That's On Point: The Web Site

It's been nearly 14 hours since Mexico defeated the U.S. 4-2 in the 2011 Gold Cup final at Azetca Junior, the Rose Bowl. In that time all that keeps replaying in my mind is an orange-glad Tim Howard flopping on the grass like a fish out of water, Gio Dos Santos chipping an inch-perfect 99-of-100 shot into the upper 90, followed by Howard punching the grass in a show of unchecked emotional agony.

Yep, it came to that.

Howard's emotional angst summed it up beautifully, tragically. He realized instantly the magnitude of what just happened.

What better sums up where the two nations are at the moment?

This, friends, was the worst nightmare scenario for the U.S. at the Gold Cup unfurling in sunny Pasadena. All the ingridents added up to a humbling, depressing, soul-searching defeat for the U.S. -- one even the most ardent USSF lacky would have a difficult time finding a silver lining, aside from cashing their slice of the revenue from CONCACAF selling 93,000 tickets. You can't spin a positive when U.S. Soccer Czar Sunil Gulati is on the podium having to hand out awards to the Mexican players while keeping a straight face, while 92,000, flag-waving Mexican fans cheer them on.

You almost couldn't script this:

* In the first five matches the U.S. didn't overly impress, but the team circled the wagons and found itself in the final against its eternal rival.
* Somehow, lo-and-behold, despite constant Mexican offensive pressure, the U.S. had scored twice in the first 25 minutes against the action.
* Jonathan Bornstein comes in for the first time all tournament, less than 15 minutes into the game.
* Freddy Adu, STARTS, plays well and the U.S. still gets beat by two goals.
* Dos Santos' once-in-a-lifetime chip -- the golazo of dreams -- clinches the game.
* Chicharito doesn't even score, despite being the focus of the broadcast and cameramen.
* Final insult: Despite being played in California, it was a home game for El Tri -- the most popular barnstormers in America, as it were.

So add up that bitch's brew and you have El Tri positioned as the swaggering kings of CONCACAF -- again. The U.S. misses out on the 2013 Confederations Cup, meaning between today and June 13, 2014 the team will arguably play two relevant games -- home-and-away with Mexico in the final CONCACAF Hexagonal. (As bad as it might seem for the U.S., it's still going to qualify for Brazil, right? Right?)

But hey, at least Adu played, no?

In the only game that mattered -- something we all knew coming into the Gold Cup -- the U.S. came up on the wrong side of a 4-2 equation. When you're as advanced as the U.S. is in terms of the rest of the CONCACAF landscape, there is only one grading system: pass/fail. Against Mexico, the U.S. failed. The loss pushes Bob Bradley's record in Cup finals to 1-3, including coughing up a 2-0 lead in the 2009 Confederations Cup to Brazil.

For the sake of fairness, it needs to be said: Mexico is good. Potentially scary good(*) with it's young, rising attacking core of Chicharito, Dos Santo, Andres Guardado, Pablo Barrera -- all 24 or younger. That's not even mentioning Arsenal's Carlos Vela, who's a bit overrated anyhow.

(*) Are Mexico a bit of a bully team, though? Away from Azteca or in America with 50,000 fans are they as good?

Mexico was down 2-0, with the legend of "Dos a cero" firmly in place. It didn't even take halftime before El Tri was even, almost ripping a page directly from Bob Bradley's rah-rah, backs-against-the-well comeback playbook at the 2010 World Cup. Seriously, up 2-0 on goals from Michael Bradley off a corner and a nifty one-two combo from Clint Dempsey to Landon Donovan did any U.S. fan feel safe?

Especially with Bornstein in the mix? Not to pick on Bornstein -- because anyone who's watched the U.S. in the last five years knows trouble simply seems to find him. He's not good, despite a capable showing at the World Cup. There's simply bad mojo, for better or worse, when he's on the field ... unless you're from Honduras.

Saturday Bornstein was the piece of soft filet mignon, while the Mexican attackers were the knife at the carving station, repeatedly slice-and-dicing him.

Steve Cherundolo's injury forced Bradley's hand. Compounding issues, since the U.S. had to beat Guadeloupe in the final Group game after losing to Panama, Bradley played the starters and didn't get either Bornstein or Jonathan Spector a chance to play in the tournament. Granted, neither are world beaters, but throwing them into game action for the first time since May isn't going to yield the best results.

Bradley, to his credit, usually gets in-game substitutions right. This failed spectacularly. It wasn't just playing Bornstein, but moving Lichaj from left back to right to change two positions at once, when Carlos Bocanegra and Clarence Goodson aren't exactly fleet of foot to begin with. Long story short, the U.S. can field a pretty good starting XI, but depth is an issue -- hell finding starters at forward or wide positions is a borderline ongoing crisis for the Stars and Stripes.

To say Bradley's decision to play Bornstein was the only reason the U.S. lost is foolish and short-sighted. Mexico was penetrating the U.S. defense with regularity before Cherundolo limped off, with Chicharito given two chances on a platter.

No, the greater issue -- one I worried about midway through the tournament -- why does Mexico play with such attacking verve, when the U.S. basically had to rely on the heroics of Donovan, Dempsey, Adu (later) or set pieces? Down two goals Mexico didn't panic and went at the U.S.'s sieve-like backline with the fervor of a Great White chasing down a wounded seal.

Mexico, in the midst of 2010 World Cup qualification, faced some major soul searching when it nearly missed out on South Africa. Their federation made the bold move, fired Sven Goran-Eriksson and moved forward. Now with Chepo de la Torre in charge, Mexico rediscovered its swagger and seems to have a very bright future, which now includes the 2013 Confederations Cup.

There's stagnation and then there's an hesitance to embrace new ideas and change. Mexico, also eliminated in the Round of 16 at the last World Cup, seems to have gone forward. The U.S. thanks to Asamoah Gyan's extra time strike seems to be spinning its wheels from top-to-bottom.

Maybe why that's why this loss didn't sit well.

There's nothing worse than getting your hopes up (early 2-0 lead) only to have it ripped out, rubbed out, thrown in the gutter, flushed down the sewer in embarrassing fashion an hour later. Couple that with having to face facts that Mexico's talent is flat out better than what the U.S. has to offer and it's a tough pill to swallow.

Again, this was the worst nightmare for the U.S.: losing to Mexico with the money on the line, but losing in spectacularly soul-crushing fashion.

There was one objective for this Gold Cup: Beat Mexico, get to the Confederations Cup.

Call it another swing and a miss.

With any hope, enough people take notice at this and don't try to justify it, or worse -- sweep it under the rug.

Random Thoughts:

* Thank goodness for Clint Dempsey. Glad there is at least one player on the current U.S. National Team little kids watching the game can aspire to play like. Any coincidence he didn't come up in the established USSF feeder system, with grinds out creativity like a cigarette into an ashtray. If only that shot off his left foot was an inch or two lower.

* Of course that inch when to Dos Santos, who's goal had soccer pundits mentioning Ronaldinho's (remember him) name in a positive light for the first time in years.

* Chicharito's best play of the game? Not touching Guardado's equalizer on the goal line when he would have been ruled offside. Just a brilliant footballing brain on him. Nice pass to split the U.S. defense to set up Barrera, too. Hope Jozy Altidore was taking notes on how to be effective as a striker without scoring.

* Bradley the Elder probably made the right call with Juan Agudelo on the bench, starting Adu and moving Donovan and Dempsey (interchanging) forward. Shame Stuart Holden was reduced to commentator on FSC. He's not the missing link, but there is clearly a place screaming out for the Bolton player in either a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 midfield spot. Get healthy, Stu.

* Another conundrum for the U.S. as currently instituted. Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley make a perfectly good midfield tandem, say 85 percent of the time: think of them like a backcourt on a Mid-Major NCAA hoops team. Neither was especially effective vs. Mexico, with Bradley reduced to chasing Dos Santos et al down from long stretches away in the midfield. Problem is, against the elite of the world, the pair's passing limitations are exposed, as U.S. struggles with possession. As long as Bradley the Elder remains the coach, he can't be married to these two as automatic starters. (Worth mentioning, three games in six days for these two is asking a lot. Why Maurice Edu didn't play a role? Beats me.)

* So much for the great Tim Ream experiment, eh? That's a joke. He was dreadful vs. Panama, but it's too soon to cut him out of the National Team picture. If Goodson and Bocanegra is the central defensive pairing heading into 2014, the U.S. has issues. Devil's Advocate: how many high-level, pressurized spots with any possible new American defenders get to audition against between now and then?

* The U.S. entered this tournament with three players listed as "Strikers." None of those three started the Gold Cup Final. Agudelo did come on in the 62nd minute. Marinate on that.

* Not sure what the future holds for Adu, but he made the most of his opportunities. He's in the rotation, at the very least.

* Is Tim Howard one of the best 10 goalies in the world? Probably not, but 99 percent of the time he's an asset for the U.S. He keeps the team in games and rarely costs them on a soft goal. Saturday he was beaten twice on semi-saveable balls. He was straight up fooled by the wicked spin Barrera put on his second goal, which made it 3-2. The Dos Santos play? His defense didn't help him, but Howard defined the term, "at sea" there.

* Sure, people are going to call for Bradley the Elder's head. That's probably not happening so long as Gulati remains pulling all the strings of U.S. Soccer, though this loss isn't going to sit well with the American public, which actually seemed to care about the Gold Cup Final. Problem is, with a new coach, who wants the job -- it doesn't pay great? The talent pool isn't super, either.

The bigger issue, by the time there is the next USSF President Election, can we get somebody to oppose Gulati, who's just as despotic as Sepp Blatter. In fact, Gulati's got his fingers in more pies that he probably should, serving as President of the USSF and the New England Revolution. Kind of a conflict of interest, sitting in Robert Kraft's pocket, isn't it?

* It's a bit of apples-to-oranges, but after a string of coming up short in tournaments, the U.S. Women National Team hired a foreign coach, Pia Sundhage and the world didn't end. Obviously the Women's World Cup is this month, so we'll see if it was a smart move. I'll say this, waiting at around 2:45 a.m. to see how "Sportscenter" presented the Gold Cup highlights, there was an interview with Sundhage and in those two minutes got me more excited than five-plus years of Bradley. (Unfair, since personality isn't a be-all, end-all, but it's worth pointing out.)

