Olympics: USA Men vs. Netherlands (Your Running Commentary)

Good morning all. Today the U.S. Men's Olympic team faces off against the Netherlands in a crucial group match for both teams. The Americans won their first group game, 1-0, against Japan, while the Dutch tied Nigeria, 0-0, in their opener.

I will be providing live commentary on the match over at the NBC Olympics website, where you can watch high-quality live feeds of all the Olympic matches.

If you will be watching the USA-Netherlands match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

For now, let's take a look at the lineups:

-------------------McBride---------------------

Holden------------Adu-----------------Rogers

--------------Bradley---Kljestan--------------

Orozco------Edu--------Parkhurst----Wynne

------------------Guzan------------------------

Yes, it's the same starting lineup as the Japan match. Surprisingly, Jozy Altidore is left on the bench yet again. I thought Peter Nowak would go with Altidore over McBride with just two days having past since the Japan game, but Nowak is sticking with the 37-year-old striker.

Sacha Kljestan and Robbie Rogers get starts despite subpar performances against Japan. Rogers will be switching over to the right flank, with Holden moving to the left flank where his defensive work will better help left back Michael Orozco.

I have to say that I'm very surprised to not see Danny Szetela in place of Kljestan, or even Benny Feilhaber. Nowak has a lot of faith in Kljestan and it will be interesting to see how the Chivas USA midfielder responds.

Here is the Dutch lineup:

---------------------Babel-----------Beerens----------------

------------------------------Bakkal--------------------------

Drenthe---------------------------------------------DeGuzman

------------------------------Maduro------------------------------

Emmanuelson----Jaliens-----------Marcellis-------Zuiverloon

-------------------------------Vermeer----------------------

Dutch changes from the first match are Roy Beerens in for the injured Roy Makaay and Ottman Bakkal in for defender Calvin Jong-A-Pin.

What do you think of the USA starting lineup? Shocked that Altidore is still on the bench? Surprised to see Kljestan back in the lineup?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[rocky]

the only problem i see is sacha. he looked very shakey agaist japan, he turned the ball over far too much, I would of loved to see either szatela or felharber in his place, but lets hope that game was a fluk. Go usa!!!

[Justin O]

Makes you wonder if he made out a staring line up for the Nigeria game at the same time.

[marc]

Troubling lineup. Maybe nowak is saving jozy for nigeria, because it looks like we will have to get 6 pts to afvance. All of these guys were quoted as being very tired after the first match. I"m shocked that no one got a rest today.

[Tom R]

Good line up. Rogers has played right often and should combine well with Wynne on that side. Holden can tightern up Orozco at bit. McBride loves wet fields so he should get the nod. Looks like Kowak is going to a win so he can rest some players against Nigeria and be fresh for the quarters. Not a bad strategy if it works.

[CommonSense]

Sometimes I get really frustrated with US fan's and our never ending complaint-fest about our coaching, but this is shocking.

Especially after those comments by the Dutch coach, you freaking start Jozy, especially when he works far better with Adu than McBride .

Jozy should be starting, Sasha should not. I have a very bad feeling about this line-up, we need a striker that can take the game by the balls, not just draw fouls and provide an aerial threat in the box.

[mikeK]

Here's a link for you folks looking for the olympic feed:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/soccer/resultsandschedules/day=2/index.html

[mikeK]

Teams are out for the anthems, if you're cheating and watching the end of the japan-nigeria feed. Before teams came out, they were showing the fans, and there were some Americans in the house. No Bush, though.

[Julio]

Let's beat these Dutchs @ss specially after their coaches stupid comment.

[JB]

McBride can't go 90, so 25 minutes of Altidore are still 25 dangerous minutes. If we are down a goal being able to bring a fresh Altidore into the game is much needed.

[BBB]

Let's ave-it!!!

[mikeK]

Lineups are out, yet the American-Netherlands feed isn't live yet, meaning we're not seeing Ives' feed. Get on top of your stuff NBC!

[mikeK]

annnndd were off.

[Isaac]

they're already getting down the left side

[Raghu]

Cmon Yanks!

[mikeK]

Early pressure by the team in orange. We need to have a better touch through the midfield. The conditions aren't helping.

[Isaac]

first shot of the match goes to netherlands. and its drenth.

[seven]

can someone provide a valid zip & cable provider? Much appreciated.

[Julio]

should have been a yellow card on the dUTCH.

