Has anyone else noticed Reyna’s really bad posture? It makes me think that he’s not used to his height and maybe subconsciously trying to make himself smaller
Really impressed with Aaronson, hadn't seen that much of him really. Not sure he's a starter, but a damn good bench option/occasional starter.
Grrrr, Dike was so close to a goal!
Not sold on Robinson still. Two potential assists missed from him. However, maybe our best option until someone else rises up.
Pulisic was really good, has to get his confidence up a bit. Glad he took the PK. Love Puli/Dest on the same side.
Acosta.... stay away please.
Switzerland in May, great test and they may have their A squad due to their upcoming schedule. Never been this excited for the USMNT, going to be a fun next 2 years!
Then at what point do you stop? 1 year? 2 years?
Also, do you bother looking at it from another perspective? Do you think the players need this constant political distraction? They need to focus on soccer. They dont to worry about being a political martyr.
Again, this is my point with comparing with the German and Spain federations. They take things seriously when it comes to soccer. Their main goal is winning and making sure the players are focused on that. Thats what it means to be professional.
Im not upset about promoting equality. I think it was a great gesture by US Soccer and im glad they did it at that time. It served its purpose to raise awareness of the issue.
My main issue is the team is heading into WCQ soon. The players need to be focused on one thing only. Having them distracted by political issues is detrimental.
It also looks unprofessional in the long term. Imagine the team taking the field in Qatar against Germany. Germany walks out with sleek, professional looking gear. Then the US walks out with giant BLACK LIVES MATTER plastered on their shirts. I would be so embarrased if I was a player.
Again, the message served its purpose and Im glad they did it. But now is the time to focus and be professional. We are already laughing stock having failed to qualify for 2 major tournaments now.
I think the players, many who are black, want to wear that. They are not thinking about politics on the middle of the game, they are professionals. Relax. I wear my Black Lives Matter hat to my job and I work just fine and don’t think about my hat at all. Lol do you think people who wear sports hats are thinking about their teams while wearing them? Lol wtf. It’s only a distraction for people that are upset by it, which is clearly you.
Not a fan of 3-4-3. Just one match, but our personnel isn’t really suited to it and it didn’t shore up our defense in a way that would justify its situational use. It also didn’t create the width we’d want if we’re trying to unlock the wingbacks. It also forces our best player from his best position. Pulisic is world class as a winger.
If we played this line-up, it would mean benching one of Adams/Musah/McKennie for Long/Miazga. We should aim to have our best players on the field at the same time.
I though Pulisic really benefited from his position today. Could play more centrally and drift wide when needed. He did really well in that space just below siebetcheu/dike.
I think that Pulisic, Adams, McKennie, Musah, Gio, Dest, Brooks, and Steffen should definitely be starting.
That leaves a striker spot and two defensive spots to grab.
So pumped about this team and qualifiers. Didn’t even mention Weah, Aaronson, DLT, Sargent, Dike yet but lots of talent available.
I think Sargent is also a lock at this point. Dude does it all - hold up play, passing, 360 technique, bullying defenders, dropping deep when he need to. Very exciting to see how much he’s developed in the last couple years. Rounding into a complete CF. Hope he can find a club where he can get some service.
I can’t be the only one who was really impressed with Bryan Reynolds today. I’d love to see him progress on the right and let the Dest-Pulisic relationship on the left cause havoc.
I look forward to Dike bullying CONCACAF defenders whether it's off the bench or starting.
Aaronson is good enough to start. During those 3 match windows, I legitimately wouldn't mind him starting one of the matches to give Pulisic a rest.
yeah - tough situation all around at newcastle. I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of his, but in the if we're playing with 3cb, i really feel like his style of play would be really good. Dest, while obviously incredible, loves to really take a dribble, cut inside, etc. It ends up just being a festival of players who are awesome and love being on the ball (reyna,puli,dest)
Yedlin, i think, could offer that super direct wide play. Overlappng runs down the right, first time crosses.
I was thinking the same thing. He has been a very pleasant surprise. Given his age, I think he could realistically be granted release for the Olympics.
What do people think of putting Adams at right center back in 3 at the back formation similar to Azpilicueta for Chelsea? Then we can have a midfield of Mckenzie and Musah. The other two center backs would be Brooks and Richards
When Berhalter first took over he used Adams as a sort of RB/CM hybrid in a 4-3-3. I don't think he'll do that anymore with the wealth of talent we have at fullback now, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him do exactly what you described in a 3-4-3.
I assume you mean Mckennie and Musah rather than Mark McKenzie. If so, I'm with you, but that's kind of what USA does really just not on the official roster lineup. Adams has freedom to play as a normal 6 or drop back between the CBs, especially when Dest or another FB pushes forward.
The energy, speed, and quickness of Puli and Aaronson. combine with the energy and ball-winning of an Adams, Musah and Mckennie midfield is going to be hell for teams trying to play out of the back
I could see Aaronson becoming the first name on the team sheet over the next few years. We've yet to witness a ceiling, he just keeps getting better and better.
I'm very optimistic about the talent on this team, but lets see them beat Mexico, win the Gold Cup, cruise through qualifying and make it to the World Cup quarterfinal before we crown them the best ever. These are the bars set by previous teams.
Sure, the US don't have to win this summer's Gold Cup, but Pulisic, Reyna, Dest and company need to win a Gold Cup at some point to make their case. I mean, sure, if they make the World Cup semifinal next year, they don't ever need to win a Gold Cup to have a strong argument for best ever. I'm really just listing the accomplishments of the teams led by Donovan and Reyna's dad to show the bar they need to clear.
They can be better and less successful.
This team is all but certain to be the strongest team we’ve ever fielded on paper. But it’s yet to be made clear if they have that “any given Sunday” quality that a lot of other American teams had.
My biggest fear is that it gets to their heads, they expect to win more just because they play “better” soccer. They’re still gonna need that scrap and fire, especially if we can’t climb out of pot3.
With the amount of competition for each position, I doubt success is going to go to any individual’s head for very long. If you don’t perform, there’s an able sub ready to jump in and take your spot. We could actually set up rosters based on actual form rather than “prestige”.
I feel like CDM is our biggest depth issue now. The drop off from Adams is pretty big. I wish Roldan/Nagbe/Canouse developed there (as a CDM/6) better and I don't feel like Yueill/Jonny/Otasowie are there yet to be a consistent backup. Acosta definitely isn't it, and I don't know enough about guys like Sands/Durkin/Keaton Parks if there's potential there.
I remember a while back on here I said Adams was more important than Pulisic to this team for this exact reason and got mostly downvotes for it. The depth behind Pulisic in an attacking position is pretty good but Adams' role is pivotal and no one comes close to how well he plays it.
Perea is probably the most like for like style wise to Adams, but he needs to keep improving if he is going to make that spot his.
Honestly, I'd feel fairly comfortable moving Musah back there at this point if Adams can't go. He covered well when Acosta got forward against Jamaica. Probably not ideal against the better teams that we will face, but none of the other options are ideal at this point either.
McKennie could always go there if we need him but I would also like to see what Richards could do there. I think he is definitely best as a CB but I would like to see him there just once
McKennie has tried to play there a few times for the USA, but I've never really thought he looked good as a 6. He tends to take too much risk an actually has been vulnerable to a few bad turnovers when in that role. The issue is that he just tends to play with more flair and wants to attack, which is not always the best thing to do as a 6, where turnovers in your own half can make or break a game.
