Rough Game

Brutal. Not really sure how else to describe yesterday's game. Just a really rough way to end our World Cup. A few post-game thoughts:

1) Obviously, hindsight is 20-20, and it is easy for us to pick apart Bradley's coaching decisions after they turn out to be duds. But, we need more from our manager. Ricardo Clark played bad against England and helped hand them a goal. Therefore, he sits out the next two matches. Then, he inexplicably starts yesterday, turns the ball over in an extremely dangerous area, and we are punished with a goal in the 6th minute. About 10 minutes later, Clark picks up a yellow card for a silly challenge. Bradley subs him out 15 minutes after that. For a frame of reference, Bradley made one substitution before halftime in all of the qualification and world cup matches before yesterday; it was because of an injury. The decision to start Clark altered our entire gameplan. When we really could have used a sub, we didn't have any left. I am not sure what Clark has been doing in practice, but it must be really impressive. Edu is clearly the better, smarter option. Until Clark proves himself on a big stage, there is simply no way he should be starting.

Findley was another crazy decision. In the first two matches of the world cup, Findley created very little and failed to capitalize when other players created for him. This was exactly what happened yesterday. The partnership of Findley and Jozy was never going to be enough. When Findley had a great scoring chance from about 6 yards out, he fired directly at the goalie. I'm not sure why Bradley was so bent on starting Findley.

When it comes down to it, Bradley's player selections were poor. He was asking a lot from players who have not shown they can deliver. It's hard to justify why Buddle did not get any playing time yesterday. Ok, I think you get the idea.

2) Where is our finishing? Jozy did not have a single goal during tournament, but yet he had soooo many chances. The same goes for Findley. If we want to be a great team (and yes, we are capable of that) then we need to finish a greater percentage of our opportunities! Our forwards need to want the ball and command attention. They don't do that right now. Jozy is clearly part of our future, but he needs to improve. I wasn't really considering it until yesterday, but how much different would our tournament have been with Charlie Davies?!?! Davies has an "it" factor that none of the others do. I hope he can keep developing, improving and rehabbing. It would be fantastic to see him in our squad in 2014. (For those of you with limited soccer knowledge, Davies was involved in a very serious car accident and suffered severe injuries which prevented him from being on our squad.)

3) The toughest thing about the loss is that we outplayed Ghana. They capitalized on two huge mistakes by our team. Other than that, they created very little. I already discussed Ricardo Clark's turnover in the defensive third of the field. Going into extra time, we looked like the likelier team to score. Within three minutes Ghana creates a goal from nothing as Bocanegra is out of position and shoved off the ball too easily. It was one of those plays that makes you realize how athletically inferior we are to most of the other teams. I think we can all agree that if the game had gone to penalty kicks, our money would have been with Tim Howard.

4) We need to develop defenders that are soccer players. I think we all should applaud Demerit and Bocanegra, but they simply cannot keep up with top-class strikers. If Onyewu had played, he probably would have suffered a similar fate. Additionally, our defenders need to be better with the ball. Like Ryan said, it is so valuable to have centerbacks that can distribute and kickstart a scoring opportunity. Too often, our defenders just bomb the ball down field. We need to improve in this area if we want to reach the next level of international soccer. I think it is safe to assume that Demerit, Bocanegra, Cherundolo and possibly Onyewu will not be in our squad four years from now. So we need to find the next wave of defenders.

5) I know it seems like this whole post is negative, but there are some positives that we can take away from this World Cup. First, we won our group. Second, we still have some good, young talent that will take a lot away from this tournament. For example, Michael Bradley played great, and I've never been a big fan of his. But he proved that he can play on the big stage. I also think the whole experience will do great things for Jozy. He needs to improve the mental aspect of his game, and I think he will. Keep in mind, he is only 20 years old. So there is plenty of time for him to expand his game.

