What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

US Men's National Team (9 Viewers)

I doubt it was Besler/Brooks.  It was probably Gonzo/Brooks or maybe Gonzo/Besler.  JK likes a right-footed RCB and left-footed LCB.  On this roster, Gonzo, Cameron, Birnbaum, and Alvarado are the players who would typically be RCBs.  Brooks, Besler, and Orozco would typically be LCBs. 

 
El Floppo said:
I imagine with the rise of the MLS academies, that we'll see most of the top players slot into those. Same players will also be part of the ODP system... at a guess and wihtout understanding how the ODP system works.  eta: I'm also going to assume this is only the beginning of what we'll see from the Meskin FA... will be more and more of tippy-top talent heading south, IMO.

[curmudgeon] in my day, it was a pretty clear and direct path at the youth level- local, district, state, region, nation.  you didn't see guys at the upper levels bypass the lower ones, although every now and then there'd be some random national look-see at state players for one-off games etc. otherwise if you weren't on the regional team, you weren't making the national team. senior national team... no idea. mostly college players back then and random MISL or foreign player. and frankfurters cost a nickel. [/curmudgeon]
Click to expand...


You can't play academy and ODP.  ODP is fading away.  It's pretty much for the kids who live too far away from an academy or don't want the demands of an academy.  The best ODP players general move to academy play in high school.  The 

Also plenty of free academy options available.  The biggest issue with the academy system as you stated is that it only covers a small portion of the US.  Lots of talent in the US that is being missed.

 
Injuries have affected the US in spots.  And some of it is performance-based.  But some of it is still down to Klinsy.

Take LB.  After the world cup, we've tried Garza, Chandler and Shea.  We've tried prying the Beas out of retirement.  It's not necessarily JK's fault that none of those guys stuck.  But we also tried Ream and I'd argue that he wasn't bad at all.  That he actually gave us a another ball player out of the back that helped the team.  Now, Castillo was pretty much the least of the US's problems Friday night, but it's still hard to figure out how he got the call up again. 

It's also true that Beckerman hasn't been a world beater since the World Cup.  But other than an available Jones, he's certainly been the best DM on the team.  But we've tried Mix and Bedoya there.  I have no problem with giving a Danny Williams or Perry Kitchen a chance to win that job.  Heck, I might have given Dax McCarty a shot at it too.  But we're qualifying now, and nobody has outplayed Beckerman.  So you play him there.

 
NewlyRetired said:
I feel like I should be more nervous about tonight but I am not.

Whether that is because of confidence or numbness I am unsure.
Click to expand...
I'm nervous as ####. If we lose this it will be real hard to get excited about US soccer for a very longtime for me. Even the Copa. I'll be too pissed. Not even getting to the Hex? ####. That is hard to recover from. 

 
Watching that game was more painful than the flu I had while watching it.  I know everyone's piling on JK right now, but I didn't see much good from anyone regardless of where they had to play.  

  • Can we pretty pretty please stop this bomb and pray bull####?  We don't have the guys with the first touch to receive them consistent enough to think they'll work, let alone someone on the back that's accurate enough.  Why does that seem to be our first move when the back line gets the ball?  Are these guys this bad at playing out the back that it's the only play we got?  

    Side note: The way Miazga set up that goal for the U23's is the kind of play we need on the Sr side.

[*]I don't think Nagbe got enough love; I really like what I saw from him.  He seemed to be the only one with a shred of creativity/footwork to get out of tight spots.  Maybe some of that was fresh legs?  He does need to clean up the giveaways, though.  

[*]Bedoya STUNK.

[*]I actually didn't mind Yedlin when he slid back to RB.  He's shown to improve on the defending side and has the speed to cover. We all know he's a one trick pony otherwise... If we're going to use him as a full-speed-ahead down the right side and then give a last second hope and pray cross, then save him for a second half sub where his speed is going to be a bigger asset against tired legs.

[*]Was Zardes thinking he was playing with a Futsol ball? :X  

[*]It was incredible how many times they shot right at the GK.  It was like watching my kids' U10 games.

[*]Did Bradley even care? (I know thats a bit unfair, but he even seemed uninspired which was odd)

[*]I think someone else pointed it out, but Wood looked pretty good.  Dempsey looked like a lazy slug and left Wood left hung out to dry.  Was the heat too much for the old man?


 
From Goff about changes tonight

=============================================

Klinsmann is expected to make several lineup changes, in part because this is the second game in five days and because alterations are required following a 2-0 setback in Guatemala City. He had previously announced a goalkeeper rotation, which, if still applicable, means Brad Guzan will replace Tim Howard. I am also getting word D.C. United’s Steve Birnbaum will start in place of Tijuana’s Michael Orozco on the backline. Midfielder Alejandro Bedoya’s status is questionable because of a sore ankle.

 
Against a team of midgets, I'd favor Gonzo/Birnbaum to get at least one set piece goal.*

I say this realizing that Guetemala somehow got one set piece goal and three golden set piece chances on Friday night.  That was ... inexplicable. 

 
NewlyRetired said:
7:00pm and 9:30pm eastern both on ESPN2.

I heard kick off is not until 7:25pm but since I am not sure just stretch your recording if needed.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm pretty sure kick is at 7:25. The lineup announcement should let us know. They are generally exactly one hour before kickoff.

 
Sebowski said:
This game right now is bigger than any World Cup group stage game. I'm stressed out. 
Click to expand...
Right there with you.  Woke up with butterflies in my stomach and was wondering why.  Thought about work - nope, nothing there.  Family thing?  No, it's all good.  Then this match popped into my head - boom.  The thought of the US not qualifying for the World Cup...I can't go there.  Don't want to go there.  

 
As a Brazilian with zero stake in the game, all I can say is that I'm fascinated and shocked. The US has yet to make the leap to the soccer elite, but even so, they'd been quite adequate for years now.

 
Sebowski said:
I don't even think Evilgrin's shtick would cheer me up right now. I have no confidence. Just hope and dread. 
Click to expand...
again... welcome, my friend. 

welcome to the world Andy and I have lived in for 30+ years. when everybody talks about wrapping up and cap-tying youngsters, we all sit in dread of away games in guat and El Sav knowing that we still aren't good enough to consistently win those games in brutal conditions where every touch matters and the other team and country is waiting with just the right game plan. hope and dread.

 
Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Against a team of midgets, I'd favor Gonzo/Birnbaum to get at least one set piece goal.*

I say this realizing that Guetemala somehow got one set piece goal and three golden set piece chances on Friday night.  That was ... inexplicable. 
Click to expand...
yeah... of all the horribleness of the other night, that was definitely the most galling. 

 
Is the Borussia Dortmund kid Pulisic going to play?  I feel he's the best chance for a USA superstar at the moment.  Hope he gets in there at some point

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

glvsav37
Entrepreneur Guys 2.0: The Side Gig
Replies
29
Views
589
the moops
the moops
BassNBrew
  • Poll
Bigger Event - World Cup or Olympics
2
Replies
68
Views
2K
Manster
Manster
snellman
Collectively, A thread to celebrate our kids Non-Athletic accomplishments.
2
Replies
62
Views
1K
Rustoleum
Rustoleum

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 10 (members: 0, guests: 10)
Top