2022 World Cup Thread

[panda]

The US was nowhere near average in the England match, you may be the only person to thinks so.

Speaking of Iran, the press conference earlier today was...something.

https://twitter.com/cboehm/status/1597199260478472193?s=20&t=06UcU_2C1GF8hheDhYF7KA

Also asking Berhalter questions about inflation and the US having a warship off the coast of Iran.  Just wild.

Ggg can't even figure out how to integrate Reyna into the team. How will he answer a complex geopolitical question lol.

[The Sultan]

The US was nowhere near average in the England match, you may be the only person to thinks so.

Speaking of Iran, the press conference earlier today was...something.

https://twitter.com/cboehm/status/1597199260478472193?s=20&t=06UcU_2C1GF8hheDhYF7KA

Also asking Berhalter questions about inflation and the US having a warship off the coast of Iran.  Just wild.

US Soccer did him or Adams no favors by pulling that stunt with the Iranian flag like they did. Completely gutless move at the exact wrong time. Zero reason to give Iran any extra motivation or reason to become a victim. Zero reason to put your own guys on the spot when you know they are going to be meeting with Iranian media today.

[BM1090]

The issue with this is Reyna has never played with this personnel. Famously, the US has never had a full run of Reyna, Pulisic, Adams, McKennie in the same game. So in the games you remember Reyna is playing out of position as a result or being tasked with elements that he's not equipped to provide, which is a managerial issue. He's coming up short because he's playing with second rate teammates.

Not playing your best players, when they are healthy, in the World Cup is a bizarre decision made by people who have limited vision. And, frankly, it isn't a matter of whether GGregeggge accomplishes more or the same as previous managers. But basing that on the US beating Iran(!!!) when they've been average the first two games shows we have an expectations issue.

So he should be judged differently than other US coaches because he hasn't played your favorite player enough minutes?

I don't care if he gets out of the group with eleven MLS players. If they win tomorrow, he did his job. If they don't, it's a disappointment.

Also, Iran is a pretty good side. The US should be able to get the three points they need, but Iran is favored to advance for a reason.

[Billy Hoyle]

US Soccer did him or Adams no favors by pulling that stunt with the Iranian flag like they did. Completely gutless move at the exact wrong time. Zero reason to give Iran any extra motivation or reason to become a victim. Zero reason to put your own guys on the spot when you know they are going to be meeting with Iranian media today.

USSF have been clowns leading up to and during the WC. I feel bad for the staff snd team having to take the arrows for their actions.

[JWags85]

US Soccer did him or Adams no favors by pulling that stunt with the Iranian flag like they did. Completely gutless move at the exact wrong time. Zero reason to give Iran any extra motivation or reason to become a victim. Zero reason to put your own guys on the spot when you know they are going to be meeting with Iranian media today.

Yea it was incredibly dumb, as USSF normally is.  Adams handled it beautifully.  Lucky to have him as a representative for the squad.

Hilarious stone throwing from glass houses from the Iran government media shills though.  They were doing it to Ream and Zimmerman in a different press conference too.  Asking where they were when Iran beat the US in 1998.

[brewcity77]

US Soccer did him or Adams no favors by pulling that stunt with the Iranian flag like they did. Completely gutless move at the exact wrong time. Zero reason to give Iran any extra motivation or reason to become a victim. Zero reason to put your own guys on the spot when you know they are going to be meeting with Iranian media today.

We may have upset some of the Iranian Federation, but I'm not sure it will provide further motivation to the players. They protested their own country by refusing to sing their own anthem in the opener, and reportedly only sang before their second match because of threats from the Iranian government. Who knows what motivations will work, but I'm not convinced this is a big deal beyond the headlines.

[jesmu84]

https://twitter.com/TaylorTwellman/status/1597421314641653760?t=cLxTxNxWxg1SyvSpbbkhYA&s=19

[Golden Avalanche]

The US was nowhere near average in the England match, you may be the only person to thinks so.

Speaking of Iran, the press conference earlier today was...something.

https://twitter.com/cboehm/status/1597199260478472193?s=20&t=06UcU_2C1GF8hheDhYF7KA

Also asking Berhalter questions about inflation and the US having a warship off the coast of Iran.  Just wild.

40% of the ball, one shot on target, missing an open net, playing an opposition whose CB was the most dangerous attacker on the field is average.

