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USMNT 2021

Napoleon

By Napoleon
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RamjetFDO
RamjetFDO

Forget who asked what was on CP10's undershirt:  

alincoln
alincoln

To be fair to Lalas, almost all of the Mexican fans at the game live in the United States and some are Americans.  It's almost impossible to overstate the insecurity of the average Mexican soccer fan

Ted Lange
Ted Lange

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Trey3216

Trey3216 15298

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2 hours ago, UDontKnow said:

I'm resigned to the fact that it won't make a shit who the manager is as long as the USSF continues to interfere with their MLS agenda. The USSF is a corrupt body that only cares about profits and nothing more.

Nations of the likes of England, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Brazil do not give a shit if their national team draws mainly from their domestic leagues.  So why is the USSF hellbent on having loser MLS lifer spares on the USMNT? More marketability for the MLS, a second rate domestic league.

Yep.  They sure as shit stuck it to anyone who won the random ticket draw for Austin and Columbus.  Tix were selling on stubhub the day after the draw for 1/2 face value.  Thanks USSF.  

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Juicy

Juicy 719

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1 hour ago, Jive Turkey said:

what scares me most about tomorrow night, even more than Gregg, is this guy:

67290.jpg?fallback=png

if Navas stands on his head and stops everything, we could be looking at getting only 4 or, god forbid, 3 points from this cycle.  totally unacceptable.  but probably still doesn't get Gregg replaced.

There is a 0% chance that 3G is replaced before the world cup. Even If the USA doesn't qualify they will probably ride him out until next year anyway. 

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Captain Ron

Captain Ron 12693

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Posted
13 hours ago, LurkingHorn said:

I think we all share the same concerns about Berhalter. I will say, I still think this team qualifies with relative ease in the end, especially if they take care of Costa Rica tomorrow. The upsetting part to me is he's going to absolutely cost points in group play in Qatar. We can all see this coming from a mile away. He's going to run some of his pets out there (Arriola, Lleget, Zardes) in some game where we have better options and it is going to suck. 

I know I'm probably in the minority, but I would love to give Bob Bradley a run with this group of talent since there probably isn't a better option in the near-term. I know his tenure didn't end on the highest note, but he can coach circles around Greg. Would probably have to pull the trigger after the next round in November, though. 

I don't think that this is a given, certainly not taking care of CR tomorrow, that worries me, even at home.

But I think the bigger problem is that given what we are seeing from LilBrohalter, I don't think it really matters if we qualify - this team is going to underachieve (as you note), because he isn't going to set us up to win. We are about to waste ANOTHER cycle and the first one with our most talented generation because we have this bozo in charge of our squad.

I mean hell, the guy sat Pepi against Jamaica to ... sit him more against Panama? He doesn't even invite Walker Zimmerman to camp, then replaces Ream with him 3 days before our first game .... and he starts BOTH games and played all of them?!?!

WHAT THE FUCK?!?!!?

12 hours ago, UDontKnow said:

I'm resigned to the fact that it won't make a shit who the manager is as long as the USSF continues to interfere with their MLS agenda. The USSF is a corrupt body that only cares about profits and nothing more.

Nations of the likes of England, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Brazil do not give a shit if their national team draws mainly from their domestic leagues.  So why is the USSF hellbent on having loser MLS lifer spares on the USMNT? More marketability for the MLS, a second rate domestic league.

Jadon Sancho would like a word...

I think they kind of do, at least more to the point they want their talent playing on the biggest stages (RE: Sebastian Giovinco). But you are also comparing apples to oranges. Those countries are all soccer powers, they can draw the bulk of the talent from home (except maybe Brazil), because their leagues are stacked. The MLS is where careers come to die, or at least retire.

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Braff Zacklin

Braff Zacklin 13286

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On 10/10/2021 at 7:12 PM, Bodhi said:

am I overreacting?  We haven't picked up enough points early on and seem to be flirting with disaster again.  Which is riskier, staying with this underwhelming regime that might barely get us to the WC or disrupting things at this stage?

Technically, we're one point below the theoretical standard (win home matches, draw aways). Also, the figure I've heard bandied about as an all-but guarantee to go through is 21 points. Beating Costa Rica at home tonight would put us over halfway there (11) with only six of the 14 matches played.

But as others have noted, merely qualifying isn't the primary concern, it's that our players aren't being deployed wisely, cohesively or with much regard to merit or capabilities. 

Rationalizing Berhalter's decisions has been a struggle. There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we don't see (keeping athletes' clubs happy, giving athletes enough playing time to keep them happy, prioritizing which athletes to cap tie and which to let slip away, etc.). It's no doubt a never-ending source of stress. And he has gotten some surprisingly good results, such as winning Nations League with a super-young side, or taking home the Gold Cup with a roster of spares.