* Maybe a loaded question, or a thought for a boring summer day, but does the U.S. have a "style" of play to fall back on? With most of the core players of this team scattered across Europe in different places, it's difficult to build a common mentality.

* The actual Gold Cup itself is the RC Cola of international soccer trophies. Lame.

* If anything, this game probably re-energized the U.S./Mexico rivalry, since the balanced has shifted firmly South of the Border. I actually liked Sacha Kljestan going in hard with a dirty slide tackle late in the game. At least it shows a little vim and vigor.

* No, JP Dellacamera, reaching the Gold Cup final if you're the U.S. in the year 2011 isn't "quite an accomplishment."

* Worth saying, thoroughly enjoyed watching most of the Gold Cup on Univision -- even if it seems the station's entire mission statement is to use the Mexican National Team to sell crappy lite beer. Looking forward to the Copa America.

* Oh right, Mr. Gulati, why is the U.S. never invited to play in that tournament?

Final thought:

There always seems to be a Murphy's Law black cloud hovering over the U.S. National Team, or U.S. Soccer in general. When something can go wrong, it does go wrong.

Up 2-0, the U.S. simply didn't know what to do and eventually capitulated to the rampant Mexican attack.

The U.S. appears in a backslide from where it was in 2010, with the same questions lingers about an aging defense, an ineffective possession midfield and a glaring -- almost comical -- lack of viable international strikers.

Long story short, Clint Dempsey, never get hurt and try not to get any older while you're at it. You're our only hope.

Labels: bob bradley, chicharito, el tri, Freddy Adu, gio dos santos, Gold Cup, jonathan bornstein, Soccer, USMNT

Simply too tired, physically and mentally still upset about Mexico's 4-2 win over the U.S. in the Gold Cup final Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Writing more on the game and what it means going forward on Sunday morning, when my sanity is with me.

Until then.

Watch Gio Dos Santos' 1,000,000 point combo, straight-up owning the U.S.

This goal should only make you feel bad things inside, if you support the USMNT or U.S. Soccer in general. Disgust. Jealously. Anger. You name it.


The only other thing to say?

Why does the camera immediately go to Chicharito? He didn't score. Is this the 1999 Yankees on FOX vis-a-vis closeups of Derek Jeter doing fist pumps inside the New York dugout?

Labels: el tri, gio dos santos, Gold Cup, Soccer, USMNT, videos

"Nobody believed in us."

Considering this isn't Grantland.com, I don't want to make the following preview-o-rama about Saturday's Gold Cup final between the U.S. and Mexico at the Rose Bowl all about me. That said, I'd like to drop a small personal anecdote before we dig deep into solving the Chicharito problem.

Loyal readers of this site may or may not know that your humble author is actually gainfully employed -- don't live in my parents basement either. (High five!) Most of my "day-gig", which is actually mostly transpires at night, involves covering high school sports.

More often than not, in postgame interviews kids love -- looooove -- dropping the "nobody believed in us card." Half the time you'd think some of these kids were playing football for East Dillon High in the first year of Coach Eric Taylor's regime. Regardless, "NBIU" is arguably the most powerful force in sports. More powerful than a cocktail of anabolic steroids, EPO and Alex Rodriguez' "Bolle" -- less back-acne, too.

NBIU seems to be the operating agenda for the U.S. National Team under the regime of Bob Bradley. This is a strange NBIU. In 2002, you could argue, nobody really did believe in the team coached by Bruce Arena and all it did was come within a non-called Torsten Frings' handball from the World Cup semifinals.

What makes the 2009-2011 NBIU vis-a-vis the U.S. is that the non-belief is internal. It's not the media or general populace putting pressure on the team like most soccer nations. Rather, it's a small core of people on the Internet, for whatever reason simply don't like Bradley, despite yielding the hilarious @FakeBobBradley Twitter feed.

When the grumblings after the loss to Panama in the Gold Cup group stage grew louder and louder, creeping into the mainstream -- if only briefly -- whattdayaknow? The U.S. plays its best, dispatching Guadeloupe, brushing aside Jamaica and grinding out a win over Panama.

It's almost as if the official drink of the U.S. isn't Gatorade.

Nay, it's Haterade.

Whether it's been exciting or not, the U.S. is right where it needed to be: at the Rose Bowl pitted against Mexico with a trip to the 2013 Confederations Cup on the line. It could even be argued it's the most important, relevant game the U.S. will play until the World Cup kicks off in Brazil in three years.

And to achieve that goal -- remember, outside of the World Cup there's not many high-level competitive matches for the U.S. -- they have to get through their eternal rival, El Tri. (For video of the rivalry, consult yesterday's post.)

Naturally, when talking Mexico, the conversation immediately shifts to Javier Hernandez, Chicharito. Touched briefly on this yesterday, but the Manchester United star is almost a new breed of Mexican player. Yes, he wears the dreaded green (or black) shirt, but there's something a lot less mustache-twirling villain-y than his forerunners like Blanco or Hernandez or Garcia or Borgetti.

Simply put, it's difficult to dislike a guy like Hernandez who's turned scoring the insane goal into an art form. His butt, his face, his hip ... through his own legs.


There's a level of respect for his rare poaching instinct. Granted, he'd never scored -- let alone played -- against the U.S., so come early Sunday morning this sentiment is likely to change.

How much of a focus should the U.S. put on Chicharito? Difficult question. The genius of his play is that you could mark him for 89 minutes and 59 seconds, but that one second you blink, he makes a brilliant run and pops in a goal. He is a finisher, plan and simple -- the type of player the U.S. sorely lacks.

Mexico, during the two knockout games of the Gold Cup, have been even more dangerous when Chicharito has played off of traditional burly target strike Aldo De Nigris, giving the No. 14 shirt even more space. Chicharito has seven goals in the Gold Cup, yes five came in routs vs. El Salvador and Cuba, yet his international scoring record is 21 in 29 games, with tallies against teams like Spain, France, Argentina and the Netherlands.

Long story short, the kid is special at scoring goals.

The rest of Mexico seemed to struggle some in the knockout stages. Andres Guardado was ineffective vs. Honduras and subbed off. Gio Dos Santos tantalizes with his dribbling, but can be wasteful. Still, the U.S. coming off a half-speed game vs. Panama will be pressed to combat their speed on the wings. Pablo Barrera, forgettable at West Ham, is still an upgrade over who the U.S. has seen outside, too.

Where the U.S. might have the biggest issue is in the middle, dictating the tempo with Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley fighting for space against the veteran duo of Cruz Azul teammates Gerardo Torrado and Israel Castro. Through the first five games of the tournament the U.S. hasn't seen anyone comparable to these two. Not even close.

Throw in a back line of the still nefarious Rafa Marquez, as well as rising talent Hector Moreno flanked by Efrain Juarez and Carlos Salcido and the U.S. clearly has its work cut out for it.

This is the first time the U.S. is playing against comparable competition, so the big question is can they snap it into gear with a team that won't sit back and absorb pressure, instead pressing the issue and trying to force errant passes at the midfield -- a definite Achilles heel for this U.S. team. Even Jamaica didn't have the team speed, coupled with skill as Mexico.

As much as the deck seems stacked against the U.S. -- including nearly 100, 000 Mexican fans at the Rose Bowl -- if we've learned anything under the tenure of Bradley, when you expect the least, you get the most and vice versa.

Nike and the USSF concocted a fan-submitted slogan for the U.S. team -- "We Are Indivisible."

A more accurate ethos for this current squad is probably, "Haters gone hate."

Miscellany:

* For whatever it's worth, Mexico has at least played Honduras -- which did qualify for the 2010 World Cup -- but was a shell of that team sans Wilson Palacios and David Suazo. El Tri also got Costa Rica -- also down -- in the Group Stage. Compare this to the U.S., which hasn't even played a team that qualified for the final 2010 CONCACAF qualifying Hexgonal. (h/t @30F)

* Almost ten years removed from the U.S. beating Mexico 2-0 in Columbus, tensions between the team seem to have cooled. The rivalry is still hot, but the Big Brother/Little Brother dynamic isn't what it once was. The U.S., over the last decade, has earned begrudging success South of the Border. Plus, with so many Mexican internationals moving overseas there seems to be more professional respect and less rah-rah nationalism at stake. The FMF and the Mexican League is so insular that it fostered a lot more Mexican pride, it would seem, in El Tri players. In Europe are they really worrying about CONCACAF superiority?

* Yes, the U.S. sent an almost C-level team to the 2009 Gold Cup, losing 5-0 to Mexico in the final. The only holdover for the U.S. who should start both games is Clarence Goodson. Other luminaries for the U.S. that day included Davy Arnuad, Jay Heaps, Chad Marshall and Logan Pause. Stuart Holden did play in that game, too.

Holdovers for El Tri include Juarez, Castro, Torrado, and Dos Santos -- the man of the match and his international coming out, as it were.

* Again, why is the final on a Saturday night as opposed to Sunday?

* A lot of the comments from the win over Panama included thoughts that Bradley the Elder lucked into his 4-2-3-1 formation, that was effective. Basically, he gets it wrong to start, then figures it out on the fly, re: bringing in Freddy Adu and Landon Donovan.

Not sure against a team that quality of Mexico Bradley can afford a mistake at the start. That's got 2-0 written all over it.

* By the same token, you could argue this is the trademark Bradley the Elder game. Sit back, absorb pressure, have Tim Howard stand on his head, and spring for a goal on the counterattack. Mexico is susptiable to two things: a) the counter b) getting frustrated against an organized defense.

* Big spotlight game for modified left back Eric LEEE-HIGH (Univision). He's been capable back there, but Mexico has threats out wide. His positioning and reactions tracking back will be huge. If I'm Mexico coach Jose Manuel de la Torre, this is my target for attacking, either at him or trying to wrong foot Goodson.

* Donovan needs to stop riding the chillwaves, and play like its June 2010, not June 2011. U.S. needs his pace on the left to keep Mexico at least a little bit honest.