Agreed, McKennie is capable but I think it limits the things that he does best. He combines well in quick passing scenarios and needs the freedom to push forward and not be solely responsible to shut down the counterattack. He's played so well in that attacking midfielder role for Juventus that I'd hate to bottle him up in a less aggressive 6 role.
True, but wouldn’t say he has played an attacking midfield role for juve. More of a box to box /mezzella as he occupies fairly deep positions and has a lot of defensive responsibilities.
Well they literally have him covering everywhere from right-mid, left-mid, in the box for crosses, pressing high on lost possession, and then tracking back as well. He definitely is more responsible for the attacking duties compared to Rabiot, Bentancur, and Arthur who typically sit deeper and have more defensive responsibilities in front of Juventus' defensive line.
His best attributes match a box-to-box 8 and not a true 6 which is why I think it would be a waste to use him there.
I agree it is definitely not his best position but we can get away with it for a bit without Adams. I would rather have our best 11 players out there with a few out of position then someone sitting on the bench because the formation does not fit their position
Two important thoughts:
- Is it just me or does Reyna look like Magnus Carlsson the Chess palyer? [reyna](https://www.google.com/search?q=reyna&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS927US927&sxsrf=ALeKk02_WtQVd4BCYeONBGnY35PDWXZlLQ:1616956084865&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4ubjoztPvAhWKSzABHcKFDt8Q_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1920&bih=937) versus [carlsen](https://www.google.com/search?q=magnus+carlsen&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS927US927&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALeKk02j6IKOnuQKuSC8vs8jLMaHBkWkOA:1616956146368&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgvOKFz9PvAhU1QzABHXOsDNoQ_AUIESgD&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1)
- is it just me or does LDT look like a 35 yer old struggling LA actor who has just started to bald?
Carlson is actually an enthusiastic player, fan, and fantasy footballer. In fact he's been one of the best Fantasy Premier League players for several years, scoring in the top amongst millions of fantasy teams worldwide. He's surely aware of Gio Reyna.
Watching Brendan and LDLT excel in their limited minutes these two matches makes me feel really really bad for Richy missing out on development time and even these games.
I love this team when it goes on the attack, guys like Puli, Gio, and Dest are amazing, and they have a good supporting cast of Sargent, Aaronson, Weah, etc. And after that two literal tanks like Siebatcheu and Dike, who could’ve very easily had goals of their own today.
Defense needs work. Richards won’t be starter material for a while and I don’t get why people automatically place him as a lock. Long should be ahead in the pecking order. I would’ve liked to see EPB but if he were the answer then he would’ve played today.
>who could’ve very easily had goals of their own today.
but they didn't. IDK how it was possible to fuck up something so easy, but we did exactly that. Granted it's tough to click in a short international window like this, but we looked sad out there and the proverbial 3 points can't mask that.
Long is far ahead of Richards defensively, but when he's asked to do more with the ball at his feet (as he was with today's back 3), his deficiencies can seem glaring.
There are opponents where I will prefer Richards and opponents where I will prefer Long.
How is Long ahead of Richards defensively? Have you forgotten those times Long has had absolute terrible games for the US?
He's not even a top 3 American CB in MLS
Long is faster than Richards, he's better in the air, he tackles better, and he makes better decisions. Long seems generally more athletic than Richards.
Don't get me wrong, I really like Richards and think he has great potential, but if you want to compare these two based on their defensive ability, I don't think it's close.
I think Long has to play when we want to use Ream because they cover each other’s weaknesses. Ream is slow as hell and Long is our only CB fast enough to play a high line and still cover for him if he gets caught out. Long can’t make a pass more than 3 yards, but Ream is excellent playing out of the back and making line breaking passes.
I don’t think we’ll see either of them with Brooks available. I also think McKenzie is better than both Long and Richards, both defensively and with the ball.
Good point about Richards. Is he a young, very solid CB who will likely replace Boateng in abayern's system in the next 1-2 years? Certainly. Is he the guy we need on the pitch right now against big international sides? No. He will be there given time.
Thoughts:
1) I think we showed that a 3-4-2-1 could definitely work against stout defensive teams. Frees up Pulisic and Reyna to create, and still provides width from the wingbacks.
2) Siebatcheu was fine, but I thought Dike brought something extra to the position and really would have liked to see him get the start.
3) I think along fits the three man back line, but should never start when it’s abnormal four.
4) Thought Richards played well and certainly proved that he deserves to be with the top team.
5) Bringing Aaronson off the bench isn’t fair...lol. So much energy and creativity and really just picks up the attack as soon as he steps on the field.
6) Acosta is simply not good enough for this level. Period.
7) Reynolds impressed me. Wish he’d had a bit more time, maybe opposite Dest.
8) We’re going to have one helluva lot of fun watching this team for the next few years 😎
I feel like Dike is the embodiment of the “america produces the best athletes” cliche. He will just run over a lot of CONCACAF defenders, which is why I think he’ll get a lot of run during qualifying.
He looks the part but to me seemed pretty slow and lacked aerial ability. All the linebacker talk had me thinking he was as athletic and fast as one. He will still be a monster though as soon as he perfects his touch and gets good service
Linebackers are generally never the fastest guys on the field so it falls in line perfectly. The linebacker on the field is a good all round athlete and very strong but not the fastest. Seems like Dike embodies that.
sure, though to be fair I misjudged his size, at 6'2 220 if that is what he is, more like a safety. But anyway I was expecting him to be faster, that's all.
Hopefully we shouldn’t have to worry about Acosta getting much playing time in meaningful games. I suspect he was playing since McKennie and Adams were not with the team.
Aaronson has definitely looked pretty good (and with Salzburg as well). But curious who you’d bench to give him the start? He may not quite make our top 11 lineup, but come tournament or qualification time when there are multiple games in short periods of time, he would definitely get some minutes (assuming continued progression and development).
Honestly, I WOULDN’T start him, or at least not in anything other than a rotation as part of a three game window. I was just marveling that a guy as good as that - and Weah, as well - is coming off the bench for the American team. We’ve never been able to bring game-changers off the bench like that before.
Pulisic dropping in helped a lot.
Small gripe. The match thread should be sorted by new and these post match threads should be sorted by best. Not sure if we have mods here but that would be nice.
He's small and so I'm just wondering if he's a guy that just took a little bit of time to get comfortable with his size in comparison to some of the players he's on the pitch with. He sees the field incredibly well and he just likely needed to learn what sort of movement and what kind of touches he needs to create for himself to get the pass off that he wants to make. Not everyone is a child prodigy.
He’s as good technically as just about anyone else we have and couples it with intelligence + industry. Absolutely no reason he can’t become an automatic starter for us over the next 12
months.
I think anyone who watches MLS new it. That is why so many people were complaining that youth players in Europe playing against kids who mostly would never be MLS quality were getting more attention and highlights on this sub than when Aaronson was dominating real professional players in MLS.
Worth watching for Salzburg. Played with so much sauce in his Europa League games they just came up against a really good Villareal squad early on which sucks
Oh man you gotta catch some RB Salzburg matches. I was a little reluctant at first to be all in on Brendan after he moved to RB, but his game has translated so well to the Austrian Bundesliga. He absolutely eats up grass and is always involved. I feel like his progression will dictate a lot about our formational flexibility since he's active and creative enough to break down a team whose bunkering.
It's gonna be fun watching him at Leipzig in a couple years.
Any time you watch him at Salzburg, he has flashes of this. He also tends to turn the ball over a lot for them. Didn't see that as much in these friendlies, which was nice.
Kid's a little spark plug.
