U20s vs. Italy, Oct. 9, 2025 (Pre-/PBP/Post-Match Thread)

The technical skills, game management, organization, and team speed were impressive. These players lack the raw talent of previous U20 teams but make up for it in other ways.

 

If only he knew in which direction to dribble.

 

I am looking forward to the possible eventual meeting between the USA and Colombia. I know it is improbable that we will meet but I think it would be fun.

BTW: There is something worse that USA announcers. My neighbors are working on their truck and they are creating a HUGE racket, making it hard to pay attention to the matches. But they are otherwise quite good neighbors and I can tolerate some noise during the day.

 

He's had a hell of a season. Started against Atletico Madrid and played a part in beating Italy and France 3-0.

Oh yeah and started against and beat Messi and co in the Leagues Cup final.

 

these versions of france and italy are not good.....yet the usa is playing as if they are. thats the issue

usa is and has been way better than these versions of France and Italy (now I know they are missing some key players)......

a tourney is about saving energy and advancing.....you dont wanna have to give it your all to survive bc then the next match becomes impossible.....

the USA has a lot more pro experience than a lot of the teams in the WC ....they should win, imo

these details matter,......this is the difference between QF and going farther.....

so yeah...we should point them out....bc clearly...SOMETHING has prevented this team from getting past that stage....right?????

 

Re: Campbell

Tobin Heath had a nickname, given when she dribbled into countless dead ends -- "where promising drives go to die."

I feel the same about Campbell.

 

Very Professional win. Very Professional Team. Nothing Brazil like. Not many top world class players. A few will be very good.
The way Wynder just dominated French and Italian Professionals you would think some of those leagues would bring him in.

 

Like he is too young.

 

Goal kick plays are not a transition play. You have time to move the whole team forward and create the play.

 

Ultimately, I don't hate the idea of giving the ability to a team to "request a VAR review", but it works in other sports because there is a consequence for being wrong. You only get so many in the NFL, and in both the NFL and NBA, an incorrect review costs you a timeout (important resource). Giving team a hypothetically-limitless number of reviews, not punishing bad faith reviews, and preventing the refs from making calls outside of thing that was requested (like, how great would it be for a ref to review a dive like the last Italy ones only for him to give a YC for simulation) means that this system is destined to fail. Maybe that's what IFAB and FIFA want? Dunno...

 

Eddie the Eagle and competent don't belong to the same senrence unless total sarcasm.

 

In this tournament, at least, each team is given 2 challenges. If you ask for a review and your challenge is affirmed, you keep both challenges. If you challenge and it's denied, you lose the challenge.

 

Amazing free kick. Never seen anything like that from American player.

 

i dont think its any kind of coincidence that the us has broken the game open vs bot france and italy after campbell has been subbed off

but i do think all of his efforts and attempts have been useful in wearing defenders down....he is at least aggressive and direct...even though he has been totally lacking in end product

 

ahhhhh, okay, I should've guessed it was something more like that. When the first challenge was requested, I assumed it was closer to the NFL where there used to be only one per half, but when the 2nd one came in, I was like "wait... can they just keep challenging anything?"

I still think it's not enough. It needs to be more meaningful than just "you can't challenge again". The timeouts work beautifully in other sports, but there's no real equivalent in soccer.

 

yeah but she looked better doing it....at least to me

 

Teams lose a review unless they succeed. I like this system better than the seemingly endless VAR review that tak forever. Most of the time requested review are a lot faster than regular VAR.
I would prefer no VAR at all but we are not going to get that. To put it in common language, "The cat is out of the bag."

 

Wait until they come up against Argentina. A lot of their players have first team experience too. As do the Moroccans.

 

I like VAR, but I think the Premier League is absolutely botching it in so many different ways and on the sport's biggest stage that the crimes of PGMO are applied to the concept as a whole...

 

I think Marko just has to bite the bullet and bench Campbell for the quarters. I think you have to at least consider going Gozo/Brennan as the starters.

Only way Italy even got half dangerous shots were US just being sloppy with the ball, but man Benja/Raines bossed that midfield and Wynder/Kohler/Westfield have shut their guys down. Norris hasn't been bad either but he's had some questionable moments.

 

Premier League reffing is awful. The referees' egos are as big as the players.

 

One difference was something someone noted upthread, namely, no weak spots.

There’s a tactic in many sports called “find the fish.” A fish is a bad player, so you find their weak player and attack him.

We are fishless.

 

i been around a long time, 5 years or so here under one name or another.....i've never seen a team dismantle teams like italy or france like this. i don't care which team they sent, those two countries are true soccer cultures with impressive pedigree. they just don't have bad players. maybe something hasn't jelled with italy lately, but does anyone think they are gone for good like hungary? no. next up is likely morocco and they are kryptonite as far as i'm concerned....i'll be more impressed with a win over them...of course so korea could win and then we lay an egg against them too.....they are always a tough side.

 

What's worse it will turn into a team tactics: everyone to the penalty box and dive, dive, dive. Coaches then decide which dives to appeal.

 

We won both matches 3-0.

Your expectations don’t match with how soccer works.