{"id":53737,"date":"2016-06-22T10:55:02","date_gmt":"2016-06-22T17:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=53737"},"modified":"2016-06-22T20:59:09","modified_gmt":"2016-06-23T03:59:09","slug":"just-joshing-around-the-pitch-6222016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=53737","title":{"rendered":"Just Joshing Around the Pitch: 6\/22\/2016"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"USA vs. Argentina | 2016 Copa America Highlights\" width=\"520\" height=\"293\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/idbDNF-F5ek?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_53111\" style=\"width: 229px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/JoshO.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-53111\" class=\" wp-image-53111\" src=\"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/JoshO-576x768.jpg\" alt=\"Josh Ouellette\" width=\"219\" height=\"292\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-53111\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Josh Ouellette<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p>By Josh Ouellette<\/p>\n<p>Well. That didn\u2019t go exactly well for the United States Men\u2019s National Team. But at least it was better than a 7-0 loss to Chile.<\/p>\n<p>As great as the Copa America was, and will be, for America\u2026 It still stings going out 4-0.<\/p>\n<p>But considering there was no Bobby Wood pushing forward the counter attack, no Jermaine Jones helping Michael Bradley hold down the midfield, and no Alejandro Bedoya to close down all over the pitch and offer U.S. defenders an outlet\u2026 It still stings going out 4-0.<\/p>\n<p>DeAndre Yedlin returned and stabilized the USMNT back line. Well, sort of. Allowing four goals isn\u2019t the epitome of settled.<\/p>\n<p>But the other changes J\u00fcrgen Klinsmann made to the roster were sort of, well, meh. It was pretty easy to assume Kyle Beckerman would fill in for Jones. And while yesterday wasn\u2019t his day, that\u2019s not the decision that bugs me. And neither is Graham Zusi slotting into the left side of the midfield.<\/p>\n<p>Starting Chris Wondolowski wouldn\u2019t have been my choice, but what do I know, I\u2019m sitting on a couch screaming at a TV (or if it\u2019s yesterday we\u2019re talking about, a district classroom watching on my phone). And that\u2019s not the decision that bugs me. Well, it bugs me a little bit because Wondo has a penchant for not showing up in big games (2013 Gold Cup excluded), but that\u2019s not really my issue.<\/p>\n<p>My issue is that with Klinsmann\u2019s personnel decisions he didn\u2019t account for formation changes. By playing Gyasi Zardes and Zusi out on the outer wings of the four-man midfield they didn\u2019t have the ability to supply Clint Dempsey and Wondo consistently.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_50812\" style=\"width: 248px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Tangent-Dreams-School-Football-Novel\/dp\/0692588175\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1461875543&amp;sr=1-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-50812\" class=\" wp-image-50812\" src=\"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/tangentdreams_jpg-594x768.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;Anyone who has a kid trying out for his High School football team needs to read this book. Torosian has taken his 20 some years of reporting on Prep sports, mixed a healthy dose of San Gabriel Valley insider references and created a very readable first effort.&quot; &quot;A page turner...I'm sorry it's over! Is a sequel in the works?&quot; &quot;Torosian does for high school football what Hemingway did for the Spanish Civil War...compelling look beyond the scoreboard and into the lives of players...&quot; &quot;A truly great story unfolds in the pages of Joe Torosian's first novel. With high school football at its core, the story of Dale Andrade shows how a young man grows in all aspects of his life thanks to being a part of a team and a football community.&quot; \u201cThis is a great read for everyone: from those who love high school football to those who have no idea about the game.\u201d &quot;This book brings you onto the field and into the locker room...&quot; Joe Torosian's high school football novel is available through Amazon.com --click pic-- (Cover by Pat Cherry www.blackheartart.com)\" width=\"238\" height=\"307\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-50812\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"color: #800080;\"><strong>&#8220;Anyone who has a kid trying out for his High School football team needs to read this book. Torosian has taken his 20 some years of reporting on Prep sports, mixed a healthy dose of San Gabriel Valley insider references and created a very readable first effort.&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><br \/><strong>&#8220;A page turner&#8230;I&#8217;m sorry it&#8217;s over! Is a sequel in the works?&#8221;<\/strong><br \/><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><strong>&#8220;Torosian does for high school football what Hemingway did for the Spanish Civil War&#8230;compelling look beyond the scoreboard and into the lives of players&#8230;&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>&#8220;A truly great story unfolds in the pages of Joe Torosian&#8217;s first novel. With high school football at its core, the story of Dale Andrade shows how a young man grows in all aspects of his life thanks to being a part of a team and a football community.&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>\u201cThis is a great read for everyone: from those who love high school football to those who have no idea about the game.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>&#8220;This book brings you onto the field and into the locker room&#8230;&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><br \/><strong>Joe Torosian&#8217;s high school football novel is available through Amazon.com &#8211;click pic&#8211;<\/strong><br \/><strong>(Cover by Pat Cherry www.blackheartart.com)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Wondo isn\u2019t Bobby Wood, even in his prime he didn\u2019t have the speed to match the fleet-footed attacker. All the good Wood has done over the past couple of weeks in this tournament has been thanks to his incredible pace and bulldog-like approach to keeping the ball in the attacking third. Wondo is an excellent goal poacher and scorer when he is supplied the ball, but he doesn\u2019t create chances like Wood.