in 3 passes. But then again, its Argentina.
An amazing game to be at.
You know what made me more angry than anything else while watching this game? (party b/c it makes me sick to say this, partly b/c there is just so much promise, and partly because I wanna karate chop him right in groin)
Landon Donovan is by far our best player. He plays so much faster and so much quicker, his teammates (minus Beas), are unable to keep up.
This guy is diving me crazy!! I hate him yet without him, we are nothing. Any other opinion is clouded by subjective hatred.
(second go- this time without 5th grade typos...)
by the way... Something I forgot to mention, that ref was as bad as I have seen in my professional career as a soccer fan. Where was he from? Why would the US soccer fed use a high school coach that clearly lacks the competency to ref a game of this caliber. When will they ever learn....
From what I hear, the CIA, NYPD and even the TSA is still trying to find out why Mastroeni got a red card. Must be on the high school rule book...
Agree with everything that's been posted here all ready, Ref was horrible, Johnson is bad, Landy Cakes is frustrating all over, but also wanted to give perspective from sitting right next to Sam's Army.
This was a really cool experience, I have never been to Match this big or intense before and i loved it, from our section 102 it sounded like pounding drums the whole game, with little Argie comebacks. The Rain was the highlight, oh my god it was so needed, I have no idea how people could have started to find "shelter" then, but the game was good as all hell too. Sitting behind the goal and watching Howard keep us from going down 3-0 early was exciting.
Overall an incredibly fun and unique day. Catching the national team live was a great experience and one I will certainly do anytime the play in the area. Or 2014 in Brazil...
The ref was Salvadoran. (Still is, I guess.)
The Mastro card was for disputing the Edu card. He was rung up at the same time as Edu.
Comparing Landycake's speed to the other US players is like saying "these pork rinds are way better than all the other pork rinds."
In the end, they are still pork rinds.
That was a much better showing by the US. At least they pushed forward at times and created chances. Donovan really does make a difference.
The ref didn't appear to realize that he had given Mastroeni his second yellow until Mascherano repeatedly pointed that out to him.
I was very disappointed in the Argies. With Messi off they did very little. Luckily for us, Cruz kept shooting directly at Howard.
Getting out of Giants Stadium was a disaster. I was staying a mile away at a hotel and it took me an hour to get there from the parking lot after the game. I also had to jump several fences with many others because there was no one telling us where we were supposed to go. What is with actually 2 lane state roads running through parking lots for a stadium? Gillette Stadium is a much better place to see a game for someone in the New England/NY area when it comes to parking.
Some of you guys have totally lost perspective on the game.
For the Argentineans, the game was a chance to get a big appearance fee and ramble around the Big Apple for a few days.
They have a couple of HUGE qualifiers coming up in the next weeks. It's a game that meant nothing to them. And it showed.
If you were expecting fireworks, you were sadly mistaken.
Friendly = exhibition.
Whereas Walter Sobchak had the good sense to eschew bowling on Shomar Shabbas the US National Team decided to play on Shavuot. My thoughts on the Shavuot Shoot-Out (see how I did that)? Funny you should ask.
> Heath Pearce - Nice to see him get forward down the left side. He was solid defensively and showed a willingness to get involved offensively.
> Gooch - just cannot handle quick one-touch play near the area. His feet are not quick enough.
> Landon, Landon, Landon - His performance falls into the you don't know what you've got till his gone category. Amazing that he stands out while on the field with world class players. Perhaps we've been a bit rough on him? He runs at people, his touch is tremendous, his work rate is high, his pace is tremendous. I have to keep all of this in mind next time he disappears in qualifying.
> EJ - While EJ was frustrating and maddening I do give him marks for checking back and helping out defensively. However, when the best thing you can say about your striker is that he helped out defensively you've got problems.
> Tim Howard - was outrageously good. With the back four he was playing behind he needed to be.
> Danny Califf - played hard, won balls, and did not back down.
> Bob Bradley - blinked at least three times and unclenched his jaw twice. Solid.
> My DVR - did not take into account injury time and stopped recording with 12 minutes left in regulation. Match ranking for me DVR = 1.
I was impressed with Pearce too.
I also have liked what Freddy has shown the last couple of games...I mean, the kid is still only 19, but seems to be getting more comfortable and confident in every game he appears in with the MNT.
I've been disappointed with Bradley over the course of the last 3 games. I've seen some good play from him in the past, but he looked over matched in just about every appearance recently (especially against Spain).
Tim Howard was ruthless and Donovan was annoyingly competent again.
I'm looking forward to the "amateur" setting Barbados offers us compared to the "legendary" difficulty level we've faced the last three games. I hope we have something to show for the experience.
By the way, where can I get one of those Bush/Messi shirts?