I was at that 3-1 game, in Tampa. Man, that was a beautiful night of soccer! I can only dream that we re-create that type of performance.
Tim Ream, Long, Johnson, Zardes, Arriola, Morris and Trapp all start. Tim Ream is captain. Neither Gonzalez, Ramirez or Lima is dressing.
The elo-ratings: Ecuador 25th USA: 31st Panama: 66th Panama's making the WC and Ecuador's not making the WC likely explains the contrast with the FIFA rankings.
Thanks. That seems a better ranking system that I will use going forward. I’ll note that Chile is ranked 17th. Given the ELO rankings, I’d say a 1-0 win sounds right given it’s at home and I can see a 1-1 tie.
I think it'd be an ok result. Ecuador is in a transition period, still trying to form a squad, after losing several of their starters to age last cycle. Even though they beat Peru 0-2 in Lima recently, they're still one of the weakest in South America and need to find their footing before the qualifiers start. Chile is an aging team, that is likely to undergo the generation shift in the middle of qualification, and that's going to be bad for them. For some reason they insist on playing their 30-34 year olds even now, when they should be using these friendlies to find new talent. So, based on the inexperience in Ecuador and the age in Chile, plus us coming out of a long period of freezing under Sarachan, I think a 1-0 and 1-1 would be decent for all the teams involved.
honestly if bradley can’t run like he used to i’d rather have trapps passing and familiarity with greggs system
The current FIFA ranking is based on the Elo rating but they have introduced some of their magic factors. In short, it's Elo done wrong. https://resources.fifa.com/image/up...orld-ranking.pdf?cloudid=fzltr4s8tz3v3vy0aqo1
You should lay some money down then. We're favorites, but William Hill has a Ecuador +.5 as if memory serves. O/U set at 2.5 strikes me as odd considering how god awful our attacking players are in this set up other than Pulisic. I have no idea what's going to happen, maybe the sheer talent of Pulisic and friends gets us a couple of goals, but just as easily I could see us lose, or play a hideous 0-0 or 1-0 victory. It just seems like a completely toothless collection of attacking players. Credit to Morris who has stomped all over my view that he shouldn't be called in until he'd played quite a few more games. Regardless of how disappointing '17-'18 was for him, there's no arguing how well he's played this month.
The actual lineup is different but not materially. It seems like the answer is what you suggested. CP to carry the team, but at least he has the support from Mckennie and Adams. I dont expect him to get kicked and no support from team mates as we saw under Arena. Zardes has to have the most lucky or not on purpose goals in USMNT history. As much that it is a joke he is starting, he is decent first time finisher.
ELO much much better than FIFA of course, 538/SPI type rankings I've never been able to get a real handle on, ELO has been producing reasonably good to very good rankings for decades so I definitely like them.
This is what I was hoping for in this game and expect to see Bradley against Chile. I think these match ups will overwhelm both. As always, i am rooting for the USMNT, but rooting for these guys to have nightmares so this nonsense ends sooner than later.
Honestly with friendlies it's always watch and see. I don't care about scoreline unless we fall into a mental issue with finishing chances. Care a great deal more about how we play as a group, defending together, linking up, thoughtful intelligent soccer, something that's been missing since what, Bradley days (and I didn't like Bradley, in retrospect I kinda think i was harsh on him except for his hideous lineup decisions particularly vs Ghana in that R16 match), nice combination play, all the little things done right, and some creativity in attack, strong defending, and a team that looks like they love playing together, something I haven't seen in years and years as well.
Well apparently Bradley starts on the bench. I little surprising to me. Trapp however is starting and I just don't see that at all but if he doesnt show well, GB will have a lot of fast talking to do.
Possessing the ball. Generating more shot opportunities than the opposition. Maintaining a good shape. This is in the context of how Ecuador play. Most SA teams bring it in these friendlies. Hopefully, they put in an effort.
Played a lot of minutes last year and I think lost his legs towards end, not that they were what they had been.
It is a way of deferring a decision. An experienced guy but not a threat to be named captain for much than these friendlies.