Reminder that there is another game of interest to USMNT fans today, as Ukraine takes on Scotland at 2:45pm on ESPN2. The winner plays Wales on Sunday, with the winner of that game joining our group in Qatar.
USMNT 2022 World Cup Qualifying Thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
I am interested in seeing CCV get a good fair shake this window at playing time. He is by no means a mistake-free defender (if he were, he'd be in the starting XI for Tottenham at this point), but at the very least I do want to see what he can offer against international-level competition as a data point of comparison vis-à-vis someone like Aaron Long (who seems to be in line for the start tonight). From what I've read, after a shaky start to his play (in conjunction with his entire team) in the Champions League this past season, he really started to settle in and play fairly well in European competition as the season progressed. So, I am definitely intrigued to see how his development translates to the international game.
I am a Celtic supporter, and was having a conversation about CCV with a Spurs friend a few weeks back. He said of course, CCV is no where near good enough to be on Spurs and if he were, he would be there now. Hard to argue to a point, however the potential is there., my friend disagreed with that.
My point was Virgil van Dijk was on Celtic at the same age as CCV is now. At that point, any EPL team could have swooped in and bought him, but they didn't. Finally, Celtic sold him off to to Southampton and it wasn't until then that bigger clubs were biting. Now, was VVD not good for celtic or were people just being snobby and looking down at the SPL. I think the latter and I also think him being an american doesn't hlep.
Was Virgil van Dijk better than the defenders who were on Liverpool at the time that he was on Celtic? Uh, yeah. Sakho and Lovren were on Liverpool at the time and about the same age as VVD. So saying that just because CCV isn't playing for Spurs right now means he isn't good enough is a bad argument.
If CCV was a stock, I would be investing quite a bit into him right now. The kid, if he keeps it up, will be a star.
He was already the best defender in the SPL just like VVD was at the same time.
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I agree—that would be a bad argument.
What I stated was that Cameron Carter-Vickers is not a mistake-free CB. He's had some inconsistencies earlier on in his career at various stops in England/Wales while under contract with Spurs; and, because of that he has had a series of loan spells with several clubs instead of being recalled and given a chance to rise through the ranks at Tottenham.
My overall point really had to do with wanting to see how well CCV has developed his game since the last time he was in the USMNT camp. Positively, I want to see Berhalter give him a fair chance at showing what he can do during actual game minutes because I'm not fully convinced that Long and Zimmerman are unquestionably better than other CB's in the pool who have not been getting into camps as much—such as CCV. Quite frankly, I'm delighted he is at Celtic and being a big contributor. Despite the fact that the SPL is not as highly rated, he gets to play in some intense matches and as well as European competition. This, by far, has been his most successful season of his club career and he deserved this callup. I hope he is given a legitimate chance to impress the boss during this window.
BTW, I wasn't saying you were making the bad argument, my friend was. I am not at all convinced with Long or Zimmerman either.
Ukraine is an excellent squad. Their young bucks won the U-20 world cup about 3 years ago....they have plenty of talent. No doubt in my mind it would be a huge upset of the US to beat them assuming they advance.
KO time against Morocco. I'm looking forward to watching how the new pieces in the lineup look.
the USA in a 3-4-3. They started out getting a lot of pressure in their offensive half with this configuration. No goals from that so far, but it's promising. The disappointment has been in the other half. If there's a turnover by the USA, or a good clear by Morocco, and the USA middies don't get good pressure on the ball, then the USA's D has looked vulnerable with only 3 back.
GOALLLLLLLL, USA
Aaronson with the goal, after a great play and assist by Pulisic.
1-0, USA
Aaronson with the goal, after a great play and assist by Pulisic.
1-0, USA
GOALLLLLLLL!!!!
Weah with a rocket strike from just outside the box for the goal.
2-0, USA
Weah with a rocket strike from just outside the box for the goal.
2-0, USA
Just tuned in. What's up with Morocco? Their defense was let's just say, lacking on Weah's goal.
