USMNT 2022

[ztejas 43538]

3 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Good result. No major conclusions to draw from a match like that, but it's nice to see Ferreira get off the schneid.

Hope LdlT signs on with a so-so side in one of the top leagues. He's 24 so that window isn't gonna be open for much longer.

Takeaways for me are:

- LDLT has legit quality and needs to be in the mid rotation in Qatar.

- Jesus has a lot of potential in him and I still think he's our best bet for a decent 9. He just needs to start making some of these routine looks look... routine. 

- Idk what Tillman's game is but I'm not huge on the idea of him tagging along to the WC. Maybe he can do something down the line for us. 

- McKennie isn't 100% yet but that's okay. This was a good game for him to get 45 in. 

Everything else I either already knew or there just wasn't data there (i.e. for Turner or anyone in the back). Morris was worse than I was expecting but as to what that changes big picture I'd say very little. 

[Ted Lange 16143]

PEPI has no problem dropping 4:goals on that team of 9th division plumbers.  Which is why he should’ve been called up.  He needs goals for his confidence 

[Ted Lange 16143]

As for Tillman, solid prospect but has no chance f being in Qatar 

[Napoleon 8700]

If Berhalter scan bulk up his arms, I feel that he should be on a shortlist of candidates if there is a “Popeye” reboot. 

That squint and talking out of the side of his mouth is second nature. He would need next to zero direction. 

[ztejas 43538]

Oh... yeah... another note. Gergg has quietly been doing a really good job as of late. I think the last real fuck up of a match was the 2-0 to Canada. The loss to CRC wasn't great but that was an awkward situation. 

[Ted Lange 16143]

The Panama loss and the Honduras first half were the worst.    He also plays 95% of his matches at home with MUCH better talent pool.  

[ztejas 43538]

15 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

PEPI has no problem dropping 4:goals on that team of 9th division plumbers.  Which is why he should’ve been called up.  He needs goals for his confidence 

This is not a good look. 

I'm not sure what the infatuation with Pepi is. He's super young and has shown some nice potential and has his entire career to turn things around. I hope he develops and turns into a stud for us going forward. As of now he should be nowhere near the senior team. You don't get to come on and play a bunch of mins in a fairly crucial tune up match when you haven't recorded a goal contribution in 8 months as a true 9. Tillman hasn't really done anything in awhile either but he's a new add and I understand wanting to see if there's anything there before we commit to who our 26 is going to be. Pepi is more of a known quantity. That said - if Malik makes the plane to Qatar I'm going to tear my hair out. If Pepi turns it around and starts banging goals in in a couple of months then I'm not entirely opposed to him making the roster. We don't need someone like Tillman. We do need a couple of decent 9s. 

[Brisketexan 105358]

That was fun. Not a lot to learn about this side, because Grenada, but it was still fun.
It was hot. Not intolerable, but….hot.
The boy came back from Germany with a taste for beer. He cost me some money to keep hydrated.
We really do have a good stadium, with a damn fine game day atmosphere.

[Mittens 8306]

Who remembers the "that's a lot of ice cream, flip flop" story, complete w/ the nose boop?

~75min, Sec 123 (behind the Grenada goal), Row 6 (USA) vs Row 7 (GRE)

Not sure what sets things off as there had been no tension all night long.  All of a sudden, both rows (the seat ~20 side) are up and yelling at each other, gesturing, NFL fan arm flailing style.  In one of the most beautiful sports fan altercation sequences I have ever witnessed, USA fan reaches up and boops Grenada fan's nose perfectly, and in response, Grenada fan cracks USA fan across the face with a PERFECT slap, loud and clear.

Security was already watching and getting closer, so as soon as the slap happened, GRE fan and friends were escorted out.  Not sure how USA fan got to stay, but home field advantage and all that.

Both the boop and slap were so perfectly glorious! *chef's kiss* to the both of you, wherever you are tonight.

[kingkoopa6 8377]

Had to watch on record.  
here my notes real time haha 

 

[Ted Lange 16143]

12 minutes ago, kingkoopa6 said:

Had to watch on record.  
here my notes real time haha 

 

legit spit beer out laughing.  Thanks 😂

[Ted Lange 16143]

32 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

That was fun. Not a lot to learn about this side, because Grenada, but it was still fun.
It was hot. Not intolerable, but….hot.
The boy came back from Germany with a taste for beer. He cost me some money to keep hydrated.
We really do have a good stadium, with a damn fine game day atmosphere.

