The consensus on BS seems to be that he played well. So if I had to pick between a couple of tables at a restaurant watching the game casually and a BS forum for who has the Moreno trained eye for this kind of thing, I think I’ll choose the latter. No big deal either way, just agree to disagree.
That was therapeutic. Doesn't mean all or most ills are cured. But you have to give it up for the performance. They pressed and moved the ball with purpose. The score differential of +6 wasn't flattering. You had to expect +3 minimum given it would have been a sign that the senior team didn't have heart anymore if they didn't have revenge on their minds. But thankfully they did, and delivered. Some player thoughts: - Really love Long as a player. He has poise and fire. He can be an asset both ways when tasked. He actually contributed more than the 2 goals when high up (iirc he started his career as an attacker) and didn't make a mistake with his passing out of the back. I really hope he gets a move to Europe by winter, and not because he needs it to get better, rather he already deserves it. I think he could back door a Cameron type career there. - The U.S. doesn't miss out on the World Cup if Morris starts at home v. Costa Rica or wouldn't have been injured @T&T. He has that never say die attitude you can't teach. Weren't on the verge of dying tonight when he came in, but he helped the team secure a win and finally make a statement. It was shades of his play @Honduras, in the GC final v. Jamaica, and yes even v. Martinique to help the squad avoid embarrassment. Such an unjustly maligned player. He should be closer to beloved. But he didn't go to Werder Bremen, so some will always hold that against him. *sigh* - Even though the team put up a lackluster scoreline until he came off, Boyd provided an attacking impetus, and on another night he puts one home. He was knocking on the door. He appears a much needed upgrade to the attacking wing spot. He's one of three positive (re)-integrations of the Berhalter era so far, which would also include Lima and returning Morris to the fold. - Pulisic and McKennie provided closer to the leadership you'd expect given their pedigree. Hopefully they continue to grow quickly in this role, because I'm not sure there's a vet presence on the squad. Gave the team some bite in cm. - Overall, the team athleticism is closer to what it used to be when it formerly was an asset. The two positions where it may still be a light in that regard are LB and CDM. Ream and Bradley could prove an issue when opponents put up resistance. Even today you had instances like Ream not blocking a shot on a loose ball he should have gotten to first. Forced a decent save from Steffen, who has had better passing nights lately, and more appeared like the shot stopper we've become accustomed to betwixt the sticks.
Yeah, one hates to be Debbie downer on a night like this but the weak areas stuck out: Ream is an upgrade over Robinson but we need to get more out of that position. Ream will do great helping Fullham get back into the Prem at which point he should cross the pond and play for Cincy, buy an Arby's franchise, get a mortgage and have a bunch of kids. I love Lima vs. Trinidad and Guyana and......any team ranked over 100. I worry about what happens vs. Mexico on the defensive side. Wes will make a great cb in a 3 cb back line. Berhalter needs to sit down with some great philosophers of football and discuss the 8 position. For xmas I"m giving Pulisic the complete games of Miguel Almiron. Fullbacks and the 8 (including a tutorial on the 8 for Berhalter) - those are the areas of need for me. Otherwise I think we're fine and just need to play more together. It seemed obvious that McKennie was already giving up on Berhalter's dub10's scheme so I presume Berhalter is on his way back from Mars and will be landing soon and implementing a grounded, down-to-earth midfield scheme. p.s. edit: Obviously Bradley will not make it against the heat Mexico will bring and I expect Adams/Trapp will be the pair going forward at the 6 with a Servania or somebody else bringing up the rear.
He showed a lot tonight. maybe you and your friends are wrong. He showed vision and passing range that I had not seen before. Lima looked good too. He got an assist and retained possession well. ETA:this thorough butt whipping is exactly what I wanted to see. Bad teams should come to the U.S. just hoping to avoid embarrassment.
