USMNT
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CCV and Richards out for friendlies https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4749662/celtics-cameron-carter-vickers-could-miss-usmnt-september-friendlies
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It’s interesting how dismissive Berhalter is of Tim Ream. I know he hasn’t been awesome for the USMNT in the past, but he’s a captain and starter on a Premier League team and yet can’t even make the roster? Even with CCV and Richards out!
I like the idea of Weah at the 9. Sargent has played well recently so we’ll see if his form holds. The issue seems to be getting the best players on the field and with such great wingers and such a vacuum up front, it’ll be interesting to see what Berhalter does. Sadly I think it ends up with Ferreira at the 9. Hard pass.
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@focojayhawk said in USMNT:
It’s interesting how dismissive Berhalter is of Tim Ream. I know he hasn’t been awesome for the USMNT in the past, but he’s a captain and starter on a Premier League team and yet can’t even make the roster? Even with CCV and Richards out!
I like the idea of Weah at the 9. Sargent has played well recently so we’ll see if his form holds. The issue seems to be getting the best players on the field and with such great wingers and such a vacuum up front, it’ll be interesting to see what Berhalter does. Sadly I think it ends up with Ferreira at the 9. Hard pass.
I think Berhalter’s big plan for the back line is simple: have some recovery speed.
Guys like Brooks and Ream don’t fit that mold.
Smart plan or not, that appears to be the main prerequisite. speed (ish).
Berhalter likes to hold a high line with defenders. That means they need to be able to play catch up and get back quickly.
Ream seems decent enough. more plodding and strong than speedy though.
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Game starting soon! 937 EST
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Oops 825 EST!
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Not what we wanted to see. Where to start…
–The better team won and the score line should have been worse
–SO many giveaways in the defensive half. Can’t blame field conditions for that
–Very little to say about anything on the attacking half because they were so rarely there. Ferreira had one chance in the first half and wasn’t close. We got no answers about who will play the 9 from today
–Long was horrible. Zimmerman was pedestrian at best. Tell me again why there’s no Tim Ream on this team?
–Turner was the bright spot. Had no chance on the two goals and I thought he played well
Can’t say I’m super hopeful…even if Pulisic comes back. That was a total clinic by Japan
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We were awful. Mckinney Long and Zimmerman all played unforgivable lazy passes right to Japanese players in the central channel while they themselves were wide. Ferreira could have hammered that header home if he was taller. I only saw first half.
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Same here…first half was a hot mess. Way too many giveaways. Heard we looked a little better in the second half.
If it’s any consolation, England and Wales didn’t look so good in their losses either. Meanwhile, Iran beat Uruguay, who’s arguably the third best team in South America after Brazil and Argentina. It’s anyone’s guess who advances out of this group to the knockout round in December. But I’m not holding my breath for the USMNT if they play like they did today.
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Well, didn’t realize they were playing today, so just finished watching!
Entirely forgettable in every way. Uninspired. Lackluster.
The first half was really lazy and bad. Sooo many giveaways. Slight improvement in the second half.
Agree with @focojayhawk . How can you even critique individual offensive players when they hardly touched the ball?
Japan just outsmarted and outplayed the US in every way. Berhalter gets an F for tactics today.
If I recall, Dest didn’t get back in time and his man scored?
Anyway, not a good looking team at all today. No Pulisic and Weah. Pulisic likely would not have helped much given we couldn’t really get the ball forward, but Weah may have helped with some runs to open up some space.
The mystical Reyna touched the ball a few times. Got a cross in. Another time he dribbled from one side of the field to the other, refusing to pass to anybody. Lost that possession I believe. He looks slow and disinterested.
On Japan’s second goal, our defenders simply refused to defend. Three or four guys were to all sides of the oncoming goal scorer, none stepped up and ever got close to him. Just don’t understand that at all. Zero effort to stop him.
Anyway, that was disappointing, but not a big deal in the big picture I guess.
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And that field!!! Wow. Hoping to find a story that explains the really bad pitch.
Oh, I have to say that these friendlies seem so unorganized. VAR, no VAR? Who knows. Even the broadcaster ESPN didn’t know the answer. It was used once, but not again on blatant, cardable fouls. Weird.
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Well, the send off Saudi game was about as lackluster as they come.
Fingers crossed they rediscover their mojo before the Cup.
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Guess I’m not alone thinking we weren’t very good! Sigh.
From Goal.com It was the U.S. men’s national team’s final match before the World Cup, and boy was it a dud.
