World Cup 2022 - Qatar

[sancarlos]

I'll put our potential lineup up against every team in our group

I agree on talent, we just need to put it all together..

You guys know more about soccer than me. So, correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t all the England players starting in the world’s top leagues, while half our team comes from MLS?

Doesn’t mean we can’t win. But, seems like a talent disparity to me.

[tennbengal]

I'll put our potential lineup up against every team in our group

I agree on talent, we just need to put it all together..

You guys know more about soccer than me. So, correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t all the England players starting in the world’s top leagues, while half our team comes from MLS?

Doesn’t mean we can’t win. But, seems like a talent disparity to me.

Not anymore. Our first team is also playing at the world's top leagues for the most part.

[degenerasian]

And the US drew against England 12 years ago in South Africa with less top European players than now. And won the Group.

[govmentchedda]

US group games will all start in the latest timeslot 2 pm EST.

[Nonlinear FC]

I'll put our potential lineup up against every team in our group

I agree on talent, we just need to put it all together..

You guys know more about soccer than me. So, correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t all the England players starting in the world’s top leagues, while half our team comes from MLS?

Doesn’t mean we can’t win. But, seems like a talent disparity to me.

Not anymore. Our first team is also playing at the world's top leagues for the most part.

Exactly. We (on this board and in American soccer fanatic circles) forget sometimes that not everyone, including soccer pundits in other countries, is aware of just how many of our young talent is playing for some of the best clubs, in the best leagues, in the world. I guess they see Pulisic and the story ends there for them. I get it, but, honestly... at this point, to not just look at our roster and start to piece it together is VERY lazy from pundits over there.

[degenerasian]

US will be England's toughest game in the group. England have never beaten the US in a World Cup :)

[Ryan]

I mean England should be just as happy (or happier) than the U.S. with the draw, right? Doesn’t mean it’s a walk but they avoided the big boys too.

[brian]

I mean England should be just as happy (or happier) than the U.S. with the draw, right? Doesn’t mean it’s a walk but they avoided the big boys too.

As a top seed they were fairly well assured of that though

[Ryan]

How many Pot 2 teams would they have rather seen?

[pruitt2]

How many Pot 2 teams would they have rather seen?

Can't see one. Switzerland perhaps?

[HaulCitgo]

Maybe unrealistic to hope that we are at full strength by Qatar but the US can put a dominant team on the field just that it never happened during qualifying. Pulisic Reyna weah musah McKennie Adams dest Robinson and Zimmerman and center back 2. Turner. Since they don't have a 9 just go with talent. Even the bench has proved it's worth. Acosta, de la Torre, I thought ferriera showed well. Yedlin a capable body. Probably right about the other pot 2 teams but don't let that stop us from chip on shoulder. Any American footballer knows that drill. Take offense at the smallest slight and come out balls to wall and show you're better. No respect. Pressure everyone. Man city ain't in this tournament.

Forgot aaronsen too.

[brian]

How many Pot 2 teams would they have rather seen?

Maybe Mexico, maybe Switzerland. I think the Pot 2 teams are all pretty similar in terms of talent and profiles to be honest with the exception of Germany and the Netherlands. The advantage of getting drawn with Denmark or the Swiss (for example) for England would have been dodging a potentially decent Euro team in Pot 3 and Pot 4. In those two pots outside of the Euro squads you're talking mostly minnows (with some exceptions).

As it is Ukraine is a potentially dangerous Pot 4 pending the political situation there and speaking of political situations I have to imagine England would have preferred to dodge Wales or Scotland as well.

I'm kind of arguing against my point a little bit, but the main point was that it's difficult to compare draws between teams that were seeded in different pots.

[Nonlinear FC]

Yeah, trying to be objective here, from England's standpoint... The US is always going to be a David-Goliath game, regardless of the actual talent on our roster. Not to mention the whole "we fought a war to get away from you bastards" vibe. So, that's not great for them.

And, same type of deal with both Wales and Scotland. Always tough games against the "home teams."