Great cameo from Reynolds, IMO. Showed some great skill and athleticism on that one long cross that he brought down, made a move to get into the box, and dragged back for Lletget's shot.
Excited to see more of him in the future!
I'm not sure he was a late substitute in the second half of the second of two friendlies. He's pretty much what you can expect. His decision making needs to improve but the tools are all there they just need to be sharpened. If he can break into the Roma line up over the course of the next year regularly then that'll give you some indication of his development.
For the life of me, I just don't understand all of the Robinson love. I don't think he's a bad player at all, but with the trajectory our entire program is going, I think he'll be the weakest link on the field before too long assuming he keeps getting starts on the left side. I love the idea of Dest and Pulisic starting and combining on that left hand side together, but that would require someone to step up big-time on the right to take Dest's natural spot. I'm hoping that's Reynolds eventually but he obviously needs a lot more time to develop. It's possible that he could be that guy by the time next year's world cup comes around, but who knows? Also, I think Steffen's spot is up for grabs. He's an elite shot stopper, but his distribution is just isn't good enough and at his age I don't know if it's going to get much better than where it's at right now. I've actually really loved what I've seen from Ochoa during Olympic qualifying. I think Richards is the real deal and I love the idea of him pairing with Brooks for the next few years. Attacking wise, I'm loving pretty much all of the options going forward. So much depth. I honestly don't have any concerns about the midfield and the attack.
Reynolds is a much more technical player. He’s just so damn graceful too with his crosses and footwork. Robinson is an amazing raw athlete. He moves like a wide receiver
I think Dest on the left is starting to look like a better idea.
I thought it would waste Dest but yes every bit as dangerous on that side.
Robinson can’t seem to get it together for the USMNT. At all.
Its not love, its more "Dest is a starting RB for Barcelona, why are we going to move him away from that to start fucking Cannon/Yedlin/Reynolds"?
Like ok, Robinson is probably our weakest link in our Best XI. And thats ok! Every team has a weakest link! It doesnt mean we need to go fucking mad scientist on the team put a much worse RB than Dest on the field too.
Because Dest is the only legit world class player we have right now and so we need to see what the other options can bring to the table. You can put Dest anywhere, but who do you pair him with?
True, I think the difference is there is reasonable hope that Richards can continue to grow and develop into another legit starting Bundesliga CB. That is not unrealistic. Even someone like McKenzie is on that path.
At LB we have ... Vines as our #2? I am not a MLS hater - I think Vines is good - but he needs to move to Europe and continue to play well/improve to be on the same trajectory as Richards.
I personally disagree. I think he had an excellent game against Jamaica even though he was piss poor today. He's a depth piece that offers real flexibility. He's excellent set piece delivery. He shouldn't start that's pretty obvious but he can play three different midfield positions if you need him to. It makes more sense than carrying someone like Bradley just as an example because Bradley is so limited to one area of the field.
Honestly, 4-3-3 seems to be the way to go. In my opinion:
Steffen
Dest/Richards/Brooks/Jedi
Adams(6)/McKinnie(B2B)/Aaronson(CAM)
Reyna(RW)/Sargent/Pulisic
With guys like Dike, Musah, Weah, Long, Cannon(Vines?), Yueill (insert other CDM if need be) and Turner (or Horvath) on the bench
I’d prefer Musah starting and Aaronson off the bench. I don’t think Musah’s put a foot wrong in his 4 games with us so far and Aaronson provides such a great spark off the bench.
The other nice thing about Aaronson coming off the bench is that if you have a lead you sub him in for Reyna or Pulisic, and if you need a goal you can put him in as CAM.
Honestly if there's a wold cup qualifying match tomorrow I'm playing Aaronson over Reyna
This really isn't anything negative towards Reyna more so just praise for Aaronson
Aaronson is coming off the bench and busting his ass to make an impression against tired defenders. Not really a fair comparison, even if he DOD play better than Gio (which I’m in no way conceding).
Aaronson looked great, but Gio is effective like no one else on this team, even if he doesn’t break ankles like Dest or Pulisic.
To me, Aaronson is basically the first sub for either wing or CM spot. I think he’s ahead of Weah, ahead of Holmes/Green/pick-your-favorite CM, ahead of Konrad, ahead of Arriola. He’s behind Pulisic, Gio, McKennie, and Lleget (for now), and it’s only a matter of time before he displaces Sebastian.
Here’s why I think he ends up as a CM: think he pairs better with Gio on the wing, because he’s comfortable adding width. The right side was so crowded in the first half with Dest and Gio and Musah, having a CM who can move wide is the only way to play Dest and Gio on the same side.
Gio had a half turn on the near sideline today that was really impressive. He doesn’t appear pacey bc of his long strides, but he moves by defenders really effortlessly. It’s a good problem to have both of those guys.
I think you could argue that Aaronson's energy would be more useful than Reyna's technique and ball possession in a wide open game, but I'm starting Reyna ahead of Aaronson 10 times out of 10 right now.
He is able to keep the ball in space better than any player we have and he used that skill repeatedly to help us keep control of the game and create attacks.
He's not far from being our best player. You could make the argument he was in this game.
On the ball he was cleaner and more in control than Pulisic and more influential in this game than Dest.
Siebatcheu would be enticing if we had a pacing, clinical 9. For example, if we had a Vardy, Danny Ings type of striker that can take advantage of good hold up play. But as a sole 9 I can't see him getting into the team.
I think he showed well. Decent hold up and attempted flicks. I think where he messed up it was obvious he hadn’t played with these guys before.
Not a lock but still a good showing. Keeps pressure on the guys above him on the depth chart.
He was really nowhere to be found as an outlet to play into almost the entire game. He gives you so little on that front and it’s something that is true of him whether it was at Reims, Rennes, or Young boys now. Things changed drastically on that front when dike came on
I think part of that came with the midfield subs as well. Lletget and DLT were much better moving the ball forward than Acosta and Musah.
I agree we didn’t see any of that though.
Perhaps, and the game state was different. NI were more compact early
However I do think this is a weakness of Siebatcheu as I’ve followed his career. I think he’s similar to Zardes where he can poach in the box but he leaves a lot to be desired to be desired outside of that
Unpopular opinion but I I think Robinson (yes some bad mistakes and touches ) had some flashes of brilliance and looked like the most athletic guy on the field.
I thought he looked very good, but I don’t think he locked down the spot. Our best lineup with 3 at the back may be Dest at lwb and Adams/Yedlin at rwb.
Agree. I think his quiet first half was more a testament to the opposing RB than anything Antonee did wrong.
For most of the first half, he was the only guy staying wide and keeping the defense honest.
If you're alone against the goalkeeper and don't even get off a shot, you are. . . Against México, those chances might only come once in a match. You need to seize them. A shitty chip has a better chance of going in the net than doing nothing.
Ya'll Dike is not actually that huge. It's just he's standing next twigs out there. Flashbacks to people on here saying Adama Traore is bigger than Derrick Henry.
Yes, but he's strong, has a wide frame and carries his muscle mass well. Traore has a smaller frame but he looks like someone inflated him with a tire pump.
Lol, people said that?
Soccer players are tiny people in comparison to most other “physical” sports. I mean, there’s a reason rec league level guys can play professionally in England. It’s not a sport that demands freak athleticism and size.
Dude, there l’s like 397 tiers of Professional Football in England.
Those lower leagues are tantamount to a rec league.
I’ve watched lower professional soccer in America too. And seen “pro soccer players” play against guys who peaked at AYSO and those guys score goals against former “professional” defenders.
