CONCACAF Report Card (USA, Mexico, Honduras)

[jhf14]

CONCACAF @ the World Cup:

USA - 1st in group C (5pts), elminated in R16

Mexico - 2nd in Group A (4pts), eliminated in R16

Honduras - 4th in Group H (1pt), eliminated in group stages


Regional Grade: B-

I am a bit disappointed in this showing of our region, although it's probably what most would expect. Honduras really struggled and I feel for them (they didn't score a single goal)... USA exceeded expectations in that they won their group, but i think most people felt we missed an opportunity. Mexico did as well as they always do, bummer they couldn't progress past R16 this time around.

Team Grades:

USA - B+

Mexico - B

Honduras - D (couldn't bring myself to give them a "F"... they've had it rough the past 3weeks)

 

[Rook]

Honduras - C Gets an average grade for at the very least denying the Swiss from knocking out Chile which gets them a big shoutout from the 6 billion people who populate the earth. The only CONACAF team that played defence and not a "defense like substance" Pity the collective age of their strikers was like 113.

USA -- B+ Exciting stuff in an tourney lacking anything exciting in group play. Showed as much heart as anyone. We're the 2006 Aussie team. Loveable, but not quite good enough to make a deep run.

Mexico B Made it to the round of 16 for the 46th consecutive time. It really is an achievement. They have to win one of these knockout matches don't they?

Regional Grade: B-. Didn't do anything good but Mex and the US played more than their fair share of fun matches. I want us to lose the playoff place so the CONACAF teams are more battle tested.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Give me a day or two and I'll give a honest assessment.

Mexico ran into a buzzsaw today with the Argies. But looked talented & unlucky early on.

I'm trying to figure out how in the world we lost yesterday. Most of the US nation seem to be rather happy with the result. I just wonder if our media sometimes likes to dumb us down to think we should be happy losing in the round of sixteen because we haven't the pedigree. It really irks me to think that. I'm like Landon in total disbelief over the matter only because we were out played do I find some remote solace in all of this. Kind of like the thrashing today on England. Kind of ends things abruptly and suggest we move on until we face Brazil in East Rutherford. As long as we ask questions we may find the answers we need.

 

[Phil Neville Superstar]

Mexico - B+ - played some nice football in the group stages, beating France along the way. Came across a strong Argentina team so I weren't surprised to see them lose.

U.S.A - B - done well to come 1st in the group, but would have thought the Yanks had it in them to beat Ghana.

Honduras - D - didn't expect anything tbh.

 

[TX Bill]

CONCACAF @ the World Cup:

USA - 1st in group C (5pts), elminated in R16

Mexico - 2nd in Group A (4pts), eliminated in R16

Honduras - 4th in Group H (1pt), eliminated in group stages


Regional Grade: B-

I am a bit disappointed in this showing of our region, although it's probably what most would expect. Honduras really struggled and I feel for them (they didn't score a single goal)... USA exceeded expectations in that they won their group, but i think most people felt we missed an opportunity. Mexico did as well as they always do, bummer they couldn't progress past R16 this time around.

Team Grades:

USA - B+

Mexico - B

Honduras - D (couldn't bring myself to give them a "F"... they've had it rough the past 3weeks)

Honduras - C Gets an average grade for at the very least denying the Swiss from knocking out Chile which gets them a big shoutout from the 6 billion people who populate the earth. The only CONACAF team that played defence and not a "defense like substance" Pity the collective age of their strikers was like 113.

USA -- B+ Exciting stuff in an tourney lacking anything exciting in group play. Showed as much heart as anyone. We're the 2006 Aussie team. Loveable, but not quite good enough to make a deep run.

Mexico B Made it to the round of 16 for the 46th consecutive time. It really is an achievement. They have to win one of these knockout matches don't they?

Regional Grade: B-. Didn't do anything good but Mex and the US played more than their fair share of fun matches. I want us to lose the playoff place so the CONACAF teams are more battle tested.

I think you both pretty much hit it on the head.

Nothing for me to add.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Mexico - B +

Very impressive, it's no surprise that every pundit was impressed with there displays. Nice passing, an abundance of flair and they played at such a high tempo, on and off the ball, the amount of harrying they did in possession was surprising. Jack Russell's with composure, if such a thing exsists.

