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USMNT/Soccer Thread

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What is the USMNT’s best starting XI?

USMNT lineup: What is the best USA starting XI right now? We look at who Gregg Berhalter can select for upcoming games in 2021.
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JPW’s strongest USMNT lineup (4-2-3-1)
—– Steffen —–

— Dest — Richards — Brooks — Robinson —

—- McKennie —- Adams —-

— Weah — Reyna — Pulisic —

—– Sargent —–

Subs: Johnson, Miazga, Bradley, Aaronson, Morris, Zardes, Boyd
Next in line: Guzan, Robinson, Yedlin, Ream, Morales, Trapp, Altidore








What do y'all think?
 
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Though he is significantly better on the left wing--just as Pulisic--Jordan Morris is in my USMNT XI. I don't see any merit for Weah being included at this point as he simply hasn't produced or been healthy. He gets derided for the lack of a left foot, foregoing a clear opportunity to play at Werder Bremen and playing in MLS...but Morris has practically worked himself into the role. I've become a big fan of his because everywhere in his game where he had clear deficiencies he has worked them off, especially when it applies to using his left. He also has shown that he can play as a 9 moreso than Weah (who really performed poorly as a 9 in the u20 World Cup last year).

In other future Striker news...for you dual national watchers Malick Sonogo is playing with the German U16s.
 
When is the next important us mens soccer tournament. I'm new to the sport and I have no idea when the big event is
 
KARLITO12 said:
When is the next important us mens soccer tournament. I'm new to the sport and I have no idea when the big event is
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The true downside to being a USMNT fan...important USMNT games are rare events. With the loss of the Olympics in which the US would have had to assemble a U23 squad and the possibilities of such a squad that clock got pushed back a year; and European clubs are notoriously cool to releasing their players outside of international breaks for that type of qualifying. The true misfortune for the US has been it has been a very long time since a full squad has been assembled with the last time likely being last year in the Gold Cup when we lost to Mexico.

2021 will see a number of events, not the least of which will be World Cup qualifying in addition to potential Olympics for a U23 squad. My personal opinion is that the US should play in Copa America whenever they get the opportunity; it's the closest thing to EuroCup that can be had for the USMNT. Next year will also see the U17 and U20 World Cups which the US has really become more competitive in the last five years and were showcases for the international debuts of people like Pulisic and Tyler Adams; the US has seemingly improved to the extent in their youth ranks that a number of the more renowned players in the Mexican youth teams are dual nationals with the US...and wouldn't be in the starting XI in cases like Efrain Alvarez of LA Galaxy and Josh Perez among others.
 
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The Golazo Show on CBSSN for Champions League is great.

Basically Champions League Red Zone. Big big fan

Atalanta is sick

Bayern still easily the best team in the world.
 
I found this article both thought provoking and sobering, because it is something I came to understand as my kids started going from club players to playing with their High schools. Soccer as defined by Malcolm Gladwell as a "Weak link" sport where your weak link is exploited more than your greatest strength prevails.

It is sober when discussion of what happens when you end up with a couple weak links with injuries to key USMNT players and for those keeping up with it...I'd say Brooks' partial availability in the WC qualifying Hex was Exhibit A of how it impacts the US when a Starting XI talent is replaced by someone--in the unfortunate tale of 2018 WC qualifying Brooks being off the field and Omar Gonzalez being on it to gaffe against Trinidad; the US has emerging depth, but still not enough to overcome the absence or extended absence of part of the nucleus.

Weak Link theory
 
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I thought the young bucks did well against Panama....put together some good combinations. Our defense got lost on Panama's goals though. I like our potential over the next decade.
 
Musah kid looked really good this past week or two. What are the chances he ends up cap tied to the US?
 
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CardHack said:
I found this article both thought provoking and sobering, because it is something I came to understand as my kids started going from club players to playing with their High schools. Soccer as defined by Malcolm Gladwell as a "Weak link" sport where your weak link is exploited more than your greatest strength prevails.

