Futbol Talk

[panda]

I did go today, and it was energetic and insightful. Here's the summary I shared with my brother, like me a long time soccer player and fan...

"First, it was fun, fun. Definitely the highest level football I've ever seen live. Exciting to see Pulisic, Balogun, McKennie et al, plus German stars like Hummels, Budinger, Haevert, Goudagan and even Muellers came on at the end. I had a good seat and the crowd was enjoying it.

The reality is that the German team, even in a degree of disarray at the moment with a new coach and a changing of the guard of generations, is notably better than the US, unless we are totally on the top of our game. And we weren't. (I think such a missing link is Tyler Adams.) We had decent energy and ambition, but didn't have patience and skills, crucial needs against top European teams; remember what the Dutch did in our R16 game at the World Cup? They just waited until we strung ourselves too thin and then attacked. Similar today.

The German defense was simply solid and didn't give space. Even our runs to open balls were generally shut down. Christian's goal was impressive, and it was evident in the minutes before it that he was angry that he wasn't awarded a penalty kick. Chatting with a couple of guys at halftime, we all agreed that on the no-call, he had a poor first touch than played for the penalty. Yes, maybe the goalie got him, but (without seeing it again yet) it seemed like a decent no-call. Tim Weah is so f***ing fast. He attacks whenever he has space and is face up. If his crossing improves and we can consistently get guys in the middle when he is streaking down the right wing, look out. Balogun didn't show too much, but it's clear that he is a threat. He moves to the ball so well, and our players need to get used to him, and get him the damn ball. Gio is skilled, and is a cry baby. Not so evident during his (first and only) half, except for his impetuousness grabbing a guy's shirt twice just at the end of the half. I think he knew he wouldn't be back in the second half and so acted up. He deserved a yellow card. But, I watched him during warm ups. He was the only, the only, guy who threw his arms up and sulked away if he didn't hit his mark when practicing shots. From my ignorant point of view, he still has a lot of maturing to do. (Christian, I think, used to be that way, but has grown.)

Our defense was adequate at the outset, but vulnerable. Once Germany realized they could just push up the center, then use the wings if necessary, we were basically torn apart. Tim Ream is steady and solid, but slow. I wasn't a fan of Chris Richards, but Cameron Carter-Vickers didn't do much better as his sub. I tend to be more comfortable with Miles Robinson and/or Walter Zimmerman as center backs. Still, it's nice to have options. I love Sergino Dest's energy and skills, but question his decision-making sometimes. Yet, I always want him on the pitch. I hope that Joe Scally is only seen as a second stringer at this point. So unremarkable, and nothing compared to Jedi Robinson, who's still out injured. And Matt Turner still struggles with balls at his feet. Germany was smart to press high, and it made the defense anxious to get the ball up the field.

The midfield is the toughest, and especially so for Berhalter as he figures out how to deal with Gio amongst a quality set of midfielders and wings. I dig Yunus Musah in so many ways—his casualness, his passing, his footwork, his passing—but I feel like he didn't do much today. (The guys I was chatting with at halftime disagreed with me.) I think his attacking skill is most important, and he needs to know that someone such as Tyler Adams is playing defensive midfield to help cover for him. McKennie, such a charismatic guy to watch, doesn't offer that support to Musah. Today's starting midfield of Musah, Gio and McKennie are too forward-looking too often, which I think led to Germany being able to come right into the heart of our defense. And, they weren't consistently able to support the defense in starting an attack from our own third.

I continue to know that the future can be bright, and I remain concerned that we don't (and maybe never will) have the ability and players to put it all together. I know folks want to put that on Berhalter, and I won't argue that. Still, he's the horse we're riding now, and the players need to find their way in his system. That said, with players like Balogun and Gio, GGG needs to be willing to change his system (he did change the formation in the first half with Gio, and without Adams)."

I wish Johnny would've seen more burn. He's the only like for like swap for Adams and this would've been the perfect opportunity to see how he performed in that role. 15 minute cameo after the game was decided won't do much to answer that question.

[panda]

Henry did a terrible job at Monaco. He also was put in a pretty much impossible/unwinnable situation.  Both can be true...

Monaco was a disaster.  They fired Jardim after winning Ligue 1 and finishing 2nd the previous 2 years.  Then sacking Henry after literally 3 months, they brought Jardim BACK.  Then got rid of him again the following fall.  Dysfunction Junction.

