2022 USMNT Thread

[IthacaMatt]

Yeah. Wales is the kicker. Can they come out the gate strong and notch a win to start things off?

I guess it'll depend on the starting 11. I worry that GGG will put in some funky combo that gives up a cheap goal and then his turtle shell offense won't be able to respond.

I'd love to see him come out aggressive v England and attack their middies and D. I think England is weak in midfield and their D while potentially Uber talented, have at times in other competition, had some miscues. England is stout in goal so any attack would have to be persistent. The English can be deadly with attack, but they too play way too conservative with the talent they have - unfortunately it only takes one mistake and they will snipe one on us.

Iran, could be the trap game. Sneaky tough team and they'll be amped up with ample crowd support. This game could trip us up.

So 1-1-1 seems about right. Would thoroughly enjoy going 2-0-1 or 3-0-0

Iran has 3 quality attacking players from Top 5 European leagues. They will be dangerous. We have to win our games in midfield. I see Ream starting the England game in a back 4. We might go with defenders who play a higher line vs. Iran and Wales, but we may bunker and counter vs. England.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Watching this last couple weeks' games, I'm feeling really good about the US midfield. Tyler Adams may be a star of this World Cup for us.

Brendan Aaronson is also playing really well. I might start him at the 9 vs. Wales, and have him harass their back line, with Pulisic and Weah on the left and right wings.

I hope that Reyna and McKennie stay healthy. Haji Wright starts vs. England to give us a target man to release pressure against them. I see us playing deeper, which means that Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson will probably start that game together, if you ask me.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yeah. Wales is the kicker. Can they come out the gate strong and notch a win to start things off?

I guess it'll depend on the starting 11. I worry that GGG will put in some funky combo that gives up a cheap goal and then his turtle shell offense won't be able to respond.

I'd love to see him come out aggressive v England and attack their middies and D. I think England is weak in midfield and their D while potentially Uber talented, have at times in other competition, had some miscues. England is stout in goal so any attack would have to be persistent. The English can be deadly with attack, but they too play way too conservative with the talent they have - unfortunately it only takes one mistake and they will snipe one on us.

Iran, could be the trap game. Sneaky tough team and they'll be amped up with ample crowd support. This game could trip us up.

So 1-1-1 seems about right. Would thoroughly enjoy going 2-0-1 or 3-0-0

As I look at Wales, I'm quietly confident. Their 2 best players - Bale & Ramsey - have barely played in the last year. On top of that, their midfielder who controls things for them, Joe Allen, is recovering from injury and may not feature against us.

When you look at their back line on defense, it's not Premier League players, for the most part. Wayne Hennessey is a fine goal keeper, but likewise hasn't been playing much.

Their back line has some decent names, but they've mostly been loaned out from the clubs to get playing time (Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu). Ben Davies is probably their most solid defender, and Neco Williams is a threat going forward from the back.

 

[upperdeck]

every team looks dangerous when we have 3-4 giveaways a game..

 

[IthacaMatt]

Just finished watching Fulham v. Manchester United. Ream and Antonee Robinson both played very well. Ream's distribution from the left side of defense was terrific, especially long balls to Robinson down the channel to break the United press.

We're going to need precisely that skill vs. England (at a minimum ...). Very good game for both guys.

We are actually coming into this World Cup relatively healthy compared to what it could have looked like.

 

[kirbivore]

any chance of getting out of group stage hinges on beating Wales

 

[IthacaMatt]

any chance of getting out of group stage hinges on beating Wales

If we can't beat Wales, we don't really deserve to get out of the group.

 

[690West]

any chance of getting out of group stage hinges on beating Wales

If we can't beat Wales, we don't really deserve to get out of the group.

I think Wales is underrated. Vegas has US at 40% to win outright. Wales is #19 in the world. I think a draw is likely

 

[djcon57]

I just put in my official group round picks...and sadly...after diggin in, I couldnt pull the trigger on USMNT getting through. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[djcon57]

I assume some of you have seen the EA Sports played a computer simulated World Cup, with Argentina emerging as the winner.

I noticed that they had Pulisic as scoring 5 goals in 5 games for the US. I haven't been able to find the individual game results online yet, but I'm curious how they saw us doing in our group, who we "beat" in the Round of 16, and who we lost to in the Quarterfinals.

If anyone finds it online, please share a link. Thanks.

Only seeing says we lose to France.

EA predicts Argentina will win the 2022 World Cup, after getting the last three right | VGC

Messi will be the top scorer, England will crash out in the Round of 16, according to the publisher…

www.videogameschronicle.com

"The United States make it to the quarter-finals in EA’s simulation, eventually bowing out to a 1-0 defeat by France."

 

[690West]

I just put in my official group round picks...and sadly...after diggin in, I couldnt pull the trigger on USMNT getting through. Hope I'm wrong.

