Soccer goals: Just when Charlie Davies performed the stanky leg, the Carlton dance, and now a new one that he has been practicing since his Hamarby days, Davies offered a glimpse of his next goal celebration. Soccer Addict News likes to call it the Techno two-step.
These soccer videos feature Davies goal celebrations. Techno two-step
Charlie Davies and the stanky leg at the 3:40 minute mark.
What do you think of his potential goal celebration? Will he exceed Demspey's swagger? Does the USMNT team have a Chad Johnson (aka Chad Ocho Cinco) or T.O.. Share your thoughts.
Soccer Goals: If the doubters thought that Charlie Davies performance in the Confederations Cup was an aberration, I have news for you: He is for real. Facing the daunting task of winning in Azteca, a place where the US has fared poorly, the speedy forward drew first blood with a clean and efficient goal. Although the USMNT were unable to secure their first victory in Azteca, Davies' positive contributions offer hope to a National side in search of a consistent forward, since Brian McBride retired in 2006.
Adding to his tremendous performance in Azteca, Charlie Davies stepped up his game even further with a two goal display against Bordeaux. Defender Michael Orozco contributed to the 3-0 victory over Pachucha scoring San Luis' second goal. Then, there was keeper Tim Howard who felt frustrated and humiliated after his Everton squad conceded six goals to Arsenal. Soccer Addict News offers both the good and bad of American's Abroad Aug 10-16th.
Top Five American's Abroad:
1. Charlie Davies (Sochaux): After scoring an impressive goal against Mexico in Azteca, the speedy Charlie Davies shocked the international stage scoring two second half goals as a substitute for Sochaux. His speed, tenacity and nose for goal has seen his ascension in the international ranks, and his recent performances should secure his starting position moving forward. Whether you agree or not, one thing is for certain: He is the real deal.
These soccer videos feature highlights of his recent soccer goals against Tri and Bordeaux.
2. Michael Orozco (San Luis): With USMNT providing a poor performance at left back at the Azteca, the California Native attempts to receive additional call ups in order to prove that he belongs in the USMNT camp. Facing the mighty Pachuca away, San Luis dismantled their opponents with a three goal display with Orozco scoring the second goal and playing 90 minutes.
3. Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC): After an average performance in Azteca, the skillful midfielder stepped up his game with a 90 minute performance and the shot on goal that deflected off Bobby Zamora for the game winner. Will the Deuce improve his play from last season.
4. Kenny Cooper (1860 Munich): Starting his second consecutive game of the season and playing 72 minutes, the hulkster experienced his first defeat in Germany with a 1-2 loss to Hansa Rostock. Kenny made the top five list due to his performance last week which was not covered by SAN as this is the inaugural 2009-2010 season roll out of American's Abroad. Receiving a standing ovation in his first game, the former Hoopster scored off a great header. Enjoy the goal.
5. Mike Grella (Leeds United): Despite securing a three year contract, forward Mike Grella did not rest on his laurels, earning MOTM honors in a 1-0 victory over Darlington on Monday August 10th. After earning the MOTM honors, the US forward received a bottle of champaign, a Leeds United tradition. Click here to see his post game interview.
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Relegation Bound: Players who are sitting or experienced a poor performance.
1.Tim Howard (Everton): Conceding six goals to Arsenal at home for the 2009-10 season opener does not bode well for the athletic keeper. In the past four days, Howard has conceded eight goals. Although he will not remain in the relegation bound area for long, the performance proves disappointing for Everton and Howard.
2.Freddy Adu (Benefica): Rumors have been swirling around that Freddy Adu could move to Odense in Danish Superliga, a team that finished runners up last season. Playing time should be at the top of his list as he was omitted from the US roster that faced Mexico. Failing to earn playing time has kept Adu on the relegation bench since last year. Let's hope that Freddy can make the move soon and make an impact.
3. Heath Pearce (unattached): Less than two weeks still remain in the European transfer window as the 25 year old searches for a club and playing time. Coach Bradley sent a message by calling up Jonathan Bornstein over Heath Pearce. But, with problems still persisting at left back, Pearce could still make progress but is on the outside looking in.
What do you think of the American's Abroad performances? Will Davies score over 15 goals? Share your thoughts.
