USMNT
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@approxinfinity This is a fun one so far
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@BShark how great was Pulisic coming in and blowing it open? What a cross by Weah. Our roster was exactly what I wanted save Dest missing and Steffan in goal. But Steffan was solid and so was Yedlin.
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Musah/McKennie/Adams in the midfield for the next 5-6 years? I’ll take that any day. Pulisic/Aaronsen/Reyna/Weah as options on the wing? I’ll take that too.
It’s so fun to beat Mexico
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Weah is why you want guys in Europe. His soccer iq is off the charts due to being in the PSG youth system.
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@focojayhawk undoubtedly, and they play dirty against us. We need to get a little tougher.
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@BShark oh yeah, no comparison, not even close. A little over halfway there now right? Qualifying?
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Btw as we approach Thursday’s resumption of qualifiers I wanted to call out that Total Soccer Show podcast is USMNT every day podcast gold https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/total-soccer-show-usmnt-champions-league-epl-and-more/id327466681?i=1000548981909
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Anybody watch the El Salvador game last night? Nothing wrong with three points. But plenty wrong in the final third. Yikes.
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Not the best performance for sure. Ferreira was an interesting choice up front. I wondered if that was to save Pepi for Canada. As KU fans, we can also acknowledge that the key to lasting success sometimes is winning when you don’t play your best so the three points is all we probably ought to consider for now. If it bleeds into the Canada game, we’ll be writing something else here on Monday morning.
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Ferreira was looking like a really bad call until he had that header to connect to Robinson’s goal. That point blank shank was rough.
Antonee Robinson was a beast, I didn’t know he could be like that… Really impressive.
Zardes also wouldn’t have been my call for subbing in at the 9.
Pulisic looked like he was trying too hard. Hope playing for Tuchel who has had him out of position at Chelsea, sometimes playing wingback this season, hasn’t screwed with him. Bringing on Aaronson was the right call, but was hoping to see Pulisic play through his struggles and find form. There’s still time.
Musah was really good. Mckinnie has had better games. I think he gets a long leash right now because he’s a star at Juventus, but he hasnt really had an amazing game for the USMNT in a while.
Game could have easily been 4-1 or 5-1. I’ll feel much relieved to see Pepi find the back of the net once or twice in these qualifiers.
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Yup, I think we’d feel differently about this game had we actually put three goals on the board. That would have eased my complaints about sloppy play near the goal — a bit.
Musah. So funny you thought he was really good, Approx. I thought he was mostly invisible, which probably means he was doing the dirty work.
Pulisic wasnt involved much. All analysis I read blamed his play on great game planning by the opposing coach. He was surrounded at all times. Do you guys think Pulisic has lost a step or two? I’ve noticed that in EPL play. Injuries catching up to him?
McKennie was very involved. He had his moments. Held on to the ball way too long a few times. Skilled though. Him and Adams are the present and future.
My usual complaint was highly visible…our crossing was mostly awful.
Zimmerman was great. Not sure I like the Weah/Dest combo on the right. Didn’t allow Dest to shine down the wing. Guess that could be true with any combo.
The Canada game is gonna be tough.
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And shiiiittt! Just noticed another conflict Sunday with the Chiefs game!
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Pretty lackluster performance. Our CBs haven’t impressed. Our strategy to play it wide was ineffective. We didn’t reverse the ball across the back line fast enough or probe the central channel enough. Canadas play was more direct. Their d stayed compact and was never stretched. Berhalter said we dominated play. I saw a different game.
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Zardes at the 9 was a head scratcher. If we aren’t getting it in the box there’s no point having your least creative hustle guy at the 9.
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Zardes was clearly a poor choice and provided nothing (including a non-effort on the first goal), but this was an overall fail…made all the more possible by going behind so early and having to chase the game. Canada settled back and let the US possess the ball (thus the stats Gregg bragged about) and then clogged the box. I don’t think it’s the wrong players (Zardes aside), but a shake-up in tactics that would help.
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Great must win tonight vs Honduras. Total domination in the freezing weather. De la torre was all over the place!
