***Official USA vs Mexico World Cup qualifier thread***

[DJJasonp]

Rivalry week continues....it's world cup qualifying time again...USA vs Mexico! 6PM Central, 4PM West Coast ESPN

C'mon boys, represent the red,white, and blue and come away with a victory...and one step closer to qualifying for the world cup.

We're going to have to keep our heads on a swivel tonight...watching out for cheap shots, dirty plays, etc....all part of the mexican game plan!

weather forecast: 45 degrees with a 50% chance of rain (should benefit the USA more than Mexico).

Soccer haters: "Don't be hatin'!" :)

[Ceej]

Is Mark Sanchez playing?


If not, I don't care.

[DJJasonp]

Is Mark Sanchez playing?


If not, I don't care.

They're probably is a Sanchez playing tonight....just not sure about a "mark".

[Buck]

Why the hell is this game being played in Columbus in the middle of February?

[RickObie]

Why the hell is this game being played in Columbus in the middle of February?

To freeze out the mexicans!!

Go USA!!!!

[DJJasonp]

Why the hell is this game being played in Columbus in the middle of February?

It's a home and home series.....Mexico always makes us play them in Mexico City during the summer (so super-hot, high altitude, and terrible smog)....

So we pay them back with cold, dreary conditions.

It's all part of getting a home field advantage.

[penguinz]

Who is on the US roster for this game?

[Spicy McHaggis]

Who is on the US roster for this game?


Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton FC),

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC),

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca),

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Xerez C.D.), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Landon Donovan (Bayern Munich).


I've been looking forward to this game for about 4 months now. Dempsey looks like he's back in form and should take it to the defense up top.

[DJJasonp]

Who is on the US roster for this game?

Feb. 11, 2008 – Columbus Crew Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate Caps/G Hometown Club
Altidore, Jozy F 6'1" 175 11/06/89 6/2 Boca Raton, Fla. Xerez C.D. (Spain)
Beasley, DaMarcus M 5'8" 145 05/24/82 82/17 Ft. Wayne, Ind. Glasgow Rangers (Scotland)
Bocanegra, Carlos D 6'0" 170 05/25/79 62/10 Alta Loma, Calif. Stade Rennais (France)
Bornstein, Jonathan D 5'9" 145 11/07/84 14/1 Los Alamitos, Calif. Chivas USA (MLS)
Bradley, Michael M 6'2" 175 07/31/87 25/3 Manhattan Beach, Calif. Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany)
Califf, Danny D 6'1" 175 03/17/80 22/1 Orange, Calif. FC Midtjylland (Denmark)
Ching, Brian F 6'1" 195 05/24/78 32/9 Haleiwa, Hawaii Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Clark, Ricardo M 5'10" 150 05/10/83 16/1 Jonesboro, Ga. Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Davies, Charlie F 5'10" 160 06/25/86 5/1 Manchester, N.H. Hammarby IF (Sweden)
Dempsey, Clint M 6'1" 170 03/09/83 46/13 Nacogdoches, Texas Fulham FC (England)
Donovan, Landon F 5'8" 150 03/04/82 105/37 Redlands, Calif. Bayern Munich (Germany)
Guzan, Brad GK 6'4" 210 09/09/84 11/0 Homer Glen, Ill. Aston Villa (England)
Hejduk, Frankie D 5'8" 155 08/05/74 81/6 Cardiff, Calif. Columbus Crew (MLS)
Howard, Tim GK 6'3" 210 03/06/79 35/0 North Brunswick, N.J. Everton FC (England)
Kljestan, Sacha M 6'1" 150 09/09/85 13/3 Huntington Beach, Calif. Chivas USA (MLS)
Onyewu, Oguchi D 6'4" 210 05/13/82 38/5 Olney, Md. Standard de Liege (Belgium)
Pearce, Heath D 5'10" 175 08/13/84 21/0 Modesto, Calif. Hansa Rostock (Germany)
Rogers, Robbie M 5'10" 165 05/12/87 1/0 Huntington Beach, Calif. Columbus Crew (MLS)
Torres, José Francisco M 5'7" 135 10/29/87 2/0 Longview, Texas Pachuca (Mexico)
Wynne, Marvell D 5'9" 170 05/08/86 2/0 Poway, Calif. Toronto FC (MLS)

[DJJasonp]

Would love to see goals from Jozy and Donovan tonight.....maybe add one more from Ching!