Then you have Iran, which will have a somewhat similar political undertone to what the US will face in that match. Many decades of tension (and sanctions) that, frankly, we on the American and British side don't really feel like the Iranians do.

(I hate the whole "England has NEVER beat the US in the WC" bullshit. It's two fucking games, spread out over 60 plus years.)

[mister d]

Just curious, how many wins do they have in those two fucking games, spread out over 60 plus years?

[govmentchedda]

Scotland is the team the Americans would want to play.

Sadly, this is true. Kinda sucks when your two most talented players play the same position.

May not be an issue any more as Kieran Tierney is out for the rest of the EPL season.

[Nonlinear FC]

Just curious, how many wins do they have in those two fucking games, spread out over 60 plus years?

Who?

[mister d]

England.

[Nonlinear FC]

Not sure the point you're making, sorry for being obtuse. They've won a shit load of games between Brazil and South Africa, including the whole shabang in 66.

[mister d]

I was just playing off your last sentence above.

[tennbengal]

Just curious, how many wins do they have in those two fucking games, spread out over 60 plus years?

NONE WINS. NONE.

ENGLAND HAS NEVER BEATEN US IN THE WORLD CUP.

FUCK ENGLAND.

[Tom 1860]

Can I just ask for someone to post the USA's best XI and put the player's club side and state if they are a regular starter please?

[tennbengal]

Can I just ask for someone to post the USA's best XI and put the player's club side and state if they are a regular starter please?

Who knows what GGG will do for starters or who he will call in. But he has this to choose from:

Pulisic - Chelsea
Reyna - Dortmund
McKinnie - Juventas
Adams - Leipzig
Dest - Barcelona
Weah - Lille
Musah - Valencia
Aaronson - Salzburg
Pepi - Augsburg
Busio - Venezia
Carter-Vickers - Celtic
Pefok - Young Boys
A. Robinson - Fulham
Cannon - Boavista

The keepers are at Man City (back-up) and Nottingham Forest. But the best keeper I think is still state-side.

I believe most of that list either starts or is in heavy rotation for minutes.

I've probably over-looked some options.

[Ryan]

Pefok - Young Boys

Mods

[mister d]

Can I just ask for someone to post the USA's best XI and put the player's club side and state if they are a regular starter please?

US players are better now than before so we can probably assuming 3-0, at worst, and a continuation of England never won head to head in the World Cup.

[The Sybian]

Can I just ask for someone to post the USA's best XI and put the player's club side and state if they are a regular starter please?

Who knows what GGG will do for starters or who he will call in. But he has this to choose from:

Pulisic - Chelsea
Reyna - Dortmund
McKinnie - Juventas
Adams - Leipzig
Dest - Barcelona
Weah - Lille
Musah - Valencia
Aaronson - Salzburg
Pepi - Augsburg
Busio - Venezia
Carter-Vickers - Celtic
Pefok - Young Boys
A. Robinson - Fulham
Cannon - Boavista

The keepers are at Man City (back-up) and Nottingham Forest. But the best keeper I think is still state-side.

I believe most of that list either starts or is in heavy rotation for minutes.

I've probably over-looked some options.

Matt Turner just signed with Arsenal, but I can't imagine he beats out Aaron Ramsdale. Our biggest concern is our top 2 goalies will likely not be getting regular playing time. I'm hoping at least one of them goes out on loan to get regular playing time leading up to the World Cup. I go back and forth on whether Turner was dumb signing for Arsenal. Is it better starting in an MLS team or training at Arsenal and only playing League Cup and maybe early rounds of FA Cup?

Of the guys TB listed, I think all but Pepi get regular minutes. Pulisic comes in off the bench a fair amount. Reyna was injured for most of the year, but I think he starts when healthy. Cannon wasn't getting much time at first, but I think that changed. He is 3rd string anyways.