* If the U.S. owns one clear advantage, it's in goal. Howard is about as good as it gets -- if only at keeping his team in the game via big saves -- whereas Alfredo Talavera has been shaky. U.S. needs to test him on coming off his line to field crosses.

* Is Nery Castillo still alive?

* Next time you hear anyone dropping an Andres Cantor, "Goooooool." Tell them it's not 1994 anymore. Pablo Ramirez's "Seeee laaaaaa peeeeeerdiiiiiiooooo" for missed chances is the most relevant Spanish language soccer call these days.

* Still miss ya, Max. Yessssssssssss.

* Apropos of nothing, the them of the opening essay was hate. Morrissey's first solo album was "Viva Hate." There are a lot of Mexican Morrissey fans. Felt like sharing.

Lineup Guess:

Weird call here. The 4-2-3-1 has gotten two straight wins against inferior teams. Would the more pragmatic 4-4-2, with Clint Dempsey slipping up top make more sense against Mexico, mirroring how El Tri likely lines up? The personnel shouldn't be a surprise, even with fatigue involved due to a lack of options on either bench.

GK -- Howard

DEF -- Cherundolo -- Goodson -- Bocanegra -- Lichaj

DEF MID -- Bradley -- Jones

MID -- Bedoya -- Dempsey -- Donovan

FOR -- Agudelo

Final thought:

Although, from a pure skill standpoint, Mexico should have the advantage this game screams out for a cagey, taught affair. Throw in the tired legs and it could be a lot closer than it seems. Is this another case of the U.S. sucking us in and thinking they've turned a corner? Could be.

The one thing to remember, even if Mexico jumps out to a lead, the U.S. doesn't tend to roll over like, say, Cuba. In 2007 the U.S. went down 1-0 in the final and turned it around. If there's one thing Bradley's team is good at, it's circling the wagons.

Sure there will be 100,000 Mexicans rooting on the "home" team in Pasadena, but this is a veteran U.S. team, with guys who've played at Azteca. Nerves shouldn't be an issue -- except for Agudelo, alone up top. The kid seems confident, but at 18 who wouldn't get a little wide-eyed in this spot?

Problem is, the U.S. seems to be fighting against the inevitable of a new soccer cliche:

"In the end, Chicharito scores."

The pick: Mexico 2, U.S. 1 (a.e.t.)

Labels: bobhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif bradley, chicharito, clint dempsey, el tri, Freddy Adu, Gold Cup, Landon Donovan, Mexico is our bitch, Soccer

Ah, the U.S. vs. Mexico. The rivalry for the ages. Good, ol' fashioned hatred across the Rio Grande.

The two giants of CONCACAF meet again Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., with the 2011 Gold Cup on the line.

Ahead of tomorrow's more traditional preview, let's take a look at some moving pictures as the rivalry has evolved in the last 20-odd years. Mexico still leads the overall series 32-15-11, but the U.S. has won 10 of the last 16 matches.

1993 Gold Cup Final

Mexico beat the U.S. 4-0 in this game played at the Azteca -- which is arguably the one underlying bedrock of this rivalry, since the U.S. never eevvvvvvver wins there. At this stage, the Mexicans were the clear giants of CONCACAF, despite being thrown out of the 1990 World Cup. Villainous, talented, unrelenting, El Tri was every kind of nefarious thing you could think of, all rolled into a green jersey. Noteworthy names in this match included Jorge Campos, Zaguinho, John Harkes, Alexi Lalas and Thomas Dooley. Advantage: Clearly El Tri



1995 U.S. Cup

Fun blast from the past video here, if only for Seamus Malin's acerbic commentary and Campos' garnish goalkeeper kit. The U.S. actually whooped a full-strength Mexico team featuring Luis Hernandez, Carlos Hermosillo and Alberto Garcia-Aspe 4-0 at RFK. Claudio Reyna also scored in this game for the U.S. Advantage: Still El Tri, by a decent amount.



1996 U.S. Cup

This match ended in a 2-2 draw, thanks to a late goal from Dooley and also featured my the blonde-haired, Mexican villain Luis Garcia. Of note, because the video quality is poor, this was arguably the most difficult game to ever watch since the U.S. debuted their powder blue home jersey, which didn't contrast at all with the Mexican green shirt. It was awful. Advantage: El Tri, but the gap is closing



1997 U.S. Cup

(Video missing) ... worth noting because it was the last time the U.S. played a game against Mexico at the Rose Bowl, losing 2-0. Advantage: Still Mexico

1997, World Cup Qualifying

(Video missing) Steve Sampson's finest moment. The U.S. earns a 0-0 draw at Azteca. Here's a still photo from the match that says it all. Advantage: Tide begins to turn.



2001 World Cup qualifying

A key turning point in frozen Columbus Crew Stadium. The U.S. had won the previous two games against Mexico on American soil at this point, but this changed the rivalry. It was the first game of the CONCACAF Hexagonal -- won by Costa Rica that year by the way. The U.S. won 2-0 on goals by Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart. It was a contentious match, as the rivalry probably hit is boiling point. The legend of "Dos a cero" was born. Advantage: U.S., for the first time.



2002 World Cup

Arguably the finest moment in U.S. soccer, beating Mexico 2-0 in South Korea in the World Cup Round of 16. This is the pinnacle of the rivalry, with Rafa Marquez being sent off for his dastardly tactics. A high for the Americans. A low for the Mexicans. Oddly enough, the only World Cup game started by Reyna -- across three World Cups -- that the U.S. would win. Advantage: U.S., completely.



2006 World Cup Qualifier:

The U.S. still can't win in Mexico, Jared Borgetti sees to that. Advantage: U.S., slightly



2006 World Cup Qualifier:

As Azteca is to the U.S., Crew Stadium is the El Tri. Another 2-0 win by the Yanks on goals from Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley. Game featured Oguchi Onyewu's epic ownage of Borgetti, firmly establishing the U.S. isn't going to cower in fear of El Tri anymore.



2007 Friendly

In a highly publicized ESPN-televised post-World Cup match for both teams, Mexican keeper Oswaldo Sanchez puts the "dirty" in Dirty Sanchez. Advantage: U.S. firmly.



2007 Gold Cup Final

Benny ... Feilhaber. YEEEESS. (Sorry, couldn't find a quick link to the Max Bretos call. Oh wait, here it is.) The U.S. comes from behind in Chicago, winning 2-1. In the process the U.S. books a place in the 2009 Confederations Cup and later beats Spain. Advantage: U.S.



2010 World Cup Qualifying

Another qualifier in Columbus, another 2-0 win for the Yanks. Advantage: U.S. fully.



2009 Gold Cup Final

Call this Mexico getting it's mojo back. Yes, the U.S. sent a second string team to this tournament after the Confederations Cup, but a 5-0 stomping is still a 5-0 stomping. Advantage: Swinging back to Mexico?



2010 World Cup Qualifying

Charlie Davies scores to give the U.S. a rare 1-0 lead at Azteca, but the smog and bottle-throwing fans finally get the best of the U.S. as Mexico rallies to win 2-1. Landon Donovan later admits to playing the game with swine flu. Advantage: Creeping back to Mexico.




So, that's where we were.

It seems in the new decade, things between both teams are very even. Maybe even Mexico has reclaimed the crown as king of CONCACAF.

Oddly enough, the game on Saturday at the Rose Bowl will have a different feel since its the first time Javier Hernandez -- Chicharito -- will play against the U.S.

If anything, Chicharito represents a newer breed of Mexican player. He's grown up in a world where the U.S. was the equal or superior in the rivalry. The sneering, haughty arrogance that pervaded the Mexican team in the late 1990s and early 2000s with guys like Maraquez and Cuauhtémoc Blanco seems to be gone. El Tri no longer seems quite as villainous, even with their penchant for wearing black uniforms.

There's a modicum of respect on both sides, at least from the players perspective.

We'll see what happens with 90,000 El Tri fans packed into the Rose Bowl, however. It could turn into a cauldron pretty fast, bringing back the days of elbows, side tackles and stomps pretty quickly.

Labels: bob bradley, Gold Cup, Landon Donovan, Mexico is our bitch, Soccer, USMNT

"Can it be that it was all so simple then." -- Wu Tang Clan

Desperate times, so they saying goes, lead to desperate measures.

In the realm of the United States National Team, it's difficult to think of a more desperate situation than Bob Bradley, in a 0-0 Gold Cup semifinal vs. Panama, turning to Freddy Adu.

For the sake of some Jeffrey Lebowski approved brevity, going to skip the long, frustrating, underwhelming, wayward, vagabond history of Adu. Hyped as the next Pele at 14, he found himself playing in the Turkish second division, yet earned a surprise recall to the current U.S. senior national team's Gold Cup squad after two years away.

Naturally, with the U.S. stuck in first gear, grinding to little -- if any -- effect against a disciplined, sturdy Panama team it was the 22-year-old, Ghana-born Adu finally finding the key to unlocking the defense. A long, ball through the air which Landon Donovan -- himself a sub -- to run onto up the right flank, crossing to Clint Dempsey for a trademark finish at the back post.



Bada bing.

Bada boom.

Wham, bam, thank you ma'am.

1-0 U.S. and onto the Rose Bowl.

As is the wont of U.S. soccer in the Interwebs, this one moment of vision from Adu is going to be analyzed with as much vim and vigor as the Zapruder film. (Up ... and to the right ... Up ... and to the right.)

Beyond that one moment, is this the renaissance, nay, arrival of Adu? Is this a talented kid that finally found his way? Has the great American soccer hope (and Sierra Mist salesman) finally arrived?

To that, who the hell knows? Bradley dusted off Adu and the world did come screeching off its axis, so there's that.

On a night the U.S. huffed-and-puffed, Adu in a split second made it look all so simple.

Adu has tempted and teased in the past. Twenty-odd minutes of creative-within-the-team-concept soccer does not a career make. It's an encouraging sign, but the hype machine needs to slowly build here, doesn't it? A nice cameo neither makes or breaks a career, though it could revive one that appeared dead.

Just look back to the quarterfinals vs. Jamaica. People were giving Sacha Kljestan more credit than he's gotten in years wearing a U.S. shirt. Withing 10 minutes against Panama people were already calling for his Hipster Runoff approved head.