[Isaac]

Well done kjlestan. took the ball then drew the foul

[mikeK]

Horrible challenge on the breaking kjlestan, should've been a yellow.

[Isaac]

Good sequence by the USA...bradley attacking more sounds good doesnt it..

[mikeK]

Drenthe will cause problems for Wynne or Wynne will cause problems for Drenthe? Wynne dispatches the 50/50 with ease. He's still a man of a defender.

[Isaac]

refferee seems like he's already having a hard time.

[Julio]

Direct TV and zip is 33027

[Mike Caramba]

I'm not nowak's biggest fan right now.

[Julio]

They should have started JOzy.

[Isaac]

Gah....goal ned

[mikeK]

-__-

We've done it now... We got to tighten up the defense and get the goal back. This isn't boding well.

[Yossarian]

We outnumber Babel 4 to 1 in the box and none of our 3 defenders is marking him? WTF?

[Ryan]

The left side is a disaster for the US again. Could be back in bed earlier than I thought

[anthony bout]

anyone watching this in TV? i cant find it msnbc is showing italy-south korea

[mikeK]

Chalk that goal up to Edu's inexperience as a back?

[legalbuzz]

The defense looks like a Sunday beer league defense...we'll mark them if we feel like it and they come right to us...otherwise, nah....

[Dro Scott]

check the channel USA

[andrew]

game is shown on USA network, i have verizon FIOS

[Neal]

Adu is having a shocker

[mikeK]

Ives asks if Pearce or Bornstein would be better for our overage players. I ask if it's time to go back to bed yet. Horrible showing so far. We need to start making our passes stick sooner rather than later to get back into this game.

[Neal]

the Dutch arent even playing that well - our passing and overall game is just that poor right now

[danny]

at this rate i will be shocked if this doesnt end 3-0 netherlands.

are freddy adu or brian mcbride even playing?

[Justin O]

Crap. I have multiple channels showing SK-ITA and CHI-BEL, but no US. And channelsurfing.net isn't working for some reason, AND the NBC online thing doesn't work outside the US.

Any suggestions for online viewing?

[mikeK]

Has Adu even gotten a touch yet?

[Mike Caramba]

Just once, in a big game, I'd love a US coach to say, "you know what. I'm going to throw 2 strikers out there and take the game to them." Instead of, "let's 'hold' possession and try to grind out a goal." This will never work against teams like this.

[Neal]

Is it too early to start the "Nowak out" posts?

[Joamiq]

The midfield needs to start winning balls. This is ridiculous.

[Mike Caramba]

It's on USA for me...if you don't get USA, I'd try Ive's link for online viewing.

[Neal]

Freddy has had a couple chances to touch the ball, but amazingly, he lets each touch roll off his foot and to a Dutch player.

Poor Brian....

[Yossarian]

I hate to be that "let's bash the U.S. coach guy" but Nowak seems to be going out of his way to make ridiculous decisions. He seems to be trying to re-invent the wheel with every match instead of just making logical decisions.

"I know, I'll put my left-footed players on the right side and vice-versa. They'll never expect that!"

"I know, I'll bench my best player - the only guy who can present a match-up problem to the Dutch. They'll never expect that!"

"Let's mark Babel with a zonedefense instead of marking him closely. They'll never expect that!"

"Let's leave Klejstan in despite him being a turnover machine in the first game and having excellent alternatives. They'll never expect that!"

Is he just trying to make random, unexpected moves, or is he trying to put the best team on the field? Sometimes I wonder.

[Neal]

I am watching it on the BBC here in the UK

[Mike Caramba]

It's not just Nowak though. It's Bob Bradley. It was Bruce Arena. Bradley's the best at this "style"...

[mikeK]

And he moves to the right flank?

[danny]

hey...theres freddie

[Neal]

Freddy!!! Great move, but put it on target! At least thats a glimmer of hope for us

[Neal]

FYI, the pitch is what we refer to here in Scotland as S-H-I-T-E

[mikeK]

I know, good play, he got a good chance, but he should've found marvel on the run next to him... Or kept it on frame.

[Gene]

Nice run by Adu, got a bit exited on the shot.

[Erik Abarca]

We need more of that, someone that will take these players on, we r giving them too much respect right now, we need to go at them!!! We need to get the ball to Adu and MCBride ASAP!!!

[B.A.]

Yossarian,

I can think of valid tactical reasonings behind each of those concepts you've mentioned...