So with three games left, there’s some work to be done. I figure Mexico wins out. Likely they finish at worst in 2nd behind Canada. Canada could win all three, but has a couple roadies. The US has two roadies. I pray they at least go 1-1-1 for Four points, which likely guarantees us a Top Four finish. I figure at Mexico is a loss. Home v Panama is a must win, and who knows at Costa Rica! Five points likely guarantees the US a Top Three finish. All could change with some upsets. Or it’s too late to do math and my brain hurts. So, I predict the final finish like this: 1 Canada 2 Mexico 3 US 4 and a possible point total tie between Panama and Costa Rica!
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Start of three game set tonight. I would have felt nerves regardless, but minus McKennie, Dest and Aaronson makes it an even taller task. Really hoping it doesn’t come down to needing points in Costa Rica on Wednesday.
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Going well tonight!
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Solid W. I have to admit that I wasn’t so happy to see Arriola, Ferreira or Moore in the starting XI, but they all played well. Unless they wet the bed in epic proportions, it will be great to be back in the World Cup.
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Shoot, forgot about this thread! Great game vs Panama last night. Totally needed that 3 points.
Looking back at my last post, I figured a loss at Mexico. Glad I was wrong, but after watching the game, we totally coulda walked away with another 3 points. Should woulda coulda. Oh well.
So one point! We need one point!!! Cmon boys!
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@focojayhawk moore looked a little lost but had moments. Happy to see Ferreria. Our biggest question mark right now is the 9. Felt he brings creativity and needs the run to see what we have in him. I have a soft spot for arriola. He always goes so hard knowing hes going to get injured. He was good last night. Very happy to see some de la torre. Kid is a stud. And acosta is my underrated player of the roster. I dont think moussa is a done deal. Both those guys add playmaking ability we need in the middle third.
Reports of Captain Americas demise were premature.
We could still make some noise this WC.
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I should add that Reyna has opened my eyes in the last two games.
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Just saw reminder that this will be (in theory) the last difficult World Cup qualifying period for the US, and the rest of the world.
The US co-hosts the next World Cup with Canada and Mexico, so they automatically qualify.
AND i think that World Cup field expands to 48 teams, with more Concacaf nations getting in.
So, for better or worse, the qualifying headaches should be over.
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We did it! Not pretty but we qualified!
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@approxinfinity It for sure wasn’t pretty, but it’ll be fun to watch them in the World Cup again. It would be REALLY fun to see what this team could do if all fully healthy at the same time…and then could be even more so four years from now when the best players are in their prime
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Didn’t lose by 7 yay.
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Doh! I just hope we have some good friendlies in the summer and fall to get that loss off our brains.
Gotta be weird to want to celebrate after that. Anybody see Pulisic’s post game chat? Somber.
Anyway, they did the job I guess. Onward.
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Continue to be impressed by de la torre. Imo hes made his case for starting over moussa.
The defense cant get caught sleeping like they were. Zimmerman didnt check back and yedlin was out to lunch at the 18 leaving an easy back run available.
But the defense and the 9 remain our biggest questions but i like the potential ferreira and pepi have shown. Please no more zardes or pefok. And if we have dest back we avoid the pick your poison of an aging yedlin and too green shaq moore on the right wingback.
I just want to score a bunch at the WC. I will be ok with giving up goals if we can just connect and make it excitng on the offensive end.
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Also, do we really need a million flat Pulisic crosses? Im concerned that our effort to get him going is going to hurt us against good teams. You can score a hatty on rebounds and PKs but dont be mistaken that this signals a need for a myopic retraction of the offense fixated on the fortunes of captain america.
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
Also, do we really need a million flat Pulisic crosses? Im concerned that our effort to get him going is going to hurt us against good teams. You can score a hatty on rebounds and PKs but dont be mistaken that this signals a need for a myopic retraction of the offense fixated on the fortunes of captain america.
Honestly, our crossing is not good no matter who’s doing the crossing.
A. Robinson needs a lot of work to up his crossing game, especially if he’s the guy running up and down the wing.
Pulisic hasn’t looked like the old quick, speedy guy he once was. not sure what the deal is there. he still does some good things of course, but he doesn’t beat anybody with speed anymore.
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Goal.com projects the US squad, and starters.
No real disagreements from me. But, I do wonder if we can play a 4-3-3 against really strong teams.
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/who-usmnt-roster-f2022-world-cup-qatar/blt42d0dc7e2460b006
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The World Cup draw is out!
