USMNT 2022

[alincoln 2385]

1 minute ago, ztejas said:

I think his form potentially suffered as a result of how many minutes he was playing for club and country. 

I agree with this. I'm not saying it's optimal for him to be the crux of the defense but if he was our 2nd best CB I don't think it would be a huge cause for concern. The fact that he's our best CB right now isn't his fault. 

Don't disagree.  In less than a year, he went from competing for a spot on the plane to ggg's unquestioned leader of the back line in the WC.  What pisses me off is that an experienced leader CB is readily available who could take some pressure off of Zimmerman and let him just focus on his game yet voldemort insists on Long.  It's absolutely baffling

[shnsajax 3592]

Baby Aaronson on the move

[goatsaag 279]

17 hours ago, Napoleon said:

has had a mediocre MLS season after being the 2021 MLS Defender of the Year

Is making the MLS best 11 for the season generally considered to be a mediocre year?

[Napoleon 8710]

55 minutes ago, goatsaag said:

Is making the MLS best 11 for the season generally considered to be a mediocre year?

It is if you made it on reputation and not on-field play. 

🤷‍♂️

[ztejas 43746]

BVB has Reyna taking pens now. 

This kid needs to stay healthy. We've never had anyone like him. 

[Coach pop a bitch 5782]

 

[Trey3216 15380]

On 11/4/2022 at 3:07 PM, shnsajax said:

Baby Aaronson on the move
 

[Coach pop a bitch 5782]

 

[Braff Zacklin 13672]

Little man plays big, don't he?

My only criticism is he looks like he wears makeup.

[Trey3216 15380]

2 hours ago, Coach pop a bitch said:

 

That’s fucking awesome!!

[dogbreath 434]

Turner on the bench for arsenal today is a very good sign.  

Turner playing all 3 games is key for chances to advance 

The gap between Turner and Steffen is much larger than any of the other positional choices. The four potential forwards are all limited in different ways but none of them stand apart. LCB is a clusterfuck due to injuries so having Turner in goal is necessary.

Ream and Zimmerman are the best choices at CB but there is no speed and no chemistry. But that’s better than playing a right footed player on the left who no longer has speed and cannot distribute.

I know that Gregg favors Steffen but playing him with any of the cb’s could be disastrous.  I hate to root for a player to get mildly injured and will not do so here, but it is tempting.   

 

 

[Coach pop a bitch 5782]

 

[Coach pop a bitch 5782]

 

[Coach pop a bitch 5782]

 

[Coach pop a bitch 5782]

 

[alincoln 2385]

What's your preferred World Cup 26?  Not your projection but who you would actually select.

GK: Turner, Steffen, Horvath

FB: Dest, Cannon, Robinson, Scally, Yedlin

CB: Zimmerman, Ream, CCV, Richards 

CM: Adams, Musah, McKennie, Acosta, DLT (Mihailovic if DLT injured), Tillman

Wing: Pulisic, Reyna, Aaronson, Weah 

9: Pepi, Pefok, Sargent (also an option at RW), Vazquez

My 24-26 were Tillman, Vazquez and Yedlin, respectively.  Tillman provides something different than the other options at CM.  I don't need another hold it together back-up like Acosta and DLT.  Tillman can carry the ball forward.  I would rather play Sargent at RW than Arriola so we would need another 9 if Sargent plays on the wing.  I prefer someone who can score (Vazquez) to someone who can't (Jesus) as my 9.  FB strikes me as an area where we could lose some guys to injury so we should probably add someone there.  Yedlin wasn't good this season but he has World Cup experience.  He wouldn't play for my team absent some bizarre developments so leadership/experience is enough to get him on the plane as the last guy on the roster.

[Juicy 728]

On 11/6/2022 at 12:09 AM, Trey3216 said:

WonderKID

[ztejas 43746]

1 hour ago, alincoln said:

What's your preferred World Cup 26?  Not your projection but who you would actually select.

