USMNT 2023

[shadow_operative 15931]

Gio! did i OD on lithium or are we actually ahead 4-0 in the 1H with Gio scoring twice? now this is more like it!

[shadow_operative 15931]

that's the best save i've ever seen from turner.

[The Maestro 749]

Great half, honestly could have hade 3 more. Turner looked great when called upon.  

[Braff Zacklin 13399]

32 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

that's the best save i've ever seen from turner.

High praise, considering that's a long fucking list in just over two years. The man can stop shots.

Edited October 18, 2023 by Braff Zacklin

[RamjetFDO 10554]

Weah with a cheeky little flip over the defender, but should've passed sooner after that.

[Braff Zacklin 13399]

Raging Bull sighted!

[shnsajax 3589]

These Ghana jerseys from Puma are awful.

[Ted Lange 15991]

Pretty sure BJ coached the first half and Gregggg the second. 

[Braff Zacklin 13399]

My takeaway from these two games: MOAR GIO!

 

And god help us if he gets hurt or falls out of Gergg's good graces once more.

[Scary Stranger 1712]

12 hours ago, RamjetFDO said:

Weah with a cheeky little flip over the defender, but should've passed sooner after that.

Defender's reaction was hilarious. Just threw up his hands.

[RamjetFDO 10554]

Defender's reaction was hilarious. Just threw up his hands.

Would've been awesome if he had given an appreciative round of applause.

[NoName 16271]

good thing there was no need for a player who brings what Gio brings to the table in the most recent world cup.

[Captain Ron 12789]

1 hour ago, NoName said:

good thing there was no need for a player who brings what Gio brings to the table in the most recent world cup.

No kidding.

I will give Gregg credit thought, with the move to the 4-2-3-1, he has learned something. What I'm really hoping is that he might just scrap the 4-3-3 because the way he runs it, it isn't super effective.

I wish that Max left the full games up on line, I didn't get a lot of time to watch the Ghana games, only catching pieces of it.

[Captain Ron 12789]

Our Nations League opponent is set. Up next for the USMNT is Trinidad and Tobago. The matchup is home and home with the US leg in Q2.

The winner of that match advances to the Nations League bracket as well as the Copa America in 2024. The loser is out of the Nations League, but will still have a chance to advance into the Copa America via a playoff of the losing teams.

[dieucla98 2931]

T&T in a must win scenario. That usually goes well.

[NoName 16271]

2 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

Our Nations League opponent is set. Up next for the USMNT is Trinidad and Tobago. The matchup is home and home with the US leg in Q2.

The winner of that match advances to the Nations League bracket as well as the Copa America in 2024. The loser is out of the Nations League, but will still have a chance to advance into the Copa America via a playoff of the losing teams.

[Captain Ron 12789]

56 minutes ago, dieucla98 said:

T&T in a must win scenario. That usually goes well.

 

Just win baby.

[The Dog 43771]

 

[alincoln 2364]

So he will miss about a year with a hamstring injury.  Doesn't sound promising.

[Ted Lange 15991]

3 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

No kidding.

I will give Gregg credit thought, with the move to the 4-2-3-1, he has learned something. What I'm really hoping is that he might just scrap the 4-3-3 because the way he runs it, it isn't super effective.

I wish that Max left the full games up on line, I didn't get a lot of time to watch the Ghana games, only catching pieces of it.

You misspelled BJ.   BJ rolled that out in the Nations League matches we dominated, 3-0 and 2-0 over L tri and the canucks 

[dogbreath 431]

USA beat Japan 4-1 in u23 friendly. Full game is on yt. Just about to watch a little during lunch. 

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by dogbreath
Autocorrect error

[Napoleon 8596]

4 hours ago, dogbreath said:

USA beat Japan 4-1 in u23 friendly. Full game is on yt. Just about to watch a little during lunch. 

 

A lot of familiar names watching those highlights. 

It is nice to have nearly a full squad of U23s who have already made their debuts with the full squad. 

