Pre-match: USA @ Jamaica WCQ 11/16 5 pm ET

Eggzactly. Plus you prompted a little compliment I had in store for Berhalter, He gave us a team for the first time on Friday and I think Gregg's relationship with Euro FO's was a big help in that,

Klinsmann always had a chilly relationship with FO's, as if they were antagonists and double dealers. ("no I don't want your MRI, you have to report and we will make our own MRI" - said to Donovan but you could see it was a habit.)

You gotta give to get.

 

There's not a national team coach on the planet who's calling in (and playing at the expense of veterans) more young players than GGG. Of all the things people him for this one is the most ridiculous to me.

Gregg is obviously high on Scally and he'll get his chances. Probably against Jamaica but if not that's not the worst thing in the world either. A smart coach puts his players in a position to succeed. That happens for Scally when he has a stable club situation and is stepping onto the field with National Teammates that he has enough reps with to be on the same page.

It really shouldn't have to be said but the former is even more important for defensive players than offensive. This is the real world. It's not a video game where you can just plug in young players.

 

Roldan is definitely not the more complete player. At all.

 

Roldan can play fullback, 10, winger, dmid, 8, and he scores and assists in a pinch,

Maybe somebody who follows Venezia more can clarify but what little I saw this season, it seems he started as a 6 or DLP and when they realized he was a playmaker they put him out wide to give him a better view of the pitch and brought in another body to play dmid (Tessman getting more minutes too, I think?)

 

As expected

NYCFC's James Sands called into USMNT camp for cover at center back and central midfield with Weston McKennie and Miles Robinson suspended for Jamaica match.

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) November 14, 2021

 

Only one replacement guarantees that Scally will dress on Tuesday

 

Right. And the fact that BMG gave him time off instead of training during last window was a reflection of BMG’s inferior coaching abilities also?

 

well, we could dress all 3 keepers. and you gotta admit- that would be one of most hardcore trolls imaginable.

 

Considering basically half of Jamaica's team plays in Europe and the other half plays in MLS, this really shouldn't be a huge advantage for Jamaica.

Jamaica is coming off a game in El Salvador so maybe they are better acclimatized than the US which played in Cinci. However, San Salvador at 800PM is typically in the low-mid 70s (and not super humid in November). So even that won't be a huge advantage if it is actually blazing hot in Jamaica

 

Total 2-finger salute combined with Euro hand on bicep uppercut punch to USMNT Twitter!

 

On the way…

Until next time, @USMNT! You're always welcome in Cincy 👋 pic.twitter.com/QNkwteDIXt

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) November 14, 2021

Is Musah ever NOT smiling??

 

The UMass hockey team looks older.

 

The notion Ferreira is a bad defender is false.

Pressures:

Ferreira - top 19%

Successful Pressures:

Ferreira: top 10%

Successful Pressure %:

Ferreira - top 11%

Tkl + int's:

Ferreira - top 11%

dribblers tackled:

Ferreira: top 4%

% of dribblers tackled:

Ferreira - top 7%

Busio doesn't stack up poorly here, but you see a big deficiency in his pressure efficiency (bottom 1/4), displaying he'll try, but not succeed a lot, and get caught out of position to allow an attacker into a dangerous area.

That's what you see in Italy when you watch him. Often times players just run by him. And he can get bullied. They allow physicality in CCAF. Aaronson handles the middle just fine now in UCL, but not CCAF where he's little bro'ed. We saw this with Busio in GC.

We haven't seen this little bro'ing of Ferreira, yet. They both can pick out a pass in the midfield, but if Ferreira needs to, he can progress off the dribble. He's top 3/4 in MLS when he tries. Busio is bottom 1%. So that's not even an option he has, which Ferreira does. And you're getting even more final 3rd contribution from Ferreira. Wes was the best (of a questionable lot) in that area of the MMA midfield. Busio reps a huge drop-off.

Gregg should start Ferreira and drop him in the hole under Pepi. Musah and Adams can handle a double-pivot behind them.

