US Men's National Team Discussion

WI_Red

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It's coming home. The team that is, early in the WC.
I was optimistic of getting out of the group before the last few days, but holy shit these last 2 games have been horrific. No offensive identity, no chances created, overrun in the midfield and shambolic in defense.
 

calodo2003

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haha...i used to run them at various locations across the country alongside his son in law
Probably after my time, I was attending them in the mid to late 80s, back when he would actually get between the sticks to demonstrate.
 

Sir Matt

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At least we only have to tolerate Gregg Berhalter for three more matches...

Also @WI_Red, I'll probably watch the World Cup matches at the Boot Room in Durham since it's the Outlaws bar. I blocked off the two afternoons on my work calendar. :nervous:

The last match I watched there was the Europa League final where No Save Dave lost us the shootout so probably not a place for good luck.
 
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bosskeano

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Probably after my time, I was attending them in the mid to late 80s, back when he would actually get between the sticks to demonstrate.
oh yeah....this was at the beginning of the 2000's

Doc didn't even travel outside of Charleston at that time....he would only come to a couple of the bigger places like Ft Worth, San Francisco
 

WI_Red

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At least we only have to tolerate Gregg Berhalter for three more matches...

Also @WI_Red, I'll probably watch the World Cup matches at the Boot Room in Durham since it's the Outlaws bar. I blocked off the two afternoons on my work calendar. :nervous:

The last match I watched there was the Europa League final where No Save Dave lost us the shootout so probably not a place for good luck.
I may join you. I should have the patio bar built by then so, depending on how things go, I may need to watch/drink myself unconscious at home for England/Iran.
 

MrMarcello

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I see shades of 1998 all over, minus the manager booting the captain who then went on a media rampage only for it to be later revealed he banged his mate's wife.
 

bosskeano

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I may join you. I should have the patio bar built by then so, depending on how things go, I may need to watch/drink myself unconscious at home for England/Iran.
already have the pub lined up with several of my english friends to watch the England/US match.....i'm going to take a beating and probably will have to uber home
 

WI_Red

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already have the pub lined up with several of my english friends to watch the England/US match.....i'm going to take a beating and probably will have to uber home
I was looking forward to having friends and neighbors over to watch the game, but I think I am going to need some alone time rocking in the corner with a bottle of bourbon.
 

WI_Red

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I see shades of 1998 all over, minus the manager booting the captain who then went on a media rampage only for it to be later revealed he banged his mate's wife.
No danger of that repeating here, most likely our current players would miss the target while attempting it.
 

calodo2003

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I'm not typically a viewer of the USMNT unless we are playing in a cup or the WC, but the match yesterday was unbelievably tumescent. Is it really as bad ad it seems? Would the injured players improve the lot substantially?
 

bosskeano

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I was looking forward to having friends and neighbors over to watch the game, but I think I am going to need some alone time rocking in the corner with a bottle of bourbon.
i feel ya on that one....but the banter with my english guys is just going to be too much fun to pass up
 

Charrockero

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If USMNT plays bad because they don’t have strikers, Mexico goes a bit further by having no defense, no strikers and weak mentality.

The beloved Tata Martino by the Atlanta fans will have a World Cup participation as a highlight in his resume but will eventually get kicked out in Group Stage.
 

WI_Red

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I'm not typically a viewer of the USMNT unless we are playing in a cup or the WC, but the match yesterday was unbelievably tumescent. Is it really as bad ad it seems? Would the injured players improve the lot substantially?
I only caught the second half, but for me the most worrying thing was not the play (although that is very worrying), it was the body language. It reminded me of the first half of that Honduras game, where the players had no faith in their coach/tactics/each other/themselves. The offense has looked anemic since Berhalter took over and he refusal to adjust his tactics to fit the US strengths (the wings) while sticking to his master plan (play through the middle) is infuriating. His whole strategy is seemingly based on one 19 year olds (Mussah) ability to carry the ball forward out of the midfield. When that option is gone you can see everything breaks down (Japan) or is just pathetic (Saudi Arabia).

This team should be exciting. It is almost certainly the most talented team we have had, at least on an individual player basis, but it is the least prepared team I have seen since 98 and that team had other things going on (see @MrMarcello post above). This team looks unmotivated and disconnected from each other, which is shocking this close to a WC. I have been (rightly) accused of having an anti Berhalter agenda and even I didn't think it could get this bad. I am praying this is just a blip, but the last 2 years have been mediocre to bad so I have little hope.
 

WI_Red

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If USMNT plays bad because they don’t have strikers, Mexico goes a bit further by having no defense, no strikers and weak mentality.

The beloved Tata Martino by the Atlanta fans will have a World Cup participation as a highlight in his resume but will eventually get kicked out in Group Stage.
Tata worked wonders at Atlanta and some of my best match going football experiences can be attributed to those teams. That being said, his Mexico teams performances have been shocking. You guys have too much talent to struggle and I really hope things work out in the WC.
 

