USMNT soccer team thread

[Forza Azzurri]

good stuff!! thanks!!


1 quick question, is there really an A team and a B team?? or is like September baseball when the whole 40 man roster can be 'called up' and you happen to go to the game where Jeter, Bernie, Tino and O'Neill are all sitting?

Not officially.

B team just means you are going with guys who would not start, or maybe not even be on the roster, if it were a really important game. They could be younger players or fringe roster guys...

 

[Alsacs]

The Confederations Cup which is held the year before the World Cup in the host nation. Is an 8 team tournament with all A squads.
The WC host country
The reigning WC Champion
Champion of Europe
Champion of Oceania
Champion of South America
Champion of CONCACAF
Champion of Asia
Champion of Africa

The tournament is not the preseason-NIT. It is the 3rd toughest tournament to win behind WC and Euro.

Copa America is hit or miss. It has elite teams. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile/Colombia are on their way to elite status.
Ecuador/Venezuela/Bolivia/Paraguay/Peru are on par with the USA/Mexico in the world landscape of soccer.
The ConFed Cup is all good teams outside of Oceania since Australia went to Asia.


The last 3 world Cups South America has been carried Argentina/Brazil-QFs in 06, Uruguay-SFs in 10, Colombia-QF, Brazil-4th place, Argentina-runnerup in 14.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Our roster just doesn't have a lot of elite talent. I was happy Klinsmann subbed Bradley off.

The tournament was a B- result. It developed the back 4 Johnson-Cameron-Brooks-Yedlin.
The Midfield blows on the roster right now. #FreeBenny
Dempsey/Wood/Zardes are solid Forwards.

I wasn't happy with the lack of Dagbe and little usage of Pulisic. I hope Klinsmann takes the Southampton job let him coach at St. Mary's Park.

The tournament result wasn't anything special. 3 wins 3 losses.

A-

Barring injury, we should have our starting back four - which has been a major issue for us since the beginning of time.

We have found an alternative to Altidore in Wood. In fact, I think Wood will grab Jozy's starting spot. But our offensive strategy no longer collapses as it did when Altidore went down in '14 and Wood was suspended for Argentina.

I thought Zardes really came on as the tournament progressed. He and Yedlin are a dangerous pair on the right flank.

We also found confidence as we realized that we can play with anyone other than the very top teams. The second game against Columbia was a much better effort.

We need to become a permanent invite to the Copa America. Other than the World Cup, it is our lone opportunity to play top teams in meaningful games.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

The Confederations Cup which is held the year before the World Cup in the host nation. Is an 8 team tournament with all A squads.
The WC host country
The reigning WC Champion
Champion of Europe
Champion of Oceania
Champion of South America
Champion of CONCACAF
Champion of Asia
Champion of Africa

The tournament is not the preseason-NIT. It is the 3rd toughest tournament to win behind WC and Euro.

Copa America is hit or miss. It has elite teams. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile/Colombia are on their way to elite status.
Ecuador/Venezuela/Bolivia/Paraguay/Peru are on par with the USA/Mexico in the world landscape of soccer.
The ConFed Cup is all good teams outside of Oceania since Australia went to Asia.


The last 3 world Cups South America has been carried Argentina/Brazil-QFs in 06, Uruguay-SFs in 10, Colombia-QF, Brazil-4th place, Argentina-runnerup in 14.

I am sorry but you are just dead wrong about the Confed Cup.

Countries want to participate in the tournament because they get to play a series of games in the host country and they bring their A teams because those are the guys they want to acclimate and the tourney is like the group stage of the World Cup.

But, when it comes to winning the tourney, they could care less.

Ask any South American country if they would prefer to win the Confed cup or the Copa America and not one of them will say the Confed cup.

 

[Toga]

A-

Barring injury, we should have our starting back four - which has been a major issue for us since the beginning of time.

We have found an alternative to Altidore in Wood. In fact, I think Wood will grab Jozy's starting spot. But our offensive strategy no longer collapses as it did when Altidore went down in '14 and Wood was suspended for Argentina.

I thought Zardes really came on as the tournament progressed. He and Yedlin are a dangerous pair on the right flank.

We also found confidence as we realized that we can play with anyone other than the very top teams. The second game against Columbia was a much better effort.

