Come on now with better execution we have 3 goals in the first half. My only requests of a coach in terms of tactics are A) don’t ******** it up and turn it into the bad kind of chaos, B) get dudes in position to create and score, C) get the subs right, D) get the end game strategy right For my point of view he got A, B and D right but I disagree with C
I don't think there's anything too shocking in Bill Connelly's stats chart. The XG is pretty even at USA 1.12-0.82 Iran, though Taremi's scuffed shot/dive in the 98th minute accounted for well over 50% of Iran's total. #USMNT 1, IRAN 0* The US played it almost perfectly ... for about 48 min* US midfield/fullbacks absolutely dominated (before running out of gas)* over half Iran's xG came in the 98th min 🤢🤮* subs did absolutely nothing* survive and advance, baby pic.twitter.com/SlS8s8kv4E— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) November 29, 2022
This also doesn’t account for our offsides goal or the five or so great but unrewarded crosses. It really doesn’t tell the whole picture. also shocked that Taremi dived instead of trying to finish. What a douche.
I think all of the plusses you've mentioned are on point and spectacular, well, maybe that's stretching it (since both Iran and Wales aren't known for attacking prowess in terms of scoring goals in bunches), but zero run of play goals in 3 games, no stinker performances like we saw in every qualifying window (always 1, sometimes more). The analysis piece is two fold: concern w/the subs and second half collapses, now 2 of 3 games, and the inability of the team to put teams away and turn possession into quality chances and goals. The problem persists. The team is on the cusp of being truly great, we can see the possibility. The first halves are a team that could beat the Dutch and beat this underperforming version of Argentina. That's where I'm at, and I imagine a lot of the cranky are at. In terms of Reyna, it definitely seems like one of a few things: #1: My view that Weah had to stay at RWF because the attack just functions best w/him there, seems to be his preference, so no Reyna starting there. #2 MMA midfield has been dominant beyond an iffie bad mckennie appearance on matchday 1. Can't put Reyna there. #3: Pulisic has LWF locked up, so he can't go there, and Aaronson is more match fit as his immediate replacement if needed. #4 Doesn't want to change system or formation at the last minute by trying to force Reyna into a striker role, or false 9 role in the middle of a tourne That seems to cover why he wouldn't be starting, even if he was fit. The other piece is the sub angle: seems clear Berhalter is open to subbing him on as a 60-80 minute guy if we're chasing a winner, or an equalizer, but he's not comfortable putting him on period, if we're trailing late or trying to kill a game off. If all of that is so, then the only scenario we'll probably see Reyna in is a bad one (we're losing, or approaching extra time and tied, rather than winning).
It was his Donovan '10 moment after the '06 misery, but in a different context. Really fantastic after all the misery with Chelsea, and with Couva and '17 qualifying failure. To not only advance, but he gave up the body for the team, and the win, just like he did for those Chelsea ---hats against Arsenal in the FA Cup in August of 2020. Fantastic to see him dominate all those English players last friday in a draw, and then pull off the winner in this one. Truly special. In '18 I was broken hearted for Pulisic and Dempsey, not really for anyone else. Dempsey because he was basically, theoretically, risking his life playing, post surgery for the team, laid it all out there, and deserved better than the team totally ----ing the bed around both of them. But Dempsey at least had 2010 and 2014, Pulisic had just watched his first cup be flushed down the toilet. Very happy for him to have this five years later.
Super happy for him to have this experience, it's been awesome. I flushed him after Nations League, ignoring the more reasonable posters w/the ("but he was playing LB, not LCB") takes, but they were 100% proven right, at least this year. He's been fantastic.
I'm watching the replay right now. We were still good in the second half until we subbed off McKennie for Acosta in the 65th.
So lucky, such a nice film, by the guys that made that "Billions" tv show. It's not "seeing the godfather or godfather part II" for the first time level good, but rounders is one of the better movies of the late 90's. Would love to go back and enjoy that like Ronin or LA Confidential again for the first time .
Check and check on my score card as well, though Tillman would have been my guy instead of Morris, or I would have made Roldan an honorary coach like another team with a similar Roldan Vibes like player. We could absolutely use both of them now w/so many attackers gimpy and running heavy as hell minutes.
I think Pomykal and Mahailovic are both guys I would have found ways to integrate post qualifying and brought in ahead of LDLT and Shaq Moor. Our system uses two 8s, and we simply don’t have enough playmakers behind Wes and Yunus who fit into what Gregg wants.
Sometimes I forget about the real human emotions behind some matches and that, try as we might to make it so, it's not always just a game. https://www.foxsports.com/stories/s...-emotional-embrace-with-irans-saeid-ezatolahi
I'm 100% Djorde. Called for him, check the posts. I don't think Pomykal (or Williamson) did enough to warrant inclusion, but I get the sentiment. Now...are you aware these guys play in MLSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Hells no.
Ching had a great understanding with Donovan, both at club and w/ the NT. Ching was very good at playing Dono into space.
I'm rewatching right now. It only really went sideways after we subbed on Wright for Sargent. Acosta for McKennie weakened us and ceded control of the midfield, but we were still counterattacking effectively and keeping Iran honest. It was only after Sargent came off for Weah that it went pear shaped. Zim subbing on late, however, probably saved us.
Yeah, that was stage one. Stage four was Wright subbing on for Sargent. After that we couldn't keep Iran honest.
McKennie vs Iran (WC 2022) pic.twitter.com/Wpdij4AU7D— Jack Stephen 🇺🇸🇮🇳 (@USMNTZ) November 30, 2022 🚨 USMNT international Sergino Dest vs Iran in a must win today☑️ 90 min 🅰️ 1 assist 🎯 2 chances created🔀 2 successful dribbles (match highest) ⚔️ 5 duels won🔥 6 final 3rd passes🤚 7 ball recoveries✅ 7.7 fotmob ratingTop class performance 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/PXzoguylBp— Takes 🇺🇸 (@USMNTTAKES) November 29, 2022
I go back to the September window when the USMNT really looked poor. At the time, in terms of players, the US didn't have Pulisic but it had Reyna in his place. The US didn't have Mussah but had Adams and McKennie. The US had Dest as a fullback but Ream wasn't one your CBs (I wasn't even aware of him TBH). What I saw from those who did play + the actual ratings these players were getting when they played for their clubs + the overall US record in qualifying, made me genuinely feel America's young players were so over-hyped. I had occasionally seen Pulisic be a handful in other contexts so I wasn't ready to dismiss him and I had heard good things about Mussah without actually seeing enough of him, so I didn't write off the possibility he might be good too. But overall, until this tournament got underway, I was convinced the only way Iran couldn't get out of its group was for off-the-field issues to torpedo its chances. In this context, the biggest surprises for me were how much incomparably better and more interesting McKennie (who was awful in September), Adams (who wasn't anything like the nearly world class midfielder he showed in these games) and Dest (who went from a dime-a-dozen fullback with defensive weaknesses to being quite a handful in Qatar) were showing. Add Pulisic and Mussah whom I had not dismissed a priori (and had showed their worth in the first 2 games already), despite doing my best to look for confirmation of my earlier views, I kind realized that even with just a draw being enough for Iran, there was a very good chance we wouldn't get that draw. That said, some real objective analysis of why the US has looked more like its September self when Pulisic in particular has come out of its lineup might be in order.
A little bit successful... Just a touch. (I'd forgotten his first cycle was 2010). Ok, I'm starting to be convinced it isn't always a bad idea.)