Pre-match: USA vs Jamaica -- Gold Cup Semi-Finals Wed 7/1

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by MarioKempes, Jul 1, 2019.

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  1. um_chili

    um_chili Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    Losanjealous
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Which MNT will show up? The one that dismantled Guyana and T&T or the one that lost to Jamaica, Venezuela, and barely beat Curacao?

    What worries me based on the above is that the good version of the US seems to show up only when we play piss-poor opposition. No disrespect to Curacao, but if we struggle when faced with opposition at that level, hoo boy gonna be a long semifinal (and long next several years).
     
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  2. y-lee-coyote

    y-lee-coyote Member+

    Dec 4, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    After reading the comments here, i think Zimmerman is pretty good and I do not think Brooks is necessarily a better CB than Zimmerman. A Cb's first job is to defend and while Brooks cab play a nice ball he has too many WTF was he thinking defensive gaffes for me to feel really comfortable with him. Zimmerman plays a decent ball too and is pretty solid on defense. Wonder if we end up with Brooks Zimmer by end of cycle.

    All the discussion about the system, and really it seems ill conceived for our pool. We need to play a 4-2-3-1.

    I go with Adams Weston in the two line puli in the middle of the three put Boyd and Arriola on either side or some unnamed winger du jour and go with whatever striker you think is hot at the time.
     
  3. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Zimmerman-Long looks like the first choice CB pair for me. Not everything is the value in FIFA.
     
  4. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Maybe it's just a few like you.
    Have you? I've watched him at club level and international level. He's a solid international who should do best in his natural position, which is deep mid in a 4231. I don't project him as starter on my roster, but I don't pick the actual roster.

    Exactly.
     
  5. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Member+

    Real Madrid, DC United, anywhere Pulisic plays
    Aug 3, 2000
    Proxima Centauri
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    OK, wrong thread, but GO HAITI!! Anyone else getting goosebumps thinking about playing Haiti in the final? Jozy Altidore has to start!
     
  6. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    How are you getting the ball from defense to attack?
     
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  7. GiallorossiYank

    GiallorossiYank Member+

    Jan 20, 2011
    NJ/Roma/Napoli
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why do scouts value John Brooks at 20 million more than Walker Zimmerman?

    He does everything better. He passes better, he's just as good in the air. It's not even very close honestly. Zimmerman and Long can't pass nearly as well as Brooks, which is a huge issue as to why we can't break one single damn line against freaking Curacao.
     
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  8. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    I don't understand the comparison. Wouldn't Brooks slot into Long's spot in the backline?
     
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  9. GiallorossiYank

    GiallorossiYank Member+

    Jan 20, 2011
    NJ/Roma/Napoli
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Technically, yeah. lol
     
  10. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think I worded that poorly. By screwed I meant he screwed himself. Unless you have Messi then it's not a good idea to build a whole system around one player especially a right back. As you point at he can be injured, need rest or have card accumulation. I was just pointing out that it also impacted the other players he called up especially at stay at home left back and once Adams went down it was too late to adjust to regular left backs. The silver lining is he hopefully has learned his lesson and I'd rather he learn all of them now before qualifying. Kind of like Klinsman learning in early friendlies that defensive mids aren't good at right mid/winger. Each coach has favorite players, ideas and formations they have to learn about the hard way it seems. The good coaches move on quickly. What we see in the next games after the GC will let us know a lot about this coach.
     
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  11. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Those scouts clearly don't watch MLS....It's Brooks-Miazga-Richards for me and it's not real close.
     
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  12. Regista

    Regista Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    This team lacks speed out wide. The FBs are atrocious. GGG knows they are not world class hence Adams at RB. Ridiculous. He is messing with this kids psyche and expects him to do more at 19 as far as a system role instead of letting him play freely in a naturally productive role.

    McKennie looks lost at times because of the same principle. He's free roaming out of position. He's also not a a natural attacker in my opinion.

    We lack speed out wide, Arriola is not the answer. Puli should be out wide with Boyd. I mentioned before a 4231 at some point with Adams/Mck as a double pivot. CCV should play RB. Brooks provides distribution from the back. I like Zimmerman for the same reason and Miazga. CCV/Yedlin overlaps and we could cover their defensive lapses with both 6s. Boyd shows me a finishing quality coming from the outside in which I haven't seen from most US players.

    My controversial decision would be Bradley as the 10 in this role. He's capable of connecting passes, and if you add overlapping speed such as Yedlin/CCV his lack of speed is less impactful. He doesn't have to play defense also. He can play deeper and you have wings who are creative. Striker size with Sargeant/Altidore. Eventually Pomykal, Weah take a bigger role.
     
