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What a fantastic finish at QPR. In the last 15 minutes including extra time there were 4 goals. 2 from Vargas for QPR to knot it up twice, and Steven Caulker at the death concedes an own goal. 2 own goals is the difference between QPR walking away with 3 points and instead walking away with 0.
 
Fantastic late drama at Old Trafford. Courtois did enough to win the game, but the deflection fell to the deadly Van Persie.
 
Hey SAV, Arsenal sure is better at growing talent than Man U. AMIRITE?

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I remember a month or so ago all the talk was over Pardew being fired cause they were pretty close to relegation place, then they went on a winning binge and now they're only a point behind Arsenal and are even with Man U, right now the top 5 has Southampton, West Ham, and Swansea. Been a crazy start to the year. I think before long it will settle out and Arsenal, Man U and Liverpool will start rising back to the top, but jsut fun to look at the insanity so far, Burnley sucks though.

And the real funny result is that Man City if it wasn't for an insane play by Aguero and an amazing throughball and great finish they would have lost to QPR. Who're ****ing terrible.
 
Interesting squad selection by Klinsmann ahead of the friendlies

GK - Guzan, Rimando, Hamid, and Johnson
DF - Beasley, Besler, Cameron, Brooks, Jones, Johnson, Chandler, Yedlin, and Garza
MF - Beckerman, Bedoya, Mix, Green, Morales, and Nguyen
FW - Altidore, Wondo, Wood, Rubin, Morris, Ibarra

The interesting picks are Nguyen, Morris and Ibarra. Nguyen wasn't featured in the US side for almost 7 years. He's been fantastic in MLS, hopefully he can become an option as maybe a surprise bench utility player. Ibarra made his debut last match, he's the first player from Modern NASL. Morris is a college kid.

Klinsmann is apparently letting some of the older guys have their swan song, so expect to see Beasley and Beckerman get some matches but of diminishing importances. They'll probably play a big role in the gold cup as veteran leadership, but you'll see more minutes for the kids.

Also just a guess, I don't think Klinsmann will start the same defense twice. I'm guessing (though may be wrong( it will be a combination of say Jones and Besler and Cameron and Brooks. then out wide Garza with Johnson/CHandler, and Beasley with Yedlin. What may also happen is Yedlin and/or Johnson playing a lot of time at midfield.
 
Lol Arsenal.

They're now 8th in the table with a 1 goal advantage over Everton.

Also, no one is catching Chelsea. Need Southampton to be Aston Villa to keep it interesting.
 
Red Bulls Revolution has been really exciting so far. Really would love to be in Harrison for this one. Lots of excitement in the first 26 minutes. Stunner goal for Bunbury and good build up to a lucky bounce for the Red Bulls answer.
 
I think it's interesting that Jermaine Jones has so drastically changed the way the Revolution have played. IIRC they're 11-1-1 since Jones came into the mix. Meaning before Jones's contributions in the last 10 MLS regular season games, he got the revolution 25 points, in their previous 24 games they had 30. What a dramatic change in a season. Of course their playoff results ahve been awesome with a 4-2 road win in Columbus and a 3-1 home victory vs COlumbus and now a 2-1 win in Harrison the first victory for NE in Red Bull Arena.

Jermaine Jones has been a truck since coming into MLS, maybe the biggest new addition to a team since Beckham joined LA.
 
zitothebrave said:
Red Bulls Revolution has been really exciting so far. Really would love to be in Harrison for this one. Lots of excitement in the first 26 minutes. Stunner goal for Bunbury and good build up to a lucky bounce for the Red Bulls answer.
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I was in attendance...bad time for my 4 year undefeated streak to come to an end.

Henry announced today that he will be leaving NY. If anyone needs me I'll be drinking the emergency scotch I keep in my desk.
 
So musing ahead for the USMNT ahead of January Camp.

Who do you see going overseas? I'd imagine Bradley, Dempsey, Jones, and some of the other top US players may go overseas rather than Camp. I would prefer that. I'd much rather have Bradley playing for some team covering a CM injury or something liek that.

As far as interesting guys to watch. Lee Nguyen has too be one. He massively fell out of favor as his form got wrecked. he for sure foudn it this year being a fantastic force for New England. he could be a Graham Zusi or Kyle Beckerman type of older guy finding form find. ROY Tesho Akindele may make his USMNT debut as he seemingly favors the US to Canada. To be blunt I'd be a little shocked at that. Leaving a country he would likely have tons of PT in to join a country with tons of young forwards? Must really like the USA. Young defenders like Matt Hedges and Steve Birnbaum are likely to get looks. Wil Trapp almost for sure will get a look, as he's played his way up the US system, Then there's Gyasi Zardes, I don't know what to think about him. Yedlin will hopefully be on his way to Spurs.

I'm liking the US going forward, lots of promising young talent. Some will burn out for sure but if a few of them grow, and a few of our current guys stay we should be lookign at a better team in 2018.

