Official Team USA Soccer Thread

[fatlever]

Pulisic scored his first Bundesliga goal today for Dortmund. 4th youngest to ever score in the league.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/721702789689188354[/tweet]

[WallToWall]

Haji Wright, 18 yo striker, signs with Shalke this week and proceeds to net 2 goals for the U-19 side!
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1614/americans-abroad/2016/04/16/22465132/us-youth-international-haji-wright-signs-with-schalke?ICID=SP

[Bernman]

We are in the middle of youth movement, as our aging veterans are starting to show signs of their age. By the time the world cup rolls around in 2 years, we should have some good youngsters to replace the veterans in the starting line up. I didnt realize how much so till I read this article: http://www.yardbarker.com/soccer/articles/christian_pulisic_and_co_can_take_united_states_soccer_higher_than_ever_before/s1_13130_20709724

Right now, we have:
Pulisic, 17 yo midfielder, who plays for Dortmund as a starter!
Jordan Morris, 21 yo striker with Seattle.
Bobby Wood, 23 yo striker/midfielder.
Aaron Johansson, 25 yo striker.
Julian Green, 20 yo midfielder/wing.
Emerson Hyndman, 20 yo midfielder at Fulham.
Gedion Zelalem, 19 yo midfielder at Arsenal.
Matt Miazga, 20 yo defender at Chelsea.

Outside of Pulisic, that's not abnormal at all.

We typically have several players getting significant hype on the reserve teams of elite clubs and making contributions to 2nd tier sides at young ages. But normally they peak at below the top level or flame out completely.

And the emergence of a regular at an elite club eventually was inevitable. It was an anomaly, or a major product of psychology, considering the U.S. has been a top 20-25 footballing nation the last 20 years, and there have probably been 75-100 nations who've had a regular at an elite club during that time. Now that appears we'll have one, hopefully he takes the immense pressure off the other Americans trying their luck, and there is somewhat of a domino effect w/ a few others following his lead.

But as far as having hyped youngsters alone, we've had periods with more of them than now. The mid 00's produced Gaven, Adu, Szetela, Simek, Altidore, Zizzo, Ferrari, Zimmerman, Bradley, Rogers, Cooper, Spector, etc.; and look at the modest contribution we got from them.

There is then the additional issue during the Klinsmann tenure of him having many blind spots when it comes to up and coming talent, and hanging on too long to his established guys, so as to not integrate upgrades anyway.

[HIF]

Hi,

Just for fun I've set up a prediction pool just for RealGm posters for the Euros on superbru.

It's free, join in and let's see who the best predictor on RealGm is - It won't be me!!!

Just click here:

http://www.superbru.com/euro2016/pool.php?p=11561882

Pool name: RealGm Euros

Pool code: curegulf

[GS Warriors 1]

Went to the game last night, sat way at the top in 402, I was above to the left of American Outlaws. I had a real good view of the game, with the exception of the Yedlin handball. Seemed to confuse even the Colombian fans, they weren't sure it was a penalty. Now having seen it on TV, I say that while some may not call it, I don't have much of a problem with it.

Bradley was purely trash last night, too many turnovers, failed to close down space on several occasions. It's troubling that he was playing his best position for the NT. Cameron was good, except for the corner on the Zapata goal. Got really burned bad on that play. Zardes and Bedoya are what they are, they worked hard but didn't really show much in attack at this level. Starting lineup needed a Pulisic or Nagbe in there.

[poeman]

Went to the game last night, sat way at the top in 402, I was above to the left of American Outlaws. I had a real good view of the game, with the exception of the Yedlin handball. Seemed to confuse even the Colombian fans, they weren't sure it was a penalty. Now having seen it on TV, I say that while some may not call it, I don't have much of a problem with it.

Bradley was purely trash last night, too many turnovers, failed to close down space on several occasions. It's troubling that he was playing his best position for the NT. Cameron was good, except for the corner on the Zapata goal. Got really burned bad on that play. Zardes and Bedoya are what they are, they worked hard but didn't really show much in attack at this level. Starting lineup needed a Pulisic or Nagbe in there.

