Jump to content

USMNT 2022


Napoleon

Recommended Posts

7 hours ago, A-Tex Devil said:

But seriously, which USMNT player in Europe picks up that spot?  Busio? Acosta is already going to be on the team hopefully just to shit talk penalty takers and take free kicks.  .... It's going to be Roldan or Lletget, I guess.  

Busio?

image.gif.71209678a90e2ac344b1029a3775e3d1.gif
 

Paxton Pomykal is a better choice than Busio.

James Sands is a better choice than Busio.

Cristian Roldan is a better choice than Busio.

Erick Williamson is a better choice than Busio.

Đorđe Mihailović is a better choice than Busio.

Jesús Ferreira is a better choice than Busio.

Richard Ledesma is a better choice than Busio.

Malik Tillman is a better choice than Busio.

Sebastian Lletget is a better choice for a midfielder not to get bossed all over the pitch than Busio.

We have to drop down to Johnny Cardoso before we start considering deep lying midfielders who might be behind Busio in usefulness.

Busio is good on set pieces. There is no other reason to have him on the pitch. Oh, and he will never be put on the pitch just to take set pieces. Kellyn Acosta can take set pieces AND play the 6 during live play. There are 3 to 7 guys in front of Busio to fill in at the #8, if not more. 

Busio is a liability against everyone but CONCACAF minnows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, alincoln said:

De La Torre is probably out of the WC with a hamstring tear.  

Okay, maybe not…

USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre out 3 weeks with hamstring injury ahead of World Cup

United States men's national team midfielder Luca de la Torre has suffered a leg injury that will sideline him for three weeks, his Spanish club Celta Vigo said Friday, with the World Cup less than a month away.

Celta said De la Torre has a muscle tear in his left leg. However, Celta coach Eduardo Coudet said he was confident that his player would be fit in time for the World Cup…

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4783736/usmnts-luca-de-la-torre-out-for-3-weeks-ahead-of-world-cup

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn’t want him. I just was asking who other than the obvious MLS staples?  He was only midfielder not in current rotation  I could think of in Europe at time I posted.  Point was there wasn’t a lot to pick from beyond the dudes we know aren’t that great already, and the drop from DLT to next guy was rather severe. 

Edited by A-Tex Devil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Napoleon said:

Okay, maybe not…

USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre out 3 weeks with hamstring injury ahead of World Cup

United States men's national team midfielder Luca de la Torre has suffered a leg injury that will sideline him for three weeks, his Spanish club Celta Vigo said Friday, with the World Cup less than a month away.

Celta said De la Torre has a muscle tear in his left leg. However, Celta coach Eduardo Coudet said he was confident that his player would be fit in time for the World Cup…

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4783736/usmnts-luca-de-la-torre-out-for-3-weeks-ahead-of-world-cup

That’s always been the word. The issue is that LDT has to be named to the roster and will likely not be 100% when the full rosters are due (Nov 13). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

That’s always been the word.

The issue is that LDT has to be named to the roster and will likely not be 100% when the full rosters are due (Nov 13). 

image.gif.998ff52a33d689883dd121ea9e2e1b21.gif

3423A43D-60B0-48F4-8B9D-5DE9C0E82D5C.thumb.jpeg.4bc4597efa88e8357e587a67d168ba7e.jpeg

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_squads#:~:text=Each country's final squad of,before a team's first match.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, El Pollo Loco said:

Need to throw Antonee Robinson into the wrap. 

True, although I was focused on the midfield.

The crazy thing is that "Jedi" is just as likely to give the ball away on a pass directly to an opponent in our defensive third as he is to make a dangerous cross in the offensive third. Those are atrocious odds for a fullback that you play more like a wingback. But with that being said, his backups (except for maybe the right-footed Scally) are so much weaker than he is that Antonee Robinson is practically non-fungible*.

I don't know if there is a bigger drop of performance vs replacement than Robinson at Left Back.

 

*"fungible/non-fungible" is vocabulary that I learned by living to the Scuffed podcast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Chief concern with the LDLT injury is, even if he is ready to go in a couple of weeks (and it sounds as if he will be), Gergg will use Luca's downtime as rationale for leaving him off and bringing Roldan or Lletget instead.


Lletget isn't even in the MLS Camp right now.
 

