Some USA soccer nuggets

[zookeeper2000]

Sloppy first half for USMNT vs Panama.

My two cents:
Sargent looks game if the ball finds his feet.

But the combination play seems a little off. I think playing Weston McKennie high on the wing doesn’t play to his strengths of distributing the ball around the field and he’s largely dependent on Musah…and Musah reads the game wrong at times.

Unimpressed with Tessman thus far and he and our backline have been a little shaky. I think Pulisic/Weah on the left will work and has in the past but it seems like Panama is throwing numbers over there to jam it up which is leaving Musah/McKennie’s side more open to move the ball. Turner as GK has been fine. I think that’s about it…

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I gotta watch it for free on Univision. Can't get Paramount+ until next year when it comes for free with my Pantherlair membership.

Man you’re cheap. What’s $10 per month? It’s less than a drink at a bar. I think the cheapest plan is $6. Which is cheaper than you.

 

[zookeeper2000]

Wow that Sargent finish was so pure.

I’m in a bar. Is there no VAR? It looked offside to the naked eye when I saw it live but curious what they said on the broadcast.

I think they just said he was just a bit off.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I think they just said he was just a bit off.

I’m at the Pitch in Lawrenceville. It’s reggae night. Watching the game with reggae blasting in my ear.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

We wouldn't win any of those groups, maybe we have a shot at winning Austria or Switzerland's group.

You're kidding, right? Tell me you are kidding, please.

Of the six groups I posted we would be at least co-favorites to win five of them, and maybe a small underdog in the sixth. And there are other, similar groups that I didn't bother posting.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I didn't get home until just after the second half started. It's kind of disheartening that with 40 minutes left in the game Panama was already wasting time on goal kicks and other restarts.

Play the freaking game!

 

[zookeeper2000]

Panamas goalkeeper looks a bit like Tyler Boyd.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

These guys kept talking up Patrick Pokemon, or Agemon, or whatever his name is, and he's had two good chances so far and had the first one pretty easily saved and he pounded the second one straight into the ground and over the goal.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Well that was some shambolic defending.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Well that was some shambolic defending.

And Turner was off his angle. That’s soccer. Put the other goalkeeper and defenders to sleep and then score a goal in added time against the run of play.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Man you’re cheap. What’s $10 per month? It’s less than a drink at a bar. I think the cheapest plan is $6. Which is cheaper than you.

Nothing I watch on there. I actually forgot about this game since I was watching the NCAAT. Remembered in the 95th minute. What happened? Did we dominate but it was one of THOSE games?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Nothing I watch on there. I actually forgot about this game since I was watching the NCAAT. Remembered in the 95th minute. What happened? Did we dominate but it was one of THOSE games?

The Offer, and all the Taylor Sheridan shows are worth it. Plus all the Serie A, champions league, Europa league and conference league. Best streaming service available.

I watched in a bar so it’s tough for me to have clear perspective but 659 passes to 320 passes…we had three big chances missed to their 0. Their 1 shot on goal wasn’t even in the books as a big chance. We had 67% of the possession.

I don’t think we were creative enough in the attaching 1/3rd.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The Offer, and all the Taylor Sheridan shows are worth it. Plus all the Serie A, champions league, Europa league and conference league. Best streaming service available.

I watched in a bar so it’s tough for me to have clear perspective but 659 passes to 320 passes…we had three big chances missed to their 0. Their 1 shot on goal wasn’t even in the books as a big chance. We had 67% of the possession.

I don’t think we were creative enough in the attaching 1/3rd.

I can't watch Serie A. I'm sorry but I can't. I get enough Champions League on CBS and CBSSN replays. I have fallen off on my soccer watching, however. I need to get back on the wagon. Hopefully the Club World Cup and Gold Cup get me back into it. Not interested in whatever The Offer or Taylor Sheridan. Does Amy Schumer have a 2nd season of her skit series? If Workaholics is on there, check that out. I binged that a few years ago. One of the best, stupidest, funniest shows I ever watched. Pure comedy gold. It's like The Office meets Billy Madison. They don't make shows like that anymore.