These things deserve respect, patience and trust, and yet Gergg goes out and does things to undermine all of that. Like deploy an experimental formation in a qualifier in San Pedro Sula to near-disastrous results. Like insisting on awarding valuable minutes to his lunchpail favorites (e.g., Arriola, Roldan, Lletget, Ream and--to lesser extents--Acosta and Zardes) when superior options are available. The Jamaica and Panama qualifiers were great examples of this.

The Jamaica starting lineup was superb and seemed to feature the best-available players at their best positions ... with one exception: Arriola. Hoppe and Weah are both markedly better, yet Berhalter went with Paul for the full 90. My rationale at the time was, "Gergg must be playing long game because we have two more matches inside of a week and he wants to keep Hoppe fresh." But Hoppe was no where to be found Saturday. Two matches now and he still hasn't gotten a minute, whereas Arriola has 135+.

To be clear, I don't dislike Arriola, Roldan, Lletget, Acosta or Zardes, and I don't cite their MLS careers as the basis for not wanting them to start qualifiers. My reasons are because they lack skill, are average and we have better options. Miles Robinson, Zimmerman and Turner are MLSers who have proven themselves as valuable as any of our Europe-based players.

@Napoleon directed some criticism toward Pulisic last month that raised some eyebrows. I disagree with his conclusion but agree that Christian hurts his team when he tries to do too much. Gergg is guilty of the same. Both need to realize that they are surrounded by talent and to trust that talent.

For Pulisic, that means not taking on two or three defenders by default and instead playing that brilliant pass of which we all know he's capable.

For Gergg, he needs to accept that it's not about him; he's merely a bus driver. Stop tinkering with what works. Stop overthinking lineups and formations. Stop playing favorites. Just round them up and drop them off. They're young, but they're experienced and talented enough to see you through.

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Jive Turkey

Jive Turkey 12204

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Technically, we're one point below the theoretical standard (win home matches, draw aways). 

i think part of the problem is that Gregg still thinks this way.  that standard has been accepted as gold for a while, but it's outdated.  that standard of playing for draws on the road may have been the right call back when our team consisted of nothing but above average MLS guys with a few stars sprinkled in.  but our team is so much more talented now with legit international studs up and down the roster.  this team doesn't need to grind for draws.  this team can score 4 goals in 45 minutes on the road in Honduras if Gregg sets them up to do that.  but he doesn't.  the only reason Gregg scrapped that horrible formation in Honduras is because he realized he couldn't leave the first cycle with 3 draws and 3 points.  so he opened it up and let the playmakers go.  boom, 4 goals.  but then he turtled again in Panama to disastrous results.

it pisses me off that we only have 4 points in 3 road games.  it's not like we've been CONCACAF'ed in any of them.  pitches have been fine, fans were not abusive, refs didn't let the opponents get away with murder.  we just didn't get results even though we are so much more talented than those teams.  and the reason is that Gregg still plays scared on the road, like it's 2013 and our best players are Tim Howard; Damarcus Beasley, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Orozco; Jermaine Jones, Geoff Cameron; Fabian Johnson, Landon Donovan, Graham Zusi; Clint Dempsey.  yeah, that was a real lineup back then.  we could line up a much more talented 11 now, but Gregg basically set us up like a 2013 team by reverting back to his average MLS guys, and we get beat 1-0 at Panama.  just frustrating.  so instead of going into tonight all excited for a sweep and 9 points, we're all anxious because this cycle could be an abject disaster.

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Braff Zacklin

Braff Zacklin 13286

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2 hours ago, Jive Turkey said:

i think part of the problem is that Gregg still thinks this way.  that standard has been accepted as gold for a while, but it's outdated.  that standard of playing for draws on the road may have been the right call back when our team consisted of nothing but above average MLS guys with a few stars sprinkled in.  but our team is so much more talented now with legit international studs up and down the roster.  this team doesn't need to grind for draws.  this team can score 4 goals in 45 minutes on the road in Honduras if Gregg sets them up to do that.  but he doesn't.  the only reason Gregg scrapped that horrible formation in Honduras is because he realized he couldn't leave the first cycle with 3 draws and 3 points.  so he opened it up and let the playmakers go.  boom, 4 goals.  but then he turtled again in Panama to disastrous results.

it pisses me off that we only have 4 points in 3 road games.  it's not like we've been CONCACAF'ed in any of them.  pitches have been fine, fans were not abusive, refs didn't let the opponents get away with murder.  we just didn't get results even though we are so much more talented than those teams.  and the reason is that Gregg still plays scared on the road, like it's 2013 and our best players are Tim Howard; Damarcus Beasley, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Orozco; Jermaine Jones, Geoff Cameron; Fabian Johnson, Landon Donovan, Graham Zusi; Clint Dempsey.  yeah, that was a real lineup back then.  we could line up a much more talented 11 now, but Gregg basically set us up like a 2013 team by reverting back to his average MLS guys, and we get beat 1-0 at Panama.  just frustrating.  so instead of going into tonight all excited for a sweep and 9 points, we're all anxious because this cycle could be an abject disaster.

