Ot - usmnt

[echappist]

Originally Posted by Beldar77

You make a logical argument. We can win. Maybe a fresh Weah can make a difference. My fear / counter argument is 0-9-2.

I really believe these 3 game windows have had a big effect on teams. I also think that many of the US players traveling more time zones than their opponents has had a a major effect as well.

Steffen will have to play better to get a result.

I truly await the day we get Adams, McKennie, Pulisic and Reyna on the field at the same time for a run of games. Did not happen in this "ocho".

Good points all around. Steffen looked shaky.


Two of that group of four got the royal concacaf treatment in that first window. Pulisic out for two month; Reyna just returned from injury early March...

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by BobC

I don't think the USMNT really needs to lower itself to the general "stuff" in CONCACAF.

I am calling for the win. Here's why:
1. 3rd game of 3. Ticos are older & have less depth. USMNT rested a bunch of players & have a couple more coming off yellow card suspension.
2. Ticos cannot play their 5-4-1. They have to play expansive. That leaves them exposed. They have to chase the game for the whole 90 minutes. The longer it goes without them winning by a large margin, the more aggressive they have to be.
3. USMNT has speed in droves, especially at FB. Watch the wing play Wednesday.
4. Ticos beat Canada 2-1 in CR when Canada was missing their star player Alphonso Davies & were playing with 10 men from minute 34. Hardly inspiring.

Totally agree - they need to SCORE - that means pushing forward on every possession, which leaves them open for a counter.

[echappist]

Also, I guess we should be grateful that at least Concacaf is round-robin style, without possibility of penalty shoot-outs

The Senegalese fans were literally lighting up the Egyptian penalty takers and keeper with green lasers, which is insane.

The ref did jack squat about it, and I'm sure the distraction had an effect on the accuracy of the Egyptian penalty takers

[echappist]

Bummer, squeaky bum time

Steffen hasn't looked good at all this window and gives away a goal there...

[Beldar77]

Originally Posted by echappist

Bummer, squeaky bum time

Steffen hasn't looked good at all this window and gives away a goal there...

Understatement. He has looked bad. The first goal I thought okay a good header but the replay shows it was so close to him he should have saved it.

And for goodness sake when you come that far to get a ball - PUNCH IT.

[echappist]

Originally Posted by Beldar77

Understatement. He has looked bad. The first goal I thought okay a good header but the replay shows it was so close to him he should have saved it.

And for goodness sake when you come that far to get a ball - PUNCH IT.

And losing focus on set pieces. So much sigh of discontentment. People were ball watching as opposed to stepping up to try to catch CR offsides...

Still a lot of work to be done.

But job done, for now

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And for a sense of just how tough it is to play on the road, Canada suffered another defeat today, to Panama of all teams. Concacaf qualification is scrappy and ain't pretty.

[Beldar77]

To me Gio Reyna looks a little like Sepp Kuss.

[BobC]

That was a damp squib.
Univision had the Mexico - ES match on, so reverted to watching the scroll on the laptop. Bleah.
CR comes out in 5-4-1 anyway & gives USMNT most of the possession. Never even tried to do anything. 0-0 at half and I went to bed.

I hope New Zealand totally crushes the Ticos for their complete lack of ambition.

[wc1934]

Where was their fire/aggressiveness? Disappointing. Very dull performance.
But they are IN the next 2 WC's so that's good. They are a young squad (I think I read that Yedlin is the oldest) and should improve both physically and mentally.

[bikerboy337]

uninspiring last night, but i kind of expected that... goal was to not lose by 6 goals, not worry about winning...

in any event, Steffan looked horrible... both goals should have not had a chance... the first one was 2 feet away and he barely got a hand on it.. i know it was a hard header, and would have felt better if he had a quality move on it, but he just froze and barely touched the ball. The second goal he hesitated, he's got to be forceful there, call the ball and go and get it... he hesitated, didn't go full bore for it and left it hanging there. He didn't even look good on his saves the past few games, everything looked shaky to me...

anyways, we're in, so now lets build for a few months down the road!

[Jaybee]

So when is Turner going to be back? Steffen was even more noticeable compared to Navas on the other side.

[echappist]

Originally Posted by bikerboy337

uninspiring last night, but i kind of expected that... goal was to not lose by 6 goals, not worry about winning...

in any event, Steffan looked horrible... both goals should have not had a chance... the first one was 2 feet away and he barely got a hand on it.. i know it was a hard header, and would have felt better if he had a quality move on it, but he just froze and barely touched the ball. The second goal he hesitated, he's got to be forceful there, call the ball and go and get it... he hesitated, didn't go full bore for it and left it hanging there. He didn't even look good on his saves the past few games, everything looked shaky to me...

anyways, we're in, so now lets build for a few months down the road!

Originally Posted by Jaybee

So when is Turner going to be back? Steffen was even more noticeable compared to Navas on the other side.

How ironic: goal keeping, once one of the few bright spots of USMNT, is now an issue.

I don't think Turner will solve the issue, as he would be competing with Leno for the spot of 2nd-choice keeper unless Leno is sold (which may be likely). In that case, it would still mean very limited playing time, with basically a few League Cup matches.

That's basically Steffen's issue as well, being second best on a team with a much better first-choice keeper. Loan moves to a mid-table or lower top-4 league first league club would be preferable, but it might not happen. Otherwise, Horvath should get at least consideration, simply because he gets game time.

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by echappist

How ironic: goal keeping, once one of the few bright spots of USMNT, is now an issue.

I don't think Turner will solve the issue, as he would be competing with Leno for the spot of 2nd-choice keeper unless Leno is sold (which may be likely). In that case, it would still mean very limited playing time, with basically a few League Cup matches.

That's basically Steffen's issue as well, being second best on a team with a much better first-choice keeper. Loan moves to a mid-table or lower top-4 league first league club would be preferable, but it might not happen. Otherwise, Horvath should get at least consideration, simply because he gets game time.

I would have loved for Turner to remain on the Revs - haha - selfish!

[bikerboy337]

Not a bad draw, the the dream draw that we were all hoping for with quatar, US, tunisia and Ghana... but overall not too bad...

have to be rooting against wales now and hope scotland or Ukraine can win the playin...

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by bikerboy337

Not a bad draw, the the dream draw that we were all hoping for with quatar, US, tunisia and Ghana... but overall not too bad...

have to be rooting against wales now and hope scotland or Ukraine can win the playin...

Group A: Qatar, Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador

Group B: England, United States, Iran, (Wales or Scotland or Ukraine)

Group C: Argentina, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia

Group D: France, Denmark, Tunisia, (U.A.E. or Australia or Peru)

Group E: Spain, Germany, Japan, (Costa Rica or New Zealand)

Group F: Belgium, Croatia, Morocco, Canada

Group G: Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia, Cameroon

Group H: Portugal, Uruguay, South Korea, Ghana