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OT: 2022 World Cup Thread

cshelley

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Maybe it's too early for this thread but I figured why not with the USMNT announcing the squad tonight and other countries have already released their squad.

I'm predicting Brazil wins the cup, USA drops a tight one to France in the Quarter Finals.
 
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Maybe it's too early for this thread but I figured why not with the USMNT announcing the squad tonight and other countries have already released their squad.

I'm predicting Brazil wins the cup, USA drops a tight one to France in the Quarter Finals.
Reece James out. Never like to see it but good news for USA.
 
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Root for:

1. USA
2. Ireland (when they qualify)
3. Don’t really care

Maybe Germany or Cameroon
 
With several US players injured or else not getting playing time with their club teams, we will not be near full strength. And we're a thin team, talent-wise, so I don't expect us to advance past the group stage.
 
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Maybe it's too early for this thread but I figured why not with the USMNT announcing the squad tonight and other countries have already released their squad.

I'm predicting Brazil wins the cup, USA drops a tight one to France in the Quarter Finals.

I think you have you're Footballs confused. This is an American (Real) Football web site.
 
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Brazil is going to be hard to beat. a lot of favored teams have big question marks.

Argentina - can they come up big and not be completely dependent on Messi?

Portugal - see above, but with CR7 instead of Messi. Can they find a CB to pair with Dias and have that hold up for a whole tournament?

France - what does the midfield look like without Pogba and Kante?

Germany - was their recent cold patch just a matter of lack of motivation, or was it something more?

England - Center backs and injuries. Can Rice and Bellingham hold up as the only 2 real midfielders for a whole tournament? Who plays at RB/RWB and LB/LWB? Can Southgate get out of his own way and let his players play up to their potential?

Brazil - are they really going with old as dirt Dani Alves and Thiago Silva in their XI?

Spain - they are a mix of old guard and new guard...did they get the mix right and are the young guys ready for the pressure of a WC?

Belgium - Has their window closed on them? Lots of guys who are on the downslope of their prime, if not past it.

Netherlands - Nice mix of youth and experience, but can they score with enough regularlity to win?

USA - Where do the goals come from? Can key players find form when they've been languishing on the bench for club? Are the CBs good enough to go up against the likes of the top teams' front lines?
 
Brazil is going to be hard to beat. a lot of favored teams have big question marks.

Argentina - can they come up big and not be completely dependent on Messi?

Portugal - see above, but with CR7 instead of Messi. Can they find a CB to pair with Dias and have that hold up for a whole tournament?

France - what does the midfield look like without Pogba and Kante?

Germany - was their recent cold patch just a matter of lack of motivation, or was it something more?

England - Center backs and injuries. Can Rice and Bellingham hold up as the only 2 real midfielders for a whole tournament? Who plays at RB/RWB and LB/LWB? Can Southgate get out of his own way and let his players play up to their potential?

Brazil - are they really going with old as dirt Dani Alves and Thiago Silva in their XI?

Spain - they are a mix of old guard and new guard...did they get the mix right and are the young guys ready for the pressure of a WC?

Belgium - Has their window closed on them? Lots of guys who are on the downslope of their prime, if not past it.

Netherlands - Nice mix of youth and experience, but can they score with enough regularlity to win?

USA - Where do the goals come from? Can key players find form when they've been languishing on the bench for club? Are the CBs good enough to go up against the likes of the top teams' front lines?
To me Argentina is the best bet. They are more than Messi, but he just so happens to be back to his typical form just in time. I like Romero and Lisandro M on D. Nobody in their group close to a threat. Likely a matchup with Denmark to reach quarters. Feels like the favorite to me.
 
To me Argentina is the best bet. They are more than Messi, but he just so happens to be back to his typical form just in time. I like Romero and Lisandro on D. Nobody in their group close to a threat. Likely a matchup with Denmark to reach quarters. Feels like the favorite to me.
they can be more than messi, but in past tournaments in recent years (aside from the most recent Copa America), they have not performed at the level of talent they have in the squad. From my eye, they would look for messi doing something magical rather than going and getting it done themselves.
 
France and Brazil are going to be hard to beat also Argentina….Maybe I am overly optimistic but I believe our USMNT players which will be announce today at 5 are going to surprise people…Pulisic is going to step up and our defenders will hold their own even with all of the injuries…
 
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Root for:

1. USA
2. Ireland (when they qualify)
3. Don’t really care

Maybe Germany or Cameroon
Ya. USA is #1. After that ill figure it out as it progresses.

