USMNT 2021

[Knoxtnhorn 5923]

6 hours ago, Napoleon said:

I don't know much about Mueller, but I do know that this Gold Cup roster doesn't have shit for wingers and Berhalter is an idiot for not bringing more wingers even if he just wants to see strikers.

How are the strikers supposed to do their thing if an opponent only needs to clog the middle in order to starve the strikers of service? What a fucking idiot.

That's what I was trying to figure out the other day.  What the hell are the tactics for this team?  

[gsoda3 3214]

17 hours ago, UDontKnow said:

In case anyone is in need of a good laugh...

 

he was really good in spurts.  problem was he couldn't put together consistent stretches of good play.

[Captain Ron 12771]

14 hours ago, ztejas said:

Yeah. 10 years ago maybe. Riding the bench in the championship is a slog. And the best MLS team is > the worst championship side at this point. Easily I would think. (MLS parity seems pretty shitty, though)

Now, if it's a top championship side that might get promoted, and the player in question could end up playing in those PL games, sure, but that isn't the reality for a lot of those guys. 

(Especially for keepers...)

My problem about playing in the MLS is that generally facing the lesser MLS teams, you aren’t facing quality shots, not what European players bring. At least being on a championship team (Tier 2) you have a chance to play against top flight competition and get in to games.

 

14 hours ago, ztejas said:

I'm not sure I agree with this. I think the best MLS teams would almost certainly be favored to win League 2. As would the best Liga MX sides.

Wait... are you talking about League 2 or League 1? I was thinking League 1 (i.e. the 3rd highest league). Seattle or KC would shithouse League 2. 

Seattle has 10 guys making $300k a year and 7 guys pulling (at least) half a mil. Let's slow our roll here a bit. 

I was talking League 2 (tier 4). I will revise the statement that yeah MLS is better than that (seeing the 538 numbers). But I will go with League 1 is a better league. I think top end MLS team could make noise, but I question their quality across a full European season.

[UDontKnow 10439]

It's official. Thank you for doing what you do best, FC Dallas.

 

 

[Napoleon 8590]

I finally have a reason to visit Venice!

When I backpacked through Europe for 3 1/2 months in the late ‘90s, other travelers (NOT “tourists”) said that Venice was expensive and not worth an overnight stay. 

“Arrive in the morning, see everything, and then leave. You only need a day to see it. Don’t waste your money.”

Well, in the end I skipped it and still don’t regret not going, but now… with a Dallas Burn F.C. alum playing in that high school stadium by the water, I just may need to find a reason to go see Venice, Italy 🇮🇹.

[UDontKnow 10439]

Konrad de la Fuente seems to be fitting in well in Marseille. He might also fit in well with the USMNT as a winger,

Assist #1

 

Assist #2

 

[Napoleon 8590]

Reading the article about Gianluca Busio has me a little pissed off about the Olympic qualifying team, because we had ZERO #10s and in this article I saw this...

"Wherever he plays on the field," Besler says, "it's like he's played there his entire career."

"We watch a lot of youth games," Mike Senkowski, Busio's agent at Octagon since his first days as a pro, says. "When you see a player with so many different skill sets, they pop out."

"For him to be able to [play] six different positions on the field really well and understand [the] nuance [for each position]?" Vermes posits. "Him being able to do that is just incredible for his age."

https://www.espn.com/soccer/sporting-kansas-city/story/4432315/sporting-kansas-citys-gianluca-busio-aiming-to-chart-his-own-path-amid-interest-from-europe

 

What in the actual FUCK was US Soccer thinking when they picked the Olympic Qualifying team? Were they trying NOT to qualify?

The article is long and it retells Gianluca's story and he'll be off to Europe soon. 

I hope that he starts tonight and that we've see the last of Jackson Yueill.

 

LASTLY: Since we know that I love dwelling on players' heights...

WIKI: 5'9"
ESPN Article: 5'7"
Nappy's Guess: 5'5"

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Napoleon

[Ted Lange 15975]

Jason Kreiss f-ing SUCKS kinda surprised the Netherlands didn’t hire him. 

[Jive Turkey 12546]

looks like i've got a reason to watch other Serie A games on ESPN+ besides Juventus.