Overall, our team played well for stretches of the World Cup. But we were consistently plagued by mental and physical lapses. We got caught out of position too frequently, and our opponents made us pay. Well, it's four more years until we get another crack it. In August we play Brazil in an exhibition match in New Jersey. It will be very interesting to see what our lineup looks like. I hope that it includes some fresh faces because we all know that preparation for the 2014 World Cup starts now.

Other Cup News: Despite the US being out, there is still tons of great soccer to go. Look for Germany v. Argentina on Saturday. That should be a classic. Also, Brazil plays Chile tomorrow and Spain faces Portugal on Tuesday. Both of those matches are worth watching. I'll be rooting for Spain the rest of the way. I might try to preview some of these later matches if people are interested. Thanks for putting up with the US previews. If the blog is still up and running in four years, we will have to do it again! Haha!

Do good and be good.

Jon

United States-Ghana Preview

First, please see the picture above! A picture speaks a thousand words; so I'll let it speak for itself.

We won our group, something we have not done since 1930. We are into the round of 16. So let's keep this thing rolling! It won't be easy, but we are certainly capable of beating Ghana. They play a different style than any of our previous world cup opponents. Ghana is big, physical and fast. Our team has not always dealt very well with teams like Ghana. Also, Ghana beat us 2-1 in the 2006 World Cup. So there may be a bit of a revenge factor as well. However, Ghana is not the most organized team in the competition, and their defense has looked shaky at times. We should be able to create a few great chances. The key will be capitalizing on them, which we weren't able to do very well in the Algeria game. You have to like our chances.

Five Things to Watch:

1) Does Onyewu play? Wow, we have talked about him a lot on the blog, and there seems to be a difference of opinion about his level of play. I was shocked when he didn't play against Algeria, but it's tough to complain about him being left out. Bocanegra (the hot one according to my wife) moved from leftback to take Onyewu's spot in the center of defense. This allowed Bornstein to step in and play leftback. Honestly, I am not a huge Bornstein fan, but he played pretty decently against Algeria. Coach Bradley might want Bornstein's speed on the field against Ghana, but he might also want Onyewu's physical presence. We will all have to wait and see what the coach decides to do.

2) Does Findley start again? I mentioned last blog that Findley had to sit out against Algeria because of his two yellow cards. Now he is eligible to play again. So does he automatically regain his starting spot? Or will Bradley opt to continue with Gomez/Buddle who both created a few good chances vs. Algeria? It will be tough to keep Findley off the field simply because of his speed. Keep an eye on who starts at forward with Jozy. It will tell you a lot about Bradley's game plan.

3) Midfield. The pairing of Edu and Bradley seemed to work pretty well in the first half against Algeria. But, Ghana's midfield is certainly faster and stronger than Algeria's. This is the area of the field that worries me most. I think Edu deserves another start. He has the ability to play tough defense in the middle, which is exactly what we need. For all my constant complaining about Michael Bradley, he has been very solid so far. We need that to continue. If we can close down space in the midfield, we should win.

4) Timmy Howard. He will probably have to make a few clutch saves. But, he will. One of the best goalies in the competition. Plus, he started the counterattack that won the match against Algeria. With a fast and somewhat disorganized Ghanaian team, there should be plenty of chances for Howard to get similar counterattacks going. We just might need one.

5) Landon. Maybe I don't even need to say this anymore, but he needs to be the best player on the field. Like any other sport, star players create their own luck. They always seem to be in the right place at the right time. Donovan's goal against Algeria was another example of that. He needs to use his smarts and pick apart the Ghanaian defense. Like I said previously, we will get our chances. It's just a matter of converting them. If Donovan is the best US player ever, then he needs to continue to prove it, every game. At this point, we should all be confident that he will.

Conclusion: Let's get this win! It's certainly a winnable game but also, scary. I have confidence in our team. If we get by Ghana, we play the winner of South Korea-Uruguay. Either one of those teams is beatable as well. Get ready.

Reminder: The game is Saturday (tomorrow) at 1:30pm central. It will be on ABC. So, use the morning to mentally prepare yourself (like I will be doing), get a nice lunch in your stomach, grab a great six pack, and enjoy a US victory.