It is sober when discussion of what happens when you end up with a couple weak links with injuries to key USMNT players and for those keeping up with it...I'd say Brooks' partial availability in the WC qualifying Hex was Exhibit A of how it impacts the US when a Starting XI talent is replaced by someone--in the unfortunate tale of 2018 WC qualifying Brooks being off the field and Omar Gonzalez being on it to gaffe against Trinidad; the US has emerging depth, but still not enough to overcome the absence or extended absence of part of the nucleus.

Weak Link theory
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This is true, but we are obviously in better shape now than at any point in the last 20 years.
 
chitown87 said:
Musah kid looked really good this past week or two. What are the chances he ends up cap tied to the US?
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GB was obviously trying to sell him on being the 3rd midfielder in the 3 man midfield with Weston and Tyler. Started all three and played all three into the second half of both games. I think there is a good chance he gets cap tied this summer.

Him leaving Arsenal tells me he wasn't overly intrigued with playing for England and being willing to accept a call-in was a huge deal. Dest was far closer to being on the Netherlands senior team than Musah is with England and dest was willing to cap tie to us.
 
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The Crew gonna get past Nashville. Host New England for trip to MLS Cup Finals.

If Minnesota beats SKC, Columbus will host
 
Got to go to the ECF final tonight to see a Crew win. Hopefully they send Crew Stadium off into the sunset with a title
 
TCPUKChamps said:
Got to go to the ECF final tonight to see a Crew win. Hopefully they send Crew Stadium off into the sunset with a title
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When is the new stadium going to open? It’s downtown right? I went to
The last wcq against Mexico at mapfre. Was very underwhelmed
 
goukcatsgo said:
When is the new stadium going to open? It’s downtown right? I went to
The last wcq against Mexico at mapfre. Was very underwhelmed
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Well the stadium itself is an erector set. First soccer specific stadium in the country. Add to that the bad vibes heading into the game.

New one scheduled to open July 1st. Hoping they get the DC United Home Schedule and get a full back half season of home games at new stadium and not 50/50 with Mapfre
 
I know we’re only playing El Salvador but wow has this been pretty.......and ugly at the same time. Arriola and Mueller look really good.
 
The increased competition for spots on the roster is going to improve the overall quality of the player pool.

We've got very good players who now see Pulisic, Mckennie, Dest, Reyna, and others thriving in europe and think "that could be me". So that pushes them harder.

We are upon a golden era for our national team. Something like Chile just had, except maybe even better.
 
goukcatsgo said:
The increased competition for spots on the roster is going to improve the overall quality of the player pool.

We've got very good players who now see Pulisic, Mckennie, Dest, Reyna, and others thriving in europe and think "that could be me". So that pushes them harder.

We are upon a golden era for our national team. Something like Chile just had, except maybe even better.
Click to expand...

I follow Soccer people on Twitter at a rate I'm a little embarrassed about...but read three articles last week as to the "why" we seem to have a Golden Generation. The establishment of the Development Academy system in 2007 was sited in each article (the one on SI is a lengthy and very interesting article if you can dig it up). In each instance they were very matter-of-fact in saying this is less a Golden Generation than it is a new baseline, which for long suffering USMNT fans is something like manna from the heavens. It also looks increasingly likely that Malick Sonogo is going to file a switch over to the US, which if there is a U17 World Cup next year he would be your odds-on breakout performer like Josh Sargent was when he was 17.

I would think the addition of InterMiami, Sacramento and Austin FC having their own youth academies in areas seemingly saturated in untapped youth talent is only going to boost that development model.
 
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CardHack said:
I follow Soccer people on Twitter at a rate I'm a little embarrassed about...but read three articles last week as to the "why" we seem to have a Golden Generation. The establishment of the Development Academy system in 2007 was sited in each article (the one on SI is a lengthy and very interesting article if you can dig it up). In each instance they were very matter-of-fact in saying this is less a Golden Generation than it is a new baseline, which for long suffering USMNT fans is something like manna from the heavens. It also looks increasingly likely that Malick Sonogo is going to file a switch over to the US, which if there is a U17 World Cup next year he would be your odds-on breakout performer like Josh Sargent was when he was 17.

