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US Men's National Team (11 Viewers)

sure this has been covered but just saw that they are going straight rankings in terms of allocating pots for the Final Draw.  (What stinks is we'll almost certainly be in Pot 3).  The draw will be wonderfully convoluted as the rules dictating that teams from the same confederation (or 2 from UEFA) can be in the same group.  It will be fun to see how they avoid screwing this up (presumably they will draw backwards - pot 4 first).  They'll still find a way to give Mexico a cake draw of course.

The pots could have reap intrigue.  Poland is going to be seeded.  Chile might be.  And amazingly Peru (!) has a decent chance as well.  Meanwhile it is possible that Italy winds up in Pot 3.  Good old FIFA.

-QG

 
If I were Welsh I'd be pretty pissed about the reffing right now.  They've been asking him to take control of the game for the last 10 minutes and then Joe Allen gets knocked into tomorrow and out of the game.

 
Macedonia up on Liechtenstein 2-0.  Everything else goalless at the half.  Ukraine-Croatia mutual destruction still on track.

-QG

 
QuizGuy66 said:
sure this has been covered but just saw that they are going straight rankings in terms of allocating pots for the Final Draw.  (What stinks is we'll almost certainly be in Pot 3).  The draw will be wonderfully convoluted as the rules dictating that teams from the same confederation (or 2 from UEFA) can be in the same group.  It will be fun to see how they avoid screwing this up (presumably they will draw backwards - pot 4 first).  They'll still find a way to give Mexico a cake draw of course.

The pots could have reap intrigue.  Poland is going to be seeded.  Chile might be.  And amazingly Peru (!) has a decent chance as well.  Meanwhile it is possible that Italy winds up in Pot 3.  Good old FIFA.

-QG
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In all seriousness, Mexico doesn't have anything to play for now against Honduras as they are assured of Pot 2 now.  

 
Sammy3469 said:
In all seriousness, Mexico doesn't have anything to play for now against Honduras as they are assured of Pot 2 now.  
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I know everybody is down on Honduras with their timewasting shenanigans... but I prefer how they play to Panama. would prefer to see them go through, which they can by getting a better result than Pan.

and was anybody else looking up at the end of that CR vs Hon game thinking of the permutations that eliminate CR? just me?

 
CletiusMaximus said:
fwiw, here's a note from my German friend - the soccer-crazed Bayern season ticket holder who keeps me posted on all things sports-related. He is normally somewhat harsh on our German-Americans - for example he always maintained that Julian Green was not an international-level player

I’m not yet sure what to think about McKennie. He is now in a good Bundesliga-team and will get playing time. He is probably in a position which Christian Pulisic was in about 1 ½ years ago. After scoring 2 goals coming in twice in the first two teams he has played more for Schalke. His grades are mediocre but not bad for a 19 year old in his first professional season..   
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What does the bold mean?

 
Dinsy Ejotuz said:
I forgot about McKennie.  Looking just now he played 25 minutes in the first two matches, but has 221 in the last three -- only three games but that's a true starter on a mid-upper table club in the Bundesliga at 19.

ETA:  why exactly isn't he involved with the USMNT?  Just a case of letting him get more established at Schalke?  If he starts all year I bet he makes the squad for Russia.  Arena called up young players at the last minute in both 2002 and 2006 IIRC.
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He is not with the team for the same reason Jonathan Gonzalez is not, Arena said he has no time to experiment.

Now hopefully the US takes care of business and he can start looking at both Gonzo and McKennie at DM in some November friendlies, especially if he leaves Bradley, Dax and Acosta at home for the MLS playoffs (which he almost certainly will)

 
QuizGuy66 said:
sure this has been covered but just saw that they are going straight rankings in terms of allocating pots for the Final Draw.  (What stinks is we'll almost certainly be in Pot 3).  The draw will be wonderfully convoluted as the rules dictating that teams from the same confederation (or 2 from UEFA) can be in the same group.  
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Pot 3 might not be so bad this time around.  We should have a much better chance to draw an Asian team than usual.

 
NewlyRetired said:
He is not with the team for the same reason Jonathan Gonzalez is not, Arena said he has no time to experiment.

Now hopefully the US takes care of business and he can start looking at both Gonzo and McKennie at DM in some November friendlies, especially if he leaves Bradley, Dax and Acosta at home for the MLS playoffs (which he almost certainly will)
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just need the point, right? or combination of Hon and Pan maxing out with draws?

 
El Floppo said:
just need the point, right? or combination of Hon and Pan maxing out with draws?
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correct.

