- 2022 looks good but we have to replace a lot of talent - Howard, Guzan, Dempsey, Bradley, Jermaine Jones and others. I think the 23-27 year old group has been relatively disappointing for the most part.
USMNT/Soccer Thread
- Thread starter BigBlueSean
- Start date
Let's say hypothetically we draw the exact same opponents as 2014. Do you think we're better and do you think we compete more?
Let me know when Nagbe's on the left, goes to the left corner, & centers a ball with authority. You just know he's going right with the ball.
I think we massively overachieved the last 2 world cups. A group of Germany, Portugal, Ghana, US would be No bueno. If that happened I don't think we make it out of the group.... we ain't beating Germany. I think Portugal is an overall much better team and we barely got a win against Ghanas B team and it took a last second header in 2014.
I'd bet our group in Russia looks something like this:
One of Germany/Brazil/France
Nigeria or Egypt
Portugal
US
What I'd want:
Switzerland
Ivory Coast
Ecuador/Iran
US
I like Germany, although they are gonna have so much pressure on them.
I like Spain too, mainly because they won't have the pressure they had in 2014.
I don't like France. I think they have the most star talent in the world. Varane, Umtiti, Pogba, Kante, Lloris, Matuidi, Griezmann, Benzema, Lacazette, Mbappe, Dembele... their weakness is Deschamps ability to fit them all together tactically. They should be running Away with their group and a Zlattan-less Sweden is leading the group and France has to go to Netherlands who sit 2pts off from 2nd place France and Amsterdam isn't an easy place to win.
I'm going with a final 8 of:
Brazil, Colombia, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Croatia, Argentina
Final 4:
Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Spain
Final 2:
Brazil, Germany
Champ: Brazil
I think Brazil has figured out what France hasn't. Not always about playing the best 11. If I told you to name Brazil's 11 there's a handful of guys you'd never guess (Miranda, Marquinhos, Renato Augusto and Paulinho). Brazil under Tite can defend. And it's because they are playing CB that can defend in Marquinhos and Miranda. They also have a world class shield in front in Casemiro and 2 guys in Augusto and Paulinho who have high work rates on both ends. Pair that with IMO the best attack in the world in Gabriel Jesus, Neymar and Coutinho getting service from the best LB in the world in Marcelo and a top 3 RB in Dani Alves. Since Tite took over, Brazil has played Argentina with the attacking talent they have, at Uruguay (Suarez and Cavani), Colombia (James) , At Ecuador along with Bolivia and Peru , and Paraguay and have conceded 1 goal from open play. 1. That's remarkable.
Brazil gets redemption in Russia!
He doesn't do that, often, because that's the easy thing to do. He cuts inside, dribbles at people etc... because he's almost always the only guy in the midfield (until pulisic came along) who can do that... Pulisic, when out wide, doesn't send many crosses in. why? Because that's the easy thing. The hard thing, the thing that the us hasn't been able to do, is work through the middle, dribble at people, work 1 - 2's etc...
I'd rather work with johnson on the left wing than nagbe. But if we put johnson at left back again and went with nagbe on the left wing, i wouldn't be devastated. He's the least of our worries.
Isn't it absurd that switzerland is almost assured to be a "pod 1" team? The ranking system for fifa is absurd. The rest of the world is penalized because we don't constantly play world cup qualifiers all year round every year. We would be better served having a system like europe where every team makes it to a group stage and allow our top teams to play the embarrassing concacaf teams 2 times every cycle so we can rack up "official fifa wins". That's why whales and switzerland are ranked so high. Not because they're beating decent teams. But because they are playing more "official fifa matches"
We get punished because we end up having to play the top teams in our region 3-4 times per cycle. Whereas germany won't play a single one of spain, portugal or england... But switzerland can tie one of those teams once and win the rest of their qualifiers and end up being in the top 10 in the world. Smh
He doesn't do it because he's no good at it. He's just not effective off left foot.
Nah. He was tucked in all night with viafana overlapping. He can cross it just fine. We just didn't want or need him to.
Really disappointed in what has happened to the USWNT. Getting ready to lose their 4th game in the USA this year.
Did not expect such a drop off in results after Wambach retired.
Did not expect such a drop off in results after Wambach retired.
Last time they went to Russia they lost their whole 6th Army.
The womens team is suffering from complacency. We need to drop in Fifa rankings to 5th-ish. Light a fire under them. Against Australia we lacked a sense of urgency and for the first 70 minutes of Brazil match. The last 20min of the Brazil match is how we should always play. When we play like that there isnt a team in the world that can handle it. I also dont like the 4-4-2 for this team at all. Just leaves way too much space for other teams. Brazil and Australia would pass between the lines and there was 30-35 yards of free space between the back like and the midfielders to run in.