MLS-based players gather for USMNT pre-World Cup training camp

Goalkeepers (1)

  • Gaga Slonina (Chicago Fire FC)

Defenders (4)

  • Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls)
  • Shaq Moore (Nashville SC)
  • DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF)
  • Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders (1)

  • Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC)

Forwards (3)

  • Paul Arriola (FC Dallas)
  • Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas)
  • Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-based-players-gather-for-usmnt-pre-world-cup-training-camp


I don't think that there are any players on NYCFC or Austin FC who would be brought in to the USMNT camp after losing yesterday. Keaton Parks... no. Philly scored 3 goals in about 12 minutes after Parks entered the pitch.

Nick Lima? Maybe 4 years ago.


I don't know if US Soccer is doing it, but I would have all of the U-20 eligible players in camp now as well (plus a smattering of guys that would be U-23 eligible for Paris 2024 (Olympics) to practice with the list above. 

What kind of training are you hoping to get when there is only one midfielder and 8 total outfield players? Surely US Soccer can't be this stupid, can they? (Don't answer that!)

Edited by Napoleon
  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I forgot about Sean Johnson at NYCFC. He should be called into the camp down in Dallas unless Berhalter knows that he isn’t going to Qatar  

Matt Turner is currently out with an injury and Zack Steffen let in 2 of 4 shots on goal this past weekend.

Listening to Max Bretos, he brings up Eryk WilliamsonĐorđe Mihailović as names that “have been bandied about”.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Napoleon said:


Lletget isn't even in the MLS Camp right now.
 

MLS-based players gather for USMNT pre-World Cup training camp

Goalkeepers (1)

  • Gaga Slonina (Chicago Fire FC)

Defenders (4)

  • Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls)
  • Shaq Moore (Nashville SC)
  • DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF)
  • Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders (1)

  • Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC)

Forwards (3)

  • Paul Arriola (FC Dallas)
  • Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas)
  • Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-based-players-gather-for-usmnt-pre-world-cup-training-camp


I don't think that there are any players on NYCFC or Austin FC who would be brought in to the USMNT camp after losing yesterday. Keaton Parks... no. Philly scored 3 goals in about 12 minutes after Parks entered the pitch.

Nick Lima? Maybe 4 years ago.


I don't know if US Soccer is doing it, but I would have all of the U-20 eligible players in camp now as well (plus a smattering of guys that would be U-23 eligible for Paris 2024 (Olympics) to practice with the list above. 

What kind of training are you hoping to get when there is only one midfielder and 8 total outfield players? Surely US Soccer can't be this stupid, can they? (Don't answer that!)

Lol.  Keaton Parks' father is on my soccer team.  I'm not sure if he (the dad) attended Texas or not, but I know he's a huge TX fan.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/31/2022 at 3:15 PM, Napoleon said:

Surely US Soccer can't be this stupid, can they? (Don't answer that!)

This why I noted that there is an issue with LDT's injury - because it's really not possible to give Gergg or US Soccer any benefit of the doubt with rational decisions. I would not trust them to say "Let's put LDT on our roster and if he's ready, cool. If he's not, then let's replace him." I think Gergg is going to continue to mismanage this roster and these injuries are just going to make it worse and worse. 

I would love him to prove me wrong, but his history worries me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Argentina’s success is far and away my #1 hope for this World Cup, as it was in 2018, 2014, and tied for #1 in 2010. 

I would like the U.S. to make it out of the group, but if making it out of the group means that Berhalter retains the gig, I would rather the U.S. play well, score some goals, and not make it out of the group.

 I want Pepi to get a goal, I want Steffen to make a blunder, I want Turner to play well, I want Gio to play the #10, I want Aaronson, Weah, & Musah to show out, and I want Berhalter gone.

The ends justify the means. This cycle has been a clown show with a smattering of stellar play.

-vs México in Cincinnati 

-@ Honduras in the 2nd half

-vs Honduras (I don’t remember this match.)

-5 to 1 demolition of Panama in Orlando

The rest of the 10 matches ranged from SUSPECT to EMBARRASSING.

If Iran’s star striker (no idea what his name is) makes Aaron Long look like a pub league player, I will sleep fine as I anticipate Argentina’s final group stage match the next day. 

If there is a player revolt and they take over the roster moves, formation, and tactics (at halftime of the England match after giving up a goal or two in the first half and losing/tying Wales), then I’ll be on the Pepi train. 

Edited by Napoleon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, kingkoopa6 said:

WORLD CUP MONTH!!! LETS GO!

I NEED SOME MUSAH GIO AND WEAH HIGHLIGHTS TO GET CRUNK !

hows turner been doin? is he bossin and beastin like prime howard?