 

[Texasborn91 896]

Busio having play making from the 6 is a skill set nobody else in the pool has. He held the ball too long a few times but the quality is there. He just doesn’t have the bite physically yet but he’s still only 19 so there could be a little more left on the bone there. If you take him to a 3 game qualifying window I think you can get away with him being the 6 if you plan of having a lot of possession. Also gives you versatility as an 8

[ztejas 43198]

46 minutes ago, Texasborn91 said:

Busio having play making from the 6 is a skill set nobody else in the pool has. He held the ball too long a few times but the quality is there. He just doesn’t have the bite physically yet but he’s still only 19 so there could be a little more left on the bone there. If you take him to a 3 game qualifying window I think you can get away with him being the 6 if you plan of having a lot of possession. Also gives you versatility as an 8

He has a lot of promise. I'm not putting him over McKennie or Adams yet, though. Especially on D. 

[dogbreath 431]

1 hour ago, ztejas said:

He has a lot of promise. I'm not putting him over McKennie or Adams yet, though. Especially on D. 

Agree.  Several of his passes were intercepted.  It looked like his corners became woefully short after halftime and then he overcompensated and hit them long.  I would take him a 100 times out of a 100 over Yueill, but I want to see how he does against Canada and tougher GC opponents who will press him more effectively.

Although he hung on the ball too long at times, I though Williamson was effective in advancing the ball forward.  Also want to see him against the tougher opponents to see how he does.  It's a crime he wasn't taken for the OQ's. 

 

[RamjetFDO 10554]

This. Is. Awesome.

[Ted Lange 15975]

Look at this lineup the last time we faced Martinique in the 2017 gold cup 

 

https://www.fotmob.com/livescores/2472275/lineup/usa-vs-martinique

 

[ztejas 43198]

29 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

Look at this lineup the last time we faced Martinique in the 2017 gold cup 

 

https://www.fotmob.com/livescores/2472275/lineup/usa-vs-martinique

 

Good Lord that's horrendous. Zardes at the 8 is a crime against humanity.

[Ted Lange 15975]

Assume he was more of a second striker than an 8.  But that lineup is pitiful.

[ztejas 43198]

1 minute ago, Ted Lange said:

Assume he was more of a second striker than an 8.

You're acting like that's any better. "Second striker" should not be a thing with Zardes and Jordan Morris.

[Napoleon 8590]

3 hours ago, ztejas said:

Good Lord that's horrendous. Zardes at the 8 is a crime against humanity.

 

2 hours ago, Ted Lange said:

Assume he was more of a second striker than an 8.  But that lineup is pitiful.

Zardes was frequently deployed as a left winger in a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 by the previous regime(s).

He would run for a days like a chicken with his head cut off and would always give "110%". His first touch was absolutely atrocious back then (now it is only "poor to bad") and he added almost nothing to the offense other than to win the ball back by harassing the opposing right back/right winger. Back then, he occasionally got to play as a 9 and he was far better at the 9 than at the 8, but Jozy usually played the 9. (Actually, occasionally someone would come on to take Gyasi's spot, Gyasi would move to the 9 and Jozy would go to the bench.)

Zardes was willing to do anything asked of him to get on the pitch, both at the LA Galaxy and for the USMNT. And that was a huge detriment to his development.

Gyasi never became a full-time #9 until he moved to Columbus. (From his stats below, it looks like he was a striker his second year and then was moved back out to the wing... fucking shitty-ass Bruce Arena is a dumbass.)

Once he got to Columbus, they stuck him up top and he started to score in bunches. He also continues to give 110% every time he's on the pitch, though he's lost a step and doesn't have near the stamina that he did in his early-mid 20s. He also never sulks if he doesn't start.

I'm not a fan of Gyasi being on the field for the USMNT, but I am a fan of his. He is the anti-Atlidore... which makes him a great locker room guy and example for the younger guys.

Though I doubt that he's a surfer, Gyasi carries on the tradition of a SoCal kid-turned-Columbus Crew player who does whatever you ask of him for the USMNT that was first established by Frankie Hejduk.

AGAIN... Bruce Arena IS A DUMBASS!!

