USMNT Thread

kgilbert78

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One challenge this weekend is how window this impacts MLS teams. The Crew might have as few as 12 players and a keeper (but likely will call up a couple from Crew 2) vs NYCFC this weekend.
 

LaJollaCreek

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Poch choke job. Pssst the US is more than a coach away, nothing has changed. That was a blah performance all the way around.
 
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Tom McAndrew

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Woodpecker

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Poch choke job. Pssst the US is more than a coach away, nothing has changed. That was a blah performance all the way around.
Just turrible. Lack of aggression in the first half. They picked it up in the second half, came close a couple of times but couldn't finish. Panama D seemed to have size; they played well. Ultimately, Panama took advantage of a mistake in the 95th minute.
 
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Tom McAndrew

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Erial_Lion

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I never watched Thursday’s game, and after a long 4 days of basketball, I zipped thru this one. Only two positives I can give are…

1) I’m glad we’ve finally locked down Luna. He was one of the few that made a net positive contribution I thought tonight. Seeing him at this level in a sorta meaningful game, I’m still perplexed as to why he didn’t make the Olympic team.

2) Thank goodness we’ve got a big name foreign coach now so that some might see that it’s not all simply Berhalter’s fault…we’ve got some big holes in the player pool, and we’re not a “just play CCV” or “play less MLS guys” away from being the dominant team many seem to think we should be.
 

LaJollaCreek

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I never watched Thursday’s game, and after a long 4 days of basketball, I zipped thru this one. Only two positives I can give are…

1) I’m glad we’ve finally locked down Luna. He was one of the few that made a net positive contribution I thought tonight. Seeing him at this level in a sorta meaningful game, I’m still perplexed as to why he didn’t make the Olympic team.

2) Thank goodness we’ve got a big name foreign coach now so that some might see that it’s not all simply Berhalter’s fault…we’ve got some big holes in the player pool, and we’re not a “just play CCV” or “play less MLS guys” away from being the dominant team many seem to think we should be.
Luna did really well out there and did more with the ball than most on the pitch. The people that were screaming GB out like he was the thing holding the US national team back must be scratching their heads right about now. I said it when Poch was hired....the ceiling didn't move an inch in terms of the the WC. This team is a team that will be lucky to get out of any group in the WC no matter the HC. We have a keeper that is average when you look back at Howard, Keller, Freidel.....we have Turner who has 2 left feet back there and every team presses him for that reason. Pulisic was average in both games and isn't a #10 no matter how many people try to slam that round peg into that sqaure hole.
 

kgilbert78

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We are further away from having a good team than we were in 2002 at the Korea World Cup. Some good international talent, like Pulisic. But.... We should be better in goal, for one. As I recall, Turner also is not playing regular club ball. Schulte, who is, is better (mind you, being a Crew fan, I'm biased).
 

CyphaPSU

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Question marks down the middle of the pitch. Goalkeeper is very questionable right now, the centerbacks are huge questions at the moment, the central midfield has issues, and with injuries the striker position is problematic at this time. Pulisic needs to play on the wing opposite of Weah. Someone needs to be able to try to beat his marker in progressing the ball; if we can't do that, then we can't force an opponent out of their defensive shape and therefore we create no opportunities. I think this is where someone like Dest is sorely missed—he has that ability to occasionally beat a man and create a situation for the US to have a numbers advantage in the attack. The hope was that a guy like Reyna would become the guy who can create some space for himself in the midfield and pick out an attacker to link up with (because he has shown the ability to hit that final pass), but his career has seemingly stalled and I'm afraid it has a lot to do with what is going on between the ears.

It would also help to actually win some second opportunities in the final third, but I guess I'm asking too much.

Luna showed something that the first team could use: the combination of technical ability with creative vision on the ball. His distribution was impressive. Plus, it really helps his case that he also hustled all over the field trying to break up the other team's possession. So far he's earned more playing time with the first team.
 

