USMNT: Hold My Beer

Titans Bastard

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If you are a believer that numbers have meaning, I note that Gioacchini gets the #9 for this one. In the absence of Sargent, his chances of starting at least one game at FW are decent.


 

Titans Bastard

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USSF social media has been noticeably more engaging, interesting, and thoughtful lately. They've stepped up their game, and honoring Daryl Grove is very nice to see. He is greatly missed.

View: https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1326952635191193608


Looks like a 4-3-3 with Lletget getting the start in midfield, Reyna and Konrad on the wings, and Gioacchini up top.

I think the expectation is that Reyna pinches in with Dest providing width.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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A bit of a chuckle at Berhalter making the one pick in this exciting roster that could possibly make a certain type of fan angry at him, but this is still very exciting.

A lineup fun enough to help me ignore the gnawing feeling that this should absolutely not be happening.
 

DJnVa

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A lineup fun enough to help me ignore the gnawing feeling that this should absolutely not be happening.
What's the difference between this and a lot of these guy traipsing around Europe in UCL or EL games?

Or do you just think friendlies is just a bridge too far?
 

Jimy Hendrix

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What's the difference between this and a lot of these guy traipsing around Europe in UCL or EL games?

Or do you just think friendlies is just a bridge too far?
I do think this is worse than UCL/UEL in terms of Covid because it's splitting people up into new groups in new places, rather than relying on existing team groupings, but it's much more the second thing.

Between Covid and the wildly compressed schedule seeming to brutalize players with increased muscle injuries, it seems like something should give and friendlies are at the bottom of the importance food chain. Probably international breaks overall honestly, but I understand how FIFA won't be having that.
 

TheRealness

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USSF social media has been noticeably more engaging, interesting, and thoughtful lately. They've stepped up their game, and honoring Daryl Grove is very nice to see. He is greatly missed.

View: https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1326952635191193608


Looks like a 4-3-3 with Lletget getting the start in midfield, Reyna and Konrad on the wings, and Gioacchini up top.

I think the expectation is that Reyna pinches in with Dest providing width.
They deleted that tweet. Here is the lineup:

View: https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1326961686474059776?s=20
 

Joe D Reid

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Nobody knows where anyone else is going, but they're just clearly more talented.
 

Kliq

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Really encouraging last five minutes or so; lot of energy, midfield is bossing.
 

InstaFace

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Nobody knows where anyone else is going, but they're just clearly more talented.
I mean, McKennie, my god. I haven't watched half of the football games as most of you, so when someone jumps off the screen as clearly the most talented player on the field, and it's obvious even to me, it means they're really special. Like, that half-field cross to Dest in the early minutes that was 40 yards in the air and right into his stride in a narrow spot... just a level of field vision you're not used to seeing out of our players.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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I mean, McKennie, my god. I haven't watched half of the football games as most of you, so when someone jumps off the screen as clearly the most talented player on the field, and it's obvious even to me, it means they're really special. Like, that half-field cross to Dest in the early minutes that was 40 yards in the air and right into his stride in a narrow spot... just a level of field vision you're not used to seeing out of our players.
I've had this exact same feeling, but about Adams being everywhere defensively.

We're gonna have an extremely exciting midfield.
 

Joe D Reid

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This has been like watching one of Arsenal's old unconvincing halves, which is a feeling I have never before associated with the USMNT.
 

InstaFace

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This has been like watching one of Arsenal's old unconvincing halves, which is a feeling I have never before associated with the USMNT.
Yes, and given that the team practically needed name tags for each other this past week, and half of them are too young to drink in the USA, I'd say that's not a bad position to be in.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Dest/Reyna is one of the sauicier sides of a pitch the US have had offensively in recent memory. The (sometimes ill-advised!) backheels!
 

