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USMNT 2025

Any thoughts on the most recent team selection?

I like the attacking selections. I don't think Gio Reyna will make it back into the team by the summer. He's only had 1 start and 1 substitute appearance in their first 4 games for a total of only 84 minutes so far for Gladbach.

I like seeing McKennie back in midfield, but the last 2 times he has played for us, his passing in midfield has been pretty awful, honestly. So many cheap giveaways and misplaced passes out of bounds. I don't think he'll start the first game.

Tyler Adams not in the team is a surprise. He played well for Bournemouth this week.
I guess this is the last chance for a couple guys playing in Europe, Tessman, Morris and Sands.

Cardoso has an injury at Athletico. Dest has an ankle problem, too. No Pepi from PSV, either.

In defense, I like seeing Miles Robinson back. No Scally, no Dest. No Aaron Long or Walker Zimmerman, although Long hasn't been with the team in over a year now, right?
 
IthacaMatt said:
Any thoughts on the most recent team selection?

I like the attacking selections. I don't think Gio Reyna will make it back into the team by the summer. He's only had 1 start and 1 substitute appearance in their first 4 games for a total of only 84 minutes so far for Gladbach.

I like seeing McKennie back in midfield, but the last 2 times he has played for us, his passing in midfield has been pretty awful, honestly. So many cheap giveaways and misplaced passes out of bounds. I don't think he'll start the first game.

Tyler Adams not in the team is a surprise. He played well for Bournemouth this week.
I guess this is the last chance for a couple guys playing in Europe, Tessman, Morris and Sands.

Cardoso has an injury at Athletico. Dest has an ankle problem, too. No Pepi from PSV, either.

In defense, I like seeing Miles Robinson back. No Scally, no Dest. No Aaron Long or Walker Zimmerman, although Long hasn't been with the team in over a year now, right?
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Adams and his wife are expecting a baby any day now. Hence his absence.

I'm very excited for Tessmann he's in the best form of his career right now.
 
cusefan88 said:
Sorry meant Scally vs Freeman at RB. Yeah I love Sargent but at the international level he's never done it.
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Yeah, Freeman is like having an NFL athlete out there who only has about a college skill level. HIs defense is getting better.

Dest is a better player overall, but also maybe a bit suspect defensively. He gives us a threat and unpredictability on that right wing when he gets forward. Him, Weah and Pulisic on a flank is maybe our most creative combination in this team.

Scally seems like a solid defensive workman. He should be on the roster just for cover at the World Cup. But I don't think he's that intellectual about football, compared to some of the other players.

I recall an interview with him back under Berhalter, complaining that there were too many technical instructions, and that this isn't a club team, that kind of thing. That may be what works against him with certain coaches.
 
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cusefan88 said:
Adams and his wife are expecting a baby any day now. Hence his absence.

I'm very excited for Tessmann he's in the best form of his career right now.
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Oh, that's right. Thank you.
 
cusefan88 said:
USA U20's look great. Very solid defensively. Looks like only two goals conceded in four matches.
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3-0 over Italy, and they also beat France in their group before losing to South Africa, giving up the lead.
 
Ecuador v. US halftime. 1-0 to the visitors.

Enner Valencia is a fine player with lots of skill. Fine goal, just an excellent effort, as Richards was right on him defensively, and had made it a really tough angle.

We look pretty good. I like 3 in the back. Less reliance on our fullbacks, by playing guys like Weah at wingback. Seems like a pretty good fit for these personnel.

Balogun was running behind and really causing probems. He was terrific. Malik Tillman was pretty good, had some moments.

Tessman looks good as a holding MF. He's got some bite, and is a pretty big guy. Nice alternative to Tyler Adams. Good player. Aidan Morris has mostly been invisible alongside him in MF.

McKennie is playing further forward, and is around the action, but no real big contributions yet.

We're getting a lot of corners (8 in the 1st half!), but have to cash in on one. We have good size in the box compared to them.

Weah has been a bit on the periphery.

I'll bet Poch would love for the starters to get an early goal to start the 2nd half, before he turns to subs on the bench.
 
up and down game.

EQU is a really good Defensive team, they forced us to be creative to generate chances and we did create a bunch. They relied on some long counters to generate much as they didnt do much of anythiing once the D was set.

much more fun to watch a USA team that you think might actually score.
 
US v Ecuador - 1-1 Final. Flo Balogun with the equalizer. He had been such a consistent threat that it almost felt inevitable that he was going to score. He gave Pacho, PSG's starting CB, a very difficult game, and he did get his goal.

Tillman is involved in our midfield buildup play very well. He seemed to tire late, but he was very good, maybe a better version of what McKennie offers you.

Diego Luna and Pulisic don't really know each other yet, and their chemistry was lacking when Pulisic came on for the last 15 minutes. Weah had a much stronger 2nd half, and had a couple nice combinations around the box that resulted in near-chances.

Good effort in midfield. Tessman is good. Really liked him. A Scott McTominay kind of player. Nice to see Roldan.

Richards was very solid in the middle of the back three. Freeman looked good on the right when he came in for Miles Robinson. A three covers for Freeman, some, and allows him to showcase his size and athleticism. He could turn into the US's Ruben Loftus-Cheek, the bruising box to box ball carrier.