Soccer Goals: The highs and lows manifested itself during this weekends American's abroad performances. Brimming with confidence after scoring a goal in Azteca, Charlie Davies scored a brace against Champions League and Ligue 1 Champions, Bordeaux. Although Davies entered as a substitute, it has become evident that he can compete at this level and should receive the opportunity to start moving forward.
These soccer videos feature Davies soccer goals and highlights of Arsenal's six goal outburst.
With many questions remaining after the departure of Toure and Adebayor and their quiet transfer period, Arsenal proved that they still can play beautiful soccer, dismantling Everton's defense in a 6-1 beatdown. What proved difficult for the Everton Goalkeeper is that he conceded eight goals in less than four days. Although the goals could not be saved, it understable that the US keeper appeared frustrated after the poor performance.
What do you think of Davies performance? Will Everton improve their defense? Share your thoughts.
Soccer goals: It was the game that was supposed to be: the USMNT drew first blood.
These soccer videos feature interviews with Coach Bradley and Aguirre.
However, after taking the lead with a Charlie Davies goal in the 9th minute from Donovan's superb leading pass, the USMNT regressed into a defensive shell, allowing Mexico possession for most of the half. El Tri would equalize with a long range bomb from Israel Castro, set up by veteran icon, Cuauhtemoc Blanco. The red, white and green would wear out their northern opponents, who fatigued in the second half, resulting in a failure to properly mark Efrain Juarez and then Miguel Sabah for the game winner.
Despite parking the bus for extended periods of time during the game and several referee calls that did not favor the USMNT, the red, white, and blue still boasted a 1-1 score in the 82nd minute, but everything fell apart for the Americans when Sabah slipped the ball past US keeper, Tim Howard. The US defeat, coupled with Honduras' victory, has further complicated the hexagonal and ticket to South Africa.
Although the USMNT faces El Salvadar at home and Trinidad & Tobago away, arguably the group's weakest teams, the Americans must secure both games in order to qualify. Their other remaining games offer a greater challenge with Honduras away and Costa Rica at home. Waiting to qualify at the end of the hexagonal will only increase the pressure for the USMNT to secure their passage to South Africa.
Evident from the inception of the game was that Charlie Davies' speed posed problems for the Mexican defense, proving so with a break away and stunning finish on goal. Where the USMNT failed, originated in their possession game and the lack of veteran presence from Landon Donovan and Clint Demspey. Although it is easy to point the finger and blame someone else, the midfield's collective effort and lack of possession ultimately lead to their demise.
While the midfield did break up plays and collect the ball, they failed to properly possess the ball and initiate the attack. When the USA did attack, Mexico backed up on their heels and appeared unsettled. But, the US midfield rarely held possession for long stretches to disturb their back line and force the pressure on Mexico, a team that needed to win at all costs.
With emerging talents such as Charlie Davies, Jozy Altidore, and Benny Feilhaber, the USMNT arrives at a transition point, where the team now possesses the ability to attack their opponents, proving that their best defense is their offense. Bradley's version of the prevent defense limited the attacking chances, and their defensive coverage and work rate debilitated their late game focus, ending in a Miguel Sabah game winner.
In the NFL, the prevent defense has demonstrated that the "prevent defense" only denies a team for so long. Eventually, the opponents will score leaving the team out of its offensive rhythm and making it difficult to recover from offensive stagnancy.
Making the right decisions to bring in Stuart Holden and Benny Feilhaber, the Coach Bradley's team pushed forward and began to display a better attack, a midfield that began to possess but struggled to define their presence in the final third. In the end, the USMNT failed to equalize or preserve the draw.
When leadership should have been at an all time high, the US' leaders vanished on the field leaving the others to assume their positions. Leadership can be displayed in many forms. In this case, the leaders regressed to their 2005 form, the same 1-2 result.
Players reports receive a grade of 1-10 with a score of 6 being an average game. Included in this report are a tally of positive and negative touches to give an overall idea of how the player performed.
Tim Howard, 6 - Left out to dry on the left side on both goals, the Everton keeper offered a solid performance. His distribution still needs work, but his shot-saving ability proves to be the best in CONCACAF.
