Bayern looking a bit vulnerable. OTOH, Pulisic has filled out & looking to be a star.
USMNT/Soccer Thread
- Thread starter BigBlueSean
- Start date
Disappointed in Man U's start. Tactics all wrong. trying to be defensive minded when all skill up front and in middle. Relying on aging Smalling, Valencia and Young is a recipe for disaster. Matic is nowhere near where he was last year. Sanchez is a bust, either due to age or fit. No creativity, except for Pogba, yet Mourinho punishes him by playing him at back of midefield. When they opened up with nothing to lose in second half, much more enjoyable soccer...Upside is no one playing really great, unless Man City starts to put it together. Depth will doom Liverpool at some point. I am no fan of Henderson despite starting all games for WC....Tottenham could lose Erickson, no depth.
If I am at Man I make the move to Zidane asap. The squad has flaws, but nowhere near what you see, I'd bet Zidane would do something like this:
Lukaku - Rashford
Martial - Fred - Pogba - Sanchez
Shaw - Bailly - Jones - Dalot
Bench: Fellani, Matic, Juan Mata, Lingard, Lindelof, Valencia, Young, Herrera, and I'd love to see Andreas Pereira give more minites.
It's really not difficult. Zidane would let these guys play. You'd see a different Pogba, Rashford, Martial, Sanchez... And I could see Zidane bringing someone in like maybe a Thiago Alcantara or a Casemiro/Kroos and even Benzema. But for me it's far less about personnel and more about an inept manager.
COLOMBIA !
Get it right! Colombia will be one of the favorites in the Qatar WC. USA was never a real threat to them and won’t be organized enough to field a quality side in 2022. US soccer has yet to address the major issues of development using our lame MLS teams as the crown jewel of USMNT development. Have to have to get more players in EPL Bundesliga la liga etc. Even after not qualifying the US is still relying on pay to play system. Time to start picking the Latinos, Hispanic, blacks from the streets and US soccer foot the bills. Won’t happen bc the USA has to do everything our way. In terms of fútbol though our way will never work. Fútbol cinco everywhere it’s what is needed. US soccer needs to take a loan against the 2026 WC and institute a major culture change now or it will be uneventful in 2026 as well.
BTW it’s been one year now since we lost to TT and nothing has changed!!!
Watched 1st half. US goals were against run of play. No desire to keep possession when they got it. Back 4 was disorganized. No one stood out to me.
Still don't care about the USMNT. Their WC failure may never leave my mind.
Shouldn't they have already named a new head coach? Seems like you are missing out on important practice and games before the next WC cycle starts. Just so the new HC can start evaluating and getting their team together.
More important is that our players are getting quality time for their club wherever they play.
Isn't it sort of clear that the target or targets as far as coaches go are actively engaged in a season? In the context of the whole Crew to Austin, no the Crew stays in Columbus I think it would be more than fair to all parties involved if Berhalter is the choice that their situation and season play out. We're not under any gun for qualifying in anything whether it be CONCACAF qualifying or even Olympic qualifying just yet (which probably falls more on Tab Ramos). The same would be true from among the MLS group even if it were Martino, Vermes or floated candidate Pareja.
The weaknesses I have seen since we've started assembling for friendlies are a couple age old ones; Robinson has been torched at leftback against World Class competition which shouldn't have been unexpected, we lack quality and quality of depth on the wings when Pulisic isn't there and we seemingly lack a consistent striker option. The 10 is a question mark. The strength CLEARLY is the versatility of Adams and McKennie as two way midfielders in front of a seasoning tandem at centerback. I also like Steffen in goal but that might be a little confirmation bias based on his exceptional showing against Atlanta United in the MLS playoffs last year.
I suppose the good news with regard to potential maybe we appear to have some emerging attackers undergoing an exodus to the Bundesliga, but their time is still a little early with regard to Sargeant, Sebastian Soto, Gio Reyna and a couple of the recent defections from LA in Uly Llanez and another mid whose name escapes me. Unfortunately more immediate options Taitague and Haji Wright have stalled at Schalke. Our leftback situation gets teased a little bit with George Bello's performance at Atlanta United but at 16 it is clearly a little early to see him as a solution in this WC cycle...but for 2026 one to keep an eye on.
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They had to hire a new head of US Soccer, and they did earlier this year but he didn't know anything about soccer. So they had to hire a US GM, which they did a couple of months ago. Now, they're looking for a coach.
Based on last night's performance there are some sources of optimism, and certainly some age old issues that continue to dog us.
1. Really loose giveaways in midfield; when you have three of the somewhat highly regarded mids in Pulisic, McKennie and Adams out replaced by Acosta (who really is a 6 or 8), Delgado and Will Trapp that probably isn't unexpected. I thought Acosta blew a first half scoring opportunity with a first touch on a layoff by Sargeant that was Zardesque. A Nagbe helps potentially there but he probably isn't a full WC cycle guy and if he's the 8 somebody like McKennie would be forced out of position. So that loose end remains.
Oh for a Gedion Zelalem to have been what he was reputed to be; a deft passer and balhandler out of trouble. Such is the history of American wunderkinds.
2. I thought Sweat was awful in his debut. So the leftback casting call can now scratch him from the ranks of the untested. He rebounded in the second half, but was outright yuck in the first.
3. Sargeant to use an American phrase has a great feel for the game. I guess the folks that hear the game only being delivered with an English accent call it "Cheek". I like him and he seems to have a great motor.