We need to become a permanent invite to the Copa America. Other than the World Cup, it is our lone opportunity to play top teams in meaningful games.

I want to like Zardes but his play always seems to be just a bit off. On a different front, Bradley has devolved into a non-entity.

 

[Alsacs]

A-

Barring injury, we should have our starting back four - which has been a major issue for us since the beginning of time.

We have found an alternative to Altidore in Wood. In fact, I think Wood will grab Jozy's starting spot. But our offensive strategy no longer collapses as it did when Altidore went down in '14 and Wood was suspended for Argentina.

I thought Zardes really came on as the tournament progressed. He and Yedlin are a dangerous pair on the right flank.

We also found confidence as we realized that we can play with anyone other than the very top teams. The second game against Columbia was a much better effort.

We need to become a permanent invite to the Copa America. Other than the World Cup, it is our lone opportunity to play top teams in meaningful games.

CONBEMOL wanted to make Mexico/USA permanent invites as 11th and 12th teams but the USA screwed it up in 2007.

What Bradley did in 2007 offended them. I agree with what Bradley did as winning the 2007 Gold Cup got us to the 2009 ConFed Cup where we reached the Final and had a good outcome.

CONCACAF for greed reasons has the Gold Cup every 2 years. If the region scrapped the every 2 years Gold Cup and made the year of Euros then we could see a rotation like this.
World Cup- year 1
Copa Amercia year 2
Gold Cup- year 3 before or after the Euros
ConFed Cup(hopefully) year 4

Instead right now this is the rotation
World Cup- year 1
Gold Cup- year 2 after the Copa America
nothing- year 3
ConFed Cup(hopefully) AND Gold Cup.

I would love to see USA do what Mexico does. They are permanent invites but send their U-23 plus 3 overage players to the Copa America.

 

[Alsacs]

I am sorry but you are just dead wrong about the Confed Cup.

Countries want to participate in the tournament because they get to play a series of games in the host country and they bring their A teams because those are the guys they want to acclimate and the tourney is like the group stage of the World Cup.

But, when it comes to winning the tourney, they could care less.

Ask any South American country if they would prefer to win the Confed cup or the Copa America and not one of them will say the Confed cup.

History is why those countries would rather win the Copa America. It is the longest competition and the only way to win the ConFed Cup would to win Copa America unless you are the reigning WC champion or the host nation.

ConFed Cup is harder to win that the Copa America because of the quality teams outside of Oceania.

On Yedlin his first touch way to heavy for him to be as good as we need. He is just a speedy defender but he brings nothing to the offense. Fabian Johnson is the better of the corner defenders.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

History is why those countries would rather win the Copa America. It is the longest competition and the only way to win the ConFed Cup would to win Copa America unless you are the reigning WC champion or the host nation.

ConFed Cup is harder to win that the Copa America because of the quality teams outside of Oceania.

On Yedlin his first touch way to heavy for him to be as good as we need. He is just a speedy defender but he brings nothing to the offense. Fabian Johnson is the better of the corner defenders.

Hard to win doesn't mean meaningful...and even hard to win depends on the path...

It may be hard to win the confed cup if you have to go through the defending World Cup champs and the European and South American champs but that doesn't mean the victor, or the fans of the victor, is really going to care about the win...

And Zardes and Yedlin were the lone bright spots against Argentina...the few dangerous moments we had came down the right flank...

 

[OrangeFoo]

A-

Barring injury, we should have our starting back four - which has been a major issue for us since the beginning of time.

We have found an alternative to Altidore in Wood. In fact, I think Wood will grab Jozy's starting spot. But our offensive strategy no longer collapses as it did when Altidore went down in '14 and Wood was suspended for Argentina.

I thought Zardes really came on as the tournament progressed. He and Yedlin are a dangerous pair on the right flank.

We also found confidence as we realized that we can play with anyone other than the very top teams. The second game against Columbia was a much better effort.

We need to become a permanent invite to the Copa America. Other than the World Cup, it is our lone opportunity to play top teams in meaningful games.

For the record we have basically a permanent invite to Copa... the problem is that because Copa is not an official concacaf (our federation event) we can't force European clubs to release our players for it as it doesn't count as an official tournament. However Comebol (s. america's federation) teams can force club teams to release players because it is an official tournament so we are forced to send a B team while all of the s. american teams have their full rosters. FIFA made ann exception for this year's copa because it's a joint confederation tournament. Other challenge is that the Gold Cup is usually played the same summer as Copa and the winner of that gets to play for a spot in the Confed Cup so if we have to pick which tournament to send out A team to it's going to be the Gold Cup.