Would tonight have gone differently if CCV got the start and Long came in at the half? We know they are all going to get opportunities during this window. It’s not like CCV is some no-brainer at this point.Long over Carter-Vickers
can’t wait until Berhalter is gone
He is trash out there so far
USMNT Player Ratings: Aaronson, Weah lead commanding 3-0 win over Morocco | MLSSoccer.com
In a friendly between two Qatar 2022 World Cup-bound teams, the United States dispatched Morocco efficiently Wednesday night in a 3-0 win at FC Cincinnati's TQL Stadium.
www.mlssoccer.com
USMNT: Aaron Long could be the defender Gregg Berhalter needs to fill injured Miles Robinson's shoes
Long was given a difficult job against Morocco and he did it well, keeping Achraf Hakimi quiet all night long
www.cbssports.com
USMNT stock watch: Matt Turner and Joe Scally look sharp but no striker steps up
Who helped and who hurt themselves ahead of the World Cup in November?
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Amazing offensive night, but you could tell the defense hadn’t played together much. Cannon was terrible defensively and didn’t give us much offensively. Aaron Long just isn’t fast anymore - he was really twitchy before the Achilles injury but he’s not now. CCV was solid, Zimmerman was too. Morocco definitely showed how easily good teams can switch into the spaces behind the marauding fullbacks off of turnovers and create easy chances. CONCACAF teams don’t do that much.
Aaronson was really positive as a 10, Haji was better than Ferreira at giving us a presence at the 9, and Weah looked like a man among boys against a good Moroccan team. Not sure what else to take from it really except that the 3 man midfield was not doing much after we lost the ball. It was hot and we only pressed a little, but it was good when we did. When Morocco pressed they made our centerbacks look like MLS players. Another thing to watch against better teams.
but hey, 3-0 against a good Morocco team is a really good result, and it was 2-0 against their best team.
Aaronson was really positive as a 10, Haji was better than Ferreira at giving us a presence at the 9, and Weah looked like a man among boys against a good Moroccan team. Not sure what else to take from it really except that the 3 man midfield was not doing much after we lost the ball. It was hot and we only pressed a little, but it was good when we did. When Morocco pressed they made our centerbacks look like MLS players. Another thing to watch against better teams.
but hey, 3-0 against a good Morocco team is a really good result, and it was 2-0 against their best team.
Good stuff. It was a good result against a solid team. The midfield has a decent amount of depth right now so hopefully that holds true come this November. Aaronson is just the man with his work rate. Aaronson, Musah, an Del Torre can get the ball and take it up the pitch in a blink of an eye. Turner had another Turner night and has to be in line for that #1 spot right now. Weah is getting some thickness to him while maintaining his speed.....future of this young squad is bright. The core of this team is under 23 years of age so the next WC cycles or two should be fun.
I think that is the correct take at this moment. CCV cut-out several passes in critical spots on the field, and yet also misjudged a cross into the area that allowed for a dangerous header on goal (one disadvantage he has is a slightly lesser stature than some other CBs). Like I wrote yesterday, he is not mistake-free and that was one example. However, I was mostly pleased with his positioning and ability to read the play. I'd like to see more opportunities for him.
I want to see EPB against Uruguay. After last night and some previous games, I don’t need Long to be anything other than depth. Guy got cooked on a turn 35 yards out near the sideline. As a centerback. Can’t happen.
Uruguay is going to have some combo of Luis Suarez’s corpse, Cavani’s Sepultura hair, or Darwin Nunez playing up top, which is a about a million times better than anything Waller Zimmerman or Aaron Long have ever faced. Palmer-Brown can run, and without Miles the only other guy we have who can is Richards, and he’s out. But if you let Cavani or Nunez run free they will bury the chances that Morocco wasted.
CCV looked ok. He got a couple things wrong, like the open header, but we’re also still exposing the centerbacks to some pretty tough spots by playing 4 at the back but using the fullbacks as wingbacks. There’s a reason pretty much no one does that (unless they play a double pivot, which we do not).
Image Gladbach posted for Scally's first cap. I'd buy the poster....
Uruguay had little problem handling Mexico. What should the USMNT expect from Cavani and Co.?
Uruguay, fresh off a emphatic win over Mexico, will be brimming with confidence as it prepares for the USMNT in another critical pre-World Cup test.
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USA 0-0 Uruguay (Jun 5, 2022) Game Analysis - ESPN
Expert recap and game analysis of the United States vs. Uruguay International Friendly game from June 5, 2022 on ESPN.
www.espn.com
USMNT, Uruguay Play to Scoreless Draw in Pre-World Cup Friendly
The 13th-ranked Celeste likely represent the most difficult opponent the U.S. will face before kicking off in Qatar this fall.
www.si.com
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