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US Men's National Team (15 Viewers)

TripItUp said:
Trapp is another player I have not been as impressed with as the majority.

Too late to bring back Howard?
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You're not an lhusk alias are you? These taking stands against imagined majorities or imposing views that don't exist is strange and troubling hucksian schtick.

 
Pretty solid history that these friendlies don't matter ahead of tournaments.  And the drop off between our best and our B teams is always a lot -- especially right now when we're trying to integrate like 20 new players.  

Let's see how some real games play out.

 
Jozy offered a whole lot more options up front than we've seen for a while from anyone else, especially checking back. Not sure he has the legs left to make the big diagonal, but he offers a nice passing route.

That's a positive, I guess.

Other than that, toothless in attack and spineless through the MF. Miserable shape. No cohesion. Steffen. Guh.

Boyd didn't show much unfortunately. Might be he needs more time acclimatimg to the team... hopefully. 

Swag too. Feel like he needs better players around him to pull his well rounded qualities out. Gotta say...he's got those, but ive never really understood him..haven't seen it.

Once again, liked Holmes aggression and intent going forward, even if he comes across as a lower league level talent skillwise.

Eh.... That's about it. The rest...throw back in the Scrabble bag and hope for better

 
TwinTurbo said:
I dont think its any better than it was 25 years ago. 
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Our U20 team just beat the most talented U20 team in the world and just about pulled off another win against a top5 team as well.  That was while we were missing our 2 best U20 players.

Our best 3 players on our senior team are all 20 or under.  One of whom was the best rated midfielder in the Bundesdliga for the second half of this season and  another was just bought for $73M by one of the top 5 teams in the world.

Either you aren't paying attention or you're just trying to be edgy.

 
A second straight game where we didn't look like we got the most out of our talent.  Really really worried about Berhalter right now.  I know it's not a big sample size, but we'd better show improvement when Pulisic and Adams play or it's gonna be a short summer session.

 
I shouldn’t tweet during games because I’m not logical enough, but hours later...still annoyed at how bad we played but it’s a friendly so who really cares. The team needs to be playing well when the knockout rounds come, not now. 

Trapp/Bradley are not good enough defensively to be a lone 6. If Berhalter’s married to a single 6 it needs to be Adams against any team with a pulse (worried about this one). Other than that the player pool just isn’t that good. Assuming a few of the U20s break through the 2022 roster will be young, but more interesting at least. 

Keep teaching the system to as many guys as possible and stick with it. If Berhalter bombs out at the GC maybe you think about changing him out, but stick with the system. 

 
Scienceguy said:
I shouldn’t tweet during games because I’m not logical enough, but hours later...still annoyed at how bad we played but it’s a friendly so who really cares. The team needs to be playing well when the knockout rounds come, not now. 

Trapp/Bradley are not good enough defensively to be a lone 6. If Berhalter’s married to a single 6 it needs to be Adams against any team with a pulse (worried about this one). Other than that the player pool just isn’t that good. Assuming a few of the U20s break through the 2022 roster will be young, but more interesting at least. 

Keep teaching the system to as many guys as possible and stick with it. If Berhalter bombs out at the GC maybe you think about changing him out, but stick with the system. 
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Completely agree about trapp and caillou. 

Keeping the system...are we talking the false RB system? Or something else?

 
El Floppo said:
Completely agree about trapp and caillou. 

Keeping the system...are we talking the false RB system? Or something else?
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The false RB thing is just a wrinkle. US Soccer looks to have bought in to the ball possession, Dutch style of play. Stick with it for 10 years and teach it to every level of youth team. It can’t help but get better. 

I actually think a German-style pressing system fits our players better, but they hired Earnie. Stick with it. 

 
Who do we have? Guyana, Panama and T&T? 

What had looked like relative cake at the outset, is not feeling so cakewalky any more.

That said, jozy immediately changed the quality of the US attack. Hopefully Adams, CP and Caillou will do the same... And hopefully those changes in the MF will further add dimension and bit to the attack while also helping bolster the D which all of a sudden looks so fragile.

