OT: 2022 World Cup Thread
- Thread starter cshelley
- Start date
After that first goal, thought the US might be a little different team from I’ve seen in the past.
Seems about the same after that. Good athleticism but not the finesse or touch in general or the consistent final touch around the box. Defense still seems shaky too if pressed.
Hopefully it’s enough for the rest of this game and group play.
Seems about the same after that. Good athleticism but not the finesse or touch in general or the consistent final touch around the box. Defense still seems shaky too if pressed.
Hopefully it’s enough for the rest of this game and group play.
Very poor showing by the US, I’m afraid. I’ve seen this team play much better than this. And Wales isn’t particularly good, from what I’m seeing. Iran may be better.
Berhalter….wtf no Reyna and instead he puts in Jordan Morris??
And Haji Wright - no effort it seemed at all.
And Haji Wright - no effort it seemed at all.
That's what everyone is talking about - no idea why.
To me the biggest play was Zimmerman's reckless foul on Bale in the box. Bale had his back to the goal - it wasn't like he fouled him to prevent some easy point blank shot. Without that PK, we had a very good chance to hold on.
Big let down, IMO. I think this team is the most talented USMNT I’ve seen. But we didn’t see that at all today. They were off their game from the start and the first half success was more due to Wales being very defensive and playing poorly than the US playing with real quality.
They are young, so that’s maybe part of it.
I suspect Reyna isn’t fully healed or is reinsured or something. Otherwise, I think he might have started.
Well judging from the responses here and the hosts, sounds like a letdown.
I didn’t know how good Wales was compared to us going into the game.
We are not there frankly if we have Morris Acosta Yedlin et al on the field at the same time a World Cup.
So what to expect against England? Hunker down style? I’d be worried England could finish off and create chances that Wales couldn’t in this game.
The injury to and loss of Miles Robinson is huge. Although Ream did very well, IMO. But Robinson created stability for Zimmerman and somehow that allowed our defenders to remain composed, beat pressure using great team play in the back, then quickly transition to a decent attack. Even against strong competition. Big boy style.
That didn’t happen today. We started playing long balls out of the back, caving to the second half pressure. We do that, we’re no better than prior USMNT World Cup teams. And that’s a bad thing.
England will control the midfield way more than Wales. Have to absorb their pressure and hit them on the counterattack. Their center backs are susceptible to mistakes.
Probably right. Defensive midfield and pressure breakers will be critical. A link up player will be important on the counter.
England is very deep with talent, very fit, and extremely well organized when attacking and defending. We will have to play our best soccer to tie or win. I also think we’ll need a bit of luck, because our D is so compromised by the loss of Miles Robinson.
IMO, this iteration of the US tam is at its best when attacking aggressively and defending high. So I hope that’s what Berhalter does. If we sit back and play for counter-attacks or a tie, I think we lose big.
Your second paragraph was the most disappointing thing. Long balls out of the back, and playing down the wing for crosses, is what these Wales players have been doing since they first put on boots so we made it comfortable for them by resorting to that style.
The one time we played fast and right at them we carved them up.
Yes, they didn’t allow much of that in the first half, but in the second half there was more space and I thought the US settled for low percentage crosses instead of taking the Wales defenders on, numerous times.
The US needs a Jordan Pickford head-scratcher (which has been known to happen) on Friday, and to not think the crossing game is going to work any better against England than it did Wales.
Agree.
Could well be a youth thing. They looked tight at the start, settled down as Wales sat back in D, and gathered confidence as the first half progressed. Did okay, but still nervous in their touches and a little one dimensional at times.
Second half, Wales had to score, couldn’t sit back, so they went on the attack and, unlike during during most qualifying matches when we had Robinson in the back, we lost composure and never really regained it.
Once a team stats playing kick ball instead of soccer, it’s going to burn through energy chasing the ball all over the field. Which is what happened.
I think this team is on the right track, but even before seeing this game, I have been thinking that our time would be the next WC. Because of our youth and the need for this group of players to get more time together. And even more so to get Robinson healthy and back, maybe find another like him to replace Zimmerman.
US needs Reyna, with his fearless creativity in the ball, to compliment Weah‘s deep runs. Although Weah didn’t really look himself for much if this game. So we need him to be on on Friday.
It’s gonna be a tough game.
Not true. It may feel like a loss, but you know what they say about your feelings.
Still have a reasonable shot to advance. Should have had an excellent shot. Could well have had virtually no shot. We take reasonable and move on.
Zimmerman is like a whole different, much better, player when he has Miles Robinson with him back there. He’s been bad every time I’ve seen him since Robinson‘s injury. Makes tons of mistakes in his positioning and in the ball. It’s weird.