Turner is currently injured with a pulled/strained(?) groin. 

He has missed the last two games. The premier league match he wouldn’t have played in, but he would have started the Europa League match if he’d been fit. 

Tons of players are hurt: Chris Richards, Weston McKenney, Luca De La Torre, and Josh Sargent  in addition to the aforementioned Matt Turner.

Pefok has cooled off.

The MLS contingent are kicking the ball around Frisco so that they will arrive just kind of rusty vs really rusty.

Zack Steffen, Gregg’s preferred keeper has alternated between being bad and being injured. Currently he’s healthy and bad. 👍 (yeah!?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, LurkingHorn said:

Beat the shit out of Wales and we are going through. That’s what all this is going to come down to. Greg might be forced to start a pretty attacking lineup and it might just propel us. 

Iran could easily beat us.  Teremi vs. Long is not a matchup that favors us.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Things are looking sketchier and sketchier, but…

794EF2C7-26AC-4B5D-BA70-9721AFA9398D.gif.4e38ecedfe7ed2c8cd561535ee8880ed.gif

 

…perhaps this ensures that Berhalter won’t be back. 🙏


USMNT injury doubts mount before World Cup, with Dest hurt, Turner still out for Arsenal

AC Milan right back Sergino Destis the latest injury worry for the United States ahead of the World Cup, while Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner missed his third straight match Thursday.

Dest did not play in Milan's Champions League group stage finale against FC Salzburg on Wednesday because of adductor fatigue. The club said Thursday the decision was a precaution.

Loaned to Milan from Barcelona, Dest has been limited to two starts and six substitute appearances this season.

Turner did not make the squad for the Gunners' Europa League group stage finale against FC Zurich. Turner has not played since Oct. 20 against PSV Eindhoven after being diagnosed with a tight groin and has been limited to four Europa League matches as Arsenal's No. 2 goalkeeper behind Aaron Ramsdale.

It appears Turner's last chance for playing time ahead of the World Cup is the Carabao Cup third round match against Brighton next Wednesday, the day U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter plans to announced his 26-man World Cup roster.

The U.S has many injury worries.

Celta Vigo said Friday that midfielder Luca de la Torre has a leg injury that will sideline him for three weeks.

Central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers missed Celtic's Champions League match at Real Madrid on Wednesday because of soreness after playing 90 minutes during Sunday's 3-0 Scottish Premier League win at Livingston, which has an artificial turf surface.

Forward Josh Sargent missed Norwich's match against visiting Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday in England's second-tier Championship. The 22-year-old from O'Fallon, Missouri, who has eight goals for Norwich this season, injured a calf against Burnley on Oct. 25 and also missed Saturday's match against Stoke.

Norwich manager Dean Smith said Tuesday that Sargent could return for Saturday's game at Rotherham.

Midfielder Weston McKennieinjured a thigh Saturday during Juventus' 1-0 win at Lecce and is not expected to play another club match before the World Cup break.

Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards has not played since Sept. 6 because of a thigh injury.

In addition, Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson will miss the World Cup after tearing his left Achilles on May 7.

Back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament, the U.S. opens against Wales on Nov. 21, plays England in a Black Friday matchup four days later and closes group play on Nov. 29 against Iran.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4790049/usmnt-injury-doubts-mount-before-world-cupwith-dest-hurtturner-still-out-for-arsenal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will be surprised if this team makes it to the quarters but that's mostly because of all of the injury issues. 

I don't care who's coaching - there's too much talent to write them off when it comes to getting out of the group. 

Although if Turner can't go we may be proper fucked. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, ztejas said:

You mean with Aaron Long playing. Zimmerman is like item #57 on the list of our issues. 

Zimmerman is significantly overrated by the USMNT fan base but we have no other option.  he’s certainly not a strength and is clearly the worst starter after Long and the 9.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, alincoln said:

Zimmerman is significantly overrated by the USMNT fan base but we have no other option.  he’s certainly not a strength and is clearly the worst starter after Long and the 9.

Zimmerman is a perfectly competent international CB and one of the best players in MLS. Lumping him in with Aaron Long is silly. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, alincoln said:

We’re fucked regardless with an MLS CB pairing.


image.jpeg.5cbdfd3fc0b6c3680b1340a7d9b0b0fd.jpeg

 

 

1 hour ago, ztejas said:

You mean with Aaron Long playing. Zimmerman is like item #57 on the list of our issues. 