Jed Zeppelin

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I mean, McKennie, my god. I haven't watched half of the football games as most of you, so when someone jumps off the screen as clearly the most talented player on the field, and it's obvious even to me, it means they're really special. Like, that half-field cross to Dest in the early minutes that was 40 yards in the air and right into his stride in a narrow spot... just a level of field vision you're not used to seeing out of our players.
He can occasionally be a bit loose and imprecise on the ball, but I freaking love watching McKennie play. He usually wins it back after a poor pass anyway. He has a large presence.
 

Titans Bastard

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He can occasionally be a bit loose and imprecise on the ball, but I freaking love watching McKennie play. He usually wins it back after a poor pass anyway.
They are different players, but McKennie brings some Jermaine Jones vibes back to the mdifield.
 

DJnVa

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Yes, and given that the team practically needed name tags for each other this past week, and half of them are too young to drink in the USA, I'd say that's not a bad position to be in.
Yeah--the final third, outside of individual moments of brilliance, need some familiarity for it to really gel. These players are capable of those moments, but all they really need to time on the pitch together.
 

InstaFace

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Well, 45 mins in, the only guy on the field who looks like he shouldn't be there is the MLS guy.

That last chance, if Lletget had just let the ball go on a dummy, there was Konrad (I think) crashing to the penalty spot to put up a high-percentage chance.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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I try not to be a US fan going around using the word "tekkers", but Sergino Dest is making it difficult for me.
 

ninjacornelius

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Absent the option of putting together a cohesive team from the entire player pool, I'm very much here for this "just let the kids try some stuff" strategy. But it's only possible because McKennie and Adams have been absolutely everywhere on the pitch.
 

InstaFace

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Also, Jermaine Jones is a homeless man's Weston McKennie. About the only thing I've ever seen Jones do that McKennie can't do better, smarter and faster is the goal from distance vs Portugal.
 

Titans Bastard

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Well, 45 mins in, the only guy on the field who looks like he shouldn't be there is the MLS guy.

That last chance, if Lletget had just let the ball go on a dummy, there was Konrad (I think) crashing to the penalty spot to put up a high-percentage chance.
I'd go easy on Lletget, who is being used wildly out of position. He's almost always good for the US.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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I do think the false 9 was a mistake though, I hope we get an actual striker on at halftime or 60min to move from "we're just doing cool shit" to actually having a bit more structure in the attack.
 

InstaFace

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I'd go easy on Lletget, who is being used wildly out of position. He's almost always good for the US.
Okay, I'll forgive him the finishing, but how do you explain that possession where he took 10 touches trying to hold the ball on the offensive left sideline, completely ignored several chances to pass out of it, and ended up coughing it up when the 2nd defender closed in? Like, you're bigger and stronger, so either hold it up until help arrives, or pass it because you're getting squeezed. If you're a Reyna and you can dance and explode with it, but this one time you screwed up and lost possession, whatever. Sebastian Lletget is not a dancer. If you're worthy of being out there, know when to give it up.

I do think the false 9 was a mistake though, I hope we get an actual striker on at halftime or 60min to move from "we're just doing cool shit" to actually having a bit more structure in the attack.
Agreed, I'm not sure Weah is the guy for the task, but if we're gonna have kids doing cool shit, why not put Llanez or Soto out there? For one thing, their careers could use it, as a statement to their clubs.

Ah, man, now it's pissing me off that we don't have Sargent out there, because he's the specific guy who needs to learn what his wingers and midfield are expecting him to do. Not that Konrad didn't have his moments in the first half.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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We're gonna have some fun "when Johnny comes marching home again" chants when there are fans again, I hope.
 

InstaFace

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Well, if you were going to pick a game you wanted to have as a scoreless draw, a "let's throw out the young talent and let them have some fun" friendly is exactly where you'd want it.
 

ninjacornelius

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Thinking that everything about that match was good except for only having three shots on target is a very "how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?" kind of response, but I think it's true. If Josh Sargent was released by his club then this would have been a completely different ballgame.