Crowd looked and sounded great on TV.   Austin has earned a spot as a regular host.  

[Ted Lange 16143]

34 minutes ago, ztejas said:

This is not a good look. 

I'm not sure what the infatuation with Pepi is. He's super young and has shown some nice potential and has his entire career to turn things around. I hope he develops and turns into a stud for us going forward. As of now he should be nowhere near the senior team. You don't get to come on and play a bunch of mins in a fairly crucial tune up match when you haven't recorded a goal contribution in 8 months as a true 9. Tillman hasn't really done anything in awhile either but he's a new add and I understand wanting to see if there's anything there before we commit to who our 26 is going to be. Pepi is more of a known quantity. That said - if Malik makes the plane to Qatar I'm going to tear my hair out. If Pepi turns it around and starts banging goals in in a couple of months then I'm not entirely opposed to him making the roster. We don't need someone like Tillman. We do need a couple of decent 9s. 

Young players often have huge ebbs and flows.  I saw enough from his ebbs that it’s worth giving him more looks, especially based on our 9 pool.    This is the kind of game he could’ve banged some goals and got his confidence back.  
 

I like Jf, but at this point I’m like fuck it, play the best 5:players, regardless of their club position, above Adams.  None of our 9s are anywhere close to cracking true top 7 of that group. 

[ztejas 43538]

21 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

Young players often have huge ebbs and flows.  I saw enough from his ebbs that it’s worth giving him more looks, especially based on our 9 pool.    This is the kind of game he could’ve banged some goals and got his confidence back.  
 

I like Jf, but at this point I’m like fuck it, play the best 5:players, regardless of their club position, above Adams.  None of our 9s are anywhere close to cracking true top 7 of that group. 

8 months without a goal or an assist for a forward in that many minutes is unacceptable for where this team is at right now. We have a $300M XI when everyone is fit. Babying someone like Pepi because he's a crowd favorite is right in line with the type of decision making that got us bounced from qualifying in 2018. 

I mean - do y'all realize how good some of these guys are? There are multiple players in our lineup that top Euro clubs are fighting over but it's somehow a travesty that Pepi didn't get a call up? If he wants to get a call up he can quit playing like a bum. Sorry if I'm being a cunt about it but we have one more tune up before Qatar. It's nut cutting time and we need proven commodities on the pitch. 

Pepi still has a chance to earn his spot. I'm not writing him off. Acting like it was a miatake to not call him up right now is fucking absurd. Dude hasn't done shit in almost a year. 

Edited June 11, 2022 by ztejas

[Ted Lange 16143]

FWIW, I don’t find your comments as cunty, it’s just your opinion on a player.  
 

So if you get 3 #9s to take to Qatar, who are they? 

Edited June 11, 2022 by Ted Lange

[ztejas 43538]

6 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

FWIW, I don’t find your comments as cunty, it’s just your opinion on a player.  
 

So if you get 3 #9s to take to Qatar, who are they? 

I'm not sure I've shared much of an opinion on his quality as a player. He has promise but he's been ass for a long time now. That feels pretty objective. 

I'm not sure I'd take 3. Jesus 100% is on the plane. After that it's whoever you prefer among Wright, Pefok, Dike, Pepi, Zardes - and maybe I'm missing someone (I guess Sargent).

Say what you want about Gergg - decisions like this to tell players like Pepi that they need to be better are what this club needs. Maybe on paper you're one of the better 9s - that doesn't mean you play the position near as well enough as you should to hold down a spot on this squad. 

I'm sick of us being an inferior product internationally and I'm especially sick of it when we don't have to be and we make it so due to poor management. There are some fucking studs on this team. Match their intensity and quality. It isn't that hard - we have 330M+ to choose from. 

[Ted Lange 16143]

I just threw out 3 because I was curious on your choices.   Agree that JF is 1 of the three, after that…. I still like Pepi, but I’d have Pefok 2 as a change of pace late sub guy. 

[ztejas 43538]

5 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

I just threw out 3 because I was curious on your choices.   Agree that JF is 1 of the three, after that…. I still like Pepi, but I’d have Pefok 2 as a change of pace late sub guy. 

I don't have choices outside of #1. That's kind of what I'm getting at. It's why I don't have an issue with anyone past JF being discluded. I'm not going to eat crow if Pepi is our savior in Qatar because I don't know who the answer is right now and I recognize the potential he has. At the same time if he doesn't make the plane I'm not losing much sleep. 

