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US Men's National Team (7 Viewers)

Some one just mentioned on twitter that if the Weah deal goes through, it will produce the first solidarity payment in US Soccer history with NY Red Bulls getting a small amount of money (something like 60-90k Euros was mentioned but I don't know what category he is in that determines the amount).

 
Poke_4_Life said:
Thoughts on Gressel making the switch to US?

I find the idea intriguing. Guy is talented and would probably make the 23 man roster when everyone is healthy. 
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He is most certainly better than many of the US midfielders we see right now IMO.

I don't see him staying in the US the required 3 years though.  It does not sound like Atlanta and him are close on a new deal and I think he can leave on a free if he has any opportunities in Europe.  Once he does that, the clock shuts off and he can't become a citizen until or if he comes back.

 
NewlyRetired said:
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.
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no idea how he played but I saw that he went the full 90, Dallas won 4-0 and picked up an assist so it could not have been too bad.

 
NewlyRetired said:
He is most certainly better than many of the US midfielders we see right now IMO.

I don't see him staying in the US the required 3 years though.  It does not sound like Atlanta and him are close on a new deal and I think he can leave on a free if he has any opportunities in Europe.  Once he does that, the clock shuts off and he can't become a citizen until or if he comes back.
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Boo!  He married a US lady on 12/31/18, he's not going anywhere.  

It's just nice to see he could be a future option, much like Nagbe was a few years ago.  

 
This is not US related but a player we have talked about a lot recently in here was just sold.

PSG just sold Diaby to Bayer Leverkusen for 15m plus a 20% sell on fee.

 
The Z Machine said:
Lol at Eddie Johnson in the top 10. Yuck.
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He was one of my favorite players ever.

Had he grown up in today's professional environment where he could have been nurtured instead of what happened back in the death valley that was MLS at at time where they were just trying to stay alive, I think things would have been much different for him. 

Even today we don't get pure athletes any where near what EJ was and he had decent soccer skills as well.   People I think mistakenly think of him as a Zardes of his time.  He was significantly better in many ways, outside of just knowing how to be a pro, which Zardes got early from Landon and Keane beating it into him.

 
NewlyRetired said:
He was one of my favorite players ever.

Had he grown up in today's professional environment where he could have been nurtured instead of what happened back in the death valley that was MLS at at time where they were just trying to stay alive, I think things would have been much different for him. 

Even today we don't get pure athletes any where near what EJ was and he had decent soccer skills as well.   People I think mistakenly think of him as a Zardes of his time.  He was significantly better in many ways, outside of just knowing how to be a pro, which Zardes got early from Landon and Keane beating it into him.
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It was amazing how much EJ got out despite being so soccer naive/dumb. Got to see him live a few times- incredible how terrible he was at making the right runs or reading the play- so many times the entire stadium would be groaning in unison, waving at him to make the run...he just never got or saw it. And yet, still scored. Yeah...if he had come up in the academies, who knows. Or maybe he never would have made it at all. 

 
Just to close the U20 loop, Ukraine won the U20 WC today 3-1 over South Korea. 

An incredible run by a disciplined team lacking in anything close to flair players.  Played compact and was deadly on counter all tournament.

 
NewlyRetired said:
Just to close the U20 loop, Ukraine won the U20 WC today 3-1 over South Korea. 

An incredible run by a disciplined team lacking in anything close to flair players.  Played compact and was deadly on counter all tournament.
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#7 and #10 are both class. 10 in particular reminds me of hazard.

But US played them much tougher than Korea...although Korea had some solid players too.

 
53,222,400 seconds

887,040 minutes

14,784 hours

616 days

88 weeks

The time period between games that count finally ends tomorrow for the US.  I hope it ends better than it started :(

 
I see this thread bumped and I just assume somebody else of note is hurt.

Eta..it's like zuzu's bells getting an angel wings.

 
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The teams playing today (Curacao v El Salvador; Jamaica v Honduras) are Group C, who will play against the USMNT's Group D in the quarter-finals (1st against 2nd from each group).

