We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
The group stage of the 2011 Gold Cup wraps up tonight with Panama v. Canada at 7pm EST and the US trying to redeem itself against lowly Guadeloupe. Unless there's a big surprise in store, the US will likely qualify for the Quarterfinals, albeit second, and will meet Honduras in the next round. Join me on FSC tonight for all the action.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 6:13 PM
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
125 Comments:
Half way through the first half between Panama and Canada and it's still goalless. It would be sweet if the Canucks could do us a favor tonight. If Canada were able to defeat Panama by more than two goals and the US did likewise, the table could end up like this:
1. US - 6pts (+4GD)
2. Canada - 6pts (+2GD)
3. Panama - 6pts (-1GD)
It could happen!
Half time now. Still 0-0. Doesn't look like Canada has it in them to be the spoiler tonight.
I'm really interested in who plays tonigt. I've been really disappointed in the performance of the USA in the Gold Cup. We have problems at every position except the goalkeeper who kept us from registering a draw against Canada, and a bad loss against Panama. We have little goal-scoring potential, a carry-over from South Africa which has not been fixed. Antidote and Aguedelo may get a goal here and there, but not the 2-3 per game we need to progress to the final. Antidote in particular seems a bit dim; he's picked up two yellows in two games for dissent towards the ref. Doesn't he sit through suspension tonight? Probably.
Then we're reliant on inspiration from Donovan, who after he got clobbered early in both games, featured little because he just won't get up, dust himself off, and get on with it. And certainly when we play as often as we do against CONCACAF sides and in front of CONCACAF referees who won't punish those sort of reducer tactics, that kind of Tin-man no-hearted behavior is a liability.
I don't want to see two defensive midfielders against Guadeloupe or for that matter, any side in this competition with the possible exception of Mexico. And I really don't want to see Jermaine Jones at all. He's another one that picks up senseless yellows after he's bollixed up his man-marking. If I were Coach B, 1, I wouldn't play him, but 2, I'd yank him as soon as he got a yellow card because all he does afterward is run alongside their ball player, or worse, ball-watch as some bloke ghosts by him on a diagonal run. I think Michael Bradley is very capable of holding the defensive mid against all the CONCACAF teams, save Mexico. And in the case of Mexico, I want Mo Edu on the pitch. Because he plays in Scotland and therefore knows a bit about the physical side of things and also because in transition he's much more forward thinking. Clint Dempsey is running himself ragged covering defensive territory instead of playing a support role in the center or forward on the wing.
I also don't know what kind of science project Coach B's conducting with Ream and Goodson. Goodson might be a good reserve to have in the squad, but Ream is drowning out there. He's mostly a competent MLS center back, but lots of highlight film of the Red Bull games feature him not picking up an opponent from a free kick or just running into the shot as the ball drifts over his keeper's line. I don't see what Coach B could have possibly seen and thought, "he's ready for the next level."
I thought that the US Fed's goal by reappointing Coach B was to compose a team that said to the our CONCACAF neighbors that we intend to own the conference in perpetuity, and that we will soon be able to roll into that inhospitable jungle in Costa Rica and the Azteca in Mexico City and come away with at least a point, every time. That's not what has happened.
I think the Bradley era must be brought to a swift end if we don't reach the final of the Gold Cup so that we have time to reorganize for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and not have to squeak through behind Mexico and Costa Rica or Honduras who right now, look like more than we can handle.
GOAL! Way hay - the dream is still on. Dwayne DeRosario - Gooner's least favorite Canadian - has just scored a penalty to put Canada 1-0 up.
Totally agree with you, Gooner. I want wholesale changes tonight, particularly at the back. And I especially appreciate your comments about the defensive mid issue. Surely Michael Bradley is enough of a stopper to keep the likes of Guadeloupe off the back four. I want goals, goals, goals tonight.
That penalty goal now has Canada and Panama locked on 6 points with Panama at +1 GD and Canada on 0 GD. Couldn't be tighter. I'd love to see another Canada goal.
Oh - and I was wrong about the possibility of Honduras being the next opponent for the US. They're already scheduled to play Costa Rica on Saturday afternoon at 5pm. Mexico will play the third place team coming out of either Group B or C. I hope that's not us. More likely we'll get Jamaica who play the Group C runner-up on Sunday afternoon at 3pm.
Gooner was curious about the side that Bradley would put out tonight. Here it is:
Howard, Boca, Goodson, Lichaj, Cherundolo, Dempsey, Jones, Bradley, Donovan, Wondo, Altidore.