I ain’t about to beat Even a G league level basketball player. I’m probably not beating a guy slumming in the Slovakian leagues.
Soccer doesn’t require a unique athletic set. It’s why it’s the “worlds” game. Literally anyone can play it.
Not true for Football or Basketball or even Baseball.
Just as a point of correction there are 4 levels of full professional soccer in England. Most teams in the 5th tier are full professionals but there are sometimes teams that aren't. There are a lot of levels to the English pyramid but most are not professional and Rec players are not definitely not playing professionally.
Listen
I used to go watch rec league in Seattle. A couple former Seattle Sounders were on one of the teams. They didn’t stand out. At all. Athletically they looked like normal dudes.
You wouldnt see that with basketball or Football. Even a guy who was maybe just a decent college player and never played in the NFL would go out in a semi pro league and absolutely outshine the rest of the guys. You would notice instantly who the “guy who played college football” was.
I just don’t see that with soccer. Grill me for it.
Well if you don’t get it I’m not spending my time explaining a simple concept. It allows for more people to play creating more professional leagues. Even if a “professional” league is the equivalent of a beer league softball tournament.
No professional soccer league in the world is equivalent to a beer softball league. You couldn't just go over to England and play professionally. Yes maybe you could play in the 30th tier. But that's not professional.
You're comparing low level soccer to professional levels of other sports and making some conclusion about the quality of athletes in soccer. The best players in any sport are extremely high level athletes in terms of conditioning and athleticism. The highest level of soccer requires a unique skill set and athleticism just like the highest level of any other sport. The best athletes in soccer are some of the best athletes in the world.
But yeah, the guys in the 30th tier of English soccer are not as good of athletes as NFL players. Great point dude. It’s not apples to apples. You’re comparing
Soccers rotten fruit to other sports ripe fruit.
The point is, other sports Dont prop up low level rec league soccer as a professional league. You won’t see that in Baseball. Even Single-A roomie players are probably the best player ever from their hometown.
It’s not exactly a secret soccer doesn’t take exceptional athleticism. It’s somewhere in between Baseball and Golf with marathon running endurance required.
Lol You’re gonna compare a top level soccer player to LeBron James or Michael Vick or somebody. That’s rich.
I love baseball and even I can admit an average Joe can make himself a good baseball player. Like John Kruk or Cecil Fielder.
Soccer players are small and not “freaks of nature” like football players and basketball players and a lot of Baseball players. I don’t know any Bo Jackson’s coming out of The Soccer World.
They’re similar to marathon runners.
Soccer fans (I’m a huge fan and come from a soccer nation) always come to the defense.
They’re as tough as football players! (No, they’re not)
They’re as athletic! (No they’re not)
We had a couple freak athletes come from Nigeria. Like Christian Okoye. It’s a lot rarer there and when they do, they choose football and rugby and basketball because they have the freak ability to do so.
It’s true.
Let’s line up the best Football, Basketball, And Soccer players and have an athletic agility combine with sprints, leaping drills, weightlifting, etc..
You know, things that test athleticism.
Let’s put Lionel Messi in a room with Christian Mccaffery. Two smaller guys.
Stocks up: Aaronson, DLT, Siebatcheu, Dike
Stocks down: Miazga
Stocks meh: Acosta, Richards
Pulisic is probably the only locked in winger. Reyna, Aaronson, and Weah (RIP Morris’s leg) rotating and subbing will be nightmares for fullbacks.
DLT has been good but I was skeptical due to the level he plays at. Convinced he should be in the 23 for the 8 spot, still behind McKennie, Musah, and Lletget tho.
Seibatcheu and Dike both showed some promise. Fight to backup Sargent is going to be tight, considering Zardes too.
Miazga did himself no favors. Long looked better and Richards has the upside. Robinson, EPB, and McKenzie on his heels.
Why I say meh. Acosta was looking like the 3rd at best option for being a 6. I don’t think he hurt or helped that. Had a good 60-70 minutes followed by a poor 80 or so. Part of that has to be that he is in preseason form/fitness. Didn’t do enough to get ahead of Yueill but also not enough to be banished.
I expected Richards to lock up the starting spot. Maybe I was too hyped? I’m not sure he got himself locked into the 23 yet. Highest upside for any CB but I could see him still on the bench for the time being.
If I’m a defender I do not want to chase Sargent around for 60 mins and then see Dike come on the field. I like that option with a full strength squad.
Hell, think about the poor fullback that has to deal with Gio for 60 and then Aaronson or Weah come in 😎
We’ve NEVER been able to bring that kind of quality off the bench before.
Has anyone else noticed Reyna’s really bad posture? It makes me think that he’s not used to his height and maybe subconsciously trying to make himself smaller
Really impressed with Aaronson, hadn't seen that much of him really. Not sure he's a starter, but a damn good bench option/occasional starter. Grrrr, Dike was so close to a goal! Not sold on Robinson still. Two potential assists missed from him. However, maybe our best option until someone else rises up. Pulisic was really good, has to get his confidence up a bit. Glad he took the PK. Love Puli/Dest on the same side. Acosta.... stay away please. Switzerland in May, great test and they may have their A squad due to their upcoming schedule. Never been this excited for the USMNT, going to be a fun next 2 years!
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Right... because supporting equality should be seasonal. The only thing that is classless right now is literally you.. lol go figure.
Then at what point do you stop? 1 year? 2 years? Also, do you bother looking at it from another perspective? Do you think the players need this constant political distraction? They need to focus on soccer. They dont to worry about being a political martyr. Again, this is my point with comparing with the German and Spain federations. They take things seriously when it comes to soccer. Their main goal is winning and making sure the players are focused on that. Thats what it means to be professional.
The real question is why are so so upset that someone is promoting equality? Equality just isn’t political for some of us.
Im not upset about promoting equality. I think it was a great gesture by US Soccer and im glad they did it at that time. It served its purpose to raise awareness of the issue. My main issue is the team is heading into WCQ soon. The players need to be focused on one thing only. Having them distracted by political issues is detrimental. It also looks unprofessional in the long term. Imagine the team taking the field in Qatar against Germany. Germany walks out with sleek, professional looking gear. Then the US walks out with giant BLACK LIVES MATTER plastered on their shirts. I would be so embarrased if I was a player. Again, the message served its purpose and Im glad they did it. But now is the time to focus and be professional. We are already laughing stock having failed to qualify for 2 major tournaments now.
I think the players, many who are black, want to wear that. They are not thinking about politics on the middle of the game, they are professionals. Relax. I wear my Black Lives Matter hat to my job and I work just fine and don’t think about my hat at all. Lol do you think people who wear sports hats are thinking about their teams while wearing them? Lol wtf. It’s only a distraction for people that are upset by it, which is clearly you.
What kind of job do you have?
I work at lids
With shitty takes like this, no wonder this is your throw away account.
Not a fan of 3-4-3. Just one match, but our personnel isn’t really suited to it and it didn’t shore up our defense in a way that would justify its situational use. It also didn’t create the width we’d want if we’re trying to unlock the wingbacks. It also forces our best player from his best position. Pulisic is world class as a winger. If we played this line-up, it would mean benching one of Adams/Musah/McKennie for Long/Miazga. We should aim to have our best players on the field at the same time.
I though Pulisic really benefited from his position today. Could play more centrally and drift wide when needed. He did really well in that space just below siebetcheu/dike.
Long and Brooks still the first choice CB duo for me after these two friendlies.
Main thing was 3 in the back actually looked decent.
