Yeah, I heard the smutty goal kick chants. :-D In a similarly scientific vein to the "It looked like more on TV" analysis, that was an almost entirely red, white and blue crowd as far as I could tell. Presumably a lot of El Tri fans bought tickets for the final in advance and then cheered for their second-favorite team (which would be progress in itself if true) when Mexico didn't make it?
This didn't even cross my mind and I completely forgot the implications for the Confed Cup in 2021. Feeling even better about last night.
Yep, at the very least the US now goes to the CONCACAF Cup in 2019, but if the US wins the 2019 GC, then the CONCACAF Cup will not be needed.
I just wish we could get better at unlocking the packed box. I realize that can be difficult for a lot of teams, and it simply not our skillset, but it just seems like the one place we have not progressed, save a few individuals, over the years. Lack of truly dangerous long range shooter hurts us. We have so few guys that are regularly lethal from distance... Anyway, Mexico had trouble finishing on this team as well, but I think Blake saves Jozy FK, and Morris was a very good finish on a lot of an in the box mess. Not to pick nits, but it would be nice to see some goals off more intentional attacking moves. Jamaica is almost pretty good.
Always better to win the Gold Cup than lose it, especially when you host. One can celebrate the result while still keeping the bigger picture in check. Although I suspect that a loss last night and the tournament wouldn't have been so meaningless for some people. I recall the Arena thread being bumped literally moments after the Panama tie by someone very upset that Arena had yet to face a backlash similar to what Klinsi faced.
Yeah, I think that's pretty much accurate. If Miller saves or a Jamaican defender blocks that attempt by Morris, and 30 more minutes go by with the U.S. continuing to lay siege to the Jamaica goal but not scoring, and then Jamaica wins in the game of roulette that is penalty kicks, these "I don't know why everyone's losing their minds. It's just the Gold Cup" people would be completely losing theirs about how unconscionably crappy this team was.
Meanwhile, Jamaica scores on its only good opportunity off of a great offensive play capitalizing on a defensive error by Jordan Morris. What I'm trying to say is, this felt like a dominant 1-0 win more so than it did a 2-1 last-gasp winner. I think it should be referenced more as the former, even if the concern about breaking down a bunker remains.
Is there even gonna be a Confederations Cup in 2019? Isn't FIFA looking at getting rid of it before then due to lack of interest? And that tournament that just got won by a C team is still way more interesting than this tournament where we sent an A- team to an F-caliber tournament. The Gold Cup's a shitty tournament in the best of times, but when we win by sending the most starters and beating Jamaica in the final, it's really hard to even pretend to care. Gold Cup needs to get cut to once every 4 years ASAP.
What if we were to hold the 2nd Gold Cup in England or Germany. Would you like it then? Martin Tyler could do the call.
Hedges, Bedoya, Zusi, Pontius, Arriola, Gonzalez, Besler, McCarty, Rowe, Hamid, Miazga, Dwyer, Corona, Acosta, Lichaj, Morrow, and Morris are all on your A- team, eh? We started Altidore, MB, Nagbe, Villafana, and Howard. The only certifiable "A" teamers. Sure, plenty of guys could've made the 30-man provisional, but there's no way that a team with less-than-half of the best US lineup is an "A-" team.
Good win. Glad Jozy scored a big goal yet again. Also glad Morris scored. I am on his 2018 Russia bandwagon.
Is FIFA going to fine the USA for the "Pputo" chants? Those morons yelling that word isn't the USSF's fault.
I would think so. Bring the A team to the Confed Cup and the B team to the Gold Cup just like Mexico did this year.
If Confed Cup is in summer in Qatar, maybe send the B team and save the A team from frying. I'm not sure a Qatar Confed Cup is a desirable thing. Not sure they will have it.
...which of course means Mexico is a stone-cold lock to win the next GC, even if 2015-esque shenanigans are needed to make it happen
The Confed Cup is still on the FIFA calendar, but it will not be in Qatar. Fifa announced a while back that it will be in a different location somewhere in Asia.
Interesting. Main (or close to main) purpose of Confed Cup is to provide the host nation with a dry run for the WC. If there was ever a WC that was going to need a dry run, it is this one.
Yup. I discussed this with Footsatt in the FIFA forum. This makes me tempted to just focus on two Copa Americas instead. What would be the incentive to go to a tournament in Japan that may have teams like Germany who will just send C teams? A Confederations Cup in Japan would be so meaningless for everyone.
Germany and Russia were really the only team that sent a different group of players. Mexico and Chile both had their A teams.
I continue to wonder what FIFA thinks about their decision here. By moving the Confederations Cup to Japan, is that stating: A- Qatar will not have facilities that are able to accomdate fans yet in 2021. B- It will be deemed not safe to play in Qatar. From day one I never believed this WC will happen in that country.