USA Soccer thread

[Fk_Pitt]

Not predicting a guaranteed win in Panama. A draw seems more likely. But if we do win, there's almost no way Panama makes up those 6 points in the last 9 games because they just arent good enough to string together a bunch of wins. As I said, those bottom 5 teams are all very very similar in talent.

Yeah I know you weren’t. And I don’t disagree with you. It’s just we know what happens when you make profound statements. I’ll be curious to see how the lineups shake out for the next two games. 7pts in this window is what we need.

and with no Pitt football tomorrow and obviously no EPL soccer, I wish the US played Wed/Sat instead of Thur/Sun.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah I know you weren’t. And I don’t disagree with you. It’s just we know what happens when you make profound statements. I’ll be curious to see how the lineups shake out for the next two games. 7pts in this window is what we need.

and with no Pitt football tomorrow and obviously no EPL soccer, I wish the US played Wed/Sat instead of Thur/Sun.

Its so much easier to qualify now:

1. There's 8 teams instead of 6. 4 more games against bad teams gives the top teams more room for error. In any sport, the more games you have, the more likely it is that the best teams end up on top or near the top.

2. The 2 additional teams will take points away from the mid-range teams simply because there isn't a big (or any) talent disparity.

3. The US has the most talent they've ever have at the same time as Honduras, CR, and Panama being as weak as they've been in at least a few cycles. Canada is much stronger though and has become that 3rd team out of Concacaf that Honduras, CR, and Panama used to be.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I watched the 2nd Half of Canada/Mexico in Azteca and Canada legitimately looked like the better side.

This is almost certainly the best Canada team ever, but Mexico is just so screwed up right now. I put the odds at 50-50 that they will have a different coach when they play the US next month than they do today. They have a home game against Honduras and then a road game against El Salvador, and if they don't get all six points from those two games that could be all she wrote for Tata Martino.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

This is almost certainly the best Canada team ever, but Mexico is just so screwed up right now. I put the odds at 50-50 that they will have a different coach when they play the US next month than they do today. They have a home game against Honduras and then a road game against El Salvador, and if they don't get all six points from those two games that could be all she wrote for Tata Martino.

Just a weird time in CONCACAF. This is probably the least talented Mexico team I've ever seen.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Just a weird time in CONCACAF. This is probably the least talented Mexico team I've ever seen.

I don't know that they are the least talented, but their talent doesn't "fit". For instance they have some really good midfielders, but they just can't seem to play well together.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

If it gets us out of Concacaf, I'm all for it.

Honestly, if the US were smart enough to realize UEFA is best for the country's footballing future, I believe they would have a shot of being allowed to go. Not saying I think they'd definitely be allowed, but they would have an interesting enough case plus the money they would generate with Champions League Finals, Europa League Finals, Champions League TV American TV deals, European Championships in the UE, etc would be off the charts.

I mean, aside from our friends to the North, to borrow a term from the previous ex President, we are playing shithole countries. Literally. And it is gamed for them to do whatever they can aside from actually playing the game to gain an advantage. For example, no VAR? You just invite outright cheating.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

For example, no VAR? You just invite outright cheating.

I don't think that the lack of VAR is about cheating. It's about CONCACAF looking at paying a couple million dollars to make sure that every venue is VAR capable and running the systems on game days and deciding that they would rather put that money in their pockets.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

BTW, the Mexico - Canada game last night was supposed to be the second game at Azteca with no fans, but instead FIFA reduced their punishment to one game without fans. During the second half, once again the game was stopped when the Mexican fans wouldn't stop doing their chant.

At this point, if FIFA wants to pretend that they are serious about this don't they have to simply hammer Mexico? Something like no fans at any more World Cup qualifiers or something along those lines. I mean if a judge releases you because you swear that you have changed your ways and the first thing you do when you get released is to commit the same crime again, aren't you going to get hammered when you get sentenced again?

 

[eastender2]

Yes, but that would take money out of their pockets (see your previous post).

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Yes, but that would take money out of their pockets (see your previous post).

It wouldn't take money out of FIFA's pocket. FIFA doesn't make any money from Mexican home games. It would, however, take a lot of money out of the Mexican Federation's pocket.

Which would be part of the point.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

BTW, the Mexico - Canada game last night was supposed to be the second game at Azteca with no fans, but instead FIFA reduced their punishment to one game without fans. During the second half, once again the game was stopped when the Mexican fans wouldn't stop doing their chant.

