OT: 2022 World Cup Thread

[mildone]

I'm a bit surprised by this. I thought Sargent being selected was largely due to his familiarity with the physicality of English football. But we sit him now against England not for a false 9 or Ferreira etc, but a straight like for likw for a player that is sort of similar but plays in Turkey. I'm not criticizing just honestly curious the why for Berhalter here.

I’m also curious why that choice. Sargent didn’t stand out, to me, in game one. So maybe that was it. But nobody played all that great in game one, IMO. Was a game-long team-wide poor showing by the USMNT, although some players did have good moments, especially in the first half.

 

[rutgersguy1]

 

[mildone]

US looking MUCH better than Monday so far. Let‘s see if we can keep it going.

 

[mildone]

Very interesting that the US is playing much higher than England, who are recovering back quickly right now.

 

[mildone]

Zimmerman saved that goal.

 

[rutgersguy1]

US looking MUCH better than Monday so far. Let‘s see if we can keep it going.

Well that didn’t last long. England with more purposeful and dangerous possession lately.

 

[ru109]

I have no doubt that we will play a great game today and lose something like 2-1 or 1-0

 

[mildone]

One weakness in the USMNT play throughout qualifying, and still evident, is that we’re not great with entry passes in the final third. Weah is one who has done it well. But we need to get better at it. Costs us a lot of shot opportunities.

 

[Lerxst72]

That was a great sequence.

 

[mildone]

Weah with a great pass. McKinnie needs to put the shot on frame. C’mon dude.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Oh man got to do more with that, at least get it on goal.

 

[mildone]

Not a foul at all. Robinson needs to be stronger.

 

[mildone]

That was a great sequence.

It was. That’s the kind of creativity the US needs to win. We’re playing well. Vastly better than on Monday.

 

[mildone]

Alright, that was on frame before and after the deflection.

 

[MadRU]

McKinnie very good again

 

[rutgersguy1]

Oh man off the bar, good shot

 

[mildone]

Very dangerous moment. England is very talented and capable of great set pieces.

 

[mildone]

That was one of the better corners taken by the US in a while. Someone needed to get on the end of it.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Oh man got to do better with these crosses

 

[mildone]

Another good corner. How‘re we not getting a head on these.

 

[mildone]

Ream with a big mistake there. Lucky England was unable to take advantage.

 

[mildone]

Good save.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Been playing well the last 2/3 of the half don’t give up a goal at the end of the half..whew

 

[RuSnp]

Been playing well the last 2/3 of the half don’t give up a goal at the end of the half..whew

Wright has some skills. Also he is huge. This is why we wait on being so critical of the coach.

 

[mildone]

Really good half by the US. They’re playing about as good as they did at their best in qualifying.

I think the second halfwill be a tougher challenge for a couple reasons. First reason is the US worked harder in that half. England was a little off-pace at times, and didn’t defend as much field as the US. So the US players will be a bit more fatigued.

Second reason is the depth of talent advantage to England. They have better subs to draw on and don’t need subs as badly as we will due to the US work rate in the first half.

To win, or even tie, I think the US will need a couple goals.

 

[cshelley]

Good half. Need to keep it up. England have the talent to score from nothing so can't take our foot off the gas

 

[mildone]

Wright has some skills. Also he is huge. This is why we wait on being so critical of the coach.

Agree. He was a positive factor, moved well off the ball, held well in the box, and defended well in transition. Not complaints about the choice from me, so far.

 

[MadRU]

With this team we have more team speed than England. I expect some changes for England. This might be the best half of soccer we have played in a big tournament against a top side in a very long time.

 

[cshelley]

With this team we have more team speed than England. I expect some changes for England. This might be the best half of soccer we have played in a big tournament against a top side in a very long time.

Need to find a goal now. Doesn't matter how

 

[rutgersguy1]

Really good half by the US. They’re playing about as good as they did at their best in qualifying.

I think the second halfwill be a tougher challenge for a couple reasons. First reason is the US worked harder in that half. England was a little off-pace at times, and didn’t defend as much field as the US. So the US players will be a bit more fatigued.

Second reason is the depth of talent advantage to England. They have better subs to draw on and don’t need subs as badly as we will due to the US work rate in the first half.

To win, or even tie, I think the US will need a couple goals.

Agree with your other assessment, quality in the last 1/3 is somewhat lacking or we’d have had more dangerous opportunities. Service into the box not always there or runs to the cornerkicks too.

 

[Lerxst72]

It was great to see a US side that looked like they belonged, and played toe-to-toe, with a top world team.

 

[mildone]

With respect to coaching, I think GB did a good job in preparing the players and choosing a first half strategy. To me, his only mistake was his slowness to sub in game one.

We don’t know what’s up with Reyna, so calling it a mistake not to have played him yet is uninformed speculation. I sure hope he can go near 100% for at least 30 minutes, though, because I think we’re gonna need him.

I’m concerned with whom we can sub on D. The two wing defenders have been working very hard and we don’t have much in the way of quality replacements.

 

[mildone]

Agree with your other assessment, quality in the last 1/3 is somewhat lacking or we’d have had more dangerous opportunities. Service into the box not always there or runs to the cornerkicks too.

England, unfortunately, have great quality in the final third. At least they have the players for it, hugely talented.

 

[mildone]

England made an adjustment on D at the half. They will be applying more pressure higher up.

 

[mildone]

ON FRAME DAMMIT! 🤣

 

[mildone]

That’s a yellow.

 

[rutgersguy1]

That’s a yellow.

He’s missed a few

 

[mildone]

US has been great and, so far, indefatigable.

 

[rutgersguy1]

US has been great and, so far, indefatigable.

We need to finish 1 or 2 of these. I don’t want one of those usual one team controls but can’t finish and the other just gets a chance or two and then connects to win.

 

[mildone]

Seeing the first singns of fatigue now. GB should inject some fresh legs very soon.