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US Men's National Team (11 Viewers)

Roger Gonzalez‏Verified account @RGonzalezCBS

Hearing from Germany that new Schalke interim boss Huub Stevens is going with Weston McKennie at right back tomorrow against Tyler Adams and RB Leipzig. Not ideal for McKennie, but always one to do what it takes. Needs to get back to natural position at some point

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Roger Gonzalez‏Verified account @RGonzalezCBS

To me, it's feeling more and more likely that Weston McKennie transfers away from Schalke this summer. The team is in the relegation battle in the Bundesliga and he's already proven he can play at a high level there in UCL. Keep an eye on Premier League clubs. Lots rate him.

 
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U.S. Soccer is in negotiations to hire Jason Kreis as its men’s Under-23 Olympic team coach, two sources with knowledge of the deal told The Athletic.

The former Real Salt Lake, New York City FC and Orlando City coach was recently hired by MLS expansion side Inter Miami to be part of its technical staff. The sources said Kreis would remain in that role for Inter Miami and work with the U.S. Under-23s simultaneously.

U.S. Soccer is still finalizing plans for an Under-23 camp to be held during this upcoming international window. A roster for that camp will be announced early next week. The Under-23 team is expected to play friendlies against Egypt and the Netherlands.

U.S. Soccer declined to comment when asked about Kreis. However, on a recent conference call with reporters, spokesman Michael Kammarman said U.S. Soccer is “deep into the hiring process for that coach and, ideally, that person would be available for that camp.”

 
I put this one in the very long shot category but given the state of our strikers we have to keep it in mind

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USMNT Only‏ @usmntonly

Folarin Balogun is still undecided: “I haven’t yet declared who I will commit to internationally. I was born in New York, so can play for the USA. My parents were born in Nigeria and I have been in England since I was two years old, so I can play for both those countries too."

 
My Weston vs Adams report

* RBL wins 1-0 over Schalke

* RBL back into 3rd, Schalke free fall into a relegation battle continues

* Schalke played a 3-1-4-2.  Weston was playing wide right in the 4

* Adams was playing as a solitary DM in front of the 2 CB's

* Weston was very active all game.   But wide right, where a player needs to dribble does not play into his strengths.  He drew multiple fouls, and a yellow card with his work rate.   He caused some havoc with his long throws that Schalke could not finish.   He also continued to show that he is really strong in the air, something again playing a wide position does not allow him to use often.

* Adams was fantastic.   Both British announcers could not say enough good things about him.  One calling him the "Adams Wall".  There was a graphic late in the game that showed Adams had the most touches in the game of any player and had an extremely high passing %.   His ball magnetism was in full effect as was a display of wonderful distribution, both short and medium in length.   I often say not many players can play holding midfielder by themselves any more but Adams clearly can.  He so effortlessly covers ground and just is in the right spot at the right time more often than not.

* Most importantly, both players played 90 and looked fit at the end.  Now we just need Pulisic to not get hurt and we may actually get to see them all play together next week.

 
Sounds like they're going to switch positions for the US?
I was thinking this too.

Weston almost never plays at club level at his best position and will immediately go back to the middle for the US

Adams has been used almost flawlessly by RBL playing to his strengths and will immediately be switched out of his dominant position for the US.

I think Adams will perform well in the new role but I am old school and want my best players central when possible.  Adams is so effective because he is always around the ball.  If and when teams just simply realize we have no left sided defense, they will just switch points of attack, which will limit Adams effect on the game.

 
Miazga stats today

90 Minutes Played

84% Passing Accuracy

67 Touches

9 Clearances

4 Ball Recoveries

3 Duels Won

2 Aerial Duels Won

2 Long Balls Completed

1/1 Tackles Won

1 Blocked Shot

1 Interception

1 Clean Sheet

Big away point for relegation-threatened Reading

 
RBL went from a really really good defensive team with out Adams to a great one (Bundesliga respective).

The goals against with Adams on the field is ridiculously low.  I think only 1 goal in his 8 games, something like that.

RBL has the least goals against by a wide margin in league play.  They have allowed only 20 all year, and the team in second, Bayern has allowed 27, and Bayern has played one less game than RBL.

 
Jordan Morris already with a goal and an assist against the Fire today.  The assist came when he just burst past the LB 1 v 1 and drilled a low far post cross.  Classic wing play.  The goal came when he made a smart outside-in run behind the CBs and Nico hit an absurd pass right in his stride.  

 
After a very quiet first half, Pulisic made an awesome run that drew a save for corner that Dortmund subsequently scored from to tie the game 2-2.

 
Not a great game for Pulisic.  He went the full 90 and had some good moments and some head scratching moments.  He looks healthy though so we should be all good to go on Thursday.

Dortmund with the 3-2 win in injury time which puts them back in 1st by 3 for the moment (Bayern plays tomorrow).

