Pre-match: USA v Netherlands Round of 16 12/3 10 am ET

what the...do you know what a whorehouse is? thats the worst analogy ive ever seen im my life

 

I share your concerns, but first priority is to make the group stage.

Messi just went 3 games for 90+ minutes.

 

Louis van Gaal has his strategy set on the script, if we can't beat them, make sure we don't lose.
He specifically made part of his goalkeepers selection that at least one of them has to be good at stopping penalties (although I've no clue on what it is based, given his choice of the 3. Bijlow has decent stats, but that's it).
So he has the intention, if necesary, to penalty stop our way through the ko phase. Hence his by the players maligned 3-5-2 system.
The players themselves feel far more comfortable in the 4-3-3 system and visibly are struggling in the execution of this very defensive system. It interferes with the natural flow of their play.

 

I'm impressed she spotted it

 

I think one of the chips on our side of the table the rest of the way is our youth. Forget the inexperience aspect. They have just played 3 high level matches at the WC and are playing terrific as a team. Now being a young team can have a big advantage in recovery. Got to be easier for a 22 year old to recovery to full fitness than a 30 year old.

 

Maybe it was just nuanced: Like a 90yo wheelchair bound man would never normally score at all, but maybe in a whorehouse he could get the ball across the line say twice over the course of three visits. Sounds about right as an analogy to our goal-scoring prowess so far this WC.

 

I'm still scarred from Couva about the lack of rotation. And we don't have anywhere near the information the medical staff has on McKennie/Pulisic/Sargent. But we definitely can't expect 120 minutes from McKennie or LDLT, Musah seems like a stretch, and it would be shockingly impressive from Pulisic after a brief hospital visit. Seems like the staff think there's no way to get 120 minutes from Reyna either.

So we might benefit from fresh legs where we don't lose much in the lineup. For me, that means considering Zimmerman back in for CCV, Scally for Jedi, Aaronson for someone (maybe Pulisic), Reyna for Weah, LDLT potentially starting for McKennie or Musah so one of those guys is fresh for the second half, and potentially giving Ferreira a go instead of Sargent if we think Sargent can't go the full way. All of those changes may be too much, but 2-4 different starters vs. the Iran match seems like a wiser move to me than running out the same 11 +/- Zimmerman/CCV.

 

Official word from US Soccer … Christian Pulisic remains day-to-day (pelvic contusion) & Josh Sargent is also day-to-day (right ankle soreness) #USMNT @FOXSoccer

— Jenny Taft (@JennyTaft) December 1, 2022

 

lol, one of the top exchanges of World Cup discussion so far.

 

i dont mean to be disrespectful- please understand this is all in the context of the game- but im going to be to some degree. weve got a world cup match in a couple of days.

gk highlights from the notoriously defensive powerhouse eredivise isnt really going to move the needle a lot...

 

Agreed. But some posters and Gregg apparently see a much bigger drop off where the BL1 players and LDLT are concerned.

 

im just hoping that the sub patterns and basically giving up in the second half was with keeping the players fresh in mind

 

I don't put a lot of stock in old friendlies, but this is a fun one to rewatch. (Apologies if posted already.)



Orozco, Alvarez, Johansson, Diskerud, Wood, and the first international goal from none other than Gyasi Zardes.

And what a difference 6 years makes to the player pool. Only Morris and Yedlin still in the squad.

 

My god that's a bad lineup. Beckerman, Wood?

 

Damn. Mount does not look good at all in that graph.

I think he's better than those stats, at least with Chelsea.

 

Mount stopped being a good player about a year and a half ago.

 

We made the group stage. We even made it out of the group stage. Check your DVR - the games might be there.

 

The depth everyone is worried about is in midfield and for me, the fullbacks. Pulisic and Weah are my general starters, but I'm not concerned about drop off to Aaronson and Reyna. Striker is a mild concern.

But we're advancing on the backs of MMA and we don't even really have MMA-lite to my mind. I think Acosta and LDLT can come up with some good games if needed, but playing either will shift the dynamic.

 

50

Serbia in LA January 23

 

How capable at "scoring" do you think a 90 year old, wheelchair-bound man is?

Thats roughly how capable at scoring the US has been.

Thus endeth the lesson.

 

There are special medicines now

 

Thank you for reminding me why I have you on ignore.

No, I don't think Gio Reyna is so good as to definitely guarantee a goal in twenty minutes of play or to single handedly keep possession when the rest of the team can't. That's not really how the sport works.

 

I woke up with this strange sensation today. Couldn’t figure out what it was, until I realized it was hope. Like, maybe I think Berhalter can pull this off


There are two of the most defensive minded teams in the tournament with huge struggles to create chances

My prediction: a somewhat dire 0-0 draw, and Captain Turner mans the ramparts successfully to win on penalties.

 

Oh, and looking great for 45 minutes and then collapsing is exactly what young and naive teams tend to do.