Could just be as simple as having the better players on the field in tightening the shape up defensively and creating better movement and options going forward. Hopefully all this gnashing of teeth and worse week evers plays out like typical experimental friendly buildups before games that count.

 
Scienceguy said:
I shouldn’t tweet during games because I’m not logical enough, but hours later...still annoyed at how bad we played but it’s a friendly so who really cares. The team needs to be playing well when the knockout rounds come, not now. 

Trapp/Bradley are not good enough defensively to be a lone 6. If Berhalter’s married to a single 6 it needs to be Adams against any team with a pulse (worried about this one). Other than that the player pool just isn’t that good. Assuming a few of the U20s break through the 2022 roster will be young, but more interesting at least. 

Keep teaching the system to as many guys as possible and stick with it. If Berhalter bombs out at the GC maybe you think about changing him out, but stick with the system. 
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Yesterday is what happens when even a pseudo-tactically wear team can prepare for a set system with marginal players.  

If Adams and Swag aren’t prominently involved as 6s to free up the attack, something is wrong tactically.  

 
For me it was very frustrating to see (us in possession/build up) have a back four almost flat with a 6 between the other five players. It literally looked like a u10 rec game at times with two banks of 4-5 players.  Very static, no checking, no anticipatory runs, just standing facing the ball or looking to run away.

Everything they do seems reactionary and slow. We show very little instinct on finding space or where to move to to create more space. Bummer to see these younger guys still not have better soccer IQ on what to do, where to be. 

 
CletiusMaximus said:
Imagine how stupid you’d feel right now if you’d already paid for two tickets to the gold cup final, booked a hotel, and bought your wife and daughter two tickets to Hamilton the same night to even things out. 
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Hell I'm worried about how smart it was to buy 4 tickets to the quarter final in Philly. I figured even if they punted a game they should finish at least 2nd in the group.  CP and Adams better be ready to carry the team. And I can't believe I'm about to say this but since we are stuck with Adams at RB bring on Bradley over Trapp.

 
SwampDawg said:
Hell I'm worried about how smart it was to buy 4 tickets to the quarter final in Philly. I figured even if they punted a game they should finish at least 2nd in the group.  CP and Adams better be ready to carry the team. And I can't believe I'm about to say this but since we are stuck with Adams at RB bring on Bradley over Trapp.
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Lol. I live in Cleveland and I’m going to walk up and buy tickets for the T&T game. Something tells me there’ll be a couple available. 

 
silver lining - maybe ticket prices to the Panama match will come down a little bit after we lose to Guyana on matchday 1

 
Bluto Blutarsky said:
I'm intrigued by this rating system. 

My Link    I know you said you mostly score on the ball stuff, but take a look at the link and let me know if you'd score anything in that play for our guys. Video link for slightly before and after.

I'd be throwing -5s around like candy at kids on halloween.
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You’re a harder grader than I am. I’m not sure what exactly you were illustrating in the pic (jagged back line?), but I’d probably give a -1 to the first defender (Miazga?) and a -1 to Zimmerman (?) for not closing down the shooter. Not sure other than that. 

 
Scienceguy said:
You’re a harder grader than I am. I’m not sure what exactly you were illustrating in the pic (jagged back line?), but I’d probably give a -1 to the first defender (Miazga?) and a -1 to Zimmerman (?) for not closing down the shooter. Not sure other than that. 
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Fair enough on the harshness, but these mistakes shouldn't happen at the international level. These are simple, taught at probably u14/15?  Don't let people turn and close the space before/as the ball gets there. I didn't look up the names of the players at the time of the clip, but as you said #1 and #2 are terribly out of position. Maybe because they are out of position and deeper than they should be that made #3 is out of position too. If 1 and 2 are tight, 3 is the cover. Then you have 4 who isn't goal-side, so as soon as the ball get to the striker and the winger takes off he's toast.  

