2022 World Cup

[Forza Azzurri]

I agree - great first half.
Yedlin for Dest I disagree, just don't think Yedlin is good at this level. But Dest w/ a yellow card, ok. Yedlin made a bunch of unforced errors i.e. simple pass out wide to him and he received it out of bounds! Come on man!
Acosta for Musah only if Musah for 90 vs England. Otherwise, a tired Musah still better than fresh Acosta.
We could debate subs forever, only GB's opinion matters though.
I don't think you can separate the notion of the team panicking a bit in second half from coach's strategy and the coach himself. I think that is where he is getting some flack. I think strategy changed for second half. And I hate watching a team try to hold onto a one goal lead for so long. I wish we were determined to score the second goal, not hope Wales didn't.
You probably know more than i do about the game, so I will appreciate your response.

You can disagree with Yedlin as the sub but then you have to tell me who the sub should have been and why that would have been a better choice than Yedlin.

Completely disagree on Acosta for Musah. Musah coming off an injury and was visibly exhausted. Musah also more of a box to box midfielder while Acosta is a 6. He brought him on in the 75th to close out the game. I felt it was absolutely the right move.

Until he subbed Acosta for Musah, I don't believe the strategy changed. The Moore sub was key for them and changed the game. They changed their tactics to pressure us and we did not respond well. I believe part of that is youth and part of that is fitness issues, due to guys like McKennie, Musah, Dest and Weah missing time in the run-up to the World Cup. Yesterday was a grueling game played at an extremely high level of both tempo and intensity for 90 minutes. Guys just did have that reserve yesterday and I look at the roster and I'm not sure there was an answer there. Maybe De la Torre. Maybe.

Wales is also no joke. I think we are the more talented team but they did get out of a group that included both Italy and Switzerland at the Euros until getting dismantled by Denmark. They have a collective belief in both themselves and in Gareth Bale that makes them a team that is more than the sum of its parts. We do not yet have that collective belief. You can blame Berhalter if you want for that but I think it is more a function of youth. We don't have a talismanic Gareth Bale or even guys like Bonucci or Chiellini who can stand up and demand more from their teammates. Our "captain" yesterday is only 23 years old. There is no Dempsey or Donovan on this team.

Unlike say, college basketball where a coach can simply call a timeout to stop an opposing team's run, soccer is a game where "suffering" opposing pressure has to be done on the field. Closing out a game requires both physical and mental toughness. Match fitness plays a big part in that as does maturity.

As disappointing as yesterday was, this team is miles from where it was in 2018 and there is a lot to look forward to.

 

[690West]

You can disagree with Yedlin as the sub but then you have to tell me who the sub should have been and why that would have been a better choice than Yedlin.

Completely disagree on Acosta for Musah. Musah coming off an injury and was visibly exhausted. Musah also more of a box to box midfielder while Acosta is a 6. He brought him on in the 75th to close out the game. I felt it was absolutely the right move.

Until he subbed Acosta for Musah, I don't believe the strategy changed. The Moore sub was key for them and changed the game. They changed their tactics to pressure us and we did not respond well. I believe part of that is youth and part of that is fitness issues, due to guys like McKennie, Musah, Dest and Weah missing time in the run-up to the World Cup. Yesterday was a grueling game played at an extremely high level of both tempo and intensity for 90 minutes. Guys just did have that reserve yesterday and I look at the roster and I'm not sure there was an answer there. Maybe De la Torre. Maybe.

Wales is also no joke. I think we are the more talented team but they did get out of a group that included both Italy and Switzerland at the Euros until getting dismantled by Denmark. They have a collective belief in both themselves and in Gareth Bale that makes them a team that is more than the sum of its parts. We do not yet have that collective belief. You can blame Berhalter if you want for that but I think it is more a function of youth. We don't have a talismanic Gareth Bale or even guys like Bonucci or Chiellini who can stand up and demand more from their teammates. Our "captain" yesterday is only 23 years old. There is no Dempsey or Donovan on this team.

