Futbol Talk

[brewcity77]

Andrija Novakovich is an 18 year old USA forward from Muskego that was originally signed to Marquette before getting an offer to play professionally for Reading FC. He just made his debut for the Royals. Very proud of the young man!

[WarriorInNYC]

Went to the NYCFC home opener last night where NYCFC beat New England 2-0.  43,000 fans and an electric atmosphere.  Hope to see it stick, will be great when they can get their own stadium and aren't playing at Yankee Stadium.

[Golden Avalanche]

Went to the NYCFC home opener last night where NYCFC beat New England 2-0.  43,000 fans and an electric atmosphere.  Hope to see it stick, will be great when they can get their own stadium and aren't playing at Yankee Stadium.

Where did you sit? And what did you think of the sight lines?

[fjm]

Awesome! A futbol section! Huge Barça fan here! This is awesome! I love this site! Going to the NYCFC vs. Chicago fire game in April!

[WarriorInNYC]

Where did you sit? And what did you think of the sight lines?

I was in the Third Rail, the supporters section, 2 rows up.  The sight lines were fine where I was as I was right behind the goal.  I'm sure those near home plate and third base didn't have the best of views.

It was an electric atmosphere there, tons of fun.  Here was part of the celebration after the match.  Claudio Reyna tweeted a video that I liked better than this one, but the video isn't up on youtube and I can't figure out how to embed it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGIstKkz22Y

[Golden Avalanche]

I was in the Third Rail, the supporters section, 2 rows up.  The sight lines were fine where I was as I was right behind the goal.  I'm sure those near home plate and third base didn't have the best of views.

It was an electric atmosphere there, tons of fun.  Here was part of the celebration after the match.  Claudio Reyna tweeted a video that I liked better than this one, but the video isn't up on youtube and I can't figure out how to embed it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGIstKkz22Y

Very cool. Curious to see how people do if not sitting in the supporters area. Baseball diamonds are such a tricky atmosphere to work around both logistically with the field and energy wise with the fans.

[NYWarrior]

Legend has it that Messi can nutmeg a mermaid.

https://vine.co/v/OV2ZF3xLFFV

I think this one of two in the 1H of today's UCL game ... LOVE Pep's reaction

[GGGG]

This entire European season has been a disaster for English teams.

**Liverpool can't even get out of the group stage in the CL, then loses to a Turkish club in the Europa. 

**Arsenal loses 3-1 to Monaco...AT HOME in the CL.

**Man City will lose to Barcelona.

**And of course Tottenham lost in the Europa to a decent Italian team.

England is falling, while Germany is rising.  It will be fun to watch Bundesliga games on Fox next fall.

To follow this up, no English teams in either the quarterfinals of the Champions League or Europa League.

[mu03eng]

This entire European season has been a disaster for English teams.

**Liverpool can't even get out of the group stage in the CL, then loses to a Turkish club in the Europa. 

**Arsenal loses 3-1 to Monaco...AT HOME in the CL.

**Man City will lose to Barcelona.

**And of course Tottenham lost in the Europa to a decent Italian team.

England is falling, while Germany is rising.  It will be fun to watch Bundesliga games on Fox next fall.

Really hoping Freiburg can win a few more points and avoid relegation.  Trained with them one summer when I was in high school and really want to see them play on Fox in the fall.

[mu03eng]

Somewhat related podcast from Men in Blazers.  They talked with Alexi Lalas about the ebb and flow of league popularity.  I forgot that Serie A was the place to be in the early to mid 90s then EPL took over.  Is Bundesliga next?
https://soundcloud.com/meninblazers/men-in-blazers-030415-mls-special-with-alexi-lalas

[brewcity77]

Somewhat related podcast from Men in Blazers.  They talked with Alexi Lalas about the ebb and flow of league popularity.  I forgot that Serie A was the place to be in the early to mid 90s then EPL took over.  Is Bundesliga next?
https://soundcloud.com/meninblazers/men-in-blazers-030415-mls-special-with-alexi-lalas

Securing Bundesliga rights might turn out to be a really big deal for Fox Sports 1. Soccer fans don't have the same network biases you'll find with people that just stay glued to ESPN. With Jurgen Klinsmann as the USMNT coach, we've seen a growing number of National Team player plying their trade in the Bundesliga. American soccer fans may very well jump all over that league. Not only because it's a faster paced, higher-scoring league than the EPL, but also because of who's playing there.
.

• Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach): World Cup starter
  
• John Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin): USMNT World Cup player and goal-scorer
  
• Timothy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt): USMNT World Cup player
  
• Julian Green (Hamburg SV, loan from Bayern Munich): USMNT World Cup player and goal-scorer
  
• Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund): USMNT player
  
• Caleb Stanko (SC Freiburg): USMNT U-20 Captain
  
• Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart): USMNT eligible
  
• Ashton Götz (Hamburg SV): USMNT eligible

.
There are more in the lower leagues as well, Bobby Wood, Alfredo Morales, Terrence Boyd, Andrew Wooten, and Junior Flores all have featured or could feature for the USA, and Klinsmann's active role in trying to secure German-American players to our flag will likely only see that number increase. I know a ton of people that are still Fulham fans (Fulhamerica) because of guys like Bocanegra, McBride, and Dempsey over the years. No reason those types of fans won't quickly gravitate to the Bundesliga for similar reasons.

[fjm]

[ChicosBailBonds]

Securing Bundesliga rights might turn out to be a really big deal for Fox Sports 1. Soccer fans don't have the same network biases you'll find with people that just stay glued to ESPN. With Jurgen Klinsmann as the USMNT coach, we've seen a growing number of National Team player plying their trade in the Bundesliga. American soccer fans may very well jump all over that league. Not only because it's a faster paced, higher-scoring league than the EPL, but also because of who's playing there.
.

• Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach): World Cup starter
  
• John Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin): USMNT World Cup player and goal-scorer
  
• Timothy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt): USMNT World Cup player
  
• Julian Green (Hamburg SV, loan from Bayern Munich): USMNT World Cup player and goal-scorer
  
• Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund): USMNT player
  
• Caleb Stanko (SC Freiburg): USMNT U-20 Captain
  
• Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart): USMNT eligible
  
• Ashton Götz (Hamburg SV): USMNT eligible

.
There are more in the lower leagues as well, Bobby Wood, Alfredo Morales, Terrence Boyd, Andrew Wooten, and Junior Flores all have featured or could feature for the USA, and Klinsmann's active role in trying to secure German-American players to our flag will likely only see that number increase. I know a ton of people that are still Fulham fans (Fulhamerica) because of guys like Bocanegra, McBride, and Dempsey over the years. No reason those types of fans won't quickly gravitate to the Bundesliga for similar reasons.

I'm in a full research study on this right now.  Beyond interesting and confusing as hell.  Nothing like the States rights.

Watched El Classico this afternoon on BeIN....fun stuff.

[77ncaachamps]

Just got back from Avaya Stadium (Quakes).

Sweet place.

Not sure if it will be as rocking as the Timbers or Sounders homes but if you ever wanted to watch a soccer game in NA, this could be it.

As an aside, Fire's got some thugs.
#jussayin

[ChicosBailBonds]

Just got back from Avaya Stadium (Quakes).

Sweet place.

Not sure if it will be as rocking as the Timbers or Sounders homes but if you ever wanted to watch a soccer game in NA, this could be it.

As an aside, Fire's got some thugs.
#jussayin

Drove by that stadium a few weeks ago....looks really cool. 

[brewcity77]

14 goals conceded in the 80th minute or later for the USMNT in the last 15 matches. I'm ready for this Klinsmann experiment to end.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Copa America for only $7.99 a month coming soon.  If interested, keep eyes peeled.

[JWags85]

14 goals conceded in the 80th minute or later for the USMNT in the last 15 matches. I'm ready for this Klinsmann experiment to end.

To be fair, they were winning 1-0 against a side rated much higher than them, on the road.  If Jozy doesn't go mental and they don't have to play down a man for the last 20 min, its a different story.  And its a friendly, where they are working out some new lineups.  I have no problem with such a result.

The US has more talent in the 2-4 year away pipeline than they ever have.

[GGGG]

Drove by that stadium a few weeks ago....looks really cool. 

Cooler than this one?

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/bursaspor-s-new-crocodile-stadium-is-set-to-open-this-year-%E2%80%94-and-looks-amazing-130342900.html

[jesmu84]

Some good articles today:

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/03/31/armchair-analyst-focus-good-usmnt-finally-show-cohesion-vs-switzerland-three

http://fusion.net/story/112389/michael-bradley-position-usa-usmnt-switzerland/

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/united-states/2015/03/31/10326212/is-klinsmanns-us-lacking-identity-or-simply-in-the-midst-of?ICID=HP_HN_1

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/03/31/usmnt-switzerland-brek-shea-jurgen-klinsmann-friendly

[ChicosBailBonds]

Cooler than this one?

