USMNT soccer team thread

[Alsacs]

Nagbe is not an aggressive player.
Also this has been said numerous times but Michael Bradley is just awful in the MF.

Man this country needs an influx of talent and change. Bradley has had that position for 7 years now. Nice player but not that good to go untested for his position.

 

[CUSU]

Nagbe is not an aggressive player.
Also this has been said numerous times but Michael Bradley is just awful in the MF.

Man this country needs an influx of talent and change. Bradley has had that position for 7 years now. Nice player but not that good to go untested for his position.

Bradley kills our counter attack by himself. We are looking better now that he has a partner in the 3-5-2/3-4-3 we are running now

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Bradley kills our counter attack by himself. We are looking better now that he has a partner in the 3-5-2/3-4-3 we are running now

He is playing way too deep. Operating as a 3rd center back...

 

[IthacaMatt]

Nagbe is not an aggressive player.
Also this has been said numerous times but Michael Bradley is just awful in the MF.

Man this country needs an influx of talent and change. Bradley has had that position for 7 years now. Nice player but not that good to go untested for his position.

Gosh, I saw a different game than you.
I thought the US midfield showed a lot of talent on the ball.
I thought the main let-down was Bobby Wood's and then Jordan Morris' inability with the final ball.
And of course our defense did not clear its lines effectively, despite all that experience back there.

To me, Klinsmann's legacy is having surfaced a number of young talented guys who were playing mostly in Germany and recruiting them to the national team. Klinsmann has definitely expanded the talent pool, and the US is deeper than any time that I can remember. Of course, he was a disaster tactically, but that goes without saying.

Hopefully Bruce Arenas will get them playing more solid defense and will be more consistent in his selections. Hopefully he avoids intentionally playing guys out of place, like Klinsmann always used to do. Arenas also ought to be better tactically than Klinsmann.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Gosh, I saw a different game than you.
I thought the US midfield showed a lot of talent on the ball.
I thought the main let-down was Bobby Wood's and then Jordan Morris' inability with the final ball.
And of course our defense did not clear its lines effectively, despite all that experience back there.

To me, Klinsmann's legacy is having surfaced a number of young talented guys who were playing mostly in Germany and recruiting them to the national team. Klinsmann has definitely expanded the talent pool, and the US is deeper than any time that I can remember. Of course, he was a disaster tactically, but that goes without saying.

Hopefully Bruce Arenas will get them playing more solid defense and will be more consistent in his selections. Hopefully he avoids intentionally playing guys out of place, like Klinsmann always used to do. Arenas also ought to be better tactically than Klinsmann.

Not midfield but I thought Wood was really rusty...Morris is still learning how to play...he should only be a late sub if we need a goal...and throw on an extra attacker...

Fabian tucking inside ( I assume this was intentional as he started out playing wide but then started to tuck inside after Yedlin showed how effective he was on the overlap) allowed Yedlin to zoom up and down the right flank but I thought it got very crowded in the middle of the field. I also thought his touch let him down a number of times...He is not flashy but I like Bedoya...he works hard and is solid...we have enough skill guys that I think we can afford to use a bulldog in the midfield...

Bradley has to play further forward so he can link with the other mids and the forwards..he was playing like a 3rd center back most of the game...he almost never goes forward anymore...Keller referred to it during the game as two lines of five. Very disjointed.

Nagbe also likes to cut inside from the left...which further added to the lack of spacing...

 

[Alsacs]

Gosh, I saw a different game than you.
I thought the US midfield showed a lot of talent on the ball.
I thought the main let-down was Bobby Wood's and then Jordan Morris' inability with the final ball.
And of course our defense did not clear its lines effectively, despite all that experience back there.

To me, Klinsmann's legacy is having surfaced a number of young talented guys who were playing mostly in Germany and recruiting them to the national team. Klinsmann has definitely expanded the talent pool, and the US is deeper than any time that I can remember. Of course, he was a disaster tactically, but that goes without saying.

Hopefully Bruce Arenas will get them playing more solid defense and will be more consistent in his selections. Hopefully he avoids intentionally playing guys out of place, like Klinsmann always used to do. Arenas also ought to be better tactically than Klinsmann.

