USMNT
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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.
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
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.
Aaronsen. Hmmm. He’s an energy guy. Nonstop, which is great. I don’t get to see him play club, but he seems like the perfect pick up the team late sub.
I think the midfield is set: Adams/McKennie/Musah
Assuming we start in a 4-3-3…
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Second half was way better than the frustrating first!
Grreeeaaat play by the midfielders — making 40 yard runs right up the gut.
Ferreira finally broke through. Let’s hope that makes him more comfortable scoring moving forward.
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I don’t think it’ll happen, but I’d like to see Berhalter play either Weah or Reyna up top in one of these lead up games. So much depth with Aaronsen, Musah, McKennie, Pulisic, Weah, Adams, Reyna, De la Torre…to then put someone up top at the 9 that is far less talented seems like a bummer to me.
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@focojayhawk said in USMNT:
I don’t think it’ll happen, but I’d like to see Berhalter play either Weah or Reyna up top in one of these lead up games. So much depth with Aaronsen, Musah, McKennie, Pulisic, Weah, Adams, Reyna, De la Torre…to then put someone up top at the 9 that is far less talented seems like a bummer to me.
Hard to argue…
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Totally agree.
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@focojayhawk said in USMNT:
I don’t think it’ll happen, but I’d like to see Berhalter play either Weah or Reyna up top in one of these lead up games. So much depth with Aaronsen, Musah, McKennie, Pulisic, Weah, Adams, Reyna, De la Torre…to then put someone up top at the 9 that is far less talented seems like a bummer to me.
NBC predicts you may get your wish tonight…
Horvath
Yedlin – Zimmerman – Carter-Vickers – Robinson
Adams – Musah – McKennie
Pulisic – Weah – Aaronson
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Well that El Salvador game wasn’t too pleasant to watch! The Arriola red card should’ve been a yellow. The Adams yellow card maybe a red. Musah was very energetic, but could not finish a few prime opportunities. And that El Salvador goal: a blister of a shot, no doubt. But WTF was Harvath doing??? Cover the freaking post, the only place dude could have sent the ball given the defensive positioning.
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I gave up at the half. Those extreme field conditions completely negated any opportunity for switching the field and we couldnt seem to find the touch to put the ball in dangerous spots along the left and right channels.
I need to watch the second half today (I knew what happened, you didn’t spoil it
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Wouldn’t be USMNT without a complete shit show
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I thought about giving up at half as well.
At the start of the match, seeing the horrendous conditions, I couldn’t help but think that Pulisic and any other semi fragile player or valuable player should be OFF the field and on the bus to the airport. Who cares about this result.
The field was just so bad that as you say @approxinfinity , talent was minimized.
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@rockchalkjayhawk home field advantage was maximized. No VAR, mudbowls, Concacaf is RAW
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
@rockchalkjayhawk home field advantage was maximized. No VAR, mudbowls, Concacaf is RAW
TOTALLY!!!
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OMG, English “football” writers just crack me up. This story about the US squad had me crying. An excerpt: It was an archetypal febrile, bad-tempered, VAR-less Concacaf scrap on a dreadful surface, a context that will bear little resemblance to the Group B games in Qatar against Wales, England and Iran. You’d hope.
The Guardian story: https://sports.yahoo.com/world-cup-sight-usmnt-still-111447019.html
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@rockchalkjayhawk good article. I liked their takes across the board. They told it like it is And didn’t hesitate to criticize american coverage contributing to lack of interest in USMNT:
Sure, Friday’s NBA finals Game 4 held more interest for the average American sports fan than a Nations League stroll in a Texan sweatbox against the world’s 170th-ranked team. But did the Grenada game need to kick off on a Friday night at 10pm ET and be broadcast in English on the cavernous ESPN+ subscription streaming service, where viewers may have been distracted by alternative delights such as the La Crosse Loggers versus the Bismarck Larks in the Northwoods baseball league?
Tuesday’s clash in San Salvador, on FS1, Univision and TUDN, also kicked off at 10pm ET as the USMNT continued its war on people who have to get up early the next morning. The game even clashed with a rescheduled home MLS match for one of the continent’s most popular clubs, as Seattle hosted Vancouver. This on the day that MLS announced a lucrative and comprehensive deal with Apple TV; compare and contrast.
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
@rockchalkjayhawk good article. I liked their takes across the board. They told it like it is And didn’t hesitate to criticize american coverage contributing to lack of interest in USMNT:
Sure, Friday’s NBA finals Game 4 held more interest for the average American sports fan than a Nations League stroll in a Texan sweatbox against the world’s 170th-ranked team. But did the Grenada game need to kick off on a Friday night at 10pm ET and be broadcast in English on the cavernous ESPN+ subscription streaming service, where viewers may have been distracted by alternative delights such as the La Crosse Loggers versus the Bismarck Larks in the Northwoods baseball league?