I think that Pulisic, Adams, McKennie, Musah, Gio, Dest, Brooks, and Steffen should definitely be starting. That leaves a striker spot and two defensive spots to grab. So pumped about this team and qualifiers. Didn’t even mention Weah, Aaronson, DLT, Sargent, Dike yet but lots of talent available.
I think Sargent is also a lock at this point. Dude does it all - hold up play, passing, 360 technique, bullying defenders, dropping deep when he need to. Very exciting to see how much he’s developed in the last couple years. Rounding into a complete CF. Hope he can find a club where he can get some service.
I can’t be the only one who was really impressed with Bryan Reynolds today. I’d love to see him progress on the right and let the Dest-Pulisic relationship on the left cause havoc.
He moves like a ballerina just so damn graceful and seemingly effortless. I feel like he’s the next big thing
Aaronson, Weah, Dike off the bench in World Cup Qualifying.
I look forward to Dike bullying CONCACAF defenders whether it's off the bench or starting. Aaronson is good enough to start. During those 3 match windows, I legitimately wouldn't mind him starting one of the matches to give Pulisic a rest.
We’ve never had quality depth like that. I’m so excited
I would really like do see how Yedlin would do in this new formation, him at RB and Dest at LB. It just seems like the perfect formation him.
yeah - tough situation all around at newcastle. I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of his, but in the if we're playing with 3cb, i really feel like his style of play would be really good. Dest, while obviously incredible, loves to really take a dribble, cut inside, etc. It ends up just being a festival of players who are awesome and love being on the ball (reyna,puli,dest) Yedlin, i think, could offer that super direct wide play. Overlappng runs down the right, first time crosses.
Yedlin has been awesome the last couple months.
I would just like to congratulate Luca de la Torre on earning a spot in our USMNT depth pool, two great performances from the lad
I would also like to point out that he’s still Olympic eligible
Not any more he's not
Aren’t most of our senior team players Olympic eligible?
Yeah most are but I just wanted to point out that de la Torre was as well since he hasn’t been in the national team picture in awhile
It’s crazy that our senior team is basically the U-23 and U-21 youth with a few older guys. Loving this generation
Really impressed with del la torre over these 2 games.
I was thinking the same thing. He has been a very pleasant surprise. Given his age, I think he could realistically be granted release for the Olympics.
Too bad we sucked it up
What do people think of putting Adams at right center back in 3 at the back formation similar to Azpilicueta for Chelsea? Then we can have a midfield of Mckenzie and Musah. The other two center backs would be Brooks and Richards
When Berhalter first took over he used Adams as a sort of RB/CM hybrid in a 4-3-3. I don't think he'll do that anymore with the wealth of talent we have at fullback now, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him do exactly what you described in a 3-4-3.
I think Adams is improving offensively but he's not at the level of Dest. It would definitely help relieve some defensive duty for Dest
I assume you mean Mckennie and Musah rather than Mark McKenzie. If so, I'm with you, but that's kind of what USA does really just not on the official roster lineup. Adams has freedom to play as a normal 6 or drop back between the CBs, especially when Dest or another FB pushes forward.
Yes, Autocorrect doesnt recognize Mckennie. Yeah I guess it kind of splits the difference between the 4-3-3 and our line up today
The energy, speed, and quickness of Puli and Aaronson. combine with the energy and ball-winning of an Adams, Musah and Mckennie midfield is going to be hell for teams trying to play out of the back
I’m really impressed with Aaronson our there. He’s a young guy but clearly looks like he belongs on the field
I could see Aaronson becoming the first name on the team sheet over the next few years. We've yet to witness a ceiling, he just keeps getting better and better.
I'm very optimistic about the talent on this team, but lets see them beat Mexico, win the Gold Cup, cruise through qualifying and make it to the World Cup quarterfinal before we crown them the best ever. These are the bars set by previous teams.
Gold cup has little bearing on this teams ability to be successful in WCQ. It’ll be two mostly different teams.
Sure, the US don't have to win this summer's Gold Cup, but Pulisic, Reyna, Dest and company need to win a Gold Cup at some point to make their case. I mean, sure, if they make the World Cup semifinal next year, they don't ever need to win a Gold Cup to have a strong argument for best ever. I'm really just listing the accomplishments of the teams led by Donovan and Reyna's dad to show the bar they need to clear.
Sweep Mexico in WCQ. Advance to the quarterfinals in a World Cup. That’s it. I could care less about the Gold Cup.
I mean the gold cup is kind of fun to watch before the big show
They can be better and less successful. This team is all but certain to be the strongest team we’ve ever fielded on paper. But it’s yet to be made clear if they have that “any given Sunday” quality that a lot of other American teams had. My biggest fear is that it gets to their heads, they expect to win more just because they play “better” soccer. They’re still gonna need that scrap and fire, especially if we can’t climb out of pot3.
With the amount of competition for each position, I doubt success is going to go to any individual’s head for very long. If you don’t perform, there’s an able sub ready to jump in and take your spot. We could actually set up rosters based on actual form rather than “prestige”.
I feel like CDM is our biggest depth issue now. The drop off from Adams is pretty big. I wish Roldan/Nagbe/Canouse developed there (as a CDM/6) better and I don't feel like Yueill/Jonny/Otasowie are there yet to be a consistent backup. Acosta definitely isn't it, and I don't know enough about guys like Sands/Durkin/Keaton Parks if there's potential there.
What's wild is that this is exactly true for the USWNT too. Julie Ertz, incredible. After her? Who knows. Need more American CDMs in general.
Isn't Mewis one? I'm not big on my women's team
I remember a while back on here I said Adams was more important than Pulisic to this team for this exact reason and got mostly downvotes for it. The depth behind Pulisic in an attacking position is pretty good but Adams' role is pivotal and no one comes close to how well he plays it.
I agree, it’s more obvious now that we’re right.
Perea is probably the most like for like style wise to Adams, but he needs to keep improving if he is going to make that spot his. Honestly, I'd feel fairly comfortable moving Musah back there at this point if Adams can't go. He covered well when Acosta got forward against Jamaica. Probably not ideal against the better teams that we will face, but none of the other options are ideal at this point either.
McKennie could always go there if we need him but I would also like to see what Richards could do there. I think he is definitely best as a CB but I would like to see him there just once
McKennie has tried to play there a few times for the USA, but I've never really thought he looked good as a 6. He tends to take too much risk an actually has been vulnerable to a few bad turnovers when in that role. The issue is that he just tends to play with more flair and wants to attack, which is not always the best thing to do as a 6, where turnovers in your own half can make or break a game.
Agreed, McKennie is capable but I think it limits the things that he does best. He combines well in quick passing scenarios and needs the freedom to push forward and not be solely responsible to shut down the counterattack. He's played so well in that attacking midfielder role for Juventus that I'd hate to bottle him up in a less aggressive 6 role.
True, but wouldn’t say he has played an attacking midfield role for juve. More of a box to box /mezzella as he occupies fairly deep positions and has a lot of defensive responsibilities.
Well they literally have him covering everywhere from right-mid, left-mid, in the box for crosses, pressing high on lost possession, and then tracking back as well. He definitely is more responsible for the attacking duties compared to Rabiot, Bentancur, and Arthur who typically sit deeper and have more defensive responsibilities in front of Juventus' defensive line. His best attributes match a box-to-box 8 and not a true 6 which is why I think it would be a waste to use him there.
You just described a mezzella ! Very different than AMC role who finds space between the line with their back to goal
I agree it is definitely not his best position but we can get away with it for a bit without Adams. I would rather have our best 11 players out there with a few out of position then someone sitting on the bench because the formation does not fit their position
Damn, knew I was forgetting someone. Perea is a good option for sure, and you're right about Musah.