Unlike say, college basketball where a coach can simply call a timeout to stop an opposing team's run, soccer is a game where "suffering" opposing pressure has to be done on the field. Closing out a game requires both physical and mental toughness. Match fitness plays a big part in that as does maturity.

As disappointing as yesterday was, this team is miles from where it was in 2018 and there is a lot to look forward to.

Forza, a couple commentators this morning went as far as to say Pulisic’s set pieces including his corners were “embarrassingly bad” yesterday. Thoughts?

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Forza, a couple commentators this morning went as far as to say Pulisic’s set pieces including his corners were “embarrassingly bad” yesterday. Thoughts?

There are three keys to delivering a good set piece, whether it be a corner or a free kick that is close enough for a ball to be whipped into the box:

1. Get the ball over the head of the initial defender, especially on corners. This is fundamental.
2. Deliver the ball with pace at the proper height.
3. Put the ball in an area where the keeper cannot get to it and if one of our guys gets a head, or other body part to it, the keeper has no chance unless it is right at him.

His deliveries were not good yesterday.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

That’s a shocking result. Saudi with excellent tactics in that one but still wow one of the favourites going down to Saudi is crazy. I wanted to see Messi potentially win but now it’ll be hard getting out of the group.

Saudi was +1800 to win prior to the match. I can only imagine how high that number went at half down 1-0

 

[Forza Azzurri]

As disappointing as yesterday was, this team is miles from where it was in 2018 and there is a lot to look forward to.

I wanted to elaborate on this point a bit.

I have been religiously watching the US national team for the last 32+ years. Prior to that, games were simply not on TV. The Paul Caligiuri goal vs T&T, which propelled the US to its first World Cup in 40 years, was not on TV.

This is first time, ever, that I have seen a US team truly dominate an opponent at a World Cup for any period of time. It is the first time, at a World Cup, that I have ever seen a US team dominate time of possession and dictate how the game was played. When Klinsmann took over in 2011, he declared that the days of the US bunkering and countering were over. It never happened because we never had that talent to make it work unless we were playing Cuba or St. Kitt's.

We finally have the talent to be able to do that, not against a France or and England, but against a mid-tier European side.

But playing that way also requires learning how to play that way on the highest stage. I think that the other big difference in the second half yesterday was that we got more tentative in the opponent's half. The risks we were willing to take in the first half, guys were not willing to take in the second half.

When you play on the front foot, the worst thing you can do is turn the ball over in a bad area and give the opponent the opportunity to counter. I think we were too cognizant of that in the second half and, as a result, became too stagnant in the opponent's half.

The really good news is that we finally have the talent level to be able to dictate play to opponents. You cannot win without talent. Now we have to mature to the point where we are comfortable playing that way for 90 minutes when the stakes are highest.

It is an evolution, not a revolution.

Looked at in isolation, yesterday was a massive disappointment. Looked at from a long-term perspective, it is a "giant leap" forward.

 

[upperdeck]

Mex-Pol is for big money now.. win this and tie Arg and you can become the #1 out of that group. Tunisia tying Denmark gives them some hope as well. If France goes down today the soccer world will fall apart. Every team outside the top 10 has to be thinking why cant we be next.

Argentina cant tie any games now and get thru either so they have to play to win in these games late.

 

[690West]

There is nothing like a save on a PK.

 

[Orangezoo]

There are three keys to delivering a good set piece, whether it be a corner or a free kick that is close enough for a ball to be whipped into the box:

1. Get the ball over the head of the initial defender, especially on corners. This is fundamental.
2. Deliver the ball with pace at the proper height.
3. Put the ball in an area where the keeper cannot get to it and if one of our guys gets a head, or other body part to it, the keeper has no chance unless it is right at him.

His deliveries were not good yesterday.

I'll just add putting some spin/curve on it so it bends in to help direct it into goal. As a supposed world class player it amazes me how bad he is here. For instance I was the primary set piece taker and getting a good bend on your corner is not difficult. I just don't understand why the struggle. Poor crosses under duress is one thing but my God a corner should be well struck 9/10 times.

