USMNT soccer team thread

[Alsacs]

The program is a mess

Jurgen didn't develop anything

No ball control and no strikers

This Jamaica game is frustrating to watch.

US has regressed a lot

The MLS has ruined USMNT.
It has built up the teams in CONCACAF outside of Mexico and our players love playing in the MLS for the money, however the play of MLS is on the level of the Championship Division in England.
Our young players need to find PT in Europe.
Our talent is not developing instead players like Jordan Morris took the money from MLS instead of going to Germany.
Outside of Cameron-Vickers, Pulisic I don't see many young players I am excited for.

 

[orangenauburn]

The MLS has ruined USMNT.
It has built up the teams in CONCACAF outside of Mexico and our players love playing in the MLS for the money, however the play of MLS is on the level of the Championship Division in England.
Our young players need to find PT in Europe.
Our talent is not developing instead players like Jordan Morris took the money from MLS instead of going to Germany.
Outside of Cameron-Vickers, Pulisic I don't see many young players I am excited for.

Watching this match, we have no touch on our breaks and then when we get a break going we pull up because our guys are not confident or prolific strikers. Lots of poor touches early ruined good opportunity. I agree we need to start getting our juniors out into the euros development programs to get the technkque and training needed. We have always lacked the elite playmakers, but I just don't see anyone on the roster who can step up to at least be the next Donovan or even Michael Bradley

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

The MLS has ruined USMNT.
It has built up the teams in CONCACAF outside of Mexico and our players love playing in the MLS for the money, however the play of MLS is on the level of the Championship Division in England.
Our young players need to find PT in Europe.
Our talent is not developing instead players like Jordan Morris took the money from MLS instead of going to Germany.
Outside of Cameron-Vickers, Pulisic I don't see many young players I am excited for.

I think there is some decent young talent abroad - Hyndman, Zelalem, the kids in Schalke's youth system, Perez, De la Torre…

I think the problem is the USMNT seeming lost a generation. There are not many talented players in the System between the age of 24 and 28. I think losing Stu Holden was huge. Bradley returning to MLS (i don't blame him) really caused him the regress (along with the knock he picked up before the Costa Rica qualifier).

Something not really discussed, where is the goalkeeper of the future? For the past two decades, the US could count on above-average internationally quality goalkeeping. Keller, Friedel, Howard, Guzan (to a lesser extent). Hamid hasn't stepped up. Will Horvath get there? Will Steffan? Bingham?

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Watching this match, we have no touch on our breaks and then when we get a break going we pull up because our guys are not confident or prolific strikers. Lots of poor touches early ruined good opportunity. I agree we need to start getting our juniors out into the euros development programs to get the technkque and training needed. We have always lacked the elite playmakers, but I just don't see anyone on the roster who can step up to at least be the next Donovan or even Michael Bradley

This roster is essentially a B-squad. Missing best three central defenders, best three outside backs, Jones is home, Kljestan is home, no Pulisic or Wood for the attack.

Am i the only one that wants to see the US hire Herrera and implement a proper 5-3-2 or some variation using wingbacks ?

Wood Alidore

Pulisic

Bradley Nagbe

Johnson Chandler
Brooks Gonzo Cameron

 

[orangenauburn]

This roster is essentially a B-squad. Missing best three central defenders, best three outside backs, Jones is home, Kljestan is home, no Pulisic or Wood for the attack.

Am i the only one that wants to see the US hire Herrera and implement a proper 5-3-2 or some variation using wingbacks ?

Wood Alidore

Pulisic

Bradley Nagbe

Johnson Chandler
Brooks Gonzo Cameron

I know it's a lesser squad but it just shows the utter lack of depth we have in true international talent

 

[Alsacs]

Any sort of pressure and our guys make a bad pass.
This B team is so bad. Jamaica isn't playing to score but still we can't execute basic passes and Zusi at RB can't be used in a qualifier. He melts under pressure.
Also damn the commentary is so homer. Be real Holden stop with this fluff praise this performance has sucked and Holden/Donovan can't stop praising everything.