[Captain Ron 12789]

6 hours ago, Ted Lange said:

You misspelled BJ.   BJ rolled that out in the Nations League matches we dominated, 3-0 and 2-0 over L tri and the canucks 

Agreed. But Gregg kept it with good results, he deserves something for that. We saw what happened when he ran his 4-3-3 out there, Germany made us pay. 

[The Dog 43771]

Drugs are bad kids:

 

[Captain Ron 12789]

Jozy is fucking high. There is no metric in which the 2014 team is better than this team. And that look he is giving when he says "at certain spots" - I know what he's trying to REALLY say, and he's just wrong there. No Jozy, you would not be the best striker on the field of a matchup of 2014 vs 2023.

[Napoleon 8596]

3 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

Jozy is fucking high. There is no metric in which the 2014 team is better than this team. And that look he is giving when he says "at certain spots" - I know what he's trying to REALLY say, and he's just wrong there. No Jozy, you would not be the best striker on the field of a matchup of 2014 vs 2023.

I would absolutely take the 2014 team and Klinsmann over today’s team with Berhalter. 
 

8 days a week!

Dempsey would get someone sent off. The keeper was superior. A healthy Altidore along with a healthy Icelandic guy.

Even Michael Bradley was good in that window.

Berhalter would be handed a lesson by the scatterbrained Klinsmann. How embarrassing would that be?

[LurkingHorn 1044]

The 2014 team was way more experienced and the current team would have no answer for Dempsey--he would be the best player on the field. Pretty sure the current backline would be shredded by the 2014 group. That being said, this current group has a higher ceiling going into 2026. A more apt comparison will be the 2026 vs 2014 team. 

[The Dog 43771]

10 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

Jozy is fucking high. There is no metric in which the 2014 team is better than this team. And that look he is giving when he says "at certain spots" - I know what he's trying to REALLY say, and he's just wrong there. No Jozy, you would not be the best striker on the field of a matchup of 2014 vs 2023.

Balogun relegates Jozy to the bench right from the start. Jozy was never as good as Balogun is right now and he's getting better. An in form Jozy should make the roster at least. He had just finished his first season at Sunderland in the EPL. 

7 hours ago, Napoleon said:

I would absolutely take the 2014 team and Klinsmann over today’s team with Berhalter. 
 

8 days a week!

Dempsey would get someone sent off. The keeper was superior. A healthy Altidore along with a healthy Icelandic guy.

Even Michael Bradley was good in that window.

Berhalter would be handed a lesson by the scatterbrained Klinsmann. How embarrassing would that be?

I read this as being about the personnel.

Berhalter is an albatross for even the most talented teams so I concede that point if he's included.

The players from 2014 who I think make the current roster are Altidore, Dempsey, Bradley, Beasley, and Howard. Howard and Dempsey definitely start. 

Now compare that to the current roster and you have Adams, Pulisic, Balogun, Weah, McKinnie, Ream, and Robinson who start over anyone. Probably Reyna too. 

Anyway glad Jozy kicked this hornet's nest because that 2014 team was pretty good but the ceiling on the current pool is much, much higher. Just need that spare in charge of them to get a clue.

 

[Captain Ron 12789]

Yeah, I took this as talent vs talent. But coaching is a fair point and yeah Ze German > Beerholder. But a fucking mile.

All this talk about Dempsey

 

He was good, I'm not sure I would say he would be the best on the field, but he was a difference maker.

I think one mistake I am making is that I am comparing the ceiling of this team vs the top of the 2014 team. Granted I don't think that even on current level the 2014 team matches this team.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_squads#United_States

The problem that team has is that the talent really drops off once you get past the top 4-5 players. 

[LurkingHorn 1044]

7 hours ago, The Dog said:

Balogun relegates Jozy to the bench right from the start. Jozy was never as good as Balogun is right now and he's getting better. An in form Jozy should make the roster at least. He had just finished his first season at Sunderland in the EPL. 

I read this as being about the personnel.

Berhalter is an albatross for even the most talented teams so I concede that point if he's included.

