Pre-match: USA vs Qatar Gold Cup Knockout Semifinal (7/29)

I looked at their last 2 matches and they didn’t rotate, FWIW. They used 5 different subs that had a total of 112 minutes in those 2 matches. They do have the advantage of an extra days rest.

 

I’m excited to see how our defense handles a team that presses like Qatar will do.

 

And they will be comfortable playing in a searing hot petro-state.

 

You may regret saying that!

 

Fair, but I want to see if Turner, Moore, Vines, Sands, Robinson, and Acosta are ready for that next level. Or if they’re just good against scrubs.

 

9 players have started all four of their matches. They've used the same lineup three times, making only two changes for the Grenada match.

That's not surprising to me, seeing as they are essentially relying on team chemistry to make the most of a limited player pool.

 

We've seen them already against, roughly, Octagonal-quality sides, Canada and Jamaica (not at 100% full strength, but our 2nd 23 will never have to face them without first team help in qualifiers, anyway). What we see is that on a good pitch in at least a friendly, non-hostile venue, they're up to snuff defensively (with an asterisk... Sands as a CB in a 4-back line makes me somewhat nervous). But our second-23's attack prowess, like in the Olympics, leaves much to be desired.

 

We did the same in preparation for 1994. It worked. I'm sure that must of us remember that we weren't GOOD, but we were competitive with a pool of college players with a smattering of professional experience, plus a few dual national professional reinforcements. In 1990, before we hired Bora who basically ran the de facto USMNT club side I wouldn't really say that we were yet competitive.

 

There has been way too much praise for Qatar. They let in 3 goals v Panama and were lucky not to have conceded a third v El Salvador. No one they've beaten recently was ranked above 50. We should win this 3 - 1.

 

Or they won the Asian Cup while beating Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Japan and South Korea in early '19 and at this tournament have beaten Honduras and El Salvador (who nearly tied Mexico) and tied Panama in a looney game, they've consistently scored multiple goals in this tournament (3, 4, 2, 3) while we have locked down our games but as predicted by many, replicated the toothless misery of Olympic Qualifying with more of the same (1, 6, 1, 1).

I think this game is impossible to predict because it's basically:

Their strength vs our strength (Their attack vs Our D)

Our weakness vs their weakness (our attack vs their D)

Additionally Zimmerman is out, and Moore, Robinson and Vines and Sands have logged tons of minutes and are playing on 3 days rest, same with Dike, Busio, Acosta et all. Qatar is on 4 days rest.

This game lines up to be us trying to hold onto a 1-0 lead against relentless attacks, or a goal fest due to our exhaustion and injuries and their ----- defense. Not sure how it will play out, but easy win seems the least likely of results.

 

I think this roster would probably have a FIFA ranking of around 50.

 

Hoppe 3, Qatar 2

 

Same line up. Let's go!

 

was getting worried about BS.

btw, since when are there so few posts for a usmnt game?

 

us scoring 3 would be pretty shocking to me. if we win i think it's 1-0.

 

Can’t give the ball away cheaply in our half.

Same starters as against Jamaica

 

greggs system will be lucky to create 3 shots on goal.

offensive impotency by design is his "game plan."

 

no its a blowout either way... high scoring game at least

 

Hoppe had 3 himself against Jamaica. Please just give your negativity a rest for like 3 hours. Please.

 

I think we will win comfortably

 

My wife is frying bacon just now. BLTs for match day.

NOTHING BAD COULD HAPPEN ON THIS DAY!

 

Worried about how fatigue might hurt us in this one. Definitely could be an issue. We'll see.

 

No lineup? We're 30 minutes from kickoff.

 

already there since 30 min. same lineup