Potential: I think they've just got to keep going, they are developing some really talented players by the looks of it, I'd certainly recommend some of them to Moyes given the raw tools they possess. There defending definitely needs work, that's something they'll have to look at. But they obviously have an idea of how they want to play and I think it's going to become more effective the more experienced some of there younger players get.

USA - C

Decent enough, they showed good heart and energy at times but there was nothing there in terms of excitement and quality football. It was all laboured, predictable stuff, the England of the Americas so to speak. They had a very winnable tie in Ghana and looked second best for long periods of the game.

Potential:

I think there has to be more emphasis on creativity, USA looked like an old fashioned English team and it only gets you so far, 4-4-2, two banks of four, long ball and the occasional counter attack. It was disappointing to see the one creative player hooked at half time and never seen again in Torres. Yes, he misplaced a few passes, but then so did Bradley and the system was the problem not the player.

Clarke and Edu are midfield plodders with little in terms of quality, why not give the kid with a bit of craft a go? It's that mentality that will hold you back, going for the so-so, up and down players over the players who might make the odd mistake here and there but will try things and offer something completely different. And it's not just him, Holden is supposed to be in that mould aswell.

If the US starts to introduce these players then I think they'll get better and better, it's clear to see that they have the mentality and physical capabilities. But you need to add to that, on it's own it'll only get you so far.

Honduras - A

Well in Willie Palacios, keep up the good work.

 

[Brownie]

USA - Poor

Mexico - Have some tidy players but will never be good.

Honduras - Are a nice team.

It was disappointing not to see any of the carribean teams.

 

[Bundy]

Honduras are a nice team?

 

[TX Bill]

I don't think the USA were 2nd best for long periods during yesterday's game.

We enjoyed quite a bit more possession in the 2nd half compared to Ghana in the first half. We also created a whole lot more in terms of scoring opportunities than they did in the second half. So "2nd best for long periods" really doesn't jive with reality to be honest.

Ghana had two chances and took them. The fact that we limited them to just two chances was heartening. Unfortunately, they scored both.

 

[jhf14]

Mexico - B +

Very impressive, it's no surprise that every pundit was impressed with there displays. Nice passing, an abundance of flair and they played at such a high tempo, on and off the ball, the amount of harrying they did in possession was surprising. Jack Russell's with composure, if such a thing exsists.

Potential: I think they've just got to keep going, they are developing some really talented players by the looks of it, I'd certainly recommend some of them to Moyes given the raw tools they possess. There defending definitely needs work, that's something they'll have to look at. But they obviously have an idea of how they want to play and I think it's going to become more effective the more experienced some of there younger players get.

USA - C

Decent enough, they showed good heart and energy at times but there was nothing there in terms of excitement and quality football. It was all laboured, predictable stuff, the England of the Americas so to speak. They had a very winnable tie in Ghana and looked second best for long periods of the game.

Potential:

I think there has to be more emphasis on creativity, USA looked like an old fashioned English team and it only gets you so far, 4-4-2, two banks of four, long ball and the occasional counter attack. It was disappointing to see the one creative player hooked at half time and never seen again in Torres. Yes, he misplaced a few passes, but then so did Bradley and the system was the problem not the player.

Clarke and Edu are midfield plodders with little in terms of quality, why not give the kid with a bit of craft a go? It's that mentality that will hold you back, going for the so-so, up and down players over the players who might make the odd mistake here and there but will try things and offer something completely different. And it's not just him, Holden is supposed to be in that mould aswell.

If the US starts to introduce these players then I think they'll get better and better, it's clear to see that they have the mentality and physical capabilities. But you need to add to that, on it's own it'll only get you so far.

Honduras - A

Well in Willie Palacios, keep up the good work.