[Silock]

A goal from Jozy would be awesome, but I'd really like to see Kljestan score some more. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite USMNT players.

Muck Fexico.

[Ebolapox]

wait--where is freddy adu?

[RickObie]

A goal from Jozy would be awesome, but I'd really like to see Kljestan score some more. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite USMNT players.

Muck Fexico.

I went to the US Sweden friendly a couple of weeks back, Sasha looked great - had the hat trick. I would love to see him come into his own.

Can't wait for the game tonight!!

[88TG88]

You'll see all your favorite soccer stars. Like Ariaga! Ariaga II! Bariaga! Aruglia! And Pizzoza!

[Buck]

A goal from Jozy would be awesome, but I'd really like to see Kljestan score some more. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite USMNT players.

Muck Fexico.

US Mutant Ninja Turtles?

[Cornstock]

Finally the cycle is beginning to turn over again and there are some younger guys on the national team. Sure those older guys like Donovan are good, and their leadership value is incalcuable but you always knew they would never reach the great heights of other teams. At least there is some potential with the new batch.

And this obviously isnt new news, but getting rid of Bruce Arenas as HC was the best decision ever. Watching his 1 dimensional coaching futility in the World Cup was incredibly frusterating. It depended completely on 1 v 3 breakaways with Donovan. Reminds me a lot of Herm actually.

[Silock]

wait--where is freddy adu?

Languishing away on the bench for his club team.

[Silock]

Finally the cycle is beginning to turn over again and there are some younger guys on the national team. Sure those older guys like Donovan are good, and their leadership value is incalcuable but you always knew they would never reach the great heights of other teams. At least there is some potential with the new batch.

And this obviously isnt new news, but getting rid of Bruce Arenas as HC was the best decision ever. Watching his 1 dimensional coaching futility in the World Cup was incredibly frusterating. It depended completely on 1 v 3 breakaways with Donovan. Reminds me a lot of Herm actually.

Bradley is the same way. The difference is that the players are better now, and able to overcome his coaching style.

Seriously -- the empty bucket sucks. No need for 2 defensive midfielders.

[WoodDraw]

Can't wait - what a great week for sports. This should be a hell of a game

[kcxiv]

Since i am Mexican-American. I am going to go for Mexico on this one for the simple fact, USA usually wins everything else. Gotta throw my 2nd country a bone. lol

[***SPRAYER]

I'll watch it.

[WoodDraw]

Why the hell is this game being played in Columbus in the middle of February?

Because they keep dragging us to the shit hole that is Estadio Azteca, so we make them come up and play in shitty weather with a safe pro-US crowd.

[***SPRAYER]

Because they keep dragging us to the shit hole that is Estadio Azteca, so we make them come up and play in shitty weather with a safe pro-US crowd.

I heard the 'Cans were doing voodoo rituals and stuff, trying to hex our players.

[JuicesFlowing]

I hope it's a good game.

[DJJasonp]

I hope it's a good game.

I hope we destroy them.

I have no love for their team, their players, nor their style of play.

The flops, the machismo-style of play where one-one-one moves and beating your man is celebrated more than "team play" - and I wont even get into the cheap shots.....

And of course, their fans....throwing bags of piss, batteries, you name it...at our players (AND ON AMERICAN SOIL NO LESS!). Thank god for Columbus and their fan base!

Go USA!

[WoodDraw]

http://images.ussoccer.com/Images/Gallery/821_330833_600_USMNT0210091009.jpg

[Ultra Peanut]

DOS A CERO

[Silock]

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[RickObie]

US Mutant Ninja Turtles?