The one thing you choose to overlook with the team is that our midfield is slow, can't maintain possession, can't stop good teams and can't pass. Bradley is a shell of himself, Jones is great but he's 34 and undisciplined and injury prone, Dempsey is 34/35 and a stud but can't run games anymore, Zusi is just another player internationally, Beckerman was too slow in the world cup and is now even slower. Klinsie needs to focus the rest of this year on finding a midfield.

The other problem is that we had basically the fewest shots on goal compared to shots given up ratio in the tournament of teams who made it to the quarters. Our offense still stinks.

 

[upperdeck]

when will the US ever develop someone who can control the ball and attack the penalty area.. it seems like that would be the equivilent to dribbling in basketball yet we struggle to create a solid play maker who threatens other teams and creates space.. Wood I though was a step above Altidore in that was able to run into space and track balls down. we need one more of those type of players. and who is the next Dempsey? I thought the kid had some nice moments if he can get stronger to hold the ball, he has good instincts? We need a bradley replacement with a bit more speed.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

The one thing you choose to overlook with the team is that our midfield is slow, can't maintain possession, can't stop good teams and can't pass. Bradley is a shell of himself, Jones is great but he's 34 and undisciplined and injury prone, Dempsey is 34/35 and a stud but can't run games anymore, Zusi is just another player internationally, Beckerman was too slow in the world cup and is now even slower. Klinsie needs to focus the rest of this year on finding a midfield.

I'm not overlooking anything. Note that I said nothing about the midfield.

There are some positives:

Bedoya is a workhorse. Zardes got better as the tournament went on. Pulisic and Nagbe are the first two guys off the bench...

But there are also some negatives:

Bradley needs to refind his form...Beckerman is too limited. Jones was a stud both this year and at the World Cup but his time is coming to an end. I don't think Zusi has what it takes at the international level...

Right now we have a bunch of hard-working players but no difference makers.

I think Pulisic becomes a fixture and we'll see how good Nagbe really is...

 

[Alsacs]

For the record we have basically a permanent invite to Copa... the problem is that because Copa is not an official concacaf (our federation event) we can't force European clubs to release our players for it as it doesn't count as an official tournament. However Comebol (s. america's federation) teams can force club teams to release players because it is an official tournament so we are forced to send a B team while all of the s. american teams have their full rosters. FIFA made ann exception for this year's copa because it's a joint confederation tournament. Other challenge is that the Gold Cup is usually played the same summer as Copa and the winner of that gets to play for a spot in the Confed Cup so if we have to pick which tournament to send out A team to it's going to be the Gold Cup.

The one thing you choose to overlook with the team is that our midfield is slow, can't maintain possession, can't stop good teams and can't pass. Bradley is a shell of himself, Jones is great but he's 34 and undisciplined and injury prone, Dempsey is 34/35 and a stud but can't run games anymore, Zusi is just another player internationally, Beckerman was too slow in the world cup and is now even slower. Klinsie needs to focus the rest of this year on finding a midfield.

The other problem is that we had basically the fewest shots on goal compared to shots given up ratio in the tournament of teams who made it to the quarters. Our offense still stinks.

Just a few things to add. USA used to have a standing offer from CONMEBOL to play in the Copa America but since we sent a C team in 2007 it offended them and we haven't been invited in 2011 or 2015. Mexico still has a standing offer to compete but the 12th team in 2011 was going to be Japan before the tsunami and it became Costa Rica and in 2015 it was Jamaica.

The fact the competition is the same year as the Gold Cup is why teams wouldn't have to release their best players. FIFA requires you release players for all events on its calendar but because USA/Mexico have the Gold Cup its not fair to those teams to risk injuries for their club teams in 2 tough competitions back to back.

Mexico had to make a deal with CONCACAF to allow them to continue playing the Copa America. Starting in 2015 the Mexicans promised to make the Gold Cup their A squad and priority and in exchange they would send their U-23 with 3 overage players to Copa America and the Mexicans domestic clubs got permission from CONCACAF to compete in the South American Champions league.

