What a nice run the Indy 11 are on after a huge win against 3rd place Carolina Sat Night at The Mike 2-1. The team is on a 5 game non-losing streak and now stands in a tie for 1st in the fall season and just 1 pt out of 3rd overall with 4 wins, 5 draws and 3 losses for 17 pts. Hopefully the crowds will stay strong and we’ll pack the Mike – as the Indy 11 are playing some of the best soccer in their 2nd year here.
The US National Team won Friday night vs Haiti 1-0 and that’s about all you can say. Now there is something to winning when you play poorly – just ask Mexico – who stands at 2nd in their own group. But obviously the US still has a ways to go before they find their stride in this Gold Cup. I thought Zardes had a fantastic 45 minutes replacing a very poor Altidore up front – amazing how having a forward who actually runs and hustles can make a difference. I did think the defense was a little stronger with 3 new starters in the back. The US is thru as the top team in the group so it will be interesting to see what changes the German makes for tonight’s 9:30 game on Fox Sports 1 vs a Panama team that needs a win.
Carmel High Boys – Youth Soccer Camp – 2nd to 6th Graders only
Run by CHS Boys team players – Fri, Aug 7 (9:30 am till 12 noon) – CHS Practice Turf Fields behind CHS football stadium. 2nd to 6th Graders only – Cost $35 to CHS –- Camp is Starting to fill up !! First 100 players to sign up. CHS_Camp_1508 Email Lorie Kramer if you have 4 or more players from 1 team coming kramer1965@sbcglobal.net.
USA + Gold Cup
Who plays for US Tonite? Doug McIntyre ESPN FC
US vs Panama preview – Brian Straus SI
New Players making plays for US Brian Straus SI
US Not Dependent on Altidore Now – ESPN Doug McIntyre
Player Ratings US vs Haiti Altidore and Zusi horrible
US Wins Group A but doesn’t look good ESPN FC
US Team Wins but no impressive – Brian Straus SI
3 things We Didn’t Learn from USA vs Haiti – Pro Soccer Talk – Kyle Bonn
US Post Game Quotes – US Soccer
Mexico in 2nd place Group C – See Highlights
Indy’s Lauren Cheney (Holiday) retires from US Women’s Team SI – Grant Wahl
MLS+ Indy 11
Meet Indy 11 players Wojo and Greg Janicki at the Fishers Buffalo Wild Wings Wed July 15th 6 to 7 pm
Indy 11 Xmas in July for July 25th Home game vs Tampa Bay Rowdies
Indy adds Jamaican international Dane Richards to Squad
US Freddy Adu set to join Tampa Bay Rowdies
NYCFC and Toronto play to 4-4 Thriller No Lampard
Toronto’s Giovinco hat Trick vs NYCFC
LA beats America in Gerrard Debute
Youth Club Compensation with Yedlin?
EPL
Man U Signs Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin
Schweinsteiger one of the best Germans in the World