As I said before, I don't think Henry has the pedigree yet to manage the USMNT, but I don't really hold Monaco much against him

Reasonable take - I like him because his playing pedigree will offer a signifant amount of respect from the players. He has international experience with Belgium. International management is setting up the team the proper way, correct player selection and a quick adjustment in game to change the flow. A smart hire as an assistant can help with those. Also this usmnt coach has a unique responsibility as the country is hosting the copa and the WC. Henry is a awesome on the podium/mic and would be a great representation.

[jesmu84]

https://twitter.com/YanksAreComing/status/1713626686573445609?t=lhs5LXOlx6i4_W9S-2cXlw&s=19

[JWags85]

https://twitter.com/YanksAreComing/status/1713626686573445609?t=lhs5LXOlx6i4_W9S-2cXlw&s=19

This has been well known for awhile, yet still makes no sense. The pettiness towards certain players from US Soccer and GGG is pathetic.

I get it last year when he was in the wilderness after leaving Wolfsburg.  But he's only 30, tons of international experience, and is a starting CB in pretty good form for a top 5 club in the Bundesliga right now.  To not have him be useful depth over someone inferior like Mark McKenzie or a liability like Miles Robinson (much less Aaron damn Long) is insane to me

[brewcity77]

This has been well known for awhile, yet still makes no sense. The pettiness towards certain players from US Soccer and GGG is pathetic.

I get it last year when he was in the wilderness after leaving Wolfsburg.  But he's only 30, tons of international experience, and is a starting CB in pretty good form for a top 5 club in the Bundesliga right now.  To not have him be useful depth over someone inferior like Mark McKenzie or a liability like Miles Robinson (much less Aaron damn Long) is insane to me

I will never understand the return to GGG. There was obviously a problem in the program with him here. Why do you effectively dismiss him only to go right back to the same thing? It's been what, a few months and we're already seeing problems crop back up? This is why I never like to see a manager get more than one cycle at the NT level. You need fresh eyes to look at the new crop, to reevaluate where your talent lies, and to shuffle the deck again. Managers that remain get stuck on the players they like. We saw the same with Arena after 2002, Bradley after 2010, and Klinsmann after 2014. It's ridiculous that he's back in charge, especially when they tore off that scab already.

[jesmu84]

I will never understand the return to GGG. There was obviously a problem in the program with him here. Why do you effectively dismiss him only to go right back to the same thing? It's been what, a few months and we're already seeing problems crop back up? This is why I never like to see a manager get more than one cycle at the NT level. You need fresh eyes to look at the new crop, to reevaluate where your talent lies, and to shuffle the deck again. Managers that remain get stuck on the players they like. We saw the same with Arena after 2002, Bradley after 2010, and Klinsmann after 2014. It's ridiculous that he's back in charge, especially when they tore off that scab already.

I agree that he shouldn't have been rehired and I support the philosophy of giving a coach 1 cycle.

That said, he wasn't fired for performance reasons.

[brewcity77]

I agree that he shouldn't have been rehired and I support the philosophy of giving a coach 1 cycle.

That said, he wasn't fired for performance reasons.

He should've been out with or without the Reyna stuff. That made it more imperative, but he should've moved on from his post regardless.

[Golden Avalanche]

Considering Henry is seen as a "disaster" at managing it's interesting that the best program in the world currently has him as the steward of the next generation.

[shoothoops]

U23 camp in Phoenix.

Tonight's USA v Japan U23/Olympic Team game will be streamed at U.S. Soccer Dot Com and via YouTube.

(The 2-1 win last week over Mexico wasn't streamed, but, I do have a roughly cell phone recording of the game.)

[jesmu84]

That's a lot of goals.

Good. Loathe Ghana cause of history

[panda]

That was awesome ! Balo awesome. Love watching his interchange play. Johnny dynamite holding the midfield. Love that guy. I could see him making a Europe move after his season.

[panda]

Just think about how well we could've done if they discovered this Reyna kid before the World Cup !

[mug644]

I wish Johnny would've seen more burn. He's the only like for like swap for Adams and this would've been the perfect opportunity to see how he performed in that role. 15 minute cameo after the game was decided won't do much to answer that question.