Steve Cherundolo, 6.5 - Although his game could have been better, Aguirre's first half tactics isolated the Hannover defender on several occasions. His distribution and passing proved valuable, but when Donovan played on the same side, Cherundolo was placed in several precarious positions to face the speedy Guardado 1v1. Silenced most of the game, Guardado did not wreak havoc on the left wing, as Cherundolo kept him in check. Positive touches 14, negative touches 6 resulted in a +8 net score.
Oguchi Oneywu, 8.5 - Play after play, the towering defender stifled the Mexican attack. Whether by air or ground, the AC Milan defender made his mark on the game. Even the speedy defenders could not surpass the Gooch, earning the MOTM honors for the US. Positive touches 17, negative touches 3 resulted in a +14 net score.
Jay DeMerit, 6 - continued to impress from a defensive standpoint. His urgency in distribution lead to a lower score as he was unable to distribute well from the back. With his continued improve play at center back, it will be difficult to move Bocanegra back to center back. Positive touches 7, negative touches 5 resulted in a +2 net score.
Carlos Bocanegra, 4 - Failing to close down on Castro on the first goal and ball watching on the second goal, the Rennes' defender proves once again that he can not contain the speedy attacking player. Couple this inadequacy with his poor distribution and reluctance to attack, left back spot has returned to square one. Playing European teams with swift attackers meshes well with his abilities, but give-and-go play and darting runs exposes Bocanegra for what he is; a center back. When will the quest for a true left back end? Positive touches 7, negative touches 10 resulted in a -3 net score.
Clint Dempsey, 4.5 - Started and integrated well in the attack but later offered a rendition of David Copperfield disappearing act that never saw him return. His defensive work proved admirable, but it was evident late in the second half that Dempsey's tank ran empty. It was imperative that Dempsey and Donovan offered assistance by relieving Mexico's perssistent pressure for Bradley and Clark. But, that did not happen. Positive touches 7, negative touches 5 resulted in a +2 net score.
Michael Bradley, 4.5 - Paired with Ricardo Clark, Bradley Jr. should have assumed a more advanced position, linking the attack while also diminishing Mexico's chances offensively. His defensive presence and work rate exhibited itself, but his penchant for turnovers and poor decision making stalled the US attack. Just when I thought that the Clark and Bradley pair were cohesive, Bradley failed to assume the more offensive role. Feilhaber's inclusion defined Bradley's role and alleviated the pressure in the midfield. Positive touches 10, negative touches 11 resulted in a -1 net score.
Ricardo Clark, 5 - Lacking the cohesion that they experienced against Spain, Clark appeared unsettled as Michael Bradley played a similar role. Hot off the presses: Clark is a holding midfielder and should have played a little deeper behind Bradley. The defensive mojo did not exist as their positioning displayed a flat line and open gaps. Clark's success is predicated on his partner's chemistry and possession. Bradley did not help on that one. Positive touches 6, negative touches 6 resulted in a 0 score.
Landon Donovan 3.5 - Erica Wynalda recently stated that LD does not have to always be a starter in every game because the USMNT has raised its level of play and depth. He might have recreated the wheel. Besides his perfect pass to Davies, Donovan produced a real stinker. Exposing Cherundolo defensively in the first half and failing to properly mark Juarez costing the US the game: El Tri attack continuously attacked Donovan's side. His touch and vision ruined the teams offensive flow, and it can be argued that he performed the worst of any of the the offensive players. His leadership and aggressivity diminished after the first goal. Although Wynalda's statements might seem a little bit in left field, he might have proved a point about Donovan. His mental approach was simply disappointing. Positive touches 6, negative touches 13 resulted in a -7 net score.
Charlie Davies, 8 - Hustled, clawed, and challenged for every loose ball. Posing problems for Mexico's defense with his speed and strength, Davies capitalized in the 9th minute with a precise strike for the goal. When the ball was in his vicinity, he fought for the ball, showing his heart and determination. His performance should force his way into the starting Xl for the remainder of the qualifiers, proving that his attacking attributes pose difficulties for any opponent. Positive touches 9, negative touches 2 resulted in a +7 net score.
Brian Ching, 4.5 - Starved of service for most of the game, Ching battled for every ball and demonstrated his heart defensively. With that being said, Bradley must begin to bring in other players who can terrorize the other teams defense. His presence stunts the offensive attack and his lack of scoring does not merit another start. Positive touches 5, negative touches 3 resulted in a +2 score.
