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

They think they've been getting it because of American pundits/commentators. Of course, they know that's not the real deal.

 

Ream hit 30.6 km/h which is on the slow side for a CB. Poch will certainly need to plan carefully with the Aussie's pace in mind.

 

The side with Irankunda will be more vulnerable. They were often in almost a 532 shape with him pinching up and in near the striker and he did not track back consistently. Building from down the flanks into the channels will be critical both for creating chances and forcing him to play deeper.

If they keep him on the left, that means Freeman, Wes, and Dest will have room to work. If they put him on the right to run against Ream, Jedi and Pulisic will hopefully be able to exploit the advantage.

 

For many years I have thought the draw was rigged. How many times are we going to play Ghana? I still think it's rigged. Is it possible to rig it? Of course! Can I prove that it's rigged? No. Are the games rigged? No. In the end, does it really matter? No. Enjoy the games!

 

keep it wide, keep the ball low, quick passing

 

Lots of constraints over the years with pots and federation limitations plus some random luck drove repeated match ups. But certain matchups were impossible or very likely under various versions of draw rules.

 

Turkey looked ineffective, but I think Australia was just that solid instead of any laziness on Turkey’s part. Lazy? They may have been unsure what pattern to try, but it’s easier for me to believe Australia was committed and capable more than that Turkey just weren’t willing to run.


Watching Curaçao try to defend just shows how much better Australia is. Yes Germany is better, but Australia was just everywhere with 10+ guys very coordinated.

The US will have a bunch of semi chances. Just need to spend time this week making sure Australia doesn’t get any simple counters.

 

Load management is hugely important in any tournament, particularly in this one with 48 teams and an extra round. What we cannot do is run Tyler and other important players into the ground in the group stages. That really hurt us against the Netherlands in 2022. If Tyler gets a yellow in the Aus match, for example, that solves that problem.

 

That's why a win against the Australia would be huge.

If up 2-0, we can have Adams pull someone's shirt around the 70th min to get that second yellow and then sub him out.

Then we can rest half of the starters against Turkey.

But I am living in a dream world with an ideal scenario.

 

We need to be extremely patience with them and operate very surgically. Otherwise, the table can turn against us quickly.

 

Um, we don't need him to pull a shirt. We can just not play him against Turkiye. Yellow cards are cleared after the group stage.

 

Super wide chalk on feet. Plus mckennie and tillman floating around in the half spaces are going to be huge. Switch field quickly.

seemed like turkey had arda coming to get the ball a ton and then nobody floating into central spaces.

also, cant let them score first. Biggest thing easily.

 

Australia with their pace, physicality, and transition game are similar to a fully fit Canada. And a fully fit Canada has over recent years given us plenty of fits.

Oddly enough, it was with Gio starting at CAM that the US last defeated Canada in regulation.

 

Reyna's top speed...25.5...

 

Grella can shut up now, though. What a clown.

 

Yildaz was very disappointing. Six step overs, pass it back. Repeat. Their right side never even tried the step over part.

 

8-minute appearance.

 

But they are looking for any reason to be butthurt. It made national news a couple of weeks ago that Meola said their golden generation were journeymen. He said as wrong, of course but the country blew it up. And of course Moron lalas will make sure to give them plenty of stuff to pretend that their feelings are hurt and attribute his comments to all 380 million Americans.

 

Australia has speed. The two forwards are burners. BIS is very fast and they have another guy who reminds me of Canada’s Shaffelburg the way he was blowing by fools.
Two things we can’t do:
Pump crosses into the box. We will lose those battles.
Underestimate the Aussie countering speed.

We’ll need to take shots from outside the box and crash the net, hockey style. Can’t count on any pretty goals.

 

First goal is not going to change the way Australia plays. After beating Türkiye they know that a point against us gets them to the next round.

They did not triple or even double team any of the Turkish attackers. They are going to play their disciplined, compact 5-3-2, hit a lot of hopeful long balls for their attackers to play and will fancy their chances on getting a set piece goal.

 

If Puli can’t go, I’d keep Tillman central.

Aus will park the bus, so we’ll need some magic to score. I’d go w Reyna as a direct replacement.

q: Berhalter is very good at set pieces. Put him in Puli’s spot (if Puli can’t go)? He wouldn’t be very pressured and he could play in some nice balls.

unpopular question: Pepi for Balo in this match? Pepi would be a lot better at knocking down balls in the box, and is something of an aerial threat.

it’s crazy waiting a week. Under the old format the match wd be Tuesday