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

What can Wright do that Gio can't?

 

Repping because I won’t be disappointed if we don’t win the World Cup. We are making progress. I’m going to enjoy tomorrow’s game and not overly stress.

The dude abides, I guess.

 

How are we going to prevent the second half slump? We didn’t crumble against England, but against both Iran and Wales, we started out hot, and then had long enough periods of poor play that the best teams, to include teams like Netherlands, will get goals on us.

Main thing that I want to see tomorrow is 90+ minutes of what we saw in the first half of Iran and Wales and the whole game against England.

 

If anything, it might be harder to avoid some chaotic and sloppy periods of play tomorrow because of the accrued fatigue. Weston, Musah were gassed at the end of the last match. Tyler has been covering so much ground that his body has to be tapping into deep reserves…

They will be playing on emotion tomorrow. It is the biggest games of their lives thus far, right?

Hopefully youth, ambition, common purpose and pride will get them through.

 

We definitely are going to need a big impact from our subs. In a way of saying this, we’re going to have to win this game twice, once, straight from the whistle, and two, when the subs come on and the tactics adjust.

I don’t see Reyna as a starter, but we may need a really big late game from him. Same with Aaronson.

 

I might end up posting this in a few threads because I don't know where to share it. In another thread someone posted a tweet with a link to the official FIFA post-match summary reports and it's certainly got a TON of information that I think lots of you will find interesting. It includes total distance (and walked, jogged, run, sprinted!) by player, which is what I'd been looking for but didn't know where to find. It's got way more data than I have a clue what to do with, but I'm sure some of you stats types will love it! There's also a link for live stats from FIFA.

 

I think people are overestimating the potential fatigue. Wes and Dest have been managed. Christian got a half off. Adams is not human. Jedi isn’t really either. Musah slightly concerned but he is 20. Weah we have depth. Not too concerned to be honest.

 

They are young, so I hope you are right. But there is no denying Musah was struggling at the end.

 

This just feels like a game for Reyna. I think we might see him starting tomorrow. That’s what my gut tells me.

 

I hope someone's been on the phone to Ledezma a lot the last 2 days.

 

Japan made out alright vs Germany.

 

Anyone else feel like a 12 year old on Christmas Eve right now?

please bring me that W Santa. I left cookies and milk!

 

...who eat Oranje Chicken for lunch!

 

I mean, that's literally what "The Netherlands" means also

 

Where pulisic got hit

 

Yeah, I get the sense that Berhalter scouted the heck out of the Netherlands, including sending people to watch games in person before the Cup, while van Gaal got around to watching the US for the first time against Wales, or so he claims.

If true, that's exactly where we want them.

 

Good point. I could absolutely see Gregg and his team doing a ton of scouting.

 

I strangely have peace of mind. I take solace in the fact that this team will give it everything it has with an organized cohesive strength...real heart and soul fight that we haven't seen in quite some time from the Nats. There is something special about this group...reminds me of the 2002 team, where you felt anything could happen...that crazy potential of high quality young talent and a few savvy vets...lightning in a bottle. I'm expecting a tight nervy game...I'm almost expecting extra time.

If we go down it won't be from lack of effort.

Imo, regardless of the result tomorrow, the collective structure and performance of this team, especially the midfield engine, has exceeded any other modern US WC team...even without an impact number 9 scoring forward.

Hopefully by 2026 we'll actually have a couple true impact forwards , then we'll do some serious damage.

Hoping to move on to the quarters, but they've already exceeded my expectations...I know they'll give it their best shot and that's all you can ask for...now if we actually make it to extra time or PKs, you'll have to peel me off the walls.

 

This game has entered an annoying gray area for me where The Dutch are good enough to "probably" end our run tomorrow, but they lack enough to where I've genuinely convinced myself we can win.


If this was Brazil or France it would all be house money and I wouldn't be bothered by a loss. If we lose tomorrow I'll be genuinely upset.

 

As MMA goes so goes the US!

L’Equipe (behind paywall) has a tactical breakdown of the American “golden triangle” — MMA — one the surprises of World Cup. Probably its most highly rated midfield trio. pic.twitter.com/GZ4iAJZt45

— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) November 30, 2022

 

Understandable feeling…

I’m watching the Brazil/Cameroon game now. There is no shame losing to Brazil (or France)… No doubt we’ve gotten better, but those teams play at another level. They are assassin. They can kill you with so many weapons.

 

I thought I’d be more nervous but I think the team is playing with house money, so long as they don’t lay an egg. This is almost sheer opportunity rather than pressure

 

Osorio’s breakdown of the game tomorrow on Futbol Americas tonight was exceptional, and his talk about Mirroring gives some strategic explanation of what the US may have done against Iran when Zimmerman came on, and may intend to do tomorrow.

 

This is the first time I have felt that we are the better team than someone like the Netherlands, who are a traditional power albeit in a bit of a down year.

I think that the best aspects of our team are better than the best aspects of theirs…straight up. We can take the game to them and see what shakes out.