[Ted Lange 16143]

At this point after JF, It’s Pefok, Pepi, Wright, Dike. Zardes is done. 

[ztejas 43538]

[Helobious 9464]

I was at the game tonight, friend had tickets. My first time at a pro soccer game.  First row, on the sidelines opposite the bench side. Super nice stadium. Had 4 goals scored in front of us in the 2nd half, was pretty awesome. The DJ and her MC friend and his seemingly 200 decibel microphone were not awesome.
 

Sidenote: I know the stereotype is out there but holy shit is the lack of toughness in soccer players something else. Seeing it in person really made it obvious. Any bit of minor contact and everyone hits the turf and lies there in agony for several minutes while the game stops. Jarring contrast when you’ve grown up with American sports where you’re taught to play through/hide pain. 
 

 

[ztejas 43538]

13 minutes ago, Helobious said:

My first time at a pro soccer game.  

International game not a pro game. Dope that you got tickets though. Sounds like a good time. 

[Napoleon 8700]

49 minutes ago, Helobious said:

I was at the game tonight, friend had tickets. My first time at a pro soccer game… Had 4 goals scored in front of us in the 2nd half, was pretty awesome. 

Sidenote: I know the stereotype is out there but holy shit is the lack of toughness in soccer player is something else. Seeing it in person really made it obvious. Any bit of minor contact and everyone hits the turf and lies there in agony for several minutes while the game stops. Jarring contrast when you’ve grown up with American sports where you’re taught to play through/hide pain. 

1) This always happens. 

If you want four goals scored in front of you every half, then soccer is the game for you.

 
2) Soccer players get fouled all game long, but the ref barely calls anything. They hang out on the ground in an effort to get favorable calls as the game wears on. 

Also, man down situations act as unofficial water breaks. They can also be used for: wasting time as the game winds down, wasting time to allow the sun to get warmed up, and coaching timeouts so that the coach can consult with some players getting water bottles near the sideline to change tactics or provide coaching on how to counteract the opponent’s subs or tactical changes. 

Soccer from the mid-‘90s and before resembled lacrosse without sticks combined with Taekwondo.

Lastly, you know how at a basketball game, some players look small and then when you get courtside you realize that the “small guys” are 6’2” and 190 lbs of muscle?

Well, in soccer the “average-sized guys” are 5’7”, 135 lbs. Small guys may be 5’5” or shorter and/or 125 lbs or lighter. When a 6’2” 200 lbs goalkeeper or a 6’1” 185 lbs defender smashes into them, it can take a bit to feel like that freight train isn’t going to truck you again when you stand up. (A 6’1”-6’2” 180 lb defender of ours was knees in the chest by a flying keeper, so he was making sure that no ribs were broken.)

[Napoleon 8700]

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/usmnt-player-ratings-arriola-ferreira-spearhead-nations-league-victory-over-gren

I don’t know what score you give a guy who misses 2-4 goals that you absolutely have to convert, but 9.0 seems a little high to me.  

I think that an 8.0 seems more like what you would give a guy who nails a beautiful goal off of a short corner that you’ve worked on in practice, but who cringingly flubbed as many opportunities as he took advantage of besides the beautiful strike. (Jesús)

Of course Arriola and De La Torre should be graded out the same. Luca was good, but he didn’t manage a banked assist off of a defender like Arriola did. 

[ztejas 43538]

Honestly dude quit posting these clown-ass match ratings. It's fairly clear that these people don't understand how it works. I could spend a bunch of time scouring the internet for retarded takes on the NT but I choose not to. 

Jesus was a 10. Four goals is four goals. LDLT was a 9. Nipple was a 7. Throw him an 8 if you're keen on FC Dallas. I know I posted that LDLT was the MOTM but that was before JF's 4th. 

If anyone takes umbrage with any of those ratings then let's hear it. Not that I really give a shit when it comes to a game against Grenada. 

[A-Tex Devil 2463]

9 hours ago, Ted Lange said:

At this point after JF, It’s Pefok, Pepi, Wright, Dike. Zardes is done. 

This is where I am although I’ve not seen Wright.  I think Pefok is a specific tool that you want on your bench so if he is doing well for club in the fall, you add him.  

Bringing Pefok and Aaronson in minute 60 of a tied group game in Qatar is enticing.  