 

[JeremyCuse]

As someone who follows the national team but not much else is it as bad as it looks for WC qualifying?

 

[Alsacs]

As someone who follows the national team but not much else is it as bad as it looks for WC qualifying?

We played 2 of the 3 most difficult matches in WCQ.
Mexico and @Costa Rica

We need to finish top 3 if we finish 4th we will play the 5th Asian team.
We should beat Honduras at home and should be able to get a point in Panama.
Trinidad and Tobago will be dominated at home by the USA and now with our hole we need a win over a draw on the road we got there last year.
3rd place in 2014 got 15 points. So if we win our last 4 home games we need atleast 1 road or 3 draws.
We will lose at Mexico.

 

[orangenauburn]

As someone who follows the national team but not much else is it as bad as it looks for WC qualifying?

There is a very good possibility we miss the cup

I have zero faith in the b and c squads and lack of high end talent to mark us in. We cannot afford a slip, and I feel we will slip up somewhere where we shouldn't.

 

[JeremyCuse]

We played 2 of the 3 most difficult matches in WCQ.
Mexico and @Costa Rica

We need to finish top 3 if we finish 4th we will play the 5th Asian team.
We should beat Honduras at home and should be able to get a point in Panama.
Trinidad and Tobago will be dominated at home by the USA and now with our hole we need a win over a draw on the road we got there last year.
3rd place in 2014 got 15 points. So if we win our last 4 home games we need atleast 1 road or 3 draws.
We will lose at Mexico.

Thanks. Sounds like at worst we should grab 4th and at least get into the playoff

 

[Toga]

On the plus side Morris continues to impress me. Not a Bradley fan (for at least several years) but I thought every touch he had after entering the game was spot on.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

The MLS has ruined USMNT.
It has built up the teams in CONCACAF outside of Mexico and our players love playing in the MLS for the money, however the play of MLS is on the level of the Championship Division in England.
Our young players need to find PT in Europe.
Our talent is not developing instead players like Jordan Morris took the money from MLS instead of going to Germany.
Outside of Cameron-Vickers, Pulisic I don't see many young players I am excited for.

I had a soccer guy tell me that it is really hard for young US guys to get to Europe, because Europe sees playing US guys as an indictment of their club systems.
This came up as part of a conversation about my son trying to go over either to finish HS or after HS. Ironically, we were having discussions with Blackburn's academy at the time.
Found the discussion interesting

 

[CUSU]

The young American Christian Pulisic with and assist and go ahead goal on aggregate to put Borrusia Dortmund into the Quartfinals of Champions League! Got a bit overshadowed due to the crazy Barca game, but the kid put in a hell of a performance from the #10 position at 18yo

 

[CUSU]

Good look at assist with the header across the box and other highlights.

 

[orangenauburn]

Pulisic needs to play, period. No more selective starting selections ..
Get him on the field

 

[CUSU]

Pulisic needs to play, period. No more selective starting selections ..
Get him on the field

I think it's time to stop building the team sheet around whether or not Bradley can play the 6 or where Dempsey can play, or whether Jozy can play lone striker.

You slot Pulisic in at #10 and build the squad around him, the end.

-------------Wood----Dempsey----------
Johnson-------Pulisic-------------Nagbe
--------------------Cameron--------
Lichaj----Brooks-----Besler------Yedlin

I just don't see us losing a concacaf game other than Mexico with this lineup. Wood, Pulisic, Johnson, Brooks, Cameron all regulars in either the Bundesliga or EPL. Yedlin and Lichaj playing in the championship. That leaves 2 field players and a goalie not playing in Europe which are Dempsey and Besler, solid USMNT vets. Cameron is playing CDM at Stoke City and is just plain better than the current form of Bradley. Could swap out Jozy for Dempsey. Or even add in Kljestan, Jones, Feilhaber, or Bradley for Dempsey if you want more midfield presence for a 4-2-3-1 vs. a 4-1-3-2. LB is the weak spot if we want Fab Johnson up the field which I do. Nagbe tucking in and combining with Dempsey, Wood, and Pulisic. Yedlin abusing teams with pace. Besler and Brooks are solid defenders.

