Rustenburg - USA vs. Ghana - June 26

[pettyfog]

It's one thing to have an opinion. But when the analyst commentary on Clark is 100% unanimous.. I think I wouldn't post it.

I feel sorry for him...

It's every player's dream to feature on the world stage in the biggest games of all. And the culmination of the dream is that way you feel when it happens and one expects to be able to show your kids and grandkids the clippings and videos to show you were there.

Imagine Ricardo Clark's clip box.

A dream turned to a nightmare of reality.

 

[Rook]

I also would have started Clark, I think he works best with Bradley so not too arsed with that decesion.

Can't agree with you at all on that one. That cost us the game no doubt about that. I will agree on the stupid tackle that cost him a yellow that could have been a straight red and he had to sub him. Ricardo Clark is awful and cost us dearly this tournament. At 27 a great MLS player with the Dynamo but alas in the world stage sadly lacking skill & confidence. Bradley was in total conflict with his starting lineup and Donovan was pissed over it read or watch the video "wasted Opportunity" we should have won this game. It was devastating to this team you can't candy coat it. The nation was primed and we didn't get the follow through.

I'm not one of them but Bob Bradley is getting it on the internet over the team selection. I'm sorry I can't agree with you and TX on this one like I usually do but I've watched this game twice now before posting this thinking it was just me. But that doesn't seem the case by checking the media today.

Then tell me what have you seen that Edu does so much better from what you have seen from his USMNT performances over say the past 12 months? Over the past couple years Clark has been better in a USMNT shirt and when nobody at that position is lighting the world on fire you have to go back to the players that got you there. In an ideal world we'd have had Torres spraying passes Xabi Alonso style to Dempsey/Donovan on the wings but he wasn't ready. Clark was gash but that was a total team breakdown (Bradley, Demerit, and Howard were all at fault). Donovan had a even worse giveaway in the Slovenia match but was lucky b/c he got away with it.

Bradley doesn't deserve the stick he's getting for starting Clark. That being said he deserves the stick he's gotten for starting Findley who again didn't do the job he was supposed to do and let the defense pass it around the back without any pressure.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Then tell me what have you seen that Edu does so much better from what you have seen from his USMNT performances over say the past 12 months? Over the past couple years Clark has been better in a USMNT shirt and when nobody at that position is lighting the world on fire you have to go back to the players that got you there. In an ideal world we'd have had Torres spraying passes Xabi Alonso style to Dempsey/Donovan on the wings but he wasn't ready. Clark was gash but that was a total team breakdown (Bradley, Demerit, and Howard were all at fault). Donovan had a even worse giveaway in the Slovenia match but was lucky b/c he got away with it.

Bradley doesn't deserve the stick he's getting for starting Clark. That being said he deserves the stick he's gotten for starting Findley who again didn't do the job he was supposed to do and let the defense pass it around the back without any pressure.

I never said Edu. Benny Feilhaber not starting was shocking to say the least. Performance is very important and Clark showed neither performance or confidence to have a place in yesterdays game. Clark had a injury riddled season and has always had that element of his game about his tackles going awry. Bradley had no choice to sub him after the yellow. He was killing us. Edu didn't look efficient on the ball either passing rather than holding the ball. We looked lethargic until the introduction of Feilhaber and enjoyed some good looking football.

I think Bradley has done enough to keep this thing going. But the media think otherwise at the moment perhaps due to the result and disappointment of not moving on in a very winnable game.

 

[Rook]

Maybe Feinhaber however Benny has been terrible when used as starter and clark was OK for 90 against England. We had more than enough firepower to put a couple in against Ghana and the only way they were ever scoring on us is defensive errors so I can understand the rationale putting another DM in. Its a whole different thing when you have to do it for 90 than 45. Torres really F-ed everything up by playing horrible.

Still think the big reason why we did win was becasue we never got wide. I think if we did we could have gotten 2-3 in the 2nd half. We played right into the Ghana's defense and Kingson's strength. Altidore shouldn't have had to be drifting to the corner flag to get possession.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Maybe Feinhaber however Benny has been terrible when used as starter and clark was OK for 90 against England. We had more than enough firepower to put a couple in against Ghana and the only way they were ever scoring on us is defensive errors so I can understand the rationale putting another DM in. Its a whole different thing when you have to do it for 90 than 45. Torres really F-ed everything up by playing horrible.