 

Roldan is the more versatile player than Busio, definitely not the more complete player. Two very different things.
Roldan's versatility is why it makes sense to have him as the last man on the roster for these windows, even though he's never really been all that productive at the national team level.

Roldan or Lletget starting over Busio would be... very annoying.

That's because they might be?

 

this is only indirectly... related to this thread but I didn't know where to put it:

now that the first Mexico USA game is out of the way and we are sitting in first on equal points with Mexico i thought I'd look at the rest of the schedule. the top four teams are separated by a mere 3 points (Panama has really been surpassing expectations) and my SWAG of potential points for the top four teams (assuming each wins the remainder of their home games and only picks up away points from the bottom four teams) is as follows: USA 23-27 pts, Mexico 26-30pts, Canada 22-27 pts, Panama 23-26 pts. The first number represents winning all remaining home games and losing all remaining away games. the second represents a win and a draw away against the bottom half (except for Panama which only has one bottom half away which is given as an away win). It is pretty clear that we are in a good spot right now, but don't have much room for error either.

Obviously, it won't work that way for every team but I think it gives a pretty good framework to guess what we need to do to guarantee a spot.

USA and Canada have the fewest home games (3) but Canada's is more difficult with Mexico, USA and Jamaica compared to USA's El Salvador, Honduras, and Panama.

Mexico and Panama both have 4 home games and their level of difficulty seems about equal. My guess is that one or more of the teams will drop enough points to qualify with 23 or 24 points but to guarantee our spot, we need to win at home, at least draw with the bottom teams AND take at least a point from Canada or Mexico. That would give us 27 pts and almost guarantee finishing ahead of Panama who would then only be able to max out at 29 pts if they win all of their remaining games (27 if they draw away with Mexico). (beat CR and Mexico away, lose to us at USA).

 

Might not be a bad idea to make CP a permanent sub, regardless of who we play and when. Why not? Probably no one else on the squad who can really come off the bench and provide instant offense the way he can.

 

The dirty secret of college hockey. 26 year old freshmen.

 

You're very direct, in fact. We should go for the points Tuesday.

 

Kinda hard to overestimate the importance of this upcoming match.

 

Thinking about it some more this afternoon. Sands being the player called in might indicate the manager is leaning toward having Acosta start on Tuesday. Sands' only midfield role would be as a #6 and a deep one at that. Acosta would be the sub to play that role if Busio were the other midfield starter, and so, no need for Sands (I know he can be a backup at center back too).

But if Acosta is starting, there will be a need for a backup d-mid.

Just one possibility, but I would not be shocked at all if Acosta starts rather than Busio (from someone who would love to see Busio start).

 

Play midfield that can progress the ball and link up with the attackers is why we looked so dominant against Mexico. Acosta is a huge negative offensively, replacing someone who is a large positive offensively. I sure hope it’s Busio.

 

imo, we linked ujp so well against Mexico because the tandem of Zimmerman and Adams was so effective winning the ball and breaking up Mexico's flow. Jamaica is a completely different team than Mexico. while I seriously doubt that either will sit this one out, I hope that he uses the player he believes will complement that pairing the best. I don't agree that Acosta is a huge negative, but do agree that Busio is superior. (wins by addition rather than subtraction...so I guess it is semantics). With Adams and Zimmerman in the back, hopefully they can help control the deep midfield well enough to allow Busio (also Musah) shine.

I think assuming that Acosta is starting because Berhalter called up Sands is overthinking it. (I know you didn't say that). Of course Berhalter has overthought things in the past but, based upon some past rosters, I just think that he probably rates Sands as next in line.

 

i may have missed something, but why would adams not be available as a sub?

 

i may have missed something, but why the hell would Adams not be starting (and likley going 90)?

 

lets not spiral this wildly out of control- rob posted that acosta starting could explain sands inclusion (beyond simply as a 4th cb) and im just trying to catch up and find out the context.