At this point, if FIFA wants to pretend that they are serious about this don't they have to simply hammer Mexico? Something like no fans at any more World Cup qualifiers or something along those lines. I mean if a judge releases you because you swear that you have changed your ways and the first thing you do when you get released is to commit the same crime again, aren't you going to get hammered when you get sentenced again?

I don't know what FIFA was thinking with that. There is simply no way they will ever prevent Mexican fans from chanting that. And I dont even know how Mexico can police that. Its impossible.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I don't know what FIFA was thinking with that. There is simply no way they will ever prevent Mexican fans from chanting that. And I dont even know how Mexico can police that. Its impossible.

I don’t want this to sound racist, as it was discussed by talking media heads with an intimate understanding of the Mexican culture. But they essentially said that if you tell them they can’t do something, a large % of them are going to do it more. It’s just the way it is.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I mean, aside from our friends to the North, to borrow a term from the previous ex President, we are playing shithole countries. Literally. And it is gamed for them to do whatever they can aside from actually playing the game to gain an advantage. For example, no VAR? You just invite outright cheating.

The shithole countries don’t have the stadiums and infrastructure for VAR. that tells you everything you need to know about Concacaf.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don’t want this to sound racist, as it was discussed by talking media heads with an intimate understanding of the Mexican culture. But they essentially said that if you tell them they can’t do something, a large % of them are going to do it more. It’s just the way it is.

Is that really any different than what we see here in America?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don't know what FIFA was thinking with that. There is simply no way they will ever prevent Mexican fans from chanting that. And I dont even know how Mexico can police that. Its impossible.

Well they probably can't stop a few idiots, but if they actually punish them harshly the large majority of the people would stop. If they ban fans from the rest of the qualifiers that would show the fans they are serious and most of them would stop. If you tell the fans that if it happens again at any time in the next cycle they will ban fans again for a full cycle, and then follow through, eventually people will get the message.

And if playing all their home games without fans causes them to lose a few more home games than they might normally lose so much the better.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Is that really any different than what we see here in America?

It was described as a large inherent cultural thing. So yeah.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

BTW, the Mexico - Canada game last night was supposed to be the second game at Azteca with no fans, but instead FIFA reduced their punishment to one game without fans. During the second half, once again the game was stopped when the Mexican fans wouldn't stop doing their chant.

At this point, if FIFA wants to pretend that they are serious about this don't they have to simply hammer Mexico? Something like no fans at any more World Cup qualifiers or something along those lines. I mean if a judge releases you because you swear that you have changed your ways and the first thing you do when you get released is to commit the same crime again, aren't you going to get hammered when you get sentenced again?

Hey, I am fine with Mexican fans chanting. At least they are beheading people or hanging them over a highway overpass or whatever other fun things those ****ing barberics like to do.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Turner
Moore - Zimmerman - McKenzie - Bello
Acosta
Musha - Lletget
Ariola - Weah
Zardes


Let's hope this isn't another example of Greg Berhalter outsmarting himself.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Turner
Moore - Zimmerman - McKenzie - Bello
Acosta
Musha - Lletget
Ariola - Weah
Zardes


Let's hope this isn't another example of Greg Berhalter outsmarting himself.

Gotta go tougher and older in away games in Concacaf. Does this do it? I fully expected some of these changes, like Moore starting instead of Dest and Zardes for Pepi.

btw, where can we see this game?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Paramount?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Paramount?

It was on Paramount. I watched a Spanish stream where it seemed pretty apparent that the announcers were paid by the word, because there was literally not one second of dead air the whole game.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

SMF and 79 should be ecstatic. Their man Gyasis Zardes scores the only goal of the game.

Unfortunately, he scored into his own net.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

SMF and 79 should be ecstatic. Their man Gyasis Zardes scores the only goal of the game.

Unfortunately, he scored into his own net.

Unbelievable. But no worries. There’s no possible way the US doesn’t qualify. At least that’s what I read above.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Gotta go tougher and older in away games in Concacaf. Does this do it? I fully expected some of these changes, like Moore starting instead of Dest and Zardes for Pepi.

I agree that you have to make changes, but that team was so completely disjointed right from the start. Bello was not up to the task. Shaq Moore was no better. Acosta had a poor game. Zardes was invisible (again), except for when he was scoring for Panama. I don't think anyone really had a good game. It really could have, maybe should have, been worse than 1-0.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

And just like that, we're back to scratching and clawing our way to Qatar instead of coasting. Had a chance to all but eliminate Panama from ever overtaking us but now we'll be close with them the whole way needing results in the last 1 or 2 matches.

