Pre-match: International Friendly: USA vs Brazil; September 2018

Yeah, I agree the situation is different. I also recognize that Brazil's style is much more difficult for us to deal with than even the top Euro teams' are. I just thought it was funny. Even still I'm expecting something along the lines of a 2 - 0 loss.

 

What I want to see assuming Sarachan plays the 4141
Novak
Weah Adams Mckennie Green
Delgado
Robinson JAB Parker Yedlin

What I expect to see
Wood
Weah Adams McKenie Lleget
Trapp
Robinson JAB Miazaga Yedlin

 

Sarachan will bunker. Expect the team to bunker. We may have a better shot at Mexico since they have a "new" team too. Versus Brazil and with Sarachan at the wheel (who hasn't shown any brilliance of managing a NT) I don't expect much. I'll be shocked if they tie the game by bunkering as they did with France.

 

France proved in the World Cup too, in spite of becoming champions, that they were poor at breaking breaking down a bunker. That said, that was a pretty "organized" performance to not make the US easy to break down, we had our moments in the build-up, and a few good chances.

I would take a similar approach against Brazil and it could produce a draw, competitive loss, or even a shock win. I really hope Sarachan employs a 442 diamond, 352, or 442 flat at least. First two would still provide the ability to link up the field, but at least if 2 forwards on the field there will be outlet and they won't be enveloped. I think anything with a lone striker is a foolish strategy in terms of either optimism or pessimism because they'll inevitably be on an island and that will be unacceptable.

 

Remember the Trinidad B-team that eliminated us?

Well, it was arguable they played a lot better than their A-team, and now they are their A-team already, preparing to play the Emirates in about eight hours.

 

5-0 win, hat trick from Zardes and two own goals by Neymar. Sarachan named coach for life after the game.

 

Um, I think El Burro has a few goals to go before someone can broach him in the same thought process as Inzaghi. I get the sentiment, but I think the comparison is flawed by the sheer gap in the two players' footballing ability. The technical ability of a player like Inzaghi was judged against players like Maldini, Totti, Del Piero. We're comparing El Burro's technical ability to guys like Arriola, Wood and Novakovich and he's still coming up well short. I think we're talking apples and oranges, to put it mildly.

 

25k and you. Lots of good seats available.

 

By the way, if El Burro is standing on the sidelines waiting to substitute into the game, I would pay to hear a Hee-Haw chant coming from the crowd.

 

I found the pricing oddly high for a friendly in a huge stadium - that may be part of the problem.

 

I think compared to recent games, the ticket prices are very comparable. I just think US Soccer overall is tone deaf when it comes to selling tickets to meaningless friendlies. For some reason that makes sense economically, tickets to events such as this are priced as you see for this game. Whether or not one could easily predict that paid attendance will be low.

Conversely, that may be why tickets are so expensive. They calculate that only 25k will show up, and those 25k will pay what the tickets cost regardless of price, so they charge what they need to charge to cover expenses and make 8% profit. Anything over that is gravy.

 

If Sarachan sets the team up properly, and we bunker, then a 1 to 2 goal loss should be the worst result. Conversely, if he tries to go toe-to-toe, as JK had done, then expect at least a 4-goal drudging.


-------------------------------Wood-----------
-----------Acosta--Adams---McKennie--Arriola-
----Robinson----------------------------------------------Yedlin------
---------------------Lichaj----Brooks----Parker-----
---------------------------------Steffan-----

CCV hasn't been playing.

Acosta and Arriola will provide lock-down defense along the forward flanks.

Brooks or Miazga in the middle; Brooks is only going to be here for the Brazil match.

The best results the team have gotten over the past 2 years have been when a 3-in-the-back formation was played.

 

Da Boy out with an injury. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...mnt-sebastian-lletget-departs-mnt-camp-injury

departed camp due to a lingering abdominal strain suffered with the Los Angeles Galaxy

 

he hasn't had much run with the MNT, but Morales is a bundesliga starter.

 

That sucks. I wanted to see how Da Boy (Lletget) would perform against this caliber of comp, after injury, and within more defensive tactics. At least it's not serious.

Roster-wise, this crew was already light on creativity. Wish they'd call up another attacking bloke. Would probably have to be stateside this late. Thinking of Mueller. Rowe would be a possibility. He's nearby.

 

What kind of sick b*stard are you anyway!? ;-)

 

Issue with your second theory, which may well be right, is it continues burning bridges when USSF should be building them. They may think way too highly of their fan base. Might not be as hard to lose fans as they think.

 

I completely agree with what you are saying. I can't for the life of me understand the concept of charging what is charged for events like this when a large swath of the place is empty. That theory is me trying my best to understand the general concept of pricing for events like this. Sell out the place, get a raucous crowd of 20 somethings in the gate with really affordable tickets. But that will never happen in the modern world of sporting events. I don't get it.

 

This would be a great thread topic for a separate thread. I think the greater danger is not that the USSF thinks too highly of their fan base (us) but that they are largely indifferent and feel they can ignore us.

What if between hosting the World Cup in 2026, regularly hosting Mexican MNT matches {SUM}, collecting MLS dues, etc - I don't know the income streams - the USSF doesn't really care (about revenue from selling tickets).

If you think of our federation as a racket, then a lot of the decision-making becomes more rational (from that perspective).

This doesn't mean that all things being equal they wouldn't prefer to sell tickets, win games, hire a coach, etc., just that the urgency not just to recognize abject failure but to reverse recent downward trends isn't there - or at least in my view is not evident.

 

Apparently participation in youth soccer is dropping off. How about a $5 or $10 youth ticket? Build some interest and build it early ...

 

Not really the place for sociological commentary but what the hay. Why is participation in youth soccer receding? Are we seeing similar drops in other organized youth sports? My guess would be yes.

The gadgets, gizmos, conveniences and Leviathan-like addiction of/to modern technology are molding a new generation of non-active and non-athletic kids. We may soon reach a point where many high schools can't field a boys football team such is the crisis in youth physical activity in this culture. Look around the parks and playgrounds of your cities. They are eerily empty of kids playing sports or general outdoor activities. The only saving grace and what's keeping many youth athletic budgets going is the mostly steady participation rate of girls. It's on the male side where the big changes are happening.

Back to tonight's soccer match...

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/recruiting-insider/wp/2017/09/06/youth-sports-study-declining-participation-rising-costs-and-unqualified-coaches/

 

I believe the match is tomorrow night, which means we still have plenty of time to pursue a wild tangent (or two).

 

That's why I'm not driving three hours and spending a hundred bucks to watch this team...

 

I was wondering when Brazil started putting an Eagles logo on their helmets.

The helmets themselves also seemed a bit unusual.