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/bursaspor-s-new-crocodile-stadium-is-set-to-open-this-year-%E2%80%94-and-looks-amazing-130342900.html

It almost looks like someone built that out of legos

[brewcity77]

To be fair, they were winning 1-0 against a side rated much higher than them, on the road.  If Jozy doesn't go mental and they don't have to play down a man for the last 20 min, its a different story.  And its a friendly, where they are working out some new lineups.  I have no problem with such a result.

The US has more talent in the 2-4 year away pipeline than they ever have.

The result doesn't bother me, but the trend does. It will all become a lot more real once the Gold Cup kicks off, but I really question Jurgen's ability to get his team to defend. Ever since he took over, it's been experimenting at the back. Four in the backline, five in the backline, three in the backline, wingers turned into fullbacks (Beasley, Shea), defensive mids turned into center backs (Jones), it always feels like he's just grasping at straws hoping to get lucky.

At some point, as the national team manager, you have to accept what you have and work with it. He only gets a few weeks a year with these guys, the rest of the time is dedicated to their club teams. Positional changes work with club teams because you can practice week in, week out all year round. That's how Clint Dempsey went from being a wing midfielder to a withdrawn striker at Fulham. But turning Jones into a centerback just because you don't like your options when he's still playing defensive mid for the Revs? I can't see that working.

He got lucky with Beasley. That transition can work. But it's pretty rare that you are able to make that shift at the infrequently played national team level than the constant routine of the club team level. It helps that Beasley has played more defense for his club teams as well. Because it worked with Beasley, Jurgen seems to think he can just plug and play anyone anywhere. It's the reason that Michael Bradley has been far less efficient under Klinsmann (he's an excellent #6, but a below average #10), it's why Jones often looks out of position now (he is), and I really think all the experimentation is why our defense hemorrhages goals at the end of games when the tension is at its highest.

[jesmu84]

Brek is playing LB for Orlando. But I get your overriding point.

As for Bradley, I think this is a good article: http://fusion.net/story/112389/michael-bradley-position-usa-usmnt-switzerland/

[brewcity77]

Brek is playing LB for Orlando. But I get your overriding point.

As for Bradley, I think this is a good article: http://fusion.net/story/112389/michael-bradley-position-usa-usmnt-switzerland/

I think that article illustrates one of the biggest problems with Jurgen. He wants to come in and run his system. Attacking football, play through the #10 in the middle of the pitch, blitzing attacks from wing backs, embrace the "Total Football" that he is so enamored with.

The problem is we don't have the kind of players for that. We don't have a great creative #10. Maybe one of the kids currently playing at La Masia, Ben Lederman or Konrad de la Fuente, will develop those kind of skills. Maybe even sooner, maybe one of the kids in the U-20s. But right now, among our best players, we simply don't have that kind of guy. That's why Bradley so often ran Dempsey and Donovan out on the wings. It allowed them to use their speed and creativity while being up against fewer defenders. Defenses naturally collapse on a #10, but wingers have more freedom to move and get off crosses.

I worried when he took over that we didn't have the talent to run the type of system he wanted to run. The 12-game winning streak seemed to signal the team "getting" his system, but half of those wins came in a Gold Cup where we didn't even face Mexico and skated by against the Ticos and Panama with 1-0 results. Since then, we've seen reality set in. Jurgen trying to fit square pegs into round holes. In Germany, he had all the pieces to fit into his system. He had a wealth of footballing talent. Here, you have to make due with what you have. Bob Bradley was great at that. It may not have been pretty, but it usually worked.

What I'd really like to see is some lasting change in the MLS as far as academies and implementing much of what Jurgen wants, but him not to last through this cycle. I think that there could be a lot of long-term good to having him in charge, but the actual instance of him in charge will not generally be good. I really just don't think we're ready to be the kind of nation that can plug-and-play into any coach's system. I want us to become that good, but until our young talents (Rubin, Zelalem, Green, and younger) prove they can play with the kind of verve JK desires, we're just a minnow trying to convince the world we're a shark.

[Henry Sugar]

Count me in the group of people getting disenchanted with the Klinsmann experiment. I'd hate to lose the recruiter, but the tactics and team identity are a hot mess. Of course, let's see what happens in the Gold Cup.

====

After a rough start, the Fire have won two in a row. I'm reasonably optimistic about the team and the players.