7 February 2008
My Thoughts On USA-Mexico Game
Posted by Drew Epperley under: EPL; FIFA; MLS; US National Team; World Cup .
Let’s be honest here, last nights game wasn’t the best showing for the US against Mexico and it wasn’t the worst. I don’t want to spend too much time with this subject today but I did want to throw out my thoughts on a few subjects.
I will say this, Jozy Altidore is ready to be the US’s top striker. I don’t think at all that I am jumping the gun at that either. At first I thought he looked a bit lost out there against a pretty strong Mexcian side but as the game wore on, I thought Jozy got better and before the first half ended he was rewarded nicely thanks to a Drew Moor cross.
The guys up top including Altidore did a good job last night too I thought. Meaning the midfield and forwards got the ball enough and created enough chances on goal. But too, they also gave up a few chances and got screwed out of a couple offsides calls.
Now, comes to the defense. I love defense, I played defense during most of my soccer playing days and I must say as much as I love the duo of Bocanegra and Onyewu, I hated the two wing-backs in Moor and Corrales. I know Pearce was a late stratch to the game and Michael Parkhurst really isn’t quite ready to start just yet but then again I don’t think either are Corrales and Moor.
I love Moor for FC Dallas but as a wing-back for the US National team, I need to see better play out of him, I think some more qualifiers will help clear up that in my head. He got beat badly on a couple plays, both leading to goals though. Corrales did not look good out there, the US definitely could have used Pearce last night and maybe Bradley should have started Parkhurst.
Even though the US gave up two goals, Tim Howard is still a beast in goal. I think between him and Guzan, the US is doing very well in that department for the next six to 10 years.
Also, I think the super-sub that is Freddy Adu played well in the second half when he came on. He didn’t have any fear to take on a couple players and even drew a couple free kicks (that Landon Donvoan went on to waste as usual). He isn’t a starter just yet though. Maybe once he is a full-time start at Benfica then he will get more attention in the starting position for the US team.
Lastly, I have to say ESPN put on a great broadcast last night. They finally got it right with JP and Harks in the booth, Stone in the studio role and no Allen Hopkins (though I know he will be apart of MLS broadcasts). Overall it sounded good and actually looked like a big time soccer game that it should be.
What were your thoughts on the game? Like the roster moves? Let’s hear it…
3 Comments so far...
Brian Says:
7 February 2008 at 9:52 am.
I agree pretty much with everything, but if Dave O’Brien had said the shot for the first Mexican goal didn’t actually go in like JP did, he would be getting roasted today. Not a big deal and I agree that JP did well, but it was a silly mistake that would have been magnified if someone else said it.
I disagree about Harkes though. He spent way too much time obsessing over Gooch taking throw-ins. He should know the team well enough to understand who has that role.
tex Says:
7 February 2008 at 10:18 am.
Moor was bad the whole night not just on the two plays for goals. He looked like it was too much for him. MLS is about the right level for him.
Dan Says:
7 February 2008 at 7:40 pm.
WHY would they put a US VS MEXICO friendly in HOUSTON??? What is it, like 2 miles from the border? If the US ever wants even a SLIGHT “Home-field Advantage,” they need to play somewhere like Seattle. The Northeast is too full of Latinos (not trying to be racist, it’s a fact), obviously Chicago didn’t turn out too great, and playing at Gillette or in NY would be a joke. I live about 15-20 minutes away from Gillette stadium, but personally, I think it’s a bad place to play a friendly against ANY Latino team (case in point: Gold Cup- US vs El salv, Guate vs T+T- DEFinately more Guatemalans and El Salvadorians then Americans). So i think the next Mexico game should be in Mexico or in Colorado or Seattle.
All in all, I was a tad disappointed in the US’s play. I know they have a young team, but Mexico was pretty young too. Stellar performance from Howard, and great goals from Gooch and Jozy…although Dempsey’s non-goal was a bit flabbergasting…
