USMNT is bad

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Bradley is not a key player

Unfortunately, he is for the US.
And there is no denying that the ball moves better when he is in the midfield

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Unfortunately, he is for the US.
And there is no denying that the ball moves better when he is in the midfield

In his role, as a deep-lying midfielder, he's serviceable.

He's so often played out of position that he looks worse than he is.

[Unregistered]

yep.

how about giving your best young striker zero international minutes this summer? what was the point of not letting Sargent play with the u20s if he was just going to get cut by the full team and give up his roster spot to the likes of MLS retreads Morris and Zardes? how can that make any sense to anyone?

Sargent is at home training against cones and an empty net...

Sorry but that's where he belongs.

[Unregistered]

new generation

Although I can start this one off as 'thanks to the liberals and loony left'......I won't.

We can highlight several reasons why the US soccer team is weak.

The main one, I believe, is that soccer is not a top sport and, for many great youth soccer players, it might be easier to make a living in other fields...so to speak.

Do the best athletes try out for soccer if they can make a better living in another sport? Maybe not. But, looking at other sports, which of those athletes would make great soccer players? Most football players do not have the body habitus for soccer. Running backs....tight ends....receivers....safeties...maybe?? Hockey players?? Forget most baseball players. they aren't really set out to play a continuous running game. Basketball players? Guards maybe....

Training? Training (structured or not) and fitness should occur every day....maybe one day off.

But....when I watch a lot of youth soccer today, I see something....or I don't see it.....that might be contributing. Kids lack the aggression, the anger, the winning is everything mentality. After all, you either win or you lose. For about 1-2 decades....since Columbine....and since pscyhiatrists have opined on the mentality of 'winning is everything', 'we' have shifted gears to a 'make everyone feel good and happy'.....trophies for everyone.

I wonder if we have destroyed the passion and desire....the need to win all. I believe that the 'win all' attitude can exist with the support when there is a loss. The loss can be followed with constructional critique....but not a party that says 'who cares if we lost'.

We are witnessing the pansy or snowflake generation!!!

[Unregistered]

Although I can start this one off as 'thanks to the liberals and loony left'......I won't.

We can highlight several reasons why the US soccer team is weak.

The main one, I believe, is that soccer is not a top sport and, for many great youth soccer players, it might be easier to make a living in other fields...so to speak.

Do the best athletes try out for soccer if they can make a better living in another sport? Maybe not. But, looking at other sports, which of those athletes would make great soccer players? Most football players do not have the body habitus for soccer. Running backs....tight ends....receivers....safeties...maybe?? Hockey players?? Forget most baseball players. they aren't really set out to play a continuous running game. Basketball players? Guards maybe....

Training? Training (structured or not) and fitness should occur every day....maybe one day off.

But....when I watch a lot of youth soccer today, I see something....or I don't see it.....that might be contributing. Kids lack the aggression, the anger, the winning is everything mentality. After all, you either win or you lose. For about 1-2 decades....since Columbine....and since pscyhiatrists have opined on the mentality of 'winning is everything', 'we' have shifted gears to a 'make everyone feel good and happy'.....trophies for everyone.

I wonder if we have destroyed the passion and desire....the need to win all. I believe that the 'win all' attitude can exist with the support when there is a loss. The loss can be followed with constructional critique....but not a party that says 'who cares if we lost'.

We are witnessing the pansy or snowflake generation!!!

How was Fox News Sunday?

[Unregistered]

The US focus is skewed. Our ability to read the game is so far behind. Athleticism and desire to win only gets you so far. We must read the game differently.

[Unregistered]

How was Fox News Sunday?

That’s it? That’s all you have? I don’t know about Fox News since I don’t watch it. All I have to do is watch youth soccer to realize that the hungry winning attitude is disappearing.

[Unregistered]

The US focus is skewed. Our ability to read the game is so far behind. Athleticism and desire to win only gets you so far. We must read the game differently.