Sterling to Man City makes since ESPN FC Nick Miller
Must See Early EPL Games in Aug/Sept
EPL Early Season Game Schedule
WORLD
Casillias Era Ends at Real Madrid
Games of the Week
Mon, July 13
9:30 pm Panama vs USA Fox Sports 1 Sporting Park, KC
Sat, July 18
5 pm Gold Cup QF-USA vs 3C Fox
8 pm Gold Cup QF 2A vs 1B Fox Sports 2
Sun, July 19
3 pm Ottawa vs Indy 11 ESPN 3
4:30 pm Gold Cup QF 1C vs 3A/B Fox Sports 1
7:30 pm Gold Cup QF 2C vs 2B Fox Sports 1
Tues, July 21
6 am Man City vs Roma – Fox Sports 1 ICC
8:30 pm PGS vs Fiorentina Fox Sports 1 ICC
11 pm LA Galaxy vs Barcelona Fox Sports 1 ICC
11 pm Man United vs San Jose Fox Sports 2 ICC
Wed, July 22
6 pm Gold Cup Semi USA? Fox Sports 1
8 pm NY Red Bulls vs Chelsea Fox Soccer Plus
9 pm Gold Cup Semi Fox Sports 2
GAMES THIS Month
Mon, July 13
7 pm Haiti vs Honduras Fox Sports 1 Sporting Park, KC
9:30 pm Panama vs USA Fox Sports 1 Sporting Park, KC
Tues, July 14
6 pm Jamaica vs El Salvador Fox Sports 1
8:30 pm Canada vs Costa Rica Fox Sports 1
10:30 pm San Jose vs America Fox Sports 1 ICC
Wed, July 15
6 pm Cuba vs Guatemala Fox Sports 2
8:30 pm Mexico vs T+T Fox Sports 2
Fri, July 17
11 pm America vs Man United Fox Sports 1 ICC
Sat, July 18
5 am Roma vs Real Madrid Fox Sports 1 ICC
12 noon Beach Soccer World Cup Fox Sports 2
2 pm Beach Soccer World Cup Fox Sports 2
5 pm Gold Cup Quarters 1 Fox Sports 2
8 pm Gold Cup Quarters 2 Fox Sports 2
8:30 pm PSG vs Benifica Fox Soccer ICC
Sun, July 19
1:30 pm Beach Soccer WC Finals Fox Sports 2
3 pm Ottawa vs Indy 11 ESPN 3
4:30 pm Gold Cup QF 1C vs 3A/B Fox Sports 1
5 pm Columbus vs Chicago ESPN 2
7 pm Orlando vs NY Red Bulls Fox Sports 1
7:30 pm Gold Cup QF 2C vs 2B Fox Sports 1
Tues, July 21
6 am Man City vs Roma – Fox Sports 1 ICC
8:30 pm PGS vs Fiorentina Fox Sports 1 ICC
11 pm LA Galaxy vs Barcelona Fox Sports 1 ICC
11 pm Man United vs San Jose Fox Sports 2 ICC
Wed, July 22
6 pm Gold Cup Semi USA? Fox Sports 1
8 pm NY Red Bulls vs Chelsea Fox Soccer Plus
9 pm Gold Cup Semi Fox Sports 2
10 pm NWSL – Portland vs Seattle Fox Sports to Go
Fri, July 24
6 am Real Madrid vs Man City Fox sports 1 ICC
8 pm Fiorentina vs Benfica Fox Sports 2 ICC
Sat, July 25
8 am Milan vs Inter Fox Sports 1 ICC
4 pm Barcelona vs Man U Fox Sports ??
4 pm Gold Cup 3rd Place Game Fox Sports 2
6 pm Chelsea vs PSG Fox Sports 2
7:30 pm Indy 11 vs NY Cosmos (H) TV 8
Sun, July 26
2:30 pm NY City FC vs Orlando Fox Sports 1 (See Pirlo, Lampard, Villa, vs Orlando’s Kaka & Brek Shea)
5 pm DC United vs Philly ESPN 2
7 pm NWSL Seattle vs Portland You Tube
7:30 pm Gold Cup Final Fox Sports 1
7:30 pm NY Red Bulls vs Benfica Fox Sports 2
Mon, July 27
8 am Inter vs Real Madrid Fox Sports 1 ?? Not sure time?