Tuesday’s clash in San Salvador, on FS1, Univision and TUDN, also kicked off at 10pm ET as the USMNT continued its war on people who have to get up early the next morning. The game even clashed with a rescheduled home MLS match for one of the continent’s most popular clubs, as Seattle hosted Vancouver. This on the day that MLS announced a lucrative and comprehensive deal with Apple TV; compare and contrast.
Way more entertaining. You nailed it, they truly say it like it is.
Isn’t that just way more fun than reading something like this?
From Ives’ site: The USMNT was put under pressure in the first half by El Salvador and conceded 10 minutes from halftime with Alexander Larin supplying the opening goal.
Zzzzzzz
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That said Im enjoying The Athletics coverage of USMNT. Its behind a paywall but in depth.
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Good start to my afternoon…Kansas City and Seattle both get named as host cities for the 2026 World Cup ! The USMNT’s youth movement should by coming into its own by then. As for this year, I’ll be happy if we make it out of our group.
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I’m in Mexico on vacation right now. I’ve asked a few locals if they remember what happened 20 years ago today in world soccer. Then I reminded them of the fat ‘Dos a Cero’ the US laid on Mexico in the round of 16 in World Cup '02. They didn’t seem particularly interested in remembering…but I sure remember.
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@nwhawkfan said in USMNT:
Good start to my afternoon…Kansas City and Seattle both get named as host cities for the 2026 World Cup ! The USMNT’s youth movement should by coming into its own by then. As for this year, I’ll be happy if we make it out of our group.
Getting out of the group may be a close call this year. England the clear cut No. 1. I think we can do it, but the US, Wales and Iran aren’t too far apart in the world rankings. I truly believe we have more talent though. Just gotta play to that level and minimize the stupid mistakes.
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@focojayhawk said in USMNT:
I’m in Mexico on vacation right now. I’ve asked a few locals if they remember what happened 20 years ago today in world soccer. Then I reminded them of the fat ‘Dos a Cero’ the US laid on Mexico in the round of 16 in World Cup '02. They didn’t seem particularly interested in remembering…but I sure remember.
You’re typing, so you must still be alive after mentioning Dos A Cero while in Mexico. You got big balls!
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The manager of the Wales national team just resigned today. Ryan Giggs, the one-time Manchester United star, is facing domestic assault charges. His assistant took charge of the team in their last few games. Hard to tell how all of this will affect the USMNT in group play, but it ought to at least remove that possible distraction for the Welsh side.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/wales-wal/story/4688788/ryan-giggs-steps-down-as-wales-manager/
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@nwhawkfan said in USMNT:
The manager of the Wales national team just resigned today. Ryan Giggs, the one-time Manchester United star, is facing domestic assault charges. His assistant took charge of the team in their last few games. Hard to tell how all of this will affect the USMNT in group play, but it ought to at least remove that possible distraction for the Welsh side.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/wales-wal/story/4688788/ryan-giggs-steps-down-as-wales-manager/
There are some interesting charges levied against Giggs. The charges make him sound very controlling and jealous. Crazy. They say he kicked his girlfriend in the back, and booted her into the hall butt naked at a hotel! Too bad. He was a good player to watch back in the day.
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“Kate is a fame hungry wannabe wag. She was never going to stop until she bagged a footballer.” — Damian Burke, ex-husband.
Fun times
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
“Kate is a fame hungry wannabe wag. She was never going to stop until she bagged a footballer.” — Damian Burke, ex-husband.
Fun times
And the story gets better!
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I have been completely impressed with the U-20 team. Not something i typically watch, but I caught a few of their games the last few days in the CONCACAF U20 championship.
They seem confident as hell, dominated the ball, with some great shots on goal. They made the championship game, so can’t wait to watch that on Sunday.
Quinn Sullivan really seemed impressive. It’s my first time seeing any of these guys really.
Very fun to watch. Happy to see that. Very much hope that translates to the big boy team.
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@rockchalkjayhawk thanks for the heads up! Meant to watch more of them
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Just a dominant tournament for the US. They crushed the Dominican today.
I mean literally barely a shot taken on our goal in all games.
Very fun to watch.
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@rockchalkjayhawk twas. Reminded me of the womens dominance.
They were competing with themselves.
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@approxinfinity said in USMNT:
@rockchalkjayhawk twas. Reminded me of the womens dominance.
They were competing with themselves.
It really did remind me as well of the women’s dominance.
I don’t really follow the under 20s much, but if i recall they haven’t qualified for the olympics in like a decade? that says something about their performance this week.
Hard to get into the nitty gritty of their play without knowing the talent by name, but more than a few stood out. Aaronsen’s little brother tore it up!
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Their link up play was awesome. Felt like they were moving down the field at will all the way to a quality shot on frame.
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Well, disappointed that the last few games for both the men and women have been on a streaming pay service. Paramount+ just another one i gotta shell out cash for now i suppose. insert grumpy old man joke here: __________
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@rockchalkjayhawk There are a couple good shows on Paramount+ as well. Helps justify the cost. I figure it’s several hundred dollars to go to a game, so I don’t mind spending a few to watch it from the comfort of home. -and it’s still much cheaper than cable or satellite for me.