<\/p>\n<p>Playing about 20 yards behind Wondolowski was Zardes, who like Wood, has proven he can create chances and supply them, both for the USMNT and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Why the formation wasn\u2019t changed to make sure Zardes played further up the pitch, like a 4-3-3, or something along those lines a mystery to me.<\/p>\n<p>Sure Christian Pulisic came on for Wondolowski after the half and sort of added more pace, but it was already too little too late despite half the match still to be played.<\/p>\n<p>All week Klinsmann said the USMNT was going to \u201cgo for it\u201d against the best team in the world, but when his starting XI was announced it was clear that they weren\u2019t really going for it.<\/p>\n<p>I personally think Klinsmann knew the U.S. didn\u2019t have a real shot at beating Lionel Messi and the Argentine\u2019s. And that doesn\u2019t make him a bad coach\u2026 it makes him a realistic man. And a few weeks ago I basically said bravo to the U.S. coach for giving Wondolowski what I hope is a run out with the National Team. That\u2019s exactly what I think he did in Houston on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<p>Going for it would\u2019ve meant moving Zardes up, starting a game-changer like Darlington Nagbe, or maybe giving the talented youngster Pulisic more time to make a difference. Going for it would\u2019ve been keeping Matt Besler in the back four and moving Fabian Johnson into the midfield so Zardes could play further up without playing Pulisic or Nagbe and their lack of national-level experience with only 13 combined caps.<\/p>\n<p>I hope the third place game on Saturday, which I expect will be against Colombia, serves as a final statement for America. Taking third place in this field would be impressive and help boost the confidence of the American team when comes time to play teams like Argentina, Chile, Colombia, or one of the European powers down the line, especially a couple of summers from now in Russia.<\/p>\n<p>I could say Messi\u2019s free kick was amazing and unstoppable. And it was. It should be the goal of the tournament, and it was the second best I\u2019ve ever seen live (on TV at least) behind Dimitri Payet\u2019s bender for West Ham this past season against Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n<p>Messi\u2019s one-touch cross in the third minute that led to Ezequiel Lavezzi\u2019s header over Brad Guzan was a better pass than the goal it resulted in. The U.S. was sent out in the first half by one player.<\/p>\n<p>He didn\u2019t single-handily beat the USMNT, but he sort of did at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>But in true American spirit that doesn\u2019t matter. The USMNT should always believe they can beat any team at any time because they are a group of Americans (and American service men\u2019s sons that grew up in Germany).<\/p>\n<p>So while I may not like Klinsmann\u2019s semifinal decisions, the way he helped push the USMNT to the semifinal and his formation when it includes all of his starters is pretty good, and could be comprehensive and cohesive if it sticks together before the World Cup. He also finally has the answers to what his best back line can be going forward with John Brooks and Jordan Cameron flanked by Yedlin and Johnson.<\/p>\n<p>Overall I think Klinsmann did a great job in the Copa America Centenario, both with what he got out of his squad on the field, and the confidence he oozed in front of the media.<\/p>\n<p>I am proud to be an American thanks to how the USMNT did in this one-off tournament.<\/p>\n<p>Next week I\u2019ll talk a little about the 2016 European Championships, the Euros, going on in France right now. If you\u2019ve wondered why soccer is taking over ESPN every day from 6 a.m. to about 2 p.m., that\u2019s why.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll offer these few points.<\/p>\n<p>One, Payet has become the soul of France with his three performances so far, not bad for a guy who was literally told he wasn\u2019t good enough to play for Les Bleus 12 months ago.<\/p>\n<p>Two, don\u2019t sleep on Iceland. They might not advance to the knockout rounds. But this team is on the rise and has been a pleasure to watch.<\/p>\n<p>Two, don\u2019t sleep on Iceland. They might not advance far into the knockout rounds. But this team is on the rise and has been a pleasure to watch. Taking second in its group over the likes of Portugal and Austria is impressive. Getting its first-ever win at a major competition to seal the spot and advance in the tournament is even more impressive.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s my take through the group stages so far, but hey, I\u2019m just joshing around.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[12018,12012,12014,12011,12013,10131,11900,9892,11953,11954,11731,11985,12016,12020,546,12019,12017,12022,12015,10083,11798,12023,11992,3542,365,11820,11829,11354,12000,11993,12021,11755,12010],"class_list":["post-53737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-soccer","tag-2016-european-championships","tag-alejandro-bedoya","tag-argentina","tag-bobby-wood","tag-chile","tag-chris-wondolowski","tag-christian-pulisic","tag-clint-dempsey","tag-copa-america","tag-copa-america-centenario","tag-darlington-nagbe","tag-deandre-yedlin","tag-dimitri-payet","tag-england","tag-espn","tag-euros","tag-ezequiel-lavezzi","tag-france","tag-graham-zusi","tag-gyasi-zardes","tag-high-school-football-novel","tag-iceland","tag-jermaine-jones","tag-joe-t","tag-joe-torosian","tag-jurgen-klinsmann","tag-kyle-beckerman","tag-lionel-messi","tag-matt-besler","tag-michael-bradley","tag-roy-hodgson","tag-tangent-dreams","tag-united-states-mens-national-team"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53737","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53737"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53737\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53740,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53737\/revisions\/53740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}