If there's something to be gained, it's why Bradley -- in the past -- has been resistant to play a guy like Adu, who posses a creative eye, dribbling skills and a little je ne sais quoi, which can turn a match on its head. How long have we all cried out for that presence in the middle of the field? Okay, Stuart Holden is basically that player, but doesn't have the panache of Adu ... even with his spiky, blonde anime hair.

How long has packed-in, stout, disciplined defenses by inferior opposition been the bane of the U.S.? Why did it take a do-or-die situation with absolutely nothing clicking offensively, did the wheel start churning inside Bradley's head to play a guy like Adu? Why would it take five years for this to register? By the same token, creative U.S. soccer players with a passing vision and ability to dribble around opponents are about as rare as a Republican senator from New York.

Hey, why worry about it, right? Wednesday night against Panama at Reliant Stadium, it worked.

The Adu pass, and overall solid substitute appearance, glossed over what was otherwise a totally forgettable match for the U.S. At this point in the tournament, that's fully understandable.

Regardless of if you're flying on charter planes or not, moving from Detroit, to Tampa, to Kansas City, to Washington and to Houston in the span of about 11 days takes a toll on your body. Both teams in the semifinal clearly seemed drained, with heavy legs. How this is going to unfold during Saturday night's final in Pasadena is anyone's guess.

That's why using Adu as an impact sub -- as many predicted before the tournament -- proven to be an ace up his sweatsleaves that Bradley the Elder rarely has.

For whatever it's worth, here were the subs Bradley used at the 2009 Confederations Cup: Charlie Davies, Sacha Kljestan x2, DaMarcus Beasley, Conor Casey x4, Benny Feilhaber x3, Jonathan Bornstein x2 and 2010 World Cup: Edson Buddle x3, Stuart Holden, Feilhaber x3, Maurice Edu x2, Herculez Gomez, Beasley.

At the very least, Adu in about 20 minutes proved as -- if not more -- useful than Benny Feilhaber. Many pundits said the U.S. played its best when the Brazilian-born Feilhaber came into the match.

It's also worth noting, the U.S. played the final part of the game with a hybrid lineup with Donovan and Dempsey at forward, with Adu and Alejandro Bedoya behind them, supported by Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley in a Kenny Dalglish-approved 4-2-2-2. Doubt this is anything more than a one-time, one-off finish due to the U.S.'s total lack of strikers.

One thing is certain, after 90 mostly forgettable minutes the U.S. is where it wants to be -- in the Gold Cup final with a ticket to the 2013 Confederations Cup on the line.

In the words of Nick Lowe:

And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it's goin' no one knows

Other Thoughts:

* Donovan on the bench -- there seems to be a lot going on behind the scenes and Lando is locking out the media -- worked for the best. He came on with fresh legs and ran at Panama for 45 minutes. It wasn't his best game ever, but effective enough.

With the way Kljestan played, hard to see a scenario where Donovan starts on the bench in the final.

In the reading too much into things department, Dempsey certainly did a lot to pump up Donovan for his pass on the goal.

* Dempsey remains Dempsey and thank goodness for that, right? (Nice move during the Adu postgame. Viva Clint!)

* Granted Panama barely registered an attack, forcing Tim Howard into one tough save, but that's three clean sheets in a row for the U.S. and four of five from the Gold Cup.

* Not the greatest night for Jones and Bradley the Younger, as Panama didn't give them the acres of space that Jamaica did on Sunday. In games like that, their skill sets are almost too similar.

* It only makes sense that the U.S.'s most dangerous plays until the Dempsey goal were on Rory Delap-ian long throw-ins.

* Juan Agudelo hit the crossbar and post, after heading a ball directly into the ground. Call that karma evening out his crazy debut goal for the U.S. vs. South Africa.

* Going to repeat again, barely 48 hours for the U.S. to rest and recover for the final. Good thing one of the team's main sponsors is Gatorade.

* Have to admit it, watching the game on Univision is a lot more fun than Fox Soccer Channel. Better HD picture quality, too.

* As reader Erik points out. Steve Cherundolo and "Friday Night Light's" Matt Saracen are basically the same dude.

Labels: bob bradley, clint dempsey, Freddy Adu, Gold Cup, Landon Donovan, USMNT

"All the f------ experts in America, everybody who thinks they know everything about soccer, they can all look at the score tonight, and let's see what they have to say now, all right? Nobody has any respect for what we do, for what goes on on the inside [of the team], so let them all talk now." -- Michael Bradley, Sports Illustrated, "To Hell and Back," June 29, 2009.

Let's accept, shall we, that compared to nearly every other major sport in the world, international soccer moves at a glacial pace. Games tend to be few and far between, or come in a rapid flurry of activity centered around a major tournament in the summer.

And in the case of the U.S. senior national team tangible progress is only measured every four years at the World Cup.

Does this jive with our 24/7/365 newscycle, 140 character status updates, go go go go go world in 2011? Not quite. Hell, most people don't want to read past the opening paragraph of a link someone sends them, or even watch past the 12 second mark of a YouTube video if it doesn't contain an "LOL."

So gazing through that unique paradigm, observing the U.S. in action in the 2011 Gold Cup has certainly been a strange look into how we consume, digest and analyze sport.

Two weeks ago Jozy Altidore was a slacking, talent-squandering, waste of space. Now, after a pair of goals in the group stage, he's a back to his status as the next great thing in American soccer albeit one who won't play vs. Panama in tonight's Gold Cup semifinal because of a hamstring injury.

A week ago Bob Bradley's head was on the chopping block -- well, not really since Sunil Gulati isn't going to upset the apple cart in the midst of a World Cup "process", now is he? -- fast forward to the Yanks' 2-0 win over Jamaica Sunday at RFK Stadium in Washington and Bradley is a veritable tactical genius. He even earned the endorsement from Zonal Marking, the be-all, end-all, when it comes to soccer tactics.(*) This endorsement is on par with a B-sitcom actor receiving a bouquet of roses after a taping from (the ghost of) Sir John Gielgud.

(*) Except from Jonathon Wilson, of course, who it seems these days he's using his own tactical genius to tell us how the epitome of soccer was played in Eastern Europe during the 1970s.

Certain segments of the established core of U.S. soccer wonks seem to take it as their duty to defend the overall "meh-ness" of Bradley's regime. People on the Internet who don't like him personally or professionally are irrational, misguided and impossible. How dare someone even dare harbor the thought that Bradley the Elder is the man for the job!

For them, Sunday must have been like 90 minutes of Christmas morning -- in the middle of June.

An for once, Bradley in a must-win, pressurized spot got it right from the opening whistle, both from a tactics standpoint and a message standpoint. (Still don't for the life of me understand why it takes the threat of elimination -- think the knife at their throat -- for the U.S. to play well in a major tournament.)

1. Benching Landon Donovan was a bold move that paid dividends. Nevermind that Bradley had the nice built-in excuse to bench Donovan for the fact he didn't arrive in Washington until 7 a.m. the day of the game from his sister's wedding in California. The move sent a message from the opening kick as the U.S. played with a rare urgency, taking the game to Jamaica instead of falling behind -- granted the Reggae Boyz should've scored when Dane Richards sliced down the right wing, feeding a teammate on the doorstep, but for Tim Howard to deny him at point blank range, followed by another Jamaican roofing the ball into the rafters of RFK with the goal wide open.

Maybe this is reading too much to Donovan on the bench and maybe he was in fact jet lagged. Still, no team on the planet is immune to stagnation and complacency -- the biggest complaints about how the U.S. has acted post-2010 World Cup.

Competition for spots in the starting XI can only be beneficial for an international team, regardless of how deep the talent pool is or isn't.

2. It took three matches in the Gold Cup, but Bradley realized that a) he didn't really have any forwards who were Brian McBride b) a central midfield of Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley is too similar c) using wide players to get forward on overlaps with Jamiaca playing three defenders would be a wise move.

We hammer Bradley for his stale, stodgy embrace of the 4-4-2 -- and just about everything else -- might as well praise him when he gets it right. Also, though he's not his son by blood, Bradley the Elder hopefully took Jones out for a nice steak dinner after the match. The German-born midfielder was all over the place, certainly using his years of top-flight European experience to dictate a match from the midfield from sheer force of will and power, if not grace and 100 sideways passes like a Xavi, for instance.

Now, later today, we'll get a chance to see if Bradley and the rest of the U.S. have turned a corner playing against a Panama team which already beat them in the Gold Cup, or if Jamaica wasn't really that good. One thing's for certain, the game against Jamaica(*) was the rare U.S. game which was relatively enjoyable to watch. Somewhere the light went on in the U.S. camp that, hey, let's try to test the keeper from distance once and while. Teams seem to like doing that against us, right?

(*) For all the pregame talk of how Jamaica was "dangerous" did any writer exactly explain why this was the case, aside from going 3-0-0 in their group? Let's be honest, if the U.S. needs to fear a team consisting of some decent MLS guys like Richards and European journeyman, that's a problem.

It was nice, too, to see the U.S. press the advantage and take the game to an inferior opponent. For a change the U.S. didn't play timid or cautious, which is what a supposed regional giant should do.

The pressure isn't fully off the U.S.

Another loss to Panama, this time in the semifinals, won't go over well. There is no way Panama, without Blas Perez, should be able to sneak up on the U.S. Nor will Panama fear this American team, which it knows it can beat.

How will the U.S. adjust? Will the swagger it played with against Jamaica be a one-time only Father's Day gift, or will the U.S. realize it has that ability? The U.S. surely couldn't lose twice to the same opponent in the same of eight does, could it?

At the very least, the win on Sunday shook away some of my own personal apathy toward the current team. Credit the fans at RFK for the simple, effective banner: "Luv the Team, Hate the Fed." When you boil it down, as distasteful the politics of FIFA, CONCACAF or even the USSF are, it's not the players faults. When they give an effort like Sunday it's hard to remain a cynical jerk.

That is until the next hiccup, when the switchblades are instantly ready to pop right back out into the back -- or front -- of Mr. Bradley.

And so it goes in 2011.

Miscellany:

* Whattdaya know, Michael Bradley's loan at Aston Villa was a complete waste. Thought, according to the entire U.S. soccer Interwebs it was a slam dunk? Hey, look, my skepticism proved accurate for once. High five!