 
My Weston vs Adams report

* RBL wins 1-0 over Schalke

* RBL back into 3rd, Schalke free fall into a relegation battle continues

* Schalke played a 3-1-4-2.  Weston was playing wide right in the 4

* Adams was playing as a solitary DM in front of the 2 CB's

* Weston was very active all game.   But wide right, where a player needs to dribble does not play into his strengths.  He drew multiple fouls, and a yellow card with his work rate.   He caused some havoc with his long throws that Schalke could not finish.   He also continued to show that he is really strong in the air, something again playing a wide position does not allow him to use often.

* Adams was fantastic.   Both British announcers could not say enough good things about him.  One calling him the "Adams Wall".  There was a graphic late in the game that showed Adams had the most touches in the game of any player and had an extremely high passing %.   His ball magnetism was in full effect as was a display of wonderful distribution, both short and medium in length.   I often say not many players can play holding midfielder by themselves any more but Adams clearly can.  He so effortlessly covers ground and just is in the right spot at the right time more often than not.

* Most importantly, both players played 90 and looked fit at the end.  Now we just need Pulisic to not get hurt and we may actually get to see them all play together next week.
So let’s put him out at locking RB...makes perfect sense.

 
Not a great game for Pulisic.  He went the full 90 and had some good moments and some head scratching moments.  He looks healthy though so we should be all good to go on Thursday.

Dortmund with the 3-2 win in injury time which puts them back in 1st by 3 for the moment (Bayern plays tomorrow).
Missed a good chance at goal late in the game as well. Disappeared for large chunks of the game. Not his best game but the team still won. 

 
some really good stuff here from Pomykal again.  His defensive work is going to keep him on the field this year.  His technique is well well above average for an American.

https://twitter.com/USMNTvideos/status/1107312273071198214
The quick awareness and decisions making on the ball. The way he attacks space with the ball and pass. The weight and accuracy of his passes. :wub:

Also love that defensive work. This kid is already playing at a really high level.

Wtf. No idea how my phone changed that block of text and it can't change it back.

 
Looks like Steffen has been removed from the roster with a minor injury.  Jesse Gonzalez has been added.  Big chance for Horvath who may now get the start.

 
ok this is disturbing but I have to ask....

Seeing how much Atlanta is struggling under the new coach, were we not giving enough credit to Tata?  I can't be the only one who sees the similarities between Almiron and Lainez....

 
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Here is the Brenden Aaronson touch video.  Even if this was not his professional debut, a lot of this is very very nice.  He should have had at least 2 assists to go along with the goal.  His natural movement when the ball comes to him is awesome.  He lets the ball do the work while wrong footing the defense.

https://twitter.com/USMNTvideos/status/1107454307056738304

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Philly may not have yet figured out how to get an entire team together, but they are catching up quickly to Dallas in getting good young players to graduate from the academy into the pros.

 
Good week for young American's in MLS

* 17 year old Juan Araujo breaking his cherry in LA

* 19 year old Akinola with first professional goal (and assist) for TFC

* 19 year old Pomykal looking like one of the better midfielders in the league

* 18 year old Aaronson not only debuting on the road in Atlanta but playing really well

* 18 year old James Sands looking like a lock starter every week for NYCFC

And while not young anymore, it is still nice to see 22 year old Miles Robinson being one of the only bright spots in Atlanta's rough start to the year.

 
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Good week for young American's in MLS

* 19 year Pomykal looking like one of the better midfielders in the league
so far, everything I've seen from this kid back through youth qualifying has impressed me- haven't seen him taking plays off, has been incredibly consistent and pushing his own ceiling higher. like sargent that way. I'm hoping weah finds his way into the new coach's good graces- seems like his pt has fallen off the map since rogers left. those three kids have an absolute ton of upside in attack for the US if they keep their trajectories continuing in the right direction.

 
its coming, slowly but surely.  Make sure you realize when looking at this list that MLS is just starting its season while almost all of these are closer to ending theirs

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MLS Buzz‏ @MLS_Buzz

Number of teenagers playing in league games:

Argentina- 57

Netherlands- 48

France- 37

Germany- 28

MLS- 18 (after only 3 weeks)

Spain- 17

Italy- 17

England- 17

Russia- 15

Turkey- 12

Portugal- 9

 
So Berhalter makes it official and says Adams is going to be the RB.  Soccer twitter is telling me this is fine since he made the position for Adams.  Color me less than convinced. 

 
My problem with this is simple.

Against good teams, the US cedes the possession of the ball the majority of the time.  That means for a majority of the game against good teams, Adams is going to be stuck at RB instead of in the middle of the field where he can bother the opponents.

 
When Yedlin first broke in during 2014, JK played him exclusively as an attacking winger, which actually worked pretty good, especially given Yedlin's weak offensive skills.   I guess that is what we will be seeing again now.

 
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My problem with this is simple.

Against good teams, the US cedes the possession of the ball the majority of the time.  That means for a majority of the game against good teams, Adams is going to be stuck at RB instead of in the middle of the field where he can bother the opponents.
I mean only in America would we cede arguably our best player’s best talent (ball winning) and allow the opposition to mercilessly attack the other half of the field to play a presumably middling 6 (Trapp and Bradley).  I sort of hope we just get overrun the next two games so he has to reconsider.

 

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