You making the mistake of assessing "style" verse performance. You don't like the USA style, which is quite fine, for every man his own... but by no means a very good indicator of WC performance as it is far too subjective.

listen, it's a well known fact that mexican supporters cannot stomach usa success in soccer, and you're glowing assessment of mexico is a bit nausiating as it lacks any authenticity. Mexico did what they always did at a WC, so quite frankly their performance was average (by their standards). I thought they looked better than previous Mexican teams, but same old same old (including the rubbish fighting on the sidelines... come on already).

and I'll assume your Honduras rating is a joke.... A? lol

 

[jhf14]

USA - Poor

Mexico - Have some tidy players but will never be good.

Honduras - Are a nice team.

It was disappointing not to see any of the carribean teams.

they're simply not good enough.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

You making the mistake of assessing "style" verse performance. You don't like the USA style, which is quite fine, for every man his own... but by no means a very good indicator of WC performance as it is far too subjective.

listen, it's a well known fact that mexican supporters cannot stomach usa success in soccer, and you're glowing assessment of mexico is a bit nausiating as it lacks any authenticity. Mexico did what they always did at a WC, so quite frankly their performance was average (by their standards). I thought they looked better than previous Mexican teams, but same old same old (including the rubbish fighting on the sidelines... come on already).

and I'll assume your Honduras rating is a joke since even North Korea faired better than them.

I think TB is having a tongue in cheek moment with us. But our midfield he has about right in the last game. We were all over the place in the first half. We couldn't string any passes together save our life. It was like Arteta not on the field for us a few years back we lacked any flair. Torres is my main hope to solve this problem in the coming years or somebody like him.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

You making the mistake of assessing "style" verse performance. You don't like the USA style, which is quite fine, for every man his own... but by no means a very good indicator of WC performance as it is far too subjective.

listen, it's a well known fact that mexican supporters cannot stomach usa success in soccer, and you're glowing assessment of mexico is a bit nausiating as it lacks any authenticity. Mexico did what they always did at a WC, so quite frankly their performance was average (by their standards). I thought they looked better than previous Mexican teams, but same old same old (including the rubbish fighting on the sidelines... come on already).

and I'll assume your Honduras rating is a joke.... A? lol

I disagree, I saw Mexico during the last World cup and I was nowhere near as impressed as I am with the current side. And style is very important to me, whether you like it or not, that's my opinion.

Your both plucky old Mexico/USA in my eyes, and you both reached the same stage of the competition, Mexico simply did it with alot more style and in a world cup that's been dour and defensive, that's impressive.

I don't know why Mexico's fans are always brought into it, they are your local rivals, there's always going to be a dislike and vice versa, just like Everton and Liverpool.

 

[jhf14]

I disagree, I saw Mexico during the last World cup and I was nowhere near as impressed as I am with the current side. And style is very important to me, whether you like it or not, that's my opinion.

Your both plucky old Mexico/USA in my eyes, and you both reached the same stage of the competition, Mexico simply did it with alot more style and in a world cup that's been dour and defensive, that's impressive.

I don't know why Mexico's fans are always brought into it, they are your local rivals, there's always going to be a dislike and vice versa, just like Everton and Liverpool.

so essentially you are assessing on style, more or less - and I would argue that is not a good indicator for world cup success. (nor would their governing organizations, as monetary bonuses are awarded for points earned and moving on). Let's say the the USA played silky smooth (a la Germany) but ended up hitting the post all the time and eventually didn't move on. That would without a doubt be seen as a failure by both players and fans b/c they didn't get out of the group.

as long as we are talking style, I have to say that although Mexico was more impressive, I wasn't overly impressed with their style. They really struggled against South Africa and were quite fortunate to even up IMO. France was just smoke an mirriors... pretty sure North Korea could have beaten them this year. Mexico should be happy with the win, but shouldn't hang their hat on that. One win, one tie, and one loss... average world cup performance with slightly better play than usual.

 

[Allezfan]

as long as we are talking style, I have to say that although Mexico was more impressive, I wasn't overly impressed with their style. They really struggled against South Africa and were quite fortunate to even up IMO. France was just smoke an mirriors... pretty sure North Korea could have beaten them this year. Mexico should be happy with the win, but shouldn't hang their hat on that. One win, one tie, and one loss... average world cup performance with slightly better play than usual.

Oh, come on. Mexico should have been out of sight at half time in that one.