"France is the best team in the world right now, and it shows with the talent they produce. They had by far the best talent at this tournament. This is a huge upset. That's not to say we are bad. It would be a big upset if almost any team at this tournament beat France." You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth and expect to be taken seriously.
Post Match interview vs Qatar Reporter: "Mali or France?" Ledezma: "France so we can take them out early." 38 second mark.
Franco is trying a little too hard to be "critical professional" guy IMO. I don't see how one says a team played poorly while they created 5 one-on-one with the keeper opportunities in the game.
I wish there was data related to breakout age. Maybe there is, but it is super, super predictive w/other sports, breakout age, playing up cycles, that sorta thing is highly congruent with future success for Basketball Players, and certain positional football players for sure. If a guy can play up an age group, it's a fantastic sign in and of itself. That's the one reason I am being patient w/it. I've preferred Llanez since day one, but if he isn't match fit, that's one thing, if he is, I can only see one reason for preferring KDLF, and that would be his greater effort on the defensive end. Regardless, he's playing up a cycle and looks like he belongs just fine, just haven't seen much end product (and admittedly as others have said, he didn't have much help in terms of people making runs onto his crosses against Ukraine).
you see a lot of the really good ones breaking out now or in their next year....thats when the body starts maturing and you start to get your lungs and become a man. He needs that killer instinct, hes got the skills just doesn't have that killer attitude in the final 3rd yet. He puts that together and hes gunna be a good one. Right now Llanez is the better prospect. Hes got some flair, speed and will rip one when he sees fit, really solid in transition
"Minutes later, Weah was at it again. After a long cross-field pass from captain Paxton Pomykal, Weah split two defenders and chipped the goalkeeper but was unable to catch the ball before a France defender recovered to clear it."
re: rennicks i never really considered 1v1 with the keeper to mean collecting a rebound like that, but that could be on me
1. I'm totally cool with Soto getting a high rating for the France game. if he can consistently finish chances at a high %...a low passing %/high turnover rate can be overlooked. He really impressed me with his finishing of the 2 through balls. But I think his low passing % and turnovers of balls in good postion to create danger should be taken into account for the rating. He doesn't seem to be the type of forward who can create his own 1 on 1 or who can be a very good holdup target...but as long as he has creative teammates who can serve up chances, he will be damn good. 2. I hear you about strikers not being clinical 100% of the time....totally true. But there was a play in the game when a nice ball was played to Soto right outside the french box....1 or 2 french defenders were in position...and Soto meekly lost the ball without getting a shot off....an exceptional striker at least gets a shot off there. When the ball was played it seemed dangerous but I didn't expect anything to happen b/c that isn't Soto[s game. That's not his strength...if he can show that he can beat a defender that is already in position...he will take the next leap. There are strikers out there who can create danger from that type of opportunity and that type of player is my preference at that position. 3. I disagree about the US not being able to possess against the likes of France. Imagine adams and sargent out there, for example...would make a huge difference in possession. You cannot posses the ball well when you have players who cannot do that style....a few of them and it kills the team's chances of possession vs a team like that. servania, scott and keita made it very hard for the team to sustain possession, imo. But there are other players in this cohort that can play that way! I think the US could've put out a lineup that could get even possession with that french team....those players either weren't on the roster or were on the bench, imo.
a) I apologize about the latest episode. Did not go the way I wanted it to. My fault. b) I do think Weah has been bad for long stretches of the tournament, BUT he's provided several pivotal moments of quality, and he was a force yesterday, easily his best game IMO. I guess I dog on him because I feel like he escapes criticism to some extent, but I try to give him his due. The assist v Ukraine, the goal v Qatar, the assist yesterday were all quality and crucial and I think I've said that repeatedly!
The Scott choice is so puzzling. Does anyone think he’ll pull out a wonder save like Steffen? Ochoa has the Steffen swagger and confidence. You can see the calmness of a Nick Rimando in his demeanor. What facet of Scott’s game is better than Ochoa? It’s not distribution. It’s not 1v1s (watch the replay of Ochoa stoning Qater on a breakaway. Center of the field and he saves the shot by making himself look big, getting close and getting his left hand out. Contrast that to Scott going 1v1 against France. Can’t use wide angle to his advantage and makes himself smaller while not getting close to shooter).
Watch it again. He could've swept it away with his leg. You see that done all the time where a player doesn't even survey the scene, and instead tries to clear the ball as quick as possible because they know a player may be a step away. Dest reacts and considers that possibility, but hesitates and instead takes another two steps towards the ball, likely because he didn't want to put his leg in a position to be stepped on. At that point, he's going to be second to the 50/50.
Scott's distribution was killing me vs France....I focus a lot on defenders' distribution a lot but GK passing matters a lot to any team facing a high press..... it was like he was having a panic attack or something every time he kicked it. not gonna cut it vs ecuador if they high-press.
France is the best team in the world: Fact. They won the World Cup. It shows with the talent they produce: Opinion, but I think anyone without a huge degree of bias would take a look at the talent on their rosters at all youth levels, and admit that they have more talent than every other country. They had by far the best talent at this tournament: Opinion, but four of the top five value players according to transfermarkt play for the French team, and 10 of the top 25. I think anyone without a huge degree of bias would consider the players on each rosters, and think they have by far the best talent at this tournament.
Everyone likes an Mbappe or a Aguero but the fact of the matter is that theres not too many of those out there. Soto is actually pretty good at holdup work and itll only improve as he fills out. He holds it up well and sees the pass....had a lot of assists and setups last year doing that exact thing. Most 18 year olds are going to have trouble shielding against 6-5 200lb defenders. Soto is a guy you cant make a mistake against or he will make you pay, hes shown it all year. I think his hold up game will only get better as he gets stronger, along with his finishing and shot selection. But dont make a mistake or you are going to pay for it, and you have to love his high motor. He has things that cant be taught though which is vision and positioning. Hes not an incredible athlete but seriously, dont make a mistake or you are going to find a ball in the back of the net. Hes lethal inside the 18
I think Keita moves better and is better on the ball. Trusty is also two inches taller. IMO, Trusty is more like a Miazga style of CB. Very good in the air, good positionally and reads the game well, better athlete than he looks for a player his size, but struggles in possession and can be beat by speed. I think Keita moves well. What we saw with Diaby going by him was a player with elite quickness walking by a 6'2 CB. There are very few CB's who could've kept up with Diaby. I think he needs to get better tactically. His decision-making with the ball and defending often causes errors.
yea, thats a no win situation....Diaby is ridiculous fast. You cant really blame him for those losses, he never had a chance. Need Gloster to understand not to go too far up where you get that one v one because Keita isnt gunna win that one
You are trying to intentionally mislead. I didn't reference the contested challenge that the France player won. That was after Dest made a business decision to not sweep the ball away with his leg. At that point, it was very unlikely that the France player wouldn't have gotten there first and scored. He might've put his foot in for that challenge, but he made sure to not sweep with his leg initially and leave it there to be stepped on, as opposed to maybe getting his foot or ankle stepped on. Anyone who has played the sport (or any contact sport) knows that there are certain situations where you can go full into the contact and potentially get hurt worse or you can hesitate, give yourself less chance of injury, but also give yourself less of a chance of making the play. Thats what Dest did here. You can see him react initially, and decide not to sweep his leg. Here is the play. 4:19 is the start of the play. You can see Dest try to take a few steps towards the ball. Someone who would've wanted a better chance to clear that sweeps their leg.
You took a frame that wasn't what I referenced. Thats trying to mislead. Take the frame where he initially sees the ball.
i kind of know what you are saying but he was still there, and if he takes the leg he might get a red......which loses us the game