BTW, how do you put up 7 minutes of stoppage time, then stop the clock for 2 pitch invaders, and the Panama GK takes 30 seconds (I timed it) to put the ball back in play and no other extra time I was added. Not that it would have mattered.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

BTW, how do you put up 7 minutes of stoppage time, then stop the clock for 2 pitch invaders, and the Panama GK takes 30 seconds (I timed it) to put the ball back in play and no other extra time I was added. Not that it would have mattered.

Not only that, but 7 minutes when the injury stoppage for the two guys who bonked heads lasted over five minutes, and came after another injury stoppage when they had to stretcher the Panamanian player off that lasted more than two minutes. Those two stoppages plus the "normal" time added for substitutions should have meant at least 10 minutes of extra time. At least.

And then another minute or two of stoppage time in stoppage time for the pitch invaders. The message that ref sent the crowd tonight is that idiots running onto the field to delay the game works.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Zardes was invisible (again), except for when he was scoring for Panama.

Still shaking my head over this one. The US did not have one shot on frame.

I know the Jozy ship has sailed and I get that. But he’d have been more serviceable than Zardes on the road in Central America.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

 

[noelr]

I don't see the Costa Rica games on any cable station

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Not only that, but 7 minutes when the injury stoppage for the two guys who bonked heads lasted over five minutes, and came after another injury stoppage when they had to stretcher the Panamanian player off that lasted more than two minutes. Those two stoppages plus the "normal" time added for substitutions should have meant at least 10 minutes of extra time. At least.

And then another minute or two of stoppage time in stoppage time for the pitch invaders. The message that ref sent the crowd tonight is that idiots running onto the field to delay the game works.

In this day and age, I cant believe they can't have a ref with a stop watch who presses "play" for every single stoppage and then add back second for second. If an injury take 1:43, then 1:43 gets added. If it takes longer than 10 seconds to take a GK, take a throw-in, or do a substitutition then it should get added back

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don't see the Costa Rica games on any cable station

It's on ESPN2.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Still shaking my head over this one. The US did not have one shot on frame.

I know the Jozy ship has sailed and I get that. But he’d have been more serviceable than Zardes on the road in Central America.

I don't understand how you can watch Hoppe play as well as he did in the Gold Cup and yet still give minutes to Zardes over him now that Hoppe is playing regularly.

I also don't understand a coach who talks about needing experienced players especially in road qualifiers (after all, that's why he keeps putting Zardes on the team) picking Bello over Yedlin.

But then again, this is a manager who doesn't even call Walker Zimmerman into the team when they first picked the squad and only put him on the roster because of injuries to players who did get picked, and then proceeds to play him the full 90 in both games so far and made him the captain last night.

And I don't have a problem with Zimmerman playing. I think that he's always played pretty well when he has played for the US, and he might have, overall, played the best of any player the US put on the field the first two games. The question isn't "why is he playing", the question is "why on earth wasn't he on the roster in the first place"?

Berhalter seems to be the ultimate "throw crap against the wall and see what sticks" kind of manager. Which is fine when it works. And when it doesn't? You lose to Panama.

 

[PeetWeet1]

I don't understand how you can watch Hoppe play as well as he did in the Gold Cup and yet still give minutes to Zardes over him now that Hoppe is playing regularly.

I also don't understand a coach who talks about needing experienced players especially in road qualifiers (after all, that's why he keeps putting Zardes on the team) picking Bello over Yedlin.

But then again, this is a manager who doesn't even call Walker Zimmerman into the team when they first picked the squad and only put him on the roster because of injuries to players who did get picked, and then proceeds to play him the full 90 in both games so far and made him the captain last night.

And I don't have a problem with Zimmerman playing. I think that he's always played pretty well when he has played for the US, and he might have, overall, played the best of any player the US put on the field the first two games. The question isn't "why is he playing", the question is "why on earth wasn't he on the roster in the first place"?

Berhalter seems to be the ultimate "throw crap against the wall and see what sticks" kind of manager. Which is fine when it works. And when it doesn't? You lose to Panama.

Hope Solo for USMNT manager!

 

[anon_4dfwm2pijbr0a]

In the words of Rodney Marsh, What say you?

If Berhalter loses to The Ticos and pending other results, do you consider sacking him? I say yes, in fact **** yes. I think he was a poor hire to begin with and nothing more than a nepotism hire.