I am by no means endorsing Gergg's hyper-conservative approach to away matches. Just stating the long-held standard that sides are expected to play to win at home and draw on the road.

Agree wholeheartedly that such an approach is outdated. The US should expect to get 3 points at El Salvador or Panama. Well, perhaps expect is the wrong word, but it should be playing to win. We have the talent to score on anyone, but one has to actually play that talent ... preferably in the positions for which they are most suited.

A negative side at least has organization and purpose, preferring to defend yet always looking to counter. What we rolled out Saturday night was beyond negative, it was "rest the talent, play the lames, and pray Panama doesn't punish us." Such disrespect to Panama, and in a way, I'm glad the Canaleros punished us.

Even if I'd gotten my wish and Hoppe had started, it wouldn't have mattered. We had no midfield, no direction.  Outside of Shaq Moore, the backline didn't play all that poorly. And the frontline was inconclusive because they never had one meaningful chance. Not one shot on goal through 90-plus minutes. No urgency, either--Panama still outshot us even after taking a lead. It's infuriating. 

Anyway, sorry for the long responses. Kind of venting. The Panama result hurt worse than Texas' collapse versus blowU.

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ztejas

ztejas 42745

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Posted

Probably won't be able to watch tonight. Birthday dinner that I don't feel like trying to reschedule or work around. I'd give what I would hope the XI will be but seeing as it will never align WGAF. 

Just please for fuck's sake start Pepi and Dest. If he can't get both of those let alone one right then I may be better off not watching. 

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LurkingHorn

LurkingHorn 1035

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Posted
32 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

Sounds like Steffen in goal tonight

 

19 minutes ago, Jive Turkey said:

Some news. 

 

This is an moronic move. Turner has played great and Steffen has hardly played for MC. I'm honestly torn if I want them to win tonight. The only way Greg isn't the coach in Qatar is if this starts falling apart. 

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Ted Lange

Ted Lange 15850

Posted
Posted

What I'd like to see

 

Aaronson Pepi Hoppe

Mckennie Adams Musah

Robinson Robinson Richards Dest

 

LDLT on if Musah struggles or McKennie reinjuries himself.  Busio after that if needed

Weah for Hoppe, at 65 if we need more offense, maybe on at 85 for Aaronson if we are up a goal.   I'd be good with Acosta subbing in for Adams, if we get up a couple goals.  

As for up a couple goals then Im good with subbing in LLetget to frustrate CR with all his back pasing.

 

What I think we will get

Aaronson Pepi Arriola

Lletget Adams McKennie

Robinson Robinson Zimmerman Dest

Roldan subs on for Arriola.  Acosta on for McKennie.   Zardes for who knows who and then probably Shaq Moore for some unknown reason.

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dieucla98

dieucla98 2767

Posted
Posted (edited)

The odds of Gerg (or any coach really) picking the crowd favorite lineup is pretty slim at the international level and if Steffen over Turner is the most egregious thing Gerg does today, I'm going to be bouncing off the walls with joy.

But we all know that's not going to happen.

Also, that Zeke video makes me miss Ian Darke calling our games.

Edited by dieucla98
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Trey3216

Trey3216 15298

Posted
Posted
40 minutes ago, alincoln said:

Alright dudes.  I'm heading over to the stadium at 5:00 ET.  Hopefully they don't kick people out for booing our fearful leader.

 

Let me know if you find 4 people that need tix that would rather buy them under face and not pay stubhub fees.  I will direct transfer the tix.  Have been unable to sell them on stubhub or USSF site.  

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Pathetic Shark

Pathetic Shark 60

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

I don't think that this is a given, certainly not taking care of CR tomorrow, that worries me, even at home.

But I think the bigger problem is that given what we are seeing from LilBrohalter, I don't think it really matters if we qualify - this team is going to underachieve (as you note), because he isn't going to set us up to win. We are about to waste ANOTHER cycle and the first one with our most talented generation because we have this bozo in charge of our squad.

I mean hell, the guy sat Pepi against Jamaica to ... sit him more against Panama? He doesn't even invite Walker Zimmerman to camp, then replaces Ream with him 3 days before our first game .... and he starts BOTH games and played all of them?!?!

WHAT THE FUCK?!?!!?

Jadon Sancho would like a word...

I think they kind of do, at least more to the point they want their talent playing on the biggest stages (RE: Sebastian Giovinco). But you are also comparing apples to oranges. Those countries are all soccer powers, they can draw the bulk of the talent from home (except maybe Brazil), because their leagues are stacked. The MLS is where careers come to die, or at least retire.

 

What’s the question regarding Sancho and England?  He’s been in the England setup from u17’s while playing for Dortmund.  Bellingham, Trippier and Abraham are all playing abroad, Gomes is with the under 20’s, Anjorin with u19’s.  If the thought is that English players are forgotten if not playing in the premier league I wouldn’t say that’s the case.

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