75F26618-97E1-48FB-8837-630AE3F8A247.gif.f63fa7d037eea18e1a8ef713cf29248d.gif

 

From the 85th minute of the USMNT qualifier vs Panama 🇵🇦 in Orlando on March 27th, 2022, Walker Zimmerman has been bad to mediocre.

He was beaten on the last 3 goals that the USMNT gave up in qualifying, has had a mediocre MLS season after being the 2021 MLS Defender of the Year, and had middling performances in friendlies and the Nations League.….yet he is the leader of the defense.

294BA02B-1DA6-4556-A115-26763C8DA587.jpeg.f0fa52d22e9107b3ac5d5ca9141d29a9.jpeg

D3B61D82-CB9C-415A-9E54-2692187C9C68.jpeg.cf7650c3c7e3f5bc138d05334a40d1f5.jpeg

FCD4E628-E923-4C96-B3A7-A2B939FF45CA.png.181fdc876af32862065f49b4a8a817d5.png

85F342AB-02C1-4989-8294-E5C2B07E1E81.png.0cad4e5f672d8bfddc5e0257ddbee5d9.png

E89CEEDC-D9AF-4FB8-BAEE-962BE9CFFE98.png.0625ab8ef7ab242734375ed81df68f1a.png

Zimmerman is a Top 3/4 concern.

#1- Keeper

#2- Striker

#3/#4- CD / CD

Edited by Napoleon
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

9 minutes ago, shnsajax said:
19 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Ream will be included on the roster, right?

 

Or is this in doubt cuz ... Gergg?


In doubt

giphy-1.gif 

 

 

And consider me on with Nap that Zimmerman has been slumping lately. He isn't Long level of shitiness, but he hasn't been as good. I just think that now we have Long to worry about, we haven't given WZ much of a hard look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Napoleon said:

From the 85th minute of the USMNT qualifier vs Panama 🇵🇦 in Orlando on March 27th, 2022, Walker Zimmerman has been bad to mediocre.

He was beaten on the last 3 goals that the USMNT gave up in qualifying, has had a mediocre MLS season after being the 2021 MLS Defender of the Year, and had middling performances in friendlies and the Nations League.….yet he is the leader of the defense.

Exactly.  He has been repeatedly beaten on set pieces and his form was already declining before Miles Robinson went down.  Zimmerman has only been locked in as a starter since Robinson went down and Richards couldn't get healthy.  At the end of WCQ, the question was whether Richards could get enough PT to hopefully supplant Zimmerman. In an ideal world, our starting CBs would be Robinson and Richards with Ream and Zimmerman as capable backups.  I think Zimmerman would have been fine as the complimentary CB but he is now being asked to act as lead dog in a World Cup with a looming disaster next to him.  

All that said, Long (and the system that Greggg believes his selection supports) is THE issue.  All of Greggg's flaws are somehow perfectly exemplified by his selection of this one player.  Overreliance on MLS players, continuing to play a high line without fast CBs, selecting favorites, and an inability to adjust to opponents and changing circumstances. 

The option to start a capable and experienced EPL CB next to his EPL LB teammate is an unbelievably fortunate opportunity after your starting LCB goes down.  The ability to protect your new CB pairing with a double pivot including an in-form EPL 6 in Adams (who so obviously plays better in a double pivot) and a fit-for-purpose Musah is an obvious solution to our defensive dilemma.  Just ditch the high line, protect the CBs and play a LCB who has unparalleled chemistry with the LB.  OR start two out of form and slow CBs and rigidly adhere to a defensive system (high line) and formation (single 6) that doesn't cater to the strengths of your players.  When Aaron Long runs out there against Wales, Greggg's legacy as the worst coach in the history of US soccer will be written. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Napoleon said:

Zimmerman is a Top 3/4 concern.

#1- Keeper

#2- Striker

#3/#4- CD / CD

This is spot on. I'd go so far as to say one of those CD worries is tied with Striker at 2. Zimmerman is a huge issue because no matter what, he's at least our 2nd best option based on GGG in the past so he's going to play 65+ every game. That's a major concern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think his form potentially suffered as a result of how many minutes he was playing for club and country. 

16 minutes ago, alincoln said:

I think Zimmerman would have been fine as the complimentary CB but he is now being asked to act as lead dog in a World Cup with a looming disaster next to him.  

I agree with this. I'm not saying it's optimal for him to be the crux of the defense but if he was our 2nd best CB I don't think it would be a huge cause for concern. The fact that he's our best CB right now isn't his fault. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...