...Except I am also confused as to why Szetela did not start. Then again, Nowak is known for locking in a starting lineup over a long period.

[mikeK]

Oh be fair Ives, Wynne hustled to get a touch, can't blame him for the poor one.

[Raghu]

This is starting to get a bit ugly for us right now. Wish we pushed up Edu next to Bradley to win more 50/50 balls in front of Parkhurst - replacing Klestan and insert Jozy with McBride and withdraw Adu into the midfield.

Wow - I just set off my alarm yelling for Freddy on that god run.

[Mike Caramba]

I just hope Nowak proves a little more ballsy than Rongen. I hope it doesn't take him 70+ minutes again to get another striker out there.

[B.A.]

That said, we've already avoided playing killer balls in final third about 3 or 4 times this match.

I'm of the impression that... With better eyes, we could beat this squad.

[mikeK]

I'm pretty sure Adu has moved to the ride side as a midfielder. I'm not sure I understand.

[mikeK]

Maybe not.

[Mike Caramba]

There we go Adu!

[Jonny]

That was a decent run from Rogers, now if only he could of done something with the ball afterwards.

[Erik Abarca]

there will go, lets go!!!

[mikeK]

Big free kick, cmon americans!

[Gene]

nice move, again, but Adu needs to pass that ball to the open man on the right.

[Joamiq]

Adding another striker is not going to stop the Dutch from kicking it around at will. We need some hustle and defensive bite. Playing a bit better now.

[danny]

i gotta think freddy should take that freekick.
a blast into the wall by bradley wasnt so great.

[mikeK]

Was that an indirect kick? The dutch were far up into 10 yards when bradley touched it.

[Jonny]

Who was praying that free kick was going upper 90?

[danny]

wait...marcelo says...freddys feelin it...game over.

[Joamiq]

The whole team is ball watching. How about marking some of the Dutch players off the ball?

[mikeK]

See I'm not seeing things. Adu on the right side again. Strange.

This is better though. Making me want to stay up for the second half.

[Mike Caramba]

Nice crack by holden

[Joamiq]

Beautiful strike by Holden

[danny]

stuart holden...king of the deflection

[Mike Caramba]

YOU HAVE TO BE THERE, BOYS!

[legalbuzz]

Another nice look with two big saves from Dutch, followed by Wynn trying to steal one...we will break one!!

[Raghu]

Nice take from Holden. Orozco almost got to it. Much better posession from the US for a few minutes.

[Yossarian]

I like the Color Commentator on this game. He's made a few excellent comments. Who is he?

[Mike Caramba]

If we don't come out after halftime with Altidore on the field, preferably a 4-4-2...

[danny]

my half time move is sasha out and jozy in. drop freddy back a little bit.
sasha hasnt done much at all, even as the us play has improved.

[Mike Caramba]

F*** BALBOA

[mikeK]

USA fans getting into it. Sacha with a good challenge near goal creating a chance. This is much much better. We'll find a goal if we keep this up.

[danny]

marcellllllllllllllllllllllllllllo

[Jonny]

Sacha seems a bit lost, he doesn't look comfortable

[Joamiq]

Hey look at that, a cross from Robbie Rogers. But not a good one

[Mike Caramba]

Altidore for Sacha

[Yossarian]

U.S. seems to have better legs at this point. Maybe we can wear them down. There's a lot more space out there than earlier in the match.

[Neal]

if only I could listen to the expert commentary of Balboa, instead, i am stuck with BBC commentary, lol

[Mike Caramba]

Altidore for Sacha--let us know that your balls have indeed descended, Nowak.

[Erik Abarca]

Sascha does seem lost, pur freddy in front of Bradley and take sasch out, and put jozy up front w mcbride

[Jonny]

Excellent comment Mike, I agree completely

[mikeK]

Not the way you want to go into halftime, but our play was improving. Let's get it together and pull out the draw or even win this.

[Mike Caramba]

Thanks, Jonny--I'm gunning for Balboa's job after this olympics

[Andy in Atlanta]

This is going to be borderline blasphemy because he is my hero but.... McBride does not seem to be getting himself in goal scoring positions at all. He should have been screaming towards net when Wynn got to the errant header by Drenthe... Brian seems to have lost more than 1 step...

Altidore needs to come on...

[Erik Abarca]

i really think we can at the least tie this game up... freddy is feeling it and i think he is going to make something happen.

[Erik Abarca]

Andy, McBride is that type of foward, hes a in the box foward, true #9