Futbol Talk

[GGGG]

Get a draw in Honduras and they should be fine.  Ending with Panama at home and on the road against a bad Trinidad team should result in six points.

If they fall into the playoff spot, they would go home and home v. the Asian playoff winners.  Here is my thought there.  Root for South Korea to win in Uzbekistan next week so they can wrap up their bid outright.  They have managed to screw up their qualification by losing to teams like Qatar and China.  The Koreans are usually too good. 

That would mean a playoff would likely be against Syria or Australia with Uzbekistan or Saudi Arabia as possibilities.  If that is the case, root for Syria because they have not been playing at home due to the conflict there.  Australia would be difficult IMO but the US would still be favored.

To follow this up, South Korea drew with Uzbekistan to clinch a birth in the Finals.  Syria also drew with put them in the playoff spot versus either Australia or Saudi Arabia.  Uzbekistan is eliminated.  The Saudis will clinch an automatic birth if they win tonight at home v. Japan.  A draw or loss means they are in the playoff spot and Australia clinches.

So IMO you root for Japan tonight, then you root for Syria in October's playoff.  That would be the easier path if the US is forced into the inter-confederation playoff in November.

[WarriorInNYC]

I prefer Cameron as a right back, but he's been okay when paired with Gonzalez or Brooks in the middle.

I don't see anyone on the US roster, besides Brooks, that when healthy is more capable than Cameron.  Yeah, he totally f'ed up against Costa Rica (somewhat similar in terms of what it led to, to his f'up against Portugal in the last WC), but he is quite solid.

Tonight's starting XI doesn't give me many good feels.  Looking at the standings and remaining games to be played for all teams, we really only need a draw out of this one to still finish 3rd, but a win would be massive for our confidence.

[brewcity77]

That was ugly. Lucky to escape with a point. I definitely don't think 6 points from Panama and T&T is the given the pundits think. We've won 2/8 so far, seems unlikely we'll suddenly win 2/2. Panama/USA feels close to winner goes to Russia, especially if Panama wins tonight. That's no easy task. And we have yet to win on the road. Hopefully 12 points at least gets us to the playoff, because I'm not expecting more than that.

[brewcity77]

I feel like Sarah Palin because I CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM MY HOUSE!!!

Great game tonight. Pulisic was fantastic. Nagbe was the overlooked guy for me. Decent defense and the second goal was because of his brilliant over the top ball. Baffling that Panama came out 4-4-2. Allowed us tons of space and really opened up the game.

So many good performances. Wood and Altidore were great. Arriola really impressed. Such a weight off. Now just put it to bed by winning at T&T.

[warriorchick]

I feel like Sarah Palin because I CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM MY HOUSE!!!

Great game tonight. Pulisic was fantastic. Nagbe was the overlooked guy for me. Decent defense and the second goal was because of his brilliant over the top ball. Baffling that Panama came out 4-4-2. Allowed us tons of space and really opened up the game.

So many good performances. Wood and Altidore were great. Arriola really impressed. Such a weight off. Now just put it to bed by winning at T&T.

So what was the score? Somehow I managed to get through the last 24 hours without finding out. 

[GooooMarquette]

So what was the score? Somehow I managed to get through the last 24 hours without finding out. 

US won 4-0

[JWags85]

I feel like Sarah Palin because I CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM MY HOUSE!!!

Great game tonight. Pulisic was fantastic. Nagbe was the overlooked guy for me. Decent defense and the second goal was because of his brilliant over the top ball. Baffling that Panama came out 4-4-2. Allowed us tons of space and really opened up the game.

So many good performances. Wood and Altidore were great. Arriola really impressed. Such a weight off. Now just put it to bed by winning at T&T.

I feel like this was Pulisic's coming out game in a way.  Sure he was great against T&T earlier in the summer, but he was a MENACE this coming.  The entire team played through him and he was masterful.  It was fantastic.

Arriola has a great work rate, extremely active.  Wood was a constant force as well, really getting beat up but kept pressing.

We should roll T&T.  Have to imagine they will be a bit deflated after having Mexico at bay for most of last night and briefly holding a lead.  Will be nice to not have to worry about our players being cut down once we get up like Panama.  Such egregious dirty play in the second half.