I also think, and call this nothing more than conspiracy theory thinking, that Don Garber has some say in the goings on of the National Team. I mean how else can you explain last night's crap ass line up. You will never convince me, with a few exceptions that European based players aren't better than MLS based players.

Going through what they have now these are the only MLS players worthy of the starting 11

Matt Turner
Miles Robinson
Ricardo Pepi and that's solely based on early results

The rest of them last night, no. What does Matthew Hoppe have to do to get time on the field? This loss is solely on Berhalter. He chose a losing line up with the thought of hoping for 1 point. Now he got what he deserved and I hope he gets sacked.

He's garbage and the MLS is mediocre. If you're resting your laurels on mediocre, you'll fail.

And a caller on the Grumps made an excellent point today. You don't experiment with the line up when you're still trying to qualify....you do it after you've secured qualification.

It hurts to say this, if it means Berhalter gets sacked, I'm all for them failing to qualify for Qatar.

Oh yeah, Panama stinks. That's says it all about Berhalter and his nonsense last night.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

This loss is solely on Berhalter. He chose a losing line up with the thought of hoping for 1 point.

You could tell by the way he was talking that he was just playing for one point. And then afterwards he basically says that they really weren't, while all but saying that they actually were.

I get that with these stupid three game windows that you have to rotate your team. But you should always be doing what is best to win the game in front of you. Worry about winning the 3rd game after you've played the 2nd, not before. Now they've put themselves in a position where they really need a win on Wednesday. Not "must win", but "really need a win". And what happens if you don't?

 

[anon_4dfwm2pijbr0a]

You could tell by the way he was talking that he was just playing for one point. And then afterwards he basically says that they really weren't, while all but saying that they actually were.

I get that with these stupid three game windows that you have to rotate your team. But you should always be doing what is best to win the game in front of you. Worry about winning the 3rd game after you've played the 2nd, not before. Now they've put themselves in a position where they really need a win on Wednesday. Not "must win", but "really need a win". And what happens if you don't?

Agree. An 18 year old Ricardo Pepi, a Matthew Hoppe that has no gametime during qualification. Yet he chooses Gyasi Zardes. Well he scored alright....except for Panama. I get rotating the bench but it's vital to keep the starters in tact as best as he can. But he failed to do that and he failed his team last night.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Agree. An 18 year old Ricardo Pepi, a Matthew Hoppe that has no gametime during qualification. Yet he chooses Gyasi Zardes. Well he scored alright....except for Panama. I get rotating the bench but it's vital to keep the starters in tact as best as he can. But he failed to do that and he failed his team last night.

I Like Zimmerman actually. But I agree with most of your other points.

the crazy thing is, if you sack Berhalter, who do you turn to? I actually think Bradley could get them qualified.

 

[PeetWeet1]

In the words of Rodney Marsh, What say you?

If Berhalter loses to The Ticos and pending other results, do you consider sacking him? I say yes, in fact **** yes. I think he was a poor hire to begin with and nothing more than a nepotism hire.

I also think, and call this nothing more than conspiracy theory thinking, that Don Garber has some say in the goings on of the National Team. I mean how else can you explain last night's crap ass line up. You will never convince me, with a few exceptions that European based players aren't better than MLS based players.

Going through what they have now these are the only MLS players worthy of the starting 11

Matt Turner
Miles Robinson
Ricardo Pepi and that's solely based on early results

The rest of them last night, no. What does Matthew Hoppe have to do to get time on the field? This loss is solely on Berhalter. He chose a losing line up with the thought of hoping for 1 point. Now he got what he deserved and I hope he gets sacked.

He's garbage and the MLS is mediocre. If you're resting your laurels on mediocre, you'll fail.

And a caller on the Grumps made an excellent point today. You don't experiment with the line up when you're still trying to qualify....you do it after you've secured qualification.

It hurts to say this, if it means Berhalter gets sacked, I'm all for them failing to qualify for Qatar.

Oh yeah, Panama stinks. That's says it all about Berhalter and his nonsense last night.

I Like Zimmerman actually. But I agree with most of your other points.

the crazy thing is, if you sack Berhalter, who do you turn to? I actually think Bradley could get them qualified.

Solo, or Big Sam, if available?

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Solo

I'm starting to come around on this idea!

😁

 

[anon_4dfwm2pijbr0a]

I Like Zimmerman actually. But I agree with most of your other points.

the crazy thing is, if you sack Berhalter, who do you turn to? I actually think Bradley could get them qualified.

I always was fond of Bob Bradley. And yes, Walker Zimmerman for that list. He was sturdy and that's what you need in the back.