So - it looks like the Tim Ream experiment is well and truly over, thank goodness. And Juan Agudelo has gotten the chop in favor of Chris Wondolowski, who missed an absolutely sitter at the end of the Panama match.
I'm not happy. Bradley is refusing to understand the real problems that exist across the backline and has persisted with Jermaine Jones against bloody Guadeloupe!
By the way, the matches tonight are at Sporting Park, home of Sporting Kansas City. I get a chuckle out of that one every time.
Still 1-0 Canada with fifteen minutes to play at Sporting Park (tee hee).
What a load of bollocks. Bradley is saying that Guadeloupe is a talent team and it's likely to be a hard game.
Bloody hell! Panama have equalized at the death. So, that means that Panama will definitely top the group and will take on the Group A/B third placer, which looks like Guatemala.
So, it's either second place and Jamaica or, worse, third place and Mexico. Or - the unthinkable - a loss tonight and curtains.
Teams out of the tunnel now and on the pitch. Come on, the US boys!
Interesting - Guadeloupe uses "La Marseillaise" as their anthem. Aren't they an independent nation?
Chris Wondolowski is the current leading scorer in MLS, which necessitates his inclusion in the squad. I wasn't impressed the other night. I'm hoping for better from Wondo tonight.
SNOBBY??????
Here we go, then.
Early free kick opportunity for the U.S. won by Jozy.
Turn the tv after getting back from teaching and the KICK OFF IS AT THE EXACT SAME TIME!
What does a Canadian win mean?
I did watch the last few minutes of the Panama game... some sitters missed!
Welcome, Mr. Snobby. Great to have you on board.
Did you watch the West Ham Stars show before this game? I meant to tape it. There was one on the Arse that I taped but haven't watched yet
Panama equalized in extra time, which means that Panama will win the group on 7 points, Canada have 4 points now. The U.S. should probably cruise to second place on 6 points after this match, unless there's a disaster. That will mean a match against Jamaica on Sunday afternoon.
Bloody hell! Total Keystone Kops routine from the US at the back. Off the crossbar. WTF!?
It was our LUFC loanee this season Eric Lichaj at the middle of that bollix. Villa must take him back!
A breathless opening here. Another free kick won by Dempsey.
Dempsey over this free kick now. Landycakes as well. It's Dempsey....great save!
Nice shot by Landycakes
No - I missed it. Any good?
Any thoughts about picking up Phil Jones at MUFC?
GOAL! Jozy with a wonderstrike!
1-0 US!
What a corker
Jozy with his 12th international goal there. Tremendous shot from outside the area. Why can't he do that every match?
As for Jones, I don't know much about him
Pleased that Young is coming
Ashley Young is on his way to OT? I heard about the Jordan Henderson move to Pool.
And of course Arsenal bought a 19 year old Finnish defender from Charlton that no one's ever heard of.
Struth.. that should have been a red!!!!
Oh - that must be a foul by Goodson. Wow - amazingly, the ref didn't call anything. I thought it was a foul and that Goodson was last man back. He should have gone off!
I think Young is on his way after his hols
We're talking about Ashley Young, right?
Did you ever check on the license plates!!!!!
Duuuhhhhhhhhhhh.....
Let me look in the parking lot. I'm hopeless.
Yup
What about McLeish jumping ship at St. Andrews and on the Villa Park radar
USELESS!
I hadn't heard. That's not quite a surprise given that they were relegated.
Loval's been knobbled - he's being carted off. Early change for Guad.
Gooner was remarking over the weekend that Guadeloupe might have been a force to reckon with if TH-14 and Claude Makalele had gone with the nation of their births.
Oh - big miss by Clint! He has to hit the target with that header!
Oh - nice break by Landy, but Jozy was too slow to the ball.
That was a nice strike by Jozy, eh?
What the story with the license plates?
"Sporting Kansas City" - what a joke!
Evening, WHR! Dave had asked me when I was out there to check on the new license plates in NY state. He's got a conspiracy theory about them.
I do not see the point of Jermaine Jones in a match like this. He just slows the play down. And his distribution is rubbish.
Two big saves from the Guad keeper.
Cheeky flick by Bradley - cleared off the line!
Decent idea from Clint to chip the keeper but he just didn't get it right.
I've got a theory about the NY license plates . . . thin at one end . . .
Davey, how's your fantasy baseball team doing? . . .
Good - JP announces that Lichaj "plays for Aston Villa." I don't want him on our books. He's hopeless.
Nice one, Miss Elk.
Nice stuff from Cherundolo but his cross didn't pick out an attacker.
Oh - Clint misses another header!
Fortunately for him, he was ruled offside.