[shnsajax 3591]

I am excited to see Dike get a full hopefully healthy season in the Championship.

[Napoleon 8700]

I hope for Dike that his degree says “University of Virginia” over “Southern New Hampshire University”.

I hope that he just picked up some necessary credits from SNHU because not all degrees are seen as equal.

[ztejas 43538]

38 minutes ago, Napoleon said:

I hope for Dike that his degree says “University of Virginia” over “Southern New Hampshire University”.

I hope that he just picked up some necessary credits from SNHU because not all degrees are seen as equal.

It couldn't matter less where his degree is from. He's a professional athlete. He just has to show up to the interview and he's hired. 

[UDontKnow 10450]

1 hour ago, Napoleon said:

I hope for Dike that his degree says “University of Virginia” over “Southern New Hampshire University”.

I hope that he just picked up some necessary credits from SNHU because not all degrees are seen as equal.

Daryl Dike was born in Edmond, OK, so it could be a lot worse when it comes to his alma mater.

[Captain Ron 12922]

On 6/11/2022 at 1:34 AM, Ted Lange said:

FWIW, I don’t find your comments as cunty, it’s just your opinion on a player.  
 

So if you get 3 #9s to take to Qatar, who are they? 

This is really a hard question to answer now. IMHO, you have to see who is lighting it up in the fall.

Right now I got Jesus, Pefok and Dike. But you never know in the fall.

[Napoleon 8700]

1 hour ago, Captain Ron said:

This is really a hard question to answer now. IMHO, you have to see who is lighting it up in the fall.

Right now I got Jesus, Pefok and Dike. But you never know in the fall.

If Pepi gets at least 2 goals in the fall with Augsburg, he’s is in the Top 2 rotation with Jesús.

Third #9 is either Haji Wright or Tim Weah.

[shnsajax 3591]

6 hours ago, Napoleon said:

I hope for Dike that his degree says “University of Virginia” over “Southern New Hampshire University”.

I hope that he just picked up some necessary credits from SNHU because not all degrees are seen as equal.

Either way makes me happy. One of the strengths that I have heard on Dike is that he was  always asking questions, studying, and working hard with Nani at Orlando. For a 22 year old professional to keep up with classes of any sort and graduate given everything infront of him impresses me, and its not like he is getting a degree in PE either. 

[LurkingHorn 1069]

14 hours ago, Napoleon said:

If Pepi gets at least 2 goals in the fall with Augsburg, he’s is in the Top 2 rotation with Jesús.

Third #9 is either Haji Wright or Tim Weah.

I think people have wishful thinking about Weah at the 9. At some point you have got to try it instead of rolling it out in the WC for the first time. Greg isn't going to try it. 

[Captain Ron 12922]

14 hours ago, Napoleon said:

If Pepi gets at least 2 goals in the fall with Augsburg, he’s is in the Top 2 rotation with Jesús.

Third #9 is either Haji Wright or Tim Weah.

Just 2 goals? Like @ztejas noted, dude hasn't sniffed the goal is almost a year! 2 goals won't necessarily break that trend. He needs to show some consistent form, which he hasn't for a while.

And I think that this is the fortunate factor of the World Cup being in the fall, guy can get hot, get in form and might earn their spot. It isn't all about USMNT play, because guys are going to be coming off club play.

[kingkoopa6 8377]

 

[Captain Ron 12922]

BTW - hasn't been talked about, but this is a good run down of the game.

 

In that #1 is spot on, you have to be impressive against Grenada, because you can't move up the chart against Grenada, you can only move down. So anyone that didn't impress, they are moving down..

So when MLS rates guys like Roldon and Morris as 6 for this game - they are done. Thanks for playing, don't call us, and don't expect us to call you.

 

 

[LurkingHorn 1069]

Wow Honduras beat Canada in Nations League last night. Nations League is a joke, but what a an awful window this has been for Canada in prepping for the WC. Cancelled a game, beat a lowly Curacao team, and lost to Honduras in a game that was ugly. I'm not sure they learned much of anything this window. 

[UDontKnow 10450]

34 minutes ago, LurkingHorn said:

Wow Honduras beat Canada in Nations League last night. Nations League is a joke, but what a an awful window this has been for Canada in prepping for the WC. Cancelled a game, beat a lowly Curacao team, and lost to Honduras in a game that was ugly. I'm not sure they learned much of anything this window. 

