Of the 16 matches the USA has played at competitive tournaments in the Jurgen Klinsmann era, its four lowest-rated performances — and five of the sixlowest-rated performances — took place at this year’s Gold Cup. For a look how Soccer America rated the U.S. players. Average Team Ratings:2013 GOLD CUP (Average: 5.96) 6.09 USA-Belize 5.45 […]
jurgen klinsmann
Posted inOff The Post, Story
USA's Identity Crisis
Sure, it was a game that didn’t really matter, but it was also a game that nobody really wanted to see, either. Despite the appearance of the U.S. men’s national team in the Gold Cupthird-place game against Panama on Saturday, Fox Sports decided to keep the match on its also-ran station, FS2, opting to show […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Scouting Report: U.S. playoff prep begins against Panama
The USA ends its Gold Cup run this weekend in Philadelphia but not when or where it hoped. Instead of playing in Sunday’s final at sold-out Lincoln Financial Field (66,000-plus seats), it will playSaturday in the third-place game at PPL Park, home of the Philadelphia Union in suburban Chester, against Panama in a match relegated […]
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Smile Jamaica! (No Jurgen, No Cry)
Off The Post can count on one hand the number of times he’s watched an entire game while already knowing the final score. Most soccer people refuse to do this, and for good reason: thepassion that you feel for the game is completely drained, and every touch, tackle and hopeful forward run has this weird […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
USA gets reminder the red, white, and blue is not sacrosanct on Concacaf fields
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) Bluntly put, U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann took the rightapproach to the Gold Cup but got the wrong outcome. He picked a team to win the competition rather than further develop the players he deems most promising, and the pairing of youngcenterbacks Ventura Alvarado and John Brooks got the nod for […]
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USA-Jamaica Takeaways: U.S. exit is no surprise
There’s no mincing words. The USA’s 2-1 loss to Jamaica in the seminal of the Gold Cup is the biggest setback of the Jurgen Klinsmann era. The defeat, whichwill require the USA to play in a playoff in October if it wants to represent Concacaf in the 2017 Confederations Cup, should come as no surprise […]
Posted inAround The Net in Soccer World Daily, Story
Altidore Out of Gold Cup
USA striker Jozy Altidore is out of the squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup knockout round. Teams are allowed to make up to six changes to their 23-man squads prior to the knockout round, usingplayers from the 35-player preliminary list. Altidore, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, did not play in Monday’s 1-1 draw […]
Posted inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Major roster changes reflect concerns over U.S. play at Gold Cup
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) My greatest surprise at the 23 players chosen by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for Gold Cup group play was the surprise evoked from so many segments of the soccer community. Fitnesseventually knocked Davis off the roster, and Klinsmann replaced him with left back Greg Garza. The switch enabled Klinsmann to start […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Panama Takeaways: Proactive approach again absent
U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann is big on stressing that his players take a proactive approach, but they’ve been anything but proactive so far at the Gold Cup,where they’ve been outshot 50-20 after three games. For thethird straight game, the USA came out on its back foot, but for the first time at the Gold Cup trailed, 1-0. A […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Haiti takeaways: Midfield confusion worrying sign
Clint Dempsey scored early in the second half to break a scoreless tie and provide the USA with a 1-0 defeat of Haiti at Gillette Stadium Friday. On a feed from substitute GyasiZardes, Dempsey scored in his fourth consecutive appearance. Zardes entered the match at halftime in place of Jozy Altidore, who started up top […]