* Would Bradley the Elder risk starting with Donovan or Dempsey on the bench, to allow Sacha Kljestan and Alejandro Bedoya to start like the victory over Jamaica? Either Donovan or Dempsey then could enter as an impact sub, especially with Chris Wondolowski the only healthy U.S. forward on the roster.

* Could this be the game for Freddy Adu to do ... something. He's a live, healthy body at this point.

* If the U.S. keeps up its emerging wide play, it should only open up space for the U.S. attack, right? Dempsey ought to find a way to finish off a movement with out of his late gallops into the penalty area. It's either that or scoring off a set piece, isn't it?

* Still a little worried about the U.S. giving up a soft goal on the counter attack.

* A little unusual, isn't it, that the final is on a Saturday, rather than Sunday? Two days -- with 120 minutes possible on Wednesday's semifinal -- is a quick turnaround. This is CONCACAF, making it seem perfectly logical.

* Yeah, five Mexican players fail a doping test, of course, you can replace them as needed. Why not? Anything else we can do to make the FMF more straight cash?

* Adios and fare thee well Jack Warner. You'll be missed by ... no one.

* Panama's Luis "Matador" Tejeda is 29 years old. He's played for 14 different clubs, now plying his trade for Juan Aurich in Peru.

* It could be close to 90 degrees in Houston on Wednesday.

* Has Fox Soccer Channel (#TeamFSC4life) done a solid job with the Gold Cup? Haven't watched much of the tournament on there out of necessity.

Lineup Guess:

Has to be a 4-2-3-1, right?

Right?

GK: Howard

DEF: Cherundolo -- Goodson -- Bocanegra -- Lichaj

DEF MID: Bradley -- Jones

ATT MID: Dempsey -- Kljestan -- Donovan

FOR: Agudelo


Final Thought:

Is U.S./Mexico inevitable? If so, it would be the third straight meeting between the two CONCACAF giants.

One thing is certain, about 90,000 Mexicans and or Mexican-Americans are going to be upset Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl if El Tri falls short.

Labels: bob bradley, Gold Cup, jermaine jones, Soccer, USMNT

U.S. 1, Guadeloupe 0 a.k.a. Sunil Gulati's worst nightmare avoided.

Not sure what to really say about this one without beating the same drum I've nearly wore a hole through since the beginning of June?

Let's start positive, right? Jozy Altidore(*) scored a peach of a goal. Off the top of my head, the most aesthetically pleasing tally by an American since Benny Feilhaber at the 2007 Gold Cup. There's something about a golazo from distance that make them the ultimate sports highlight.

(*) Jozy, to use the parlance of today's youth: That goal was swag.

On top of that, the U.S. rarely scores from outside the box, which Altidore's ambitious attempt all the more satisfying. Glad he took the initiative. Let's hope if anything the Gold Cup wakes up Altidore going ahead toward 2014.

In one fell swoop his golazo alleviated the immediate pressure on the U.S. -- failing to advance out of Group C in the Gold Cup, as well as making sure the Americans didn't concede first ... again. (Thank you Senor Crossbar.)

Eric Lichaj inserted at left back made some eye-opening runs up the sideline, creating -- gasp -- actual wide play from the U.S. in a competitive match. The kid seems to have a bright future, too bad he's the only young/new player Bradley brought into the fold to establish himself a little bit.

The rest of the game? Hate to write it, but sadly, it is what it is.

The U.S. got the result it needed to avoid major egg on its face, but still finishes second in the group of Panama.

There were misses and flubs by the bushel for the crowd in Kansas City to enjoy. Not sure what got into Clint Dempsey today, but he missed more chances tonight than he probably did all season with Fulham. That open-goal from two-yards out? Stunning.

Chris Wondolowski was right behind him.

You could argue this match could've finished 5-0 with a couple of inches here or there for the U.S. Then, cosmetically, it looks a lot better than a 1-0 game against a Caribbean island that isn't even recognized by FIFA. But it didn't. As it is, the U.S. needed every bit of craft to grind out a 1-0 result against a bunch of journeyman pros in front of an appreciative home crowd.

There's just something amiss with the U.S. at the moment. Again, maybe we as fans are expecting too much. Maybe the long European season has sapped guys like Dempsey, draining them physically. Perhaps, the U.S. simply is in a down cycle and not all that strong at the moment.

As it stands the only word I can think to use around the team is malaise.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of hunger, inspiration, passion or urgency. This might be expected from a team of veterans who "know their roles," true. By the same token, wouldn't there be some baseline of accountability or leadership on this U.S. team, which frankly seems to be spinning its wheels and going through the motions. Who's telling players to step up there games? Tim Howard? Michael Bradley? Is this group simply even-keeled by nature, drilled to not get too high after the wins or too low after the defeats?

Is this type of negativity by fans like myself self-perpetuating?

Should people like me stop worrying about how Bradley's boys get results, so long as they get them and put on a red-colored costume and cheer no matter how blah the play is?

My Internet Amigo Erik put forth the hypothetical before the match, whether it would be worth losing to Guadeloupe if it meant Bradley the Elder would be dismissed? For the record, no, because Gulati probably doesn't have the wherewithal to hire a coach who'll usher in true change.

It's pretty sad the state of U.S. soccer at the current moment for so many has come to that, though.

Bring on the Reggae Boyz and with it, all the bad Rastafarian jokes and "Cool Runnings" references you can cook up before Sunday at RFK. Probably shouldn't even joke about an improved Jamaica team, either, let alone mentioning a date in the finals vs. Mexico. (Granted if the U.S. wins it gets either Panama or El Salvador in the semifinals since the draw was made to keep the two supposed CONCACAF powers apart until the final in front of 90,000+ in Pasadena.)

On that note, in closing, watching the game on the Univision.com feed the broadcasters -- my highlight of the match -- mentioned the name Kyle Beckerman. That about says it all right there, doesn't it?

One Other Thought:

Does Altidore's goal even count since it wasn't televised by ESPN? (Eating my words as I type since it was, in fact, Sportcenter's Top Play for the night.)

The Worldwide Leader does so much for the sport, but almost completely ignores the Gold Cup on the network since it doesn't have the rights. ESPN employs a bunch of analysts -- John Harkes, Alexi Lalas, etc. -- it couldn't carve out five minutes across one of its entities to have them discuss what's eating at this current team?

By ignoring what's been going on, ESPN helps Gulati's status quo remain in place.

Labels: bob bradley, clint dempsey, Gold Cup, Jozy Altidore, Soccer, USMNT

"I turn my swag on, took a look in the mirror. Said, “What's up?" -- Tom Haverford/Soulja Boy


Swagger.

It seems to be one of those buzzwords that's crept into the sports lexicon in the last three or four years. To win, or at least to win and be cool while doing it, you have to play with a swagger. From my humble estimation, in the final two games of the NBA Finals, Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry played with swagger. A certain forward from Akron, Ohio, did not, rather embodying in defeat, the other side of the swag coin -- "douche."

Swagger. Confidence. Cockiness. Arrogance. Mojo(*).

Take you pick, all the words hold a cachet in the context of sports. Is it a good connotation? If you're a middle-aged sportswriter like Mike Lupica, probably not. If you're a high school athlete walking through the halls with your $200 Dr. Dre designed headphones, then you aspire to play with swagger, or it's abridged little brother -- Swag.

Through the first week of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup it's safe to say that Mexico has played with a swagger -- cruising through Group A, outscoring opponents 13-1, including the usually decent Costa Rica. El Tri hasn't simply played to win, they've played to destruct, to destroy and above all to entertain their adoring public. Yes, a public firmly rooted on American soil.

On the flip side of the equation, CONCACAF's other supposed giant, the U.S. has been anti-swag, playing an unaesthetic brand of soccer which has resulted in a win over Canada and a stunning lost to Panama. It's a loss, even more than the humiliating defeat to Spain in a friendly on the eve of the tournament, that has most media affiliated with U.S. soccer openly questioning both USSF President Sunil Gulati and coach Bob Bradley. Some even using the "must-win" ultimatum.

The most damning critique of Bradley is his team's continued track record of falling behind to opponents -- even at home.

Let's peel away from that onion a little bit, however.

Why is it that Mexico, at its full pomp, carries itself like an elite world power? The kind of team which brushes aside the minnows with ease. A team with players who don't just want to score goals, but genuine Golazos, or its even more amazing cousin, the gol-azo-azo-azo-azo.

True, Mexico has experienced many low ebbs and for a while was in danger missing out on South Africa in 2010. And yes, the best El Tri has ever done in the World Cup is the quarterfinals (1970, 1986 -- each on homesoil).

Is it simply a soccer culture thing? In front of 70,000 fans does Mexico feel compelled to entertain, or endear the wrath of the dreaded whistle for mediciore or poor play. One thing's for sure, even in a fully, 100 percent pro-U.S. crowd in a stadium, the USMNT never needs feel the wrath of its own fans "whistling" in displeasure for desultory play. (Nevermind the fact most American fans seemed more concerned with making homemade costumes or buying the latest gear from the Nike kiosks inside the stadium.)

Even at its best, the U.S. rarely plays the role of flat-out entertainer, although that's not necessarily the role at national team should play where results should trumpet style. It's just hard to believe with the advances at all levels over the last two decades that the U.S. continually struggles to break down opponents through passing, playing such deary, robotic soccer in the process. Rarely do you see U.S. players without some sort of constipated, furrowed brow expression in the midst of a game. Obviously smiling isn't a requirement -- or in the case of Michael Bradley physically possible -- but it tends leave a "meh" expression after watching so many games over the years.

How often does the U.S. use it's talent and ability to brush aside teams, barring the Barbados's of the world? Is that asking too much? Is it all because of Bradley's tactics, which are so conservative they ought to be labeled reactionary on the political spectrum? Does it go deeper, to the youth level, where creativity is stamped out for athleticism or discipline?Or is it the simple fact the rest of the world is better prepared and the days of easy games for even the elites has faded? (Unless you're playing San Marino.)