Still think the big reason why we did win was becasue we never got wide. I think if we did we could have gotten 2-3 in the 2nd half. We played right into the Ghana's defense and Kingson's strength. Altidore shouldn't have had to be drifting to the corner flag to get possession.

Yes that's totally it we needed the wide look of the Germans today who totally dismantled England. My main concern was with Jozy who didn't come deep to at least forage some opportunities. Just gutted over the performance really. Don't get me wrong I enjoy your analysis and I usually agree 99.9% of the time but my thoughts lay elsewhere on some topics. It's good to have different viewpoints. Keep them coming.

 

[jdeezy]

Edu hasn't looked great in a Nat team shirt b/c he was hurt & never got the chance, not b/c he played poorly.

But he's better in basically everything, especially ball control & passing. Much better. And he's actually a good distance more athletic even.

I'm w/ Ten on this one. Clark was a poor selection. I won't bash him or Bob for it, I think they both gave it their all. But it doesn't chane my opinion. One I've maintained for as long as I can remember.

 

[TX Bill]

I also would have started Clark, I think he works best with Bradley so not too arsed with that decesion.

Can't agree with you at all on that one. That cost us the game no doubt about that. I will agree on the stupid tackle that cost him a yellow that could have been a straight red and he had to sub him. Ricardo Clark is awful and cost us dearly this tournament. At 27 a great MLS player with the Dynamo but alas in the world stage sadly lacking skill & confidence. Bradley was in total conflict with his starting lineup and Donovan was pissed over it read or watch the video "wasted Opportunity" we should have won this game. It was devastating to this team you can't candy coat it. The nation was primed and we didn't get the follow through.

I'm not one of them but Bob Bradley is getting it on the internet over the team selection. I'm sorry I can't agree with you and TX on this one like I usually do but I've watched this game twice now before posting this thinking it was just me. But that doesn't seem the case by checking the media today.

Sorry Mike but I have to flat out disagree with you on this one.

I got to watch Rico Clark up close for two years and he most certainly can play that position for the USMNT. Now, was he in his best form? Probably not. But Edu and Feilhaber are not (as many USMNT supporters would have you believe) major upgrades over Clark at that position. At the end of the day, Bradley went with experience.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Sorry Mike but I have to flat out disagree with you on this one.

I got to watch Rico Clark up close for two years and he most certainly can play that position for the USMNT. Now, was he in his best form? Probably not. But Edu and Feilhaber are not (as many USMNT supporters would have you believe) major upgrades over Clark at that position. At the end of the day, Bradley went with experience.

We will just have to agree to disagree which that is ok. He was out of form and Bradley should never have changed a winning team. Clark has been a Dynamo pardon the pun for the past couple of years but this last year he has been less than consistent and has been injury prone so he has had a stop start time of it in Germany. Good player but Bradley will answer to this amongst other miscues over Ghana. It has been interesting reading and talking about this game and garnering peoples thoughts. Rico's from Atlanta so we tend to support our own down here but just wasn't the right fit for yesterdays game for me.

 

[TX Bill]

Injuries have had nothing to do with it really.

I admitted his form hasn't been the best but as Rook said in the other thread, Edu, Torres, & Feilhaber had their chances to claim the spot and never really excelled.

All things being equal, I wanted his experience out there.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Injuries have had nothing to do with it really.

I admitted his form hasn't been the best but as Rook said in the other thread, Edu, Torres, & Feilhaber had their chances to claim the spot and never really excelled.

All things being equal, I wanted his experience out there.

Well we got it and as Desi tells Lucy old Bobby Bradley has some splaining to do.

Feilhaber didn't excel? he was the driving force against Algeria. That alone should have given him a starting nod.When he came on in the second half of the Ghana game he pulled most of the strings. We were totally outclassed until then. First half we were run off the park the possession was 65-70 in favor of Ghana even when Clark was off after the 38 minute mark. We calmed the game down and scored the equalizer and should have been good money for the win but couldn't find that bit of quality.