They all played like trash on the US. What is also the fascination of running 1 striker up front? Dempsey is not even a striker

[and1GS]

It's so depressing watching our team. What an incredible dearth of talent we have everywhere on the pitch. Our most promising players are a rotation RB for Sunderland and a rarely used sub for Borussia Dortmund. I'm honestly speechless, I have no idea where we go from here. You could put a bandaid over this problem and run a highly defensive 4-2-3-1, but wow would that lineup be underwhelming - especially with Bradley taking a fat **** on the pitch like he did against Colombia.

Uninspired play all around. Jurgen seems cool with us keeping possession close and not unlocking the opposing team's defense. What a mess. Where the **** do we go from here...

[9Rodman1]

It's so depressing watching our team. What an incredible dearth of talent we have everywhere on the pitch. Our most promising players are a rotation RB for Sunderland and a rarely used sub for Borussia Dortmund. I'm honestly speechless, I have no idea where we go from here. You could put a bandaid over this problem and run a highly defensive 4-2-3-1, but wow would that lineup be underwhelming - especially with Bradley taking a fat **** on the pitch like he did against Colombia.

Uninspired play all around. Jurgen seems cool with us keeping possession close and not unlocking the opposing team's defense. What a mess. Where the **** do we go from here...

It's mind boggling how Klinsmann is still head coach

[PANDEMONEUM]

vs Colombia

even tho Bradley played like poo vs Colombia, it was also because of Colombias tactics.
they basically man marked him.
they knew hes the glue and circulator of the ball.
an excellent game plan.

finally, we are playing the formation that best fits us
4-1-2-3
but, having slow, no care Dempsey as your point man ruins everything.
if hes going to start, id prefer to put him on the left wing.
and make that CM have to do all the defensive work behind him, then sub that CM out early to get fresh legs in.

i wish our top 3 guys had the soccer iq, to interchange and cover for each other.
just staying static and in your zone/lane, makes it easier for the defenders.
the middle/point man, has to make diagonal runs, pulling the defending CBs out of position.
sometimes we make that pass, sometimes our wing or CM, fill in that empty space and have favorable space. but, Dempsey never stretches the field, never makes those runs.
defensively, that person needs to pressure the 2 CBs, and the keeper, into quick decisions and bad passes. that way we can high pressure and force the defenders to make bad passes. having 3 midfielders, we should be able to win those 50/50s and bad passes.

*

vs Costa Rica

same lineup and formation.
first 15 minutes CR took it to us.
created lots of chances.
luckily, they didnt score and we got that penalty.
Jones and Bedoya ran their asses off.
Zardes continues with his horrid touch.
Brooks has been solid in both games.

the best reasoning ive heard for why JK put in Zusi, Beckerman, Wondo is that now, even they are invested in the teams success and feel like they are a part of things.

yea, most of us wanted 30minutes for Nagbe and Pulisic.
we can complain again about that in the next game.

*
USA vs Paraguay
Saturday, June 11, 2016
6:00PM CT
Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, PA

win or Tie and we advance.

yellow cards play a part, as they continue into the next round.

what i would do

fabian ------- wood ------ zardes
..........nagbe -- bedoya
...............bradley
besler - brooks - cameron - yedlin
...............guzan

hopefully we are up 3-1 or so
then sub in Castillo for Besler
Pulisic for Fabian
Kitchen for Bradley

sorry Birnbaum and Orozco, no minutes for you.
i like Birnbaum.
my preference would have been to play Cameron at DM,
not bring Jones, (and Beckerman)
and have Bir., Brooks, Besler rotate at CB.

[and1GS]

i wish our top 3 guys had the soccer iq, to interchange and cover for each other.
just staying static and in your zone/lane, makes it easier for the defenders.
the middle/point man, has to make diagonal runs, pulling the defending CBs out of position.
sometimes we make that pass, sometimes our wing or CM, fill in that empty space and have favorable space. but, Dempsey never stretches the field, never makes those runs.

lol, I mean, you hit the nail on the head. Our touch is just a little bit worse and thinking a little bit slower than all of our opponents. The point of Klinnsman's reign was that we stopped relying on 'American grit' to will us through major matches. Now we have a **** CDM masquerading as a wing (Jones) and a defense-first offense-never CM playing on the other side (Bedoya) - we're in full 'just scrape by' mode.