Hoping stoned Floppo will give us some commentary and scouting notes.

(And yes, I am looking ahead. I'm expecting USWNT-level scores against Guyana and T&T from our guys in the group stage.)

 
Things I want to see tonight:

  • Better spacing/off the ball movement.  Past 2 friendlies this was horrendous, IMO.
  • CP/Jozy/Boyd combinations; think these 3 may be able to combine well together, esp against a weaker opp.
  • Steffan needs to get his head out of his ### with his ball distribution.
  • I want to see more of Lima; seems to be the best fit for GG's false RB.
  • If Lewis is healthy, he'll be a fun 60min sub.
Things I don't want to see:

  • Omar  & Lovitz; please keep the pinnies on.  
  • Trapp all alone in the middle.  He needs Bradley there with him.
 
Reminder that the game tonight is the late game.  It does not kick off until a little after 10:00pm eastern.

I read on twitter that this will be the first competitive game in 19 years in which neither Dempsey or Donovan play in.

 
not what I want per say but what I think we get tonight

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

Lima........Miazga...........Long..........Ream

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

Arriola........Weston.......Pulisic......Boyd

........................Jozy

 
Going to the game tonight. The late start is pretty rough...I guess they want to have people in the stadium longer for the double header? I don't know...either way, the non US game is going to be pretty empty. 

Some rumors swirling that this is a test run for playing a WC qualifier in Allianz Field. It's smaller than other venues (capacity about 20K), but it might have better home field advantage than the previous cycle. The stadium holds sound very well, so I am pumped to hear what the Outlaws can do. 

 
Ned said:
Things I want to see tonight:

  • Better spacing/off the ball movement.  Past 2 friendlies this was horrendous, IMO.
  • CP/Jozy/Boyd combinations; think these 3 may be able to combine well together, esp against a weaker opp.
  • Steffan needs to get his head out of his ### with his ball distribution.
  • I want to see more of Lima; seems to be the best fit for GG's false RB.
  • If Lewis is healthy, he'll be a fun 60min sub.
Things I don't want to see:

  • Omar  & Lovitz; please keep the pinnies on.  
  • Trapp all alone in the middle.  He needs Bradley there with him.
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I'd like to see the two D and MF lines have much, much, much better shape on both sides of the ball. complete disaster the last two games. 

let's win a second ball or three? to me, a sign of team shape- if it's good, they're winning second balls due proper/tight spacing and also because they're trying. so to add to that- let's try a little harder this time?

would love to see jozy, CP and somebody else combine with good 2nd and 3rd runs/passes.

ned mentioned trapp- but they can't leave caillou alone there either- the last hex proved that. concacaf is traditionally speedy, decent skills, disorganized. all of those are trouble for him. let's find him a MF-buddy to look out for him.

no steffen passes to the opposing team in his box. TIA.

if we're possessing out of the back- much quicker ball movement. too much back four laconically dribbling it up or looking for the pass crushes the team. spray the ball quickly side to side and open the field up through the middle.

mostly... shape and spacing. commit to getting enough numbers around the ball

eta: and score some goals fer chrissakes

 
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NewlyRetired said:
not what I want per say but what I think we get tonight

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

Lima........Miazga...........Long..........Ream

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

Arriola........Weston.......Pulisic......Boyd

........................Jozy
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I "like" it, but dammit would love to see Adams in there.

also, incredibly how quickly the lack of width in the MF happened. CP, Nips, Boyd... nobody else. roldan, trapp and djordje I guess will have to feature for caillou or if one of the others get hurt... but yuck.

 
El Floppo said:
I "like" it, but dammit would love to see Adams in there.

also, incredibly how quickly the lack of width in the MF happened. CP, Nips, Boyd... nobody else. roldan, trapp and djordje I guess will have to feature for caillou or if one of the others get hurt... but yuck.
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The width is even worse because Ream is a CB at this stage.  He has next to zero mobility so almost any overlapping on the left is null and void.