 

[upperdeck]

I dont see many world class players getting it into good spots 9-10 times though.. but he does seem to be more like 1-10 to me as well. I think Acosta is better at hitting those type of set pieces though..

 

[upperdeck]

Who had Arg in last in the group after day 1?

 

[Orangezoo]

I dont see many world class players getting it into good spots 9-10 times though.. but he does seem to be more like 1-10 to me as well. I think Acosta is better at hitting those type of set pieces though..

Yeah good spot is relative to be fair. A playable ball dipping towards goal..that makes it to at least the mouth of the goal is the norm. The Moore header that just missed wasn't great but was place where a play could be made. Pulisic doesn't even do that much.

 

[kirbivore]

Saudi was +1800 to win prior to the match. I can only imagine how high that number went at half down 1-0

The -800 on Argentina was too steep for me, so thankfully I only put in Argentina to win 1st half at -210

 

[CanadianSU]

Couple snoozers after the Argentina debacle.

 

[kirbivore]

France finished the day with a win. -450

 

[PoppyHart]

I wanted to elaborate on this point a bit.

I have been religiously watching the US national team for the last 32+ years. Prior to that, games were simply not on TV. The Paul Caligiuri goal vs T&T, which propelled the US to its first World Cup in 40 years, was not on TV.

This is first time, ever, that I have seen a US team truly dominate an opponent at a World Cup for any period of time. It is the first time, at a World Cup, that I have ever seen a US team dominate time of possession and dictate how the game was played. When Klinsmann took over in 2011, he declared that the days of the US bunkering and countering were over. It never happened because we never had that talent to make it work unless we were playing Cuba or St. Kitt's.

We finally have the talent to be able to do that, not against a France or and England, but against a mid-tier European side.

But playing that way also requires learning how to play that way on the highest stage. I think that the other big difference in the second half yesterday was that we got more tentative in the opponent's half. The risks we were willing to take in the first half, guys were not willing to take in the second half.

When you play on the front foot, the worst thing you can do is turn the ball over in a bad area and give the opponent the opportunity to counter. I think we were too cognizant of that in the second half and, as a result, became too stagnant in the opponent's half.

The really good news is that we finally have the talent level to be able to dictate play to opponents. You cannot win without talent. Now we have to mature to the point where we are comfortable playing that way for 90 minutes when the stakes are highest.

It is an evolution, not a revolution.

Looked at in isolation, yesterday was a massive disappointment. Looked at from a long-term perspective, it is a "giant leap" forward.

The 1989 game vs. T&T was on ESPN.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Couple snoozers after the Argentina debacle.

Curious if FOX anticipates huge ratings. Pretty tough to grab the non-soccer fan like myself if the USA fizzles out and there are a bunch of 0-0 games, plus it's tough for the 9-5 guy to watch.

 

[orangenauburn]

Saudi was +1800 to win prior to the match. I can only imagine how high that number went at half down 1-0

+6000

 

[upperdeck]

France finished the day with a win. -450

Hmm.

 

[orangenauburn]

France finished the day with a win. -450

Au contraire Mon faire

 

[upperdeck]

lucky to not be down 2.

 

[upperdeck]

france allowing the goal got the odds down into the -200s thats playable

 

[storange]

The 1989 game vs. T&T was on ESPN.

Yes it was , because I saw it.

 

[cusefan88]

Just wait till US Soccer gets a proper tournament coach. I expect big things in 2026 regardless of how this year goes. This edition is merely for experience.

 

[upperdeck]

nice to get france at -250 instead of -450..

 

[CanadianSU]

Curious if FOX anticipates huge ratings. Pretty tough to grab the non-soccer fan like myself if the USA fizzles out and there are a bunch of 0-0 games, plus it's tough for the 9-5 guy to watch.

Yeah, I feel like ratings are down everywhere.