By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Nov 19, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- As someone watching a soccer game
from the perspective of "analyst," it would be nice to always come up with spellbinding ideas of
what worked and what didn't. We'd all like to have our own unique take on what just happened, why
and why not, and all that.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Nov 12, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Everyone has that one friend. He's
the guy that has the messiest apartment. He shows up late for everything. He forgets to pick you up
at the airport and never pays his tab at the bar. You never expect too much out of him because,
hey, he's "that guy.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Nov 10, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- I need to be honest with you all
for a second. I hate making predictions. No really, I despise the practice. For some reason, it's
taken for granted that part of a preview is making a pick. I don't get that. My preview article for
the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs was posted about a week and a half ago.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Oct 29, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- It's that time of year again. The
leaves are falling along with the temperature, the holiday season is right around the corner, and
the Major League Soccer playoffs are about to begin. Big match-night one takes place in Seattle
this evening, and what better stage for the first game of the 2009 playoffs?
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Oct 21, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Landon Donovan has done it again.
Yesterday it was announced that the LA Galaxy midfielder had won the 2009 Honda Player of the Year
Award. This is Donovan's sixth time capturing the title of "best US National Soccer Team player."
He took home the award three times running from 2002 through 2004 and has just completed the triple
again from 2007 to Tuesdays ceremony.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Oct 8, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Show of hands, who remembers where
they were on September 3rd, 2005? Not sure? Think Ralston and Beasley, a close-range header and a
smartly executed corner kick routine. Memories jogged hopefully by now, this fateful day just so
happens to be the last time the United States National Team qualified for a World Cup.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Sep 4, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Pop quiz time. Which team finished
the 2008-2009 English Premier League table in the top seven places, had the forth least goals
conceded last season in league play, and has advanced to the group stages of European competition
this term? Manchester United you say?
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Aug 19, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- The English Premier League kicked
off in earnest last weekend with teams all across the country even on points for the only time this
season. Mid-August is always the opportunity for optimism to abound for any team. Sure, your club
might be patiently waiting to disappoint, but they haven't actually gone and done it yet.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (July 28, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- It has been a long road home for
new DC United midfielder Danny Szetela. Signed by Spanish club Racing Santander in August of 2007,
the former Columbus Crew man spent a year and a half of his time across the Atlantic on loan to
Serie B side Brescia.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Jul 19, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Three minutes. For 180 seconds on
Saturday night in Philadelphia Panama could see themselves finally reaching their soccer summit. In
the lead courtesy of a Blas Perez goal, the Panamanians were finally going to beat the United
States in Gold Cup competition.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (July 17, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Panama enters their Gold Cup
quarterfinal match up with the United States on somewhat of a high. After a disappointing 2-1
reverse in game one against Guadeloupe, Los Canaleros were able to right the ship and get things
going with a controversial and hotly contested 1-all draw with regional powerhouse Mexico.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (July 12, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- The United States Men's National
Team finished Gold Cup group play on Saturday night with a 2-2 draw with Haiti. Davy Arnaud scored
for the US in the 6th minute before early second half goals from Vaniel Sirin and Mones Chery put
Haiti in the lead.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino -- ALBANY, NY (July 9, 2009) USSoccerPlayers - Fight, heart and perseverance.
Cliché vocabulary that was thrown around over the past few weeks when speaking of the United
States National Team. At first all of these words began with "lack of" and finished with more
dismissive language in the back.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (June 1, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- The Philadelphia Union won't kick a
ball for real until the Spring of 2010. Their stadium is still early in the process of being
constructed and they have yet to introduce their first player. Ownership still felt it important at
this stage of the game to bring in a coach and start the groundwork of putting together a brand new
team.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (May 27, 2009) -- European soccer's 54th final has now officially
been decided. The epic battle pitting Manchester United against Barcelona in Rome is in the books.
If you haven't seen it yet, hold off on reading further. Once you've had a chance to review the
tape come on back and tell us what you thought.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (May 21, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- In case you might have missed it
amongst all the "end of the European season, Champions League, looking forward to summer
international soccer" fervor, there is a familiar face heading back into Mexican National team camp
for upcoming World Cup qualifiers in early June.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Apr 30, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- The United States National Team has
a serious docket of matches lined up for the next couple of months. They'll mix in World Cup
qualifiers with the Confederations Cup in South Africa and the Gold Cup right here at home. The
debate will soon rage on regarding what sort of rosters manager Bob Bradley should assemble for
these various competitions.
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Apr 16, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- I wonder sometimes about the
American soccer fan. How do we define this wide-ranging crowd? To those who don't get our game, our
friends and family who prefer American football or baseball or basketball, we are outsiders. Cast
aside as Euro-loving snobs or ".
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Dec 17, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- "Man, that's gonna be
cold," was my first thought when the US Soccer Federation announced yesterday that the US Men
would be playing their February 11th World Cup qualifier against Mexico in Columbus, OH. Shocked?
Surprised? Disgusted? Come on, you didn't really think they were going to play this thing in Salt
Lake City, did you?
Click to continue reading...
By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (Dec 5, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- We are always looking for a good
comparison. Someone like someone, something that sort of works with something else, like for like,
etc. In sports we like to compare teams from this age to dynasties from the past. We argue that a
player today is better than a player from 30 years ago or vice-versa.
Click to continue reading...
With the New York Red Bulls once again in a position where their season could end sooner than
expected, Graig Carbino looks at the squad moves RBNY coach Juan Carlos Osorio made with the '08
edition of the Red Bulls. By Graig CarbinoALBANY, NY (Oct 24, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- The New York
Red Bulls had a confident air about their team in the lead up to the Thursday night primetime
match-up with the Chicago Fire.
Click to continue reading...
Graig Carbino looks at the realities of the youth movement for the US National Team after the 2-1
loss to Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday night. By Graig Carbino ALBANY, NY (Oct 16, 2008)
USSoccerPlayers – Well that was different. The US Men's National team lost to Trinidad and
Tobago 2-1 last night for only the second time in their history, and the first time since 1994.
Click to continue reading...
Some of the things we learned from the United States' 6-1 win over Cuba on Saturday night at RFK
Stadium were reminders, others indicators. For Graig Carbino, the result is more of the same. The
United States shouldn't be dropping home games to anyone in CONCACAF, and they're getting the away
wins for a reason.
Click to continue reading...
Graig Carbino outlines the race for the MLS Playoffs while revising his picks for November soccer.
How much hope should the clubs at the bottom of the table still have? Can DC finish off their
mid-season revival with a shocking late return to form? Will San Jose have enough to push into
contention? Read on.
Click to continue reading...