Hopefully, the next blog will be a preview and not a recap!

I hope everyone is doing well!

-Jon

US-Algeria Preview

Wow! The game Friday against Slovenia was quite the roller-coaster. We give up an early goal (what else is new), then follow that up with another goal shortly before halftime. WTF! Luckily, our team fought back and should have been awarded the victory, but obviously, the soccer gods (and the ref) were against us on Friday. But, the 2-2 draw was a great result considering all of the adversity involved. So, now we have to win on Wednesday! If we win, we move on. Let's keep is that simple. Game is at 9am on Wednesday, and England-Slovenia play at the exact same time. (BTW, photo for this blog was taken at the Nomad before the US-Slovenia game on Friday. Can you tell how packed it was? Well, it only got worse...but it still fun)

I must confess, I watched the entire, mind-numbing game between Algeria and England; it ended 0-0. If there was one thing that stood out about Algeria, it was there ability to play solid defense. I still have major questions about their goalie, who has only made one international start. But, I cannot deny their ability to defend. Luckily for us, Algeria can't move on if it doesn't win. So they won't be able to just sit back and play defense. That should open the game up a bit for our offense.

Jon, what are the keys to beating Algeria? Well, faithful-blog-reader, I'm glad you asked, because I've been giving it a lot of thought. Five keys to the match:

1) Midfield defense: Both of Slovenia's goals were at least partially due to our lack of defending in the midfield. Bradly and his partner (Edu or Clark most likely) have to do a better job of closing down space. They can't let Algeria have open shots or runs at goal from 25 yds away.

2) Clint Dempsey: where was he against Slovenia?! He should have been carded about 50 seconds into the game! We need him to play better, create for his teammates, and beat people one v. one. There is a chance that he starts at forward, which alters his gameplay a lot. Regardless, we need more from him.

3) Jozy Altidore: He had moments against Slovenia. For example, he set up the tying goal with a great header, and won the freekick that should have won us the game. Jozy, more of that! Sometimes he just loses his focus. He had a great chance to take the goalie on in the first half against Slovenia, but he inexplicably lost the ball. He needs to be consistent.

4) Onyewu: He is up and down. First half against Slovenia, he was bad. Second half, he was much better. We need his imposing presence on defense and for set pieces/corner kicks. His size could be a real advantage against Algeria.

5) Landon Donovan: the best player on the field. He single-handedly got us back into the Slovenia game. His assist should have won us the game. And, his goal just after halftime was the turning point. He is possibly the only player on our team who could have converted that goal. We should all expect big things from him; he is the best US soccer player ever, so I think it's fair to ask a lot. If he plays well, we should win.

I don't think I need to say it again, we need to win. We should win. Algeria is solid, but in a must win game, we have to be able to beat them, otherwise we don't belong in the round of 16.

Questions, comments, analysis, criticism of my analysis....all of these are appreciated.

Remember the game is 9am Wednesday. (That's 5pm Israeli time if my math is correct...) Anyone is welcome at my place to watch the game. I'll probably be decked out in the US jersey sipping some lakefront and eating a muffin from Alterra. Not sure I can complain about any of that.

Hope everyone is doing well. Sorry to be inundating you all with lots of blogs, but there is just too much good stuff going on right now.

Go USA

BWBB

Hey everyone,
Obviously, the world cup has temporarily taken over the blog, but a new bi-weekly beer blog is still in order. This will be the first BWBB featuring the "new" beer rating system suggested by Mr. Michael Ruiz. Each beer will be given a rating from 1 to 10 pints glasses. Looking back through past BWBBs, I have noticed that I tend to only feature beers that I consider good. But what is the fun in that? So I am going to be mixing in both good and bad from here on out.

This week's featured beer is Bear Republic's Racer 5 IPA. I tried this beer last weekend at Sugar Maple. (The awesome photo above was taken by me) Bear Republic is located in Healdsburg, CA, and I have heard lots of good things; so I decided to give it a try. I should mention that the beer comes in at 7% ABV.