A - Sweden (18), France (9), Netherlands (32), Bulgaria (54), Belarus (71), Luxembourg (135)
Group B has Switzerland (5) and Portugal (4), but then you have Hungary (57), Faroe Islands (90), Andorra (129) and Latvia (130).
Group C - Germany (1) Northern Ireland (22), Czech Rep (40) , Azerbaijan (80), Norway (88), San Marino (204)
Group D - Serbia (42), Ireland (37), Wales (20), Austria (39), Georgia (112), Moldova (158)
Group E - Poland (6), Montenegro (55), Denmark (47), Romania (43), Armenia (73), Kazakhstan (106)
Group F - England (13), Slovakia (21), Slovenia (53), Scotland (58), Lithuania (99), Malta (191)
Group G - Spain (11), Italy (12), Albania (63), Israel (73), Macedonia (134), Liechtenstein (192)
Group H - Belgium (10), Greece (38), Bosnia (30), Cyprus (95), Estonia (98), Gibraltar (206)
Group I- Croatia (15), Iceland (19), Turkey (33), Ukraine (25), Finland (110), Kosovo (177)
As Compared To:
Mexico (16), Costa Rica (26), USA (35), Panama (52), Honduras (72), Trinidad and Tobago (78)
IMO the CONCACAF Hex is way more balanced except for Group A... And playing in the heat and poor fields makes it even harder.This narrative that CONCACAF Hex is a cakewalk is just dumb.
I mean look at 214- Costa Rica won their group of England, Uruguay and Italy, Mexico advanced, and US came in 2nd in the Group of Death. With Costa Rica advancing to Final 8 (shouldve been final 4)
Agree. Going 4-4-2 with this group is silly. WHy allow a team to overload you in the midfield when you can absolutely dominate them?
I'd love to see them adopt something like BBV did last season with 3 in the back, that at times looks like 1 or 2 in the back. At times, Sokrates was their only true center back on the field.
And a lot of those teams listed in the european groups (sweden being the perfect example) have inflated rankings. Sweden isn't the 18th best team in the world. Even with Zlatan. Northern Irleand 22? give me a break.
If the rankings didn't have consequences it wouldn't be a big deal. A team outside of europe or south america has virtually no chance of working their way into pod 1. As much as i hate to say it (and they have come back down to earth) but Mexico had something like a 22 game un-beaten streak and couldn't close to the top 10. Again, they've fallen off considerably the last few months but they were on fire up until this spring.
We're playing solid right now yet we fell. and it's not just because we had wins fall off. It's because we don't get credit for nearly as many "official" fifa matches.
Like I said before, for the next cycle we should do like europe and throw everybody into big groups and play a ton of official matches so we can inflate our rankings like they do.
Put us in a group with The bahamas, guatamala, cuba, barbados and el salvador and make us play each of those teams twice over a 2 year period to give us 10 official games. Then give us the gold cup too. We'll be ranked really high.
Personally I like the Chelsea Formation - 3-4-2-1
Alex Morgan
Christen Press - Carli Lloyd
Meghan Klingenberg - Megan Rapinoe - Lauren Holiday - Ali Krieger
Christie Rampone - Becky Sauerbrunn - Kelly O'hara
Alyssa Naeher
It will be interesting to see how much we move up after winning the Gold Cup. I still think South America is by far the hardest.
Rankings:
Brazil-2
Argentina -3
Chile - 7
Colombia - 8
Peru -14
Uruguay - 17
Ecuador - 31
Paraguay - 40
Bolivia - 67
Venezuela - 69
Current WCQ Standings:
Brazil - 33
Colombia - 24
Uruguay - 23
Chile - 23
Argentina - 22
Ecuador - 20
Peru - 18
Paraguay 18
6 points separating 2nd from 8th... I think someone from South America wins it in Russia. They are due... I still love Brazil so much. I think they would give Germany fits. So many folks give them crap for the 7-1 loss but they were without their starting CDM, Thiago Silva and Neymar.
