US Men's National Team (35 Viewers)

[El Floppo]

I’ve always been lower on Arriola than this thread.

What exactly does he do well?

he's basically like weah, except more consistent. 

I kid. kind of.

he was one of the best youths in our program with a great mix of skills, pace and aggression going forward. I was hoping/expecting him to be a solid senior player, if he kept developing.

he still has all of that, but seems to have hit a bit of ceiling. he does great getting into fantastic attacking spaces and works hard getting back, where he's a passable defender in the MF. good, consistent first touch and awareness of his teammates; just a natural flank guy making good runs up and down the field, working hard, good skills and good ability to get the ball across the field.

but I feel like he's become a bit tepid with his aggression- opting too much to go back or square when situations are there for him to take a guy on off the dribble, cross or shot. he's usually pretty tidy and consistent on the ball, but was really off on his final touch last game the more involved he got- which isn't a great sign. but he's also only 24, and will hopefully continue to grow as a player.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I wonder if this cycle will start a shift in the strength of some teams in Concacaf...

Honduras just lost their first two games in the Gold Cup and are eliminated already.  They lost to Curaçao today after losing to Jamaica in the first game.

 

[NewlyRetired]

USMNT Only‏ @usmntonly

"I speak with American, Turkish & German teams. There are also offers from China. Boyd doesn't want to pursue a career in Guimaraes. Next week, I'm going to Portugal, and I'm going to have the last meetings with Guimaraes. Then the transfer will take shape." - Tyler Boyd's agent

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

We used to joke about the Ralston Line -- basically that Steve Ralston was the median US player and that we wanted more players above that level.  I feel like Zusi and Bedoya and now Arriola are all heirs to that idea.  Fine players, definitely belong in our pool, but the kind of player we'll need to upgrade on to really improve the team long-term.

 

[TripItUp]

We used to joke about the Ralston Line -- basically that Steve Ralston was the median US player and that we wanted more players above that level.  I feel like Zusi and Bedoya and now Arriola are all heirs to that idea.  Fine players, definitely belong in our pool, but the kind of player we'll need to upgrade on to really improve the team long-term.

Exactly - Arriola isn’t getting us past Germany or Brazil. Weah on the other hand.

It’s disappointing to me that we’re still as far behind as we are.  We are a huge resource rich country with plenty of soccer players and a healthy professional league.  It’s just disappointing...10 years ago I would have guessed we’d be much further along. 

 

[TLEF316]

If zardes starts again today....

 

[NewlyRetired]

If zardes starts again today....

Berhalter was giving mixed signals yesterday about Jozy.  He did keep stressing they needed to play Jozy as soon as he was ready but he did not say whether that was tonight or not.

He also was careful in his wording about Weston's availability.

 

[NewlyRetired]

...10 years ago I would have guessed we’d be much further along. 

The things that started happening ten years ago in why we are starting to produce players like Pulisic, Weston and Adams.   This stuff takes forever to percolate.

 

[TripItUp]

The things that started happening ten years ago in why we are starting to produce players like Pulisic, Weston and Adams.   This stuff takes forever to percolate.

I don’t really give the system/organization any credit for Pulisic.

 

[encaitar]

I don’t really give the system/organization any credit for Pulisic.

Agreed.    That was all Christian and his family being willing to uproot their life to give him a chance to be better than the average American player.  Although, it was due to the youth teams that Dortmund even discovered him... so maybe some credit is due to USSoccer.

 

[encaitar]

Exactly - Arriola isn’t getting us past Germany or Brazil. Weah on the other hand.

It’s disappointing to me that we’re still as far behind as we are.  We are a huge resource rich country with plenty of soccer players and a healthy professional league.  It’s just disappointing...10 years ago I would have guessed we’d be much further along. 

We would be, but the current generation is terrible.  Right now, last WC and 2022 should be dominated by 24-30 year old players right now and we have what... maybe one(John Brooks) world class talent in that age group?  I'd like to believe, watching the younguns, that what we're doing is going to work, but it's really going to be 4-5 years before we really start to see with this upcoming generation.  God I hope so though.  

 

[NewlyRetired]

I don’t really give the system/organization any credit for Pulisic.

His dad was clearly the driving force in his development but I think it is a huge mistake to just assume he blossomed into a good player the minute he went to Germany.  We have video of him as a young kid playing youth soccer in the US which shows that he was already a gifted player.

 

[Christo]

His dad was clearly the driving force in his development but I think it is a huge mistake to just assume he blossomed into a good player the minute he went to Germany.  We have video of him as a young kid playing youth soccer in the US which shows that he was already a gifted player.

Right, and he's explained that most of that came from hanging around the South Americans who played for his Dad.

 

[El Floppo]

What Andy's saying. All these young guys are coming up through proper academy systems the last 10 years or less, and us youth squads. That system will help us produce those better players, and this group of 20ish yos is the forefront... Including cp.

 

[NewlyRetired]

What Andy's saying. All these young guys are coming up through proper academy systems the last 10 years or less, and us youth squads. That system will help us produce those better players, and this group of 20ish yos is the forefront... Including cp.

And to be clear, no one is saying we are about to embark on consistent deep runs in the WC once this all plays out.

All we are saying is that we will be producing pros at a younger age more consistently and that this should lead to having much less risk of a lost generation, like @encaitar correctly pointed out earlier.