And here we sit, in a couple of hours the U.S. will play Guadeloupe in Kansas City. What should have been a game for -- maybe -- Bradley to let his hair down a little bit, perhaps playing Freddy Adu or opening up the gameplan with a place to the Gold Cup knockout stages already clinched, instead has turned into a do-or-die affair.

Yes, the U.S. is actually facing a nightmare scenario where it has to beat Guadeloupe (9 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel).

It should be said, though the U.S. typically owns the Caribbean nations, Guadeloupe is a little different cookie since it brings in players who actually play in Ligue 1 and other European leagues. Still, it is a grim dose of reality to everyone who has even but a passing interest in U.S. soccer that the senior men's national team isn't automatic 3-points vs. a French overseas department with a roster full of journeymen.

If that doesn't full embody the stagnation that's infected the U.S. ever since Asamoah Gyan's goal in Rustenburg last June, what else does?

In the end, the U.S. is probably going to find a way to get a result tonight at LiveStrong Park -- just don't expect those 90 minutes to be very entertaining. That is, unless you're either a fan of trainwrecks or nervy, tight international soccer.

Random Thoughts:

* Let it be known, Clint Dempsey obviously plays with swagger.

* Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Carlos Bocanegra, Jozy Altidore and Clarence Goodson are all carrying yellow cards and would miss the quarterfinals if booked.

* Does that mean Maurice Edu moves into the midfield -- or center of the defense?

* Which of the Internet's two favorite American defenders gets dusted off tonight, Oguchi Onyewu or Jonny Bornstein?

* Is it definitely a game for Landon Donovan to look and play like a leader, as opposed to a chillbro.

* Very happy Sir Alex Ferguson signed defender Phil Jones from Blackburn. It means that Jonny Evans days are numbered at Old Trafford, with his next club hopefully in Siberia or some Central Asian outpost. Don't forget the Northern Irishman broke Stuart Holden's leg during the EPL season. With a healthy Holden maybe all these troubles go away. Maybe.

* Doubtful The Elder changes tactics on the fly, but to offset a lot trouble, he could have taken a page from old Serie A or Roberto Mancini. Have Altidore, Dempsey and Donovan play up forward and do most of the attacking, with Bradley, Jones and Edu behind them. It wouldn't be a very wide team, but since when has the U.S. ever played with any width?

* If there was ever a game for Jozy Altidore to use his physical tools to draw fouls in and around the box, this would be it. This game is too important to worry about the ramifications of "diving", not that I'm calling for it but, well, you know ...

* Twelve teams make the Gold Cup Group Stage, which eliminates four. Very tough.

Lineup Guess:

Bradley has to mix it up from a 4-4-2, right? Though Guadeloupe itself can't advance without trying to attack, plus they've finished each game with 10 men.

GK -- Howard

DEF -- Cherundolo -- Ream -- Bocanegra -- Bornstein

MID -- Bedoya -- Jones -- Bradley -- Donovan

FOR -- Dempsey (drifting back to move of a 4-5-1 at times) -- Altidore

Final Thought:

At this point, maybe the U.S. decides -- with its back against the wall and the barbarians at the door -- to come out and play from the opening whistle.

(*) Totally unrelated, but has anything aged as poorly in the last 15 years as the "Austin Powers" movies? Next time you're with polite company, start using the catchphrases and watch as eyes roll. Yeah, baby.

Labels: bob bradley, el tri, Gold Cup, sunil gulati, swag, USMNT

Word to the wise, nine times out of ten if you utter the words, "I'm working on a social experiment" in the midst of a cocktail party you're going to get a look from the other person like you're some grotesque, rejected Garbage Pail Kid.

Saturday night, though, your humble author opted for trying something different during a friend's birthday party: leaving his smartphone (an iPhone, yes, I suck) in the car. Somewhere in the recesses of my brain the decision to place more importance on -- yes -- talking to other people including old friends instead of the four part merry-go-round of:
1. Checking Twitter every seven seconds.

2. Following every pitch of the Tigers/Mariners game.
3. Checking my fantasy baseball team and finally
4. Looking at Facebook to see which of my "friends" was as pathetic as me by also looking at Facebook on a Saturday night.

God bless technology, right?

Addiction to looking at your phone isn't going away and its only going to get worse. (Bring on the nuetral implants!)

As you can probably infer by now, the all-important Group C Gold Cup 2011 match between the U..S. and Panama didn't register into this party equation. Again, for a change, I put my friends, acquaintances, BFFs, "Frenemies," chums, pals, etc. ahead of what should have probably been a forgettable, inconsequential game in the grand scheme of things. Plus, where the party was being held didn't have Fox Soccer Channel so I didn't feel like waking it in Spanish language and have to explain myself to the other party goers every three minutes, because as we all know, nothing gets the party started quite like a game on Telefutura. (Boon-Boo-Ree, notwithstanding.)

Plus above all, it was only a Gold Cup group stage game against Panama in a stadium with a Pirate ship on the concourse.

Sometime later in the night my friend John started talking about how he heard that the U.S. actually lost 2-1. Huh? What? Really?

Fortunately we live in a world with ESPNEWS, which should easily be able to fill in a sports fan on all the comings and goings, if not in highlight form at least in bottom line ticker form. Turns out, the Gold Cup didn't ring out with the Powers That Be in Bristol, either. After 10 solid minutes the U.S./Panama score didn't come across the ticker, though plenty of College Baseball, WNBA and, yes, MLS scores did. Contrast it to a week prior and the U.S.'s 4-0 loss to Spain -- IN A FRIENDLY -- earned "The Lead" status on ESPN.

Long story short, when an international soccer tournament doesn't air on ESPN it must not matter to the American sporting public.

And maybe, in light of the U.S. losing on homesoil for the second time in seven days, it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Couple Game Thoughts:

* In the grand scheme of things, barring a loss to Guadeloupe which would be the worst (or most embarrassing) non-World Cup loss for the U.S. in recent memory the loss to Panama isn't worth over-reacting about. However, to any USSF/Bob Bradley apologist: it happened. You can't sweep it under the rug. The U.S. press secretaries cannot trumpet the team's undefeated run in Gold Cup group stage play.

It's not worth overreacting, if only because you get what you get out of your Soccer Federation. With Sunil Gulati & Co. completely bereft of fresh ideas, including re-hiring Bob Bradley for another four years (contract-wise) you're setting yourself up for this level of stagnation. Losing to Panama isn't the end or the world or nadir of U.S. soccer, but it's hard to say this loss or a loss of this type wasn't coming over the last five years.

Call it the continuation of a lingering malaise that's infected the U.S. program.

Of course when you operate in a min-vacuum like the USSF, with people only taking notice every four years at the World Cup or during high-profile made-for-ESPN friendlies, you can operate in this fashion and continue to make conservative choices, spin the setbacks that soccer is still a growing sport in America, etc. You can think small instead of dreaming big and get away with it through general apathy or tacit acceptance.

This might be an apples-to-oranges comparison, but why is it that the Mexican National Team goes out there looking to entertain and eviscerate opponents(*) in CONCACAF whereas the U.S. has to grind, grift and grapple with almost everyone? Are the non-Caribbean teams unafraid of that team Bradley has molded? Are teams thinking, unless they beat us up physically on set plays, we can expose the U.S.-backline and frustrate them if we make them try to complete more than three passes in-a-row by maintaining our defense shape?

(*) Everything is cylical, as El Tri was bordering on debacle status when Sven-Goran Eriksson was in charge. Those were the days.

Panama, from what I saw in the quick DVR-rewatch and postgame highlights didn't quite fear the U.S., at all.

* One thing even the most ardent Bradley apologist/supporter is going to have a tough time defending is the U.S. falling down by two goals -- again -- and then not starting to play until the 60-minute mark of the second half. In a tournament setting that's simply inexcusable. Fortunately the game vs. Panama wasn't a knockout game.

True, you could say, if the U.S. converts one of its slew of chances -- namely Chris Wondolowski open-netter tap-in -- and this match finishes in a draw and nobody much raises an eyebrow.

The most distressing fact about this is, clearly the slow starts are now in the U.S. First XI's head and nobody seems to know how to address or change it. Imagine, now in hindsight, what if the Canadian keeper didn't pull a "Gomes" on Jozy Altidore's shot in the Gold Cup opener.

* Maybe the saddest thing about the Panama game is that the two worst players on the field for the U.S. was Bradley's new central defense choices of Tim Ream and Clarence Goodson. Ream gave away a bad penalty for the second Panama goal, while Goodson is fortunate he didn't give up an own-goal on the first, because it almost went off him.

Bradley, now, is in a Catch-22. If there was anything to gain from the Gold Cup it was developing a new defensive core to move toward 2014 with since other than the bizarre inclusion of Freddy Adu there wasn't that much to learn from this 23-man squad. This month, neither Ream or Goodson (29 years old, remember) have distinguished themselves all that much -- and have a true howler to their names vs. Panama.

What do you do? Pull the plug in must-win games here on out, move Carlos Bocanegra inward, dust off Oguchi Onyewu and hope for the best?

It's probably not fair to throw Ream(*) under the bus, yet for all the supporters out there yearning for him to be great, it hasn't happened yet. He might be a good passer out of the back, but you have to play some defense there, too. We'll see what kind of message Bradley sends, if he sticks with the newer guys or makes rash changes with the money on the line?

(*) Add Ream to the unfortunate list of young American soccer players: hyped like crazy, then torn down and then ... ?

* Again, it makes perfect sense, everyone has penciled in U.S./Mexico in the final -- Sports Illustrated even published it in its latest magazine. Watch if one of the two CONCACAF giants doesn't make it to the Rose Bowl for the tournament final. Mexico, at least, can rest players for its final group game even if it's roster is in shambles after "Chicken-Gate." The U.S.? If it makes the final it's going to be a grind with a lot of aging legs logging a lot of minutes, especially after the European season in the case of guys like Bocanegra (nice hip check in the final seconds), Steve Cherundolo, etc.

* Stuff you can't make up: The U.S.'s only goal is scored by a defender on a set piece, this time by Goodson.

* Is it possible for Landon Donovan to wear a shirt in this postgame interview with Fox Soccer, or by the same token, could FSC wait until he's cooled down for some thoughts. The whole thing was beyond undignified.