Tues, July 28
8 pm Barcelona vs Chelsea Fox Sports 2 ICC
10 pm America vs Benfinca Fox Sports 2 ICC
Wed, July 29
9 pm MLS Allstars vs Tottenham Fox Sports 1
9 pm Man U vs PSG In Chicago
Thurs, July 30
8 am Real Madrid vs Milan Fox Sports 1 ICC
Sat, Aug 1
2:30 pm Wolfsburg vs Bayern Fox Soccer Plus German Supercup
4pm NWSL Boston vs Seattle You Tube
6 pm Indy 11 vs Atlanta ESPN 3
8 pm NWSL Chicago vs KC You Tube
Sun, Aug 2
10 am Chelsea vs Arsenal Fox Sports 1 EPL Community Shield
5 pm SJ Earthquakes vs Portland ESPN 2
7 pm Chicago vs Dallas Fox Sports 1 (CHS grad Matt Hedges)
Sat, Aug 8 EPL + Ligue 1 Return
Sat, Aug 15 German Bundesliga Returns
Carmel High Boys – Youth Soccer Camp – 2nd to 6th Graders only
Run by CHS Boys team players – Fri, Aug 7 (9:30 am till 12 noon) – CHS Practice Turf Fields behind CHS football stadium. 2nd to 6th Graders only – Cost $35 to CHS –- First 100 players to sign up. CHS_Camp_1508
Post2Post Soccer Camp
Former Pittsburgh Head Coach Sue-Moy Chin and Coach Carla Baker run their annual field player camp for players of all abilities July 27-30 — 9 am to 3 pm $190 each @ Badger
Indy’s Lauren Holiday (Cheney) retires from USWNT a Champion after decade of dedication
BY GRANT WAHLTwitter EmailPosted: Wed Jul. 8, 2015
LOS ANGELES — Lauren Holiday has always been a player’s player for the U.S. national team, blessed with ball skills and vision and scoring instincts, and always the definition of the term classy. So perhaps it wasn’t surprising that she announced her international retirement here on Tuesday with the same amount of class, just two days after she had scored in the U.S.’s 5-2 win over Japan in the World Cup final.“To be honest, this isn’t something that happened overnight,” said Holiday, 27, who shed tears as she spoke, thought not, she said, tears of sadness. “This has been something I’ve prayed about for a couple years now. But my main goal was to win an NWSL championship and a World Cup, and I did it.”“I know this is where I was supposed to be for so many years, and I know that I gave my all to soccer, to the sport, to this team,” she continued. “And I’m excited for a new chapter of my life. I feel like this team isn’t my identity, it’s my choice. I think there’s power in making a choice. I chose this team for 10 years, and now I’m going to choose my family.”Holiday, who said she’s hoping to start a family at some point, said she’ll continue playing with her club team in Kansas City this year. “I’m going back to Kansas City for the rest of this season,” she said. “I just have so much respect for the organization, and I truly want the NWSL to succeed.”It’s expected that Holiday will participate in the 10-game victory tour for the U.S. national team as well. She said both her club and national team were aware of her decision before she announced it on Tuesday in response to questions from reporters.Her resume with the national team is an impressive one: One World Cup title, two Olympic gold medals, 130 caps and 24 goals.What’s more, Holiday’s versatility was remarkable. She started her U.S. career as a forward but also played wide roles and eventually moved to a deep-lying playmaker position. Rarely did she ever get to play at the No. 10 spot, her natural position.“She’s such a good soccer player, and she’s been asked to play in so many positions that weren’t necessarily her true position, but she’s still world-class at all those positions,” said Becky Sauerbrunn, Holiday’s teammate for club and country. “I think it takes a special person and a special soccer player to be able to do that. Just what she’s done for this team, she’s irreplaceable. “I was secretly hoping she wasn’t going to retire. In my heart of hearts, I really hope that she does continue. But she’s sacrificed so much for this team, and she’s been on this team for so long, that I think she’s ready to kind of start the next chapter in her life. I’m proud of her for wanting to do that, and I wish her the utmost happiness. But I’m going to miss the hell out of her.”On a U.S. team with players who are 40 (Christie Rampone), 38 (Shannon Boxx) and 35 (Abby Wambach), it may be surprising that the first post-World Cup retirement would be by the 27-year-old Holiday. But Holiday’s teammates have been aware for some time that she was considering retirement. Her family is in good shape financially, and from a competitive perspective she has achieved what she set out to do.Holiday smiled through her tears when asked if she felt she was leaving the U.S. central midfield in good hands. “For sure,” she said. “I think the world of Morgan Brian. Obviously, Carli [Lloyd] is phenomenal. I’ve played with her for so many years, and she’s just an incredible talent. I think you guys are going to see a star in Morgan Brian. She’s unbelievable. She’s mature beyond her years on the field and sophisticated. I think you just saw a glimpse of what she can bring to a team. So I’m excited to see her grow the next four years.”Holiday wasn’t always the most vocal of the U.S. players in the media, but she had an important role inside the team. It was Holiday who came up with the idea for the #SheBelieves campaign connecting the U.S. team to communities around the country. And Sauerbrunn said Holiday has a big influence speaking up for lesser-known players on both their club team and the national team.