I would think the addition of InterMiami, Sacramento and Austin FC having their own youth academies in areas seemingly saturated in untapped youth talent is only going to boost that development model.
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I too think it’s a new baseline.

1. Spread - in my lifetime I have seen soccer in the US rise from relative obscurity to being one of the most popular youth sports.......and rise to being one of the top 5 watched sports for adults. The adults are going to get the kids involved and the kids will grow up teaching their kids.

2. The demographics of the US - First off is sheer population. While the majority of Americans still prefer basketball and football, there are 400 million people in the US. That’s 3x-10x some of the other countries in the world that are known “soccer” countries.

Also, the immigrant and minority populations in the US continue to grow by a substantial rate. In most cases these cultures choose soccer as their #1 sport.

3. The growing of the developmental system. MLS (and add in the other US leagues) still isn’t the Bundesliga or BPL, but the gap has been closing. Academies are popping up and getting better.....etc.
 
BlueRaider22 said:
3. The growing of the developmental system. MLS (and add in the other US leagues) still isn’t the Bundesliga or BPL, but the gap has been closing.
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We'll be saying that in 10 years too, but the gap will be small then. Issue is still going to be MLS salary caps that will keep top players in Europe.
 
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131226464_1914273242056961_8031784704230381133_o.jpg


Great time at Mapfre Saturday night. Nice to see my team win a title in person.
 
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Did anyone catch the debacle between LAFC and Club America Saturday; that was everything American soccer fans hate about El Tri players and staff. It also brings up a question I have...if I'm the US I'm using any and all leverage to ensure VAR for World Cup qualifying; Saturday was the same debacle as the Gold Cup last year when Guardado would have been sent off for choking Weston McKennie.
 
vhcat70 said:
We'll be saying that in 10 years too, but the gap will be small then. Issue is still going to be MLS salary caps that will keep top players in Europe.
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I think a strong MLS only benefits USMNT because it helps expands the sports reach. And in that aspect, I think USL also has impact. For example, I wouldn’t be in this thread if Louisville City didn’t make me a soccer fan. And if and when I have kids, I’d love for them to play soccer. Would’ve never said that 10 years ago.

But a strong domestic league is definitely not a requisite to a strong national team. Look at Argentina and Brazil for an example of that.

As interest and training academies have sprouted, our team has gotten better, but if we want to talk max impact... MLS should embrace relegation system and get a team in about 60-70 cities. That’s how you grow grass roots interest.
 
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Curious, but I don't think there are as many Americans on each team that I thought there would be. Major feeder for South Americans than US players.
 
^ Each team is limited to 8 non-US players on their 30 man roster. But, only 18 are eligible each game so you could have 8/18 non-US players each game & probably, usually have 7 or 8. I mean why use up a roster spot for non-US if you're not going to play them?
 
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bkingUK said:
I think a strong MLS only benefits USMNT because it helps expands the sports reach. And in that aspect, I think USL also has impact. For example, I wouldn’t be in this thread if Louisville City didn’t make me a soccer fan. And if and when I have kids, I’d love for them to play soccer. Would’ve never said that 10 years ago.

But a strong domestic league is definitely not a requisite to a strong national team. Look at Argentina and Brazil for an example of that.

As interest and training academies have sprouted, our team has gotten better, but if we want to talk max impact... MLS should embrace relegation system and get a team in about 60-70 cities. That’s how you grow grass roots interest.
Click to expand...

argentina and Brazil both have strong youth development and solid domestic leagues.
 
goukcatsgo said:
No shit. But they’re far more established than the mls and have some of the best youth development in the world.
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Not sold on that. I’d put top of MLS ahead of top of Primera division... at least in terms of elite players
 
If I’m not mistaken by the way, most the European leagues have training academies in both Brazil and Argentina. They are getting the elite prospects
 
goukcatsgo said:
uh no... we can’t even beat the Mexican teams in the concacaf champions league. They’ve got far more depth than mls teams.
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Not saying by team, saying top end talent. And I’m thinking guys like Matuidi, Higuain, Martinez. It’s
 
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