I'd add a few players:

Chris Richards - Hoffenheim: He was at Bayern and cracked the lineup as a teenager, recently moved
John Brooks - Wolfsburg: Not sure why GGG iced him out. He was an undisputed started, not doesn't even get called into camp.
Josh Sargent- Norwich: I don't think he gets called in unless he suddenly starts getting goals
DeAndre Yedlin - Galatasaray

There are a handful of MLS guys like Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson and Kellyn Acosta, but I'm assuming you aren't going to know or care about anyone playing in MLS.

[Rex]

The main thing about the USA team, that I think will become clear when comparing them to other teams at the WC, is how young they are. The England team they play against will likely field a lineup with no more than 2-3 players under 26 (Mount, Foden, maybe Declan Rice I guess). Barring injuries, the USA will likely start at least 8 and quite possibly 9, with most of the bench also being under 26.

I think it's probably fair to say that the USA doesn't have a lot of established starters at big teams, but that goes hand in hand with being extraordinarily young. Especially when you are trying to break in as a foreign player.

[tennbengal]

Pefok - Young Boys

Mods

I would have also accepted and laughed at "phrasing!"

[Tom 1860]

My honest belief with Wales is that in Bale and Ramsey to a certain extent, they have two players who can turn a game on its head with a moment of magic.

They have a scheme they are happy with, defend in numbers, break very effectively and play for each other...

Their main players outside of Bale and Ramsey are GKs Hennessey and Ward, Defenders Rodon, Ben Davies, Ethan Ampadu, Neco Williams and Chris Mepham and veteran Chris Gunter. In midfield Jonny Williams, Joe Morrell and Harry Wilson consistently punch above their weight, Joe Allen pulls the defensive strings and Daniel James offers genuine pace on the counter.

They are not consistently a handful offensively, but they are incredibly hard to breakdown and are capable of defending a lead (they lost only once in 9 qualifying games so far, and that match was away to Belgium).

[Ryan]

Also they are not yet in the World Cup Qatar 2022

[govmentchedda]

Also they are not yet in the World Cup Qatar 2022

Sheep shaggers

[sancarlos]

My English friend may be mistaken or exaggerating, but he says the last time Wales beat England was in Henry IV.

[Nonlinear FC]

John Brooks - Wolfsburg: Not sure why GGG iced him out. He was an undisputed started, not doesn't even get called into camp.

Two things:

* - The way GGG sets things up in their normal "high press, quick transition" style, the wingers are told to fly up the flanks and to also join the high press and "pinch" quite a bit from as high as the middle stripe. When we turn the ball over with the wingers up that high, it leaves the center backs exposed and often being forced to chase faster forwards. Guys like Richards can cover that, guys like Brooks struggle for pace.

* - According to a couple of podcasts and an Athletic article I read, Brooks isn't well-liked by this player pool. He is, apparently, a bit of a negative aura type guy, complaining or giving guys shit when they screw up. He also, allegedly, doesn't like sitting on the bench and lets ppl know about it. So, take that as a bit gossipy, but might also explain why - tactics and formation aside - a guy that has been a starter in the Bundesliga for many years isn't even getting called into camp.

=-=-=-=

Another sign of where we are with talent is the case of Tim Ream. This is a guy that is closing in on 250 games at Fulham, a team that is all but certain to return to the Premier League next year. I'm not advocating for him to get a spot, but I am saying it's interesting that a journeyman guy like this is the Championship is in the same boat as Brooks.

[Nonlinear FC]

Tom - Thanks for the overview, very interesting.

The one thing I'd say about this version of Team USA is that they play a brand of soccer that will be almost unrecognizable to any former version you've seen. If you start with a core of known guys (Pulisic, Reyna and McKinnie) you then add in guys like Adams, Musah, Dest, Aaronson, Busio and De La Torre (who plays in the Eredivisie) you've got a team that is REALLY good technically. We've never even come close to this level of skill.

The area where I feel like we've got the biggest issue is our center backs. We tend to a) give the ball away in really bad situations too often and b) just get pulled out of position too often.

[The Sybian]

Tom - Thanks for the overview, very interesting.