I rewatched the game and Bradley only had one forward pass all game the rest of his passes are lateral or backwards.

He is killing the offense. He needs to be tested for his spot.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Not midfield but I thought Wood was really rusty...Morris is still learning how to play...he should only be a late sub if we need a goal...and throw on an extra attacker...

Fabian tucking inside ( I assume this was intentional as he started out playing wide but then started to tuck inside after Yedlin showed how effective he was on the overlap) allowed Yedlin to zoom up and down the right flank but I thought it got very crowded in the middle of the field. I also thought his touch let him down a number of times...He is not flashy but I like Bedoya...he works hard and is solid...we have enough skill guys that I think we can afford to use a bulldog in the midfield...

Bradley has to play further forward so he can link with the other mids and the forwards..he was playing like a 3rd center back most of the game...

Nagbe also likes to cut inside from the left...which further added to the lack of spacing...

I agree with a lot of this - Johnson's touch let him down several times, but he clearly has skill and is a live wire for us. Yedlin is so much better after spending a year learning under Rafa Benitez. I can't wait to see him for Newcastle next season.

I agree that Wood was off his game, and Morris still has a ways to go. I like Bedoya, too, as well as Corona. With our persistent trouble at left back, I'm wondering if one of those guys, or maybe Zusi, could be the answer. Although I thought Villanfana had a pretty good game against Venezuela.

One thing I disagree with, though, is using Bradley farther forward. He's just not a 10. Klinsmann tried him there, and while he would make the occasional smart pass, he just turns it over too much for my taste.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I agree with a lot of this - Johnson's touch let him down several times, but he clearly has skill and is a live wire for us. Yedlin is so much better after spending a year learning under Rafa Benitez. I can't wait to see him for Newcastle next season.

I agree that Wood was off his game, and Morris still has a ways to go. I like Bedoya, too, as well as Corona. With our persistent trouble at left back, I'm wondering if one of those guys, or maybe Zusi, could be the answer. Although I thought Villanfana had a pretty good game against Venezuela.

One thing I disagree with, though, is using Bradley farther forward. He's just not a 10. Klinsmann tried him there, and while he would make the occasional smart pass, he just turns it over too much for my taste.

Both Wood and Johnson can, and should play much better.

I am fine with Villafana.

I wasn't saying that Bradley should play as a 10. I was saying that, even as a 6, he was playing too deep. He needs to be further upfield when our back four has the ball so he can receive the ball behind the other team's forwards and turn and link with the rest of the midfield. His one pass forward (according to Alsacs) was caused by the fact that he was is consistently receiving the ball far too deep and had nowhere to go with it other than backwards or sideways.

Unless Arena is telling him that he needs to play the Beckerman role (sit in front of the centerbacks and not worry about getting into the attack), he needs to be more involved upfield...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I agree with a lot of this - Johnson's touch let him down several times, but he clearly has skill and is a live wire for us. Yedlin is so much better after spending a year learning under Rafa Benitez. I can't wait to see him for Newcastle next season.

I agree that Wood was off his game, and Morris still has a ways to go. I like Bedoya, too, as well as Corona. With our persistent trouble at left back, I'm wondering if one of those guys, or maybe Zusi, could be the answer. Although I thought Villanfana had a pretty good game against Venezuela.

One thing I disagree with, though, is using Bradley farther forward. He's just not a 10. Klinsmann tried him there, and while he would make the occasional smart pass, he just turns it over too much for my taste.

Found this and it illustrates exactly what I am talking about...

This graph represents the aggregate location of each player on the ball during the game.

Look at how deep Bradley is playing and close he is to the two center backs...

Now, perhaps this is intentional because of how high up the field both Villafana and Yedlin were, but it kills any linkage in the midfield...

Look at how big the gap is between 4 (Bradley) and the other mids (15, 10 & 23)...

One question this brings to mind is how deep Dempsey was dropping to receive the ball. That could have been part of the spacing and congestion issue and I just missed it...He is not going to be effective with that positioning...