Oh, and Donovan admitted the U.S. was complacent heading into the game. That's the kind of attitude the USSF has foster post-2010 World Cup, which is ultimately beyond disheartening.

* On the FSC Postgame, you could sense Eric Wynalda wanted to pull the knives out, but keep it all in perspective. Don't hate me for saying this, but I've grown to not totally dislike Wynalda on FSC. Plus, as an ex-player, he's done a fine job transitioning to studio host, which is much harder than being an analyst.

* Good email from my friend Tom suggesting that Juan Agudelo, at this point in his career, is better as an impact sub in the final 15 minutes and maybe the U.S. should adopt a 4-3-3 formation with Donovan and Clint Dempsey flanking Jozy Altidore. It's an idea to ponder, though with The Elder's track record, he's not implementing a new system on the fly mid-tournament. He's not programmed to think that way.

Final thought:

A year ago, on June 12, 2010 the U.S. managed a memorable 1-1 draw with mighty England in Rustenburg, South Africa, in its first World Cup group stage match.

Today, we're left wondering how a team with seven of those same starters lost in Tampa to Panama.

Maybe Clint can cheer us up ...

Labels: bob bradley, fox soccer, Gold Cup, Soccer, USMNT

Let's take a couple quick swings around the soccer world. Join me, won't you?

Destination Deuce:



As boring as the U.S. National Team can be for long stretches, at least there's always Clint Dempsey. It's like sticking through an episode of "Saturday Night Live" for that one good sketch from the cast member you still tolerate. (Not sure that applies to 2011 SNL, since Will Forte quietly left the show.)

The man formerly known as Deuce scored another of his trademark goals (be sure to click that link, A-MAZING audio) against Canada on Tuesday night -- a late run into the box to slide tackle Jozy Altidore's cross into the net.

Come to think of it, what exactly is Dempsey's trademark?

The late run into the box to finish a movement?

The header in traffic?

The insane, half-volley?

Whatever it is, he's clearly the best American playing in Europe at the moment. The question, early into the summer transfer window, is he too good to be plying his trade at a midtable Premier League club like Fulham, where he just became the club's all-time leading scorer in the PL era. Should Dempsey force the issue and find a way onto a club that's either playing in the Champions League or harbors those ambitions? Would Cottagers new boss Martin Jol be open to selling off his best asset before the Dutchman even settles into the club?

Before delving too deep into this, consider we might tend to over-value Dempsey for the fact he's an American. As it stands, he's 28 years old hybrid player. Not exactly a striker, not exactly a winger, but valuable nonetheless. Dempsey is a pro's pro. A gamer. He hasn't played in the Champions League, but Dempsey isn't the kind of guy who gets "shook" in the big moment, and lest we forget, he did start a Europa League final two years ago.

Could Dempsey move up the ladder in England? One factor against Dempsey is that Chelsea (for now), Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal all seem to play some variation of the 4-3-3, whereas at Fulham Dempsey has played most right midfield or withdrawn behind a striker (not very often last season under Mark Hughes) in a staid 4-4-2.

Manchester United already has Antonio Valencia, who returned from injury and blocked Nani from starting in the Champions League final. Throw in the ageless Ryan Giggs and Ji-Sung Park and it's doubtful Dempsey -- though useful -- fits into Sir Alex Ferguson's European plans. Dempsey could get games at Old Trafford, adding some depth to the team but probably not automatic first XI slots either domestically or in Europe.

Ditto for Manchester City and Chelsea, who seem stocked in places Dempsey would play. Plus, with the money those clubs have at their disposal, they're more likely to go for flashy, big-name signings than a proven player like Dempsey, who'd certainly bring something to the table for either club.

Arsenal is intriguing, especially if rumors of Samir Nasri(*) leaving the Emirates for Old Trafford persist. Could Dempsey be the ideal replacement for the creative Frenchman? Dempsey would certain be a guy Arsene Wenger could pencil into the starting XI every week in the Premier League and know what to expect. Plus, in his favor, Dempsey does have the individual panache and tactical nous favored by the Frenchman. Dempsey's natural hard-nosed instincts would click, you'd think, alongside Jack Wilshere -- the future of the North London club at the moment.

(*) Can Arsenal win without Nasri? Sure. It's more an indictment on the direction of the club that a young playmaker like him thinks in order to win trophies he has to go somewhere else.

The next two clubs in England -- Liverpool and Tottenham -- don't look like destinations either. Liverpool is on a spending spree, and Dempsey isn't in the picture. Spurs, meanwhile, have Aaron Lennon on the right plus a slew of players on the roster similar to the Texan, namely Rafael van dar Vaart. Plus Tottenham is stuck in the Europa League, though Dempsey would be ideal to help Spurs' fight wars on two fronts.

Moving outside of England would be a major risk for Dempsey, since he's established and settled with the Premier League style of play. A move to France's Ligue 1 would be a step back in his career. Spain seems unlikely, too, since Valencia and Villareal are playing third and fourth fiddle to La Liga's big two, plus they don't have money to spend.

From the Bundesliga, champions Borussia Dortmund would be an awesome place to place, if only for the 80,000 fans who attend every home game. Soccer-wise, the club is set up with its roster, building from within. Dempsey, as talented as he is, could upset the apple cart. Bayer Leverkausen is in the Champions League, but its manager has already gone to Bayern Munich and the roster might be dissembled.

Bayern would be a nice spot for Dempsey, but the Bavarians need defenders -- not tricky wingers.

That leaves Italy.

Yes, that Italy.

Throw out AC Milan, which has plenty of attackers at it's ready. Same with Udinese, which is selling, not buying.

Napoli would be a very interesting spot for Dempsey, since many think Marek Hamsik is overrated. Dempsey could easily slot in to form a power trio with Edison Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi. It's something to consider. Napoli were one of the most engaging teams in all of Europe during 2010-11. Adding the spark and grit of Dempsey would help, though the weekly play in Serie A might not be on par with what he's seeing with Fulham in England.

Same with Inter Milan, depending on the summer plans of Massimo Moratti. Inter's squad depth isn't what it was at the height of Jose Mourinho's run. If the club decides to cash-in on Wesley Snjieder, Inter is going to need a link to the Samuel Eto'o line. Plus, Dempsey would look uber-badass in blue-and-black stripes.

Hey, if you're Dempsey, you have to like the options.

And it's not like sticking around Craven Cottage is chopped liver, either.

Win Cures All Ills?:

It seems the debacle vs. Spain is but a distant memory after the U.S. took care of business vs. Canada. Jozy Altidore is back to being the most exciting prospect in American soccer history. Michael Bradley is the midfield general the U.S. has lacked since Claudio Reyna. Yada, yada yada.

Realistically, the only way that the loss to Spain could have been compounded was with a loss or a listless draw with Canada on a makeshift field at Ford Field. So in that sense, perhaps Sunil Gulati ought to send a fruit basket or at least a muffin tray to our friends from the Great White North. What is it about Canadians, quiet, dignified values and sub-mediocre soccer? (Hey, relax, Canucks. My grandfather was born in Ottawa.)

Panama (Saturday, 8 p.m., Fox Soccer) might be a step up from Canada from an organizational standpoint. Chances are, too, Panama isn't going to gift the U.S. an early goal on a goalkeeping gaffe. The U.S. is going to have to work the ball around to find openings against a team that would be ecstatic with a draw.

The U.S. isn't as abject as it was against Spain, but we won't know how strong the current incarnation is until the knockout stages.

Whoa Mexico:

Obviously the Mexican National Team, El Tri as it were, has never watched any of the Public Safety Announcements from Pierre on Channel Cinco. If they had, they'd have known you have to keep meat ice cold if you're going to eat it later.

Typical Mexico, right? Five players failed a dope test on Thursday in Charlotte, N.C., including pitchman extraordinaire: goalkeeper Guille Ochoa. Funny, of course, the excuse was to blame tainted chicken. Popeyes Chicken might be pretty rank, but it's doubtful it'll cause you to fail a drug test, am I right people of the South?

This isn't the first time Mexico soccer team has been in the news for failed drug tests. Run a Google search for "Mexico Soccer Dope Ban" and you get more results than your eyes can read. Don't forget, either, Mexico was banned from the 1990 World Cup for fielding overage players in a youth tournament.

As down as I am personally on the USSF, at least Gulati and the boys play by the rules, at least the rules that keep the players on the field.

Mexico did look great, romping in the second half vs. Cuba Thursday night in Bank of America Stadium, winning 5-0. It helped that Cuba's defense did its best traffic cone impersonation. Chicharito didn't score, but he missed a hat trick by about seven combined inches, while Gio Dos Santos slipped into the starting lineup and scored twice.

That said, Cuba did have some chances as backup keeper Alfredo Talavera looked quite shaky and unsure. Throw in the older legs of Rafa Marquez and El Tri might not be as rock-solid as it had hoped in the back.

One thing to note, Mexico players go out there with smiles on their face as if entertaining their adoring public -- even in America -- is their No. 1 goal ahead of the actual in-game results. Perhaps this level of hubris will come back to bite them down the road, as well as, the lack of depth due to the five suspended players.

Odds and Ends:

* Has the U.S. qualified for the Gold Cup knockout rounds already? Seems that way. Doesn't matter much where the U.S. even finishes in the group, considering there's no way for the U.S. to play Mexico until the final because of the bracket. At worst, the U.S. gets stuck playing Honduras earlier than expected. Jamaica might be dangerous because of its team speed, but doubt they have the defending to keep the U.S. off the scoreboard.

The shame of the Gold Cup is it's so set up to keep the U.S. and Mexico apart until the final in the knockout bracket. Obviously that's a good thing, but it's too bad the U.S. might never get a chance to play Costa Rica, who'd be an ideal test in the semifinals instead of another potentially god-awful match with Guatemala.

* Does the Gold Cup really need 13 different venues to stage the tournament? Seems excessive, even for the corrupt stuffed-shirts at CONCACAF headquarters.

* Are the U.S. on a short list of International teams where a goalie can single-handily win games for them? Imagine the state of this without Tim Howard standing on his head game-in, game-out.

* Costa Rican forward Bryan Ruiz's jersey simply reads Bryan. Makes me laugh, for some reason.