Canada was the recipient of some CONCACAF refereeing. Also that pitch would have been better served as a slip and slide.

Sucks to be them. 

[Napoleon 8700]

56 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

BTW - hasn't been talked about, but this is a good run down of the game.

In that #1 is spot on, you have to be impressive against Grenada, because you can't move up the chart against Grenada, you can only move down. So anyone that didn't impress, they are moving down..

So when MLS rates guys like Roldon and Morris as 6 for this game - they are done. Thanks for playing, don't call us, and don't expect us to call you.

 

1) GRENADA…

I think it was “The Scuffed Podcast” that went over where the different players on Grenada played and I was absolutely awful. 5th & 6th divisions in England, USL, at least 2 in Grenada’s “league”. (Grenada’s population is 111.000 people, so their league likely is a pub league.)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scuffed-soccer-podcast-usmnt-yanks-abroad-mls-futbol/id1352231546?i=1000566076008

2) Grenada’s midfield looked like guys who had played some soccer in high school, but were now in their 30s and had spent their 20s playing rugby for Grenada in a Caribbean Island Rugby League, but had turned to soccer to stay fit because rugby is not a lifelong sport. 

3) As much as I think that Jordan Morris is done, he was significantly better for Seattle in the CONCACAF Champions League (home & away) Final than he was playing against Grenada. 

(a) He playes on the RIgHT side (I believe) for Seattle

(b) I think that Morris was on the edge of Heat Stroke against Grenada. He really didn’t look good. But that’s actually good information because…

It could very easily be 85°F and humid when the USMNT plays in Qatar and you can’t have a guy who melts in the “heat”. He’s burly and burly guys don’t play in Southern Italy & Southern Spain. They play in England & Scotland… & Seattle.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Napoleon

[UDontKnow 10450]

1 hour ago, Napoleon said:

It could very easily be 85°F and humid when the USMNT plays in Qatar and you can’t have a guy who melts in the “heat”. He’s burly and burly guys don’t play in Southern Italy & Southern Spain. They play in England & Scotland… & Seattle.

There are burly guys in Brazil and for better or for worse, they win World Cups.

[shnsajax 3591]

1 hour ago, UDontKnow said:

There are burly guys in Brazil and for better or for worse, they win World Cups.

Unless your Diego Costa cause fuck him!

[Napoleon 8700]

2 hours ago, UDontKnow said:

There are burly guys in Brazil and for better or for worse, they win World Cups.

Who’s the last burly Brazilian to win a World Cup while being burly?

[UDontKnow 10450]

1 minute ago, Napoleon said:

Who’s the last burly Brazilian to win a World Cup while being burly?

[Napoleon 8700]

10 minutes ago, UDontKnow said:

Just did some research and according to what Fenomeno told Capello, he was 6’0” and 185 lbs when winning the World Cup in 2002. I would not call that burly. A college football player that size would be a WR, CB, QB, or punter.

in 2006 he was 213 lbs, which is getting into “burly” range, especially because he wasn’t all muscle anymore.

Wiki lists Jordan Morris at 6’0” and 185 lbs. I would not say that Ronaldo Fenomeno in South Korea/Japan and ZJordan Morris in Austin had similar builds.

Ronaldo = tree trunk legs

Jordan Morris = barrel-chested tortoise

But they identical unverified measurements are noted.

[Braff Zacklin 13664]

Since we're digressing on O Fenomeno, I'd like to add to the clusterfuck by sharing one of my favorite WC moments (please forgive the terrible stream quality; it was the only extended version I could find in English):

 

This match was electric. Though the final score was lopsided, the action was nonstop with both sides seeing a glut of chances. The quality of goals was exquisite, as well.

I miss when Brazil would/could play like this.

[Trey3216 15357]

4 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Since we're digressing on O Fenomeno, I'd like to add to the clusterfuck by sharing one of my favorite WC moments (please forgive the terrible stream quality; it was the only extended version I could find in English):

 

This match was electric. Though the final score was lopsided, the action was nonstop with both sides seeing a glut of chances. The quality of goals was exquisite, as well.

I miss when Brazil would/could play like this.

That fucker was so fun to watch. 

[shnsajax 3591]

1 hour ago, Trey3216 said:

That fucker was so fun to watch. 

As much as I hate Brazil, I loved the original Ronaldo.

[Ted Lange 16143]

 

[Captain Ron 12922]

I like that attack, let's score 10 on these guys.