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US Men's National Team (18 Viewers)

TripItUp said:
Have they underperformed or have they been overrated? 
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Just looking at World Cup, in 2018, they finished 4th.  They lost to Croatia 2-1 in 120' with Croatia scoring in the 109'. 

As for rankings, they were 15th in the world in 2017 (and had been in that range from 2013-2017).  It wasn't until then that they shot up to 5th and now 4th in the world where they've stayed.  Considering their finish in that 2018 World Cup, I think it's warranted.

Previously, as mentioned, they've always seemingly been a 2nd tier team behind the likes of Brazil, Spain, Germany, Italy, Argentina, and France.  Being ranked ~10th with occasional moves a little further up or down is about where they should have belonged.  They just never seemed to put it all together on the field when it mattered and just never could break through like those other countries.  They've been in that same tier with the likes of Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Croatia.  Good teams with solid talent that could put it all together for any one tournament, teams you never wanted to face, but couldn't consistently be as good as those elite countries. 

That looks different now, especially given how young a lot of their star players are.

We have a good shot at joining that 2nd tier of countries for 2022.  Beyond that remains to be seen.

 
As andy pointed out, they completely revamped their approach to the youth development...all touches, no games. That immediately created this golden generation, and the jury is still out for the subsequent groups. I haven't followed their youth progress.

And while I get his comparing that group with our kids (tip of the iceberg), I feel like it's different. The US has only just got it's stride with the sport, especially with funds and youth development. The difference in size and economy between the US and Belgium should lean us more towards the Brazil's/Germanys than any long term comps to that mayonnaise crazed place. Imho.

 
Ned said:
Let's see them beat the CONCACAF teams before we move on to England.
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I love prediction threads so this is as good a time as any to start one.

We are coming up on a 14 game Ocho that should be wonderfully entertaining.   

What would be a realistic point total in those 14 games? 

I know the ocho is not complete yet but I figure it should look something like this when all said and done:

US, Mexico, CR, Honduras, Jamaica, Canada, ELS, Curacao

I am VERY bullish on the home legs.  I think we can go 5-1-1 at home for 16 points.

I am still not sure how a young, inexperienced group is going to handle the night mare that many of these away games will be.   I would love to see between 9-12 points obtained on the road but until I see this young team under more difficult playing conditions, I really have no feel for what to expect.

 
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NewlyRetired said:
I love prediction threads so this is as good a time as any to start one.

We are coming up on a 14 game Ocho that should be wonderfully entertaining.   

What would be a realistic point total in those 14 games? 

I know the ocho is not complete yet but I figure it should look something like this when all said and done:

US, Mexico, CR, Honduras, Jamaica, Canada, ELS, Curacao

I am VERY bullish on the home legs.  I think we can go 5-1-1 at home for 16 points.

I am still not sure how a young, inexperienced group is going to handle the night mare that many of these away games will be.   I would love to see between 9-12 points obtained on the road but until I see this young team under more difficult playing conditions, I really have no feel for what to expect.
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40...I'll take a tie in Mexico City

 
Not sure if anyone else saw, but ESPN FC posted their annual FC 100 yesterday.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-espn-fc-united/story/4239858/fc-100-liverpoolbayern-dominateusmnt-stars-break-into-our-annual-ranking-of-soccers-best-players

A few notes.....

They have Dest as the 10th best RB in the world

Alphonso Davies as the #2 LB (behind only Robertson)

Pulisic as the #6 winger, ahead of Hazzard but behind Di Maria, Sancho, Gnabry, Sterling and Mane.

Obviously a little too soon for Gio but he's got a TOUGH list to crack (presuming he'd be listed as an attacking MF)  KDB, Muller, Bruno,  Gomez,  Goretzka,  Havertz, Silva, Pogba, Auoar and Grealish.

I was kinda hoping Marsh but crack the top 10 managers, but that's probably premature (and unlikely since he's not at a power 5 club). Maybe Nagelsman gets a BIG job this Summer and Jesse can jump up a rung on the Red Bull ladder?

 
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NewlyRetired said:
I love prediction threads so this is as good a time as any to start one.

We are coming up on a 14 game Ocho that should be wonderfully entertaining.   

What would be a realistic point total in those 14 games? 

I know the ocho is not complete yet but I figure it should look something like this when all said and done:

US, Mexico, CR, Honduras, Jamaica, Canada, ELS, Curacao

I am VERY bullish on the home legs.  I think we can go 5-1-1 at home for 16 points.

I am still not sure how a young, inexperienced group is going to handle the night mare that many of these away games will be.   I would love to see between 9-12 points obtained on the road but until I see this young team under more difficult playing conditions, I really have no feel for what to expect.
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I think you're right to be conservative.  We're in a bit of a honeymoon phase with all these new toys; its very hard to separate the excitement and new expectations with reality.  If they don't get 30 out of 42 points, folks are going to be disappointing IMO.

I think McKennie's going to be so key in those away games, both on and off the field.

 
Ned said:
I think you're right to be conservative.  We're in a bit of a honeymoon phase with all these new toys; its very hard to separate the excitement and new expectations with reality.  If they don't get 30 out of 42 points, folks are going to be disappointing IMO.

I think McKennie's going to be so key in those away games, both on and off the field.
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30...whoa.

14 games...I was thinking more in the low 20s. 

Mex and CR... 2- 4-5 points out of those four games (being hopeful)

Next 5...should win out at home- but leaving a hiccup or two at 10-15 pts

Away... Capable of winning out, sure, but likely to lose one or two and draw a couple. I'm thinking 4-10pts

 
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Historically in the Hex, averaging roughly 1.4-1.6 points a game usually would see a team qualify in one of the top 3 spots.