Decent attack there from Guad. They've had a few good chances.
Wondo wins a free kick out wide left.
I'm off to bed, lads. Hope to play soccer in the morning before heading to Capitol Hill . . . I have a meeting with a staffer for Representative Joe Wilson ("You lie!") . . . should go swimmingly!
Apparently Joe "You Lie" Wilson has just endorsed Bat-shit Crazy Michele Bachmann. Have fun with that one, mate. Sleep well!
Hey John,
Just back from some errands
Good to have you here.
I thought you wanted a Bee License
Back to back chances... well saved
Oh - point blank shot there from Wondo, saved by the keeper.
You missed him, mate. We were just chatting about how snobby you are.
Coming up on half-time. I'm still disappointed. We should have built on the early goal and this one should be about done.
Still, 1-0 up.
What a scrappy goal from the Panamanians!
We're back after the interval with Guadeloupe about to kick us off in the second half.
Good chance to swing a free kick in here.
Free kick chance
comes to nothing
Landy really telegraphed that one.
Not liking this at all. We should roll over this lot.
STRUTH... JOZY... HIT THE TARGET!!!
Or pass it off
Jozy was nearly in there. Good strength.
Landy missed the broadside of the barn there!!
SIX YARDS OUT!!!
Bloody hell, Landycakes! Hit the target!
Did you see Shearer was in talks with Cardiff about their hot seat? Apparently, he has been 'unsuccessful'
Oh - off the crossbar from Clint!
Should be 8-0 up now.
Demps hit the crossbar... nice hit. It was the top of the bar though
I saw that. Why would anyone hire Alan Shearer as a manager?
Memory Lane!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd90m3xKfl8
Wondo trotting off - Bedoya to come on. Not a great outing for Wondo.
Classic NTNON!
Three quarters of the match gone. This is dismal from the US.
I would like some deodorant please...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS2N1mBsEdM&feature=related
Sorry about this... I'm in the mood
Oh - now it's Bedoya squandering a chance. Why didn't he hit it first time?
More... I did this for my cinematography class
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewi_KNMs2rg&feature=related
I'lll stop
Nice one - reminds me of this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6D1YI-41ao
Classic
The US SUCK
My hovercraft is full of eels.
And another shaped gear stick on the Mini Metro!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTNUm-pIFmQ&NR=1
OH MY GOD!!!
INSIDE TWO YARDS!!!
OH MY GOODNESS! I DON"T BELIEVE IT! DEMPSEY WITH THE MISS OF THE CENTURY!
I think Clint was about to get down on his hands and knees and nod it in the way we used to when we were having a kickabout.
Jozy bursts through and picks up a free kick. Yellow card for Zubar.
Jozy's done. Sasha Klejstan coming on.
Ruddy Norah - this is painful.
Landycakes straight into the wall. (sigh)
Another miss from Bedoya.
BOTTOM OF THE WALL
Did you force me to watch this????
WEE PEA AND CO WILL KILL THESE GUYS
I agree. I did force you to watch this. Remember - the more people who watch these matches, the more Premiership matches we get on telly. It's a direct correlation.
Bradley coming off - Edu in.
You keep believing that Butch!
At this rate, I'm not sure that we're going to get to Mexico. Jamaica might knock us out!
What is the population of GPE?
Less than Buffalo?
Did we ever get any English footie coverage before 1994? Didn't think so.
Guadelupe population - 450K
Buffalo population - 275K
629 Sq. MIles
Population of 400,000
Buffalo population 261,310
Including Buff-Niagara-Cattagaraugus
1,215,826
They're strolling this now.
Two stoppage minutes to come.
Well, ESPN showed the BBC feed of the 1989 FA Cup Final between Liverpool and Everton.. it was after the Hillsboro disaster
I do have video of shows of United's 92-93 Championship season somehow. I think Fox showed it once a week.
I have a season in review
I still have that Cup Final on video somewhere.
Des Lynam opening up the show. John Motson and Trevor Brooking at the mic
BLOODY HELL... ANOTHER MISS BY DEMPSEY!!
Dempsey couldn't hit the target with a crossbow tonight. He's chuckling at the misses now. He should've had five or six.
Wow - 1-0 at the end. Rubbish.
That's it... the US wins but ONLY ONE GOAL!!!
You're grasping at straws mate. You know that since the 94 World Cup and the start of MLS in 96, our worlds have totally changed.
I'm assuming that you'll be hear and watching the Jamaica match. 3pm. Be there or be square.
Cheerio!
I'm just telling you the truth!
I'll think about it!!!
Off to bed... still a week of school left
TTFN
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