So, how does it taste? Honestly folks, I was not digging it. I thought the beer was really citrusy and overwhelmingly fruity. I could have used a bit more malt as well. One other aspect that I did not like was the lack of carbonation. I don't expect lots of carbonation, but a bit more would have been nice. On the positive side, there is a nice hint of caramel which lingers with each taste. Overall though, I was underimpressed. There was nothing unique or different about this IPA. I was expecting bigger things from this brew that Bear Republic claims is "The Best IPA in the USA."

Racer 5 gets 4 out of 10 pint glasses. I would maybe(?) give it another try, but I would do so reluctantly! Has anyone else tried this beer before? I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts.

Related Note: Sprecher came out with a new beer yesterday. It's called Belgian Dubbel. (Thanks to Emily for this tip.) I can't wait to try it.

Totally Unrelated Note: Look for a US preview in the next day or so. We play again Wednesday at 9am. Go find yourself a tv and a good beer! If we win, we move on. Let's hope we don't have to get into any crazy scenarios involving a draw.

Until next time, do good and be good.

World Cup: Analyzing Our Team

First things first, let's talk about how the US played against England. Overall, it certainly was not the best performance. Giving up a goal in the 4th minute of the game always forces your hand, and it definitely affected our game. However, we played our hearts out after getting a gifted goal. Keeping the game 1-1 was a victory considering the circumstances. Remember when I said that Tim Howard would have to make some big saves for us to have a chance, well DAMN WAS I RIGHT! Timmy probably had eight fantastic saves that kept us tied. There is some talk that he may have broken a rib or two, but I am confident he'll be out there when the US takes on Slovenia on Friday.

Three positives to take from the England game:
1) The center of our defense. Wow, for all the talk I did about Rooney, did he do anything? Demerit and Onyewu were absolutely rock solid in defense.

2) Tim Howard. One of the best goalies in the world cup. A stud. Enough said.

3) Donovan played really well. Both he and Dempsey had a role in most of our threatening plays. Donovan had a couple of fantastic crosses that could have been in the back of the net. They need to keep doing it for us to succeed.

Three negatives that need to be corrected:
1) The center midfield was below average. Ricardo Clark and Michael Bradley turned the ball over wayyyyy too many times! It nearly cost us a goal on multiple occasions. Also, Clark lost his man on England's goal. That can't happen at this level. We need to start the game against Slovenia with a different midfield pairing.

2) I'm not going to say that Robbie Findley played bad, but he wasn't the answer to partner with Jozy. Findley is out there for his speed, but he rarely beat his defender with it. I might start Buddle in place of Findley against Slovenia.

3) Ball control left a lot to be desired. Jozy needs to hold up the ball better until help arrives. The midfielders need to quit turning the ball over. And, our defenders need to distribute the ball better.

Closing US Thoughts:
one point against England was a victory. But we need to win on Friday. Slovenia is leading the group right now with three points. We should be able to get lots of quality chances and win the game. If we do that, we are set up to move through the group. If not, it might be over.

As always, I will be watching Friday at 9am. I hope you all will too. It is a monster game that makes or breaks our tournament, and I fully expect us to win!

World Cup Thoughts:
Argentina was supremely disappointing. One goal against Nigeria? They better get it together. Similarly, Italy looked brutal against Paraguay. They were lucky to escape with a draw. It'll be interesting to see how those teams evolve as the tournament progresses.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, great wins by South Korea and Ghana. Ghana might be a team to watch. They can win games with their speed and physicality.

Well, that's all for now. I encourage everyone's thoughts, questions and comments. Go USA!

World Cup Preview

I've been thinking about how I want to blog for the World Cup. As many of you know, I have been anticipating this World Cup for about four years. When the US crashed out early in 2006, I was already thinking about 2010. So, I am promising previews for all of the US soccer matches. I will try my best to include little tidbits about other matches, but my focus will be the US.