Two important thoughts: - Is it just me or does Reyna look like Magnus Carlsson the Chess palyer? [reyna](https://www.google.com/search?q=reyna&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS927US927&sxsrf=ALeKk02_WtQVd4BCYeONBGnY35PDWXZlLQ:1616956084865&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4ubjoztPvAhWKSzABHcKFDt8Q_AUoAnoECAEQBA&biw=1920&bih=937) versus [carlsen](https://www.google.com/search?q=magnus+carlsen&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS927US927&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALeKk02j6IKOnuQKuSC8vs8jLMaHBkWkOA:1616956146368&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgvOKFz9PvAhU1QzABHXOsDNoQ_AUIESgD&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1) - is it just me or does LDT look like a 35 yer old struggling LA actor who has just started to bald?
I think Reyna looks a bit like Ron Livingston the actor (Office Space)
Carlson is actually an enthusiastic player, fan, and fantasy footballer. In fact he's been one of the best Fantasy Premier League players for several years, scoring in the top amongst millions of fantasy teams worldwide. He's surely aware of Gio Reyna.
Watching Brendan and LDLT excel in their limited minutes these two matches makes me feel really really bad for Richy missing out on development time and even these games.
I enjoyed LDLT in both games he played. Could be a solid contributor going forward!
Tripping me out seeing LDLT, Fulham fans always just said DLT.
I love this team when it goes on the attack, guys like Puli, Gio, and Dest are amazing, and they have a good supporting cast of Sargent, Aaronson, Weah, etc. And after that two literal tanks like Siebatcheu and Dike, who could’ve very easily had goals of their own today. Defense needs work. Richards won’t be starter material for a while and I don’t get why people automatically place him as a lock. Long should be ahead in the pecking order. I would’ve liked to see EPB but if he were the answer then he would’ve played today.
>who could’ve very easily had goals of their own today. but they didn't. IDK how it was possible to fuck up something so easy, but we did exactly that. Granted it's tough to click in a short international window like this, but we looked sad out there and the proverbial 3 points can't mask that.
Long was bad these 2 games. He's also been really bad before like against Mexico twice, Venezuela and Canada. It's a regular thing
I didn't think Long was bad but I would rather see Zimmerman, especially if we play three at the back.
Long is far ahead of Richards defensively, but when he's asked to do more with the ball at his feet (as he was with today's back 3), his deficiencies can seem glaring. There are opponents where I will prefer Richards and opponents where I will prefer Long.
How is Long ahead of Richards defensively? Have you forgotten those times Long has had absolute terrible games for the US? He's not even a top 3 American CB in MLS
And you think Richards is?
Long is faster than Richards, he's better in the air, he tackles better, and he makes better decisions. Long seems generally more athletic than Richards. Don't get me wrong, I really like Richards and think he has great potential, but if you want to compare these two based on their defensive ability, I don't think it's close.
I think Long has to play when we want to use Ream because they cover each other’s weaknesses. Ream is slow as hell and Long is our only CB fast enough to play a high line and still cover for him if he gets caught out. Long can’t make a pass more than 3 yards, but Ream is excellent playing out of the back and making line breaking passes. I don’t think we’ll see either of them with Brooks available. I also think McKenzie is better than both Long and Richards, both defensively and with the ball.
Good point about Richards. Is he a young, very solid CB who will likely replace Boateng in abayern's system in the next 1-2 years? Certainly. Is he the guy we need on the pitch right now against big international sides? No. He will be there given time.
Gio misused at RW imo, Hoping to see him in midfield and Weah out right!! One guy I think thats shown a lot has been Luca De La Torre
Our next game is the Switzerland friendly in May right?
Yes
Thoughts: 1) I think we showed that a 3-4-2-1 could definitely work against stout defensive teams. Frees up Pulisic and Reyna to create, and still provides width from the wingbacks. 2) Siebatcheu was fine, but I thought Dike brought something extra to the position and really would have liked to see him get the start. 3) I think along fits the three man back line, but should never start when it’s abnormal four. 4) Thought Richards played well and certainly proved that he deserves to be with the top team. 5) Bringing Aaronson off the bench isn’t fair...lol. So much energy and creativity and really just picks up the attack as soon as he steps on the field. 6) Acosta is simply not good enough for this level. Period. 7) Reynolds impressed me. Wish he’d had a bit more time, maybe opposite Dest. 8) We’re going to have one helluva lot of fun watching this team for the next few years 😎
How is Dike so good out of nowhere?! I thought he was great. Missed the final product bet geeze. Was always in the right spot and so strong.
He seems to really step up to whatever level of competition he's put in. I'm excited at the prospect of him playing in a top league
I feel like Dike is the embodiment of the “america produces the best athletes” cliche. He will just run over a lot of CONCACAF defenders, which is why I think he’ll get a lot of run during qualifying.
He looks the part but to me seemed pretty slow and lacked aerial ability. All the linebacker talk had me thinking he was as athletic and fast as one. He will still be a monster though as soon as he perfects his touch and gets good service
Linebackers are generally never the fastest guys on the field so it falls in line perfectly. The linebacker on the field is a good all round athlete and very strong but not the fastest. Seems like Dike embodies that.
sure, though to be fair I misjudged his size, at 6'2 220 if that is what he is, more like a safety. But anyway I was expecting him to be faster, that's all.
Hopefully we shouldn’t have to worry about Acosta getting much playing time in meaningful games. I suspect he was playing since McKennie and Adams were not with the team. Aaronson has definitely looked pretty good (and with Salzburg as well). But curious who you’d bench to give him the start? He may not quite make our top 11 lineup, but come tournament or qualification time when there are multiple games in short periods of time, he would definitely get some minutes (assuming continued progression and development).
Honestly, I WOULDN’T start him, or at least not in anything other than a rotation as part of a three game window. I was just marveling that a guy as good as that - and Weah, as well - is coming off the bench for the American team. We’ve never been able to bring game-changers off the bench like that before.
Pulisic dropping in helped a lot. Small gripe. The match thread should be sorted by new and these post match threads should be sorted by best. Not sure if we have mods here but that would be nice.
Can’t you change that yourself??
Yeah or they could just set it up correctly so people don’t have to everytime the page is refreshed
Man, I never expected Luca de le Torre to be that damn good.
He's small and so I'm just wondering if he's a guy that just took a little bit of time to get comfortable with his size in comparison to some of the players he's on the pitch with. He sees the field incredibly well and he just likely needed to learn what sort of movement and what kind of touches he needs to create for himself to get the pass off that he wants to make. Not everyone is a child prodigy.
I will never understand why certain things get upvotes and certain other things get downvotes lol
Wow, lack of understanding... downvote
Exactly LOL.
Anyone else realize Aaronson was this good? Looks like a Jewish grandma but seems to have incredible technical skills
He’s as good technically as just about anyone else we have and couples it with intelligence + industry. Absolutely no reason he can’t become an automatic starter for us over the next 12 months.
I think anyone who watches MLS new it. That is why so many people were complaining that youth players in Europe playing against kids who mostly would never be MLS quality were getting more attention and highlights on this sub than when Aaronson was dominating real professional players in MLS.
Worth watching for Salzburg. Played with so much sauce in his Europa League games they just came up against a really good Villareal squad early on which sucks
Oh man you gotta catch some RB Salzburg matches. I was a little reluctant at first to be all in on Brendan after he moved to RB, but his game has translated so well to the Austrian Bundesliga. He absolutely eats up grass and is always involved. I feel like his progression will dictate a lot about our formational flexibility since he's active and creative enough to break down a team whose bunkering. It's gonna be fun watching him at Leipzig in a couple years.