Early outlook

GK - Tim Howard could easily be around next WC go around, he'll be 39 which is old, but goalies don't age the same way as outfield players. In fact all too often their primes are in their 30s (which is what makes Neuer such a freak to enjoy) Guzan is the likely choice, he'll be 33, he's a fantastic keeper. Nick Rimando will almost certainly be out of the picture, but I think he may play a part in the upcoming Gold Cup. For the yougn guys you have Johnson, Hamid and Cropper. Having watched them all, I like Cropper the most. Of course that could change in the coming years, but Cropper seems most likely to be the 2022 USMNT GK.

FB - US has a glut of options here, which is nice so they don't need say Demarcus Beasley. Greg Garza, DeAndre Yedlin, Timmy Chandler, Fabian Johnson, and odds are even someoen like Brad Evans will be in the mix. Robbie Rogers has foudn a very nice form forhimself at LB, lots of guys will be vying for a position. I think odds are one of these guys, likely Johnson or Yedlin will be moved to the midfield. Maybe even both if we get good depth.

CB - Lots of questions here but some promise. Start with Besler, Gonzo, and Cameron, all should be back for the next go around. John Anthony Brooks looks a virtual lock to be the anchor at CB. He may bust out, but I don't think he will, he's 21 and a regular fixture on Hertha BSC, a mid table Bundesliga squad. Future is very bright for him. I would think the pairing will likely be him with Gonzalez, but who knows. Others who're in the mix for CB. Jermaine Jones has been featured there, he's interesting. I have a hunch he's training there to be a sub next go around, or perhaps even training there so he can be a true CDM next time around if he's needed. Young guys like Will Packwood and Shane O'Neill will be in the mix as well.

CM - Lots of depth here. Which is great. Just gonna rattle them off. Bradley, Mix, Morales, Nguyen, Corona, and Williams represent the mid 20s crowd. There's also the old guys like Beckerman adn Jones which who knows what they'll look like, and more importantly the young guys, Gil and Hyndman. Hyndman being the most intriguing for me. Hyndman is generally regarded as one of the more promising players in a very good Fulham youth system, is already getting reps at the senior club.

Wide mids - This is where things get interesting and there will be a lot of competition, Bedoya and Zusi may be moving centrally as they age, not sure of that yet that's one to watch though. US has lots of speedy young guys out there, Green being the crown Jewel but others who may factor in (or may strike in some cases) include Joe Gyau, Rubio Rubin, Bobby Wood, Jordan Morris, and of course the always talented but never really showing it Brek Shea. Very promising group, but it makes you wonder what formation will be used going forward?

Forwards - Some carryover from that previous group (Gyau, Wood, Rubin and Morris), plus some more pure strikers. With the pure strikers we're looking at Jozy, Johannson, and Boyd being the most promising.

This is my dream for the US in 2018 assuming health and proper developement and regression, this is my starting 11 and final 23

GK - Guzan (sadly I'm sure Timmy is gonna retire or be out of form)
RB - Yedlen
CB - Brooks
CB - Gonzalez
LB - Chandler (just nudging him over Johnson on pure ability, Fabian is for sure more talented)
CM - Bradley
CM - Mix
CAM - Zelalem
RW - Gyau
LW - Green (that can be swapped)
ST - Jozy (though I'd go to whomever is in the best form, Jozy is the best current striker on the US and I don't see anyone passing him anytime soon)

Other 12
GK - Cropper and Johnson
DF - Johnson, Garza, Jones, Besler
MF - Morales, Packwood, Hyndman
FW - Wood, Boyd, Johannson

Gives you a healthy mix there. Jones and Packwood can backup CB or CM. Johnson or garza can play out wide if need be in the mid. Morales and Hyndman are more attacking mids but can learn to work in the CM roles that Bradley and Mix will operate in. The forwards are the biggest strength though. 2 out and out strikers means if you need to bring on an extra man you have 2 different types. Johannson a more poacher type, or Boyd a target man. If you want Boyd and Jozy to sit up top and be ready for bombs to come flying in you can. If you prefer a more build up oriented play you can do that too.

US has a very sunny outlook. Less old guys going into it for optimism than 2010 had. Back then it was hoping for Cherundolo, Bocanegra, etc. to still be good in their 30s. Some guys still were (Dempsey) but in reality the turnover from 2010 to 2014 was massive. Players who were on both were Howard, Dempsey, Bradley, Beasley (though as a mid before) and Jozy. I don't expect that same turnaroudn again, but there will be some big turnaround of course.
 
In the last day we've had news that Henry has retired from football and DeMarcus Beasley has hung up his USMNT cleats.
 
Interesting, Ronaldo's Dive or Gonzalez's dive for me were the worst for sure,

I don't think Ronaldo shoudl repeat, I think he should win this year, but Ribery should have won last year. SO I guess give it to Neuer.
 
Yedlin got his work Permit, Brek Shea moving to MLS (supposedly to OCFC but like Jones was supposed to go to Chicago, you never know, he could go NYCFC)
 
Apparently there was a deal between NYCFC and Orlando where NYCFC agreed not to take Shea (they were #1 in the allocation order) in exchange for Orlando not selecting any RSL players in the expansion draft (City manager Jason Kreis used to manage RSL and took two of his former players in the draft).
 
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