Watching the post match interviews, I'm guessing the boys were celebrating before the game began. Reyna is a good kid - I'd be tongue tied around Jenny Chu too.
lol is it just me, or are all the players being interviewed by Jenny trying their best not to look down?
Losing only 2-0 represents a historical improvement over previous trips to Costa Rica. The gameplay was also improved. Unlike in the past, Costa Rica didn't dominate individual matchups or the general proceedings. There was no meltdown. The lack of a good set piece taker is a real problem for the team. Steffen's reflexes are bottom 10% for top-level keepers. The lack of creativity out of central midfield continues to dog the team. Credit Costa Rica for the excellent gameplan. They were happy to give up fouls in dangerous position and to give up corners. Was it worth risking Navas, though?
Three games In a weeks time aint no joke. We saw tired legs out there. Costa Rica probably using the fresh leg choice was the way to go. I don’t think Berhalter wanted to dig into that bag after the Panama away result. It would have been better to have the option to dig into the reserves with workmanlike qualities instead of having to start them throughout the cycle. Those are the players that usually thrive in these situations. We will get that though when Aaronson, Dest, McKennie, and Richards return plus I think there’s another 2-3 out there that will impress. I’m excited about our potential. We have the potential to be real deep at positions we need to be deep at come World Cup.
I just texted a buddy and he said it perfectly, If we got the exact result with the B team I would have felt fine. Watching Pulisic, Arob and Adams out there for no reason just dampened the mood.
hopefully steff gets sold over the summer to a mid-level top 4 side and gets a handful of matches in. i flat out reject the idea that hes not a good keeper, and our top 3s club situations are a huge problem. maybe horvath holds on to the top spot, but do you take both steffen and turner if neither are starting? horvath/slonina/one of them as the third keeper maybe not be the craziest prediction...
Dempsey idolized Maradona during the 1994 World Cup. For the Cup to come back to the USA, but with more media attention and a lot more public awareness, and with the USA potentially having international stars that can match up with the best of Argentina, Brazil, England, or Germany - that's gotta seem like a dream come true, even before the first ball is kicked.
It was mostly fatigue and stupid. We have good players who could have started tihs game with fresh legs. The idea that Cristian Roldan, Sands and Busio can't be trusted against the Tico Olympic team is insulting to them.
I don't give a fuuuuuuuck that we were uninspired away to CR in a game that almost certainly didn't matter. We're in mother********ers!
This game further drove home how idiotic the Doyles of USMNT fan nation were being when suggesting we should allocate many more resources to this game than Mexico. We should have beaten Mexico's a-team but couldn't even draw Costa Rica's b-team. How much worse would it have been against their A w/ the pressure all on us? The Elo ratings of those squads have eff all to do w/ how Costa Rica plays against us at this point, especially on the road. If you don't heed the lessons of your past you're doomed to repeat them. For all of Gregg's foibles in qualifying, and there were many, leading to a whopping 1 road win out of 7, at least he had that game theory sense so many others didn't. Because we would be in a playoff right now otherwise.
Actually, we don't know how the window would have turned out if we saved the legs of some key players for the last two games. The only way to know for sure is to live in a world in which we can rewind the clock and approach things differently.
I already don't care. I actually think it was good to see Steffen exposed, for example. You can't have that kind of play back there, can't have it.
Congrats to the team!! Did it! Really glad Costa Rica didn’t have 4 more corners. Good way to end it with some humility losing to CR B. Gave up 3 set piece goals in last three halves, so should be clear to all that needs work. Set pieces will make the difference at the World Cup. Zach and Zim should have done better on both goals. Created a few fair chances so that was good.
Why are you so sure that a B team couldn't get the same 0-0 draw if they went and bunkered? There's 0 evidence that Pulisic or Weah are better defenders than Arriola or Roldan. Our B team shut out Mexico in a neutral venue for 120 minutes when we were actually trying to win.
If everyone is healthy. There are 2 open spots, keeper and 9. Not the positions you really want to be huge ?s
I'd rather worry about the 9 than the DM or CB for example, but the keeper thing is huge. If push comes to shove, you can play a false 9 with Reyna or Puli and get some goals out of them. Far from ideal, but it's better than John Brooks as you're best center back option.
My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. We have banished 4 years of demons. Now we have 8 months to: 1 Get more consistent. Maybe neutral venues will help. 2 Get better at attacking and defending set pieces. 3 Get Zack Steffen's head out of his ass or replace him. 4 Find an effective #9 who actually scores goals. Watching a World Cup is going to be fun again....
I think Steffen isn't up to being the starter, probably mostly down to not being a starter for Man City. I just feel a lot more comfortable with Matt Turner in goal.