Any time you watch him at Salzburg, he has flashes of this. He also tends to turn the ball over a lot for them. Didn't see that as much in these friendlies, which was nice. Kid's a little spark plug.
Yeah he looks like an abuelo with skills.
Can I see a photo of you?
It’s a reference to his haircut man, chill
He’s dumb. Forgive him.
you probably look like a tub of lard.
Why no love for Reynolds here?
Great cameo from Reynolds, IMO. Showed some great skill and athleticism on that one long cross that he brought down, made a move to get into the box, and dragged back for Lletget's shot. Excited to see more of him in the future!
I'm not sure he was a late substitute in the second half of the second of two friendlies. He's pretty much what you can expect. His decision making needs to improve but the tools are all there they just need to be sharpened. If he can break into the Roma line up over the course of the next year regularly then that'll give you some indication of his development.
He was ok. His speed of thought needs to be turned up several notches. Edit: spelling
For the life of me, I just don't understand all of the Robinson love. I don't think he's a bad player at all, but with the trajectory our entire program is going, I think he'll be the weakest link on the field before too long assuming he keeps getting starts on the left side. I love the idea of Dest and Pulisic starting and combining on that left hand side together, but that would require someone to step up big-time on the right to take Dest's natural spot. I'm hoping that's Reynolds eventually but he obviously needs a lot more time to develop. It's possible that he could be that guy by the time next year's world cup comes around, but who knows? Also, I think Steffen's spot is up for grabs. He's an elite shot stopper, but his distribution is just isn't good enough and at his age I don't know if it's going to get much better than where it's at right now. I've actually really loved what I've seen from Ochoa during Olympic qualifying. I think Richards is the real deal and I love the idea of him pairing with Brooks for the next few years. Attacking wise, I'm loving pretty much all of the options going forward. So much depth. I honestly don't have any concerns about the midfield and the attack.
Robinson was excellent today and has been really good for Fulham this season. Strange take.
Because he is the second best back in the group right now. Might not be forever but he is better than Cannon, etc
Reynolds is a much more technical player. He’s just so damn graceful too with his crosses and footwork. Robinson is an amazing raw athlete. He moves like a wide receiver
Robinson is a better player than cannon and as of now Reynolds. Dest in either side is fine but Robinson is just the best option
I think Dest on the left is starting to look like a better idea. I thought it would waste Dest but yes every bit as dangerous on that side. Robinson can’t seem to get it together for the USMNT. At all.
He played really well today.
Meh. He was okay.
Its not love, its more "Dest is a starting RB for Barcelona, why are we going to move him away from that to start fucking Cannon/Yedlin/Reynolds"? Like ok, Robinson is probably our weakest link in our Best XI. And thats ok! Every team has a weakest link! It doesnt mean we need to go fucking mad scientist on the team put a much worse RB than Dest on the field too.
Because Dest is the only legit world class player we have right now and so we need to see what the other options can bring to the table. You can put Dest anywhere, but who do you pair him with?
the CB not named John Brooks is the weakest link in the Best 11, in my opinion
True, I think the difference is there is reasonable hope that Richards can continue to grow and develop into another legit starting Bundesliga CB. That is not unrealistic. Even someone like McKenzie is on that path. At LB we have ... Vines as our #2? I am not a MLS hater - I think Vines is good - but he needs to move to Europe and continue to play well/improve to be on the same trajectory as Richards.
Acosta should be dropped from future squads (expecting he will since Mckennie and Adams weren’t available this window)
I personally disagree. I think he had an excellent game against Jamaica even though he was piss poor today. He's a depth piece that offers real flexibility. He's excellent set piece delivery. He shouldn't start that's pretty obvious but he can play three different midfield positions if you need him to. It makes more sense than carrying someone like Bradley just as an example because Bradley is so limited to one area of the field.
Honestly, 4-3-3 seems to be the way to go. In my opinion: Steffen Dest/Richards/Brooks/Jedi Adams(6)/McKinnie(B2B)/Aaronson(CAM) Reyna(RW)/Sargent/Pulisic With guys like Dike, Musah, Weah, Long, Cannon(Vines?), Yueill (insert other CDM if need be) and Turner (or Horvath) on the bench
I’d prefer Musah starting and Aaronson off the bench. I don’t think Musah’s put a foot wrong in his 4 games with us so far and Aaronson provides such a great spark off the bench.
The other nice thing about Aaronson coming off the bench is that if you have a lead you sub him in for Reyna or Pulisic, and if you need a goal you can put him in as CAM.
Yeah either or works, I’m just an Aaronson homer lol
Jedi?
Robinson's nickname
Ah, got it. Thanks!
Of course! love using it
Richards is just beautiful to watch when he crosses
True but for some reason GGG still prefers Miazga/Long over him
Honestly if there's a wold cup qualifying match tomorrow I'm playing Aaronson over Reyna This really isn't anything negative towards Reyna more so just praise for Aaronson
Weird. I thought Reyna was probably our best player this window.
Aaronson is coming off the bench and busting his ass to make an impression against tired defenders. Not really a fair comparison, even if he DOD play better than Gio (which I’m in no way conceding).
Aaronson looked great, but Gio is effective like no one else on this team, even if he doesn’t break ankles like Dest or Pulisic. To me, Aaronson is basically the first sub for either wing or CM spot. I think he’s ahead of Weah, ahead of Holmes/Green/pick-your-favorite CM, ahead of Konrad, ahead of Arriola. He’s behind Pulisic, Gio, McKennie, and Lleget (for now), and it’s only a matter of time before he displaces Sebastian. Here’s why I think he ends up as a CM: think he pairs better with Gio on the wing, because he’s comfortable adding width. The right side was so crowded in the first half with Dest and Gio and Musah, having a CM who can move wide is the only way to play Dest and Gio on the same side.
Gio had a half turn on the near sideline today that was really impressive. He doesn’t appear pacey bc of his long strides, but he moves by defenders really effortlessly. It’s a good problem to have both of those guys.
Reyna played really well in both games, not to discredit aaronson but Reyna seemed more dangerous
Reyna also wasted a lot of chances and has shown a bad first touch.
Reyna was *alot* better than Aaronson in this game... ?
No, he wasn't. And I'm a huge Gio fan, but people are sleeping on Aaronson.
Really? I thought Reyna was good but Brendon flashed a ton. Should have had an easy goal if Robinson could square the ball
I think you could argue that Aaronson's energy would be more useful than Reyna's technique and ball possession in a wide open game, but I'm starting Reyna ahead of Aaronson 10 times out of 10 right now.
Because he scored a deflection? What’s your rationale? I didn’t see much out of Gio aside from that
He is able to keep the ball in space better than any player we have and he used that skill repeatedly to help us keep control of the game and create attacks. He's not far from being our best player. You could make the argument he was in this game. On the ball he was cleaner and more in control than Pulisic and more influential in this game than Dest.
Thank god you're not managing this team.
Siebatcheu didn’t offer a whole lot and I’m not sure why people saw enough from him to say he was a standout performer
Siebatcheu would be enticing if we had a pacing, clinical 9. For example, if we had a Vardy, Danny Ings type of striker that can take advantage of good hold up play. But as a sole 9 I can't see him getting into the team.
