MSU Red Cedar Message Board

To me, the most frustrating part of the game was watching Pappa's perfect free kick after Gomez and Jones sent two balls into outer space.

I agree. Bradley is not a scorer in any traditional sense. His cleans up messes well, and in this case he did his job of drawing the defensive attention for a striker making their run. A quality forward finishes their run regardless.....end of sentence, full-stop. The US has had people whose production outweighed their talent because of their work ethic in this regard (McBride, Wynalda). Altidore cannot use youth as an excuse. He has 48 caps for the USMNT and he's playing quite well for AZ in Holland, which is a strong league that emphasizes technical skills. At the very least, he finishes that run to try to force a defender or the keeper to cheat toward himself so Bradley gets more space.

In addition to the seeming belief that there are field-goal posts in soccer and blasts into the stands count for something, that Altidore play was a perfect example of what plagues the team right now offensively. Soccer is a game where seemingly small mistakes take away opportunities and goals. We are not a team that has the talent to cover for such errors. Same thing for a young Fabian Johnson fouling Carlos Ruiz in a bad spot when he had done well against a pesky and experienced forward, especially in the first half. Given his recent injury, I was surprised Klinsmann had him go the full 90.

Little things can turn a win into a draw. We need to be better....end of sentence, full-stop.

That's a rivalry match-up.....all bets are off, always have been. Mexico has more talent right now, no doubt, and recent results have shown that is true. They do have a tendency against the US for bone-headed moments that get punished. The US has traditionally been good at punishing mistakes against Mexico. If the game is on Mexican soil, the conditions (fans, stadium, home-field, bags of piss, etc.) favor Mexico in a big way. Unless the USSF games the stadium for a qualifier, if they're interested in selling tickets, it is still a home-field advantage for Mexico anywhere in the US.

Can the US beat Mexico? Yes. A friendly in Mexico given current form for both sides.....I don't think so, but despite the word "friendly," it won't be. But it always is a good test for both teams as it's as passionate a game as you'll find from minute one......

If the point is to sell tickets, it's always a huge Mexican advantage in terms of the crowd. I was at the Gold Cup final in Chicago in 2007....easily 90% Mexico support. Games in LA, Arizona, etc. all show the same dynamic. Every friendly, and every CONCACAF controlled event is about selling tickets, so advantage Mexico anywhere it's played.

Now WC qualifiers is a different story. We've been playing Mexico in Columbus over the past decade. Small stadium....tickets go to Crew and USMNT supporters and groups. An allotment goes to the Mexican federation, but the USSF wisely spreads that out in the stadium so there isn't a Mexican section. There is very little if any true public sale. And if the game is in February, well, that's not Mexican weather in an Ohio winter. The USSF has figured out how to get a home-field advantage against Mexico when it's needed.....

Ok let's not pretend teams don't drop points all over the place in inexplicable ways in qualifying. England is definitly not exempt from that either. The general formula for qualifying easily is win at home and draw on the road. Yes we should beat Guatemala but a point is all we need. Jozy had a good season in the Netherlands but apparently took three weeks off after the season and came into camp out of shape. He will probably be somewhat of an enigma his whole career with the US. He is what he is. He's no Emile Hesky.

In his defense, his club wouldn't release him until very late in the camp (weeks after the season ended) - a situation which really pissed of JK.

People don't attend friendlies in Mexico, so that's why Mexico only plays in Mexico during qualifiers. There are a few rare exceptions (for example, we played Spain at Azteca last year and there was a decent crowd), but it holds true for the most part.

They started taking our friendlies to the U.S. long before Mexico became "unsafe," and that's because the Mexican-Americans seem to 'effin love friendlies and pack the stadiums for them.

Is there a rule that a nation has to play their qualifying home games in their home nation?

Hypothetically, Guayana "at" Mexico. Does it draw a bigger crowd in the Rose Bowl than the 80,000 it drew in Azteca?

They've moved them because of "crappy stadium" situations as well, have they not?

True, I was thinking that if Mexico wanted to play their qualifying games in the US, it only hurts Mexico from a home field advantage standpoint.

But I guess that's not entirely different in theory than if Guyana chose to play their home game in the US, which would obviously benefit Mexico, and be effectively selling their home game by reaping the cash that the Mexican fans would bring in.