 

[NewlyRetired]

looks like the identical lineup tonight

................................Steffen

Lima.............Zimmerman........Long.............Ream

....................................Bradley

.................Weston.........................Pulisic

Boyd...........................Zardes(!!!!)......................Nips

 

[encaitar]

I'm pretty upset seeing this lineup again.  You sent Sargent home yet now can't replace Zardes who played horrible because Jozy isn't healthy?  Jordan Morris was brought in instead but Gregg doesn't like him as a lone striker?  Baffling.

Even more so with CCV and Gonzalez.  If Omar wasn't going to feature on the pitch why in the hell are we wasting bench time on him instead of giving a 21 year old CB who will be a part of the future a chance to integrate into the squad?  

Really becoming more and more of a Berhalter hater by the minute.  Hope I see something tonight that convinces me I'm wrong, but I'm certainly skeptical.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

If that's really how they're setting up, Bradley will be exposed.  T&T is chock full of athletes.

That's kind of a depressing lineup though.  The midfield is serious, the rest of the front 10 is pretty meh.

Obviously Brooks and Adams help some, but man... we really need some of these young guys to hit.  Qualifying is going to be a slog if this is the group we've got.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I'm pretty upset seeing this lineup again.  You sent Sargent home yet now can't replace Zardes who played horrible because Jozy isn't healthy?  Jordan Morris was brought in instead but Gregg doesn't like him as a lone striker?  Baffling.

Morris was always on the squad.  After Llteget got hurt, they called in Jonathan Lewis as a late replacement.

 

[NewlyRetired]

After the game Berhalter was praising Zardes.  I thought it was just one of those him being positive to the media things but damn, now I am scratching my head wondering if he was serious.

Hopefully I won't jinx us but I guess Zardes can't play worse....

 

[NewlyRetired]

Obviously Brooks and Adams help some, but man... 

If we play Yedlin, Adams (where he belongs), Brooks and Jozy, the team is an upgrade almost across the board.   our quality depth is frighteningly low right now

 

[encaitar]

After the game Berhalter was praising Zardes.  I thought it was just one of those him being positive to the media things but damn, now I am scratching my head wondering if he was serious.

Hopefully I won't jinx us but I guess Zardes can't play worse....

I'm convinced that Berhalter would start Zardes over a guy like Miroslav Klose just because he considers work rate so important.

Gyasi did a lot of running last game, but other than his nose goal he really didn't contribute.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I won't be watching live tonight but when I watch later I will be looking for:

* Zardes to hopefully not suck

* Weston to build on a good, if uneven performance from the other night

* Zimmerman and Long to be clean at CB and for Zimmerman to get on the end of a set piece

* Pulisic to dominate for longer periods of time than the other night

* Boyd to play well again

* Nips to give the same performance he gave against the minnows the other night

 

[NewlyRetired]

Gyasi did a lot of running last game, but other than his nose goal he really didn't contribute.

I love work rate too, but so much of what he does is meaningless.  He is not winning balls, he is not creating problems for the defenders.  For a guy who is suppose to be fast he never gets on the end of through balls before the CB's do.

I just hope we saw his nadir the other night especially if Berhalter is so tied to him with out Jozy being fully healthy.

 

[Christo]

USA! USA! USA!

 

[ffldrew]

Would have thought there would be a little larger crowd for this - maybe they are late in arriving

 

[shader]

I think Zardes is a perfect Gold Cup player. 

 

[shader]

Would have thought there would be a little larger crowd for this - maybe they are late in arriving

Entire USA becoming Euro snobs

 

[encaitar]

Steffen gets the C tonight.  Nice.

 

[ffldrew]

Nice one Bradley

 

[gianmarco]

Classic Bradley off the bat.

 

[gianmarco]

I'm tired of seeing Bradley out there. I understand he has his moments and can provide something not really any others can.

But his mistakes can be and often are too costly. In matches where it only takes 1 or 2 goals to lose, we can't afford that anymore.

I hate seeing him out there more than seeing Zardes.

 

[gianmarco]

Jesus....

 

[shader]

Jesus....

Unreal

 

[Christo]

Okay, so we're lucky not to be down by 2 right now.

 

[shader]

I’m not a CONCACAF guy, but this TT team doesn’t appear to have a single player in a big league. Should be a massive blowout

 

[Christo]

I’m not a CONCACAF guy, but this TT team doesn’t appear to have a single player in a big league. Should be a massive blowout

You are correct . . . in theory.

 

[ffldrew]

TT scrambling in the back and we've yet to make the right pass to keep it alive and dangerous.

 

[shader]

Wow this team is boring 

 

[ffldrew]

T&T fully playing the aggrieved CONCACAF opponent to the hilt -  I don't recall them being that way in the past

 

[Rustoleum]

With a name like Hackshaw, and that awesome hair, you simply can’t go down like a baby like that.

 

[Christo]

gol

 

[stlrams]

Goallllll

 

[encaitar]

Good ball... great header.

 

[shader]

Terrible half for USA 

 

[TLEF316]

Just too much mediocrity out there. 

 

[encaitar]

There's just no cohesion with this team.  One guy will make a great run and there's no one coming with for support.  We'll make a great buildup and instead of making that last pass to really open the play someone will selfishly take a poor shot.  Hoping it'll get better, but if we were playing even a team like Panama or Jamaica, not to mention Mexico or Costa Rica, we'd be in trouble right now.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Some of the ball movement to open up space down the wings is good stuff.  No one's doing much with it, but they at least look like they understand what they're trying to do.

Ref has basically trained everyone to go down under any contact.  Tissue-soft calls.

 

[Christo]

Jesus, another completely wasted opportunity.

 

[Christo]

Of course it's the ensuing corner, you dolt.