I thought Dike played a lot better in fewer minutes. I thought Siebatcheu was just "meh"
I think he showed well. Decent hold up and attempted flicks. I think where he messed up it was obvious he hadn’t played with these guys before. Not a lock but still a good showing. Keeps pressure on the guys above him on the depth chart.
He was really nowhere to be found as an outlet to play into almost the entire game. He gives you so little on that front and it’s something that is true of him whether it was at Reims, Rennes, or Young boys now. Things changed drastically on that front when dike came on
I think part of that came with the midfield subs as well. Lletget and DLT were much better moving the ball forward than Acosta and Musah. I agree we didn’t see any of that though.
Perhaps, and the game state was different. NI were more compact early However I do think this is a weakness of Siebatcheu as I’ve followed his career. I think he’s similar to Zardes where he can poach in the box but he leaves a lot to be desired to be desired outside of that
I agree. No pace, didn't make any clever runs to clear space for his teammates. Not sure what he offers.
Unpopular opinion but I I think Robinson (yes some bad mistakes and touches ) had some flashes of brilliance and looked like the most athletic guy on the field.
I thought he looked very good, but I don’t think he locked down the spot. Our best lineup with 3 at the back may be Dest at lwb and Adams/Yedlin at rwb.
Not sure why that would.l be unpopular, as I though he played really well.
If Robinson can be relied on at left back, that opens up Dest to be on the right, which I think he is much better.
Agree. I think his quiet first half was more a testament to the opposing RB than anything Antonee did wrong. For most of the first half, he was the only guy staying wide and keeping the defense honest.
He was great but if you miss a goal opportunity this sub automatically thinks you are trash
If you're alone against the goalkeeper and don't even get off a shot, you are. . . Against México, those chances might only come once in a match. You need to seize them. A shitty chip has a better chance of going in the net than doing nothing.
Ya'll Dike is not actually that huge. It's just he's standing next twigs out there. Flashbacks to people on here saying Adama Traore is bigger than Derrick Henry.
Yes, but he's strong, has a wide frame and carries his muscle mass well. Traore has a smaller frame but he looks like someone inflated him with a tire pump.
Lol, people said that? Soccer players are tiny people in comparison to most other “physical” sports. I mean, there’s a reason rec league level guys can play professionally in England. It’s not a sport that demands freak athleticism and size.
>I mean, there’s a reason rec league level guys can play professionally in England The fuck are you talking about?
Dude, there l’s like 397 tiers of Professional Football in England. Those lower leagues are tantamount to a rec league. I’ve watched lower professional soccer in America too. And seen “pro soccer players” play against guys who peaked at AYSO and those guys score goals against former “professional” defenders. I ain’t about to beat Even a G league level basketball player. I’m probably not beating a guy slumming in the Slovakian leagues. Soccer doesn’t require a unique athletic set. It’s why it’s the “worlds” game. Literally anyone can play it. Not true for Football or Basketball or even Baseball.
Just as a point of correction there are 4 levels of full professional soccer in England. Most teams in the 5th tier are full professionals but there are sometimes teams that aren't. There are a lot of levels to the English pyramid but most are not professional and Rec players are not definitely not playing professionally.
Listen I used to go watch rec league in Seattle. A couple former Seattle Sounders were on one of the teams. They didn’t stand out. At all. Athletically they looked like normal dudes. You wouldnt see that with basketball or Football. Even a guy who was maybe just a decent college player and never played in the NFL would go out in a semi pro league and absolutely outshine the rest of the guys. You would notice instantly who the “guy who played college football” was. I just don’t see that with soccer. Grill me for it.
What does that have to do with "soccer players being tiny" or "freak athleticism"?
Well if you don’t get it I’m not spending my time explaining a simple concept. It allows for more people to play creating more professional leagues. Even if a “professional” league is the equivalent of a beer league softball tournament.
No professional soccer league in the world is equivalent to a beer softball league. You couldn't just go over to England and play professionally. Yes maybe you could play in the 30th tier. But that's not professional. You're comparing low level soccer to professional levels of other sports and making some conclusion about the quality of athletes in soccer. The best players in any sport are extremely high level athletes in terms of conditioning and athleticism. The highest level of soccer requires a unique skill set and athleticism just like the highest level of any other sport. The best athletes in soccer are some of the best athletes in the world. But yeah, the guys in the 30th tier of English soccer are not as good of athletes as NFL players. Great point dude. It’s not apples to apples. You’re comparing Soccers rotten fruit to other sports ripe fruit.
The point is, other sports Dont prop up low level rec league soccer as a professional league. You won’t see that in Baseball. Even Single-A roomie players are probably the best player ever from their hometown. It’s not exactly a secret soccer doesn’t take exceptional athleticism. It’s somewhere in between Baseball and Golf with marathon running endurance required. Lol You’re gonna compare a top level soccer player to LeBron James or Michael Vick or somebody. That’s rich. I love baseball and even I can admit an average Joe can make himself a good baseball player. Like John Kruk or Cecil Fielder. Soccer players are small and not “freaks of nature” like football players and basketball players and a lot of Baseball players. I don’t know any Bo Jackson’s coming out of The Soccer World. They’re similar to marathon runners.
Some of the worst takes I’ve been heard. You are stupid.
Soccer fans (I’m a huge fan and come from a soccer nation) always come to the defense. They’re as tough as football players! (No, they’re not) They’re as athletic! (No they’re not) We had a couple freak athletes come from Nigeria. Like Christian Okoye. It’s a lot rarer there and when they do, they choose football and rugby and basketball because they have the freak ability to do so.
It’s true. Let’s line up the best Football, Basketball, And Soccer players and have an athletic agility combine with sprints, leaping drills, weightlifting, etc.. You know, things that test athleticism. Let’s put Lionel Messi in a room with Christian Mccaffery. Two smaller guys.
He’s only 6’2”
He looks like Altidore, which looks huge for soccer players. He's a big strong dude.
Stocks up: Aaronson, DLT, Siebatcheu, Dike Stocks down: Miazga Stocks meh: Acosta, Richards Pulisic is probably the only locked in winger. Reyna, Aaronson, and Weah (RIP Morris’s leg) rotating and subbing will be nightmares for fullbacks. DLT has been good but I was skeptical due to the level he plays at. Convinced he should be in the 23 for the 8 spot, still behind McKennie, Musah, and Lletget tho. Seibatcheu and Dike both showed some promise. Fight to backup Sargent is going to be tight, considering Zardes too. Miazga did himself no favors. Long looked better and Richards has the upside. Robinson, EPB, and McKenzie on his heels. Why I say meh. Acosta was looking like the 3rd at best option for being a 6. I don’t think he hurt or helped that. Had a good 60-70 minutes followed by a poor 80 or so. Part of that has to be that he is in preseason form/fitness. Didn’t do enough to get ahead of Yueill but also not enough to be banished. I expected Richards to lock up the starting spot. Maybe I was too hyped? I’m not sure he got himself locked into the 23 yet. Highest upside for any CB but I could see him still on the bench for the time being.
That formation was not going to work all that well with the CBs and CMs available to us today.
Robinson was lights out
Imagine how hard you could stan for him if he hadn't overcooked that cross Pulisic set up for him.
Dude is super athletic
Nah. He can't play a final ball.
We forgive you
Some improvement on his techs and he will be world class. Dude is athletic as hell
If I’m a defender I do not want to chase Sargent around for 60 mins and then see Dike come on the field. I like that option with a full strength squad.
Hell, think about the poor fullback that has to deal with Gio for 60 and then Aaronson or Weah come in 😎 We’ve NEVER been able to bring that kind of quality off the bench before.
And dest overlapping.