It is interesting/frustrating to note that if we even picked up just 1 point at home combined against Mexico and CR we would be 99.99% qualified right now.

 
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was just looking at godoy's punch that bloodied besler on the corner kick. 

what happened to the rule that apparently only gets only US players in trouble... any hand to the face is an immediate card? didn't jermany get a red for that- and way more inadvertent than godoy's.

 
========================

While John Brooks’ injury kept him out of the final four matches of World Cup qualifying, it appears the U.S. Men’s National Team defender is getting a bit closer to his return.

According to ESPN, Brooks is nearing a return to full training with Wolfsburg and has completed his first individual training sessions. The news comes roughly two months after Brooks tore tendons in his thigh.

Brooks was originally expected to miss at least three months, but it remains to be seen when he’ll be ready for game action.

 
Steven Goff‏Verified account @SoccerInsider

Christian Pulisic dealing with calf injury, may or may not be full strength by kickoff Tuesday

 
Dinsy Ejotuz said:
Like Bruce taking the high road:
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I thought this was a very fair comment by Arena as well

"Whatever conditions are it will be same of both teams," he said. "I don't think there's any politics surrounding this. I don't think a couple of years ago in Denver the U.S. had control of the climate, and I don't think Trinidad is making it rain. It is what it is and we're going to play the game."

 
bagger said:
In San Diego, doing legoland today and moved Sea World from tomorrow to Wednesday to have a “free day” in between. 

Its gong to be so odd how we are going to happen to have dinner at 5 at a sports bar tomorrow.
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Are you going to be with the family? I don't recommend the AO bar, O'Brien for that. It will be crazy crowded. The opposite problem is going to be finding a place that will have it on with sound at all. Obviously a place with enough TVs like Buffalo Wild Wings is safe. My local place The Harp in Ocean Beach doesn't allow kids. Blind Lady Ale House has awesome pizza and one of the best beer lists in town. They don't have a TV, but they lower a projector for soccer games and have the sound on. That's in Normal Heights.  

 
El Floppo said:
Sloppy works against the US, who would normally look to possess against TT. Sloppy benefits the quicker team... TT. But unless the field is a total disaster (similar to today, tbh) the US should be fine.
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if there is no rain between when those pictures were taken and roughly 32 hours later when the game starts, I am very hopeful that most of the moisture will be gone.  What the US most want to avoid seeing are puddles on the field.  Puddles are a night mare for the team trying to break down a bunker.

 
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Some one correct me if I am wrong...

*If a player who is on a yellow picks up a yellow against T&T there are no repercussions

*If a player picks up a red card against T&T they have to sit out the first game of the WC.

 
NewlyRetired said:
Some one correct me if I am wrong...

*If a player who is on a yellow picks up a yellow against T&T there are no repercussions

*If a player picks up a red card against T&T they have to sit out the first game of the WC.
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You sir are correct.

 
El Floppo said:
Good stuff. I've been harping on the second balls for a while now (they did better on Friday) and I like the idea of another Central MF to help Caillou. I don't see T&T playing as high as Pan did, so they'll need to break it down and do well controlling the MF 
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I don't think we need 3 CBs and 2 DMids with a LW that is basically useless in attack (this is one of the reasons I don't think a 3-5-2 works with this crew) and on defense since T&T is going to be so direct.  I won't be shocked if it's a 4-2-2-2 again with Ream at LB.  He can stay home all day and make it a defacto 3 in the back when we have the ball.  Something like:

                             Alitdore-Wood

                      Nagbe     CP

                      Dax          Bradley

Ream          Cameron         Omar              Yedlin

On offense Dax pushes left and become the de facto LW with Yedlin on the right.

 
I'm a big Dax fan. guy has heart, good skills and vision to open up attacks- even with a simple ball, great reading/understanding of passing lanes as well as anticipation of the 2nd ball and covering as the 2nd defender. Put him in the middle above the back four with another guy next to or in front of him who has the athleticism to cover ground better and he's awesome. 

but he gets exposed against teams (like those from the caribbean) that are big, strong and fast; it's his kryptonite. and with Caillou, CP and Nagbe (per Sammy's) out there (or Nips) I'm not sure he's a benefit tonight until the US needs to start getting numbers back behind the ball trying to protect a tie/win. 

I like Dax more than Acosta or Bedoya, but I think they both offer the athleticism that he lacks... and unfortunately caillou now lacks as well. for me- Dax would work if they drop Wood and have Nagbe CP Nips in front of them... and hopefully Nips/Nagbe cover that ground on the flanks.