“What she does for us is very subtle, and it can be very quiet,” Sauerbrunn said. “And I think a lot of things go on behind the scenes that people don’t realize how important she is to this team in what she brings. She’s kind of like Robin Hood in a way, because she fights for the players. When it comes down to little things like contracts or ‘Can we get a bus set up for a trip?’ or something like that, she’s the one that’s fighting for us. And it goes a long way.”Before the World Cup final, Sauerbrunn said, the players spoke to each other and said this was probably going to be the last time these 23 U.S. players would be in the same room together getting ready to play a competitive game for the national team.“So you kind of take that and try to cherish it,” Sauerbrunn said. “Because it is a very rare thing that we accomplished together. It’s sad that we’re kind of all these moving parts that are going to be separated now. So absolutely, we cherish these moments.”Indeed, emotions were high in this hotel ballroom as the news spread that Holiday had announced that her time with the national team is coming to an end. But she also wanted to emphasize that she was looking forward to the next chapter of her life, one that will likely still include soccer to some degree. WATCH: President Obama calls the victorious USWNTHoliday said that future might involve coaching. “Absolutely,” she said. “Whatever I can do to help. Whatever I can do to continue having women’s soccer and sports in America continue to grow, I will do. My passion is people and helping people.”That passion has come through loud and clear in Holiday’s exemplary national team career. And now she’s leaving on top. She’s a World Cup champion.
Position fits for USMNT players in flux: Yedlin, Johnson, Zardes, Evans
ESPN FC – Insider – United States manager Jurgen Klinsmann emphasized experience when naming his 2015 Gold Cup team. The 23-man roster consists of 17 players from the 2014 World Cup squad (that’s down to 16 with Brad Davis out with injury), and the manager sees this as a competitive advantage because the players not only understand what Klinsmann expects of them but also are cognizant of their roles within the team.However, a handful of players have yet to establish one clear position on the national team, whether that’s due to positional need, opponent matchup or player strengths and weaknesses. Versatile players like DeAndre Yedlin, Fabian Johnson, Gyasi Zardes and Brad Evans are able to play multiple positions, and while each contributed to the team’s 2-1 victory over Honduras in the Gold Cup opener, it is unclear whether any of them will continue playing in the same spot by the end of the summer.Here is a look at where each of these four players fits best within the USMNT, based on their individual strengths and weaknesses along with team and positional needs.
DeAndre Yedlin
Positions: Right back, right midfield
Yedlin established a reputation as an effective, athletic right back during the 2014 World Cup. However, the Tottenham defender moved into a right midfield position for the U.S. in the friendlies leading up to the Gold Cup.Yedlin is solid defensively and has been averaging 2.0 tackles and 2.0 interceptions per 90 minutes while appearing in all eight 2015 U.S. friendlies. The 22-year-old has especially improved in reading the opponent’s passes and stepping in to break up plays, but equally important is that he has the speed to recover from positional mistakes he makes on the back line. While Yedlin has been sound defensively, his transition into midfield has not particularly improved his attacking presence. In the opening 2015 Gold Cup game against Honduras, Yedlin recorded 21 total touches in the attacking half. Meanwhile, right back Timmy Chandler recorded 22 attacking-half touches playing behind Yedlin. Chandler’s overlapping presence stems from Klinsmann’s preference for outside backs with pace who can get involved in the attack; however, this overlapping movement limits Yedlin’s effectiveness as a midfielder who likes to get in wide positions and provide the same attacking traits as the defender playing behind him.While Yedlin is capable of handling either role, he would need to improve his decision-making and ability to create chances from both central and wide positions in order to be a more dynamic attacking midfield threat at the international level. While affirming Yedlin’s status as a right back would put him in a fierce competition with Chandler for the starting job, Yedlin is ultimately a more secure defensive option in that role, and with an improved attacking game he is capable of ultimately getting to the top of the depth chart at that position.