I understand people lost their minds on England because of the Iran match but England has been downright bleh for 15 months. I was in the stadium when the US did the same thing to England in 2010 and the reaction at the time, rightly, was how poor must England have been to be drawn by that team.

[Golden Avalanche]

So he should be judged differently than other US coaches because he hasn't played your favorite player enough minutes?

I don't care if he gets out of the group with eleven MLS players. If they win tomorrow, he did his job. If they don't, it's a disappointment.

Also, Iran is a pretty good side. The US should be able to get the three points they need, but Iran is favored to advance for a reason.

Reyna isn't my favorite player. He's the most talented guy on the roster and he's not playing. That's the issue.

[JWags85]

40% of the ball, one shot on target, missing an open net, playing an opposition whose CB was the most dangerous attacker on the field is average.

I understand people lost their minds on England because of the Iran match but England has been downright bleh for 15 months. I was in the stadium when the US did the same thing to England in 2010 and the reaction at the time, rightly, was how poor must England have been to be drawn by that team.

Not sure where your stats are from.  US had 45% possession, 2 SOG, 10 attempts to England's 8.  7 corners to England's 3.  Deciding to diminish Kane, Bellingham, and Sterling as mediocre instead of complimenting the US gameplan and defending is agenda pushing nonsense.

This England team is WAY more talented than 2010.  Look at that attack outside of Rooney.  Crouch, Hesky, Dafoe.  Not even remotely the same.  US got a fluke goal in that match and was thoroughly outplayed.  That wasn't the case on Friday.

You don't like Gregggg, we get it.  Neither do I.  That doesn't mean you have to slight everything about this squad.

[MUfan12]

I'm not sure how anyone could watch that game and think the US didn't perform well. They pressed well. Made Kane recieve the ball deeper than he wanted to. Kept Bellingham in check. Looked dangerous for the first hour until the legs faded.

If Pulisic's shot hits the underside of the bar and goes in, and the US wins 1-0 it would have been plenty deserved.

[BM1090]

Reyna isn't my favorite player. He's the most talented guy on the roster and he's not playing. That's the issue.

I disagree that he's the most talented guy on the team. But if we're in need of a goal with 30 minutes left, I hope he comes on.

Who would you start him over? Weah?

[Its DJOver]

CCV?

[JWags85]

CCV?

Its a surprise, but I'll take an experienced athletic CB who has made his living in rough and tumble English football against a team like Iran.  I don't love Zimmerman, and after the Wales challenge, I'm not broken up about not having him in there in critical moments.

[CreightonWarrior]

Weah should have at least two goals by now.

[21Jumpstreet]

Outstanding half, Dest and Robinson have been excellent, McKennie with two great balls, Adams being Adams. Thought we'd get a second before half, I'd like to see that offsides call. Need to get one more, I feel.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

That offside is going to loom large, isn't it?

In live action, I was more worried about Dest being offside on the first goal. Obviously, after seeing the replay, that was onside.

Weah's offside was soooooooo close.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

That offside is going to loom large, isn't it?

In live action, I was more worried about Dest being offside on the first goal. Obviously, after seeing the replay, that was onside.

Weah's offside was soooooooo close.

Wales.

Off by a knee.

[JWags85]

I've been critical of Ream for years, but he's been fantastic all cup. Positioning, composure, leadership at the back, well done thus far

[cheebs09]

I need a cigarette.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Whew!

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

I've been critical of Ream for years, but he's been fantastic all cup. Positioning, composure, leadership at the back, well done thus far

Same.

[21Jumpstreet]

Well done Ream, well done midfield, they were gassed

[tower912]

The Netherlands on Saturday.

[withoutbias]

Here's why I struggle to enjoy watching soccer.  To me it looks like there are opportunities to take a shot, and of course not everything is going to be on target or get past a goalie, especially when you're further out.  But to me that seems like a better scoring opportunity than passing it around between 3 offensive players and about 5 defenders and trying to sneak something through 15 humans that gets past the goalie.

And then you see the end of this game and the one time you DON'T want to go and score, when you could dribble into a corner, pass to a streaking teammate, etc., you go and try to score, giving Iran a chance to tie it?  Just seemed dumb.  And then rather than trying to make a play the Iranian player just takes a dive hoping for a whistle that doesn't come and it ends the game.  It's like watching Harden and Embiid play basketball.  They're not actually trying to score, they're just trying to bate the ref into a whistle so they can go score at the line/a PK.

Seems like the Netherlands are the trendy pick to win it all.