USMNT: To Rüssia With Love

[Titans Bastard]

Boyd got the flag tattooed on him didn't he? I'm not even that much of an American.

 
Just a flag tattoo?  That's the soft bigotry of low expectations.  
 
He also have a cyclops tattoo on his forearm.  You do have to question whether in his heart of hearts, he'd rather play for Greece.
 

 
 
John Brooks' tattoo misadventures from last season:
 

 
Last Sunday, Brooks did not make the Hertha squad for their away game at Bayer Leverkusen. According to Berliner Morgenpost, the U.S. international was omitted from the trip because of a "large-scale back tattoo," which currently makes football difficult for the defender.
 
During the stitching process the skin region should not be touched, and also any perspiration should be avoided. The back tattoo has not only limited Brooks' appearances on the training pitch, but has also infuriated Luhukay.

 
Poor Jos Luhukay.  When he was Hertha's manager, he was doing God's work trying to get Brooks to adopt a more professional attitude.  It took 2-3 short banishments to the reserves and a number of other benchings over a couple of seasons, but Brooks is a regular starter now....even if he still lacks focus for a couple crucial moments in each game.

 

[Infield Infidel]

I love that Manneh set up shop in the anachronistic, accidental exclave that is Point Roberts. Kid knows what he's doing alright. 

 

[Titans Bastard]

Mexico's squad for next week's friendly.
 

 
Goalkeepers: Cirilo Saucedo (Club Tijuana), Jonathan Orozco (Monterrey)
Defenders: Francisco Rodriguez (Cruz Azul), Gerardo Flores (Cruz Azul), Julio Dominguez (Cruz Azul), Carlos Salcedo (Chivas), Oswaldo Alanis (Santos Laguna), George Corral (Queretaro), Hiram Mier (Monterrey), Efrain Velarde (Monterrey), Luis Rodríguez (Chiapas)
Midfielders: Luis Montes (Leon), Antonio Rios (Toluca), Adrian Aldrete (Santos Laguna) Jurgen Damm (Pachuca), Mario Osuna (Queretaro)
Forwards: Erick Torres (Chivas), Oribe Peralta (Club America), Eduardo Herrera (Pumas)

 
It's all Liga MX players, as the US-Mexico game isn't on a FIFA date.  I'd expect the US squad to include few European-based players as well.
 
First call up for Carlos Salcedo.  Salcedo joined RSL's academy from Tigres in 2012, signed a pro deal in 2013 and spent two years in MLS.  He was a backup behind Borchers and Schuler and was poised to be a backup again behind Olave and Schuler in 2015, so he forced his way out of RSL and was sold to Chivas in January.  He's hit the ground running in Mexico, clearly.
 
And yes, Chivas regularly start both Carlos Salcedo and long-time Mexican national team veteran Carlos Salcido.

 

[Billy R Ford]

USA's roster for Mexico:
 

 
Surprised Yedlin is there, with Kyle Walker hurt I was hoping Spurs would give him more of a look at right back. Since Spurs could decline the call-up (non-FIFA date) I'm guessing this confirms Yedlin isn't in their plans for this year.
 
Among guys you might expect but aren't there: Dempsey and Zusi have minor injuries, Jones only just came off an injury, and Altidore is suspended.

 

[Titans Bastard]

That's about expected.  No Euros save Yedlin, mostly MLS, a few Liga MX.  No real new faces, although a few haven't been called up in a while (Evans, Agudelo).  A midweek friendly with just a few days of training isn't a good time to integrate new players into the squad.  I hope that we look at a few new guys in the June friendlies, though, when there's more time in camp and when there's more than a month of evidence as to who has truly taken a step forward in MLS.
 
A few of the January camp newbies are currently injured: Birnbaum, Hedges, Trapp.  It's possible some or all of them would have been otherwise called up.
 
One change to the roster already.  Puebla has held back Michael Orozco.  That's no surprise; they are in a relegation battle in Mexico with four games left.  He's been replaced by Perry Kitchen.

 

[Billy R Ford]

On the one hand, I'm glad to see Kitchen because I'm hopeful he can be a long-term replacement for Beckerman at d-mid. On the other hand, the fact that he's replacing Orozco makes me a little concerned they're looking at him as a CB. Hopefully he'll see some action in midfield, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Titans Bastard]

On the one hand, I'm glad to see Kitchen because I'm hopeful he can be a long-term replacement for Beckerman at d-mid. On the other hand, the fact that he's replacing Orozco makes me a little concerned they're looking at him as a CB. Hopefully he'll see some action in midfield, but we'll have to wait and see.

 
The USSF press release refers to him as a midfielder.

 

[Titans Bastard]

There's wild talk in the Mexican media that the friendly will be called off because of the state of the pitch at the Alamodome.  I highly doubt that happens, but we should expect a crap-tastic surface.  Add in largely domestic teams for both sides and it might not be the prettiest spectacle.

 

[Billy R Ford]

USA vs. Mexico in about 20 minutes:
 
...........Morris--Zardes
................Bradley
........Diskerud--Corona
..............Beckerman
Garza-Alvarado-Gonzalez-Yedlin
...............Rimando
 
Jordan Morris starting up top is the only real surprise I'd say. Besler is sick which is why Alvarado is in.

 

[Titans Bastard]

https://twitter.com/ussoccer/status/588490568885407745
 
 
Jordan Morris gets the start.

 

[luckiestman]

Mexico's coach is so cool, going to be a sad night for him though

 

[blueguitar322]

Yedlin looks dangerous, if still a bit green

 

[BoSoxFink]

Is this game on TV?

 

[blueguitar322]

Fox sports for me

 

[BoSoxFink]

Fox sports for me

ahhh yes it is, thanks

 

[robssecondjob]

This pitch is beyond crap.