 

[Alsacs]

Need 3 points tonight.

I am seeing the lineup like this.

Altidore-Dempsey
Pulisic
Johnson-Nagbe
Bradley
Villafana-Cameron-Brooks-Yedlin
Howard

I would save Wood for Mexico as Altidore has dominated T&T.

I really only hate the Bradley selection.

 

[CUSU]

Need 3 points tonight.

I am seeing the lineup like this.

Altidore-Dempsey
Pulisic
Johnson-Nagbe
Bradley
Villafana-Cameron-Brooks-Yedlin
Howard

I would save Wood for Mexico as Altidore has dominated T&T.

I really only hate the Bradley selection.

Yours is very close to what we will see.

If it was me pulling the strings I'd get Bradley a partner by playing 3 in the back, because lets face it he's playing and is a liability.

----------Altidore-----Wood---------
-----------------Pulisic----------------
Johnson--Bradley--Nagbe--Yedlin
------Besler--Brooks--Cameron----

This way we will have some game time in a formation that will help us in the midfield vs. Mexico. Because, if we play Bradley as a lone DM vs. Mexico it will get ugly real fast.

I early think 3 in the back suits our team well, but they just hadn't practiced it enough before Juergen through it out there vs. Mexico. For one LB is our weakest position with zero depth. Yedlin and Johnson are both great fits at wing back, along with Chandler. Bradley plays better with a partner. Pulisic is allowed to roam behind the forwards where he's at his best.

Need 3! TT will be bunkering and countering all night.

 

[CUSU]

Prediction for tonight Alsacs ?

I'm saying 3-1 good guys

 

[Alsacs]

Prediction for tonight Alsacs ?

I'm saying 3-1 good guys

USA 2 Trinidad and Tobago 0

Dempsey ties National team goal record.

 

[creatorsgam]

Have to do better in the final third. Watching at the bar... but was that Johnson that missed the cross at around the 10' mark? Looked clumsy.

 

[creatorsgam]

Nearly 30' in... plenty of chances and nothing to show.

Yet...

 

[Alsacs]

Our forwards are terrible. Dempsey is just older and Altdiore is useless tonight.

Put Wood in for Jozy at halftime.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Guys whatever happened to that young kid from Germany that scored that goal against Belgium? I try to follow the national team as best I can but its amazing how many guys they cycle in and out.

 

[CUSU]

Guys whatever happened to that young kid from Germany that scored that goal against Belgium? I try to follow the national team as best I can but its amazing how many guys they cycle in and out.

He can't get minutes at the club level, partly because he was with Munich. He moved clubs and still didn't get much time. Not sure he's really improved or not

 

[CUSU]

Our forwards are terrible. Dempsey is just older and Altdiore is useless tonight.

Put Wood in for Jozy at halftime.

I'd put wood in for Dempsey, he's looking extra old tonight.

 

[JeremyCuse]

He can't get minutes at the club level, partly because he was with Munich. He moved clubs and still didn't get much time. Not sure he's really improved or not

Thanks. Scary that we dont have any elite scorers ib the pipeline with Dempsey in the later half of his career and Donovan obvioulsly already retired

 

[Alsacs]

Pulisic is the best player on the team as an 18 year old.
That is good for the future but scary for our present.
Great finish 1-0 USA.

 

[creatorsgam]

Pulisic is the best player on the team as an 18 year old.
That is good for the future but scary for our present.
Great finish 1-0 USA.

The future is Pulisic... and Pulisic is gooooood.

 

[Alsacs]

With the lead I would put Acosta in and take out Nagbe.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Pulisic, Yedlin, Brooks, and a few of the young guys from the U-20 squad are so exciting. Sargent, McKinnie, and others will be breaking the door down soon to replace some of these stale older players.

I've also been much happier with Villafana tonight than I expected and I'm so impressed with Yedlin's growth as a defender. Hard not to be excited going forward.

 

[Alsacs]

God Pulisic is so good.
He finished again.
2-0 USA

He is probably our only world class offensive player. I do think Brooks and Cameron are solid CBs.