The players from 2014 who I think make the current roster are Altidore, Dempsey, Bradley, Beasley, and Howard. Howard and Dempsey definitely start. 

Now compare that to the current roster and you have Adams, Pulisic, Balogun, Weah, McKinnie, Ream, and Robinson who start over anyone. Probably Reyna too. 

Anyway glad Jozy kicked this hornet's nest because that 2014 team was pretty good but the ceiling on the current pool is much, much higher. Just need that spare in charge of them to get a clue.

 

Fabian Johnson absolutely would make the current roster and probably be a better RB option than anyone we have. Jermaine Jones would also be on the roster and probably a starter depending on what hypothetical formation that team would play. 

[ztejas 43244]

10 minutes ago, LurkingHorn said:

Jermaine Jones would also be on the roster and probably a starter

Bro what. JJ was 33 in 2014 and in the twilight of his career. He would have zero shot at starting over anyone in our midfield. 

I don't think any of those guys get much playing time except Dempsey/Howard and maybe a couple defenders. Johnson was probably a better defender than Dest but I don't think he was a better player. 

Are we assuming Jedi and Adams are playing? I'd take Antonee over 2014 Beasely and if TA is playing it makes it really difficult for any of the 2014 guys to get minutes in the midfield save Bradley. 

[A-Tex Devil 2444]

1 minute ago, ztejas said:

Bro what. JJ was 33 in 2014 and in the twilight of his career. He would have zero shot at starting over anyone in our midfield. 

I don't think any of those guys get much playing time except Dempsey/Howard and maybe a couple defenders. Johnson was probably a better defender than Dest but I don't think he was a better player. 

Are we assuming Jedi and Adams are playing? I'd take Antonee over 2014 Beasely and if TA is playing it makes it really difficult for any of the 2014 guys to get minutes in the midfield save Bradley. 

That's the thing... in 2014, Bradley had already gone back to the MLS from Roma, Dempsey was back in the MLS, Jozy was completely useless at Sunderland (not entirely his fault, but his EPL opportunity came... at Sunderland)  We had some dudes kicking around Germany, but only an 18 year old Julian Green was on an elite team.

Said differently, in 2014, we had two guys that had any UCL run (2 others that didn't, including Green), and they were at Schalke (Jones) and Anderlicht (Kljestan, who isn't even in this conversation).  We had 11 last year, and 11 this year, plus two on Juve who weren't allowed in.  There is always the argument that the Euro leagues trust US players more now than in 2014, but that can't explain it all.  If you are taking the coaching out of it, and just look at where our players are getting run across Europe, the talent right now, *today* (not their ceiling), is way better than 2014. 

Honestly, even Dempsey, who is my favorite player ever, would need to play 9 if he wants to start because I prefer Reyna, Weah and Pulisic over him.  I'll give everyone the 2014 GK for now, but ask me again in 2 years.

[Napoleon 8596]

Jermaine Jones would have the 2023 team trainers running out of Magic Spray by halftime.

He would be the embodiment of “And you will know us by the trail of dead.”

[Rudiger 1160]

Julian Green. Forgot about that guy. Apparently he’s been in the second division of the Bundesliga since 2018. 

[The Dog 43771]

Speaking of Reyna - when do we start talking about his lack of minutes at Dortmund? He's too good to be coming off the bench and should be seeking a transfer IMHO.

Champions League is nice but he needs to go somewhere he can start.

[Mittens 8147]

On 10/25/2023 at 8:20 AM, LurkingHorn said:

Pretty sure the current backline would be shredded by the 2014 group. 

I thought the exact opposite.  For reference, here are the matchups - 2014 World Cup vs 2023 CONCACAF

Beasley, Besler, Gonzalez, Cameron, Johnson vs Aaronson, Musah, Reyna, Weah, Balogun, Pepi, Pulisic

Dest, Scally, Richards, Zimmerman, Robinson, Robinson vs Dempsey, Bedoya, Johnson, Bradley, Zusi, Beckerman, Altidore

The current offense is orders of magnitude better than it was 10yrs ago*. Defense is roughly the same, although GK edge has to go to 2014.  Midfield is 2023, hands down.