 
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Reactions: Ned
El Floppo said:
I'm a big Dax fan. guy has heart, good skills and vision to open up attacks- even with a simple ball, great reading/understanding of passing lanes as well as anticipation of the 2nd ball and covering as the 2nd defender. Put him in the middle above the back four with another guy next to or in front of him who has the athleticism to cover ground better and he's awesome. 

but he gets exposed against teams (like those from the caribbean) that are big, strong and fast; it's his kryptonite. and with Caillou, CP and Nagbe (per Sammy's) out there (or Nips) I'm not sure he's a benefit tonight until the US needs to start getting numbers back behind the ball trying to protect a tie/win. 

I like Dax more than Acosta or Bedoya, but I think they both offer the athleticism that he lacks... and unfortunately caillou now lacks as well. for me- Dax would work if they drop Wood and have Nagbe CP Nips in front of them... and hopefully Nips/Nagbe cover that ground on the flanks.
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To be fair, if T&T trots out the same tactics they did against Mexico, I'm not sure what to do besides saying Beasley can't be the LB since T&T loves to isolate the weakest aerial presence in the back with their direct play (and Villafana isn't much better which is why I put Ream there).  As long as we're setup for those duels, I don't really care how the other 6 field players are setup since it's going to be such a sloppy game in general.  

The other thing I'd add is that Zusi is the best crosser of the ball we have and while I wouldn't start him over Yedlin, if the game is really sloppy, we are down a goal, and we are forced to direct, I won't be shocked if we see him especially since we don't have anyone on the left that crosses consistently well.

 
some one figured out how the US gets into pot 2.  :)

==============

So what would it take for the U.S. to rise four spots to Pot 2? All of these things would have to happen:

• The U.S. has to beat Trinidad and Tobago.

• Argentina or Chile has to miss the World Cup.

• Paraguay needs to make the World Cup.

• Sweden has to lose to the Netherlands on Tuesday, but by fewer than six goals. Sweden would then need to pull an upset in the UEFA playoffs next month.

• Ireland needs to pull an upset in the UEFA playoffs next month.

• Greece needs to beat Gibraltar on Tuesday. Greece would then need to pull an upset in the UEFA playoffs next month.

• New Zealand needs to pull an upset on the fifth-place South American team in the intercontinental playoffs next month.

 
  • Smile
Reactions: Ned
One thing that intrigues me here is that he has been very good at RB recently.  If Chandler and Fab are out of the picture, I want to see other choices for a Yedlin back up

====================+

When asked if he believes Tyler Adams deserves a senior team call up this winter, Marsch said the 18-year-old Homegrown Player has earned it.

“January camp for sure for me,” Marsch said. “I don’t think there’s any way he can be left out of January camp. The question is in the bigger picture, how big of bites can you give him at this?”

“I think the quicker he gets in with the full team the better – for him and the full team,” Marsch said. “He’s certainly a special player and a special person and we’ve seen so much growth from him

 
By the way, speaking of Yedlin, for me he is one of only 2 un-replacable players we have along with Pulisic.  I feel like with every other player, the drop off to their back up is not too dramatic but for Yedlin and Pulisic, it is cavernous.

 
NewlyRetired said:
some one figured out how the US gets into pot 2.  :)

==============

So what would it take for the U.S. to rise four spots to Pot 2? All of these things would have to happen:

• The U.S. has to beat Trinidad and Tobago.

• Argentina or Chile has to miss the World Cup.

• Paraguay needs to make the World Cup.

• Sweden has to lose to the Netherlands on Tuesday, but by fewer than six goals. Sweden would then need to pull an upset in the UEFA playoffs next month.

• Ireland needs to pull an upset in the UEFA playoffs next month.

• Greece needs to beat Gibraltar on Tuesday. Greece would then need to pull an upset in the UEFA playoffs next month.

• New Zealand needs to pull an upset on the fifth-place South American team in the intercontinental playoffs next month.
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Oh so we are as good as in pot 2! :pickle:

-QG

 
NewlyRetired said:
By the way, speaking of Yedlin, for me he is one of only 2 un-replacable players we have along with Pulisic.  I feel like with every other player, the drop off to their back up is not too dramatic but for Yedlin and Pulisic, it is cavernous.
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I'd put Brooks in that conversation.  The drop to Gonzo is :X  

 
Ned said:
I'd put Brooks in that conversation.  The drop to Gonzo is :X  
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Brook's backup is Besler, not Gonzo.

I don't like Gonzo either but none of the CB's have shined in qualifying.  Even Brooks who is clearly a class player at club level has struggled against Concacaf at times.

 
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