- Once again the game was played on US soil. Once again US Soccer chose a Mexican-friendly location in Houston. And, once again, the crowd was about 80% pro-Mexico. I know they're trying to make a buck, but can't we just agree to always play Mexico in Columbus, Kansas City, Denver, or Juneau?
- If I didn't know better, I would've thought that everyone on the Mexican team was suffering some sort of major head trauma. What's the deal with the sleeves over your head down there? Guys with hair shorter than mine were wearing sleeves over their heads.
- The Mexican national team is this close to becoming a latino soap opera. You just look at these guys cross and they crumple into a heap of sheer agony, painfully grabbing the nearest appendage regardless of whether or not there was any contact in that vicinity. Oh, the drama!
- Was the reffing team related to the Mexican coach? One horrible call cost Clint Dempsey a goal and it felt like the vast majority of the calls went against the US.
- This one's on the US. I get it. You want to develop homegrown talent. But when the weakest link on the team is your defense and you trot out Ramiro Corrales, Oguchi Onyewu, and Drew Moore, what do you really expect? Poor Carlos Bocanegra was basically left to do everything on his own. Corrales looked and played like he was about 57. Moore was single-handedly responsible for both Mexican goals due to laissez-faire marking. Onyewu. I don't even know what to say about this guy anymore. Sure, he scored the US's first goal. But his lack of body control (and skill in general) leads to so many needless turnovers and penalties that I just can't watch him anymore. Where is Jonathan Spector? Where is Frankie Simek? Where is Jay Demerit? These guys start and play very well in the English leagues. When they all played in last summer's Gold Cup they dominated. Strong marking, excellent offensive support. I don't understand why these guys aren't automatic, I really don't.
- And don't think I've forgotten about you, Landon Donovan. I honestly don't know how this kid became the all-time assists and scoring leader for the US national team, because it seems to me like he's terrified of moving forward. More likely, he's terrified of people realizing his game hasn't improved in about 6 years. I've got his MO down pat: get the ball in the defensive half of the field, sprint forward with it to just over midfield, stop, pull back, drop it to the outside back on your side. Lando has become complacent, assured of his spot in the lineup. Until he feels that spot is threatened, he's never going to get back the aggressiveness that showed so much promise in the 2002 World Cup.
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Thursday, February 07, 2008
F#$%ing Mexico
by
ian
Well, the US must've played Mexico last night because I went to bed cursing, angry, and a little drunk. The result was a 2-2 draw that elicited more yawns than yells. A few comments:
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3 comments:
I watched this game as well and have some comments of my own:
-John Harkes is a terrible announcer. I watched the game on mute after the 1st Mexican goal, and found it to be much better that way. I know an announcer should be unbiased, but he seemed to be pro-Mexico. Weak.
-I agree totally with your analysis of Moore and Corrales. They played a terrible game. Moore did have a nice assist, but it did not make up for his horrendous marking on the 2 goals given up by the US.
-Donovan can be lethal at times, but disappears for huge stretches of the game. Bradley needs to figure out how to utilize him better. Also, did you see how all of Mexico wants him dead because he peed in a bush during warm-ups at some historic (say crappy) Mexican stadium. That gives him a bye for one year from his last 12 months of poor play in my book.
-Adu and Altidore are the future. Adu's ball skills are phenomenal, and Altidore looks good in only his 3rd cap.
-Dempsey is the best player in America. His skills are top notch and he is more creative than the rest of the American team combined. He was also robbed (somewhat) of a great goal.
-Tim Howard seems quite good in the back.
-We deserved to lose the game.
Save for the last 20 minutes of the first half we played a terrible game. We looked like an MLS team out there. We need to play better and with more consistency.
Good final point, Colin. I guess I'm spoiled from watching EPL every weekend, but this game seemed sooo slow. No daring. No creativity (except for Dempsey and Adu briefly near the end). Hardly that many shots even. Man, we can play some boring football in CONCACAF...
What about Coach Bradley's son in the game? I didn't think that he played that well either, and if you listened to Harkes (which was tough, I admit), even he was saying how if you're the coaches son you have to be that much better. The younger Bradley didn't make much impact, and I'm wondering how long dad can keep him on the roster.
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