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  13. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Well this was more or less the role he played in the last "A" Gold Cup under Klinsi. In truth he wasn't all that bad (certainly not *the* one to blame for us on that night in Atlanta), but we weren't exactly effective either, getting outshot by both Panama and Haiti in the Group stage.
     
  14. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    I'll say this, under Bob and Arena 1.0, it wasn't unheard of to see some surprise lineup decisions deep into tournaments (Hello Freddy Adu), but I think we all know what we're getting from Berhalter tonight unless he's been hiding something in camp from everyone.
     
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  15. Regista

    Regista Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    Absolutely agree on past tweaks; GGG has sapped the creative juices out of this team. Even Adu was brilliant at time oin the GC becasue he was playing freely to his strengths.
    In the future, We can still play effective defense with two natural destroyers, and push Bradley forward. I think the difference in possession would be at our advantage as Adams/Mck are natural ball winners. They are world class players and actually been given roles which are too far beyond the scope of what they should be doing at this age. Mckennie is playing Adams RB role out of the 8 and looks lost. He is not a Vidal.

    At this point, the mess of the Gold Cup won't matter. We may win the Cup but still lose at the same time long-term if we don't address where our best talent plays.
     
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  16. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    It's a natural consequence of shifting to a specific formation/system. It also doesn't help that most of the backups are not really trusted.

    The only curveballs I could foresee are a formation change (an actual 3-back system) or something weird with the #10 spot (with Pulisic going wide).
     
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  17. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    This is a ridiculous assertion though. Adams has shown the ability and versatility to play all over the field if he needs to. He's a professional starter on a Champions League team FFS.
     
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  18. tomásbernal

    tomásbernal Member+

    Sep 4, 2007
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll go ahead and make the bold prediction that Jozy starts tonight.
     
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  19. CMeszt

    CMeszt Member+

    Farewell Sweet Prince
    Jan 9, 2004
    Gentrification's Apex.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    I'm happy to be wrong (and kind of hope I am), but I'll predict he won't.
     
  20. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    You've never seen Richards play against anyone older than 20 and you're certain that it's not real close with anyone else?
     
  21. nobody

    nobody Member+

    Jun 20, 2000
    I think Jozy or Zardes is the biggest open question ahead of Jamaica. Jozy was healthy for the last game and was left out through Berhalter's decision. Berhalter has stated that Jozy is fit and ready. He just hasn't played him with the first team yet. Zardes certainly puts in more work running around than Jozy, but considering we are bound to create a few chances against Jamaica, I know I"d sure feel a lot more comfortable with Jozy on the end of them. Will be interested to see what Berhalter thinks.
     
  22. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i predict not only will the same 11 start tonight, but in the final as well (if we make it). is there a third place game still? same 11.
     
  23. juvechelsea

    juvechelsea Member+

    Feb 15, 2006
    i expect it to be close based on common opponent scores within this competition. we both beat panama 1-0. they tied Curacao 1-1 and we won 1-0 (like i said, curacao played everyone tight).

    however, the x factor is the effects of squad rotation (or not). if we don't mess with the lineup we would be exhausted for a final. but if we do mess with the lineup Jamaica exploited 1-0 a B/cut side in the sendoff friendly. damned if you do, damned if you don't.
     
  24. juvechelsea

    juvechelsea Member+

    Feb 15, 2006
    #124 juvechelsea, Jul 3, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2019
    there is no third place game. i could see a mule headed coach using that to favor lineup stubbornness, however, after TnT such decisions are made against the background of getting upset for your unrotated stars being tired. i am befuddled why after that anyone still thinks "go with the starters" is the optimal choice.

    to me the correct answer is rotate some so you are fresh for the semi and also have something in the tank for a final. i actually think the proper tactics are not at massive cross purposes for both games. i would rotate like 4 people so you get some freshness but maintain cohesion and could all but sub out all the B teamers if situations required it.

    there is also no longer a confederations cup spot to chase, as that tournament has ended in favor of an expanded (quadrennial?) 24 team club world cup.
     
  25. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As i said a couple of days ago, one of the key questions for the match:

    The same can’t be said of winger Leon Bailey, the 21-year-old who plays club football in the Bundesliga for Bayer Leverkusen and is in his first competition for Jamaica.

    Bailey hasn’t yet had the impact for Jamaica that some expected. US manager Gregg Berhalter hopes that doesn’t change on Wednesday.

    “I don’t think we’ve seen his best yet,” Berhalter said of Bailey. “I think he’s got another gear.”


    https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...s-developing-concacaf-rivalry-beyond-gold-cup
     

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