On the US game

Tyler Adams was a beast
Walker Zimmerman has been solid in qualifiers but I don't know what he was thinking and the finger waving pissed me off even more. His back was to goal why go down?
Yunus Musah had a good 1st half but he looked spent early in the 2nd half
McKennie was pretty much the same and he hasn't played much so I think Greg left him on pitch too long
Dest's yellow was really soft and that changed the dynamic for the rest of match.
Berhalter's subs were awful with the exception of Aaronson who provided a spark, Acosta is not good going forward he is pretty good in defense but he was too advanced and a lot of giveaways in final third, don't get me started on Yedlin and Morris who have no business seeing the pitch in a World Cup.

Now we have to have a result against and English team that really got off on front foot, anything less than a draw and the tournament is over for the US, but the silver lining is there is no way they retain Berhalter if we crash out before knockout round.

Argentina losing to KSA really helps Mexico and Poland's chances, as that was probably going to be Argentina's easiest match in Group Stage.

11/22/2022 7:30:01 AM

CHAOSSSSSSSSSSS

11/22/2022 8:01:54 AM

I can see our group coming down to goal differential between us an Wales. Hoping Iran plays Wales tight and possibly steal some points.

11/22/2022 8:23:00 AM

Musah and McKennie both looked spent at about minute 40. They should have been halftime subs.

When they did get in, Aaronson was decent and Acosta has been up and down all qualifying campaign, and this was a down game. LDLT is probably still nursing an injury which is why Acosta came in, but this is exactly why the 25 and 26 man on the roster matters. If Christian fuckin Roldan wasn't taking an actual roster spot for the 2022 United States World Cup Roster, we could have had other options like Johnny Cardosa or Tillman or Djorde for that sub.

I had to assume even GGG couldn't possibly be idiotic enough to put in Morris over Gio without Gio being injured, but the post game comments indicate that he actually is that dumb.

The starting 11 with Ream and Sargent is just baffling--not that they shouldn't be there (they should), but the question is why the fuck did neither of them get called in (or in Sargent's case, play) over the last year if they are good enough to start? We could have been building some chemistry during the Sept. window or back in May. Instead, you roll out Aaron Long and Jesus game after game after game and they clearly aren't it. I'm glad Berhalter finally made the choices he did to get our best 11 available in, but it doesn't make any damn sense the way he did it.

[Edited on November 22, 2022 at 8:33 AM. Reason : d]

11/22/2022 8:33:18 AM

Acosta maybe saved the draw by fouling Bale when turner came out

11/22/2022 9:51:25 AM

Quote :

"Argentina 1 : 2 Saudi Arabia ? xG: 2.04 - 0.13"

Woof poor messi

11/22/2022 9:59:06 AM

^^ Fair. I didn't hate the Acosta sub as much as yedlin and morris, but aside from that play he was basically invisible just like Morris. And when you run the build through the double pivot, that isn't what you need to get.

Saudi played a near perfect low block to hold the lead. They have great athletes all over the field and they were organized enough on the crosses to get it done. Good for them. That knee to the Saudi defender's face though

11/22/2022 10:28:55 AM

Yea i wasnt even arguing really, I don't think I'm smart enough with soccer to Really know the impact of some off ball folks, Acosta may still be have been not good enough otherwise, but that one play was a great tactical foul.

Just giving him some credit for when he reads tww

11/22/2022 11:01:55 AM

Argentina ecstatic after that match. Now they control their destiny to reach the knockouts

11/22/2022 1:01:43 PM

Another big upset.

11/23/2022 10:01:39 AM

Japan. When you least expect it.

11/23/2022 11:24:23 AM

Well looks like we have our first 3 and done team. Costa Rica don't look like they even belong at the World Cup, absolutely embarassing

11/23/2022 12:56:21 PM

Ecuador hadn't scored more than 1 in over a year. I think Qatar is a pretty obviously gonna go 0-fer

11/23/2022 1:06:48 PM

but mathematically they aren't elimnated but Costa Rica with a -7 GD and still to play Germany and Japan, they don't have a shot.

But yes I think Qatar and Iran are probably on their way to being 3 and done as well.

11/23/2022 1:10:18 PM

so many penalties... can't believe davies choked that one.

11/23/2022 3:08:04 PM

Canada is legit

11/23/2022 3:51:26 PM

Thanks Iran

11/25/2022 9:02:56 AM

Middle East home field advantage

11/25/2022 10:01:39 AM

Quote :

"How many other World Cup matches will feature a team whose national anthem is specifically about going to war against its opponent"

@michaelbaumann

11/25/2022 2:34:59 PM

Costa Rica with a shot

11/27/2022 12:05:02 PM

So I was wrong about Costa Rica

Funny from CONCACAF the US and Costa Rica control their destiny win and they advance, but Costa Rica can also advance with a draw and Spain win so they have better odds. Mexico can still advance but they need help. Canada who won the qualifiers is out, they have some dynamic play, but outside of Davies they lack the talent.

Oh and apparently Iran is pissed at USSF for removing the Islamic Republic logo on their flag from their Social Media posts. They want us kicked out for racism, which is funny considering all of the other federations wanted them kicked out for Human Rights abuses.