If that number holds for the Ocho, that puts the qualification line some where around 20-22 points.

 
OneGoal

@OneGoalUS

Berhalter on his center backs in camp “I think the center back position is pretty open...For us, it’s really looking to see who’s going to take advantage of this opportunity, who can have a good performance in this camp and really try to stake their claim to be the starter..”

 
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There have been more Americans in the Champions League this season than the rest of CONCACAF combined, both in number of players and number of minutes.

🇺🇸: 8 players, 1,423 minutes (Reyna, Dest, McKennie, Pulisic, Richards, Adams, Horvath, Konrad)

🇲🇽: 3 players, 763 minutes (Jesus Corona, Hector Herrera, Edson Alvarez)

🇨🇷: 1 player, 450 minutes (Keylor Navas)

🇨🇦: 2 players, 98 minutes (Manjrekar James, Alphonso Davies)

🇩🇴: 1 player, 71 minutes (Mariano*)

*Mariano Diaz of Real Madrid is listed as Dominican, having played for the Dominican Republic national team once in a friendly in 2013, but he’s been holding out for a Spain call up.
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data from @fbref

 
El Floppo said:
Really glad to hear this is injury, not form related. A healthy Weah hitting the potential we all see for him....nice.
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Agreed.  Basically they are just being really, really, really cautious.  

If he can keep showing flashes like yesterday then it may prove that the wait was worth it.  Time will tell.  

 
NewlyRetired said:
I did not know this part!

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

The next international break is in March, and Musah has agreed to make a decision on his international future by then. 
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That part seems encouraging for us...  right?  I mean it's not like England's backlog will have cleared up in 3-4 months.  Meanwhile, Musah can start for the USMNT now!

 
The Ocho is going to be wild!

The USMNT's 14-game World Cup '22 qualifying campaign is going to be an INTENSE few months:
September 2021: 3 games
October 2021: 3 games
November 2021: 2 games
January 2022: 3 games
March 2022: 3 games
Asking a lot from players with 3 games in what normally are 2-game windows.

 
Ted Lange as your Bartender said:
The Ocho is going to be wild!

The USMNT's 14-game World Cup '22 qualifying campaign is going to be an INTENSE few months:
September 2021: 3 games
October 2021: 3 games
November 2021: 2 games
January 2022: 3 games
March 2022: 3 games
Asking a lot from players with 3 games in what normally are 2-game windows.
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With the compressed schedule staying healthy will be really important. 

 
Ted Lange as your Bartender said:
The Ocho is going to be wild!

The USMNT's 14-game World Cup '22 qualifying campaign is going to be an INTENSE few months:
September 2021: 3 games
October 2021: 3 games
November 2021: 2 games
January 2022: 3 games
March 2022: 3 games
Asking a lot from players with 3 games in what normally are 2-game windows.
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Oh the club managers are just going to love this :)

Can you imagine Lampard having to be so careful with Pulisic at Chelsea and then having to release him into the lions den of three Concacaf games where the main goal is to kick him into submission?

 
Poke_4_Life said:
That part seems encouraging for us...  right?  I mean it's not like England's backlog will have cleared up in 3-4 months.  Meanwhile, Musah can start for the USMNT now!
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I have to think that is the central part of our recruiting pitch.

It can be simplified to one line.

"You can hope to wait for call up to the England U21 team or play in Azteca in front of 90,000 fans in a WCQier"

 
I should probably give this more thought but does anyone else think Concacaf could have organized this differently?  The packed schedule appears to be trying to work around the Gold Cup.

I was thinking that CONCACAF should move the Gold Cup to next summer (when nothing is planned since the WC is in the winter) and instead use this summer's Gold Cup dates to play WCQier, which would help to free up the clogged schedule next fall/winter.

 
Ted Lange as your Bartender said:
The Ocho is going to be wild!

The USMNT's 14-game World Cup '22 qualifying campaign is going to be an INTENSE few months:

January 2022: 3 games
 
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Did FIFA create a new international window here?  If memory serves, January did not normally have an international break.

These games should work fairly well for our German based players since they typically have a winter break in January.

 
NewlyRetired said:
Did FIFA create a new international window here?  If memory serves, January did not normally have an international break.

These games should work fairly well for our German based players since they typically have a winter break in January.
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Not so much for CP playing 32 games over 2 weeks in the EPL.

 
El Floppo said:
Not so much for CP playing 32 games over 2 weeks in the EPL.
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I would bet a fairly significant amount of money that Pulisic is going to miss ~half of the 14 qualifiers.  I can't see him staying healthy unless he loses his playing time entirely at Chelsea (which none of us expect or want to see).

 
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:popcorn:

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

PortugueseSoccer.com 

@PsoccerCOM

O Jogo: #Benfica have inquired about Reggie Cannon, who just transferred a short time ago from MLS's Dallas to #Boavista. He is valued at 10 million and has done well in Portugal.

 
berndog said:
With the compressed schedule staying healthy will be really important. 
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And being in form with their club.  Match sharpness will go a long way toward avoiding long passes through our penalty area that get stolen for easy goals. 

Oh and putting one in the ol' onion bag too.

 
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Reactions: Ned
Fulham playing a 3-4-3 today and Antonee is playing LMF in the formation in the middle of the field. I'm sure against Man City it'll be more of a 5-2-3, but still. Looks like they want him getting forward.

 
Reyna starting and losing at the half.

Robinson, Team and Fulham on their heels against Man City.

....yikes! Robo just played a hospital ball into the middle, top of the fulhams own box, ceding possession. 

This after shutting down Mahrez one v one.

 
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