US paired in same pot as England, Iran and play in game winner (Whales, Scotland, Ukraine).
Pretty good draw IMO.
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I coach soccer at my Junior Hi and nearly all the kids are from Mexico. They didn’t watch US-Costa Rica that night, they watched Mexico-El Salvador.
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No complaints about the draw. They’ll need to play well in all three games to advance…like the World Cup should be. Drawing a potential Group A 2nd round match isn’t a bad potential gig either. Can’t wait for November!
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@rockchalkjayhawk oh god it was brutal. Man city was shell shocked rest of half. I still think Turner should start.
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
@rockchalkjayhawk oh god it was brutal. Man city was shell shocked rest of half. I still think Turner should start.
Oh boy. I can imagine the players were steamed. I recall a few close calls or similar plays at the start of US games. Weird.
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Thought i’d revisit this topic since we’re in the midst of some USMNT games. what, four to go before the World Cup?
Watched the Uruguay game. tough match, but i was generally pleased with our play.
The general consensus seems to be we need to figure out who will play centrally with Zimmerman on defense.
And the usual issue: center forward
They honestly are all the same to me: Ferreira, Pepi, Sargent if you can qualify him as a striker.
Maybe this long lost Haji Wright will have an impact.
Fingers crossed tonight in Texas.
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More thoughts on the Uruguay game…
Seems like Berhalter’s plan to press up high after turnovers, but not everybody was buying into it. Kinda half assed in a way, because they found ways out and we were stuck with only a few back to defend the counter – with chaos at times in the box. unmarked guys, poor decisions.
Anyway, if that’s the plan, fine. Just be more organized.
Standouts good or bad:
– Joe Scally: wow. he’s got some growing to do. His decision making was horrendous, with even worse execution. Hope with more playing time he can make those decisions confidently, with force behind em.
– Forwards: meh, as usual.
– Keeper: nicely played.
Adams: all over the place as usual. caught up field a few times.
Musah: Efffffff yes!!! Love his style of play. just to it more often
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@rockchalkjayhawk I’m willing to give Haji Wright a chance, but he hasn’t inspired much confidence so far. It just looks like we’re going into WC without a good 9. Disappointing. I’m not opposed to putting Aaronsen there, or Pulisic. Someone with a scoring knack. This won’t happen of course.
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That being said, I think our pod is a tremendous draw. I believe we can shock UK as they wilt under their own pressure, and Wales and Iran should be beatable.
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Sean Johnson was a shocker, but I read up on him and he’s had a tremendous season in MLS. I thought Matt Turner would beat out Steffen, and I’m a little concerned that GK is still in flux. Bringing a 3rd guy in seems like a pretty drastic thing right on the cusp of WC.
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Yeah the midfield is not nearly as settled as I expected at this point. Adams is not impressing me at all right now, and moving Aaronsen to the midfield again seems like a disruption to a rotation that should have been settling. I was hoping Acosta would be in that rotation.
I’m not opposed to Aaronsen taking a central role. He is doing so for club, it just seems to be the 11th hour.
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I want to see as much de la Torre as possible. The kid I think has greatness in him. If we aren’t building him into a rotation piece for this WC I think it will be a mistake in hindsight.
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Happy to see arreola acosta and de la torre starting. Morris, meh. I think antonee robinson is overrated. Zimmerman is serviceable. Has mckinney been hitting the roids? Looks thick.
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Nice second half. Stopped trying to forcefeed Ferreira and started playing better soccer in the final 3rd
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Malik Tillman showed us some things! Excited to see him get run
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De La Torre was man of the match. So crisp
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
I want to see as much de la Torre as possible. The kid I think has greatness in him. If we aren’t building him into a rotation piece for this WC I think it will be a mistake in hindsight.
Totally agree. He seems so in control of his game.
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
Happy to see arreola acosta and de la torre starting. Morris, meh. I think antonee robinson is overrated. Zimmerman is serviceable. Has mckinney been hitting the roids? Looks thick.
I was thinking the same thing about Weston! He looked huge tonight. Maybe he’s bulking up to impress Pulisic’s sister
I’m fine with A Robinson. He seems like our best option. I didn’t think much of him a year ago, but he’s grown on me.