On the roster you are correct. We need more youth and skill in the MF. Our players first touches have to get better.

 

[Alsacs]

when will the US ever develop someone who can control the ball and attack the penalty area.. it seems like that would be the equivilent to dribbling in basketball yet we struggle to create a solid play maker who threatens other teams and creates space.. Wood I though was a step above Altidore in that was able to run into space and track balls down. we need one more of those type of players. and who is the next Dempsey? I thought the kid had some nice moments if he can get stronger to hold the ball, he has good instincts? We need a bradley replacement with a bit more speed.

Luis Gil or Gideon Zelalem are the best bets to be the next Dempsey.

Julian Green if he develops is more of a number 9 than 8 like Dempsey.

 

[Toga]

Well done Iceland. Another exit for England.

 

[djcon57]

Well done Iceland. Another exit for England.

I can only imagine the meltdown in England going on.

 

[Toga]

I can only imagine the meltdown in England going on.

F em after costing me money.

 

[Alsacs]

Population wise Iceland only has 300,000 people and the USMNT took one of their best up and comers in Aron Johnannson in 2014.

I want to say this is like a 16 seed over a 1 seed but England are dogs in these competitions recently.

 

[kirbivore]

Well done Iceland. Another exit for England.

You can always count on England to under perform in an international tournament. They are the Georgetown of international football. At least Georgetown's last shining moment only goes back 32 years. It's been 50 since England won anything.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

On the roster you are correct. We need more youth and skill in the MF. Our players first touches have to get better.

We need more skill across the board. The very quick and accurate one- and two-touch passing to relieve pressure is simply not in our arsenal.

 

[Toga]

We need more skill across the board. The very quick and accurate one- and two-touch passing to relieve pressure is simply not in our arsenal.

I saw that for a stretch a year ago playing European friendlies but then it kind of disappeared. Maybe that's why they call them friendlies.:noidea:

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I saw that for a stretch a year ago playing European friendlies but then it kind of disappeared. Maybe that's why they call them friendlies.:noidea:

There is no comparison between Friendlies and a competition like the Copa America, the Euros or the World Cup.

It is like the difference in intensity between preseason and the playoffs...

 

[Toga]

 

[creatorsgam]

Population wise Iceland only has 300,000 people and the USMNT took one of their best up and comers in Aron Johnannson in 2014.

I want to say this is like a 16 seed over a 1 seed but England are dogs in these competitions recently.

This generation of Iceland players is no 16 seed. They showed that in the group stage. I'm not shocked at this result at all, and had assumed England would collapse under it's own weight of expectations as always.

The English want to complain that the "foreign" invasion of players in the Premier League has taken away first team chances for their domestic players. There are internationals in all domestic leagues so I'm not sure that is a legitimate point. If they were athletically and technically superior, the English players would find first-team football elsewhere.

I have no idea how a team with so much talent can underperform at every tournament. The longevity of their mediocrity is impressive.

Saw a story on BBC in the aftermath of Brexit, indicating that the pound will be weaker than the Euro and as a result Premier League teams will not be able to afford the same level of talent they have been accustomed to. Of course this will give a chance for more homegrown players to get first-team action and prop up the international squad. Time will tell if this scenario is accurate.

"Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way." -Pink Floyd

 

[Toga]

This generation of Iceland players is no 16 seed. They showed that in the group stage. I'm not shocked at this result at all, and had assumed England would collapse under it's own weight of expectations as always.

The English want to complain that the "foreign" invasion of players in the Premier League has taken away first team chances for their domestic players. There are internationals in all domestic leagues so I'm not sure that is a legitimate point. If they were athletically and technically superior, the English players would find first-team football elsewhere.

I have no idea how a team with so much talent can underperform at every tournament. The longevity of their mediocrity is impressive.

Saw a story on BBC in the aftermath of Brexit, indicating that the pound will be weaker than the Euro and as a result Premier League teams will not be able to afford the same level of talent they have been accustomed to. Of course this will give a chance for more homegrown players to get first-team action and prop up the international squad. Time will tell if this scenario is accurate.

"Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way." -Pink Floyd

In terms of their respective work rates, Chile would have beaten England by 3 goals.

 

[creatorsgam]

In terms of their respective work rates, Chile would have beaten England by 3 goals.

This Chile team is a buzz saw. I came away very impressed.