Was with a couple guys who I figured had zero interest in soccer and they were talking about it. So maybe it is gaining a foothold.
 
Root for:

1. USA
2. Ireland (when they qualify)
3. Don’t really care

Maybe Germany or Cameroon
Ya. USA is #1. After that ill figure it out as it progresses.

Was with a couple guys who I figured had zero interest in soccer and they were talking about it. So maybe it is gaining a foothold.
 
I think we're good enough to get a result from Wales and beat Iran which should be good enough to get through I think
I hope you're right and I'll certainly be cheering for that result and to beat England. My hopes are quite different from my expectations.

The loss of Miles Robinson was huge and we have injuries to other defenders. Plus some others who are coming back off injuries (if we're lucky) but may not be 100%.

It's gonna be rough, I'm afraid. Just really rotten luck injury-wise.
 
I think CB ha
I hope you're right and I'll certainly be cheering for that result and to beat England. My hopes are quite different from my expectations.

The loss of Miles Robinson was huge and we have injuries to other defenders. Plus some others who are coming back off injuries (if we're lucky) but may not be 100%.

It's gonna be rough, I'm afraid. Just really rotten luck injury-wise.
I think CB is our weakest spot. Ream's been good in the PL this season but hasn't had much opportunity in the national team. Aaron Long in the squad is really a joke.
 
Squad is being announced tonight correct?

I saw the Steffen rumor as well.

Richards and Robinson out. Need to see who Berhalter decides to go with at striker. Plenty of forwards to still wreak some havoc. CB is the biggest issue so might need a deep lying mid to help clean up.
 
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Super pissed Italy didn’t qualify… again
Unheard of for one of the worlds super powers

The euro win definitely softens the blow, but the expectation was for them to qualify for the World Cup, and make a decent run

Since Italy is out, I will be rooting for the United States. I’m wondering where the goals will come from as the attack is inconsistent, but I would love for them to do well and start the show out on the world stage
 
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Super pissed Italy didn’t qualify… again
Unheard of for one of the worlds super powers

The euro win definitely softens the blow, but the expectation was for them to qualify for the World Cup, and make a decent run

Since Italy is out, I will be rooting for the United States. I’m wondering where the goals will come from as the attack is inconsistent, but I would love for them to do well and start the show out on the world stage
Not unheard of. They didn't qualify for the last world cup either 🤣
 
Gregg and his system aren't good and holding the team back

CB is probably the biggest concern with Miles and Richards out which would be the ideal pairing. Zimmerman was good in qualifying but his play with club fell off. Long has not been good at all but that doesn't seem to matter with Gregg. Rumor is Ream is going to come out of nowhere to make the squad. He is captain of Fulham and plays with Jedi on the left side defensive pairings. With their familiarity playing with each other makes sense to start them together

Striker is a concern. Ferreira isn't a true 9. He scored all of his goals for us vs the scrubbiest teams but again Gregg loves him. Sargent looks good and has filled out physically. He's banged up too but I'd start him if healthy. Pepi got a transfer and doing better. Another player Gregg loves

A lot of players injured or coming off injury and players not getting major minutes at club. We stunk horribly in the tuneups. Gregg has actually done well in tournaments so we shall see
 
France missing Kante and Pogba is a big loss. Pogba's play for national teams is worlds better than club.
Yes - but big concern is the young Real Madrid MF - the guy who made Casemiro expendable - I'll butcher his name - is not in good form. France could crash out early as crazy as it seems.
 
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Strengths are Jedi and Dest offensively from the outside backs

Adams as a 6. Musah breakout coming in the midfield. Weah has been our best winger in qualifying and he stretches the defense and gets in nice crosses. Reyna should be a 10 but we don't play with one. He needs to play centrally to create and get combination passing going. The MMA midfield of Musah Mckennie and Adams is good defensively but lack creativity offensively

Aaronson is a workhorse. Pulisic needs to show up big for us and rise to the occasion

Like Turner a lot actually as a shot stopper. Steffan has been mostly terrible. He has looked some combination of overweight, injured, slow, unsure of himself in too many matches
 
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Not unheard of. They didn't qualify for the last world cup either 🤣
That’s true
Very disappointed

Serie A needs a massive revamp
Old stadiums, bad tv contract, etc

It’s bleeding into the national team and really messing things up

Since 2006, they’ve largely been pedestrian in WC play
Euros they seem to do well though
 
I hope you're right and I'll certainly be cheering for that result and to beat England. My hopes are quite different from my expectations.

The loss of Miles Robinson was huge and we have injuries to other defenders. Plus some others who are coming back off injuries (if we're lucky) but may not be 100%.