GK: Turner, Steffen, Horvath

FB: Dest, Cannon, Robinson, Scally, Yedlin

CB: Zimmerman, Ream, CCV, Richards 

CM: Adams, Musah, McKennie, Acosta, DLT (Mihailovic if DLT injured), Tillman

Wing: Pulisic, Reyna, Aaronson, Weah 

9: Pepi, Pefok, Sargent (also an option at RW), Vazquez

My 24-26 were Tillman, Vazquez and Yedlin, respectively.  Tillman provides something different than the other options at CM.  I don't need another hold it together back-up like Acosta and DLT.  Tillman can carry the ball forward.  I would rather play Sargent at RW than Arriola so we would need another 9 if Sargent plays on the wing.  I prefer someone who can score (Vazquez) to someone who can't (Jesus) as my 9.  FB strikes me as an area where we could lose some guys to injury so we should probably add someone there.  Yedlin wasn't good this season but he has World Cup experience.  He wouldn't play for my team absent some bizarre developments so leadership/experience is enough to get him on the plane as the last guy on the roster.

I wouldn't even put Steffen on the plane. 

[Trey3216 15380]

47 minutes ago, Juicy said:

WonderKID

That's what the tweet I quoted said as well.  Hence the joke.  

[dieucla98 2942]

19 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I wouldn't even put Steffen on the plane. 

You'd rather whoever the fuck is after Horvath be on the plane? You have to take 3 GKs. Steffen is the #2 (clear cut, IMO), we just need to get past that and hope Turner does not get injured and GGG isn't THAT stupid.

The #2 GK is largely irrelevant 99 times out of a 100.

[alincoln 2385]

2 minutes ago, dieucla98 said:

You'd rather whoever the fuck is after Horvath be on the plane? You have to take 3 GKs. Steffen is the #2 (clear cut, IMO), we just need to get past that and hope Turner does not get injured and GGG isn't THAT stupid.

The #2 GK is largely irrelevant 99 times out of a 100.

This is where I am.  He has been fine to good over his last five games and we have no one else.  

[Juicy 728]

24 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

That's what the tweet I quoted said as well.  Hence the joke.  

Yeah I love it! It really was perfect!

[ztejas 43746]

31 minutes ago, dieucla98 said:

You'd rather whoever the fuck is after Horvath be on the plane? You have to take 3 GKs. Steffen is the #2 (clear cut, IMO), we just need to get past that and hope Turner does not get injured and GGG isn't THAT stupid.

The #2 GK is largely irrelevant 99 times out of a 100.

Well, if I was the coach in this hypothetical exercise then sure, he makes the trip. But if I'm picking a roster to hand over to Greg the fact that Steffen would even be available terrifies me. 

I guess it's a fairly moot point as if Turner can't go we're probably fucked. 

[dieucla98 2942]

I just don't understand the continued hand wringing about our #2 GK. The #3 striker is a far more important and meaningful decision than the #2 GK (most likely). The #3 striker will have a chance for meaningful minutes at meaningful times - when we're chasing a goal, late in the game.

To that end, I think @alincoln has a good list, I would just organize it slightly differently.

#9 - Pepi, Sargent, Pefok 

Wing - Pulisic, Weah

CAM - Reyna, Aaronson, Tillman

MF - M, M, A, LDLT, Acosta

FB - Dest, Scally, Robinson, Cannon, Yedlin

CB - Ream, CCV, Richards, Zimmerman

GK - Turner, Steffen, Horvath

That's 25, so room for 1 more. Need some another true winger or another #9 if we treat Sargent as a winger. I guess that means Ferreira and (gasp) Arriola are next up.

Edit: lots of flexibility here, obviously - CP10 can play centrally, Reyna/Aaronson can play wide, McKennie can play attacking mid, etc etc... 

Edit 2: the more I look at this, we have a really solid damn team. It's amazing that we're all convinced that getting out of the group stage is a major win, largely because of the man in charge.