 

[mike412]

This was the first time I have seen the USMNT this year. Color me unimpressed. Pulisic was poor. The defense is slow. I failed to see any pattern to the offense. 0 shots on goal (I believe).

Maybe I’ll try watching again in 2026.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

This was the first time I have seen the USMNT this year. Color me unimpressed. Pulisic was poor. The defense is slow. I failed to see any pattern to the offense. 0 shots on goal (I believe).

Maybe I’ll try watching again in 2026.

5 shots on goal to Panama’s 1 which came at 90+4.

But I digress. It’s the same Pochettino team that I saw at Chelsea for the first 5 months of his tenure there. My concern was his way of playing translating to the international game when he doesn’t have time to work with his team. The pattern of play is the same as a Pitt offense trying to attack a Syracuse 2/3 zone. They pass the ball around the perimeter, getting the ball out wide and then recycling back around again. If there was a penetrating entry pass into the the interior, ala the free throw line in the middle of the Cuse zone, there was no subsequent successful connection to another player inside the 18 who could get a shot off or create their own shot. Credit to Panama I guess. They’re always a tough match.

Panama did look susceptible down the flanks, but Scally isn’t Jedi and Musah isn’t Dest. Probably the most disappointing was not seeing anything threatening on corner kicks. Score on one of those, and the attack doesn’t feel as bad today because at the end of the day it probably wasn’t.

And as far as our defense looking slow…well yeah maybe that will rear it’s ugly head in 2026. But Panama had 3 shot attempts the entire game, with the last and only one on goal coming in added time. Plus Turner was off his angle, and Panama had only 33% of the ball.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

And as far as our defense looking slow…well yeah maybe that will rear it’s ugly head in 2026.

Tim Ream was a good guy to have back there for a long time. That time has simply past. Father Time has won again. The problem is that they simply don't appear to have anyone better than him at this time. It's a problem now, and it's not going to get any better in the future, that's for sure.

 

[zookeeper2000]

5 shots on goal to Panama’s 1 which came at 90+4.

But I digress. It’s the same Pochettino team that I saw at Chelsea for the first 5 months of his tenure there. My concern was his way of playing translating to the international game when he doesn’t have time to work with his team. The pattern of play is the same as a Pitt offense trying to attack a Syracuse 2/3 zone. They pass the ball around the perimeter, getting the ball out wide and then recycling back around again. If there was a penetrating entry pass into the the interior, ala the free throw line in the middle of the Cuse zone, there was no subsequent successful connection to another player inside the 18 who could get a shot off or create their own shot. Credit to Panama I guess. They’re always a tough match.

Panama did look susceptible down the flanks, but Scally isn’t Jedi and Musah isn’t Dest. Probably the most disappointing was not seeing anything threatening on corner kicks. Score on one of those, and the attack doesn’t feel as bad today because at the end of the day it probably wasn’t.

And as far as our defense looking slow…well yeah maybe that will rear it’s ugly head in 2026. But Panama had 3 shot attempts the entire game, with the last and only one on goal coming in added time. Plus Turner was off his angle, and Panama had only 33% of the ball.

I think Pulisic is a great all-around player. But I don’t understand why he takes most of our corners and free kicks.

I’ve always felt his set piece delivery is a little bit flat, as in it lacks air/loft, with a little too much pace making it harder to connect on the other end. If he was the only guy then fine…but McKennie could do a good job with it, as could Reyna (when playing), Weah, or a couple others. I think they need to take a good look at that.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

I think Pulisic is a great all-around player. But I don’t understand why he takes most of our corners and free kicks.

I’ve always felt his set piece delivery is a little bit flat, as in it lacks air/loft, with a little too much pace making it harder to connect on the other end. If he was the only guy then fine…but McKennie could do a good job with it, as could Reyna (when playing), Weah, or a couple others. I think they need to take a good look at that.

As someone who will probably never even reach novice level for soccer knowledge, I had the same take on Pulisic. It’s like a QB that has a rifle for an arm but zero touch.

 

[Allan McMurray]

Looking fairly woeful against Canada right now. Maybe it's not the coach...this "team" just isn't that good.

