CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Has he ever tried a false 9 set up? I know its been discussed here. A couple friends of mine keep harping on it.
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US Men's National Team (9 Viewers)
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Has he ever tried a false 9 set up? I know its been discussed here. A couple friends of mine keep harping on it.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Well here is the ironic thing. He does not believe in false 9's and yet that is exactly what Jesus is at both club and country. If Jesus can function for GGG as a false 9, so could Pulisic and Gio.
Note that I would not consider Weah a false 9. He has the physical skills and temperament to be an out and out striker IMO.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Ream starts ~75% of our attacks. Miles was a lot of things but a ball distributor was not one of them. I don't know how we would have replaced Ream's passing in this cup. Adams can't do it. Zimm can't do it. We certainly could never dream of Jedi doing it. Maybe Dest would have to pinch in but that would change the entire look of the offense since we count on Dest and Jedi for width offensively.
ChiefD
Footballguy
Damn we looked beautiful out there. Musah and Weah just flat outrunning those guys with the ball at their feet.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
I'm going contrarian on Shaq. Yes, he had several bad passes and he put that one cross out for a throw-in when Turner told him to let it go out. But he shut everything down on his side. On the only real threat he had that perfect shoulder check. I would give him a 6.5.
Dr_Zaius
Footballguy
Where do you guys think the Pulisic goal stands among iconic US goals? It's got to be up there. Below Donovan for sure given that we didn't know it was the winner at the time. But still, pretty goal, and the injury and subsequent hospital visit will only add to the aura around it.
The Z Machine
Footballguy
I think Ream does an amazing job at finding clear air to receive balls from his teammates. He knows when to make that move and where to go. So closing him off is easier said than done.
El Floppo
Footballguy
didn't CP give vvd some fits in a chels vs liverpool match? iirc, it was those diagonal runs and not crosses
Agreed.
This is out of 50, right?
The Z Machine
Footballguy
It's in the top 10 for iconic USMNT goals. Not top 5.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I will remember it for a long time but I definitely reacted in the moment much differently than I normally would have. I did not have my usual explosion of joy running around the room like a dope. I just kind of stared at the tv. I did not see US players celebrating so I instantly feared a foul or something and then realized Pulisic was hurt.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
He was horrible. Unless you meant Shaq O’Neal.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
When we see that goal over and over for the next 10 years and know everything this team goes on to do it'll be an all-timer IMO. Way up there. Especially given that he picked himself back up and made it to halftime. Legend.
El Floppo
Footballguy
I said it before, but Ream is also moving the ball really quickly. He takes a touch and hits the outlet almost immediately. It makes such a difference in setting up the attack as well as keeping himself safe
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
guess the men made some new fans today 
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[Kendall Baker] The USMNT advancing means the USWNT will earn more from this tournament than they did for winning the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups combined. That’s thanks to the new equal pay agreement under which the men and women split World Cup prize money.
Going on my solo island. Sargent is poo on a stick. la di da, his hold up play is good. Any decent pro should be able to do that and most good high school players. Besides, hold up play is worthless when 90% of your team kicks the ball 10 yards over the crossbar.
USA's Christian Pulisic scores goal vs. Iran in 38' | 2022 FIFA World Cup | FOX Sports
Watch USA's Christian Pulisic scoring a goal against Iran in the 38' in the 2022 Men's FIFA World Cup.
www.foxsports.com
Who's 10 yards in front of who crashing the goal?
Who's wandering around aimlessly in circles.
Bench Sarge and start Pulisic in his spot. Guaranteed two goals a game.
guess the men made some new fans today
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[Kendall Baker] The USMNT advancing means the USWNT will earn more from this tournament than they did for winning the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups combined. That’s thanks to the new equal pay agreement under which the men and women split World Cup prize money.
Free loaders.
bagger
Footballguy
Haji looked to be the most gassed person on the field after playing 5 minutes. Hated his energy.
bagger
Footballguy
Well that’s just it. The striker needs to have that final touch and he never does. I admit I am likely biased against him at this point. I just never feel like he will convert so why have him out there. But I am looking at him I am sure with whatever the opposite of rose colored glasses are.
bagger
Footballguy
Exactly the same.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Going on my solo island. Sargent is poo on a stick. la di da, his hold up play is good. Any decent pro should be able to do that and most good high school players. Besides, hold up play is worthless when 90% of your team kicks the ball 10 yards over the crossbar.
USA's Christian Pulisic scores goal vs. Iran in 38' | 2022 FIFA World Cup | FOX Sports
Watch USA's Christian Pulisic scoring a goal against Iran in the 38' in the 2022 Men's FIFA World Cup.
