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US Soccer future in good hands

Discussion in 'Other Sports' started by ferrari77, Aug 2, 2018.

  1. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    Torn n Frayed likes this.
  2. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    Not a bad showing for Gregg Berhalter's first game. 3-0 win over Panama. They used a lot of previously uncapped players (5 started the game...most since 1992). I was especially impressed by Alex Lima and Djordje Mihailovic. You could see what Berhalter is trying to do and it will be interesting when they play a better team in a couple days (Costa Rica)...even moreso in March at BBVA Compass when he should have more of a full complement (it's an international date on the FIFA calendar). More possession and movement from the outside backs. Lima was tasked with coming in to help Bradley and close down the little spaces between the mids and the backs....amazingly something no other US coach has ever thought of. I'm not kidding either. There's always been a huge gap between the mids and the backs. It'll be interesting to see if he uses Yedlin the same way.

    I think a few guys have earned themselves a callback in March to train with the big boys. Lima, Mihailovic, Walter Zimmerman (had a nice finish off a Lima cross), Aaron Long all looked good.
     
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  3. ferrari77

    ferrari77 Contributing Member

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    You forgot to mention (I guess it was easier to see after the second match) Lletget and Jonathan Lewis. Lewis is lovely to watch play and unfortunately it seems he might not get much playing time at NYCFC. Hopefully that won't be the case and they'll play him a bit more this season.
    Lletget is also a quality talent and definitely Roldan and Arriola. Will be nice to see how they mix with the European based players in March.
     
  4. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    I only saw parts of the 2nd game. I liked what I did see. I like that Berhalter isn't going to just default to a "defend and counter" strategy. He's trying to implement a more professional game with possession and some risk taking.

    I've always like Lletget. I've never been a fan of Arriola. I just don't like his game. He's a pure effort guy which is nice to have around...but I don't see the skill level to be able to be effective on the international level. I could see him some day transitioning to the back because his game might be more effective as a defender. Maybe I just haven't seen enough of him but I don't think he's worthy of being in the pool, especially once the rest of the team is involved.

    I do think Nick Lima is going to make some noise. He's going to have to beat out Yedlin for significant minutes. But there are things I saw that tell me that he might do that. He's a better player with the ball and seems to keep himself in good defensive positions...whereas Yedlin has always relied on his amazing speed.

    There's something to look forward to and the March camp should be really interesting to see how Berhalter does with a full complement.
     
  5. NewRoxFan

    NewRoxFan Contributing Member

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  6. PhiSlammaJamma

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    I think our spy game is underdeveloped. I've watched enough games of thrones that we need to develop our spy network. If you want to play with the big boyz you get devious and plant some spies. If we cant infiltrate the players or coaches, we can get architects to build secret tunnels into the practice facilities we can access at will. This war will be won with technology and intelligence.
     
  7. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    You can be Little finger.
     
  8. DreamShook

    DreamShook Member

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    USA playing Ecuador with all the players. Official USMNT reboot.
     
  9. PhiSlammaJamma

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    There's musical rhythm to her video, and she cute
     
  10. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    That was kind of nothing game. Granted, they only had 3 days together before hand so my expectations weren't that high. Getting the win was good. But to have over 60% of possession and only get off 5 shots ain't grand. There was good and not so good. Central defense looked good. Adams looked uncomfortable in that outside right back/stopper role. Pulisic had some good moments. We're going to have to live with Berhalter defaulting to some of his former Crew players with Zardes and Trapp. I really would've liked to have seen Nick Lima brought in with this group to play that right back role. He did it so well in the earlier games. Shame Steve Cherundolo isn't 15 years younger. He'd be perfect in that role. Maybe I'm still the only one, but I think Paul Arriola is terrible.

    I'm concerned about the forward position. If they're waiting on Altidore to be fully ready to go, then we're in trouble. Where's Josh Sargent and TIm Weah? They need to be here with the older players as they're the ones that are going to be key to qualifying.

    I will say this. The qualifying for the 2020 Olympics is this year and there has never been a more important tournament to this national team. They have to qualify and play in Japan in 2020. It's absolutely crucial to get the U23 players in a major tournament before the bulk of 2022 qualifying is underway. This year's Gold Cup is important, too (if not only for winning it means automatic qualification into the 2021 Confed Cup). But the entire federation should be focused on 2020 right now.

    I'm still debating going to Tuesday's game. Have stuff going on that might prevent it but I'd really like to go.
     
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  11. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Zardes had one great touch leading to the goal, then had about 10 horrid touches.....where is Bobby Wood?

    DD
     
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  12. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    My takeaways from last night...

    Corey Baird is not a good soccer player. This guy is in the MLS? He made touches and decisions that I'd question him for with the U10 team I coach.