Have no fear, all our clubs have the most comprehensive curriculum documents in the world!!

We beat every ounce of intuitive decision making out of players

[Unregistered]

Have no fear, all our clubs have the most comprehensive curriculum documents in the world!!

We beat every ounce of intuitive decision making out of players

DA will fix everything.

lol lol lol lol

[Unregistered]

Have no fear, all our clubs have the most comprehensive curriculum documents in the world!!

We beat every ounce of intuitive decision making out of players

Exactly!
The curriculums should be set on fire.
GotSoccer points and league wins are not a measure of development especially with teams made up of studs that have no real chemistry. They typically can play fast, forceful and direct. An occasional overlap, a few 1-2 combinations and several forced passes are what I see at most games at these so called top levels. The ability to read the game just lacks. So let’s just keep on catering to the privileged for profits and watch another World Cup failure.

[Unregistered]

The US focus is skewed. Our ability to read the game is so far behind. Athleticism and desire to win only gets you so far. We must read the game differently.

Yes, the inability to read the game is a key part of the problem with US players. I think this comes down to the lack of watching pro soccer matches as young kids growing up. This is changing though, with all the soccer available on TV now that wasn't there just 5 years ago. Even two years ago, I'd say there were maybe 3 players on my kids team who regularly watched pro games on TV. Now it's probably more like half the team. He plays DA, so it's still quite alarming that half the players on his team don't regularly watch, and it is readily apparent looking at the soccer IQ of those who do watch and those who don't. Coaches should do a better job encouraging kids to take in a game on the weekend, maybe even assign it for homework (hopefully this would not seem like a chore to kids enthusiastic about the game!), since it really does make a difference. The 6-8 year olds of today should be good to go, as long as parents take a slight interest in the sport and put some matches on for them regularly.

[Unregistered]

Yes, the inability to read the game is a key part of the problem with US players. I think this comes down to the lack of watching pro soccer matches as young kids growing up. This is changing though, with all the soccer available on TV now that wasn't there just 5 years ago. Even two years ago, I'd say there were maybe 3 players on my kids team who regularly watched pro games on TV. Now it's probably more like half the team. He plays DA, so it's still quite alarming that half the players on his team don't regularly watch, and it is readily apparent looking at the soccer IQ of those who do watch and those who don't. Coaches should do a better job encouraging kids to take in a game on the weekend, maybe even assign it for homework (hopefully this would not seem like a chore to kids enthusiastic about the game!), since it really does make a difference. The 6-8 year olds of today should be good to go, as long as parents take a slight interest in the sport and put some matches on for them regularly.

Remember pro soccer is not MLS! There is watching and studying the game.

[Unregistered]

Remember pro soccer is not MLS! There is watching and studying the game.

MLS is fun for kids to watch at the early stages to get them interested in the game. They see the players on TV and then it's cool to take them to Gillette now and again to see them in real life. Most kids I think outgrow this between the ages of 8-10, at least mine did, and realize the difference in quality between the local league and leagues abroad. By then they are ready to sit down and really study the game will choose to watch leagues with high quality play.

[Unregistered]

What I find absent in youth soccer is the inability to use the whole field. I am. It referring to side to side but front to back...back to front....etc etc. it seems that once the ball has gone beyond a certain loo t, it is not allowed to come back to reset.

[Unregistered]

MLS is fun for kids to watch at the early stages to get them interested in the game. They see the players on TV and then it's cool to take them to Gillette now and again to see them in real life. Most kids I think outgrow this between the ages of 8-10, at least mine did, and realize the difference in quality between the local league and leagues abroad. By then they are ready to sit down and really study the game will choose to watch leagues with high quality play.

It doesn’t matter if they watch old men play on Sunday mornings as long as they’re watching something.
Most of the blame rides on the parents, who despite the propagation of the game, still give it short shrift. Little to no discussion of the match and limited interest are the signals the kids get.
That will never change in this country until we open our borders and allow the real soccer fans in to infiltrate our system.