2021 Gold Cup: CONCACAF AF
- Thread starter DJnVa
- Start date
Dike’s had a bad tournament. Dunno if he’s fried from his whirlwind year or if Gregg doesn’t know how to use him or just a few bad games.
We’ll need to settle for the subbing the gassed non-midfielders which isn’t the worst, but Acosta and Lletget are worrying me also.
Robinson has been immense this game. Sands too, defensively, though he's had some nervy give-aways.
Roldan’s been pretty damn good since he came on, in sentences I did not plan on saying tonight.
That’s Henry Kessler’s music in a version of this sport that takes concussions properly seriously.
Thought Acosta really settled in the last 15 minutes.
Jamaica have a bit of a team starting to build there. Some real quality in that side was a good test for this side
Jamaica have a bit of a team starting to build there. Some real quality in that side was a good test for this side
Austin's hosting their first Gold Cup match on Thursday, the USMNT is playing, and I had to sell my tickets because I'm in waaaaaay downeast Maine for the week. FML.
Too bad the Confederations Cup died, otherwise Qatar would have a chance to qualify as hosts (1), champions of AFC (2), and champions of Concacaf (3).
It says something for me that after struggling defensively in the last few games Busio really stepped it up against a more intense opponent.
This is kinda the opposite of the Canada win in that I feel better about it the more I think it over, not worse. Berhalter actually showed something I think, this is one of the first meaningful games of his I can remember where substitutions and adjustments seemed to fully turn the game around.
Roldan for Arriola worked great. You could see Roldan came in with clear directions - there were a few times where he had his boots on the right touch line providing as much width as geometrically possible to allow Moore to underlap. Whatever the coaches saw in scouting or during the game, that was a simple and effective move.
For Qatar, I’d go:
Hoppe———Zardes———-Roldan
Lleget———Acosta———--Busio
Vines-The Fireman-The Sandman-Shaq
———————Turner——————-
Also, it’s so reassuring to have a highly competent keeper backing it all up.
I might keep Dike for Zardes as I don’t think either has lit the world on fire, but he’s been bad so I wouldn’t be mad either way.
Keeper really needs to work on his goal celebration though it was an embarrassing display of frolicking not living up to the size of the moment
TV numbers for the Jamaica game:
View: https://twitter.com/SportsTVRatings/status/1420101475905245194
View: https://twitter.com/SportsTVRatings/status/1420101475905245194
I’ve been pretty critical of Gregg, especially recently, but I thought he was actually one of the big reasons the US beat Jamaica. Solid starting lineup given the options, nice tactical change at the half dropping Busio back a little, good subs- though sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good when it comes to subbing off Hoppe (if the ball had gone out anytime in the few minutes before the goal things might’ve looked different).
I would guess that we will see something similar tonight, which of course means we won’t. Gregg might consider starting Zardes over Dike because Dike didn’t offer much. Possibly Roldan over Arriola because of the assist, and maybe Cannon over Moore. I thought Moore along with Busio were most impacted by the field itself. They seems to be surprised pretty often by the bounces.
I’ll continue to hope for Williamson over Lletget, and it won’t happen. On some level I get it. Williamson is a creative player who makes things happen at the risk of a bad giveaway. Lletget is a solid player who cannot create but won’t make mistakes. Well except for three weird giveaways in a 45 second span. I actually prefer Lletget in the A squad because he’s laying the ball off to Pulisic, Dest, Reyna or some other creative force to do something with the ball. In this team, he’s not. Moreover he’s where the US counter goes to die. Every time the US gets a turnover and has numbers going forward, he seems to pull it back and make the safe play passing it back (killing any attacking advantage). This team isn’t going to pass it around 30 times and create chances. Chances will come with speed and space. It just irks me.
Things I’ll be looking for tonight:
1. Acosta was great against Jam minus some errant passes. It‘s not the first time we’ve said that though. The last time he followed that up with a total dud against N Ireland. Will we see any game to game consistency from him?