 

[luckiestman]

I wish Lalas would stop doing commentary like he is narrating for whom the bell tolls

 

[IdiotKicker]

Can someone tell me a little about Jordan Morris? He seems to be athletic as hell but not a ton of game sense or touch. Accurate or just what I'm seeing tonight?

 

[soxfan121]

From Titan's Bastard earlier in this thread: 
 

Wow.  Jordan Morris is considered a good prospect, but he is the first college player to be called up to the USMNT in over two decades, I think.  Experimental, indeed.  He spent some time with Seattle's academy and is expected to sign with the Sounders after the college season concludes in the winter.
 

 

[luckiestman]

Zardes may as well have a Mexico jersey on out there. Mexico is playing even worse than the US so we got that going for us.

 

[blueguitar322]

Overall I've been impressed with Morris, especially given his age and lack of professional experience. He seems to have strong attacking intuition but of course it's hard to tell much with the pitch in the shape it's in.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Kyle Beckerman, I've missed you.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Mexico spent a lot of time attacking down our left side.  With Garza and Corona out there, who can blame them?
 
Morris looks lively and is making good runs.  He should go pro ASAP.
 
Gonzalez and Alvarado have been fairly solid, which is nice improvement after Alvarado looked awful in his first two caps.  That backpass, though...

 

[Billy R Ford]

I thought Diskerud played really well, especially in the first half hour. Played as good with the ball at his feet as you can expect with such a bad pitch.

 

[nickandemmasuncle]

Pretty much no point in playing a game on a surface like this. Might as well give the fans their money back.
 
Zardes' technique is atrocious. Guy might be good for the occasional CONCACAF qualifier knife fight, but I wouldn't want to see him play in any game more important than that.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Yarbrough for Rimando
Shea for Garza
Ibarra for Corona

 

[blueguitar322]

Quite an intro for Morris

 

[OCST]

Can someone tell me a little about Jordan Morris? He seems to be athletic as hell but not a ton of game sense or touch. Accurate or just what I'm seeing tonight?

 
Jordan Morris is an ice-cold motherfucker, I can tell you that.

 

[soxfan121]

Jordan Morris is the American Harry Kane.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Pac-12 > Mexico

 

[Billy R Ford]

Pride of Stanford! Gotta love how Morris pounced on that ball, great goal.

 

[Titans Bastard]

So, it's the 54th minute.  We can breathe easy with our 1-0 lead for the next 26 minutes.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Kitchen getting ready to come on for Beckerman.  This godawful field claims its first victim.  Well, second if you count the standard of play.

 

[Titans Bastard]

65th minute, Agudelo on for Morris now.  Solid night for Morris all around.

 

[Billy R Ford]

Swagudelo. Great to see him back with the Nats.

 

[OCST]

FUCKING GORGEOUS

 

[Titans Bastard]

Agudelo!  Great first touch to bring the ball down.
 
Bradley with an assist.....as well as Mexico's GK.  But still, nice to see.  I've always had high hopes for Agudelo.

 

[Billy R Ford]

Yeah Bradley was key in the build-up to both goals. The guy can play great as the CAM if he has two strikers in front of him.

 

[soxfan121]

 

Yeah Bradley was key in the build-up to both goals. The guy can play great as the CAM if he has two strikers in front of him.

 

 
He looks good with the armband, too. He has grown into that role nicely.

 

[Arroyo Con Frijoles]

We are rolling them right now, but it is only now the 81st minute so buckle up.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Anyone else see "Total Attendance: 64" followed by a number ending in "N" the next time they ran it?

 

[soxfan121]

3W-3D-OL
 
This performance made up for a lot of recent friendly disappointments. A home game with an away crowd, the main rival and no old dogs. Terrific win for the team.

 

[Billy R Ford]

Dos a Cero once again for the US. Good play in the second half especially. The young guys looked good- Morris, Agudelo, Diskerud. Optimistic coming out of this game.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Dos a Cero once again for the US. Good play in the second half especially. The young guys looked good- Morris, Agudelo, Diskerud. Optimistic coming out of this game.

 
A year ago, Diskerud looked a lot like a luxury player without the defensive chops to be more than a late game sub and without enough attacking genius to be a defense-free Sneijder type.  He's added another dimension to his game.
 
Might've been the worst pitch the US has played on at home in a long, long time.  We just out-CONCACAFed CONCACAF with that shit.

 

[BoredViewer]

That pitch was ridiculous.
 
I thought Bradley had a pretty poor 1st half. Never mind his very mediocre free kicks, I felt like quite a few times he had the opportunity to make a special pass or touch and didn't. It might just be a case of me wanting him to be better than he is. Diskerud plays like a guy that wants to be one of the best 11. 

 

[Titans Bastard]

https://twitter.com/BrianStraus/status/588553549165924353

 

[Titans Bastard]

Sepp Blatter:
 

 
FIFA president Sepp Blatter told CONCACAF's congress on Thursday that their region should be given an extra automatic qualification spot at the World Cup.
"If the World Cup will stay at 32 teams, then CONCACAF should have four teams," said Blatter to applause from delegates.

 
In other news, it's election season over at FIFA.  I don't think CONCACAF actually deserves four automatic places - the depth isn't there.
 
 
 
---
 
Also, I learned recently that Jordan Morris has type 1 diabetes.

 

[soxfan121]

Sepp must have already delivered briefcases of cash to African & Asian federation reps. 
 
Is #figoforfreedom a thing yet?

 

[dirtynine]

So who loses .5 in Sepp's new world order?

 

[soxfan121]

So who loses .5 in Sepp's new world order?

 
Europe. Opposition must be punished.