I don't care MMA destroys our game. We don't need 3 DMs and that's how they play. They can't play together. Actually even Wes and Adams can't play together. Honduras is pretty physical BTW. I know that there are teams that LDLT isn't good enough to play against, but there are teams that none of our players could play against. But we aren't talking about Belgiums and Frances, and if he played against Canada it could have been a different game.
7 weeks until the Mexico game. We might have Reyna back. @Mexico, Panama, @costa Rica means a tough road ahead. The coaching staff will need to do a lot of preparation to find a way to get a point at Azteca, then take 3 from Panama. We might be qualified at that point, we might not. I hope it doesn't come down to needing something @costa Rica. That would be Couva Part 2.
Probably, but all subs were playing against dead tired opponents, and all looked as world stars. Though, yes, even without these minutes Jesus was the best forward.
After this win, if mexico beats Panama tonight, we qualify if We beat Panama at home next window and Costa Rica gets less than 9 points next window. Reason: if Panama loses we will be 4 pts ahead of them. So even if they win and we lose next game a win by us will give us a four point lead over them w a game to go. Also after beating Jamaica, cr has 16 points. Even if we get only 3 points next round we will have 24. So unless cr gets 9 they cannot tie or pass us. Does this check out? Regardless *chokes back bile* go mexico.
I want to see the coaches focus on the players who can think/play fastest. Who has the touch and the vision to play constructively under time/space pressure. And particularly in the midfield, who can do that in a way that contributes in both sides of the ball. A midfield that can win AND progress the ball seems the difference between good-US and mediocre-US. The combinations between Wes and Weah today were the kind of thing we ought to be able to do all over the field. But having a few players on the pitch who can’t keep up (because they press slightly better) kills opportunities.
I think people underestimate Pepi. Even when he doesn't score, he makes the team look better. He'll break out of his scoring slump because he helps make chances happen.
We've done it two cycles in a row. Azteca isn't a fortress anymore. It also sounds like a ********ing library right now.
I love what Acosta brings in his ability to deliver a quality dead ball, but he scares me against a good team who will press him in possession.
I thought de la Torre had a very nice game tonight. Brought a lot of snap to our attack, maybe introduced a missing element: a controlled sense of urgency. But, of course, Honduras. They're pretty bad. I don't think we can put too much stock into anything tonight, other than we did what we had to do and did it very well, when we had to do it. And he definitely turned in the performance we needed, when we needed it. "Check, car keys, gym bag. Let's get the hell out of here."
Sorry, I'm busy rooting for ES. If seriously a tie is probably the best resul for us in Mexico-Panama game.
Wes and Weah were a class above even if Tim didn't quite have the final touch/goal in him. So composed and skillful on the ball, in a way we rarely see in American attackers. This also feels like what will be one of many big, big goals Wes scores in his USMNT career. Biggest dilemma Gregg faces moving forward is what to do with Adams and Musah when we go up against a team that sits back against us. Against Mexico? No problem. Play them both and physically dominate the middle third while Mexico holds possession and then let Musah lead the transition from defense to offense on the counter. Same goes against other elite teams from elsewhere in the world. But Musah's game isn't strong yet when he plays in tight spaces in the final third -- he barely even seems to touch the ball there unless he's on the end of a cross. Combine him with Adams, and suddenly two-thirds of our central middies struggle to hold/pass the ball from a central position in the attack. IDK, they're not just two of our best players right now, they're among the two most talented players in the history of the program. But the difference was notable tonight.
It seems that for the longest time now we've been looking at that home game v. Panama as looming large. It gets even bigger if they beat Mexico. What's the deal if they draw?
Pan/Mex draw sucks for us. Would mean that next window a win vs Panama would secure at most a tie w them, so we’d need points from games at Mex or CR (or Panama dropping points) to secure qualification. Again, go *retching* mexico.
Some people are unaware that an 18 year old can still be growing which means he can still be finding his GAM legs and stumbling a bit like Bambi. We've discussed that previously on these boards. Right now, physical development means everything in Pepi's case. He already has the brain of a true "9"