lynxcat

I thought they were terrible honestly. It all worked out but Mexico gets #3 and England was toast.

Mexico didn’t haven’t the offensive quality needed to win the game. If that’s what Tuchel was banking on, then he made the right choice. They bunkered for 20 minutes and he got saved by having two stamina freaks in Gordon and Jude.

ETA: So, I think it’s all hindsight 20/20…England won so victors get to write history. You play that game 10 times in those circumstances, I think Mexico is tying the game in at least 6 of those. M

The only game that would be more intense than England is if it was the USA playing Mexico tonight.

I told my wife, this is one of the only games I wouldn’t have attended even if I could because I think the probably of losing your life is well above 0% as a visiting fan.

What are you expecting a “come together” to look like? We are a nation of neighborhoods and localities. Go experience the world with those people and don’t wait for some news article showing a group together at a monument.

The executive deck was actually quite good. Storyline was strong and the analysis was better than expected. I could roll in to most audiences and it would work fine which is pretty cool for a 10 minute analysis.

quote:

---

- Our defensive shape and positioning has been rapidly improving. This has CLEARLY been a focus point for Poch and the staff. Even in the tune-up friendlies before the Cup started, I was seeing a ton of misplays across the back line and midfield. It was especially obvious when we were absorbing pressure.

---

All of the games leading up were basically fake news on evaluating this squad. We never played our best 11 all together until Paraguay.

Here's my overall takeaway up to this point: Balogun, Tillman, and Freeman stepping up in massive ways as not only reliable starters but major performances has solidified the USMNT. We have historically had a core of ~6 players (CP, WM, Ream, Jedi, Tyler, maybe Dest albeit he's had lots of injuries...now add Richards) but we couldn't field a solid 10 outfield players....we always had holes somewhere on the pitch.

With this team, our best 11 can legitimately compete with any country in the world. We have creativity, flair, fluidity, possession, and rock solid defenders. Flo, Tillman, and Freeman all blossomed at the right time and we no longer have these notable weak spots to compensate.

Now, our depth still sucks other than a couple additional attacking midfielders...so that will expose us at some point (but very few national teams are truly deep across the team).

quote:

---

I am leaning towards that so we can put Berhalter on. His set pieces are so much better than Pulisic’s (though Tillman is now intriguing).

---

Berhalter should not be on the field at the same time as Tyler Adams unless we are hunkering in defense. He is not good enough in possession or creative enough to take one of the other midfield positions beyond the defensive holding role.

Yes, Haji has the professional credentials that should translate. We just haven’t seen him in that form with the USMNT. Playing Haji is probably the safest bet…Pepi has shown nothing, Weah isn’t a true striker and was out of form in last match. Haji is at least in his natural position and doesn’t throw the rest of the squad into positions they are less comfortable in.


Wild card idea…can Tillman play a False 9? You could potentially move him further up pitch and then you have options in the midfield for how you want to adjust.

quote:

---

I love Weah but he has absolutely sucked this tournament.

---

He was terrible in the last game and he acknowledged it publicly. He’s still one of the more gifted players on the squad and one poor performance can’t be the end of Weah and the national team.

Not a big fan. It’s ok but not my favorite

quote:

---

You mean the team beat US 5-2 before the cup

---

Irrelevant. We don’t play out A squad together until Paraguay.