Pulisic fixes any problems we have with width but for that to happen, Berhalter has to be willing to put Adams and Swag (did you mention winning second balls?) together in the middle of the midfield.

IMO Arriloa is not quite good enough to start at the better (Hex) Concacaf level.   He is fine to roster though because you can sub him in at the 75th minute mark and just tell him to be a pest and run his nuts off.

 
NewlyRetired said:
IMO Arriloa is not quite good enough to start at the better (Hex) Concacaf level.   He is fine to roster though because you can sub him in at the 75th minute mark and just tell him to be a pest and run his nuts off.
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100% agree; that's all he should ever be used for.

 
I like nips more than you guys and am ok with him starting giving the players available. Does what he needs to on the flanks, albeit without a huge ceiling. He does have a bit of confidence that I want to see from the guy out there- eager to go forward and hit a ball in...even if I'd like to see him take guys on more in the attacking third.

 
:popcorn: :popcorn:

3rd Degree‏ @3rdDegreeNet

Received several reports Ricardo Pepi was seen yesterday at Toyota Stadium in glass conference room w/ family & Dan Hunt. Typically this is a contract signing type meeting.

scuffed‏ @zlebmada

I asked NTX coach Eric Quill yesterday how far Pepi is from a first team contract. "He's not far, I'll just say that." And then he chuckled.

 
El Floppo said:
I like nips more than you guys and am ok with him starting giving the players available. Does what he needs to on the flanks, albeit without a huge ceiling. He does have a bit of confidence that I want to see from the guy out there- eager to go forward and hit a ball in...even if I'd like to see him take guys on more in the attacking third.
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In the "modern" game, there are two main ways to unbalance a defense.

1) Line breaking passes

2) Breaking down the defender one on one

Tiki Taka was brilliant* for what it was but it did neither of these items and as such produced few goal scoring chances.   And it eventually died (as much due to lack of scoring as it is nearly impossible to implement with out 3 or 4 top of the top world class players).

As for Arriola, he seems to get himself in positions where he can take some one on in the final 3rd but he does not seem to have a lot of dribbling confidence/skill.    His best move is to simply try to push into space to open up a cross window.

*IMO, one of the hidden strengths of tiki taka was not offensive but defensive.  The incredible hunt in pack mentality to get the ball back any time they rarely lost it was fantastic to watch (more interesting than the mostly useless passing IMO).

 
I have been an ardent supporter of the USMNT for as long as I can remember and I can’t ever recall being this disinterested in a competition. I think Adams going down was the final straw. 

Don’t get me wrong I’ll watch all the games but at this time there is nothing  to get me excited.  I really hope a few players take this opportunity so I can eagerly anticipate the next match. 

 
3. Several quick short passes to open up seam of space at goal.

I've just seen too much of nips getting the ball in great deep positions wide one on one, ahead of most of his support outside of a guy or two in the middle. He too often turns the ball and hits it back or square at best. Those are the times to take a guy on to open it up for yourself to push to goal, or at least open up a new angle for a ball to one of the guys in the middle. Tbh...not sure where the tiki taka talka came from?

 
Ned said:
  • Steffan needs to get his head out of his ### with his ball distribution.
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This is most annoying from him.

We don't need him to be Friedel, Keller or Howard.  He just needs to be himself and not do anything dumb and he will be more than good enough for the cycle.

I really don't want to be thinking about GK when we have so many other issues that need solving this cycle...

 
NewlyRetired said:
This is most annoying from him.

We don't need him to be Friedel, Keller or Howard.  He just needs to be himself and not do anything dumb and he will be more than good enough for the cycle.

I really don't want to be thinking about GK when we have so many other issues that need solving this cycle...
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How much is that GG and the system?

 
NewlyRetired said:
What is GG?

As for the system, I don't care what system is being played, he can't pass it to the other team 12 yards from goal :)
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Ooops, I floppo'ed that

GB; Greg Berhalter

Steffen looked to me like he was being forced to do something he's not entirely comfortable doing.  I know he played for GB previously, but it just had that look/feel to it.

 
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