Pre-match: 2019-20 CONCACAF Nations League: USA vs Cuba, November 19th

Against bunkering teams Zardes is better out wide. JK used him there a few times and he was a help more than a hindrance.

 

Our articles were vague but Canadian reporting of the site choice suggests it was the lighting/TV issue:

"The CONCACAF Nations League match between Cuba and Canada will not be played in Havana, Cuba because the Pedro Marrero Stadium does not meet the minimum requirements set by CONCACAF to host a League A match..."

 

i think the "but we should obviously win this" comparisons to TnT don't help when you think about a soccer game in practical terms. a 0-0 tie is 90 minutes of hell. even if you win, the US beat Cuba 2-0 last time. we didn't score a goal until the 62nd minute. on the scoresheet that shows up as 2-0 and like it should be. in practical terms that's a nailbiter for 62' to get the lead at all and then ~70' to get 2 up. i remember horvath making big saves. it only looks assured and cushy after the fact. this isn't basketball, it's not 50-38 at half time. we can hope they jump on them again, but we don't know til we put them on the board.

think curacao. this is always a possibility.

 

View of the stadium:

Pre-game views from Truman Bodden Stadium in George Town, Cayman Islands.

Just under two hours until we take on 🇨🇺 in @CNationsLeague. pic.twitter.com/vAe990DvWq

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 19, 2019

 

Any word on starting line up?

 

Time to finish the job! 🇺🇸⚽️👊

The #USMNT Starting XI to face 🇨🇺 in tonight’s @CNationsLeague group finale.

Lineup Notes: https://t.co/C7mu60bxnl pic.twitter.com/IRTrgfXSk5

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 19, 2019

Guzan

Yedlin
Long
Ream
Lovitz

Yueill
McKennie
Roldan

Arriola
Morris
Sargent

Don't shoot the messenger, please.

 

Roldan! Yes! Now if only Trapp and Zardes were in the starting 11.

 

Well, if we're trying to lose, that's one way to do it.

Why would Roldan and Lovitz get starts? I can almost understand Lovitz, since Brooks, McKennie and Dest perhaps want to stay fresh for club play.

But Roldan over Morales I do not get at all. It's "just" Cuba, but this is screaming to get upset.

 

Only 4 new starters from the Canada game. I was expecting a bit more rotation than that.

 

No Cannon, or Lima, but hey, Lovitz will now qualify for a work permit and get the prestige/showcase for a Euro club. Any takers? Maybe Rochdale or Chemnitzer will come in with a bid for Nashville so they can make the profit on the 100k they just paid to acquire him from Montreal.

If Gregg doesn't at least sub in Cannon tonight w/ a multi-goal lead, they don't want him to leave MLS, full stop.

 

Doesn't Cannon need this game to qualify for a work permit? Jesus.

 

He needs to appear, unless the US cracks the FIFA top 20 by January.

 

11/19 Matchday Thread: Cuba v. United States

 

ah, ok gotcha. Fingers crossed he appears.

 

Gregg on (paraphrasing):

Pomykal: "you need to challenge yourself in Europe to play for me"

Cannon: "you can play for me up until you'd have a chance to challenge yourself in Europe but now won't be able to"

Lovitz: "you don't need to challenge yourself in Europe because you'll never be good enough so you always have a spot with me".

 

really disappointed to see Sargent in this mess.\

Tonight’s USMNT Starting XI vs. Cuba: 1-Brad Guzan, 2-DeAndre Yedlin, 3-Aaron Long, 7-Paul Arriola, 8-Weston McKennie, 10-Cristian Roldan, 11-Jordan Morris, 13-Tim Ream (capt.), 14-Jackson Yueill, 16-Daniel Lovitz,19-Josh Sargent

 

That confirms Berhalter's LB depth chart:
1. Ream
2. Lovitz

 

Does Cannon have Prem interest?

Caps don’t matter on the continent.

 

Don't worry Lovitz is there.

 

I'm surprised CP didn't go just to offshore some Chelski money TBH.

I think this was a missed opportunity for the club.

 

One interested Premier League team, one in the Championship, per a report from The Athletic last week.

 

Why is Lovitz starting... serious why... can anyone explain this?

 

This is the table I've seen:

Official FIFA Ranking Required % of international matches in past 2 yrs
FIFA 1-10 30% and above
FIFA 11-20 45% and above
FIFA 21-30 60% and above
FIFA 31-50 75% and above

from here: https://www.inbrief.co.uk/football-law/footballer-work-permits/

At which point he'd already be qualified since, barring a loss (and maybe even then), we're going to finish in the Top 30.

It could be an old link, but I haven't seen anything contradictory. Apparently until 2015, the number was 75% across the board.

 

No ********ing idea!!!

 

I can only imagine that Dest and Brooks were basically promised to only play one game ... leaving Ream to slide to CM.

Now why he's on the roster? I dunno.