Bob Bradley Dismissed

Bob Bradley is OUT.  The USSF announced today that Bob Bradley has been dismissed as the coach of the US Men's National Team.  The announcement ends a run of over four years at the helm for Bob, who compiled a 43-25-12 record through 80 matches in charge.   The change comes at an awkward time for the program, as Grant Wahl reported that the coaches were working on player notifications for the forthcoming USA-Mexico friendly in 13 days.  If that's to be believed, then one can only surmise that negotiations for the incoming coach had simply taken around a month to finally finalize. 

The USSF is making a "further announcement" tomorrow around 12pm EST, which is heavily rumored to be the new manager announcement.  Grant Wahl tweeted earlier today that the new man will be "someone that US fans are familiar with."  So good money (and most rumored) is on Jurgen Klinsmann.  Other names that continue to pop up include Peter Nowak, Jason Kreis, and Marcelo Lippi. 

What is my take?  I personally think that Bob Bradley has simply taken the US as far as he could.  Any and everyone could see that the US system had begun to stagnate and that time for a change was fast approaching.  I would like to personally thank Bob Bradley for everything that he and his staff have accomplished over the last four+ years, but time for change is now. 

2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup: What Went Right

I've been strained for time here at NP, but one thing I have made sure to do in my sparse spare time is watch every US match for the entirety of the tournament...expect the final 65 minutes of the final, which would have required me to purchase a new TV.  But that's for another post on another day.  I want to discuss the positives from the US point of view exiting this tournament. 

1.) The Return of Freddy Adu
The US poster boy for over-hype and crazy expectations shut up an entire soccer nation.  Millions of US fans, and yours truly, doubted, criticized, and lambasted Bob Bradley for picking a player who hadn't played in the US kit in over two years, nor who had played top flight football for most of the past season.  Adu proved everyone wrong, and even showed off a bit of humble pie following his performance against Panama in the semi-finals.  It was his inch-perfect pass to Landon Donovan that created the games only goal.  Bob Bradley can chalk this one up in the win column.  Now all Freddy has to do is find a top flight club where he can get significant minutes, be that in Portugal, Turkey, France, Denmark, wherever.  It's impossible not to cheer for Adu at this point.

2.) Offensive Chance Taking
Let me say before I start that this is about CHANCE TAKING, not CHANCE FINISHING.  Two completely different things.  Through the six Gold Cup matches the United States reeled off an incredible 90 shots for an average of 15 per game.  That's an impressive clip and shows signs of a positive offensive mindset.  With Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore leading the line (until Altidore's injury in the quarter-finals), the US' attack was taking chances. 

3.) US Role Players on the Rise
Kudos to Alejandro Bedoya, who for some peculiar reason was left off the initial Gold Cup roster.  Easily earned the US' hustle award for the entirety of the tournament.  His high work rate was a welcome jolt of energy in to a defense that seemed more content to keep shape and allow teams to control the ball in front of them.  Bedoya's charges turned the ball over in the US' favor and his never-ceasing cascades down the right flank whilst Landon Donovan recover from some unknown ailment made him a all tournament performer in my book for the U.S.  Sacha Kljestan is another who's time in Europe is proving key for his development as a player.  No longer is he a straight-forward single minded player, but a well rounded central midfielder, able to possess and distribute accordingly. 

4.) Left Fullback Conundrum? SolvedWelcome to the show Eric Lichaj.  The 22 year old Aston Villa man has made a place for himself on the left flank of the US team.  It was Lichaj's inclusion starting with the Guadeloupe game that started a US 3-game shutout run.  Lichaj's physical grit and pace down the left flank hasn't been seen since Heath Pearce did so for the US during 2008.  This one is solved for Bradley and Co.

So what does everyone think about the positive of the Gold Cup?  Any you think I missed?  Let me know in the comments!

Apologies for the delays.  Life it seems is finally catching up with me.  Post's are nowhere near as frequent, but not because I don't care.  It's simply that summer school, work, and some personal issues have hampered my free time and sapped my strength.  Will be taking a leave of absence for awhile, possibly with the occasional post concerning the US matches or player transfers.  I refer everyone to the Shin Guardian for complete coverage of US Soccer.  Thank you all.

COME ON YOU YANKS!

Picking Up the Pieces: Spain 4, USA 0

No review for this, since not a lot went right, except ticket sales.  Back later tonight with a Canada preview.  Don't flip out just yet. 

USA vs. Spain Impromptu, Short & Sweet Preview

Almost two years to the day that the U.S. beat up on the European and World Cup Champion Spain in South Africa.  The United States' gauntlet of CONCACAF Gold Cup preparation matches concludes this Saturday with a long awaited rematch of CONCACAF and UEFA powerhouses.  Gone are Charlie Davies and Jay DeMerit, whose roles in that match proved to be the difference, gone also is Benny Feilhaber, the catalyst for the second goal. 

Here is what we know though.  It. Is. Spain.  Expect your typical beautiful, intricate passing moves in an effort to try and break down the US backline.  But this Spain team is not without it's own key players.  Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas, Carles Puyol, and Jesus Navas are absent.  But typical of Spain, their depth is unmatched.  Here is a likely starting 11 for La Furia Roja:

With the absence of Xavi, the attack will likely flow through the feet of Iniesta, out wide to Silva and Pedro, then lashed in to a box-rushing Villa, or cut back for a distance shot from Xabi or Busquets. 

Simple enough with Spain, but what the U.S. will do is really difficult to predict, as Bob Bradley has shown with his insane roster call-ups, but that's neither here nor there.  The U.S. will play in one of two formations; the 4-5-1 they employed vs. Argentina which worked for a half or so, or the 4-4-2 which didn't really serve them so well vs. Paraguay.  Knowing the conservative Bob Bradley like we do, we figure he'll go with the 4-5-1, in a manner resembling this:

The midfield triumvirate of Jones/Edu/Bradley will try to contain the short passing and movement ahead of the back four, with Jones the likely candidate to draw the assignment on Iniesta.  The U.S. seems to favor an attack down the opponents left flank, this time towards Capdevila, which worked wonders for them last time.  Recall that it was Capdevila who was tossed aside by Jozy for the first U.S. goal, and then a turnover from Spain's left led to the counter-attack for the second.  Worked last time, why not have another go?  Capdevila is two years elder now at 33, and with a blossoming Dempsey and youthful Jozy pounding away, one would think that the U.S. can come away with one or perhaps even two again at his expense. 

Look for younger, inexperienced guys like Eric Lichaj and Tim Ream to get an extended run out for this match, they need the experience.  Throw in Freddy Adu, Juan Agudelo, and Alejandro Bedoya into that mix as well.