 

[DeGrozz]

I think it's time to stop building the team sheet around whether or not Bradley can play the 6 or where Dempsey can play, or whether Jozy can play lone striker.

You slot Pulisic in at #10 and build the squad around him, the end.

-------------Wood----Dempsey----------
Johnson-------Pulisic-------------Nagbe
--------------------Cameron--------
Lichaj----Brooks-----Besler------Yedlin

I just don't see us losing a concacaf game other than Mexico with this lineup. Wood, Pulisic, Johnson, Brooks, Cameron all regulars in either the Bundesliga or EPL. Yedlin and Lichaj playing in the championship. That leaves 2 field players and a goalie not playing in Europe which are Dempsey and Besler, solid USMNT vets. Cameron is playing CDM at Stoke City and is just plain better than the current form of Bradley. Could swap out Jozy for Dempsey. Or even add in Kljestan, Jones, Feilhaber, or Bradley for Dempsey if you want more midfield presence for a 4-2-3-1 vs. a 4-1-3-2. LB is the weak spot if we want Fab Johnson up the field which I do. Nagbe tucking in and combining with Dempsey, Wood, and Pulisic. Yedlin abusing teams with pace. Besler and Brooks are solid defenders.

Pulisic came up big again for Dortmund today. Love his game. Lots of question marks elsewhere though.

Intriguing lineup. Getting Pulisic more time now will pay dividends. I'm not sure I'd play him with Nagbe -- I think Kljestan is a better all around player and had been grossly overlooked by Jurgen. Feilhaber and Dax McCarty will probably get a shot again under Arena. Both are great in MLS, but I don't see it working out with them on the USMNT.

I don't know if we've found our answer yet in the backline. Brooks had some of the best games we've seen from a CB in the Copa, but he was brutal in Costa Rica. Besler has also been very up and down at the club level. He looked fine in SKC's first two games this season, so I'd expect him to still be in the mix -- he had a rough year last year with injuries. I'd really like to see Matt Hedges and Walker Zimmerman get some run, they were consistently great last year and both have potential to move overseas. I also haven't heard much from Matt Miazga since he got loaned out by Chelsea, but he was fantastic in the MLS before his transfer, hopefully he's still progressing.

Forwards should be fine if healthy. It would be nice if Johannsson and Zardes, while not my favorite, could bounce back from injuries. If anything, that's added depth. But, it looks like our forward pool will be who most people thought it'd be -- Wood, Dempsey, Morris, and Jozy. Agudelo and Boyd never really made the jump some were hoping they would to be surprise impact players in the hex.

Big issues outside on defense though -- Fabian has been playing well in Europe, so you'd hate to move him back, but we are so weak on the left you'd have less of a drop off from him to next best midfielder than him to next best left back.

I'd probably go something like this, assuming Dempsey maintains form after his health scare:

-----Wood----Dempsey
--Pulisic--------Klejstan
---------Bradley
--------Cameron
FJ-Brooks---Other CB-Yedlin
----------Keeper

I'm not sure I'd care if I ever saw Jermaine or Chandler Jones in a US shirt again.

 

[CUSU]

Pulisic came up big again for Dortmund today. Love his game. Lots of question marks elsewhere though.

Intriguing lineup. Getting Pulisic more time now will pay dividends. I'm not sure I'd play him with Nagbe -- I think Kljestan is a better all around player and had been grossly overlooked by Jurgen. Feilhaber and Dax McCarty will probably get a shot again under Arena. Both are great in MLS, but I don't see it working out with them on the USMNT.

I don't know if we've found our answer yet in the backline. Brooks had some of the best games we've seen from a CB in the Copa, but he was brutal in Costa Rica. Besler has also been very up and down at the club level. He looked fine in SKC's first two games this season, so I'd expect him to still be in the mix -- he had a rough year last year with injuries. I'd really like to see Matt Hedges and Walker Zimmerman get some run, they were consistently great last year and both have potential to move overseas. I also haven't heard much from Matt Miazga since he got loaned out by Chelsea, but he was fantastic in the MLS before his transfer, hopefully he's still progressing.