It’s so close. Vegas has USMNT and wales both around even money to advance.

 

[djcon57]

It’s so close. Vegas has USMNT and wales both around even money to advance.

Yeah I just can't get a wacky 1-1 tie on a fluke goal vs Iran out of my head that will knock us out.

 

[NineOneSeven]

When do we play?

 

[690West]

When do we play?

Monday at 2:00pm

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think Wales is underrated. Vegas has US at 40% to win outright. Wales is #19 in the world. I think a draw is likely

Well, Bale played a grand total of 370 minutes in 13 games for Los Angeles and only started twice. That's about 1/4 of a game in each appearance. He's not in game shape. He may be in golf shape, but not football.

Likewise Aaron Ramsey has only played about half a game per appearance for Nice, and has only 1 goal and 1 assist in 16 games.

Joe Allen hasn't played since Sept 17th and remains injured.

If those 3 guys were playing regularly, at their usual level, Wales would have a shot, and might even deserve to be favored.

But without those guys, or with those guys and their current limitations, I just don't see Wales being much of a scoring threat, unless we turn it over deep in our own end. That's certainly possible, but the rest of Wales is basically a Championship squad, and in fact many of them are from the lower divisions.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think Wales is underrated. Vegas has US at 40% to win outright. Wales is #19 in the world. I think a draw is likely

I think the team who is under-rated is Iran. They absolutely crushed everyone else in their Asian qualifying.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Well, Bale played a grand total of 370 minutes in 13 games for Los Angeles and only started twice. That's about 1/4 of a game in each appearance. He's not in game shape. He may be in golf shape, but not football.

Likewise Aaron Ramsey has only played about half a game per appearance for Nice, and has only 1 goal and 1 assist in 16 games.

Joe Allen hasn't played since Sept 17th and remains injured.

If those 3 guys were playing regularly, at their usual level, Wales would have a shot, and might even deserve to be favored.

But without those guys, or with those guys and their current limitations, I just don't see Wales being much of a scoring threat, unless we turn it over deep in our own end. That's certainly possible, but the rest of Wales is basically a Championship squad, and in fact many of them are from the lower divisions.

One of my favorite clips

 

[IthacaMatt]

Well, Bale played a grand total of 370 minutes in 13 games for Los Angeles and only started twice. That's about 1/4 of a game in each appearance. He's not in game shape. He may be in golf shape, but not football.

One of my favorite clips

My first year of really being a "modern" soccer fan was 2009-10, leading up to the South Africa World Cup. My team was Chelsea, who won the title and FA Cup in England, and our former coach Mourinho led Inter to the Champions League title.

During the Champions League the following year (2010-11, or maybe '11-12), Spurs got in and drew Inter in the Group stage. Those were the games that Bale undressed Maicon, then thought to be one of the world's great fullbacks, over both of their matches. That's what launched Bale into the elite, and shortly after he went to Real Madrid.

 

[690West]

I think the team who is under-rated is Iran. They absolutely crushed everyone else in their Asian qualifying.

We probably aren’t the group of death with Germany and Spain in group E. But we are literally in the group with the highest blended world ranking. No pushovers.

 

[690West]

Are we doing a World Cup thread or just use this thread?

Qatar just banned all alcohol just 48 hours before kick. FIFA and the government of Qatar are a different level of awful

Fans rage as beer abruptly banned from World Cup

The sale of all beer with alcohol at the eight World Cup stadiums was banned Friday, only two days before the soccer tournament is set to start.

nypost.com

 

[IthacaMatt]

When do we play?

Monday at 2 PM.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Are we doing a World Cup thread or just use this thread?

Qatar just banned all alcohol just 48 hours before kick. FIFA and the government of Qatar are a different level of awful

Fans rage as beer abruptly banned from World Cup

The sale of all beer with alcohol at the eight World Cup stadiums was banned Friday, only two days before the soccer tournament is set to start.

nypost.com

I can't imagine how I'd feel if I spent $10K or so to go to the World Cup, and then there's no alcohol, except places far from the stadiums.

 

[690West]

I can't imagine how I'd feel if I spent $10K or so to go to the World Cup, and then there's no alcohol, except places far from the stadiums.

Exactly. You shouldn’t be awarded a WC if you ban alcohol. And if FIFA wasn’t the worst Organization in the history of modern civilization they would come out today and say, “cancel the ban or your country is banned from all FIFA sanctioned events going forward”

$75 million sponsor

 

[IthacaMatt]

Exactly. You shouldn’t be awarded a WC if you ban alcohol. And if FIFA wasn’t the worst Organization in the history of modern civilization they would come out today and say, “cancel the ban or your country is banned from all FIFA sanctioned events going forward”

$75 million sponsor

I think it's pretty likely that this is the last time a World Cup will be held in the Middle East.

 

[690West]

Hope this is BS, but these days I’m more inclined to think it’s 100% real