The one thing I'd say about this version of Team USA is that they play a brand of soccer that will be almost unrecognizable to any former version you've seen. If you start with a core of known guys (Pulisic, Reyna and McKinnie) you then add in guys like Adams, Musah, Dest, Aaronson, Busio and De La Torre (who plays in the Eredivisie) you've got a team that is REALLY good technically. We've never even come close to this level of skill.

The area where I feel like we've got the biggest issue is our center backs. We tend to a) give the ball away in really bad situations too often and b) just get pulled out of position too often.

Thanks for the analysis on Brooks' exclusion. Early in the qualifying Ocho, GGG blamed it on Brooks' poor form with his club. I'd heard his form improved and there was no explanation for his continued exclusion. My thought was it'd be a huge plus to have a veteran with WC game experience in the mix with young talent, but if Brooks would be a negative impact if benched, then I'm on board with keeping him out.

I'm really hoping GGG finally realizes he can't expect a group of guys who practice together for a few days can't play the organized build from the back game we have been playing. The amount of turnovers in the defensive third is terrifying. Like Roger Bennett said, you can get away with it in CONCACAF, but at the WC, you'll be punished. Steffen seems to make a lot of horrible decisions in distribution, and the knock on Turner is he isn't good with his feet, so please, for the love of God, stop trying to make it more difficult and play more of an international style.

[Nonlinear FC]

Well, if you read the Athletic article wrapping up the entire cycle, it will remind you that they were MUCH more deliberate and plodding with their possession early in GGG's tenure. The emphasis on possession above all else led to some really bad results, topped by a 4-0 loss to Mexico that wasn't even that close. If they didn't see the perfect option going forward, they'd turn it back around and swing it around the back. Painful to watch, but it also explains why a number of (conservative, lesser skilled) MLS guys saw so much time. First, it was who GGG was familiar with, second, it isn't in their nature to take guys on 1v1 because they've made an MLS career out of taking 5 touches when only 2 would cut it playing in Europe.

What we are playing now still attempts to build out of the back, but it is much MUCH more direct and relies on the outside midfielders and their wingbacks to orchestrate quick attacks on the flanks. It's OK to take chances and turn it over, as long as you work your ass off to quickly win it back and go on offense. Same way Jesse Marsh wants his teams to play, if you listen to the interviews that have popped up lately. The issue with our current mode is that it becomes too predictable, which is why pulling Reyna into the middle to add to McKinnie and Adams and their skill so so appealing. When we threaten by moving the ball through the middle AND the (oops, forgot to finish my thought here)... having an attack that can break you down in the middle AND can go quickly with combos on the outside, becomes exponentially more dangerous and difficult to defend.

They are a high press, possession (but direct) team now. It's a subtle shift, but it's an important distinction. You'll notice our backs are much more likely to hoof it up to a target or down the outside now, skipping the midfield altogether. That was verboten at the beginning of GGG's tenure.

[HaulCitgo]

In back of my mind, I want Brooks to be a mainstay in the back because they need somebody to step up and take the spot. But look at this garbage:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... Er7zZgyWfd

Big time guys don't do this. How isn't this drilled into the head of every defender by high school much less bundesliga. It's right in front of him. The guy didnt even run off his back. And there's help behind (yedlin?) on Davies. WTF? Maybe he's an ass. Don't know what he shows in training. But this was on tape last time he got run with the national team. I'd have serious concerns if I were coach. Raises bigger questions.

[mister d]

Is that thinking Turner would play the ball or fear of the OG or ???

[HaulCitgo]

Haven't watch much of him in Germany but looks to me like a poor defender that gets by with size and composure on the ball.

[Nonlinear FC]

Is that thinking Turner would play the ball or fear of the OG or ???

Haven't ever agreed more with HC than this point. That's going to go on an all-time reel for ball-watching. Dude just switched his brain off there and left himself in another cliche-no man's land.

[The Sybian]

Looks like Brooks didn't even realize Larin was there, or just plain forgot about him after tracking back with him. Weird play.