“The conversation was very welcomed in terms of: We need both goalkeepers”.
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Trinidad & Tobago have rounded into form nicely over the last few months, toppling Mexico to win Group A at the Gold Cup before bowing out of the tournament in a shootout loss against Panama in the quarterfinals. The Portland Timbers star has the creativity and engine to join (Jozy) Altidore in attack and could provide the US with an offensive outlet as well as increased solidity in the middle of the pitch.Jermaine Jones’ injury situation complicate matters in central midfield but if he isn’t fit then I’d expect Beckerman to sit alongside Michael Bradley with either Nagbe or Mix Diskerud in front of them.
“We respect them. They’re a good team, but our team is good as well”.
If I’m the manager, I want Clint to be part of what we’re doing-period, end of story.
It won its group in last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup and many of its players play in the English Championship. If the United States comes out flat and looking ahead again, they may give up more than one goal before they wake up, and they’re going to have a much harder time scoring six again if they do.
Klinsmann may be feeling external pressure to upgrade the team’s play and correct its deficiencies, but in this game there’s more pressure to not lose.
This match gives the USMNT not just a chance to pick up their second qualifying win and to start creating space early in this group stage, but also to start creating separation between them and the rest of the group, as Trinidad also won their first match against Guatemala.
The same won’t be said for T&T, who are not to be fooled with.
“It will be a very big game”. We’ll see whether or not Columbus Crew midfielder Kevan George – who played 28 minutes off the bench in Guatemala – and San Jose Earthquakes attacker Cordell Cato get in on the action, too. I didn’t agree with it. I think most of the usa soccer community didn’t agree with it. But it is what it is.
“We’ve all talked about how it’s going to be a battle out there physically and mentally and it’s something you have to be prepared for”, Bobby Wood said. If Jones is unable to play, look for Kyle Beckerman to start in his place. Move Fabian Johnson back to left back and but Tim Ream on the right and find another winger OR give Brek Shea a start at left back with Ream on the right.
Can the U.S. double its points on Tuesday?
Beyond the respective performances for the US squad, Klinsmann will continue monitoring Howard and Guzan with Everton and Aston Villa, respectively. They were actually cheering for each other, they were there for each other, and then I had to make a decision before the World Cup in 2006, which was very hard, and the way Oliver Kahn took it was unbelievably exceptional.
U.S. men’s national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has never been afraid to speak his mind, and in video statements released on Sunday by US Soccer (watch here), Klinsmann brushed off criticism of the USA’s youth squads.
Of the nine games the two countries have played there since 1982, none have been decided by more than a goal. And that’s what we’re going to try to do tomorrow night.
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To put into perspective just how long ago that historic match was, numerous players for both teams playing Tuesday weren’t even born when Caligiuri scored his famous goal.
