USMNT: Hold My Beer

tmracht

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To maximize Aaronson and Cannon it was an interesting setup, in defense they were nominally an 8 and RB, in attack they were more of a inverted winger and RCB. Very fluid and a nice change of pace if you don't have Dest to provide some width on the right hand side.

In Attack:
52111
In Defense:
52112
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Game last night was really close everywhere but the final score. I expected to see xG being reasonably close because the U.S. made the most of its chances and Morocco didn’t, but it actually was pretty much even — 2.10 to 2.07.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Game last night was really close everywhere but the final score. I expected to see xG being reasonably close because the U.S. made the most of its chances and Morocco didn’t, but it actually was pretty much even — 2.10 to 2.07.
Turner doing Matt Turner things and Bono letting Weah's savable (blasted and knuckly, but savable) shot right through him loom pretty large there.
 

rguilmar

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Game last night was really close everywhere but the final score. I expected to see xG being reasonably close because the U.S. made the most of its chances and Morocco didn’t, but it actually was pretty much even — 2.10 to 2.07.
Im not a huge xG fan as there are several flaws, especially with the free versions. The biggest part of Moroccos xG came from a missed PK that VAR would have overturned anyways. Between Ferreira’s 1v1 and Wright’s earlier chance, I’m not seeing the game as that even. Maybe 3-1 or 4-2 would have been more fair. I would not even really say Turner did Turner things. Morocco weren’t great at finishing their two good chances.

Overall I thought the US looked good against a quality team (who didn’t really look up for it). Everything comes with a grain of salt- I thought Wright, CCV, Aronson in the middle, 3ATB, and LDLT at the 6 looked good enough to warrant another look, and to a lesser degree Scally and Tillman too, though I see Malik as a 2026 project myself. Turner did fine and for me should be the #1. Zimmerman was solid as usual, but I remain worried about the Aaron Long we have now. He just isn’t the player I remember and I worry that we waste reps trying to get him back when that’s not in the cards for him. I like Ferreira but at some point the finishing needs to be there. He’s a smart player who makes intelligent runs and connects well with teammates. Haji Wright had a lot more touch than I remember but I wish he was stronger in the air, especially given his height. I imagine the 9 at WC22 will just be the hot hand or matchup specific.

I was actually really impressed with GGG, which isn’t something I say often. I liked the changes in style and tactics he tried, as well as trying both new players as well as older players in new roles. To me, the result was fair and Gregg deserves a lot of the credit for it.
 

67YAZ

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USSF announces that CEO Will Wilson is leaving at the end of October. Seems like a surprise to everyone? And somewhat awkward timing weeks ahead of the WC?
 

tmracht

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Basically the first team then minus injury/absence. Will be good to see how McKinnie holds up for 60+ coming off injury. Ferreira should be a good watch against Uruguay as well. Long/Zimm get more minutes in case Richards isn't back to form for the fall.
 

speedracer

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This is definitely the time to work on breaking the press against a team that’s actually good at it.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Agreed, and they’ve played themselves into it.

Ferreira looking great except for when the shots don’t go in the net.
 

67YAZ

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Poorly, after he ended that MLS season on a cold streak also. That’s a guy who could use an offseason and a reset badly.
I really don’t like the short off-season for Americans heading to Europe. Guys like Pepi need rest, to work on their bodies, and to do intensive skill development. That’s off-season stuff with trainers and dedicated coaches. Most clubs aren’t going to provide that kind of intensive support for a single transfer coming over in January.
 

teddykgb

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Poorly, after he ended that MLS season on a cold streak also. That’s a guy who could use an offseason and a reset badly.
Yeah I was just reading about his time at Augsburg and agree he needs to rest and give another go. Wish he had gone to Lihue 1 like Weah if he insisted on heading to Europe that was such a huge step up
 

teddykgb

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I really don’t like the short off-season for Americans heading to Europe. Guys like Pepi need rest, to work on their bodies, and to do intensive skill development. That’s off-season stuff with trainers and dedicated coaches. Most clubs aren’t going to provide that kind of intensive support for a single transfer coming over in January.
Our guys need to make better career choices. With Pogba heading back to Juve we could have McKennie, Pulisic, Turner, Pepi, maybe Aaronson all riding the pine heading into the WC
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Jedi is wildly important to this team, judging by how badly any other left backs we try out get worked.
 

