It was all part of that aggressive drive into the expanding US soccer market that began almost accidentally with the signing of Dempsey but continued logically with Friedel's apportionment as club ambassador to the US and us playing our pre season out there, then went back to the bizarre with Yedlin's signing. Although tbh at £4m he was worth a punt and wasn't all too bad for Sunderland last season. At the very least, we can recoup the money we've spent on him...more than can be said about a certain David Bentley.
Contrasting fortunes for Lamela and Yedlin last night: Lamela played the last twenty or so minutes as Argentina reached the final, while Yedlin played ninety minutes of a 4-0 loss...to Argentina.
It’s official: The US is 1,000 times worse at football than Iceland, with a poorer team and 1,000 times the population. Contrary to all expectation, the US has gone steadily downhill since a highwater mark of outplaying Germany (and getting robbed) in the 2002 World Cup. I’m no expert, but I think the biggest problem may be the belief that the best young players don’t have to go abroad. There may be a lot of players now, and the level of play may be half-decent, but if the best US 12 and 14 year olds stay in this country they won’t be pushed, or push themselves, the way they would if they were playing with the best 12 and 14 year olds in Spain, Germany or Argentina.
I think you need a World Series of Soccer to instill confidence. Of course, only the U.S and Canada will be eligible to take part.
I wonder if Chile are the best team in the world.Up to their Argentina game they were brilliant.Against Argentina it was war!Players getting chopped all over the field. Reminded me of that old Wimbledon team......
Watching all the teams in action, I thought Argentina and Chile were the two best teams in the world. It’s not so much that Argentina had the most talent, though they did. It was that both teams had an intensity that the big European teams lacked.
Makes a change from the various one-sided "rivalries" the England team has against other nations who just aren't interested.