* The sight of Ricardo LaVolpe on the touchline, never, EVER gets old. Get the man a Dos Equis.

* Remember Cobi Jones' late equalizer during 2006 World Cup qualification against Panama on a water-logged field. Too bad the clip isn't on YouTube.

* Along those lines, anyone remember the guy on Panama from around that time with the bleached blond hair? He was always a torn in the Americans side. (Granted, Eddie Johnson did score a hat trick vs. Panama back in 2004 at RFK.)

* For those that care, this site is now viewable in a more tolerable, mobile form for your iPhones and other hi-tech gizmos.

Lineup Guess:

Figure Bob Bradley sticks with the Canada lineup, barring late fitness tests. Expect a more experimental team vs. Guadeloupe next week. Guessing Oguchi Onyewu gets a run out to see if he merits first XI inclusion later down the road. At 29 Clarence Goodson isn't quite a future building block, is he?

GK-- Howard

DEF -- Cherundolo -- Ream -- Onyewu -- Bocanegra

MID -- Dempsey -- Jones -- Bradley -- Donovan

FOR -- Altidore -- Aguedelo

Labels: bob bradley, clint dempsey, Gold Cup, USMNT

"No more half measures, Walter." -- Mike "the Cleaner", "Breaking Bad."

Is "Breaking Bad" the television equivalent of the Spanish National Team?

Does that mean Walter White is the erstwhile Xavi of the idiot box?

More importantly, is this another strained pop-culture crossover analogy by your humble author to start off a post about something completely different?

Your answers: maybe, probably and bingo.

In the wake of the U.S. National Team's 4-0 humbling defeat to the aforementioned La Roja in New England over the weekend, it's been beyond eye-opening that most journalists associated with the team have openly questioned the direction by head coach Bob Bradley. All this for a friendly, which if it were played against roughly 195 of the 208 members of FIFA would have already been forgotten and relegated to also-ran status during a busy sports weekend in America.

For whatever the reason -- most likely because of a chance to play the reigning World Cup holders on home soil -- the general American sporting ethos seemed to care about this one.

And it's probably fair to say that a lot of the postgame analysis, teeth-gnashing, hand-wringing and out-and-out pessimism had to have been spurred on, if only partially, by the Banana Republic-style FIFA election in Zurich a few days before the match, where the honorable Sepp Blatter ran opposed for the post of worldwide soccer tsar. Even if most Americans are apathetic toward politics these days, when we see a tin-pan, stuffed shirt, politician like Blatter pull a stunt like he did, something stirs inside of us like ghost of Patrick Henry to rile up the blood.

This all leads to our beloved U.S. Soccer Federation President -- Sunil Gulati, who was interviewed at halftime by Bob Ley on ESPN. Speaking like a true politician, Gulati, after three days, finally admitted that he voted for Blatter and spun a story of how abstaining from FIFA's farcical ways wouldn't have accomplished anything.

There's no way this sat too well with most American soccer fans with a half-strength U.S. team trailing 3-0 to Spain. (The idea this was a second-rate Spain team, too, is foolish. Sure Xavi wasn't playing, but don't undersell Santi Carzola -- vital at Euro 2008. True Álvaro Negredo isn't a household name, but he's in better from than a certain striker who wears No. 9 at Chelsea.)

For once there seems to be a groundswell among the American soccer public that maybe Gulati and his guys, and by trickle down effect Bob Bradley isn't the proper braintrust to guide the U.S. going forward and it's not only from knee jerk, part-time fans or cranks like myself.

To some degree, it's not fair to complain about the job Gulati, Bradley and the rest of U.S. soccer have taken since reentering the modern era by qualifying for the 1990 World Cup. In the last 21 years the U.S. has risen from a bunch of scraggly amateurs (with mullets) playing on the absolute fringes of sports, to regularly qualifying at the top of CONCACAF, winning their World Cup group, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2002 tournament and so on.

These successes, though, sometimes seem like a built-in crutch for the powers running U.S. Soccer, as they continue to point to slow growth and measured results. As a bureaucrat that kind of thinking is par for the course. Well ... we made the World Cup ... we sold a bunch of jerseys ... we had people uploading videos of their reaction to Landon Donovan's goal ... we played Brazil and led them at halftime. ... We are indivisible. ...

Fans aren't into these half-wins and shallow truths.

The people who watch U.S. soccer from afar, want to dream big ... or at least dream of a scenario where the U.S. doesn't get beat by Ghana with the money on the line in the World Cup every four years. Part of me wishes there were more dreamers and less pencil pushers at the U.S. Soccer House in Chicago. If the U.S. isn't realistically trying to position itself to make a legitimate run in the World Cup, then what are we really doing?

When Japan drops out of the Copa America, yeah, logistically it might be tough but why not try to push to play in it instead of Costa Rica? It's little things like that leave a bad taste in your mouth about they way Gulati always takes the cautious approach.

People who care about the U.S. National Team are tired of accepting continual letdowns with a, "yeah ... but." It's hardly all bad for the Yanks in 2011, yet there always seems to be a "but" floating somewhere beneath the surface.

As explored by the book, "Soccernomics" some of the main keys to a successful nation team are the size of the nation and its resources. When you look at it that way, the U.S. shouldn't struggle to find a capable international forward or a utterly lack of any wide players. This goes to the core of how soccer is structured and how players are trained.

Unfortunately, it seems Gulati likes to embrace certain aspects of the worldwide FIFA game -- the backroom politics of it all, but when it comes to opening up U.S. Soccer to the rest of the world, bringing in different minds, different approaches, he becomes very insular, thinking we have to things in an American sporting sense.

Part of the problem for whomever runs the USSF is beyond their control.

It's proven that Americans are, as a whole, warming up to soccer. Most casual fans locked into the ESPN 24-hour news cycle can appreciate the sporting genius as well as the pomp-and-circumstance the World Cup delivers. Except it only delivers it every four years.

Playing games against the likes of Canada or Guadeloupe doesn't move the needle. Nor does the Gold Cup in general, aside from an (assumed) showdown with Mexico at the end of the month. The U.S. has out-grown CONCACAF from a competitive standpoint, but unless you're Australia you can't simply change your federation. It's why, rightly or wrongly, most in America are going to judge the progress of the USSF by the World Cup ... every four years.

Compounding issues, there is a certain percentage of people who's favorite soccer team in the States is, in fact, the U.S. National Team. Trying to apply the way you'd root for a club team in any sport to a national team is bound to fail. Suppose you had casual interest in basketball, but instead of following the NBA, all you cared about was the fate of the (cough, cough) Dream Team every four years. You might tend to expect a little more in every game, than what you'd seen during the regular season and playoffs of the NBA.

Club season you want to win, but you also want to win with panache. In International play, it's an ends justifies the means business. Win or go home, forget about style points. Soccer, for all it's flopping, still isn't gymnastics.

Does this sort of fandom create unrealistic expectations? Sure. Only a handful of the elite soccer nations in the world have won the World Cup.

Should the way these soccer people think be entirely ignored? Probably not.

It's that ying-yang balance the U.S. team can't seem to shake. Regional dominance, measured, steady growth internationally, yet lots of frustration along the way. The modest success the U.S. has experienced in the last 15-odd years has almost put the team, as it stands in 2011, in a no-win situation.

Winning the Gold Cup won't change this fact, even if it punches a ticket for the U.S. the 2013 Confederations Cup. Even worse, the U.S. might have nothing to gain at all, especially if it loses before the final or to the dreaded Mexicans in front of 100,000 El Tri fans in Pasedena as everyone anticipates.

Although this screed sounds resigned to the classic, "it is what it is," way of thinking, deep down I'm going to keep dreaming big. Hopefully one day the Federation will try to do that, too.

Canadian Miscellany:

* Call this reverse logic, but considering how anyone with a keyboard or forum seems to have decided to take their frustrations out on Jozy Altidore, wouldn't it makes sense for him to have a good Gold Cup?

* One way to get some encouragement for the Gold Cup? If Bradley benches Oguchi Onyewu. Again, nothing personal, but a lumbering 6-foot-5 center back with so-so distribution and spotty health isn't really what the U.S. needs against most CONCACAF teams. If you're not going to throw Tim Ream, Eric Lichaj (mostly an outside back, granted) or Clarence Goodson out against Canada, et al, in the pressure-free group stages, then when?

* On a tactics thought, would moving Michael Bradley a little further up the field in a modified four-man diamond help link with the forward line? Ultimately the next time the U.S. would need to play an uber-defensive, bunker-style defensive game would be in 2013, should the Yanks qualify for the Confederations Cup.

* Bit of a Devil's Advocate, if Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey aren't at their best, how is the U.S. going to score unless it's on a set piece?

* With the 4-0 destruction by Spain fresh in their heads, will the U.S. come out of the gates like Denzel Washington in "A Man on Fire" or will they be timid and tentative like Denzel in "The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3"? If The Elder ever had a reason to throw caution into the wind for the first 20 minutes, it's tonight vs. Canada.

* Four years ago when the U.S. and Canada played in the Gold Cup, I wrote this. Might be worth a laugh. Yowzas. (When did I lose all my creativity?!?)

* Felt honored to be included by Jason McIntyre from TheBigLead.com's tweet about a soccer roundtable with some of the bigger names in the business. Hopefully I'll address some of his questions in the coming weeks.

* Due to my actual job, not sure how much of the Gold Cup I'm going to be able to watch, so I will post accordingly. Also, I wrote out an entire outline in my head about this post on Sunday night. Sat down to write it on Monday and, well, it didn't "pop" like I'd hoped. Basically a rehash of old thoughts. Lame. Apologies for that.

Lineup guess:

Still think, without Stuart Holden, 4-4-2 is the way to go.

GK -- Howard

DEF -- Cherundolo -- Ream -- Bocanegra -- Lichaj

MID -- Dempsey -- Bradley -- Jones -- Donovan

FOR -- Altidore -- Wondolowski

Biggest change, watch for Dempsey up top with Alejandro Bedoya maybe out on the right instead.

Final thought:

Let's hope Canada knows its role for tonight's game in Detroit -- slumpbuster.

Labels: bob bradley, Gold Cup, Soccer, sunil gulati, USMNT