4. For a first showing Amon had moments though here is one more American attacker who treats his left like it is atrophying off his hip. Not in the tradition of Jordan Morris but...that backhell slip through by Sargeant should have minimally resulted in a shot. Weah seems more comfortable on the left wing, but Amon is an exclusive left winger by reputation.
1. Really loose giveaways in midfield; when you have three of the somewhat highly regarded mids in Pulisic, McKennie and Adams out replaced by Acosta (who really is a 6 or 8), Delgado and Will Trapp that probably isn't unexpected. I thought Acosta blew a first half scoring opportunity with a first touch on a layoff by Sargeant that was Zardesque. A Nagbe helps potentially there but he probably isn't a full WC cycle guy and if he's the 8 somebody like McKennie would be forced out of position. So that loose end remains.
Oh for a Gedion Zelalem to have been what he was reputed to be; a deft passer and balhandler out of trouble. Such is the history of American wunderkinds.
2. I thought Sweat was awful in his debut. So the leftback casting call can now scratch him from the ranks of the untested. He rebounded in the second half, but was outright yuck in the first.
3. Sargeant to use an American phrase has a great feel for the game. I guess the folks that hear the game only being delivered with an English accent call it "Cheek". I like him and he seems to have a great motor.
4. For a first showing Amon had moments though here is one more American attacker who treats his left like it is atrophying off his hip. Not in the tradition of Jordan Morris but...that backhell slip through by Sargeant should have minimally resulted in a shot. Weah seems more comfortable on the left wing, but Amon is an exclusive left winger by reputation.
BvD-Bayern today reminded me of an old bull coming out all fired up against the young usurper, snorting & hoofing the dusty ground to show him who's boss but running out of steam over time against speed & athleticism, and so winds up gored & going off with his tail between his legs to lick his wounds & mope.
Was in Spain for the better parts of the last two weeks and happened to attend the Atletico-Dortmund match on Tuesday in the Champions League. What an atmosphere and new stadium they have in Madrid with the Wanda Metropolitano. Pulisic started but struggled (he didnt play today vs Bayern).
You are correct....the metro stop is virtually at the gate ramp of the Metropolitano. It is also the home of the Champions League final on Jun 1, 2019.
So after 17 matches:
1. Liverpool - 45 points
2. Man City - 44 points
3. Tottenham - 39 points
4. Chelsea - 37 points
5. Arsenal - 34 points
6. Man United - 26 points
Chumps, are you bringing your MLS fandom south on I-71 or are you sticking with the Crew?
Sticking with the Crew. Been a STH for the past few years.
Dropping my Bengals tickets though. Should have learned from your decision a few years ago
I would love Pulisic in England - Chelsea is a great fit. Can't believe he lost his starting position.
Any comments on the FC Cincinnati signings? I think they're pretty good - won't be the worst MLS team ever like I originally thought as they added quite a bit of talent.
Any comments on the FC Cincinnati signings? I think they're pretty good - won't be the worst MLS team ever like I originally thought as they added quite a bit of talent.
They aren't done yet, either.
I think they will be pretty good defensively, but they need some more proven playmakers on offense. Nice initial squad.
When they started resigning all of those USL players, I was a little worried. Glad those worries were unfounded.
I think they could be a middle of the pack team.
I am pretty sure they have a big signing left in them - likely someone up front.
Their defense should actually be very good. Getting Garza was huge. Pretty excited for the Hell is Real rivalry
Their defense should actually be very good. Getting Garza was huge. Pretty excited for the Hell is Real rivalry
Impressive schedule to start with for FCC....first ever MLS match at Seattle, then a visit to champion Atlanta, before the home opener vs Portland on St Patty's (at least the same weekend). Looks like MLS is going to put them front and center to start off.
Pulisic at Chelsea is something I have a real tough time wrapping my arms around--opposite Hazard obviously would be great but Chelsea doesn't really grind my gears; with the aging out of Ribbery and Robbin--along with the obvious motivation of basically getting surpassed by Sancho in particular, but it's Bruun Larsen keeping getting the nod that loses me--I would love to see him at Bayern though I'm certainly a big fan of Dortmund. I just don't get Bruun Larsen over Pulisic.
Sancho is just way better--- and way more consistent. Sancho is something else. Can you imagine England in the future with an attacking presence of Kane, Rashford, Sterling and Sancho?
Atlanta United is gonna mop the floor with the MLS and in the meantime really improve the league. They just know how to do bui'ness. Lose Tata Martino? So what hire Frank De Boer ( a great fit) for style of play but it will be VERY interesting to see how they go about transfers without the icon-like presence of Tata that many south american youngsters gravitated towards.
Anyone watch West Ham v. Southampton? Felipe Anderson is pure quality. Baffles me why Brazil hasn't called him in. He is exactly what they need. A winger that has the elite quality going forward but dispenses with the attitude and does his job. Always works hard, will track back to help out his fullbacks. Hope he at least is on the Copa America roster for Brazil this summer.
Thanks. Hadn't heard. It's become a largely wasted season for him at Dort.
Now he'll need British English lessons instead of German ones.
Pulisic has the potential to *kill* it up front in Sarri's 4-3-3, opposite Hazard. If Chelsea can sign a quality CF, that attack will be deadly next year.
I don't know the players well enough to comment. Found out I'm splitting season tickets with son.
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