And I use "team" like that on purpose.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Jessie Marsch absolutely losing his mind over a ref's call that was obviously correct was kind of funny.

 

[Allan McMurray]

Garbage. Canada is in complete control. US can't get out of their own end.

 

[zookeeper2000]

Remember when several of the US players played with the same passion as Luna? Those were the days…

 

[Allan McMurray]

I think this team is fairly fortunate they don't have to qualify. Their only saving grace is there will be like 400 teams in the WC

 

[noelr]

totally awful. we stink. a bunch of underachivers

 

[mike412]

Canada exposed them a lot more than Panama did.

Read an article in ESPN that they expected more from Pulisic, their “star”, after he had a personal best of 15 goals in all competitions at Milan. Ferran Torres, a backup forward at Barca, has 12 goals in all competitions. Lewandoski, who he is the backup for, has 33.

They had 5 shots on goal against Panama? Last week, Barca had 9 shots on goal against Atletico Madrid, one of the best defensive teams in the world. Atatlanta had 17 shots on goal against Napoli; New Castle United had 9 shots on goal against Liverpool. Five SOG does not scream out “we have an offense.”

Did they have a completed dribble in either match?
When Dest first joined Barcelona, what most surprised me about him was that with all of his suppposed speed he simply wouldn’t take on a defender one-on-one and try to beat him. That seems to sum up the USA team.

I mean, I think Pocchetino is a decent coach. Not great, but competent. But, he has very little to work with. Based on these two games, they shouldn’t be in the top 50 national teams.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Didn't even realize they had a 3rd place game.....and lost.

I think it's clear these guys are mailing it in until they get into UEFA.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I just caught a few minutes of Eric Wynalda on Sirius this afternoon and he made what I think was a good point. They have way too many guys who are too afraid to make a mistake, so they don't try to make any plays at all. Better to play safe and if something goes wrong it's not your fault than to take a chance and if it doesn't come off you are the one to blame.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Canada exposed them a lot more than Panama did.

Read an article in ESPN that they expected more from Pulisic, their “star”, after he had a personal best of 15 goals in all competitions at Milan. Ferran Torres, a backup forward at Barca, has 12 goals in all competitions. Lewandoski, who he is the backup for, has 33.

They had 5 shots on goal against Panama? Last week, Barca had 9 shots on goal against Atletico Madrid, one of the best defensive teams in the world. Atatlanta had 17 shots on goal against Napoli; New Castle United had 9 shots on goal against Liverpool. Five SOG does not scream out “we have an offense.”

Did they have a completed dribble in either match?
When Dest first joined Barcelona, what most surprised me about him was that with all of his suppposed speed he simply wouldn’t take on a defender one-on-one and try to beat him. That seems to sum up the USA team.

I mean, I think Pocchetino is a decent coach. Not great, but competent. But, he has very little to work with. Based on these two games, they shouldn’t be in the top 50 national teams.

You’re comparing Pulisic to a #9 and Lewandowski to boot? lol.

Pulisic is hands down one of the best attacking players in Serie A this year. If you want to rip Serie A, fine, plenty of soccer snobs do too.

Maybe just maybe, it’s tired legs or a new Pochettino system?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The 2026 "why did we fail" debate is starting early nationally.

I'll be the first here to correctly answer the question:

We will fail in 2026 because we STILL don't get the best American athletes. For every Tyler Adams (who doesn't come from a soccer family), there are 15 guys whose dad either played college/pro soccer, grew up in Europe, or was raised in the US by a soccer-loving immigrants family. People say we have a population of 330 million but the pool of players we have to choose from is similar to a small Euro nation because our best athletes choose football, basketball, and baseball and then you have niche sports like hockey, tennis, golf, etc also taking kids away.

So how do you fix this? Very simply.

US Soccer prints money. Identify 20ish metro areas and offer a free development program. No Century United, no Beadling, no Riverhounds, etc. The best players play for US Soccer and accepted players, starting at 8 years old are guaranteed a college scholarship if they remain with the program through HS. This will entice the football/basketball/baseball dads to get their kids to try out at 8 years old. And soccer balls not even used for tryouts. Test speed, athleticism, coordination. The coaches can teach them how to play soccer. They are young enough.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

The 2026 "why did we fail" debate is starting early nationally.