Edited November 7, 2022 by dieucla98

[Braff Zacklin 13672]

Haha I first read @alincoln's post as if he were asking what our preferred roster for the next WC would be (year 2026 instead of 26-man roster).

Time for another cup of coffee, me thinks.

[Trey3216 15380]

2 weeks bitches!!

[Mittens 8380]

 

[Captain Ron 12961]

3 hours ago, ztejas said:

I wouldn't even put Steffen on the plane. 

 

2 hours ago, dieucla98 said:

You'd rather whoever the fuck is after Horvath be on the plane? You have to take 3 GKs. Steffen is the #2 (clear cut, IMO), we just need to get past that and hope Turner does not get injured and GGG isn't THAT stupid.

The #2 GK is largely irrelevant 99 times out of a 100.

 

2 hours ago, alincoln said:

This is where I am.  He has been fine to good over his last five games and we have no one else.  

FYI - Sean Johnson an MLS journeyman with NYCFC and Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire) are seen as the next guys on the list. I would be OK with either. Johnson ideally if the two.

[kingkoopa6 8475]

might be dumb dumb question.

but could Greg bring on any new assistant coaches?

like someone that's been there done that for guidance? Deschamps? Low?

or bring in Marsh, Wolff, Cherundolo to help practice and game planning ? 

[alincoln 2385]

By the way, here is my gergggg prediction (changes in bold):

GK: Turner, Steffen, Johnson

FB: Dest, Cannon, Robinson, Scally, Yedlin

CB: Zimmerman, Long, CCV, Richards 

CM: Adams, Musah, McKennie, Acosta, Roldan 

Wing: Pulisic, Reyna, Aaronson, Weah, Arriola, Morris 

9: Pepi, Ferreira, Sargent 

I switched Tillman for Morris at the last second because gerrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggg

[The Dog 44185]

derp scrolled past it so deleted

Edited November 7, 2022 by The Dog

[The Dog 44185]

 

[ztejas 43746]

5 minutes ago, The Dog said:

 

Good thing we spent 6 pages freaking out about him not going to Qatar in here. 

[Ted Lange 16157]

 

Why oh why couldn’t Richards stay healthy.  Dammit. 

[kingkoopa6 8475]

has CCV been gettin burn in scotland? 

 

[The Dog 44185]

Reddit post with those on the team:

 

Edited November 8, 2022 by The Dog

[Bottlecap 1523]

I can live with that. I hate long and ferreira but maybe they're a break glass in case of several broken legs option. PLEASE put Pefok on the plane and not fucking roldan jesus fuck.

[Captain Ron 12961]

This is what worries me about Gergg - 

Final Spots (Two of LDLT / Morris / Roldan / Pefok / Arriola) 25. 26.

There are only 2 correct answers there and I worry that he takes neither.

 

17 hours ago, ztejas said:

Good thing we spent 6 pages freaking out about him not going to Qatar in here. 

To be fair the all that talk with him not being in camps wasn't specifically HIM not going, but the continuance of running Long out there, who at this point has demonstrated he has not business being on the roster. Wasting a spot on Long is really troubling and demonstrates how little Gregg has learned. It's why I still worry about the final spots.

[alincoln 2385]

3 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

This is what worries me about Gergg - 

Final Spots (Two of LDLT / Morris / Roldan / Pefok / Arriola) 25. 26.

There are only 2 correct answers there and I worry that he takes neither.

 

To be fair the all that talk with him not being in camps wasn't specifically HIM not going, but the continuance of running Long out there, who at this point has demonstrated he has not business being on the roster. Wasting a spot on Long is really troubling and demonstrates how little Gregg has learned. It's why I still worry about the final spots.

And Ream is only going because Richards is injured.  

[ztejas 43746]

30 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

There are only 2 correct answers there and I worry that he takes neither.

 

Yep. Roldan and Arriola need to be on the plane. 

Can't we take LDLT and sub for him if he's still hurt? 