Haji Wright was a physical presence in his late cameo for Balogun. We looked back to the kind of team we're supposed to be. Didn't win it, but a really good solid effort.
 
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upperdeck said:
up and down game.

EQU is a really good Defensive team, they forced us to be creative to generate chances and we did create a bunch. They relied on some long counters to generate much as they didnt do much of anythiing once the D was set.

much more fun to watch a USA team that you think might actually score.
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He really wanted to win it without Pulisic. They drew even, and did create a lot of chances. This is the first time we seemed like a good watch in a long time.
 
IthacaMatt said:
He really wanted to win it without Pulisic. They drew even, and did create a lot of chances. This is the first time we seemed like a good watch in a long time.
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The change to 3 CBs is what will maximize this side. Weah and Antonee Robinson as wingbacks. Pulisic and Tillman in support of Balogun or Pepi perhaps.

Lots to be happy about in this draw.
 
upperdeck said:
Lets see if the effort plays well vs Aussies
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I think with "lesser" teams we might see a back 4 (2 CBs).
I expect Pulisic to start and play about 60 minutes on Tuesday.
 
Remains to be seen if the United States has the horses for 3 CBs.

Hopefully McKenzie starts and gets a shot next game.
 
cusefan88 said:
Remains to be seen if the United States has the horses for 3 CBs.

Hopefully McKenzie starts and gets a shot next game.
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I think Ream adds a lot, in terms of being calm on the ball.
If his foot speed has diminished, the 3 helps cover him for any loss of speed.
 
IthacaMatt said:
I think Ream adds a lot, in terms of being calm on the ball.
If his foot speed has diminished, the 3 helps cover him for any loss of speed.
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Yes to me Ream and Richards are locked starters. My concern was finding a worthy third at RCB.
 
cusefan88 said:
Yes to me Ream and Richards are locked starters. My concern was finding a worthy third at RCB.
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I like any of Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman (still doing really well in MLS) or Alex Freeman.

He was better in a back 3 than he is as the Right Fullback in a back four. He has cover for his mistakes.
 
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IthacaMatt said:
I like any of Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman (still doing really well in MLS) or Aaron Freeman.

He was better in a back 3 than he is as the Right Fullback in a back four. He has cover for his mistakes.
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Yeah Freeman has some potential. I like you're thinking. I know Villarreal sniffed around him. Wonder if he risks his spot with a winter move
 
cusefan88 said:
Yeah Freeman has some potential. I like you're thinking. I know Villarreal sniffed around him. Wonder if he risks his spot with a winter move
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He has NFL genes behind his athleticism. It's guys like him, Malik Tillman and other physical specimens with sufficient skill levels, who make us potentially better than other countries.

It's like, other countries don't have the athletes like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, so many elite NFL athletes, that we do. If we find enough elite athletes who also have top level soccer skills, that's when we become a serious World Cup contender.
 
Are my eyes or my understanding of what a red card is not working correctly, or should the ref have given two straight reds in that first half to Australian players for leaving both feet in their challenges?
But not even a yellow.

Someone's going to get seriously injured if he doesn't get control.
 
ROCcuse said:
Are my eyes or my understanding of what a red card is not working correctly, or should the ref have given two straight reds in that first half to Australian players for leaving both feet in their challenges?
But not even a yellow.

Someone's going to get seriously injured if he doesn't get control.
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Yeah, that two footed lunge by D'Agostino was outrageous.
 
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I thought that was a pretty satisfying win against Australia tonight. Sucks that Pulisic got hurt on that clip of his heel. Afterwards Poch said it was his hamstring.

Seemed a bit weird to me the way he took himself out of the game, personally. Bit of a pissy attitude about coming off. It wasn't even the docs or the manager, it seemed like Christian just decided he was done.

Haji Wright started slowly, but was gangbusters with 2 goals in a man of the match performance. We have at least 2 legit number 9's now, it appears.

Diego Luna was great once he came on for Pulisic. He wins lots of balls back, creates lots of great passes, always circulating for the ball.

I thought Sands was weak. Roldan started slowly but got much better as the game went on. Tessman is a solid guy, had a good cameo in the 2nd half.

Freeman with a solid game, provided physical presence against a rough housing Australia team.

I thought our back 3 started out timid in the first 20 minutes or so, and none of them committed to defending the player dribbling into the box, leading to that first goal. Three guys were just looking at each other.

I thought the rough play actually got our back line into the game. They played better after some dirty fouls. They seemed to be talking a lot to each other, too, especially in the 2nd half.

Weah was very good tonight. He and Pulisic had some nice combinations in the first 20 minutes, and he had some nice take-ons from the left wing.

McKennie had another very good game. His fitness is excellent. He was all over the middle of the field.

I feel like we missed Ream because he's more of a coach in the back, and these other guys were just too polite with each other early. I felt like Richards stepped up later on and was barking at some guys. so that's good.

I thought McKenzie was not great on the left side of the back three. I thought that Robinson was better on the right side.

Interesting to see if Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest can be healthy for the next window.

For me, Freese is the goalkeeper now. He's been much more confident for me than Matt Turner.
 
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