11/28/2022 8:05:36 AM

Ronaldo's the first man to score in five World Cups, Messi is the first to have an assist in five Cups

11/28/2022 9:37:30 AM

Quote :

"Canada is legit"

legit bad amirite

11/28/2022 9:49:25 AM

Ronaldo almost had another goal. Went up for a header but it looks like he didn't actually touch it. Missed it by a hair . He definitely contributed to the goal even if he didn't touch it because it kept the goalie in the middle of the goal.

11/28/2022 3:20:57 PM

The USSF have to be the dumbest motherfuckers on the planet.

[Edited on November 28, 2022 at 4:31 PM. Reason : f]

11/28/2022 4:28:35 PM

^Yeah basically. Nothing like some empty social media gesture to show everyone you are the good guy and to create a distraction ahead of the biggest USMNT game in a decade. Of course this is the same federation that hired GGG and approved these god awful kits so it's to be expected.

^^Ronaldo knew damn well he didn't touch that shit but still tried to claim it.

11/28/2022 4:32:40 PM

Portugal have won 2 of the softest penalties in the WC, not that it made a difference in todays match.

Also nice for the English FA to highlight what a douchenozzle Anthony Taylor is to the rest of the world.

11/28/2022 4:42:10 PM

How/why is Uruguay bad

11/28/2022 4:49:37 PM

^Jaws didn't get a chance to take a bite out of anyone this time around.

11/28/2022 5:25:19 PM

Their strikers are both old, they aren't really bad, its just that they played tight against S Korea and Portugal are just better.

Today is the day, win or go home. We are better than Iran, but Iran is going to park the bus and we are going to have to break them down which is not going to be easy without a good striker.

11/29/2022 8:50:35 AM

Nunez is 23

11/29/2022 9:07:38 AM

I know our 9s keeping getting the blame for not scoring, but the guys don't ever get any service. Aside from Jesus, it's not like they are continually missing chances.

I'd argue that the weakness in our offense comes from absolutely no creativity in the midfield. I'm a fan of Adams and Musah, but neither of them do much to unlock defense. It's just a lot of safe passing to hold possession. That means we don't get scored on much, but we do not create in open play at all.

Couple that with the poorest set piece execution from our national team I have seen in my lifetime and you have a recipe for pretty disappointing results over the last 10 games or so. Speaking of set pieces, over the summer there was a set piece specialist hired by US soccer. I'm not sure what he did or does, but the man is a thief.

[Edited on November 29, 2022 at 9:32 AM. Reason : d]

11/29/2022 9:32:07 AM

Yea this shows the disconnect bw our strikers and rest of team
https://brentroad.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=512628&page=143#16632131

11/29/2022 9:58:17 AM

^^^Nunez plays off or on the wing, in their setup. Cavani and Suarez are the purest #9's and the ones deployed most centrally and advanced.

11/29/2022 12:16:30 PM

Fair

11/29/2022 1:02:30 PM

2 Changes in US Squad

Josh Sargent returns to starting 11 for Hajii Wright
Cameron Carter-Vickers makes World Cup Debut for Walker Zimmerman

Adams, Dest, and McKennie are on Yellow Cards, if they pick up one today they will miss the next game should we qualify, to say losing any of them for a match would be disastrous is an understatement.

11/29/2022 1:10:03 PM

Quote :

"Saving Reyna for the final prob"

11/29/2022 1:26:26 PM

Pressure is mounting

11/29/2022 2:35:26 PM

What a cross

11/29/2022 2:41:56 PM

What a great win for the US. Pure domination in the first half, then we almost Berhaltered all over ourself in that second half.

Bunkering against fuckin Iran? I don't get it. I have loved the starting lineups we have gone with (although I still don't understand why Gio is in the dog house), but the subs are still head scratchers.

11/29/2022 4:19:38 PM

I’m so fucking glad that we got the goal in the first half

11/29/2022 4:28:14 PM

Outside of Aaronson and Zimmerman the subs were headscratchers

Wright brought nothing and neither did Moore. Acosta was ok. Berhalter still lacks the killer instinct and went defensive too early. Very lucky not to concede, and thankful that Antonio Lahoz is not a ref that gives penalties easily.

11/29/2022 4:46:52 PM

Quote :

" thankful that Antonio Lahoz is not a ref that gives penalties easily."

OMG yes. Both were not pens, but the handball on Moore and the CCV take down at the end could easily have been called by another ref. Jesus.

11/29/2022 4:55:09 PM

Quote :

"Josh Sargent returns to starting 11 for Hajii Wright"

Don't you mean the starting XI?

11/29/2022 5:11:21 PM

I'd like to see Messi’s wc penalty percentage vs non wc.

11/30/2022 3:12:22 PM

Poland/Mexico about to go to Fair Play if nobody else scores!

11/30/2022 3:30:17 PM

Unbelievable that one of the tie breakers is yellow cards...

11/30/2022 3:32:42 PM

No idea what the card situation is for either Mexico or Poland, but how much would it suck to be the guy who got the final yellow card that knocked your team out of the World Cup...

11/30/2022 3:39:58 PM

Mexico 7y, Poland 5

[Edited on November 30, 2022 at 3:43 PM. Reason : I think ]

It would be very funny for Mexico to go out on fair play, to me

[Edited on November 30, 2022 at 3:44 PM. Reason : E]

11/30/2022 3:43:20 PM

I'm rooting for Mexico, but it would be hilarious to me as well. Get CONCACAFFed Mexico.

11/30/2022 3:51:14 PM