not the easiest thing to do with these 3 games in a few days happening.. lots of travel for the teams. is 2-1 or enough 2-0-1? Do we have more depth now then some of these other teams so we can do a 3-0? getting to top 10 in the world do we have the chops to live up to that
2021 USMNT Thread
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NailstheCusefan12
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Personally I think 2-0-1 is the minimum expectation. I just hope the attacking threats (who I’m really excited about) can find the goals I think they can. 6-8 goals over the 3 games should do the job to get us 7-9 points.
IthacaMatt
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The hardest game is the first one, away to El Salvador. They took second in the group stage, and they gave that very experienced Qatar team a real game, losing 3-2.
Honduras, who also finished 2nd in their Gold Cup group, got crushed 3-0 by Mexico. That's the easier away game, on paper. Glad to get El Salvador first, before the team starts getting tired. I think Honduras is the easiest game of this first set.
Canada should be interesting. Negative start away to El Salvador will bring out the knives in the sports media, despite the fact that I think Berhalter is doing a very good job.
If we get 2 wins and a draw, I would say we are still on track for qualifying; off to a pretty good start, in fact, for what is still a pretty young squad. Three wins would be outstanding.
Orangezoo
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Yeah Im not bothered with this one either. It's still a talented roster for sure.
cusefan88
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How I think they will set up.
Steffen (though Turner could start for me any game)
RB: Dest
CB: Miles Robinson, Brooks
LB: Antonee Robinson
CM: Mckennie, Adams, Lletget
AM: Reyna, Konrad
CF: Sargent
Subs: Aaronson, Acosta (to hopefully protect a lead), Sands (again to protect lead), Pefok (strong holdup play to kill time), Roldan (coming in for a winger...for defense).
Steffen (though Turner could start for me any game)
RB: Dest
CB: Miles Robinson, Brooks
LB: Antonee Robinson
CM: Mckennie, Adams, Lletget
AM: Reyna, Konrad
CF: Sargent
Subs: Aaronson, Acosta (to hopefully protect a lead), Sands (again to protect lead), Pefok (strong holdup play to kill time), Roldan (coming in for a winger...for defense).
IthacaMatt
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7 points. Maybe a draw tomorrow night, followed by 2 wins.
Losing Pulisic isn’t a shock.
I doubt he plays anymore than 1 game and probably limited minutes.
The Covid has to be hard for conditioning.
Turner is a serviceable keeper. The back 4 needs to be rock solid in these road matches.
No Tim Reem please.
Please Berhalter don't use him.
I think we have enough depth to be able to get pressure in the midfield to press all 3 of these teams.
We are lucky to miss Costa Rica and Mexico this round.
I doubt he plays anymore than 1 game and probably limited minutes.
The Covid has to be hard for conditioning.
Turner is a serviceable keeper. The back 4 needs to be rock solid in these road matches.
No Tim Reem please.
Please Berhalter don't use him.
I think we have enough depth to be able to get pressure in the midfield to press all 3 of these teams.
We are lucky to miss Costa Rica and Mexico this round.
5 points and I am happy.
7 points we are on the way to top 8 in the world rankings.
Orangezoo
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If it's 7 then the 1 is El Salvador. If we get 3 tomorrow we should be able to come away with 9 pts and a full head of steam.
IthacaMatt
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Costa Rica isn't what they used to be a few years ago...
IthacaMatt
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That's how I see it, too.
Orangezoo
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Yeah Costa Rica is a ways from being back to a major threat.
El Salvador will take the 1.. we need to score early enough they dont bunker in all game and we have 65% of the possession but no quality chances.. If the US gets ahead they will come out of the shell enough we can score 2-3. but it seems like these games are mostly just hang around type games.
Imagine if Soccer had bonus pts like wrestling for ride time. you need to possess the ball in the offensive end and if you do it for X amount more you get a goal.
Imagine if Soccer had bonus pts like wrestling for ride time. you need to possess the ball in the offensive end and if you do it for X amount more you get a goal.
C
creatorsgam
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One of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard, about anything, in my entire life.
C
creatorsgam
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A little louder for those in the back.
TheCusian
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Thanks! Yeah, we have a good coach who is all player development and ball skills. Good guy who treats people well.
because we all love zero zero ties with 2 shots a game.. soccer can be a great sport but its best when teams are trying to score.
C
creatorsgam
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Counter point: don’t watch
so every time a game like this happens all the talk is about how ugly the game was and the far better team tied or struggled to win.. I guess dont every try to fix games because obviously every sport was perfect day 1. we should remove all the rules in every sport that changed in the last 100 yrs as well.
Im just throwing out ideas to make it play better.. to me the easiest fix is to go more like Lax and allow anyone to run up and down but limit how many can stay back on D or limit how many can be in the box or take a couple players off the field.
C
creatorsgam
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Those games are the exception, not the rule. It happens, they suck, and it almost feels like a waste of 90 minutes. It can’t always be end-to-end action with a 4-3 result.
I can get behind a minor change here or there, but such a radical change as you suggested? Maybe you just don’t like the game. And that is fine.
I’ve purchased UFC cards. Sometimes the main card has a bunch of boring decisions and it is a sleepy night, sometimes the bouts are back-and-forth explosive. Doesn’t necessitate major rule changes in the sport. It just happens.
No sport is perfect, but soccer might be as close as it gets.
Edit: UFC might have been a poor example; not because of rules but rather they need to revamp fighter pay. Been a minute since I’ve ordered a PPV and most likely won’t until it changes. Pay the fighters, Dana. /rant
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I love playing soccer.. just done like to reward teams for not really playing it to win,
I enjoy 0-0 baseball and hockey because you cant really bunker down to do it.
i know its radical. I was just throwing ideas out
IthacaMatt
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The number of 0-0 draws in European football are way down, compared to 5 or 10 years ago. Ever since Jurgen Klopp's success with the high press, first with Dortmund and then Liverpool, that style of football, combined with playing out of the back and thru midfield on offense instead of hoofing it long has taken over the game.
Football is so much more "watchable" these days. Most teams try to play in this modern style, which has supplanted "tika taka" style of the epic Barcelona teams under Pep, or the "Route 1" English style of bashing it down the field and trying to score on a header from a set play. The average Premier League score these days is 2-1, not 0-0.