Erial_Lion

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I feel like our first 11 will still have some teeth in the attack when we add in Dest and Antonee...but it's a big drop off if one of them picks up two yellows or is injured (or just needs a rest). It's unfortunate that our best 11 likely don't play together in a game that means anything at all until we get into our World Cup camp.

It's kinda shocking that this is where we're at with how bright things looked ~5 years ago. Just so many guys that haven't progressed (or have moved backwards) in that time. Even beyond the obvious ones, someone like Konrad was an 18 year old getting minutes here and there for Barcelona...now he's 23 and playing in Switzerland.

And I have no idea where we're going at GK. A generation ago, we've got Marcus Hahnemann starting every week in the Premier League, and he can't get anything other than token minutes for the USMNT as our #3. Now, we've got no good options.
 

Tgar

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Luna did really well out there and did more with the ball than most on the pitch. The people that were screaming GB out like he was the thing holding the US national team back must be scratching their heads right about now. I said it when Poch was hired....the ceiling didn't move an inch in terms of the the WC. This team is a team that will be lucky to get out of any group in the WC no matter the HC. We have a keeper that is average when you look back at Howard, Keller, Freidel.....we have Turner who has 2 left feet back there and every team presses him for that reason. Pulisic was average in both games and isn't a #10 no matter how many people try to slam that round peg into that sqaure hole.
No scratching or wondering. When one HC can’t get a bunch of privileged malcontents to play the team game, you try someone else. In the end, two things may be true. GB ( while having the media presence of a dishrag ) may not have been the problem and the players have little spine for the International competitions.

You have to change out parts to find out. Changing Head Coaches is easier than a complete team overhaul.
 

Tgar

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One thing Canada does consistently, they play a very athletic game based on pressing the attack. They do not shy away from a challenge. Scrappy is how I would describe them.
 

LaJollaCreek

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No scratching or wondering. When one HC can’t get a bunch of privileged malcontents to play the team game, you try someone else. In the end, two things may be true. GB ( while having the media presence of a dishrag ) may not have been the problem and the players have little spine for the International competitions.

You have to change out parts to find out. Changing Head Coaches is easier than a complete team overhaul.
The dishrag comment is true and that was from the jump because a portion of US fans are delusional about the talent level and where the US is on the global stage. Then the Reyna fake outrage due to his parents acting like spoiled JO's made it even worse of a $h**show.

Funny thing is I didn't hear a peep about the bench call ups for an actual competition being mostly MLS guys, but certain people lost their minds over it under GB. Maybe Poch steadies the ship and we can get out of a group again, but with the lack of a world class keeper or striker.....that will be a tall task. Thankfully we got rid of a coach who was winning titles and beating Mexico with those same players though...it's worked out wonderful so far.
 
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kgilbert78

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The dishrag comment is true and that was from the jump because a portion of US fans are delusional about the talent level and where the US is on the global stage. Then the Reyna fake outrage due to his parents acting like spoiled JO's made it even worse of a $h**show.

Funny thing is I didn't hear a peep about the bench call ups for an actual competition being mostly MLS guys, but certain people lost their minds over it under GB. Maybe Poch steadies the ship and we can get out of a group again, but with the lack of a world class keeper or striker.....that will be a tall task. Thankfully we got rid of a coach who was winning titles and beating Mexico with those same players though...it's worked out wonderful so far.
I'd settle for a North American caliber striker.
 
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Erial_Lion

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Funny thing is I didn't hear a peep about the bench call ups for an actual competition being mostly MLS guys, but certain people lost their minds over it under GB. Maybe Poch steadies the ship and we can get out of a group again, but with the lack of a world class keeper or striker.....that will be a tall task. Thankfully we got rid of a coach who was winning titles and beating Mexico with those same players though...it's worked out wonderful so far.
I giggled while watching Sunday's game, thinking about the outrage had Gregg brought in Brian White for the last 15 minutes of a key game where we needed a goal. It would have proved what an idiot he was, and how he overvalued MLS guys.
 

Tgar

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Should we start a World Cup Qualifiers Thread?

Argentina 4. Brazil 1. No Messi, just horses running wild. Brazil is a shell of it‘s former self currently.