[Juicy 728]

1 hour ago, Captain Ron said:

This is what worries me about Gergg - 

Final Spots (Two of LDLT / Morris / Roldan / Pefok / Arriola) 25. 26.

There are only 2 correct answers there and I worry that he takes neither.

 

100% I just came to post this 

 

[Juicy 728]

7 minutes ago, Juicy said:

 

 

My shits borked. 

With LDLT hurt I would honestly love going only two GK (I know, I know it will never happen) and being able to bring Pefok, LDLT, and as insane as it sounds Nipple.... give me an extra player over a 3rd keeper who if you have to play you are fucked anyway. 

Edited November 8, 2022 by Juicy

[goatsaag 279]

29 minutes ago, Juicy said:

My shits borked. 

With LDLT hurt I would honestly love going only two GK (I know, I know it will never happen) and being able to bring Pefok, LDLT, and as insane as it sounds Nipple.... give me an extra player over a 3rd keeper who if you have to play you are fucked anyway. 

FIFA rules require you bring 3 GK. The US is also not super fucked if the 3rd GK has to play. The difference between Turner/Steffen and Johnson/Horvath isn't a situation where you might as well just not play the game if you have to go to 3rd or 4th string GK.

Edited November 8, 2022 by goatsaag

[Juicy 728]

6 minutes ago, goatsaag said:

FIFA rules require you bring 3 GK. The US is also not super fucked if the 3rd GK has to play. The difference between Turner/Steffen and Johnson/Horvath isn't a situation where you might as well just not play the game if you have to go to 3rd or 4th string GK.

I think if the US gets into a situation where we aren't playing Turner we are fucked. We don't even need to get to the 3rd keeper to be in a bad spot if our number one guy can't go. I love Horvath, but don't want to see him coming out from under his nice little airconditioned dugout in 2 weeks. 

[alincoln 2385]

Here is the leaked roster

[alincoln 2385]

The GKs and D are exactly as expected except Ream comes in for an injured Richards.

No real surprises in MF or F except that LDLT is healthy enough to make the team but Gregggg still thinks he needs to bring Roldan.  Also no room for Pefok as expected or Arriola or Morris (I really thought one of them would go).  All of this suggests that Greggggg is entirely wedded to his 4-3-3 system with two 8s with Reyna and Aaronson playing exclusively on the wing instead of potentially as a 10.  

[Braff Zacklin 13672]

Man, Pefok must've fucked Gergg's wife, daughter, mother or sister. Maybe all of them.

 

And Gergg is only the second person in the world who thinks Roldan is a WC-caliber player.

[Captain Ron 12961]

10 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

And Gergg is only the second person in the world who thinks Roldan is a WC-caliber player.

There's two? Because I've got on a good word that even his mom doesn't think he should be on the WC roster.

 

As a whole, my view is that this roster might be able to get us out of the group stage, but we are going to do it on pluck and luck. I don't think it plays to our strengths and it certainly isn't our best roster.

What really blows my mind is that Ream and Roldan are perfect examples of what is wrong with Gergg. Instead of using the summer and final two tuneup games to get his roster to gel, he runs out guys that ultimately don't make it and now has to integrate two players who haven't played with the team in months.

 

EDIT: add Scally to that list. While he was on the roster recently, he only has TWO CAPS. EVER. WTF are you doing Gergg?

Edited November 8, 2022 by Captain Ron

[alincoln 2385]

To be fair to gregg, which I generally avoid, Ream is only on the roster due to Richards' injury.  Richards has confirmed that he is missing out due to injury. Similarly, Roldan is an injury policy for LDLT and McKennie who are both returning from muscle injuries that could easily flare up during the WC.

Neither of those guys are in the 26 w/o the injuries.

My biggest concern remains Long and Jesus as likely starters and the insistence on the dual 8 system (which as noted above is basically confirmed by the player selection).

[A-Tex Devil 2465]

Ferreira over Pefok is dumb.  I can live with the rest given injuries.