I think Klinns has done some great work in his tenure, but god our system is just so **** from top to bottom starting with youth football. It's miles ahead of where it used to be, but still bad.

I'm not filled with hope looking at our younger guys, namely because I doubt Klinns gives the right ones a shot on a stage that actually matters. Paul Arriola provides needed flair and pace and has been playing well in Mexico, but he's just barely on the fringes. Zelalem, Green and Hyndman are so slight that they would get knocked over in a U10 game. Rubio Rubin and Carter-Vickers have looked great IMO - but I doubt they get calls up for a long time.

I think we have the most 'potential' right now that we have ever had, but the likelihood of them panning out is incredibly low. For example, we're probably in store for 3 years of Miazga/Chelsea scuffles over loan spells while his development stagnates. Then guys like Bradford Jameison have great potential with very clear ceilings.

I'm just bitter right now haha. Feel overall hopeless about our nation's football. Who knows though! I'm encouraged that we're finally working latin-american players into our national team, as that was a huge area where I thought US soccer was taking a ****.

[PANDEMONEUM]

at least Brazil and Uruguay have crashed out of the tournament.
thats pretty huge.
USA has advanced, and they did not.
both of them have better players on their teams and are higher ranked.
so we have to give some props to USA.
*
in general, usa doesnt have clear better players, that we could have on the current roster.
a few choices in players could have been improved.
Orozco, Wondolowski, Castillo.
im pretty sure most people can agree that we could have made different selections.
especially a better Left FB.

at the very least, bring 3 young guys to give them experience.
this is where Jurgen has failed.
he brings a youngster in Green to the WC over Donovan.
but then brings Wondolowski over Morris for Copa America.
this doesnt make any PHUCKING sense.
but, JK makes lots of decisions that dont make sense.

*

USA vs Ecuador
June 16, 2016
8:30 PM CT
CenturyLink Field; Seattle, Wash.
FS1, UniMas, UDN

no Yedlin.
so we need a different Right FB.

options :

Birnbaum at RFB

Cameron to RFB
and Birnbaum to RCB

Cameron to RFB
and Besler to RCB

Orozco at RFB

Fabian to RFB
and Besler at LFB

Fabian to RFB
and Castillo to LFB

heading into the Quarterfinals, looming threat of yellow card accumulation. In Copa America, any player receiving two yellow cards throughout the Group Stage and Quarterfinals is suspended for the following game.

Seven players carry a yellow card into the Quarterfinals:
John Brooks, Fabian Johnson, Michael Orozco
Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Alejandro Bedoya
Bobby Wood

[GS Warriors 1]

I think it'll be Orozco at RB, small chance it's Cameron. Either way, the U.S. are at a disadvantage here as the RB will be matched up with Jefferson Montero. I would think JK keeps the same CB pairing.

[PANDEMONEUM]

Copa America (1 Game)
United States
Ecuador
8:30 PM CT

most likely lineup

wood ------dempsey------ zardes
.......jones........bedoya
.............bradley
fabian-brooks-cameron-orozco
.............guzan

playing in Seattle.
Grass over Turf (i think)
makes the surface a bit slower, which i think benefits usa

[No_20]

Ecuador will win.

[El Turco]

no. 20 has spoken, take out a second mortgage and put it on america

[GS Warriors 1]

Same time as Warriors/Cavs, gonna have to watch this one on DVR.

Remember, if it's tied after 90, it goes directly to penalties. I think it's a rule the Copa has had for the last couple, may need to check on that.

[magik9113]

Excited for tonight's match

[GS Warriors 1]

Besler starting, not Orozco.

[El Turco]

Ecuador will win.

never fails

[EArl]

Thank you no 20