[ztejas 43198]

1 minute ago, Napoleon said:

 

Zardes was frequently deployed as a left winger in a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 by the previous regime(s).

He would run for a days like a chicken with his head cut off and would always give "110%". His first touch was absolutely atrocious back then (now it is only "poor to bad") and he added almost nothing to the offense other than to win the ball back by harassing the opposing right back/right winger. Back then, he occasionally got to play as a 9 and he was far better at the 9 than at the 8, but Jozy usually played the 9. (Actually, occasionally someone would come on to take Gyasi's spot, Gyasi would move to the 9 and Jozy would go to the bench.)

Zardes was willing to do anything asked of him to get on the pitch, both at the LA Galaxy and for the USMNT. And that was a huge detriment to his development.

Gyasi never became a full-time #9 until he moved to Columbus. (From his stats below, it looks like he was a striker his second year and then was moved back out to the wing... fucking shitty-ass Bruce Arena is a dumbass.)

Once he got to Columbus, they stuck him up top and he started to score in bunches. He also continues to give 110% every time he's on the pitch, though he's lost a step and doesn't have near the stamina that he did in his early-mid 20s. He also never sulks if he doesn't start.

I'm not a fan of Gyasi being on the field for the USMNT, but I am a fan of his. He is the anti-Atlidore... which makes him a great locker room guy and example for the younger guys.

Though I doubt that he's a surfer, Gyasi carries on the tradition of a SoCal kid-turned-Columbus Crew player who does whatever you ask of him for the USMNT that was first established by Frankie Hejduk.

AGAIN... Bruce Arena IS A DUMBASS!!

I was thinking about it during the Martinique game. He should NEVER start as our 9 and play 70+ minutes. There's just no excuse at this point. 

HOWEVER - I don't hate him coming off the bench and giving a burst for 20 minutes at the 9. That ball last night was very well struck - and he brought a ton of energy to the pitch against guys that had been playing all night. I also liked his assist to Vines against Haiti. 

I still never want to see him on the pitch when our A team is out there - but in these comps where we are trying lineups out and putting a bunch of 3s out there I think he's a great super sub. 

[Ted Lange 15975]

GZ is a very likable guy, like pretty much all the current players.  I’m ok with GZ being on the roster even for WCQ for the reasons listed above.  Do t want him starting but coming on late I’m ok with.

Also

 

[ztejas 43198]

Just now, Ted Lange said:

GZ is a very likable guy, like pretty much all the current players.  I’m ok with GZ being on the roster even for WCQ for the reasons listed above.  Do t want him starting but coming on late I’m ok with.

Also

 

Damn. That's good shit. I don't care who you are 4M for a 19 y/o is nothing to sneeze at. 

[Ted Lange 15975]

 

[Ted Lange 15975]

7 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Damn. That's good shit. I don't care who you are 4M for a 19 y/o is nothing to sneeze at. 

Actually 

 

[ztejas 43198]

2 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

Actually 

 

I don't know what the euro/dollar conversion rate is. It was close to 1/1 last I checked.

Either way - Busio seems like a stud in the making. 

[Trey3216 15321]

3 hours ago, ztejas said:

I don't know what the euro/dollar conversion rate is. It was close to 1/1 last I checked.

Either way - Busio seems like a stud in the making. 

1.1807/1

[Napoleon 8590]

3 hours ago, Ted Lange said:

 

This does happen!

 I totally do this without thinking about it after my time in Argentina. The action came over on the boat from Italy and firmly established itself in Argentine culture along with some other hand motions from Italy.

If they stay over there for at least 2 season, they will find themselves doing that even to themselves when they are looking for their phone, or keys, or trying to remember why they walked into a room, or while talking to someone on the phone. It claws itself into you and never leaves. 

Those guys should fuck every single Hot American Girl who is in Venice during their semester abroad, in between sampling the local fare. 

At least at the start, they could hang out in touristy cafés, strike up conversations with travelers who they won’t have to worry about getting clingy, invite the girls to a match, meet up with them later, and then… 

🤜 🤜

…have a great time, before putting the girls on a train Sunday evening and starting the process over again. 