First, let's get to the basics. The World Cup starts this Friday, June 11. The host nation this year is South Africa, and the matches are played at ten(?) different stadiums within the country. There are 32 countries represented. Those 32 are divided into eight groups of four. Each group has a letter name. (For example, the US is playing in Group C) Every team plays the other three teams in their group one time. For each game, the winning team receives 3 points; if the game ends in a tie, then both teams receive 1 point. After all the teams in a group have played eachother, the points are added up, and the top two teams in the group advance to the round of 16. The rest of the tournament proceeds in single elimination knockout style until one team is left standing. Questions?!?! Haha, I did the best I could while trying to keep it relatively simple.

I should also note a few other things: 1) every game is on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 2) Since the games are taking place in South Africa, kickoff in the United States is somewhat early. Some matches start as early as 6:30am central.

Alright, let's move to the soccer. The United States is grouped with England, Algeria and Slovenia. Pretty much everybody and their mama is picking England and the US to advance out of this group. BUT, things are never quite so simple in the World Cup. Our first match of the cup kicks off at 1:30pm central on Saturday, and we play England. Whichever team wins that game is probably advancing to the knockout stage. Needless to say, a huge game for us! Most of the world is picking England to beat us, but not sooooooooo fast! One thing our team has is a scrappy spirit, and because of that, we can pull off an upset in any match.

So, let's take a relatively brief look at some of the key members of our squad. (Sorry if I omitted anybody's favorite player, ha)

1) Landon Donovan: If we are going to make some noise this year, it starts with Landon. He generally plays as an attacking midfielder on either the left or the right side, but he can play as a forward as well. At 28, this will already be his third world cup. Can he be consistently the best player on the field?

2) Clint Dempsey: Another guy who we need to play big. Clint will play as an attacking midfielder opposite Donovan or as a forward. He brings a flair and attitude that nobody else does.

3) Tim Howard: Our goalie. He is rock solid in goal and might end up winning some games for us. He will probably have to come up with some major saves on Saturday in order for us to win.

4) Jozy Altidore: A big striker who combines speed and physicality. If Landon and Clint can get him the ball in good positions, then I like Jozy's chances.

5) Carlos Bocanegra: Our most versatile defender. He will probably start at leftback, but he could just as easily play centerback too.

6) Jay Demerit: Born and raised in Green Bay! He will have to play tough, physical defense at centerback for us to advance in the tournament.

7) Oguchi Onyewu: Gooch has struggled since recently coming back from a knee injury. Our team needs him to play and play well. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and built like a tank, he might be the most physically imposing defender in the entire tournament.

Saturday at 1:30pm our quest for the cup begins. No doubt, England has great individual talent, better than us. So what can we do?

A) Keep track of Wayne Rooney. Rooney is one of the most dangerous players in the tournament. He can score in the blink of an eye, and he plays tremendous defense. But, sometimes he loses his cool. If we frustrate him for the first half hour, then maybe we can keep him from having a huge game. Our midfielders also have to be willing and able to help defend Rooney. If they don't, it could be a long day.

B)Hold our own in the midfield. England has fantastic midfielders like Gerrard and Lampard. We cannot let them run free. Michael Bradley and whoever partners with him (Edu or Clark probably) need to close down space in the middle of the field. We also need Donovan and Dempsey to help contain England's big names. This might force us to sacrifice some of our attacking ability, but it's probably the only choice we have.

C) Forwards need to hold the ball. If there is one frustrating thing about watching our team, it's the inability of our forwards to hold onto the ball. It is absolutely necessary that Jozy and his partner (possibly Dempsey, Findley or Buddle) win some balls in the air and hold the ball until our midfielders can join in the attack. If they can do this, then it will help set up our counterattack...which is probably our best chance to score.

D) Donovan. Did I mention him yet? Yes, we need him to play big. He is probably going to be matched up head to head with England's leftback, Ashley Cole. Well, when they met earlier this year with their club teams, Donovan absolutely brutalized Cole. Without a doubt, Cole is one of the best leftbacks in the world, but Donovan can beat him. If Lando has a couple of good opportunities to cross the ball or get into the box, then I fully expect us to score. The same can be said for Dempsey on the other side of the field. If he can win his battle over there, then I like our chances to get a goal....or two....or three.

