2026 World Cup

I think my excitement will kick off in the days leading up to it.

I also have a lot going on in my life

 

I don’t disagree with most of these points.

I didn’t say that our 500 passes is a negative. If it came out that way, that’s bad typing on my phone by me lol

I think it’s concerning when we have 500 passes and players are absent. It’s been a recurring theme for us for a couple WC cycles when we would often forget certain players were playing. Im pretty sure you watched all the games as close as anyone here and there’s been numerous times where someone here would say “I didn’t even notice ____ on the field”. For yesterday, I didn’t really notice Cucho was there outside of his bicycle kick and maybe one other touch. Partly not his fault but it has been a trend for many years now. I’m sure other teams have that challenge too from time to time.

maybe I have higher expectations but if I see 500 passes against a team like CR I want to get the sense that we are wreaking havoc. I am not saying every game can be like the Panama copa America game, but I would like to see better shots on goal rather than “scrappy deflection, challenge, deflection, on snap I have the ball let me quickly shoot” kind of shot. I think many of us here know what I am referring to.

while I agree on the praise you give Costa Rica, the dangerous opportunities they had to score shouldn’t be happening…period. my expectation (again maybe too high) is that we don’t give the red carpet treatment that we sometimes tend to do to opposing teams.

I think it’s concerning when a team with 200 less passes is getting off almost the same number of shots and shots on goal as we are with 500 passes. There are some nuances to this, which I appreciate but you know our track record with lack of scoring at times and all the back/side passing we can sometimes get worked up into.

As for Quintero - he’s a veteran at this point and we know what he can and can’t do. If I didn’t criticize him, so be it lol. Not sure what you are suggesting there. I thought I made a comment about his awful backpass that showed lack of focus…

As for Carrascal - he’s going to be the whipping boy along with Castano bc they are part of the “unholy trinity” until we are proven otherwise. Which is why many others will probably amplify his lack of impact more than the mistakes of others. I’m sure you played sports growing up. You make that one mistake and coach starts riding your @$$ nonstop until you get over that hump. I think that’s where Carrascal stands with the NT among fans like us who enjoy nitpicking at everything.

But Carrascal did have a nice back heel pass early in the game and he did get the assist for the Lucho goal so we have that going for us….which is nice

end of day - we won, just about everyone got ample playing time, Suarez got a goal in a game outside the Venezuela WCQ game, we tried a non James/JFQ lineup for a half, we tried James/JFQ at the same time, no injuries and the team hopefully identified areas of improvement that are likely consistent with our collective comments here.

 

Hope you’re doing alright. Fútbol is often a cure for cleansing of the soul.

You got a good group here and I am sure others will agree that we collectively enjoy your posts so keep your head up. Remember all this is for fun and a break from jobs and other external dramas

 

my big take from yesterday. If Lorenzo picks Puerta to start, who sits? Lerma and James also start. So who sits, Rios/Arias, Carascal and Gomez?

Puerta probably won't start but he is playing like he should be first choice.

 

I think Puerta has gotten to a place under Nestor where if he starts, no problemo.

You can rotate between Rios, Lerma and Puerta and either 2 of the 3 will be a good choice.

J. Arias will likely continue to be a must start and will likely be subbed early to preserve his fitness over the games with Gomez or Carrascal subbing in? Maybe Gomez gets a start during the World Cup at some point if yellow cards are an issue for Arias or if we have 6 points going into the Portugal game?

 

Rios probably would be the one sitting.

 

i would not be opposed to this. Bring rios in when we have a lead and have him keep his shape and cause chaos defending.

 

Excitement is already here for me

sucks that we are one of the last groups and that the first 2 games will be late as hell

 

I haven't even looked at the kickoff times. I think its for the best that games are later so im guaranteed to be home by then

 

I'll share my thoughts, though it might be a bit of a nitpick based on my personal views, and it has nothing to do with football.

I can't stand the lipstick tattoo on Carrascal's neck. It really gets on my nerves every time the camera zooms in on his face.

 

I'm annoyed that the opening match is at 2 PM my time while I'm at work. Why can't I just sit on my couch and enjoy the game without taking time off?

 

I took three weeks off starting the week of the Uzbekistan match.

 

Yeah i mean I mainly work from home regardless but sometimes I get busy for certain things out of nowhere

 

LOL

You are not the first person at all to complain over his embarrassing tattoos.

 

call me old (47) but i miss the days when people would have just a single tattoo on their arm and that was it. all the tattoos these athletes / celebrities get in general is just overkill if you ask me. i watch a lot of WWE and in general i dont' find the appeal of both the men and women who cover themselves with sleeves and other weird tattoos in general. I give Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar a pass b/c that tattoos on Roman are part of the Samoan culture and Brock is the most dangerous fighter in all combat sports...

Cody Rhodes has his "American Nightmare" logo on his neck and my reaction every time is "couldn't you have picked a better spot"

coming back to Carrascal and his lipstick tattoo - i cringe as well when i see it lol

 

my wife is from mexico and we will both be at work for this first game between Mexico and South Africa...

so foolish to make the game that early...

 

They are catering to the Euro audience.

 

47? You're a puppy!!!

I completely agree with the tat's opinion; I used to think about getting a single tatto, on my arm or chest, but it's just too much and too many people, it's not something cool or special anymore. Same with girls, I used to think of them as sexy, but now some of them look like some sort of subway tunnel. In that order of ideas, Carrascal's tat is not even that shocking, but yeah, the guy looks super weird with it.


Now, get off my lawn!!!!

 

btw, there is a game. I think Paraguay vs Turkey which kicks off at 12AM, lol

 

It is 8PM California time. 11Eastern.

 

The schedule for the first round is horrible, as with most things with this WC. There are many days featuring 5 games, starting at noon ET and the last game at 10pm ET. The worse part is that 3 or 4 of those games will suck. I'm seriously not excited about this tournament, and while I know I'm going to watch one or two games per day, everything going on has killed the mood.

 

Looks like we are going with the following jerseys on game day:

UZB - blue jersey, blue shorts, yellow socks; keeper - magenta kit
DRC - yellow jesery, white shorts, red socks; keeper - green kit
POR - yellow jersey, blue shorts, white socks; keeper - grey kit

 

I feel like I barely see the yellow blue red anymore

 

It is kinda weird that we are wearing rare combinations of colors for all three matches.