Is that Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton??

[WoodDraw]

This defending is fucking pathetic so far

[WilliamTheIrish]

Oh! Just wide..

[Buck]

Is that Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton??

It was, until I just changed it.

Whats the score?

[the Talking Can]

us looks great, and fast....but no real good opportunities yet

[WoodDraw]

I wouldn't say we look great. Sloppy play earlier with some shitty clears that almost killed us and some pretty horrible passing. The last 10 have looked a lot better though

[the Talking Can]

ahhh..dempsey had the look

[kcxiv]

Reaction time of goalies is insane.

[KCCHIEFS27]

GOALLLLLLL!

[WilliamTheIrish]

1-0

[WoodDraw]

GOAL!

[kstater]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL L

[Delano]

That was nice.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Holy f... they were running through our box ...

[the Talking Can]

woot!!

what a goal!

[WoodDraw]

Now we're going - let's keep it up

[WilliamTheIrish]

Oh! Again.. corner usa

[WilliamTheIrish]

Beaz has handles... nice to see..

[WoodDraw]

That was a sweet commercial. Man I was I had the money for SA.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Beaz just about got that through ball.... heady play the Mehico GK.

[WoodDraw]

Goodbye! Well deserved red card

Howard looks good, thankfully...

[WoodDraw]

We need to score again, and get Howard out of there...

Hejduk is limping now too

[WoodDraw]

I wouldn't mind seeing Altidore too. Maybe get Ching outt?

[Wa-Z]

Donovan is a bitch, every time he gets bumped he looks at the ref..don't know how he made it to Bayern Munich..

[WoodDraw]

GOAL!

Great game for Bradley!

[WoodDraw]

Gotta love the dos a cero chant... Awesome

[WoodDraw]

Post game:

Where was Ching? Altidore didn't play long enough to say much about. One dumb, young mistake trying to hold the ball, but he helped set up the second goal. I hope he can start getting some play with his club and get some more experience. I'm just not a big Ching fan though.

Donovan seemed off too on his touch all night. I guess you have to give credit to Mexico though for shutting him down. I guess our Donovan/Ching duo isn't much of a surprise to anyone.

Midfield was great. Bradley owned the game, and I thought Beasley played well too. Dempsey was on and off.

Defense scared the shit out of me all night. Hejduk played well, but outside of that a poor performance. Howard saved their ass multiple times - once again showed that he's one of the best in the game right now.

Great win and a must win. Just need to keep taking care of business now, and we're in.

[Ultra Peanut]

DOS A CEROClap clap, clap clap clap!

Baby Bradley is the motherfucking bomb diggity.

[stlchiefs]

clean up please.

Great game, good thread until the queer above showed up.

[DJJasonp]

Post game:

Where was Ching? Altidore didn't play long enough to say much about. One dumb, young mistake trying to hold the ball, but he helped set up the second goal. I hope he can start getting some play with his club and get some more experience. I'm just not a big Ching fan though.

Donovan seemed off too on his touch all night. I guess you have to give credit to Mexico though for shutting him down. I guess our Donovan/Ching duo isn't much of a surprise to anyone.

Midfield was great. Bradley owned the game, and I thought Beasley played well too. Dempsey was on and off.

Defense scared the shit out of me all night. Hejduk played well, but outside of that a poor performance. Howard saved their ass multiple times - once again showed that he's one of the best in the game right now.

Great win and a must win. Just need to keep taking care of business now, and we're in.

Pretty accurate assessment....I'm a little more disappointed in Dempsey than you....he seemed completely out of the flow of the game.

We didnt switch the ball to opposite sides at all tonight (most of the game was played from the middle to one sideline).

I thought Mexico out-hustled us to many 50/50 balls (especially when they went down a man....which is unreal considering we had the advantage at that point).

Didnt like the constant kick balls in the air....many of our first touches were crappy because of it (maybe chalk some of that up to the field conditions?).

As much crap as I like to give Frankie....he played well tonight (albeit, he was on the turf more than I would like).