I mean, Venice isn’t Kansas City or Frisco, but it’s not bad. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Napoleon 8590]

[ztejas 43198]

32 minutes ago, Napoleon said:

Venice isn’t Kansas City or Frisco

Frisco probably has more Versace stores. 

[shnsajax 3589]

1 hour ago, Napoleon said:

I feel like I am waiting and searching to hear some transfer news on Dike to EPL.

Have Everton sell James, and put DIke and Calvert-Lewis up top together to wreck some shit up and see Roger Bennett just lose his mind watching it. 

[Sal 1088]

6 hours ago, ztejas said:

I don't know what the euro/dollar conversion rate is. It was close to 1/1 last I checked.

Either way - Busio seems like a stud in the making. 

Close doesn’t count in FX

[Napoleon 8590]

Posting here, because it is the exact opposite of what US Soccer went for.

 

And, so, at last it is over. And what a way to end.

On Sunday night, Italy and England met at Wembley in the final of Euro 2020. (Italy won on penalties, but you knew that already.) On Saturday, Argentina beat Brazil at the Maracana in the final of the Copa America. It's hard to imagine much better finals or better stages -- although a Maracana with only 6,500 fans in a stadium that holds nearly 80,000 did feel empty -- to end these tournaments with a crescendo before the curtain finally falls, leaving us to go off and forget it all for a while. Apart from all those transfers that won't happen, of course.

Oh, wait.

Real Madrid are already back in training. Atletico Madrid are too. And so are Barcelona. Some of their players are, anyway -- mostly the ones you haven't really heard of. Meanwhile, down the east coast from Barcelona, a load of players you have heard of -- more players than you'd usually expect to have heard of in a team like this -- are training in Benidorm. That said, they're not so much back in training as they never stopped training.

On Monday morning, they caught a flight for Kobe, Japan. When they got to the airport, they were met by six other footballers joining them for the journey. You'll have heard of them too. You've spent the past month watching them; it's not been long since they played in a semifinal of the Euros. On July 21, having moved on from Kobe to Sapporo, goalkeeper Unai Simon, defenders Eric Garcia and Pau Torres, midfielders Pedri and Dani Olmo, forward Mikel Oyarzabal and the rest of the Spanish Olympic team will start on their journey in search of a gold medal.

There are no guarantees of success, but coach Luis de la Fuente, who is also the Spanish under-21 coach, openly accepts Spain's billing as favourites in the 16-team men's tournament. Spain will begin in a group with Egypt, Argentina and Australia.

Looking at the side he's got, that's not entirely surprising. At the Olympics, football teams are limited to U23s, plus three overage players. In Spain's case, that means -- in addition to the six who faced Italy -- Oscar Mingueza, Marc Cucurella, Martin Zubimendi, Marco Asensio, Mikel Merino, Carlos Soler, Dani Ceballos, Bryan Gil and Rafa Mir are among the players in the side, based loosely on the Spain team that won the U21 Euros in 2019.

 

Pedri was one of the stars for Spain at Euro 2020, and he's immediately heading off to chase Olympic gold. Barcelona aren't happy.

 

It makes for a formidable team, and it could have been even better. De la Fuente admitted that that this was the hardest squad he'd ever had to draw up. More to the point, it was the hardest to complete. Rodrigo Moreno, Ferran Torres and Fabian Ruiz, for example, were among the players he had hoped to call up. In the end, though, Olmo was the only foreign-based player whose club (RB Leipzig) agreed to release him. Some of the Spanish clubs didn't want to release their players, either, but they had no choice.

When it comes to Pedri, the symbol of yet another club vs. country battle, Barcelona are not happy. They've tried to push the Spanish football federation into leaving him out, but they won't back down. That said, they will seek to protect him. The player who missed just one minute -- yes, one -- at the Euros, and ran more kilometres than anyone else at the competition, will miss rather more at the Olympics. Last season, Pedri played well over 60 games. Between July 8, 2020, away at Real Oviedo, and July 7, 2021, against Italy at Wembley, he has played 70. There has been no break -- just this last week -- the cycle never-ending.