This roster is just dirty: https://sofifa.com/squad/187649
I play with it all the time on FIFA - My last 20 matches im 18-2-0 and averaging 4 goals a game
Rankings:
Brazil-2
Argentina -3
Chile - 7
Colombia - 8
Peru -14
Uruguay - 17
Ecuador - 31
Paraguay - 40
Bolivia - 67
Venezuela - 69
Current WCQ Standings:
Brazil - 33
Colombia - 24
Uruguay - 23
Chile - 23
Argentina - 22
Ecuador - 20
Peru - 18
Paraguay 18
6 points separating 2nd from 8th... I think someone from South America wins it in Russia. They are due... I still love Brazil so much. I think they would give Germany fits. So many folks give them crap for the 7-1 loss but they were without their starting CDM, Thiago Silva and Neymar.
This roster is just dirty: https://sofifa.com/squad/187649
I play with it all the time on FIFA - My last 20 matches im 18-2-0 and averaging 4 goals a game
Thought I was done with Solo, but if we cant get better keeping than last night, I want her back.
I was at the Man City V Spurs game in nashville on saturday. Man City ran the 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation...
Pretty tough with Stones, Otamende, and Kompany on the back... Walker and the other $50 million dollar wing back/fullbacks they've signed and then the midfield and attacking talent they have...
Agree. I'm more scared of Brazil and Argentina than any other team in the world.
Argentina is baffling right now. I think they need to go with Agustin and Dybala over Higuain. I'd also give more time to Lanzini. Add them to Messi and Di Maria and that's a better attack. Defensively is bring in Mateo Musacchio and they have a young midfielder by the name of Ezekiel Barco that had a phenomenal year in Argentina. Also have the next generation of attackers in Correa, Laurtaro Martinez, icardi (who I love), Vietto and a couple other under 20 in Argentina
Hell, go with aguero..
Higuain just isn't dynamic. He's big and works well in Jueventes defensive/direct attack, but he just doesn't play well with messi and di-maria.
And FCC marches on to the Final Four.
Mitch with another clean sheet and Djibi with the lone goal yet again.
Next up in the Cup... Final Four. NY Red Bulls at Nippert. Eek!
Mitch with another clean sheet and Djibi with the lone goal yet again.
Next up in the Cup... Final Four. NY Red Bulls at Nippert. Eek!
NASL, NPSL teams file claim over promotion/relegation
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/08/03/nasl-npsl-teams-file-claim-over-promotionrelegation/
"In a joint statement on Thursday, Miami FC of the NASL (second-tier) and Kingston Stockade FC of the NPSL (unofficial fourth-tier) revealed they’ve appealed to CAS to force the FIFA, CONCACAF and the US Soccer Federation (USSF) to usher in promotion and relegation in the U.S. soccer pyramid.
Two lower-tier teams in the U.S. have launched a claim with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to try and impose promotion and relegation in the U.S. Soccer pyramid."
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/08/03/nasl-npsl-teams-file-claim-over-promotionrelegation/
"In a joint statement on Thursday, Miami FC of the NASL (second-tier) and Kingston Stockade FC of the NPSL (unofficial fourth-tier) revealed they’ve appealed to CAS to force the FIFA, CONCACAF and the US Soccer Federation (USSF) to usher in promotion and relegation in the U.S. soccer pyramid.
Two lower-tier teams in the U.S. have launched a claim with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to try and impose promotion and relegation in the U.S. Soccer pyramid."
I love soccer but it's this ish that makes me hate the sport sometimes. The NPSL is the soccer equivalent of a college wood-bat summer league. This is like the Paducha Chiefs suing MLB because they're locked out of the league.
Neymar to PSG is done!
250 million dollar buyout
Neymar's PSG Contract (After tax):
Per Year: $41,062,000
Per Month: $3,133,136
Per Week: $783,284
Per Day: $111,896.60
Per Hour: $4661.59
The Buyout plus the contract for PSG (5 year contract) will cost PSG $500,000,000.....
250 million dollar buyout
Neymar's PSG Contract (After tax):
Per Year: $41,062,000
Per Month: $3,133,136
Per Week: $783,284
Per Day: $111,896.60
Per Hour: $4661.59
The Buyout plus the contract for PSG (5 year contract) will cost PSG $500,000,000.....
I think we are going to look back at this past year as the revolution of the Conte 3-4-2-1 formation. Everyone is doing it now and it has so many positives and very few negatives
Anyone else think there's still a chance Qatar loses the world cup? Still lots of rumblings - would likely be in England or US if they do.
They absolutely should lose it. But it's not moving.
I think there will be a big push to move it immediately after russia but I just don't think FIFA has the nuts to do it. The one caveat is if the rest of the middle east continues to have major issues with qatar. perhaps that could swing things.
Everybody is moving to this formation now. And soon the 4-4-2 will be back in vogue. It's just a cycle.