Who's 10 yards in front of who crashing the goal?
Who's wandering around aimlessly in circles.
Bench Sarge and start Pulisic in his spot. Guaranteed two goals a game.
How are your nuts feeling?
gianmarco
Footballguy
Maybe your nuts are connected to his, much like ET or something.
Going to beat a dead horse, but if we can tie England and beat Iran with 10 players, then if someone fixes that crap we are a final four team. I won't happen and we'' spot the opponents a player.
Probably on my chin.
Was anyone suggesting super sub role today or talking about his ceiling being pegged? Give me more guys with a ceiling of consistently scoring goals in the biggest games.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
This is very rare for a DM and another feather in Adams cap this WC. Just incredible
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Charles Boehm
@cboehm
FIFA's technical report on USA-Iran says Tyler Adams ran 12.943 kilometers tonight, which is more than 8 miles and as you might guess, a team high.
===================================================
Charles Boehm
@cboehm
FIFA's technical report on USA-Iran says Tyler Adams ran 12.943 kilometers tonight, which is more than 8 miles and as you might guess, a team high.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
this speaks not only to pressing high at times but his lateral movement was fabulous.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
He's played Ferreira as a false 9. It doesn't really change much. Ferreira often looks to be doing some good things and making nice runs and facilitating. But we still don't really generate chances. One problem is that I think Ferreira is a good passer when facing goal, but he's not a guy who's used to drifting back, receiving the ball back to goal, and then springing the onrushing wing. He's not Benzema.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I would love to send this to the guy who tried to bully Adams about his pronounciations during the press conference
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I usually take the stance that after a certain age, the ability to dramatically improve a technical skill is almost impossible but what Turner has done is remarkable through the three games with his feet (even if the walk about against England was a mistake
)
Sammy3469
Footballguy
Ream’s line breaking passing numbers are simply incredible at this stage (the fifamatchcentre.com has the reports). It’s also striking how bad Zimmerman is at that skill (CCV was 10 for 10 today). It’s also striking how damn fast the team is as a whole and how they’ve been running their asses off (Musah ran close to 13 Kms today).
We still try to cross too early. It’s not a coincidence that the two best chances were Dest getting very deep and crossing /heading across the 6 yard box. We also do very well going direct up the middle with Weah and CP off a holdup play.
I usually take the stance that after a certain age, the ability to dramatically improve a technical skill is almost impossible but what Turner has done is remarkable through the three games with his feet (even if the walk about against England was a mistake
Well he didn't start paying until high school so maybe you're still correct and the age is just later in this case.
@gianmarco Were you convinced after the first game or two of seeing him that he was far superior to Steffen?
prefontaine
Footballguy
I don't want to diminish Berhalter's coaching but right now you have 3 mids playing at a high level. I'm not sure how much coaching is necessary. These guys are all doing it at a club level too (yes, Weston has been hurt and not particularly effective for Juve this year but he has shown it when healthy in the past).
We saw this in qualifying too. When those guys are on, we dominate. But when they are not all starting or are really off we are not good. It's hard to give Berhalter a ton of credit outside of picking the, imo obvious, lineup choice. Part of that is as many of us have complained, just put the best players on the pitch. But when we haven't gone MMA, the guys we have fill in (Acosta, Lletget, Busio, Tillman, Johnny) are just such huge dropoffs. Only LDT has shown to be anywhere near their level.
I don't think we moved to 442 til late. We seemed to do that once Aaronson came on and then to 541 once Zimmerman/Moore came on
I agree with your point but there wasn't much discussion among the fanbase of who should start in goal. Everyone just assumed Berhalter would go with Steffen because the answer has been obvious and yet he kept going back to Steffen.
Agreed. Ream is a lot better right now than Miles ever did. He's on fire playing against a higher level of competition and looks totally at ease. Miles used his athleticism to clean up some of his mistakes but, that edge is pretty minimal on this stage.
I'll remember McKennie's diagonal that created that and it irritates me that the replay leaves that pass out. Dest did a good job getting it back across in a dangerous area and love Pulisic getting on the end of that, but that was a goal created by Weston.
Since I'm mentioning that, Adams had a silky smooth spin in the midfield and sprung Sargent towards the end of 1h. Sargent and Weah got a little too cute in the box but those passes out of the midfield are what made us look so dangerous. For all the running MMA did, they also were excellent in chance creation today.
Orange&Blue
Footballguy
Dest, McKinney, pulisic, Adams, and musah are a great core and fun as hell to watch.
