Pre-match: USA v Australia Game 2 6/19 3 pm ET

If the US look like turkey-yay did against Australia we have a problem, and we
probly won't make a run. I think we smoke them, and Paraguay beats them. Paraguay isn't a bad team.

 

I think that's what Turkey thought as well.

I also believe you will win, but be careful what you wish for.

 

Also if we all ate chicken salt I think we could counter act their power.


I thought this was hilarious pls Google chicken salt friends.

 

Calm down Francis.
What the fans think is nowhere near what the coaches and players think of opponents.

 

I do wonder how much of this is by design rather than the players playing and exploiting what Paraguay gives them. And I’ll n be honest I didn’t observe this on my own (picked up from the Bradley/Arena/Berhalter video post yesterday….Paraguays center backs were so so narrow on Balo….with Dest and Robinson creating width and occupying their outside backs….there was acres and acres of space between their center backs and outside backs. There was no way Paraguay wasn’t gonna get torched by a competent team.

 

https://www.youtube.com/live/-53IEHMuwf4?is=JlFmvsG8r5KY-5ex


Watch it, it's how I felt about the match too.

30 minute mark

 

Yes. Because when he wins the ball back, he'll make a killer pass forward. Ream made a 40 yard run in what, the 85th minute and beat the Paraguayan attacker to the ball so apparently, he's faster than that guy. He's not winning a 100 yard dash but good lord, fans acting like he can't run just sound ridiculous.

 

Have we ever won two games in the group phase?

 

The US has 2 secret weapons: Brenden "pickpocket" Aaronson and Haji "lightning in a bottle" Wright.

I would love it if Pochettino comes up with a completely different formation against the Aussies.

Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi!

 

in1930? i think.

 

What? First American to score 2 goals in a World Cup match and you want to sit him? And all Aronson does is run around really fast. Who are you sitting in his place, Pulisic or Dest? Seriously?

 

Yes, it’s Türkiye’s plan that’s now out the window.

 

Really perceptive. Australia doesn’t have a lot of great options against this, tbh. If they try to close the space between midfield and the backline, they’ll lose their compactness. If they just sit back like Paraguay, they’ll get picked apart.

 

I didn’t watch the Australia/Turkey game and think that Australia suddenly became a scarier opponent. Turkey looked like the better team to me.

 

Australia saw Richards completed all 83 of his passes and know Ream is an excellent passer. Freeman has also been incredible with his driving forward and passing. So the idea they can sit back and just "absorb" our attack doesn't seem like a good idea.

 

We need to win 2-0 putting us plus five in goal differential and we can coast in game three with some fitness, card, and refresh substitutions.

I don’t think Australia did anything different to Turkey than what the US has been prepping for.

Except a low block, expect counter, expect physicality a the point of attack that disrupts. We have played them before, we know what they are about. But unlike Turkey we can’t chase the game if we let them slip one by us. We also have to let them have the ball, they are a country that wants to excel at soccer. They are content to watch the opposition play kick around for 70 minutes then bring the thunder for twenty. Imagine if we goated them forward with confidence.

 

Aaronson’s press is really good but only useful when the opposition has the majority of the ball.

 

Paraphrasing Arena: going 83 for 83 ain’t all that hard when Paraguay doesn’t come within 20 yards of you while you’re on the ball. It sounds impressive but it’s just a thing.

 

Aaronsan and hajji wright? Just who would they replace?

 

Australia's win means any US result against them sees the US likely top the group on GD and Turkey entering their final game needing a win to guarantee progression, even if they defeat Paraguay and that is not a given.

I'd say Balogun, Pulisic, Dest et al are looking forward to that one.

Pity the US-Australia game comes before the Turkey-Paraguay one.

 

I'm looking for a Pepi goal vs the Sockaroos. I think they'll pack the outside backs in as well and sucker us into trying to beat them with crosses and an aerial game we don't have. Maybe Wes can get on the end of something.

And yet, after watching the Paraguay game, I have some (perhaps) irrational confidence that it doesn't matter how clogged it is, we'll just slice through them anyway. My lord did our attack look beautiful. I started listing those players out and realized I was nearly to the point of adding Freese

 

Its some lame dude. I'll never post again if that dude scores vs the us.

 

Aaronson might replace Pulisic if he was injured.

Since he isn't and Aaronson plays on the right or through the middle anyway, he won't.

Mind you, it could be different if the US are 2-0 up and cruising on 60' and Poch wants to rest Pulisic and Balogun but I'd expect it to be rather tight with the clinching goal(s) coming on 70' or later.

 

Will Zendejas be used against the low-block defense?

Will we attack down the wings equally on each side?