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Message: [QUOTE="IthacaMatt, post: 3600579, member: 405"] Great question - they really turned up the heat on offense against Panama. Terrific 6-2 win. Panama is a physical team that plays dirty. Welcome to CONCACAF, young men! Reyna was much better with different players around him and more room to operate coming inside. Both young center forwards were effective, each scored. Gioachinni was good. Really attacked his second goal, diving for the header. The first was a classic poacher's goal. Too bad he missed his penalty for the hat trick - very tame effort. Tim Ream had a fine game at the back, and really seemed "in charge" with all these young guys who barely know each other. Fine effort, even if Fulham is struggling mightily in the Premier League right now. Musah carrying the ball box to box, wow, the kid is really good. McKennie was literally everywhere on the field in both games. He and Tyler Adams are going to be the leaders of this team. Sergino Dest was not as effective on the left side. Big difference, but Reggie Cannon is miles better than Antonee Robinson. I still prefer Dest on the right. He was more dangerous going forward. Cannon was good, though. I have not been this excited about the men's team since the old dudes missed out on making the 2018 World Cup in Russia. This is what we've been waiting for. These guys are the real deal. Still young, sure. Not all of them are going to work out, long term. But in the past, the US had ONE guy who had to bear all the creative pressure of the team. it's always been just one guy, or maybe a couple. Now we've got half a dozen or more really young guys (18 to 22) who are good enough to play in any league in Europe. This could be a great team by the time the US hosts the World Cup in 2026. We could have a legitimate chance to make noise. But first, these kids have to toughen up and learn the dirty business, biased refs, and terrible pitches of CONCACAF. We are finally seeing the new team take shape for real, though. The MLS guys can fill in some gaps in the roster (and there are some important MLS guys, especially on the defensive side of the ball). But the extended, let's get to know the whole damn player pool for 18 months under Dave Saracen, while we wait for Berhalter to FINALLY be hired is over. Now we have a pretty good idea who the team is. Too bad they can't play together again until March. Progress! It's undeniable. [/QUOTE]

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