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US Men's National Team (8 Viewers)

I think he's been pretty good. Hopefully he avoids Twitter tonight, Im sure the English fans will be ruthless. 
He just got subbed at halftime.  He was not good today.  Poor defending, poor passing, and poor clearances.  Everyone has an off day.  And, as I said, he is far from the only player to play poorly for Chelsea today.

 
He just got subbed at halftime.  He was not good today.  Poor defending, poor passing, and poor clearances.  Everyone has an off day.  And, as I said, he is far from the only player to play poorly for Chelsea today.
Yes - I guess my point is that the manager has humiliated him, and the fans will be brutal, but he wasn't that bad. Was under extreme pressure and mostly dealt with it. 

 
I did not see the game so I don't know how bad he played but his whoscored numbers look fine.  He had the highest passing average of the Chelsea defenders and won the most aerial duals even though he was subbed out at half and played less minutes.

Is there any chance he was, in part, subbed because of the yellow and Gus did not want to risk a young player getting a red in the second half?

 
I was hoping for an inconspicuous day for Mazda, and it mostly was. But the build up to the goal was started on his bad pass out of the back. Add the yellow and the overall team shape looking shaky at best,  the Mikel move back seemed to help. Not all of that is on him,  but Makes me nervous for mazda seeing any more of the field from here out. 

 
If anyone is looking for something to watch right now Arriola is staring for Tijuana on Univison. Had a slight hand n the first goal drawing defenders to him on a counter and opening up space for the goal scorer at the top of the 18. 

 
From ESPN
=====================================

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic said Emerson Hyndman is worthy of more playing time after the U.S. international scored a late winner on his birthday against Cardiff on Saturday.

Deep into stoppage time, Cardiff failed to clear the ball following a corner kick and Hyndman finished off a scramble in the visitors' penalty area as Fulham won 2-1.

The goal was Hyndman's first of the season in just his seventh start, and Jokanovic said he regretted not getting Hyndman into more games.

"Today is his birthday. It's a great present for himself and for all of us in the last moment of the game," the manager said of the American.

"He's probably one of the more talented players. I am little bit disappointed with myself that I haven't found more minutes for him this season.

"He probably needs to be a little bit stronger for the Championship. But he's a young guy and he will be a very good footballer for us."

Hyndman, who turned 20 on Saturday, was the U.S. captain at the Under-20 World Cup last year and also featured for the under-23 team that failed to qualify for the Olympics last month.

He made his only appearance for the U.S. senior team in 2014.

 
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I went to the Revs TFC game today.

*IMO Jozy is carrying too much weight.  And I don't mean fat, I think he has to find a way to cut down on his muscle tone.  He is like a tank out there and moves like one too.  He was such a thin kid coming up through NY that I never expected this.

*Bradley played a MUCH deeper role than I have seen him before.  He barely attacked today.  I think TFC is just getting road weary now with this non stop road trip and are probably just looking to escape with any point they can get.  

*The local fans are starting to turn on MVLee.  He is having a horrible start to the season and can't seem to get the damn ball off his feet quick enough.  He is single handedly killing every break NE has because he won't pass quick enough.

*Kelyn Rowe added another fantastic goal to his highlight reel today.  Some day 15 years from now after he is long retired, someone is going to watch a highlight reel of his goals and wonder how he never got capped but he really is just such a plain player that every so often has a great moment like today.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/04/09/goal-kelyn-rowe-sends-beautiful-header-corner-net?autoplay=true

 
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If anyone is looking for something to watch right now Arriola is staring for Tijuana on Univison. Had a slight hand n the first goal drawing defenders to him on a counter and opening up space for the goal scorer at the top of the 18. 
Oof. That escalated quickly. Solos turned a 0-1 lead into a 6-1 defeat. Not a good day for me soccer wise. 

 
I did not see the game so I don't know how bad he played but his whoscored numbers look fine.  He had the highest passing average of the Chelsea defenders and won the most aerial duals even though he was subbed out at half and played less minutes.

Is there any chance he was, in part, subbed because of the yellow and Gus did not want to risk a young player getting a red in the second half?
I think the yellow was a factor, and I do think he was no worse than the other defenders.  I also saw Ivanovic snap at him a few times, and I wonder if that carried over into the locker room at halftime - to be fair, I thought Ivanovic was just being a ####.