Johnny go 65 minutes last night against Ghana. Obviously, we were overpowering them, and so it may not be a great data point for assessing him. Still, he held his own. And, if he is like you say (closer to a like for like swap for Tyler), then Berhalter was basically trying a midfield that breaks up MMA by inserting Gio and taking out McKennie. I liked having McKennie come on as a sub, but I could imagine times when we would want and need his long distance and cross field passing. We didn't need it last night.

And part of the reason for that was switching Dest back to the right side, where he is stronger and played so well along with Gio and Weah. And, I was very impressed with Lund.

[panda]

Johnny go 65 minutes last night against Ghana. Obviously, we were overpowering them, and so it may not be a great data point for assessing him. Still, he held his own. And, if he is like you say (closer to a like for like swap for Tyler), then Berhalter was basically trying a midfield that breaks up MMA by inserting Gio and taking out McKennie. I liked having McKennie come on as a sub, but I could imagine times when we would want and need his long distance and cross field passing. We didn't need it last night.

And part of the reason for that was switching Dest back to the right side, where he is stronger and played so well along with Gio and Weah. And, I was very impressed with Lund.

As long as Gio is fit, mma should not exist.  For me, Mckennie is the causality. He can be such an impactful sub with his running/high motor. Musah impacts the game in so many different ways.

Johnny is such a useful player. He showed himself so well yesterday and has had an incredible run of games in the copa libertadores. Performing well in that competition as a young guy is so impressive.

[JWags85]

Finalist names for the Milwaukee USL team

https://t.co/mkopUVTtF8

If it was a standard American sports team naming, Milwaukee Barons is amazing.

But otherwise, Cream City FC/SC is sick

[Uncle Rico]

Finalist names for the Milwaukee USL team

https://t.co/mkopUVTtF8

If it was a standard American sports team naming, Milwaukee Barons is amazing.

But otherwise, Cream City FC/SC is sick

Couldn't even mention Al McGuire.  SMDH

[wadesworld]

Finalist names for the Milwaukee USL team

https://t.co/mkopUVTtF8

If it was a standard American sports team naming, Milwaukee Barons is amazing.

But otherwise, Cream City FC/SC is sick

Talboys is hilarious.

[Its DJOver]

Some of the most atrocious officiating I've ever seen.  Jones straight red will 100% be overturned.  Diaz was onside for the waved off LFC goal (which they inexplicably showed no lines for on the broadcast) and Jota's second yellow was deserved but the first yellow was an absolute joke.

Credit to Spurs for applying the pressure enough to get a result but my word Liverpool got screwed.  And I'm very slow to blame officiating in soccer

Feel like over the course of 38 games the bad calls for and against you largely even each other out. Konate very lucky to not see red.

[Golden Avalanche]

Feel like over the course of 38 games the bad calls for and against you largely even each other out. Konate very lucky to not see red.

On the surface this seems the case but the pgmol has reached such a level of incompetence that we've already seen two to three teams each season these last few years miss out on accomplishment as a result of the decisions made in the booth.   

[Its DJOver]

On the surface this seems the case but the pgmol has reached such a level of incompetence that we've already seen two to three teams each season these last few years miss out on accomplishment as a result of the decisions made in the booth.

Such as? Not necessarily doubting you, I just can't think of any examples.

[panda]

Feel like over the course of 38 games the bad calls for and against you largely even each other out. Konate very lucky to not see red.

Liverpool playing 10v10 v Everton at home isn't remotely equal to playing a man down away and the gross incompetence of a goal wrongfully disalllwed away from home.

[Its DJOver]

Liverpool playing 10v10 v Everton at home isn't remotely equal to playing a man down away and the gross incompetence of a goal wrongfully disalllwed away from home.

That's why I said over 38 games, not over two. Let's work on tuning up those reading skills.

[panda]

That's why I said over 38 games, not over two. Let's work on tuning up those reading skills.

Things even out over 38 games, except I'm going to mention a specific instance from a specific game.

[panda]

Serie a isn't anywhere near it used to be but four Americans staring in the Milan juventus derby is still incredible.

[Its DJOver]

Things even out over 38 games, except I'm going to mention a specific instance from a specific game.

Yep, mention two incidents from two games to show evidence that sometimes calls go in your favor and sometimes they don't. Evidence to support the idea that over 38 games things largely even out. Was not implying that the overall effect on the individual games was identical for both the Diaz incident and the Konate incident.

I take it you're a scouser and and just view everything through your red tinted glasses?