The three M's: Maturity, Mentality and Match-Awareness count more than Youth all-star teams. A good team with these qualities can always beat a favored opponent. Third game in a adrenaline-filled week, specially for the young guys, is a different beast.
Any statistical analysis that would indicate Dest was a key player in this tourney so far should be thrown out as junk science. He's had a bad tourney, full stop. How about play a true rb like Araujo instead of McKenzie, less than 2 d-mids, a pressure + width-centric plan, and fresh players then see the comparative results?
Pathetic effort all around, from the players and especially the coach. We got ran off the field by Qatar and are lucky not to be down. Worse yet, several supposed difference makers on this team didn't show up and/or displayed limitations that might be relevant to their respective ceilings. P.S. The ref is trash!
Yup. Its a very easy response. Why is Araujo on the roster if we're not going to use him in this instance?
Mckenzie at right back has been...not good. Servania-Durkin partnership has been poor. Changes need to be made immediately.
Half time and we are VERY lucky to be 0-0. I have not followed this team much: Does Tab make good adjustments? This is horrible, so far.
Howard is 6'1 1/2 and always stood in his tip-toes to look close to our CBs (6'4) in hight when taking a picture.
Bright side - held them scoreless. But I have no faith we'll make smart adjustments, as this game plan seems to have been the worst so far this tournament, as if we learned nothing from the Ukraine loss.
The first 2 games are pretty good, even lost to Ukraine...But this is the very frustrating first half...Need adjustment right away
Qatar was quicker to the ball in the midfield and we looked blah. Mendez seems like the guy you sub in to take free kicks then sub him out at the next throw in.
It's a red in pro play. For whatever reason, kids get away with more. It's games like this, and roster decisions like Keita over Sands (or, really, a U17 CB), that make me think we really don't need Tab Ramos to coach anymore. Wicky took a much worse team and made them play much better. Tab seems more and more like he's ridden a wave of US talent that clearly outpaces its CONCACAF counterparts, but that once we get to the WC and need a good coach, he is found wanting.
Pathetic all around. And I have no clue about this Aruajo, but hes getting time with a solid MLS team at RB. But we play a CB who hasn't played in 4 months there? What the hell is going on? Also, while Tab is playing a fool, I still think the players deserve some of the blame. This is effectively the same team that outplayed both Ukraine and Nigeria, and can hardly touch the ball today. Nobody is impressing outside of Ochoa.
If he doesn't make changes he should be fired whatever happens, stubbornness from the head coach in tournaments is unforgivable.
Qatar is playing like the team already having ticket to the next round...How could they lost the first 2 games? It's amazing
The play I'm talking about is when Gloster pokes the ball from the opponent and Weah was running back to the ball and the opponent still took the ball from Weah, Weah had the position.
Keita out, McKenzie to the cb pairing w/ Richards, Araujo in at rb, Pomykal in at CAM for Servania. 2 subs already at halftime. Hate to do it, and burn Pomykal, but Tab put us in a hole where a lot of adjustments are urgently required, imo. There are a lot of guys I'd want to sub too, like Weah, Mendez, Durkin, etc.; but have to prioritize. Ideally would have 8 subs for this match like it's high school. Don't look much better than high schoolers now. Back to the 433 higher pressure, more width game. Don't needlessly put the d under pressure. Qatar hasn't scored in this tourney with opponents actually trying to play football against them.