*I have Callaghan coaching the 2023s.

 

[dieucla98 2931]

31 minutes ago, The Dog said:

Speaking of Reyna - when do we start talking about his lack of minutes at Dortmund? He's too good to be coming off the bench and should be seeking a transfer IMHO.

Champions League is nice but he needs to go somewhere he can start.

I think they're very afraid he's going to get injured again but I also think because of this they'd want to move on from him. So keeping him healthy is the most likely path to a high transfer fee.

[Captain Ron 12789]

2 hours ago, The Dog said:

Speaking of Reyna - when do we start talking about his lack of minutes at Dortmund? He's too good to be coming off the bench and should be seeking a transfer IMHO.

Champions League is nice but he needs to go somewhere he can start.

 

He's been injured and just got himself back on the field. If this continues for a while more, then we can start to talk. 

[The Dog 43771]

1 hour ago, Captain Ron said:

 

He's been injured and just got himself back on the field. If this continues for a while more, then we can start to talk. 

So when? He's been back for over a month now. 

If he's not a regular starter by the end of the year then he needs to bolt in the January transfer window - either get loaned to a team that will play him or outright sale IMHO.

[Captain Ron 12789]

He hasn't even been back 3 weeks. His first appearance for Dortmund this year was the 7th, just before the international break. He played in that game and the two games after the international break - every game Dortmund has had (his minutes in those games 27-29-12). He is right on track for a guy that is coming back from injury.

Reyna needs to get in full game shape and then we can see what happens.

You ask when? Get back to me in December.

[The Dog 43771]

9 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

He hasn't even been back 3 weeks. His first appearance for Dortmund this year was the 7th, just before the international break. He played in that game and the two games after the international break - every game Dortmund has had (his minutes in those games 27-29-12). He is right on track for a guy that is coming back from injury.

Reyna needs to get in full game shape and then we can see what happens.

You ask when? Get back to me in December.

He was an unused sub for the two games prior. 

ETA - agreed on December. If he's not starting by then it's time to go.

Edited October 26, 2023 by The Dog

[Captain Ron 12789]

42 minutes ago, The Dog said:

He was an unused sub for the two games prior. 

ETA - agreed on December. If he's not starting by then it's time to go.

I went back and looked, it was actually 4 games, 2 Bund and 2 UCL games.

But again, this is his path back to the team. If he can't play nearly fully games, he's going to be coming off the bench. These aren't friendlies where he can play a half a game and then come off.

I see nothing with this that is something to worry about. They are going to bring him back at a regular timetable.

[Napoleon 8596]

It’s time to go. Perhaps Italy.

[The Dog 43771]

 

[The Dog 43771]

14 hours ago, Napoleon said:

It’s time to go. Perhaps Italy.

 

[PittsburghTiger 6136]

The PanAm team just beat Colombia 🇨🇴, 2-0, to advance to the Semifinals against 🇨🇱 Chile.

 

[PittsburghTiger 6136]

Wednesday is the game v Chile. The video stream worked fine. It's a free app. This game yesterday was the first one to be streamed. I would think it is a certainty that Wednesday will be streamed since the USA is playing the host country.

[Napoleon 8596]

22 hours ago, PittsburghTiger said:

The PanAm team just beat Colombia 🇨🇴, 2-0, to advance to the Semifinals against 🇨🇱 Chile.

As an Argie for just over a decade now, I can say with extreme prejudice and condescension…

FUCK LOS CHILENOS!!

Los chilenos son fascistas!

(Though I’m still not sure why I’m supposed to hate Chile for stealing all of Argentina’s land on the western slopes of the Andes a couple of centuries back.)

Fuck Chile 🇨🇱 and their stupid douchey flag!

[Captain Ron 12789]

Woof. I didn’t see this howler from Turner over the weekend. 
 

 

[Ted Lange 15991]