It was a game devoid of anything. It had no goals, no big moments, no promising sequences. The one memorable thing from this content will be a potential injury to a key star. (Reyna)
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We’ve run out of time. We seem to have no idea who we are.
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
We’ve run out of time. We seem to have no idea who we are.
Well put. Sure seems that way.
And Reyna, hurt again.
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Not sure I could have any less expectation for success at the World Cup. Hope I’m pleasantly surprised…and that the US can score a goal at least once in their three games
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@focojayhawk said in USMNT:
Not sure I could have any less expectation for success at the World Cup. Hope I’m pleasantly surprised…and that the US can score a goal at least once in their three games
Wow, I had the same thought. Will the US score in the WC? I hope they are just playing possum, and bust out the offense soon.
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The World Cup roster is out. a few surprise, but nothing game changing.
U.S. World Cup roster for Qatar 2022
Goalkeepers: Matt Turner, Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson
Fullbacks: Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, DeAndre Yedlin, Joe Scally, Shaq Moore
Center backs: Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Tim Ream
Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Luca de la Torre, Kellyn Acosta, Cristian Roldan
Wingers: Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson, Jordan Morris
Strikers: Jesús Ferreira, Josh Sargent, Haji Wright
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i’m a bit surprised that Cameron Carter Vickers made the roster. But, given the injuries at center back, i suppose he had to.
As for Ream, same deal. But with Miles Robinson and Chris Richards hurt, that’s what we got.
Strikers: not sure it really matters!
A bit weird that Reggie Cannon was left off in favor of Shaq Moore, whom we haven’t seen too much of.
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I don’t have many issues with the roster…
GK: Reports had come out about Steffen. Not sure it really matters. Turner is clearly the guy.
Fullbacks: I guess I’m surprised they took five…and that Cannon wouldn’t then be the 5th. Shaq Moore is pretty out of the blue. Perhaps there’s an injury with a current right back (Dest?) and he’s injury insurance.
Midfield: I don’t think Roldan will touch the field, but I’ve heard that he’s a great locker room guy…a veteran presence…a Berhalter guy. Tillman would’ve been a higher ceiling guy, but the 6th mid won’t see the field.
Wingers: The surprise to me is no Arriola. He’s a Berhalter guy to the Nth degree. I did listen to Roger Bennett’s interview with Berhalter this evening and Berhalter said that Arriola got so much run because at every camp they were missing a winger due to injury. The reality that Pulisic, Weah, Reyna and Aaronson are fit right now…and Morris could play the 9 in a pinch.
Strikers: We all knew Ferreira would go (and sadly will probably play a ton). I like that they brought Sargent. And Wright has been scoring and basically brings what Pefok brings plus he can go at guys 1v1.
Looking forward to it!
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The one that surprised me was the omission of Zack Steffen from the roster. He used to be our #1 in goal, but I guess all that sitting on the bench at Man City didn’t help, and the loan to Middlesborough for more PT wasn’t enough to sway Berhalter.
On the plus side, glad to see our local favorites Morris, Roldan and Yedlin make the team.
Saw highlights of Chelsea’s League Cup loss to Man City today. Pulisic got the start and had a couple of close-in chances early on, but couldn’t finish.
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I also think it was good to see Ream make it
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It does sound like Dest is an injury concern. So I think you’re right @focojayhawk , Shaq is an insurance policy.
I wonder if there was a weird vibe or something between Steffen and Turner? Who knows.
I’ve been watching lots of Leeds games so far this season. I’m not displeased that Ream made the roster. Strong defender. A captain. I’m guessing we could be on our heels a bit in the WC, so he can play if we’re defending a lot.
Edit: oops, meant to say I’ve watched a bunch of Fulham games…but I’ve watched a bunch of Leeds too
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I think really the only starting 11 question is:
Aaronsen or Reyna?
Tough call. At least Aaronsen puts in nonstop effort. Reyna still a bit of a mystery to me.
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Looks like everybody on our roster escaped their club games this past weekend without any more injuries.
Josh Sargent scored for Norwich against Middlesborough goalie Zach Steffen, who was left off the US WC team. (Boro got the win though. )
Speaking of spurned players, my favorite story of the weekend was Brentford striker Ivan Toney. Left off the England squad, he took it out on Manchester City. Toney scored twice in a 2-1 upset of the defending EPL champions. First time Brentford has won a road game in Manchester since 1937…85 years !
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Ted Lasso is on board with the USMNT ! Billboard, that is.