There hasn't been much of a break for most of them. Spain were knocked out of the U21 Euros at the semifinal stage by Portugal on June 3. Three days later, they were hurriedly gathered at Las Rozas and ready to replace Spain's official European Championships squad, which had been locked down after Sergio Busquets tested positive for COVID-19 on the eve of the competition. Like a Sunday league team, the federation staff had spent the night frantically phoning footballers, rounding up a team. Some of them were already on holiday and had to return to Madrid quickly.

The gang had got back together in "record time," de la Fuente said. On a night when 16 players made official debuts for Spain, the U21s won what should have been the senior side's final warm-up game 4-0 against Lithuania on June 8. They then stayed at Spain's Las Rozas HQ -- joined by six senior players who were also drafted in as a matter of urgency -- and worked as a parallel, reserve team just in case there was a full-scale outbreak in the Euro squad. Eventually, they were gratefully dismissed on the morning before Spain started against Sweden, handed a guard of honour on their way out.

Seven players from that U21 team are on the Olympic squad. So is Soler, one of those drafted into the "parallel Euros" squad. And then there are the six who went to the Euros. In total, 14 players who haven't stopped, or at least not the way they're supposed to. The reason they planned to fly around July 11 was precisely to give the players at the Euros the chance to travel with them. The departure was delayed to account for a potential final at Wembley -- a desire for the six players "doing a double" to not just compete in both competitions but win both.

"We've not really had time to think about everything that's happening," de la Fuente said... [click for full story]

https://www.espn.com/soccer/spain-esp/story/4430024/spain-fell-short-at-euro-2020but-now-many-of-same-stars-have-eyes-on-olympic-gold

Edited July 17, 2021 by Napoleon

[Ted Lange 15975]

And here is the reason Americans are heading to Venice. 
 

https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/alex-menta-venezia-fc-duncan-niederauer-20201116.html

[Napoleon 8590]

33 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

And here is the reason Americans are heading to Venice. 
 

https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/alex-menta-venezia-fc-duncan-niederauer-20201116.html

I knew that it was American owned/run, but there are 4 teams in Italy that are American owned. 

Venezia is small (like one or two others) and has the added draw of being a tourist city attractive to American travelers. It was a tourist attraction/apparel brand just begging to be exploited. 

[UDontKnow 10439]

57 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

And here is the reason Americans are heading to Venice. 
 

https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/alex-menta-venezia-fc-duncan-niederauer-20201116.html

If it ultimately leads to our players improving by leaps and bounds as opposed to stagnating in the MLS, then it's worth it. The obvious hope is that by virtue of playing in a better league that can be achieved regardless of the motivations of the team's ownership. That also being said, it's nice to see an American owner do right for our MNT. 

Get all of our top soccer players to Europe ASAP!

[UDontKnow 10439]

The name is new to me, but maybe someone to track more closely moving forward.

 

Midfielder for Bayern Munich II

 

More on Taylor Booth.

 

Tyler Adams in the starting XI for RB Leipzig. He must be back to full fitness.

 

A friendly reminder about our Yanks in Italia.

 

Joe Scally is an 18 year old RB for Borussia Mönchengladbach that has spent most of his time thus far on the II squad. But he looks to be making a case to end up in the first team.

 

Owen Otasowie might be healed up as he took to the pitch for Wolves as a second-half substitute.

 

Gianluca Busio deal is supposed to be permanent and also appears to be immediate. No waiting for the MLS season to end. That's fantastic!

 

He's the undisputed leader of the USMNT. So of course I'm going to post a tweet about him.

 

Some of y'all need to stop hating on the resident MNT ginger!

 

Look who made it in to Venice!

 

Alex Mighten is a 19 year old, dual-international (who has only represented England thus far) winger who was born in Hartford, Connecticut. Ethan Horvath's will be Mighten's teammate on the Tricky Trees (Nottingham Forest) this season.

 

Good to see CCV.

 

Very young kid out of the DC United Academy with good family soccer lines.

 

Chris Richards is part of the future at CB for the USMNT. Hope he continues to do well in Deutschland (be it Hoffenheim or Bayern).

 

[Ted Lange 15975]

 

[Ted Lange 15975]

 

[UDontKnow 10439]

I think Sargent could have broken in at Norwich City. Guy needs better luck.

 

Is Bremen being greedy here or do they truly know Sargent's value?