I was perhaps a bit harsh on Miazga yesterday - he did not play well, but the whole squad played poorly - and that led to a lot of pressure on the defense.  I'd put down yesterdays game to lack of experience playing against a side that was as aggressive as Swansea were - huge step up from playing Villa.

 
I did not see the game so I don't know how bad he played but his whoscored numbers look fine.  He had the highest passing average of the Chelsea defenders and won the most aerial duals even though he was subbed out at half and played less minutes.

Is there any chance he was, in part, subbed because of the yellow and Gus did not want to risk a young player getting a red in the second half?
Guus confirmed the yellow card was the main factor. 

"We had had some half-chances which we were not sharp enough to materialise. We went 1-0 down with some sloppy defensive work and on top of that he had a yellow card, and I didn't want to take the risk of him getting a second yellow. That was the main reason to make the substitution."

-Guus Hiddink; source: Chelsea FC

 
That turn at :37  :o
His control combined with what looks like a very good quickness level is going to make him a very dangerous player as he matures.

We have been sometimes too quick to see skills and potential in our young players that never comes to fruition, but it is hard not to get excited about what he is doing.

We typically hope our young players can find good loans to smaller clubs in Europe.  I think with Pulisic it is more than fair to hope he can grab a more regular starting spot next season at Dortmund.

 
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I figure Pulisic will eventually be a central player for the US, but the fact that he can play on both wings is going to give him the chance for more caps at the senior level the next couple of years.

 
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He looks so under control.  Will be interesting to see if the recent potentially high-level prospects is a statistical blip or the start of something sustainable after 20 years of MLS/Project 2010/international options/etc.

 
I figure Pulisic will eventually be a central player for the US, but the fact that he can play on both wings is going to give him the chance for more caps at the senior level the next couple of years.
Is it crazy to stick him in the middle today and plan on giving him as many minutes as possible there for the next two years?  I know #10s are usually more experienced players, but we have a real need there.

Wood and Pulisic as our two most advanced players in a 4-5-1?  Anyone have that in the 2018 lineup pool?

 
Is it crazy to stick him in the middle today and plan on giving him as many minutes as possible there for the next two years?  I know #10s are usually more experienced players, but we have a real need there.

Wood and Pulisic as our two most advanced players in a 4-5-1?  Anyone have that in the 2018 lineup pool?
I don't think it is crazy at all.  But do we believe JK will finally give up on Bradley in an advanced role?

 
-------Wood
--Fab Pulisic ??
-----Bradley ??
?? Brooks ?? Yedlin
--------??

I like the look of that core.  Yedlin is starting to gain some consistency at RB.

I do not like a 4-5-1 typically.  I would prefer more of 4-1-3-2 with Cam as the holding midfielder.  I really like a two striker system.

Lets assume everyone is fully healthy.  I would be ok with this in the Hex.

.........Wood.......Bacon (or Rubin)

Fab...........Pulisic..........Bradley

.........................Cam

Villafana.....Brooks....Birnbaum....Yedlin

Mikey is not a natural wide player so he would tuck in to help Cam which frees up the right side for Yedlin's pace.

 
I like the look of that core.  Yedlin is starting to gain some consistency at RB.

I do not like a 4-5-1 typically.  I would prefer more of 4-1-3-2 with Cam as the holding midfielder.  I really like a two striker system.

Lets assume everyone is fully healthy.  I would be ok with this in the Hex.

.........Wood.......Bacon (or Rubin)

Fab...........Pulisic..........Bradley

.........................Cam

Villafana.....Brooks....Birnbaum....Yedlin

Mikey is not a natural wide player so he would tuck in to help Cam which frees up the right side for Yedlin's pace.
love it.

 
I like the look of that core.  Yedlin is starting to gain some consistency at RB.

I do not like a 4-5-1 typically.  I would prefer more of 4-1-3-2 with Cam as the holding midfielder.  I really like a two striker system.

Lets assume everyone is fully healthy.  I would be ok with this in the Hex.

.........Wood.......Bacon (or Rubin)

Fab...........Pulisic..........Bradley

.........................Cam

Villafana.....Brooks....Birnbaum....Yedlin

Mikey is not a natural wide player so he would tuck in to help Cam which frees up the right side for Yedlin's pace.
Like the Cam positioning. 

 
I think Cameron would slot in nicely with Bradley behind a #10 in my 4-5-1 lineup too, but don't recall him playing there for JK.

