Arena & the USMNT

[quincy101]

Well, well,well! Bruce Arena's chickens have finally come home to roost. Right now, we'll prolly have to go to a 4th place playoff to make the WC. All the 14 game non-losing streak everyone bragged about was fool's gold with the embarrassing loss to Costa Rica last night.

Have never liked Arena & his love affair with mediocre players from MLS & elsewhere such as Zuzi, Acosta, Roldan, Ream, Villafana, Lichaz, O. Gonzalez, Wondolowski, hell, even Cameron played like crap, Beasley, Hedges. McCarty is OK to back up Bradley. Those who played last night looked like they were satisfied to punch their ticket to Russia. Arena brings Dempsey off the bench as a "super-sub" when we're a goal down & floundering. He plays 90 for Seattle, why not last night? Still not sold on Altidore, Nagbe-who did nothing last night, Morrow, Fabian Johnson was nowhere to be found.

If we don't qualify, Arena must be fired forthwith,toute de suite,right away, without fail!!! Mark it down, if we do qualify with most of the guys mentioned above, we will not make it out of the group-I don't care which countries are in it!

 

[drboobay]

2 wins and a draw should get us through.

BTW Klinsman sucked too.

 

[TU_BLA]

Ream was the only question I had. He was beaten cleanly for the first goal because he was so out of position and way disconnected from his center back. 11 year olds know to check their shoulders and not leave that much space. Brooks, Cameron, and Gonzalez need to be the only guys running the central D for the US.

Rest of the game was fine. I love Altidore and Wood up top together. There were so many good things that the US did on Friday night except for finishing their scoring chances. Of course the Central American referee did them no favors. US needs to start insisting on a UEFA or African Confederation ref crew for their WC qualifiers because the Spanish speaking referees from El Salvador or Guatemala have a clear bias against the non-central American countries. US is fine. Should run the table here on out. As long as Costa Rica and Mexico win their games against Honduras and Panama, US will qualify fine. Ream should never again be seen in a USMNT uniform.

 

[goldfan83]

Beat Panama and T&T and we are in. If we go to the playoff and even if we win, I am more than okay with dismissing Arena. We are looking like a special kind of dog right now.

 

[Novocaine]

Same sort of situation happened in qualifying for 2002 WC - only made it in because we faced T&T in the last game and Honduras had to go to Azteca.

That team should have made the semi-finals of the World Cup. So who knows.

 

[TU_BLA]

Arena used an odd combo against Honduras too...when your back is against the wall, play your best players if they are available. I don't like Acosta in these situations right now. He plays too nervous and out of control for me. Nagbe played like that but has seemed to settle down and now his pace and control are assets that put a ton of pressure on MFs. Zusi is awful as a defender. I'd prefer Villafana back there and Yedlin (is he healthy yet?).

For the first time in a long time the US has some serious quality in the attacking half of the field. Altidore, Morris, Wood, Pulisic, and Dempsey. Pulisic is so dangerous with the ball at his feet within 25 yards teams are committing 2 or more defenders to taking away any space or passing lane. It leaves a lot of opportunity for trailing runs into the box.

 

[HuffyCane]

Yedlin is training with his team and is healthy but is not yet match fit. He will be available for the October games.

 

[quincy101]

I watched this on an obscure spanish lang channel. I guess my biggest issue with Bruce "the Frog" Arena is in personnel. He starts Gonzalez, Zuzi, poor D. Beasley who I love but he just doesn't have it any more. Sure enough, Omar misses a tackle about 12 yards to the right of Guzan with Besler showing up late as usual-Honduras1-0. Thank goodness the Frog finally realizes it ain't happening & subs for Gonzalez, Zuzi & Nagbe in the 2nd half. Cameron, Arrieola & Bobby Wood come in & things perk up.

Poor Pulisic just got hammered repeatedly & was double teamed always by those goons from H. Earned a yellow card & several free kicks, the last led to Wood's goal after a scramble in front of their net. If the Frog hasn't learned anything about who to start & finish with, we'll be in trouble against Panama. BTW, the latin ref was at it again when Honduras, with the lead well into 2nd half started time wasting, the absolute worst I've ever seen & the ref let em get away with it. There should have been 8-10 minutes xtra time & he calls for 3 & stops the game even before the 3 is up. Incredible!

 

[HuffyCane]

I was in San Pedro Sula. Best fans by far in CONCACAF.

12oz draws in old style papercups were $.60. I gave the 10 year old vendor a $50 USD bill and told him to not stop bringing beer to anyone in USA colors who wanted it and not to collect any money from anyone in our section the rest of the game.

Swapped jerseys with an old timer.

Some of the others were a little freaked out at the gunshots and grenades going off at night, but I lived on the South Side of Chicago so no biggie for me.

Passed by a double murder being roped off by the military on a trash pile on the way to the airport the next morning.

Had a grand time generally.