US Men's National Soccer Team Thread: USA #1 - Page 1224 - Sporting Events and Fantasy Sports

I'm still trying to figure this out...what is so scary about this American lineup? Who are you supposed to be afraid of - a mispositioned Pulisic?

McKennie was the best player on the pitch yesterday; the US midfield is class. But how much did they actually threaten yesterday as a collective XI?

Also can't believe that in my lifetime, I'd see such mentally soft American AND Mexican Sr. Nat'l Teams. Like, so, so, soooo mentally soft. Excuses, lack of self-awareness, delusion...it's remarkable.

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01-31-2022 , 01:08 PM

#30577

Jkpoker10

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Is there any worry that the US doesn’t qualify or finishes 4th and has to win a single game in a playoff?

The last 3 game window seems tough. Mexico and Costa Rica on the road. I’m slightly worried the US could botch World Cup qualifying again if they get unfortunate results in last window.

I really wanna see the US go to Jesse Marsch. I feel Zardes starting against Canada was big goof. I also feel the US is slightly unfortunate to be missing Gio Reyna. I think he’s going to be the best US player for years to come. Pulisic is great but feel he hasn’t provided the quality he needs to in World Cup qualifying.

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01-31-2022 , 01:25 PM

#30578

prizminferno

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no worry

we have walk in home wins against honduras and panama which would all but statistically eliminate panama from top 3

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01-31-2022 , 01:34 PM

#30579

Jkpoker10

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Quote:

Originally Posted by prizminferno

no worry

we have walk in home wins against honduras and panama which would all but statistically eliminate panama from top 3

That’s good. I’m just worried about what happened last cycle. It looked like the us would qualify on the last match day but a ton of bizzare events happened at the end of us game (wanna say they played Jamaica but I might be wrong- on a bad pitch). I’m just hoping they don’t have to sweat out a last game where they could not be in if they somehow find a way to lose.

Anyone know more about the 4th place qualifier game? I’m guessing they would play New Zealand based on the draw I saw. I’m really hoping top3 finish occurs for the US. Don’t want to see a 1 off game that determines their fate for the WC.

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01-31-2022 , 01:39 PM

#30580

esad

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Berhalter has been replaced right??

A man can dream.

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01-31-2022 , 01:40 PM

#30581

prizminferno

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Originally Posted by Jkpoker10

T&T and that team was old and toast. They also got hosed by a goal that didn't count in one of the other games that would have counted with VAR and sent them to the playoff.

4th game is against NZ in Qatar

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01-31-2022 , 01:41 PM

#30582

C Bids

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Maybe for the next window we can play in Alaska

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01-31-2022 , 01:48 PM

#30583

prizminferno

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Alaska may be nicer than St Paul right now

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01-31-2022 , 01:54 PM

#30584

C Bids

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Quote:

Originally Posted by C Bids

Maybe for the next window we can play in Alaska

No that's a silly idea. Travel would be too much going from Cruzin's house all the way to the North Pole and then back to the Rich Coast.

We should build a pitch on an aircraft carrier deck and station it in the Caribbean. Kinda like they used to do for college basketball games. Then travel won't be an issue. And we can keep out any unwanted peoples for a more home field experience.

Only downside is they are more acclimated to the weather but they've never kicked balls on ship that's listing before so I feel that moves the needle back in our favor

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01-31-2022 , 02:05 PM

#30585

prizminferno

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Keeping our home field with no mexicans is the best part about playing in the cold

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01-31-2022 , 02:30 PM

#30586

Geddy Lee

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Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 25,371

Quote:

Originally Posted by prizminferno

Keeping our home field with no mexicans is the best part about playing in the cold

Playing the Mexicans in the cold is the best part about playing in the cold.

Saw it in Edmonton - they were so preoccupied w/ circumstantial factors, it was like they'd emotionally hedged for a loss before the game even started. Henry planting Lozano 30 seconds in was the icing on the cake. Mexicans wanted no part of that game, that trip, anything...and it showed.

Again - I cannot recall a mentally softer El Tri side in my lifetime. If conditions aren't pristine, they falter. Not the best region to have that mentality...

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01-31-2022 , 05:42 PM

#30587

Steve00007

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Jkpoker10

I was confident we would qualify last time lol. This team better not be arrogant again and think they qualified already.

Main thing is just win the home games. One reason we didn’t qualify last time is we underachieved at home by losing to Mexico and Costa Rica at home.

We finished with 12 points and the teams above us finished with 16, 13 and 13 points. So you can see how much getting 0 points out of those home games instead of 6 (or even any total over zero) affected us.

Last edited by Steve00007; 01-31-2022 at 05:52 PM.

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01-31-2022 , 06:07 PM

#30588

LFC_USA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Jkpoker10

On paper we should breeze past New Zealand. Our manager and his completely idiotic, clueless nothing "tactics" have me genuinely concerned we can even score a goal at this rate though. I ****ing hate Berhalter

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01-31-2022 , 06:11 PM

#30589

LFC_USA

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I only read the Berhalter we dominated quote yesterday and today heard the audio and the full clip. It's a million times worse than the printed quote which almost never happens. How is this guy still our manager? How delusional is he? You'd think we won the match 5-0 the way he was talking after yesterday's game. It's not just one game it's the entire ****ing cycle. We are so much less than the sum of our parts

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01-31-2022 , 06:16 PM

#30590

prizminferno

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I think we should throw the game against Honduras so he gets shitcanned and then we can still sneak in to 3 or 4 with a real manager. no ****ing cap I legitimately want to lose that game.

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01-31-2022 , 07:17 PM

#30591

GuyIncognito

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Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 4,021

Found this article via another board

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/gregg...n-the-usmnt-ri

Main point I'm taking away is that we just have a hard time playing exploitively, like the guy playing a preflop chart while the guy on our right is stealing our blinds and buttons 85% of the time

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01-31-2022 , 07:34 PM

#30592

prizminferno

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https://deadspin.com/ok-maybe-it-s-t...lte-1848454580

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01-31-2022 , 07:36 PM

#30593

ligastar

ToP 100 pAsS cAtChErS

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01-31-2022 , 07:40 PM

#30594

prizminferno

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Richards broke his foot, Adams was never playing this game anyway

play Luca

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01-31-2022 , 08:29 PM

#30595

LFC_USA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by prizminferno

https://deadspin.com/ok-maybe-it-s-t...lte-1848454580

TIL Deadspin still exists.

Deadspin calling for the firing of our national team soccer manager is the most American thing ever

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01-31-2022 , 08:32 PM

#30596

prizminferno

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DS is hot garbage now, for sure, but the article summed it up well

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01-31-2022 , 08:33 PM

#30597

LFC_USA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyIncognito

I don't quite understand the poker analogy, but this actually looks like an intelligent well written article that I'm definitely gonna sit down and read when I have some time. Thanks for sharing

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01-31-2022 , 08:54 PM

#30598

prizminferno

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analogy is sort of off, but GGG def trying to play GTO (backed up by his process>results comments) and he isn't adjusting for any exploitable strategy whatsoever. We're simply playing wrong for CONCACAF.

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01-31-2022 , 08:57 PM

#30599

Steve00007

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Originally Posted by LFC_USA

I'm fully aware how super cringe this comment is but I really don't think the average American fan, especially the average Gregggg/MLS defender, watches any significant amount of actual high level (European) soccer. Our system is just disgusting. It's an MLS system for a Champions League team.

I don’t watch MLS, mostly just the US team and have thought this was true about me. Honestly, I don’t watch much high level soccer. Not proud of that, but have strongly suspected that high level soccer would look different than what I see with the US team.