It's gonna be rough, I'm afraid. Just really rotten luck injury-wise.
This is spot on but from the optimistic side Adams is playing great and can cover up for a lot.
 
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my hot take: pulisic shouldn't be starting for us. aaronson is in better form, weah needs to play on the right, and we need a #9 since those two don't score that much.
 
Strengths are Jedi and Dest offensively from the outside backs

Adams as a 6. Musah breakout coming in the midfield. Weah has been our best winger in qualifying and he stretches the defense and gets in nice crosses. Reyna should be a 10 but we don't play with one. He needs to play centrally to create and get combination passing going. The MMA midfield of Musah Mckennie and Adams is good defensively but lack creativity offensively

Aaronson is a workhorse. Pulisic needs to show up big for us and rise to the occasion

Like Turner a lot actually as a shot stopper. Steffan has been mostly terrible. He has looked some combination of overweight, injured, slow, unsure of himself in too many matches
Offensively key. Dest frankly shouldn't be playing IMO. It should be the young guy in Germany (admittedly I couldn't pick him out of a lineup - just what I've read). Dest is a major defensive liability.

The few times I've watched Dortmund Reyna has been a quasi-LF and looked good there. Problem with the US - nothing new - most of our talent play the same position. I don't envy Berhalter trying to fit all these guys together - I've thought about it and honestly I dunno what I'd do. Starting a Ferreira type and sitting an Aaronson or Weah just seems nuts but we might very well see it.

And if Steffen starts over a healthy Turner (although he may have injury concerns himself!) Berhalter should be fired. A quality outfit wouldn't have Steffen - in current form - on the roster.
 
I think Revulution is right. We have little or no goal scoring. If we can't score we will not make it out of the first stage.
 
Offensively key. Dest frankly shouldn't be playing IMO. It should be the young guy in Germany (admittedly I couldn't pick him out of a lineup - just what I've read). Dest is a major defensive liability.

The few times I've watched Dortmund Reyna has been a quasi-LF and looked good there. Problem with the US - nothing new - most of our talent play the same position. I don't envy Berhalter trying to fit all these guys together - I've thought about it and honestly I dunno what I'd do. Starting a Ferreira type and sitting an Aaronson or Weah just seems nuts but we might very well see it.

And if Steffen starts over a healthy Turner (although he may have injury concerns himself!) Berhalter should be fired. A quality outfit wouldn't have Steffen - in current form - on the roster.
Joe Scally. He looked horrible his first appearance with USMNT but was one of the very few players who looked good in his limited time last window.

No way he should start over Dest though. That's a pretty wild take. Scally hopefully makes the roster but that isn't even a given. I'd take him for sure as the primary backup
 
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That’s true
Very disappointed

Serie A needs a massive revamp
Old stadiums, bad tv contract, etc

It’s bleeding into the national team and really messing things up

Since 2006, they’ve largely been pedestrian in WC play
Euros they seem to do well though
Yea its a completely disaster for Italy to not qualify and twice in a row is really unbelievable. I feel sorry for the people of Italy. Missing 1 WC was brutal as a die hard USMNT fan. Can't imagine what it's like for a country like Italy where soccer is everything
 
Super pissed Italy didn’t qualify… again
Unheard of for one of the worlds super powers

The euro win definitely softens the blow, but the expectation was for them to qualify for the World Cup, and make a decent run

Since Italy is out, I will be rooting for the United States. I’m wondering where the goals will come from as the attack is inconsistent, but I would love for them to do well and start the show out on the world stage
If Weah is healthy, he has a way of creating goal opportunities, not so much for himself but for others. He's the USMNT's most defense-unbalancing attacker, IMO. No substitute for his kind of raw speed and composure combination. Not sure how healthy he is right now, though.
 
Talent wise Reyna is probably even above Pulisic

Zimmerman is not a top notch talent unfortunately
Zimmerman can be solid but he requires good players around him to be at his best. And, unfortunately, we're pretty banged up in the back. Zimmerman looked pretty exposed the last couple games.
 
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Joe Scally. He looked horrible his first appearance with USMNT but was one of the very few players who looked good in his limited time last window.

No way he should start over Dest though. That's a pretty wild take. Scally hopefully makes the roster but that isn't even a given. I'd take him for sure as the primary backup
All just opinions here. Mine could be way wrong. I like Dest when we have the ball but I wouldn't start him. The thought of him, a quasi healthy A Rob, Zimmerman, and Long as a back 4 = quick exit.
 
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