Futbol Talk

[Golden Avalanche]

This is just not true.  I know it's a drum you like to bang on, but anything other than three points, and all the headlines are about Gregg, full stop.  The starting XI, the tactics (or lack thereof until the second half), his future, everything.  McKennie would barely be a footnote.  The fact that even with the three points you have people saying that he saved his job in the second half just proves it even more.

After the game, Onyewu, Dempsey, and Davies talked about how the result helped ease pressure on both Berhalter for the tactics and McKennie for the behavior.

So it was obviously focus enough for three former members of the National Team to spend time discussing it.

By the way, McKennie has a big chance tomorrow. Let's hope for the sake of our interests, he does well.

[panda]

5 points in this window. Didn't play Mexico or Costa Rica and played Canada at home. Played one good half of soccer in three games.

Yikes.

[brewcity77]

5 points in this window. Didn't play Mexico or Costa Rica and played Canada at home. Played one good half of soccer in three games.

Yikes.

It's fine. Not good, but fine. Swap the Canada and Honduras results and it's exactly what we should expect. 21 should qualify, and if we win at home and draw a few on the road, we'll do that comfortably.

[The Sultan]

It's fine. Not good, but fine. Swap the Canada and Honduras results and it's exactly what we should expect. 21 should qualify, and if we win at home and draw a few on the road, we'll do that comfortably.

And Canada is probably better than Costa Rica anyway.

[panda]

It's fine. Not good, but fine. Swap the Canada and Honduras results and it's exactly what we should expect. 21 should qualify, and if we win at home and draw a few on the road, we'll do that comfortably.

End result point wise is fine, but the overall performance and on the field management leave A LOT to be desired.

[jesmu84]

It's fine. Not good, but fine. Swap the Canada and Honduras results and it's exactly what we should expect. 21 should qualify, and if we win at home and draw a few on the road, we'll do that comfortably.

Do the who, how and where matter? Or is it purely results?

[JWags85]

Do the who, how and where matter? Or is it purely results?

Points/results are all that matter but I think it's helpful when looking at the form of a squad and the future.  If you're not getting 3 points you should, but it's offset by a stealing 3 where you'd normally get only expect 1, that's a great.  But is it sustainable?

[jesmu84]

Points/results are all that matter but I think it's helpful when looking at the form of a squad and the future.  If you're not getting 3 points you should, but it's offset by a stealing 3 where you'd normally get only expect 1, that's a great.  But is it sustainable?

True.

What matters more, do you think, strength of opponent or home v away?

[brewcity77]

Points/results are all that matter but I think it's helpful when looking at the form of a squad and the future.  If you're not getting 3 points you should, but it's offset by a stealing 3 where you'd normally get only expect 1, that's a great.  But is it sustainable?

I agree with this. Honestly, my general expectation of those three matches would be to draw El Salvador, beat Canada, and Honduras would either be a loss or draw. So if I'm expecting 4.5 points and we get 5, that's okay.

My expectations are to win all our home games and get at least 3-4 points on the road. 24 points should be comfortably in the automatic places.

I know there's an idea that we should run roughshod over CONCACAF, but that's just not realistic. I look at it more in terms of points per match. 1.5 ppm (21 total in the Octagonal) never failed to qualify from the Hex and only once required a playoff. 1.7 ppm (24 total) never failed to automatically qualify from the Hex. 2 ppm (28 total) only once failed to top the group, which was when USA finished second on GD with 22 in 2006.

So 21 points I'm okay with. 24 I'm really happy. 28 and we should be dancing in the streets. This cycle isn't about anything other than qualifying. It's 1990 all over again.

[The Sultan]

And in reality, with the expansion of the WC to 48 teams with 6 from CONCACAF, this is probably the last tournament that the US is going to face any sort of competition in qualifying.  Just getting in is fine.

[brewcity77]

And in reality, with the expansion of the WC to 48 teams with 6 from CONCACAF, this is probably the last tournament that the US is going to face any sort of competition in qualifying.  Just getting in is fine.

Yup. And unless we finish in the FIFA top-7, any group we are in will likely be one of the Groups of Death simply because of our presence. It will have a seeded team, a European team, and we will be one of the strongest teams in our pot. Whoever else ends up there won't change a likely guarantee of at least three good sides. So just get in and let the rest sort itself out.

[jesmu84]

That was not a fun game.

#spurs

[Galway Eagle]

Anyone know why MU soccer's fallen to hell the past two games? Is there an injury or something?

[Golden Avalanche]

Number of fans of a certain club very quiet today. Why so?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Number of fans of a certain club very quiet today. Why so?

Not much to talk about.  Life is suffering, eat at Arby's.

[Its DJOver]

Lot of season left. Lot of time to fix your problems however big they may be.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Sheriff take down Real Madrid at the Bernabau.

[jesmu84]

Lot of season left. Lot of time to fix your problems however big they may be.

I don't know if Spurs have the roster or management to fix this

[The Sultan]

Sheriff take down Real Madrid at the Bernabau.

And sit on top of their group with six points.

[Its DJOver]

I don't know if Spurs have the roster or management to fix this

If only there was a way that they could have generated 100,000,000 to reinvest in the club/squad.

[Hards Alumni]

Not much to talk about.  Life is suffering, eat at Arby's.

I forgot to tell you to suck it.

Probably because I didn't recognize the team on the pitch Sunday as Arsenal.

[jesmu84]

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/three-big-takeaways-from-the-usmnt-roster-for-october-world-cup-qualifiers

I really like Doyle

[Its DJOver]

City Liverpool has really become the most entertaining matchup in the world.  That second half might have been the most exciting 45 minutes that has ever occurred in the Prem in October, it had everything.  Splitting the points was probably the fair result, but it certainly looked like Milner should have seen red, would have changed the game completely.

[JWags85]

City Liverpool has really become the most entertaining matchup in the world.  That second half might have been the most exciting 45 minutes that has ever occurred in the Prem in October, it had everything.  Splitting the points was probably the fair result, but it certainly looked like Milner should have seen red, would have changed the game completely.

I remember like 3 years ago, there were a couple City-LFC affairs that were big in the lead up, but ended up being drags, but lately they have all been absolute must watch events.  Salah was absolutely sublime this afternoon.  He's got a legit argument for being in the convo for best player in the world based on current form

[tower912]

Pepi le-pow.

Referee kept Jamaica in the game.   But never really a doubt.