after reading all 16 pages of this post, i HAD to post.
c'mon everyone... (and before i start, let me say that i am a us supporter)
did you REALLY think mexico was going to win? honestly, right now, the "losing" streak mexico is on has NOTHING to do with Sven.... it has nothing todo with their opponents, it has nothing to do with injuries. It has to do with Mexico. The country has put SO much pressure on the team, it almost seems likethey don't want to be out there. Its as if their focus is to do well to please the fans and the press rather than the team. The loss yesterday by mexicostarted LONG before any suspensions, any coaching changes, any injuries, etc. Think about why Hugo Sanchez got fired. Does ANYONE know why? the real reason,because he cost the the TV guys in Mexico... the owners of Galavision and Tele whatever.... he costs them a LOT of money by not making the olympics. They lostmillions and millions in TV revenue because Mex failed to make the Olympics. At that point, Mexico was beating the teams they had to beat. They were playingMUCH better than they were playing now, etc. The ONLY reason Sven was brought into coach in Mexico... was of course, to bring in MORE TV revenue. It was HUGELYcriticized when Bora coached Mexico way back when and he couldn't speak Spanish. So why would they do that again? For the money. They wanted the biggestname at the time to spark up talk in the media, more talk about the FMF in Europe; thus generating MORE revenue throughout for these TV stations.
Sven has done all he can w/ this weak team. He was even criticized for playing "naturalized" players. For playing Gio and other guys that don'tget regular first time action w/ their respective teams. Those same players have been playing the best for mexico. Gio, in the first 45, was by far the bestplayer on the field. he was taking people on 1 v 1. his touch was great on the ball... he did miss a cupcake, but he was in the right place at the right time.I was literally 15 yards away from the SHOT that Gio took. There was about 5 people w/in 8 feet of him. He was just unlucky. But the WHOLE first half, he wasreally the only highlight MEX had.
When you put the group into perspective, (and based on what ALWAYS happens in the CONCACAF), USA and MEX always get out of the group. The importance of thisgame was not so much about the rivalry, (although thats the FUN part), but about who will set the tone for the group. Based on the other results, MEX is NOT ina bad position at all. With one game ending in a draw, that puts less pressure on mexico. As much as I hate to say this, they will beat most of the otherteams. That means they don't HAVE to beat the US. As long as they do their part; win their home games and steal points on the road, they will have NOprobem getting through.
now, for my take on the game.
--brian ching is absolutely horrible. he is a CLUB soccer player... i'll even take it 1 step further... he is an MLS player. he does well in MLS becausehe's comfortable playing w/ people he is better than. Put him in a situation (such as last night's big stage) and he's like a deer in headlights.He doesn't know what to do. his touch struggles. His confidence is minimal. he is just not a big game player. He has a big, solid frame and he gets pushedoff of the ball so easily. There is NO reason he should be on the national team. AT THE SAME TIME... for all of you to say that Altidore should be hisreplacement, (and someone else said this best); he's more of the all or nothing guy. when he's on, he's on. He doesn't get regular first teamaction and he hasn't had that "big game" starting experience. For something as important as last night, there was no way he should be starting. Iwould have started dempsey up top and donovan on the outside... w/ either clark or torres in the middle w/ bradley. i know that sounds contradicting as far asthe big games, but the confidence that bradley puts in ching to score goals is NOT deserved. CHING SUCKS
-- For as much as the US deserved to win, MEX deserved to lose. This was supposed to be both team's biggest game in the HEX and they didn't even showup. When the best player on your team DOES NOT get regular first time football (GIO), there's something to be said about that. MEX center mids wereCOMPLETELY non existent. they tried balls over the top (which never works against the US cause of Gooch)... and when they finally realized that, they throughballs they were playing were absolutely horrible. After Gio's mis in the first 3 mins of the game, it was downhill from there.
-- Marquez is such an idiot. Part of me thinks that marquez kicked howard because he didn't want to play anymore. Mex was playing horribly, he plays on ateam that is probably the best in the world... and then he comes to play with a bunch of home bodies that are 2 steps below his everyday level. why wouldsomeone like him WANT to play for his national team? seriously!
--Sanchez.... he's a JOKE. I was RIGHT behind him while he was warming up... and 1/2 of the time, he didn't want to dive because the ground was SOAKINGwet. it was like like he didn't want to be cold. The 2nd goal was right in front of us (i was sitting behind that goal) and i had the exact same view hedid as the play developed. ANY GK at that level should have been able to trap that ball with their foot. I know the conditions were HORRIBLE, but there is NOexcuse why he should have let that go through.
anyway, i have SO Much more to say, but I'm too tired to keep going. here are some pictures from the game. This is the 3rd US v MEX game i've been to,and every time it gets better. if NT would like to have a summit in DF, I'm in.
let me finish some of my thoughts from last night...
-- i forgot to mention that brian ching got knocked down by Gio in the first half... NO WAY THAT SHOULD EVER HAPPEN. i can't stand Ching.
--Gooch and Boca are such defensive liabilities for the US. I was thinking about it last night... and they are so suspect in the back. for as much as they savethe US... they cause just as many crappy situations. If the US had a stronger back 2, they would be SO much stronger. That night, the challenges that gooch andboca were making, the angles they were taking on a LOT of the MEX attacks... so horrible. Had MEX been able to put some passes together in the final 1/3... itwould have been a different story. Take NOTHINg away from Howard, but if that final pass/finish was there for MEX, USA might have lost.
having said that, for as much as soccer is a game of skill/talent, its just as much a game of taking advantage of the other team's mistakes. That'sexactly what US was able to do.
I wouldn't say it was the greatest game, but when you're actually there... the experience is something EVERY US/MEX supporter should enjoy. Thechanting in the stadium... the mess talking, the patriotism... all of it is a lot of fun.
hopefully we can plan something for NT down there. I hope everyone comes through. I am a USSoccer.com supporter/member and i will be sitting w/ the winners...I mean the US.