Forwards should be fine if healthy. It would be nice if Johannsson and Zardes, while not my favorite, could bounce back from injuries. If anything, that's added depth. But, it looks like our forward pool will be who most people thought it'd be -- Wood, Dempsey, Morris, and Jozy. Agudelo and Boyd never really made the jump some were hoping they would to be surprise impact players in the hex.

Big issues outside on defense though -- Fabian has been playing well in Europe, so you'd hate to move him back, but we are so weak on the left you'd have less of a drop off from him to next best midfielder than him to next best left back.

I'd probably go something like this, assuming Dempsey maintains form after his health scare:

-----Wood----Dempsey
--Pulisic--------Klejstan
---------Bradley
--------Cameron
FJ-Brooks---Other CB-Yedlin
----------Keeper

I'm not sure I'd care if I ever saw Jermaine or Chandler Jones in a US shirt again.

Couple notes Pulisic has been playing better on the right, but I like Kljestan as well just didn't think he started the season out the best in MLS. I think Nagbe is more dangerous with pace in the attack and has been playing a more attack in role with Portland so far this year. Also with that lineup our right side attack is extremely slow. Feilhaber seemed more dangerous than Kljestan at CAM in the friendlies but who knows..

I'd take out Bradley and play Kljestan there but I know that's not going to happen. Bradley will start. Zimmerman played well in the friendlies in January but I don't trust him for this crucial match, Besler has a lot of international experience so if you play Cameron in the midfield I'd go with him and Brooks otherwise, brooks and Cameron.

Looking back idk if I could start Dempsey just because we can't apply pressure with him in there, just doesn't have the work rate anymore. Maybe use him as an attacking sub? Not that Jozy has much of a work rate either.

Wood and Pulisic absolutely need to start in the attack.

Roster comes out tomorrow

 

[CUSU]

Some great Pulisic highlights, ph and that dembele guy isn't bad either

 

[DeGrozz]

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...yers-for-honduras-panama-world-cup-qualifiers

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough/ENG; 13/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 33/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo; 33/6), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/GER; 2/0), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG; 19/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX; 12/0), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana/MEX; 6/1), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 2/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 0/0), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas; 0/0)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 1/0), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 6/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 31/5), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy; 16/0), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 15/1), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 0/0), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 3/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 5/2)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 33/16), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 36/13), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 3/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 8/3)

 

[CUSU]

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...yers-for-honduras-panama-world-cup-qualifiers

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough/ENG; 13/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 33/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo; 33/6), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/GER; 2/0), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG; 19/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX; 12/0), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana/MEX; 6/1), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 2/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 0/0), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas; 0/0)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 1/0), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 6/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 31/5), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy; 16/0), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 15/1), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 0/0), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 3/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 5/2)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 33/16), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 36/13), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 3/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 8/3)

No Kljestan or Feilhaber means Pulisic at 10? Or Dempsey in the hole and Pulisic and Johnson wide? Interesting..

 

[Forza Azzurri]

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...yers-for-honduras-panama-world-cup-qualifiers

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough/ENG; 13/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 33/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo; 33/6), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/GER; 2/0), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG; 19/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX; 12/0), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana/MEX; 6/1), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 2/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 0/0), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas; 0/0)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 1/0), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 6/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 31/5), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy; 16/0), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 15/1), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 0/0), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 3/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 5/2)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 33/16), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 36/13), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 3/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 8/3)

No Yedlin. Is he hurt?

 

[CUSU]

No Yedlin. Is he hurt?

Yes out 5 weeks with a thigh injury

 

[DeGrozz]

Dang -- Fabian tweaks his hammy and leaves his game today.

 

[CUSU]

Dang -- Fabian tweaks his hammy and leaves his game today.

Not good... Yedlin out hurt and Chandler suspended. Sounds like Cameron will be forced into RB duty