Just wish we had a striker and concerned about our defenders with Robinson and Zimmerman being unreliable and unable to do anything offensively. And our substitutes were rather awful.
Just wish we had a striker and concerned about our defenders with Robinson and Zimmerman being unreliable and unable to do anything offensively. And our substitutes were rather awful.
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CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
After significant research I believe that Sergino Dest was born in the Netherlands but not in Holland, and his mother is Dutch. Not that I think it will matter much, but he's probably got a bit of a chip on his shoulder for Saturday.
Capella
Footballguy
If you look at this draw, and I know you all have, and we win this game…the semifinals are quite conceivable. It’s not like France is there in the quarters. So I think there will be a twinge of regret if they lose Saturday.
Capella
Footballguy
This is something I’ve been wondering too — how do they prepare for 2026? With no qualifying, it seems like a bunch of friendlies will really be difficult to schedule. Who do they play when the world is going through qualifying? And even if they do get matchups and I’m sure they will, it won’t be able to match the intensity of qualifying (not that I’m complaining).
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Was going to point out that it could be Poland but want to just enjoy the win. Netherlands will be a tough match.
Sammy3469
Footballguy
Here’s the entire 11 pass sequence which actually starts with a line breaking pass from Turner and a really nice layoff from Weah. Notice how quickly they move the ball and switch the point of attack 3 times in 6 touches. Given the stakes that’s probably the nicest team goal we’ve ever scored.
Further aside: That initial line breaking pass is so critical in high level modern football and is why MLS CBs are in MLS and why Ream/CCV aren’t. The good news is it seems like it’s a relatively teachable skill for CBs in the right training environment. Ream’s passing is one of the reasons MMA has flourished. He routinely puts them into purposeful space that makes their lives much easier.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
What a way for Pulisic to end No Nut November.....
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
This guy had a good day it appears
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Man, he missed a layup here by not mentioning the Chicago Fire winning the World Cup. Damn Germans always being professional
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Bastian Schweinsteiger
https://twitter.com/BSchweinsteiger
@BSchweinsteiger
Job done for today In the end, a deserved win for @USMNT. Congratulations! They will definitely have a chance in the round of 16 against the Netherlands
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Bastian Schweinsteiger
https://twitter.com/BSchweinsteiger
@BSchweinsteiger
Job done for today In the end, a deserved win for @USMNT. Congratulations! They will definitely have a chance in the round of 16 against the Netherlands
prefontaine
Footballguy
This is very true. He makes their jobs a lot easier both passing into them and giving them options. Musah made one switch to Ream that scared me but Ream was calling for it and moved to the exact right spot to receive it.
That said, Ream's magic doesn't work for everyone. Kellyn Acosta played 35 minutes and had 6 total touches. I'm not even sure how that is possible. Our subs were not great today.
prefontaine
Footballguy
I'm sure this was brought up but I only read 3 pages back. But when was the last time the US started a game with no current MLS players? Was it before MLS started? I'm sure not, but I can't remember a time an MLS player wasn't a key contributor. I guess it suggests our growth as we have a ton of players playing in bigger leagues now.
Starters
5 EPL
2 Serie A
1 La Liga
1 Ligue Un
1 Championship
1 SPL
Interesting that no Bundesliga players even though it seems the league of choice for MLS transfers.
Starters
5 EPL
2 Serie A
1 La Liga
1 Ligue Un
1 Championship
1 SPL
Interesting that no Bundesliga players even though it seems the league of choice for MLS transfers.
DA RAIDERS
Footballguy
Same. I was certain dest was offsides live. By the time I was sure, I worried about CPs nuts.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I know we have talked about this in the other thread but I think this is normal progression.
I think this is progression for our program from top to bottom. We want MLS to continue to develop talent and sell it off as quickly as possible, reinvest and do it again. Let that talent, if good enough, then try and succeed in Europe, Natural selection will take over and we should end up with a core of players to choose from for the national team.
This should be repeatable in terms of numbers, but the quality that comes out of the natural selection will vary as it does for every country.
None of this happens with out MLS though. That is the very foundation everything is built on if we want to attack the problem using numbers (which is the best way to do it).
I don't think we want to picture what things would be like if MLS never developed Adams, Weston, Turner, Aaronson, Ream, Scally and so many others. We would be left like the old days where we had to hope players catch on overseas with out a base to build from. The rare Pulisic's and Gios can do this but it is few and far between. It ends up looking more like Haji and Moore who did not get proper development they needed at a young age by going right to Europe.
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