I'll be the first here to correctly answer the question:

We will fail in 2026 because we STILL don't get the best American athletes. For every Tyler Adams (who doesn't come from a soccer family), there are 15 guys whose dad either played college/pro soccer, grew up in Europe, or was raised in the US by a soccer-loving immigrants family. People say we have a population of 330 million but the pool of players we have to choose from is similar to a small Euro nation because our best athletes choose football, basketball, and baseball and then you have niche sports like hockey, tennis, golf, etc also taking kids away.

So how do you fix this? Very simply.

US Soccer prints money. Identify 20ish metro areas and offer a free development program. No Century United, no Beadling, no Riverhounds, etc. The best players play for US Soccer and accepted players, starting at 8 years old are guaranteed a college scholarship if they remain with the program through HS. This will entice the football/basketball/baseball dads to get their kids to try out at 8 years old. And soccer balls not even used for tryouts. Test speed, athleticism, coordination. The coaches can teach them how to play soccer. They are young enough.

College scholarships? How exactly will that work? In college these kids are limited by rule. They can only train for a certain numbers of hours per Fall. Then in the spring it’s less. And US Soccer is going to put their investment/players development in the hands of a college coach outside of US Soccer’s purview?

 

[zookeeper2000]

I think the problem with a lot of US sports nowadays is that outcomes are more closely correlated to parent spending than natural talent.

Demographically speaking, travel sports are dominated by white, middle- to upper-class kids whose parents are willing to invest money and time at insane levels to get their kids ahead. I’ve been part of this spectacle for years.

These kids may want it for themselves but many burn out or lose passion for the game because their dream as a 6-year old to be good at the sports was overtaken by their parents’ obsession to help them get there.

Don’t get me wrong, many of these kids are decent athletes. And they look better with elite trainers and coaches. But many lack raw athleticism and even more lack the grit you get coming out of the gutter…not Mom’s GMC Yukon.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

College scholarships? How exactly will that work? In college these kids are limited by rule. They can only train for a certain numbers of hours per Fall. Then in the spring it’s less. And US Soccer is going to put their investment/players development in the hands of a college coach outside of US Soccer’s purview?

No. It means that's your fallback option. It means if Europe or MLS dont sign you at 18, you go to college for free.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I think the problem with a lot of US sports nowadays is that outcomes are more closely correlated to parent spending than natural talent.

Demographically speaking, travel sports are dominated by white, middle- to upper-class kids whose parents are willing to invest money and time at insane levels to get their kids ahead. I’ve been part of this spectacle for years.

Which is why US Soccer has to make it free and make an effort to get the better athletes from a young age. Need more Tanner Tessman's, not that he is that good but we need that D1 football dad whose kid chose Soccer. The talent pool isn't wide
enough.

As for travel sports, I agree and I hear that travel baseball is killing the sport domestically. The number of Americans in MLB keeps going down as travel ball participation keeps going up. These kids are playing 100-120 games per year from age 8 up. Who is pitching these games? They have no arms left by HS. You see some of these college baseball scores are like 30-27.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

The number of Americans in MLB keeps going down as travel ball participation keeps going up.

As a matter of fact, last season the percentage of MLB players born in the US was higher than it had been since 2016, and the percentage of foreign born players has been essentially stable for the last 25 years, never getting above 29.8% or below 26.0%.

Another thing that you know that isn't actually true.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

So ESPN had a story today on the players on the women's national team who would be on the World Cup roster if the tournament was today. It's kind of odd because they exclude players who are hurt now but will clearly have recovered long before then, but whatever. They split the players into four groups, players who would definitely be starting, players who would be on the team but probably wouldn't be starting, players who are still looking to break through, and players on the outside looking in. The last category included young players who are not proven at the senior level but that Emma Hayes has her eyes on for the future.

Former Pitt Panther Sarah Schupansky made the latter list at forward.