2021 USMNT Thread
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ForCuseSake
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Timmy Weah with the seeing eye squeaker.
ForCuseSake
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I’ll take it!
On to Mexico
On to Mexico
C
creatorsgam
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Just got home from our varsity game tonight, couldn’t watch.
Was it a step forward, or more of the same?
Was it a step forward, or more of the same?
IthacaMatt
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I think we probably saw 8 of our best 11 tonight.
We're not there yet, but that was a good win.
We haven't seen the best of Reyna yet. I hope we do in November.
We're not there yet, but that was a good win.
We haven't seen the best of Reyna yet. I hope we do in November.
We gave up a sloppy goal in the first minute.
Settled down after that.
Dest had a world class equalizer.
We got away with a penalty right before halftime.
Navas Costa Rican-PSG GK got injured and was subbed out at halftime.
We were the better team the whole game outside of the first minute and penalty we got away with.
We got a soft goal for the win but we’ll take it.
Lucky that nobody got a yellow card accumulation to miss Mexico match.
We won in spite of Berhalter.
Orangezoo
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Hopefully he is healthy by then. Been nice to have him this cycle when we were in Panama
IthacaMatt
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He's not playing much at Juve right now. I hope he gets sold to West Ham in January. He would become a better player in England, more suited to what we need from him for the national team.
IthacaMatt
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Right now, I'm listening to Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique while I'm reading the USMNT game coverage. It's so funny to hear the sports interviews running on low volume when they auto-play on ESPN.COM, like background "atmosphere", while the music is playing. Some very funny matches between the audio sources.
Orangezoo
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We should be Panama by 3-4 goals at home if not more. This is a breakout for Canada. Definitely they will challenge
IthacaMatt
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The best thing is to hope for separation between the top 3 and the rest. That requires lower table teams winning once in a while. Panama won't stay Top 4, like they are right now. (Edit: Well, maybe they will - see below.)
We got 6 points from 3 games, we rotated a lot of guys and gave them chances, and some new guys became part of the family in this last game - thinking Weah, Dest, Musah in this game tonight.
Every time one of these young guys has his own "special moment", that's like earning your stripes among the crew. They know you can deliver the goods. The more guys we have who are a threat to ripple the nets, the better!
In November we're back to "only" a 2 game window. Mexico home, and away to Jamaica. Jamaica's in last place in the Octagon, but have good athletes on the counterattack.
Panama has an easy October, playing 2 of the bottom teams (at Honduras, home to El Salvador), and will be expected to get 6 points from 6. That would give them 14 and make them pretty solid for Top 3 after the Third Round of Five (only January and March remain after the next 2 game window).
Canada, 1 point behind Panama in 4th, has 2 home games next time - Mexico and Costa Rica. This will be the huge window for them of qualifying. If they come up empty, or with say only 1 point from 2 home games while Panama runs 6, Canada will be in big trouble.
But it could be good for us. That's the separation the top 3 aspirants are looking for.
IthacaMatt
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What do you think of our next window?
Mexico at home, and not near the damn border, we have a good chance at winning if we're healthy.
Mexico is suffering from a lot of injuries and guys who are just off form right now. They had a heck of a time at home against bottom of table Jamaica tonight, only winning in the 89th minute.
They play away to both the US and Canada in November. They could lose both.
If we get six points, we should go top of group after Round 3 of 5 of Qualifying.
"Fire Berhalter"!!
Mexico at home, and not near the damn border, we have a good chance at winning if we're healthy.
Mexico is suffering from a lot of injuries and guys who are just off form right now. They had a heck of a time at home against bottom of table Jamaica tonight, only winning in the 89th minute.
They play away to both the US and Canada in November. They could lose both.
If we get six points, we should go top of group after Round 3 of 5 of Qualifying.
"Fire Berhalter"!!
Orangezoo
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Mexico plays El Salvador tonight with Jamaica playing Honduras.
We should beat El Tri again at home. Get at least a point at Jamaica and that makes a successful next break to me.
IthacaMatt
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Was that their last game that was so close vs. Jamaica? Sorry.
Didn't watch their game, just read the sports reports on ESPN.
Edit: No, that was an old result from early in this cycle.
Last edited:
If you think Gregg isn’t an issue you are in the minority.
I don’t want the USA golden generation in the hands of this manager.
Plain and simple.
Orangezoo
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Yes sir - last one it was. They should win tonight though.
IthacaMatt
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He's not very likely to get replaced in this cycle.
IthacaMatt
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Yeah, ESPN's website had me all mixed up about the standings, remaining fixtures, etc. Kind of a mess.
They don't update standings until next day.
C
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ESPN dot com is like being frozen in 2007.
IthacaMatt
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He's not great, I'll agree. But you make it like he's Dino Babers.
I might be wrong, but so far I think he's had the best start of any US team coach. And he's actually able to recruit quality European based players who seem to enjoy playing for the USMNT. They certainly have the make up of "a gang" of talented guys who are building chemistry together.
Timmy Chandler never felt like he wanted to be there. Or Fabian Johnson. So many of the guys that Klinsmann tried to recruit were nowhere near the quality of this current group of youngsters.
What you're watching in Berhalter is a more tactically astute version of Klinsmann, delivering the kind of football Klinsmann wanted to play but couldn't bring about, with young, and somewhat inconsistent players.
He's building a strong culture within the squad. We are so clearly past the old war horses who we had to reply on last time around. It's a new team and it clearly has a promising future.
Berhalter probably won't get past the Round of 16 in Qatar. But if he does, what do you do then?
Say the US makes a run to the quarterfinals, how do you fire him?
You don't, unless you can get a big name, a top shelf coach. And with a good squad coming off a reasonably good World Cup, and being the host - we might actually get that coach you are hankering for.
But Berhalter is going to get his chance. And they are doing well enough to likely qualify. Of course it's not over yet, but we're well into the campaign now.