 
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I like the look of that core.  Yedlin is starting to gain some consistency at RB.

I do not like a 4-5-1 typically.  I would prefer more of 4-1-3-2 with Cam as the holding midfielder.  I really like a two striker system.

Lets assume everyone is fully healthy.  I would be ok with this in the Hex.

.........Wood.......Bacon (or Rubin)

Fab...........Pulisic..........Bradley

.........................Cam

Villafana.....Brooks....Birnbaum....Yedlin

Mikey is not a natural wide player so he would tuck in to help Cam which frees up the right side for Yedlin's pace.
I like this, but I'm more in favor of playing Mike at a 6, so maybe him at 6 and Nagbe at RM.  Nagbe and Yedlin together on the same side scares me a little, but not as much as Zardoz and Yedlin on the same side.

 
-------Wood
Fab---Pulisic---??
-- Bradley Cam
?? Brooks ?? Yedlin
--------??

If you don't like Wood, Altidore (Morris?).  If you don't think Pulisic is ready, Nagbe.  And the two D spots and GK aren't tactical questions so much as finding the best player we have available right now.

So if you can find a right-side mid that makes sense (agree GZ in front of Yedlin is nothing but trouble) this gets a lot of our best players into good fits for their skill set and is reasonably balanced.

 
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I think a lot of these lineups are making way too many changes.  Pulisic plays on the flank for Dortmund.  He's not (yet) a #10.  And it would be crazy to bench Deuce for him anyway.  You want to bench Zardes for Pulisic?  That's understandable. 

Cam is most comfortable at CB. He sees himself at CB.  And he has not outplayed other holding mids for the US.  He had a good game in the Hex when Jones was out and a not very good game against Belgium in the World Cup.  I don't understand the point of playing him as a holding mid when he's just established himself as the top right-sided center back.  Especially if it means starting Birnbuam, who has like 6 caps.  I get that everyone wants to replace Jozy, but he's simply been more productive for the Nats than Wood.  Wood's development is a good thing, but I see no reason to start him now. 

Going into the Hex is a good time to integrate one, maybe two new players.  Maybe Pulisic and a left back.  Otherwise, let's surround Bradley and Deuce and Cameron with players they are used to playing with. 

 
I think a lot of these lineups are making way too many changes.  Pulisic plays on the flank for Dortmund.  He's not (yet) a #10.  And it would be crazy to bench Deuce for him anyway.  You want to bench Zardes for Pulisic?  That's understandable. 

Cam is most comfortable at CB. He sees himself at CB.  And he has not outplayed other holding mids for the US.  He had a good game in the Hex when Jones was out and a not very good game against Belgium in the World Cup.  I don't understand the point of playing him as a holding mid when he's just established himself as the top right-sided center back.  Especially if it means starting Birnbuam, who has like 6 caps.  I get that everyone wants to replace Jozy, but he's simply been more productive for the Nats than Wood.  Wood's development is a good thing, but I see no reason to start him now. 

Going into the Hex is a good time to integrate one, maybe two new players.  Maybe Pulisic and a left back.  Otherwise, let's surround Bradley and Deuce and Cameron with players they are used to playing with. 

"It is from a poster who has a history of doing this, so it should be a surprise to absolutely nobody. And when you look at it, if you are a human being, you will realize that that is not acceptable. And it’s not acceptable in 2016. Quite honestly, it’s never been acceptable."

 
The Mexican Federation looks like they are admitting that they are breaking the FIFA transfer rules as they are written but they are talking to FIFA to try and convince them this is a special case that does not happen any where else due to the massive amount of Mexicans living in the US.

http://www.espnfc.com/mexican-liga-mx/story/2848675/mexican-football-federation-seeking-clarity-on-fifa-rule

 
Dempsey has been hinting that the Copa might be his last dance internationally.
Dempsey also looks like someone strapped cannonballs to his ankles and dropped him in six inches of syrup.  Still good enough for Guatemala, but not sure he'll have much left 6-12 months from now when it comes with a step up in competition.  IMO probably time to phase him out as a starter.

 
Looks like the women are considering boycotting the Olympics if the wage dispute is not resolved. Also Carli Lloyd wrote an essay in the WAPO. At work so my access to sites is oddly limited(strange that i can get to the FFA but not other places).

 

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