Best fit: Right back
Fabian Johnson
Positions: Right back, left back, left midfield
There are two tactical decisions to make with Johnson. The first decision is whether he is better on the left or the right side of the field, and the second is whether he is better served as a defender or a midfielder.Johnson is currently playing at left back for the U.S. in the Gold Cup, which differs from his spending the entire 2014 World Cup as the team’s incumbent right back. Johnson, who is competent with both feet, spent the 2014-15 Bundesliga season at left midfield, and his 92.5 percent pass completion rate while playing as a left back in the 2015 U.S. friendlies trumps his 76.7 percent completion rate from the 2014 World Cup. This ability to keep possession implies that he reads the game better from the left side of the field.Next, is he better served as a defender or midfielder with the U.S.? Johnson does not excel in terms of defensive statistics — he recorded just two tackles and two interceptions in his four 2015 friendly appearances — yet he does a good job of tracking opponent runs and closing down space to deny opposing crosses. Meanwhile, this season Johnson ranked third on Borussia Monchengladbach with four assists as a left midfielder, and through his four appearances in eight 2015 U.S. friendlies, he ranks fourth on the team with 26.7 attacking-half touches per 90 minutes (minimum three appearances). These numbers suggest that Johnson can play an even bigger role in the U.S. attack if he starts higher up the field and would be more productive playing in a left midfield role.Additionally, left midfield is a position that has no inherent starting player in the U.S. lineup. This means Johnson’s ability to get forward while also providing defensive coverage not only gives him an edge over natural left midfielders like Graham Zusi but also over more central-based players like Mix Diskerud, who would need to be converted to that position.In terms of team impact, Johnson’s progression to a left midfield role will depend on the development of players like Brek Shea and Greg Garza at left back, though that is somewhat mitigated by Johnson’s having proved that he can provide defensive support when necessary for any player behind him.
Best fit: Left midfield
Gyasi Zardes
Positions: Wide midfield (winger), forward
Zardes earned his place on the U.S. team by scoring 16 domestic goals in the 2014 MLS season. The 23-year-old attacker broke out while playing as a forward for the Los Angeles Galaxy and is currently adjusting to a wide midfield role with the U.S.
Zardes plays well in midfield, and the fact that he records 34 percent of his touches in the defensive half of the field suggests that he can cover ground in both the attacking and defensive halves as well as across the field (he’s played on both the right and left sides for the U.S.). However, Zardes’ athleticism is better positioned directly against the opponent’s back line, where he can utilize his quick first step and improved attacking instincts to make penetrating runs behind central defenders.
Instead of competing for a forward position, Zardes is still adjusting to the nuances of playing as a wide midfielder at the international level. While Zardes brings speed along the wing, he was also dispossessed a team-high 12 times in his eight 2015 U.S. friendly appearances and completed just one of his seven cross attempts in that time. Overall, it is not likely that Zardes could immediately replicate his 2014 MLS form as a forward at the international level; however, the learning curve at both positions suggests that he is better off competing for playing time as one of the strikers in the U.S. player pool. And while Zardes would initially have a tough time taking playing time away from incumbent strikers Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore, the Galaxy forward ultimately brings more speed to the front line than experienced veteran Chris Wondolowski and has proved more explosive in and around the penalty area than Aron Johannsson.
Best fit: Forward
Brad Evans
Positions: Right back, center back
Evans cemented his role as a center back with the Seattle Sounders in 2015 and currently ranks third on the team with 28 tackles and second with 40 interceptions. However, he is still regarded as a right back at the international level, and his ability to track opposing runs and keep opponents in front of him is what prompted Klinsmann to use Evans as a second-half substitute for Chandler to help secure the team’s recent 2-1 victory over Honduras.Evans is averaging 1.8 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per 90 minutes as a center back with the Sounders in 2015. This is significantly better than the 1.1 tackles and 1.5 interceptions he averaged as a right back with the team in 2014 and suggests that the 30-year-old defender is better at closing down attacks in a more condensed, central area.While Evans might need a full MLS season to become fully comfortable as a center back, his recent lack of playing time as a right back for the U.S. insinuates that he could be more valuable competing for one of the team’s center back positions. Evans made just two appearances in the eight 2015 U.S. friendlies leading to the Gold Cup, and while he provided an assist in his 54 total minutes, Evans is naturally a more conservative defender who thrives when his primary objective is to clear away dangerous chances. These attributes coupled with Evan’s veteran presence would provide a solid depth option for a central defense position that has been a question mark for the United States since the 2014 World Cup.
Best fit: Center back Adrian Melville joined
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