2. Will Hoppe be as aggressive? I know I’m not alone in seeing that Dempsey swag in him. It led to one or two bad giveaways but also lots of good things.
3. Can we pretty please have Busio taking the set pieces?
4. The D and Turner haven’t given up a goal from open play and they have looked great. Robinson was my MotM, Sands had some hiccups but has been consistently good to great, Vines has been as good as he can be (except for a couple of defensive lapses late against Jamaica). Will they keep Qatar from scoring? Qatar play a very conservative style so it’s definitely possible.
I would guess that we will see something similar tonight, which of course means we won’t. Gregg might consider starting Zardes over Dike because Dike didn’t offer much. Possibly Roldan over Arriola because of the assist, and maybe Cannon over Moore. I thought Moore along with Busio were most impacted by the field itself. They seems to be surprised pretty often by the bounces.
I’ll continue to hope for Williamson over Lletget, and it won’t happen. On some level I get it. Williamson is a creative player who makes things happen at the risk of a bad giveaway. Lletget is a solid player who cannot create but won’t make mistakes. Well except for three weird giveaways in a 45 second span. I actually prefer Lletget in the A squad because he’s laying the ball off to Pulisic, Dest, Reyna or some other creative force to do something with the ball. In this team, he’s not. Moreover he’s where the US counter goes to die. Every time the US gets a turnover and has numbers going forward, he seems to pull it back and make the safe play passing it back (killing any attacking advantage). This team isn’t going to pass it around 30 times and create chances. Chances will come with speed and space. It just irks me.
Things I’ll be looking for tonight:
1. Acosta was great against Jam minus some errant passes. It‘s not the first time we’ve said that though. The last time he followed that up with a total dud against N Ireland. Will we see any game to game consistency from him?
2. Will Hoppe be as aggressive? I know I’m not alone in seeing that Dempsey swag in him. It led to one or two bad giveaways but also lots of good things.
3. Can we pretty please have Busio taking the set pieces?
4. The D and Turner haven’t given up a goal from open play and they have looked great. Robinson was my MotM, Sands had some hiccups but has been consistently good to great, Vines has been as good as he can be (except for a couple of defensive lapses late against Jamaica). Will they keep Qatar from scoring? Qatar play a very conservative style so it’s definitely possible.
I haven't seen much of them beyond highlights, but from what I can tell they do play a counterattack-reliant style, but not necessarily conservative. Or at least, their defense isn't very good. These aren't apples-to-apples comparisons because of differences in strength of schedule, but Qatar have scored AND conceded more goals than any of the other semifinalists.
Unfortunately, I don't know if that's going to substantially improve. Q2 stadium was fitted with some sort of cutting-edge draught-resistant variety of grass that was meant to withstand dry Texas heat, but this has been a very rainy summer in Austin and the field is holding water like a sponge. Through six matches this season, they've already replaced the playing surface twice. I don't think it'll be as bad as Jerry World (which looked unacceptable and borderline dangerous), but the weird bounces will probably continue.
You‘re right. I interchange conservative and counter attacking, and they’re not always the same. Ive only seen maybe two games of theirs but Qatar seem to sit back and soak up pressure, but counter in numbers when the opportunity comes. I would guess that the best chances will come countering the Qatar counter and on set pieces since this US squad lacks the creative moxie to break down an entrenched D. Hopefully there is an early goal like against Canada.
No changes to the XI for tonight's game. (7:30 ET kickoff on FS1)
View: https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1420868655332659210
View: https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1420868655332659210
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How many of these Qatari players are not from Qatar? They have a long history of uh lets say recruiting players. I cannot google a good article with a number.
It looks like about a third of their roster is foreign-born. A few of them might have been in Qatar from a reasonably young age, but it's hard to get good info.
Turner is awesome. I have no idea - but at 27 does he have hope for future Euro or team A usmnt?