I recall several excellent through-balls, and 1-2 chipped crosses, and the same physically and defensive grit. The only annoying thing with him was, he keeps complaining about every foul. He also could've been booked for consistent infringement. Get mad at the botched calls, not the OK ones. A note on the backline: Nick Lima impressed me with his defensive trackback. Ream and Bradley looking more and more like the defensive Achilles heel of this team, which is nice. The CB pairing grew into the game, particularly Long played much better.
Yea, those sections were at the 50 yard line. Live and in person. Seeing the entire field, not just what the shitty camera work showed those watching at home. And I’ll put my resume as a “trained eye” up against yours anytime. Believe what you want, but WM was poor until the final 1/4 hour.
I don’t get the McKennie hate. He was running around like a mad man and breaking up attacks defensively. He also contributed offensively with a couple of nice pace changing passes. To think he was good this game you don’t need to be a “fanboy” and to think he was good doesn’t mean you have to think he’s a “savior”
That was much better. But Trinidad were horrible, like Guyana-level horrible. Pulisic would have won that game with any 10 scrubs. What a game he played. Credit to Egg for giving Steffen the armband. Hopefully, that clears the way for Bradley/Trapp to be replaced in the lineup. Arriola cannot be a starter for this team. In any competitive game, you cannot have a player in that position miss that many chances. That will lead to L's against decent/good teams.
Watching that clip and it looks like Arriola to Zardes to Bradley to Lima to Zardes. Just sayin'. ...I'm surprised Will Trapp didn't somehow sub in to get a touch on the ball.
He had some good plays. It's why they like him at Schalke. He doesn't make the impact at the 8 that you'd expect. A team with more intention of attacking than Trinidad on this night would have exposed him -and Bradley, too, mind you. We'd have the odd "omigosh did you see that 8o yd lungubsting trackback....." with long absences in between. But, nevermind, let's see where Wagner plays him @ Schalke just three month's hence. WE don't really have anybody much better anyway because Berhlater doesn't like 8's. What bothers me about this tournament is that Trapp needs the experience to play the 6 the way Bradley is playing it - seeing as how Adams isn't ready yet. But we are playing Bradley in a gimme performance and denying Trapp the experience when we know Bradley will age out before Qatar and Trapp will be prime age and needs the experience.
Trapp should not even be on the roster. If the U.S. quaifies in 2022 and Trapp is still on the roster, that is a major problem.
Arriola is far from a fringe player, maybe that's what he should be, but the reality is he's played in every game and is the most capped player under Berhalter! Arriola would be quite useful as a bench player, same as Jordan Morris. Both seem ideal for coming on late and running at tired defenders, the Jonathan Lewis role from the first few Berhalter friendlies. We have Pulisic and Boyd, it would be nice if we could develop at least one more starter who is clearly ahead of those two and ensures that they're primarily bench options, whether it's Weah, Amon, Lewis, or someone else...
Agreed, but unfortunately for the US to face Jamaica, El Salvador would have to beat Honduras by more than Jamaica beats Curaçao (Jamaica and El Salvador are tied on points and goal differential). Is that possible, yes, but I really doubt it will happen, so we'll likely face El Salvador.
I’m with you that he’s not a CM. He had a lot of nice plays tonight, but almost as many inexplicably bad ones. You can’t have that type of player touching the ball 100 times a game. I like him as a RW/RM/RWB and RCB in a 3-man line. He’s just too untidy to play centrally.
They did, but it was great to see the US pound them into the dirt. It wasn't until maybe the 87th minute, and the final 6-0 scoreline, that they slowed up. T and T had a few good counters--the best was one where a guy (Cato maybe?) got the ball on the line about 45 yards out, covered by two guys. I saw the runner streaking up the left of center and was like "oh, shit". Long recognized it, too and made an amazing sprint to pressure the guy's shot after a perfectly weighted and very difficult ball from Cato. Long had a few great recoveries. He really showed his speed, grit and determination yesterday. And he scored two goals. And, when the ball stayed in T and T's half after a free kick, he stuck around and looked comfortable playing around with the rest of the team. Not something I'm accustomed to seeing from a centerback.