Pre-match: 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage: USA vs Panama

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Sebsasour, Jun 22, 2019.

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  1. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup - Group Stage
    USA vs Panama
    Wednesday, June 26th
    9 PM (ET)
    Children's Mercy Park
    Kansas City, KS
    Fox Sports 1 and Univision
     
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  2. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If there is a strong difference between who the group winner faces and who the 2nd place team faces, this match could be intense. If the difference is slight, it might be kinda meh.... we'll see.
     
  3. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    We don't want Jamaicans to run at our slow defenders.
     
  4. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Well it looks like it'd be for the chance to avoid Jamaica and get (probably) El Salvador who we're no strangers to in the QFs. I'd be more than happy to have Jamaica and Panama beat each other up before playing us.
     
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  5. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Jamaicans should be more worried about us running at their defenders.
     
  6. FormerNo10

    FormerNo10 Member

    Juventus
    United States
    Dec 13, 2018
    What's wrong with having to play Jamaica? Isn't our defense rock-solid?

    I want the MNT to face the stiffest competition throughout this entire tournament. Especially with all of the players that seemed to have been anointed 3G-system starters.
     
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  7. FirstStar

    FirstStar Hustlin' for the USA

    Fulham Football Club
    Feb 1, 2005
    Time's Arrow
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Don’t think it matters much who we play in the QF between JAM and ELS. However, if Curaçao somehow slips into 1 or 2, then I’d want to play them next just because it would be nice to not be playing the same opponents again and again.

    Seriously- Curacao or ELS in the QF? CONCACAF is such a joke. (And we didn’t even qualify out of it two years ago. Damn).
     
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  8. um_chili

    um_chili Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    Losanjealous
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is the likeliest scenario but not by a huge margin. Jamaica and El Salvador are both on 4 points, Curacao on 3. Only Honduras is eliminated and the margins so far have been very tight in the group, no game decided by more than one goal.

    Jamaica plays Curacao and if they win they likely take top spot in the group but Curacao is no joke, definitely one of the up and coming teams in the Caribbean. They beat Honduras last game, and El Salvador beat them only 1-0 so no guaranteed result there. El Salvador v Honduras is even closer, I'd say, even though Honduras is eliminated. Normally Hondo is the stronger team, but they may be on the decline or just having a crappy tournament.

    That said, I'd like to see us win against Panama regardless of who that means we face in the quarters. The scars of Couva are still fresh, and getting wins against regional opponents has value for the team and the fans and the program beyond any strategic value. We've got some nice momentum coming out of the T&T game, they need to keep it up against Panama and head into the elimination rounds with more confidence and positivity. Topping the group against a team that has historically played us very very tough in this tournament would be a very nice way to do that.
     
  9. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    a full turnover is never going to happen in any scenario (here it is, for fun)

    _______johnson
    ___miazga___gonzalez
    cannon___________lovitz
    ________trapp
    __roldan___mihailovic
    morris____________lewis
    _________jozy

    but keeping steffen and lima, pair long with miazga, and use subs wisely for mckennie, pulisic and the wings...

    _______steffen
    ___miazga___long
    lima____________lovitz
    __mckennie___trapp
    boyd____pulisic__arriola
    _________jozy

    looks a pretty solid "rest" team. actually, id give morris the game, hope to sub off mckennie/pulisic/wing.
     
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  10. largegarlic

    largegarlic Member+

    Jul 2, 2007
    I'm interested to see how Panama will approach defending the US. Guyana came out with something of a high press; T&T came out in a bunker. Neither really worked obviously, but if I were an opponent, I'd try to press the US, especially when the backline has the ball and is looking to dump it off to Bradley.

    I thought the US struggled with that against Guyana in the 1st half, but solved it somewhat in the 2nd half of that game. I'm not sure how they'd do against a better team using that game plan.
     
  11. 6 ft. Leprechaun

    Dec 9, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Panama approach should be to press Bradley whenever he has the ball. Force him to backpass it and then press the backline to hoof it or cough it up. With GGG, the DLP is the key. If you negate that, the shape crumbles.
     
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  12. bct81

    bct81 Member+

    multiple (DC United, Dortmund, Arsenal, Leeds....)
    United States
    Mar 17, 2007
    moving around the US every few years ....
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yep agree.

    They will try to man mark our wingers and press Bradley to get him to cough it up.

    McKennie will be very important here to help Bradley out of the jam and take the ball forward.

    Panama is very athletic and physical.

    Could be an intense match.
     
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  13. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Do you save Jozy for the knockout rounds?>
     
  14. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ok. Panama will be tougher. But this is a team we outmatch in most places across the field. I do think they will try to emulate what Guyana did against Mikey in the first half. But with McKennie, Pulisic, Boyd on the field there are many ways of keeping the pressure on Panama, in their end. The less Bradley has to defend, the more he can hang forward in their half, and be the fall back player to resume a new attack, the better off he and the team will be.
    I predict 4-1 for us.
     
  15. truefan420

    truefan420 Member+

    May 30, 2010
    oakland
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I’m interested to see if 3G really does rotate here like he said he was planning on doing in the group stages.
     
  16. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We'll see.
     
  17. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not sure both of those guys start against Panama but if they do it will be interesting to see if Bradley even looks for an upfield option while pressed. He seems to only look backwards when pressed while other defensive mids can spin out of presses and have room forward when they maneuver around.
     
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  18. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He had a hard time with Guyana on this. TnT decided to let him have time and space, focusing more on Pulisic, and Mikey was able to be more forward in his play. Assuming he starts against Panama, it will be interesting to see how the opposition prioritizes who to focus on.
     
  19. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Throw out the same XI...

    Bring on Jozy sooner for Gyasi (60th minute).

    Maybe bring on Lovitz too since Ream has been the weak link on defense. Personally, I’d bring on Cannon and switch Lima to LB, but that’s not going to happen.

    And for the third sub I guess give Morris another go since he did well last night.

    Main goal is to continue to build a rhythm throughout the tournament that can be something to build on after the Gold Cup.
     
  20. FirstStar

    FirstStar Hustlin' for the USA

    Fulham Football Club
    Feb 1, 2005
    Time's Arrow
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I’d press the shit out off Bradley and try to jump the passing lanes while he’s being pressed. I suspect they would get a few turnovers leading to key opportunities out of that.
     
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  21. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    Jamaica > Panama > Mexico will be a tougher route than El Salvador > Jamaica/Panama > Mexico, but I'd risk it and rotate 4-8 starters.

    It's a tough call. It would have been an easier decision if Honduras hadn't fumbled its chances away against Curacao.
     
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  22. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    IF we needed 3 points, I'd probably play the starters, but we only need 1. I'd rotate, though maybe keep the backline the same if Greg plans on using it going forward
     
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  23. FirstStar

    FirstStar Hustlin' for the USA

    Fulham Football Club
    Feb 1, 2005
    Time's Arrow
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yep. Hopefully Gregg realizes that there’s not much difference between first and second (and our B line up ought to be able to get a result anyway).
     
  24. skim172

    skim172 Member+

    Feb 20, 2013
    General question: do you think it matters whether we finish top of the group or not?

    I honestly don't see any opponent from Group C providing much challenge.
     
  25. Sebsasour

    Sebsasour Member+

    New Mexico United
    May 26, 2012
    Albuquerque NM
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think that largely depends on whether or not Curacao can sneak out of the group.
     

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