Overall, we need a great team effort and solid game-plan to pull out the victory on Saturday. If we can get the first goal, then England will feel a lot of pressure and change their strategy. No matter the result on Saturday, we can still qualify for the knockout stage. I am predicting a 1-1 tie, but my heart is saying, "We win 2-1!" It should be an excellent match with all the enthusiasm and excitement that the World Cup deserves. I hope you will all be watching.

Additional note: South Africa opens the tournament against Mexico at 9am on Friday. Don't sleep on South Africa. They will come out flying in their first game on their own turf. I wouldn't be surprised if they have an opportunity to win the game against Mexico.

Ok, much more World Cup coverage coming in the next few weeks. I am confident we will be ready to play on Saturday. I look forward to hearing anyone else's thoughts or questions. Thanks for reading...if you made it to this point, haha.

El secreto de sus ojos

Hey folks,

Yes, I know. I promised a World Cup preview blog. It's coming. Hold your horses. I'm still trying to mentally process everything I saw from the United States team on Saturday. But, I just wanted to write a quick blog about a really great movie C and I saw last night.

The film is called The Secret in Their Eyes. The film is definitely a crime thriller, and it won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film this year. The story takes place in Argentina during the late 90s, but there are many flashbacks to the 70s. Basically, a brutal murder from the main character's past still haunts him. In an attempt to reconcile his past, he begins writing a novel based on the murder. This leads to a whole bunch of good plots twists. The way the film weaves the present with the past is probably its best element. The end does not disappoint.

Side note: Those of you in Milwaukee should check out Cafe Corazon. It's located in Riverwest on Bremen just north of Burleigh. C and I ate dinner there Saturday night, and it was fantastic. Cheap and great mexican food. Plus, all the beef comes from the owner's family farm in Waupon, WI. Added bonus: it's right near Nessun Dorma. So just pop over there afterward and have some great beer.

Alright, next blog will be the world cup preview....I promise.

Until then, do good and be good.

BWBB

Beer drinkers, it's your lucky day. Here comes the next installment of the BWBB.

So, the other day I was cruising through Outpost with walnut burgers in hand, and I noticed Peak Organic Brewing Company's IPA. My initial thought was "Damn, do I really want to buy a beer from Portland, Maine?" But, I figured I should be open to trying new things, especially organic beers. Well, I was not disappointed.

For starters, the price tag (atleast at Outpost) was a bit steep. $9.50 for a six pack. But, there are much worse things to spend money on than good beer. Peak's IPA comes in at 7.1% ABV, relatively average for an IPA. Immediately upon opening, you can smell the hops and a hint of citrus. I actually love the aroma of this beer. It isn't overly floral or citrusy but provides hints of each.

As for taste, Peak IPA is hoppy. There is a bit of bitterness, but the overwhelming taste is hop. You also get a little citrus and malt flavor. The blend of flavors works really well. Some (possibly many) IPAs are just insanely hoppy but lack any distinct taste. Well, Peak's breaks that mold. I thoroughly enjoyed my three bottles of Peak IPA. Actually, that brings me to another characteristic: drinkability. This IPA is really easy to drink, maybe too easy for 7.1% ABV. After three bottles, I could have had one or two more.

Overall, a totally solid IPA that I would purchase again. In fact, I'd love to try some of Peak's other brews. I was browsing their site, and the King Crimson Imperial Red Ale caught my eye. I'm not sure where I could even find that, but if anyone has any ideas, let me know. I know that I can buy the Nut Brown Ale; so maybe I'll have to give that a try.

As always, any beer suggestions for the next installment of the BWBB are appreciated. I am thinking my next blog will be a World Cup Preview. All you soccer fans can start drooling now. I hope everyone is doing well, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time, be good and do good.