[brewcity77]

Honestly, Panama's strategy was baffling. Not sure why they were so eager to attack. Left them wide open at the back. Both of the first two goals came on initial longballs, the counter-attack that freed Pulisic, then the long ball over the top from Nagbe. Panama left the back so open which was stunning for what is usually such a compact team. And of course, once they went behind, they were so desperate to score that it just opened them up further.

In a game where all they needed was a point to put them in position to qualify with a home win against a team with nothing to play for, their decision to attack really made no sense. For their sake, I do hope they qualify through the playoff. Lot of long-serving players there that deserve a shot on the biggest stage.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Great showing by the USMNT.  Pulisic thrived in the attacking midfielder role and made both Altidore and Wood better.  AMF is where Pulisic needs to be so he can freelance all over the field and stay in attack mode.  My only concern is leaving Bradley as the lone CMF.  That leaves the defense a bit thin.  It'll work against teams like Panama and T&T but the better offenses that will be in Russia worry me.

[Henry Sugar]

Overall offense and defense rankings of each remaining team in the WCQ.

USA has the top remaining offense of any team. However, it's their defense that has been struggling compared to Mexico and Costa Rica.

[brewcity77]

Here we go. Draw will be enough but I think the USA will play for the win. T&T has lost 6 straight, time to make it 7 and punch that ticket to Russia.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Meanwhile in the Conmebol...Whole lotta stuff can happen.

[Cooby Snacks]

Here we go. Draw will be enough but I think the USA will play for the win. T&T has lost 6 straight, time to make it 7 and punch that ticket to Russia.

https://youtu.be/_asNhzXq72w

[jesmu84]

That was, I think, the worst half of USMNT soccer I have ever seen. And that's not even considering circumstances tonight (WC spot on the line) and talent compared to previous eras of US soccer.

Note: I'm 33

[tower912]

I blame me.   Every time I have watched them this qualifying season, they have sucked.   

[jesmu84]

I'm not sure what to say right now.

[MarquetteDano]

What a disaster.  Everything that could have gone wrong did tonight, not just including the US match.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Wow.  A fitting end to a terrible hex.  Not only did the US give up an own goal, Mexico gave one up to Honduras.  Throw in Panama's game winner in the 88th minute and that's all she wrote.

Sad that the US misses a WC.  Even worse that it means one less opportunity with Christian Pulisic.

[mu03eng]

Just pathetic

[brewcity77]

Completely inexcusable. Gulati must resign or be fired by morning. Anything less is a complete embarrassment, more so than losing this match. Gulati allowed Klinsmann to keep his job for two of the most difficult matches when everyone knew he'd lost the team.

You cannot lose this. Absolutely cannot lose this. We lost to a bad team that had one result in 9 previous attempts. Gulati out now. Arena out. All the old players out. I'm sick, pissed, this is pathetic. We should never not qualify from this region. Never. Absolutely pathetic. Fire everyone, execute the rest.

Except Pulisic, that is.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Wow, just saw that one of Panama's goals was a total farce.

https://deadspin.com/u-s-a-out-of-world-cup-on-phantom-goal-1819343176

[B. McBannerson]

Missed last two Olympics, first time in 50 years.  Will miss next year's World Cup.  Uninspired throughout tonight.

Poor all the way across. Leadership vacuum.  This isn't a this year thing, but part of the last few years. 

Go Netherlands

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Missed last two Olympics, first time in 50 years.  Will miss next year's World Cup.  Uninspired throughout tonight.

Poor all the way across. Leadership vacuum.  This isn't a this year thing, but part of the last few years. 

Go Netherlands

Hate to break it to ya buddy, but the Netherlands didn't qualify either.

May I suggest Iceland? (Or of course Colombia too)

[hdog1017]

I don't know much about soccer, but the US shouldn't lose to Trinidad and Tobago at anything. 

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

The MLS has been great for the US soccer fan but horrible for US Soccer.  US players such as Bradley, Dempsey, etc coming home from top rate leagues to play in a 4th-5th rate league has killed our growth.   Klinnsman may have been many things good or bad but he was absolutely correct when he did not want the USMNT players coming home to play in the MLS.  Hard to play with the best in the world when ur playing at such a low level league.