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 […]
michael bradley
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
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 inSoccer America Confidential, Story
Galaxy breaks new ground with Dos Santos signing
By Ridge Mahoney (@ridgemax) For the LA Galaxy, apparently, being the best is not enough. Three titles in the past four seasons anoints it as top dog of the current generation and in Year 1 P.L. (post-Landon), it has broken new ground thanks to a recently adopted MLS player mechanism:Targeted Allocation Money. It is the […]
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
Giovinco snubbed by fans in All-Star vote
He’s a leading candidate for MLS MVP, but Toronto FC forward Sebastian Giovinco didn’t make the cut for fan voting of the MLS AT&T All-Star Game starting XI. Viewimage | gettyimages.com The All-Star game-day roster will be announced Saturday. Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni will round out the squad of 22 with his selections. The fan voting […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
USA-Panama Gold Cup Player Ratings
USA-PANAMA EXPRESS: July 13 in Kansas City, Kansas USA 1 Panama 1. Goals: Bradley 54; Perez 33. Att.: 18,467.————————————————Having already clinched first place in Group A and a quarterfinal Gold Cup spot, the USA completed first-round play with a 1-1 tie with Panama.After an uninspired first half, Jurgen Klinsmann’s men improved in the second half […]
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 […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Scouting Report: USA preps for Gold Cup against Guatemala
Two years ago, the USA tuned up for the Gold Cup with a 6-0 win over Guatemala — and then ran off six wins by a margin of 20-1 to capture its fifth Concacaf championship. On Friday, the USAhopes for the start of a similar run when it faces the Chapines in Nashville, Tennessee. Only two […]
Posted inOff The Post, Story
Klinsmann's Clever Dempsey Demotion
U.S. men’s national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann executed a tricky piece of player diplomacy on Thursday by stripping forward Clint Dempseyof the captain’s armband and handing it to center midfielder Michael Bradley ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup, which begins for the USA on July 7 against Honduras. Dempsey, of course, has been at the […]