 

McKenzie will improve. He's better than that big mistake he made vs Mexico in the Nations League.

 

If David Ochoa goes JNip (note: Never go JNip), this 18 year old is another GK option. If he truly got Bundesliega offers last season, bring this kid into an MNT camp at the earliest opportunity.

 

[Ted Lange 15975]

Gio played as an 8 in a 433 today, fwiw 

id love to see him centrally for us at some point.   Maybe ahead of Adams and Weston, with Pulisic and WEAH/Aaronson on the wings and DIKE up top. 

[Napoleon 8590]

💯 % looks like a Bundesliga GK.

18-year-old goalkeeper Luca Ulrich is currently in Germany, has upcoming trials with Schalke & Bayer Leverkusen. He's a product of Bethesda SC academy and a Georgetown University commit. He trialed with Bundesliga clubs in Fall 2020, got offers, but didn't accept at the time

[Trey3216 15321]

EGBF 

[Hagbard Celine 10662]

17 hours ago, Ted Lange said:

Gio played as an 8 in a 433 today, fwiw 

id love to see him centrally for us at some point.   Maybe ahead of Adams and Weston, with Pulisic and WEAH/Aaronson on the wings and DIKE up top. 

preseason/friendly club stuff is usually a quick watch but that deserves a repost.  as to your weaponization of our yutes....  J. Goppingen would deploy a middle 3 of Pulisic left, Reyna right, with Adams behind them as a 6, and use that as the foundation.

[Captain Ron 12771]

I said this over in the Gold Cup thread, but I want to put it here too:

39 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

Today’s game tells me that everyone’s greatest fear is gonna happen - Beerholder is going to waste this generation of players while he’s “coaching.”

and expand on this.

It’s clear that Beerholder is in over his head in both tactics and personnel of this team. He doesn’t seem to get how to play people to maximize their skills, talents or abilities. And he keeps trying to fit MLS guys into this team. In the end, he is likely going to get this team to Qatar, and then probably flame out getting out coached by 2 euro teams and probably an African side too (assuming they draw against us). 

I don’t see us getting out of the group stage. 

[UDontKnow 10439]

Good news?

 

[Captain Ron 12771]

Dang, I was hoping that when your tweet hadn't yet loaded that MAYBE Beerholder decided to step down as HC.

[shnsajax 3589]

[Napoleon 8590]

9 hours ago, shnsajax said:

 

I think that Tessmann is going to have a smoother transition to Serie A than Busio.

Busio needs to learn when to go down and not count on getting the whistle every time he dives to get out of trouble. He had better not start out as a #6 / Pirlo / deep-lying distributor, because physically he's just not there. He looked pretty bad against Canada. Maybe that had something to do with those around him, but I was worried that that one match was going to have an adverse effect on his transfer fee/options.

Excited about Venezia going forward. Not excited about the USMNT's prospects in the Gold Cup 2021.

[shnsajax 3589]

2 hours ago, Napoleon said:

I think that Tessmann is going to have a smoother transition to Serie A than Busio.

Busio needs to learn when to go down and not count on getting the whistle every time he dives to get out of trouble. He had better not start out as a #6 / Pirlo / deep-lying distributor, because physically he's just not there. He looked pretty bad against Canada. Maybe that had something to do with those around him, but I was worried that that one match was going to have an adverse effect on his transfer fee/options.

Excited about Venezia going forward. Not excited about the USMNT's prospects in the Gold Cup 2021.

I'm pretty sure thats taught on Day 3 after two days of training on how to talk with your hands in Italian.

[Napoleon 8590]

1 minute ago, shnsajax said:

I'm pretty sure thats taught on Day 3 after two days of training on how to talk with your hands in Italian.

What? 🤌 🤌 🤌 Are you kidding me? 🤌 🤌  🤌 DAY 3?!?!

Busio's dad is Italian, I'm sure that he's already fluent in hand-talking.

He should consider placing out of those two days and starting his Definitive Diving Course on Day 1.

[Captain Ron 12771]

Why MLS players shouldn't be making the USMNT in qualifiers, I cued this up (His point #2 at the 3:15 mark) because this guy nails it

 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by Captain Ron