FerociousCorgis

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torn between wanting the squad to do well and the absolute horror of having dumbass greg in charge for a home world cup. Anything less than an absolute beatdown in the group stages and he is back for that.
 

MrMarcello

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:lol: Remember the rumour that fergie was interested?
When was this???

Imagine him trying to get in ahead of Bruce and Pallister. Interesting bit is Bora had him at right back and midfield in early US career days before he permanently moved to CB alongside Balboa (who routinely covered his ass - Lalas is possibly the most overrated American footballer ever).
 

golden_blunder

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When was this???

Imagine him trying to get in ahead of Bruce and Pallister. Interesting bit is Bora had him at right back and midfield in early US career days before he permanently moved to CB alongside Balboa (who routinely covered his ass - Lalas is possibly the most overrated American footballer ever).
It was around the time of that World Cup when we saw his face everywhere
 

WI_Red

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This thread devolving into a discussion of Alexi Lalas is the perfect metaphor for this US team.
 

Zaphod2319

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This thread devolving into a discussion of Alexi Lalas is the perfect metaphor for this US team.
I try to believe that someday he will go away. I think the USMNT is not ready for the WC. I hope they find what they had against Mexico, but then again Mexico might have dropped several levels giving us false hope.
 

Zaphod2319

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Gregg is an absolute clown. The US Soccer federation is a joke!

 

WI_Red

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What a clown show. Ream gets a call up after not being called into a camp for over a year? Woof, we done been fecked by injuries to the CB pool.
 

edcunited1878

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So bizarre. Qualifying out of the group will definitely be a great achievement. Winning a knockout match would be an over achievement.

GK: Turner hasn't played in months, Johnson has no WC experience and nothing outside MLS. Horvath hasn't featured for US in anything meaningful.

DF: Ream and Zim are going to anchor the backline? Wtf. Either way, CB pairing will have very limited minutes together, same with backline, and GK. Defense will have zero continuity together.

MF: Well rounded and strength of team. Just depends on the formation, but usually it is Adams, McKennie, and Musah in a 3...but...

FW: Aaronson has been doing well for Leeds, and if he's included in a starting XI, at least one or two of Reyna, Sargent, or Weah will sit. Still no out and out CF who has any idea how to play with his teammates.

Making it up as we go, again.
 

WI_Red

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So bizarre. Qualifying out of the group will definitely be a great achievement. Winning a knockout match would be an over achievement.

GK: Turner hasn't played in months, Johnson has no WC experience and nothing outside MLS. Horvath hasn't featured for US in anything meaningful.

DF: Ream and Zim are going to anchor the backline? Wtf. Either way, CB pairing will have very limited minutes together, same with backline, and GK. Defense will have zero continuity together.

MF: Well rounded and strength of team. Just depends on the formation, but usually it is Adams, McKennie, and Musah in a 3...but...

FW: Aaronson has been doing well for Leeds, and if he's included in a starting XI, at least one or two of Reyna, Sargent, or Weah will sit. Still no out and out CF who has any idea how to play with his teammates.

Making it up as we go, again.
Hire an unqualified and unskilled coach, add in one part nepotism and one part narcissism and this is what you get. Glad I will have my bar built by then. I plan on not remembering any of the incoming abomination.
 

edcunited1878

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Hire an unqualified and unskilled coach, add in one part nepotism and one part narcissism and this is what you get. Glad I will have my bar built by then. I plan on not remembering any of the incoming abomination.
Black Friday should be wonderful any way you/we experience it. The fact USSF tried to downplay the nepotism was and will always be hilarious
 

WI_Red

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Black Friday should be wonderful any way you/we experience it. The fact USSF tried to downplay the nepotism was and will always be hilarious
What are you talking about? They conducted an exhaustive search. They interviewed every single candidate who was related to the guy in charge of US Soccer marketing. Every. Single. One.
 

RedTiger

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So bizarre. Qualifying out of the group will definitely be a great achievement. Winning a knockout match would be an over achievement.

GK: Turner hasn't played in months, Johnson has no WC experience and nothing outside MLS. Horvath hasn't featured for US in anything meaningful.

DF: Ream and Zim are going to anchor the backline? Wtf. Either way, CB pairing will have very limited minutes together, same with backline, and GK. Defense will have zero continuity together.

MF: Well rounded and strength of team. Just depends on the formation, but usually it is Adams, McKennie, and Musah in a 3...but...

FW: Aaronson has been doing well for Leeds, and if he's included in a starting XI, at least one or two of Reyna, Sargent, or Weah will sit. Still no out and out CF who has any idea how to play with his teammates.

Making it up as we go, again.
I haven't really followed US Soccer for a decade now, so I'm suprised to see you guys are gonna line up with Ream and Zimmerman, didn't really invision that a few years ago.