I would like to see some more "fearless" attacking (like when Beasley beat his man and fed a cross to the middle).....Adu is fearless....and Jozy....we need more of that from Beasley, Ching, and Dempsey.

I'm probably being critical....but if Mexico hadnt played so poorly, it may have been a draw (and if Howard didnt make a couple nice saves).

Definitely need a little more energy from the guys on 50/50 balls.

Bradley was a stud all night long.

USA 2, Mexico 0 (NOT IN OUR CASA!!!)

[schneider221]

Reports from Columbus have a Mexican assistant coach slapping Frankie in the tunnel after the game.

[WoodDraw]

Reports from Columbus have a Mexican assistant coach slapping Frankie in the tunnel after the game.

http://www.univision.com/content/videoplayer.jhtml?cid=1835906

Click on the link on the right side of the video player. Classy...

[WoodDraw]

Pretty accurate assessment....I'm a little more disappointed in Dempsey than you....he seemed completely out of the flow of the game.

...

USA 2, Mexico 0 (NOT IN OUR CASA!!!)

Yeah, I probably would have subbed Dempsey out. The more I think back, the more I think we should have subbed earlier. Get Altidore in there, and mix up the MF a bit. There was no reason to wait until 80+ to make those moves, especially with us doing nothing with Mexico a man down.

But, a wins a win, especially against Mexico. Bradley will have to do better in WC play though.

[|Zach|]

Post game:

Where was Ching? Altidore didn't play long enough to say much about. One dumb, young mistake trying to hold the ball, but he helped set up the second goal. I hope he can start getting some play with his club and get some more experience. I'm just not a big Ching fan though.

Donovan seemed off too on his touch all night. I guess you have to give credit to Mexico though for shutting him down. I guess our Donovan/Ching duo isn't much of a surprise to anyone.

Midfield was great. Bradley owned the game, and I thought Beasley played well too. Dempsey was on and off.

Defense scared the shit out of me all night. Hejduk played well, but outside of that a poor performance. Howard saved their ass multiple times - once again showed that he's one of the best in the game right now.

Great win and a must win. Just need to keep taking care of business now, and we're in.

With all due respect...you know the game a lot more than I do...

Every single win they seem to ever have reads exactly like this from from you.

Its like no matter what happens on the field its...

"bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad but hey they got it done a win is a win."

[stlchiefs]

http://www.univision.com/content/videoplayer.jhtml?cid=1835906

Click on the link on the right side of the video player. Classy...

Wow, what a piece of shit. Unfortunately it doesn't look like they arrested the turd or the Mexican player who interfered and obviously had his hands on the cops as they were trying to intervene. I don't know why this situation should have been any different than a Saturday night on the streets, where the cops would have definitely taken people in for such a thing. Maybe the US asked for some leniency, but I don't know why they would have.

[Silock]

With all due respect...you know the game a lot more than I do...

Every single win they seem to ever have reads exactly like this from from you.

Its like no matter what happens on the field its...

"bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad but hey they got it done a win is a win."

Well, we did play like shit. Mexico just didn't capitalize on their chances, and we did. Mexico easily should have drawn, even down a man.

Mexico owned our midfield, and as a result, none of our midfielders were able to do jack shit.

[WoodDraw]

With all due respect...you know the game a lot more than I do...

Every single win they seem to ever have reads exactly like this from from you.

Its like no matter what happens on the field its...

"bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad but hey they got it done a win is a win."

Eh, I don't know. It's just analysis. Some players played great, others not so much. I don't think I was being unfair to anyone. I thought Frankie, Bradley, and Howard all had exceptional games. Donovan seemed a bit off, but he set up both the goals, and will always be the focus of the defense, so who can complain?

But it's a message board, and half the fun in soccer is bitching about who should have played and who should have been subbed after the game and who played like shit. And when your team looks the way we did playing a man up, you can't be too happy afterwards. We had some problems, just like every team in every game does. If we didn't talk about it, there wouldn't be much reason for this forum, no?