67YAZ

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Not a great half for all the Scally-wags out there. Tough opponent, but he needs to show more.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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Yeah. Is it possible that Weah is underrated? He just seems as important as Pulisic, Mckenzie, or Adams.
I think Weah’s properly rated at this point, in that he starts the biggest games without question until and unless Reyna is back and healthy, and even then maybe.

I think the thing we learned more is that Arriola’s uptick in threat in MLS does not appear to carry over to this level. He’s really on the ragged edge of the World Cup roster based only on if there’s enough space to carry basically a purely defensively diligent winger.
 

67YAZ

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Uruguay is a good measuring stick, and I’ll take the draw. Provided Gregg with lots of information and the squad with a real test.
 

teddykgb

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I think Weah’s properly rated at this point, in that he starts the biggest games without question until and unless Reyna is back and healthy, and even then maybe.

I think the thing we learned more is that Arriola’s uptick in threat in MLS does not appear to carry over to this level. He’s really on the ragged edge of the World Cup roster based only on if there’s enough space to carry basically a purely defensively diligent winger.
I think you bring Arriola because he provides something different and always works hard. You want to have him as an option
 

Jimy Hendrix

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I think you bring Arriola because he provides something different and always works hard. You want to have him as an option
He works hard as hell and I love that about him, but the offense puts him on the bubble for me. Pulisic, Reyna, Aaronson and Weah are all definitely ahead of him, so it depends on the health of those guys and/or whether five wingers make the roster
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Really crazy and disjointed game, but a fun watch.

Uruguay were better and the score probably should have been 0-1 but the U.S. showed fight and poise.
 

rguilmar

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Not a great half for all the Scally-wags out there. Tough opponent, but he needs to show more.
He looked a little out of his depth. I'm a believer, but he definitely struggled. I think early on Uruguay were either intentionally targeting him or realized that there was space behind him. Looks like Gregg made an adjustment to help with that and had Scally stay back a bit. Darwin Nunez is a hell of a player but Scally really has to either get the ball or the man instead of letter him turn like he did in the first half.
 

johnmd20

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If FIFA wasn't so corrupt, we would be one week away from the World Cup start. And it would be awesome.

World Cup during the winter is going to be extremely weird.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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I can see why you'd say that in that it looks terrible, but it's soccer hair, get weird with it.

Does look like he lost a bet though.
 

Jimy Hendrix

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If he's working his way up to a full John Tolkin by the World Cup though, then all awkward transitory steps are forgiven
 

InstaFace

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There's a long tradition of that for USMNT frontmen.












That's not even counting Alexi Lalas' viking phase - all my fellow 11-year-olds in 1994 knew which one HE was. Forerunner of Walker Zimmerman's Thor routine, surely. And you can bet that if DMB, Bradley or Howard had had hair, they'd have gone nuts with it too.

(credit to Dempsey, though, for not being on that train - i.e., for actually not caring what anyone else thought of him, rather than just saying it like every preening athlete does)
 

wilked

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Odds of advancing now that the group is set


  • England 90%
  • Wales 46%
  • USA 40%
  • Iran 24%
 

wilked

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OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Is CCV really a viable option still or is friendlies against minnows the best he can hope for?

Up against the Celtics I’m not surprised but did anyone here watch this? The score line reflects what I would expect to see if we took care of business but I’m intrigued that 4/5 of our goals were from Ferreira. Grenada is 175th or something so it’s not a meaningful test, but no one else in our side banged in four.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Also on the hunt for a review. I haven’t seen a ton of Ferreira but my early read in his USMNT performances was mostly that he moved well, was decently involved, but couldn’t bury anything, so I haven’t been wowed.

There’s so much talent behind him on the pitch that if they can just unlock someone who at least works well with our studs it will be valuable even if the striker himself is not yet one of those studs.

Edit: Quick review of goal video tells me it was mostly poor defense but Ferreira’s 3rd off a designed corner pass out to the 18 was a real class strike.