I very well could have been too harsh, but it's the simple things that get me the most. We're already behind most countries in "soccer talent", so we cant't be this naive in tactics/mental aspects imo. 

 
Bluto Blutarsky said:
Fair enough on the harshness, but these mistakes shouldn't happen at the international level. These are simple, taught at probably u14/15?  Don't let people turn and close the space before/as the ball gets there. I didn't look up the names of the players at the time of the clip, but as you said #1 and #2 are terribly out of position. Maybe because they are out of position and deeper than they should be that made #3 is out of position too. If 1 and 2 are tight, 3 is the cover. Then you have 4 who isn't goal-side, so as soon as the ball get to the striker and the winger takes off he's toast.  

I very well could have been too harsh, but it's the simple things that get me the most. We're already behind most countries in "soccer talent", so we cant't be this naive in tactics/mental aspects imo. 
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If you’ve got the time print out one of the eval sheets and grade one of the Gold Cup games. I’d love to see what someone other than me comes up with. 

 
Ned said:
Weah transfer to Lille  for €10M. 

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Transferts-timothy-weah-psg-vers-lille/1029047
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The 5 year contract and transfer fee show that Lille have some commitment to him which may hopefully give him playing time to prove himself.

Lille had an amazing turn around last season.  They went from 17th in the table in 17/18 all the way up to 2nd in 18/19 which puts them in the group stage of the Champions League next year.

The more games, the more chance for playing time.  I hope this closes quickly because it gives him all summer to work with the new team.

 
El Floppo said:
I know nussing about Lille.

What's his competition looking like there? Probably a step down from neymar and mbappe.
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Loic  Remy 7 goals

Nicolas Pepe(likely gone) 22 goals 

Jonathan Bamba 13 goals

With  Pepe likely gone and Remy being 32, his main competition to get game time will be Rafael Leo..another 19yo who got 8 goals in 24 games last year. 

 
Bluto Blutarsky said:
Loic  Remy 7 goals

Nicolas Pepe(likely gone) 22 goals 

Jonathan Bamba 13 goals

With  Pepe likely gone and Remy being 32, his main competition to get game time will be Rafael Leo..another 19yo who got 8 goals in 24 games last year. 
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I guess the big thing we need to watch is what other players they buy.  Pepe's sale and the champions league money may allow them for a bigger budget than normal (although from what I read Weah at 10m was a really big purchase for them already).

 
You don't buy a 19 year old for $10M unless you expect he could become something great.  You're either hoping to make him a 15 year club veteran or to receive a large transfer payment in 3-4 years.  It doesn't mean he's gonna absolutely be a first choice for Lille, but it does mean he'll get every opportunity to prove he should be.  I expect he'll get 1000 minutes next year minimum.  What he does with them is up to him.

 
There is a really big opportunity for 16 year old Ricardo Pepi tonight.

Luichi Gonzalez has called him up from North Texas SC (technically a short term loan) and intends to start him in FC Dallas's US Open Cup game tonight.

 
One thing I will be watching closely for Berhalter is his use of subs.   It is hard to judge him on friendlies because you don't know what other variables are going on.  That being said so many of his subs in the friendlies have left me scratching my head, typically because he was taking off a player that was performing better than the ones he left on.

In particular, taking Boyd off and leaving on Arriola (who was never going to score than day even if he had a $1000 in a whore house), and taking off Weston and leaving on Roldan.

 
I tried to use the translation tool for the Weah article but the wording is confusing.

Is the transfer definite or is it still at the advanced rumor stage?  

 
Dutch Football‏ @FootballOranje_

PSV Eindhoven are interested in signing American talents Sebastian Soto and Chris Gloster from Hannover 96. (BILD)

 
NewlyRetired said:
I guess the big thing we need to watch is what other players they buy.  Pepe's sale and the champions league money may allow them for a bigger budget than normal (although from what I read Weah at 10m was a really big purchase for them already).
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LOL at Pulisic being “the replacement” for Eden Hazard and Weah being the same for Pepe. No pressure, guys. 

 
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