Subs:
Benny Feilhaber, 5.5 - provided instant energy off the bench, maintaining possession and calming the midfield. Under sever pressure, Feilhaber one-touched his way out of danger, sparking several transition plays. His defined role with Bradley exemplified how the central pairing should delegate their duties. Sprinting to his assignments, the Aarhus middy closed down space on the Mexican midfield. Positive touches 6, negative touches 3 resulted in a +3 score.
Stuart Holden, 6.5 - Entering the game under difficult circumstances, Holden proved that his Gold Cup display was not an aberration, as his flank play created service and life for the forwards. Offering two crosses to Davies inside the box almost resulted in a goal, but Davies mistimed his header. His defensive work rate proved priceless as he covered the right flank with perfection. His skill set and fitness offer Coach Bradley another option, heading into the next qualifiers. Positive touches 7, negative touches resulted in a +5 score.
Jozy Altidore, N/A - Not enough playing time.
What did you think of the player grades? Do you think that Donovan had the worst performance? Share your thoughts.
Included are blogs that discuss Positive touches 17, negative touches 3 resulted in a +14 score.
Soccer Goals: Like deja vu. The US embraced the opportunity to win their first ever match in Azteca. Sprinting to a beautiful through pass from Landon Donovan, Charlie Davies punished Mexico with a superb finish in the 10th minute. With a one goal lead in hand, it appeared that the USMNT would hold the advantage but failure to mark Israel Castro's long rang strike equalized in the 20th minute, allowing El Tri to regain their confidence and home-field advantage.
These soccer videos feature highlights of the USA vs Mexico highlights, Aug 12, 2009.
What became even more painful became apparent when the USMNT failed to possess in the midfield, which stunted their attack. Scoring five goals in nine matches for El Tri, Miguel Sabah saved Mexico's World cup aspirations by scoring the late game winner. A sigh of relief could be felt from everyone in the stadium, starting with Coach Javier Aguirre who celebrated joyously.
After another dissappointing performance in Azteca, the USMNT must win their next two qualifiers against El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago in September. It was the game that could have been where defensive mistakes and lack of possession lead to their demise.
Later today, I will post a player's report on the game. For now enjoy the highlights.
What do you think of the results? Do you think the USMNT played to the best of their abilities? Share your thoughts.
Soccer goals: With the impotent economy causing many to suffer economically and Coach Aguirre needing game tape to analyze several of the US best players, I have composed a highlight reel for both Charlie Davies and Clint Dempsey. Even though many will call Soccer Addict News a mercenary website that caters to the highest bidder. Well, you're wrong. I just need some cash. Lol. Here is a sample packet of what we sent to the Coach Javier "El Vasco" Aguirre.
These soccer videos feature highlights and soccer goals of Clint Dempsey and Charlie Davies.
Resonating as a general consesus that the US players benefit from a system predicated on tactics and discipline in where their skills offer little to impact the game, Mexican supporters and media do not acknowledge the US player's cached ability and skill. Although most US players are noted for their quick and simple touch on-the-ball, it is important to point that many US players possess the technical ability to impress internationally but see the extra flair as superfluous. Mexican media has exacerbated this thinking and mindset by classifying the US spectacular goals as an aberration not the norm. Though, they did compliment the USMNT for the 2007 Feilhaber Gold Cup goal against Mexico and the Donovan and Davies break-away goal against Brazil in the finals.
Considering that El Tri called up 12 players from the 2009 Gold Cup, it is certain that El Tri featured an A/B team in the 2009 Gold Cup. With all excuses aside as Mexico deserved their Gold Cup victory, the USMNT will confront a Mexican team on an all-time high after defeating USA 5-0 in a goleada. The USA would like to defeat Mexico for the first time in history on August 12th, while Coach Aguirre hopes to ride the wave of confidence to defeat the USA in the contaminated and oxygen-elusive confines of Azteca.
What do you think of Dempsey and Davies' chance of scoring in Azteca? Will Javier Aguirre review the info? Share your thoughts.
Included are blogs that discuss Soccer Goals: Aguirre's Scouting Report on Dempsey and Davies