    Zardes is not the long (or even short) term answer up front. The pass to Pulisic was very nice. The rest was crap. I'm not sure if it's Berhalter telling him this, but he's dropping way too deep into the defensive 1/3. The backs win the ball and there's no where to go with it.

    Yedlin doesn't understand how to play right back in this system. He was in no-man's land all night. I want to see Nick Lima in the Gold Cup.

    Michael Bradley is still capable of some nice things but they're getting fewer and fewer by the game. He had a fantastic pass to Baird (who proceeded to act like he was scared of the ball). I realize Berhalter wants to be a higher possession team. That doesn't mean go backwards with nearly every touch. There were opportunities to go forward and play the ball through but he went backwards time and time again.

    Omar Gonzalez is done at this level. He proved that John Brooks is the man and that's it.

    Tim Ream does lots of things well but has 1 or 2 just imbecilic plays in each game.

    Paul Nipples still sucks. He has the instincts (and first touch) of a brick wall.

    This team is apparently going to live and die with Pulisic unless they start getting more of the young guys incorporated with him. I still don't understand why Weah and Sargent weren't in this camp. Would've been nice to see a lineup with Pulisic, Weah, Sargent, Mckennie, and Adams. Maybe in Japan next year...

    All in all...it was as good as one could expect for Berhalter in his first 4 games. Got a bunch of players in and exposed to his system. If he wants to play a possession game, he's going to have to use players who are capable. Too many terrible passes and touches last night. Switching back and forth from this game to the Rockets game was a bit surreal. Both teams kept giving the ball away at terrible spots with boneheaded and sloppy decision making. I really think outside mid is going to be an issue for a while. I haven't seen anyone lately that can keep the ball well enough, with good instincts on when to hit the cross and when to pull back. I'm looking forward to the Gold Cup but Olympic qualifying is vastly more important this year.
     
  13. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    US U-20 MNT through to the Round of 16 in the U-20 World Cup. I've watched some of all 3 1st round games (2-1 loss to Ukraine, 2-0 win over Nigeria, 1-0 win over Qatar). Some meh but more that makes me excited for the future. There's some real talent coming up. Much of this team is based in Europe. All players are playing professionally somewhere...or at least tied to a professional team.

    They play France in the Round of 16 on Tuesday at 10:30. Games are on FS1 and FS2. Watch if you can. There's hope...
     
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  14. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    BIG win for USMNT U20s. Just took out France in the Round of 16. They were up 1-0 early and then France took over. France was up 2-1 when Tab Ramos made a couple of subs and moved Tim Weah centrally. It worked out perfectly as the boys picked up 2 goals after the 80th and then held on to win. Weah's pass for the tying goal was a thing of beauty. He played a part in the winning goal, too.

    We're in the quarters for the 3rd consecutive Cup. Next up is Ecuador on Saturday.
     
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  15. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    Here's the 3 US Goals

     
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  16. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    First of 2 warmups for the Gold Cup on now...USA vs Jamaica on FS1. Saturday vs. Venezuela.
     
  17. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    This is the WORST MF I have ever seen the USA put on the pitch, this game was TERRIBLE, couldn't link up turnovers turnovers turnovers...I am pretty sure my son's 16 year old Premier team would beat this team.

    The fans are rightfully booing most of these players are awful - it shows you how you can be an AVERAGE soccer player and still play pro soccer though.

    DD
     
  18. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    That was f***ing awful. They can spin it how they want (just a friendly, not enough time together, etc)...but that was just f***ing awful.

    How the f*** is Antonee Robinson playing in England? No touch. No sense of where to be. Horrifyingly bad decision making. He had 0 positive touches last night. He was so bad that it made me a little pissed that I never got a chance...to be on this roster at 43 years old. There were no positives from anyone that played in red. Even Zach Steffen played like an idiot.

    I get that wasn't the "A" team. I get it was a formation in which Berhalter was experimenting. That doesn't excuse the amateurish touches, passing, defending, and decision making all night long. It's not like Jamaica played exceptionally well. They didn't have to. We were no threat in any aspect of the game. This was a confidence KILLER...for the fans and the players. They'd better show up on Saturday with something even slightly competent for the last warmup.
     
  19. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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  20. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    You're correct.

    Berhalter is going to call up guys familiar with his system like Zardes and Trapp. Whether they should be there or not is another question. The real pisser of this is the effect on Sargent. There's no excuse to not carry him in the Gold Cup. You took him from the U-20's and now he has the summer off for no reason.

    Bummer for the U-20's this morning...losing to Ecuador 2-1. Really thought that 2nd goal was offside but VAR got it right. There were chances to tie it but it just wasn't our day. Unfortunately, Soto's first touch got the best of him today. Had a great opportunity to tie it late but his touch got just enough away to kill the angle. He's getting into the spaces and doing all of the things a good striker can do...he just has to clean up his first touch. Have to wonder if things would've been different with Josh Sargent.
     

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