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Gold Cup

ZooCougar

ZooCougar

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So we advanced. Anyone else think Poch may have learned some things after these losses? I’ve always said that the results in friendlies don’t matter. What we learn in friendlies does.
 
businesslawyer said:
LMAO. We both know that if a homegrown USA coach had coached us through those 2 losses you would be demanding a firing.
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There's a difference between losing games 4 months in and 4 years in.

I have no expectations with the B team either way . . .
 
businesslawyer said:
LMAO. We both know that if a homegrown USA coach had coached us through those 2 losses you would be demanding a firing.
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Cheap shot, no? The homegrown guy got five years before he was sacked.
 
Excalibur said:
There's a difference between losing games 4 months in and 4 years in.

I have no expectations with the B team either way . . .
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Friendlies real don’t matter too.
 
hahahaha apparently Poch interviewed for the Brentford job DURING the gold cup
 
Well USA advanced. Barely. Glad they came back from missing the penalty. Saw most of the 1st half, didn't see the 2nd.
 
USA should’ve put it away early in the 2nd half. Great save by Navas on a Tillman header. Lucky to survive in pens.

Now it’s a very favorable match up against Guatemala in St. Louis. Poch out if they lose.
 
UConnTrumbull said:
USA should’ve put it away early in the 2nd half. Great save by Navas on a Tillman header. Lucky to survive in pens.

Now it’s a very favorable match up against Guatemala in St. Louis. Poch out if they lose.
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They won't lose. If they hired GGGG twice they won't fire Poch.

Beating Costa Rica with B/C roster is great for Poch. GGG could never. I like the way this team attacks now and it's been a nice opportunity to build some depth.
 
HuskyHawk said:
Well USA advanced. Barely. Glad they came back from missing the penalty. Saw most of the 1st half, didn't see the 2nd.
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It was all pretty ugly. But the penalty kick victory in sudden death gave the players one of those amazing moments where they all got to run together and jump up and down and celebrate. That was great for the guys. And it was better than losing and watching your opponents celebrate in a big bouncing ball of joy.
 
Palatine said:
It was all pretty ugly. But the penalty kick victory in sudden death gave the players one of those amazing moments where they all got to run together and jump up and down and celebrate. That was great for the guys. And it was better than losing and watching your opponents celebrate in a big bouncing ball of joy.
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Well they dominated the first half, somehow couldn't get on the board and gave up that weak penalty to go down 1-0. I appreciated the fight they showed when CR came after Tillman after the miss.
 
They must have spent 10 minutes before the game talking about the Berhalters,

Just couldn’t believe it. It’s like the idiots on FOX are trying to make us dislike the team.
 
It really was a masterful PK performance by Freese. Sniffing out the Panenka attempt really showed how well he was reading the shooters. Legit could have saved 5 of the 6.

Problem with considering Freese as a potential #1 next year is the other 270 minutes he played in this tournament which were filled with bad goalkeeping aside from the howler giveaway that would make England proud of him.

The US needs an elite GK, we don't have that but Turner is still the best option by a good distance. Ultimately, this club season will have a lot to say about who gets the nod and Poch has made it clear that playing regularly is going to be a key factor. I agree it's a factor but I don't just want the guy who is playing the most.

Same goes for striker but that will go to the guy scoring the most at the higher levels. I thought Aygemang has been impressive with his target work and passing. He's even scored a couple though we need at least a half a goal a game from the position, whomever it is.

Would also like to see him against better defenders. We've seen Sargent who has a similar game get swallowed up at the international level against better sides.

I'm mixed on Tillman, he's been a real play through guy on offense but has been poor on defense and botched a lot of his better chances. Right now I'm got him slightly ahead of Aaronson and Reyna (who's in trouble) with Musah as the guy I think is a waste of spot despite his club value.

I like what I've seen from baby GGG and McGlynn. Both should challenge McKennie. I also see BGG as a solid option behind Adams.

The fullback aren't ready to challenge for even a backup spot IMO. Richards is approaching lock status by elimination but CB is still a glaring weakness. The other spot is also a complete mystery. Ream is still the best guy we have in the back but can a 37 yr old guy make it and not be exposed when it counts? I know it goes against 50 years of US soccer tradition but playing 3 in the back with Ream as the sweeper and jedi/dest as wing backs makes a lot of sense.

Your attacking third depth chart could look like this

Pepi/Balogun Aygemang/Weah
CP/Luna McKennie/Tillman
ARob Adams/Berhalter Dest/McGlynn
 
This tournament is about building depth for the national team and it seems to be working. The goalie is shaky, the defense has way too many giveaways, the midfield needs to be more aggressive and we still don't have a striker.

But they are finding a way through.
 
We’re finding a way with a roster made up mostly of B-flight players, which is good. We didn’t adjust at all after Guatemala changed formations, which is not great. Luna has earned a WC roster spot, and Tillman has been a bright spot.

Aygemang is a nice story but doesn’t offer much other than strength and hold up play. And the defensive situation is getting depressing.
 
I just can’t find much positives from barely holding on against Guatemala. I guess if we beat Mexico then it will feel better. I don’t feel any more confident for 2026 than I did a few weeks ago.
 
UConnTrumbull said:
I just can’t find much positives from barely holding on against Guatemala. I guess if we beat Mexico then it will feel better. I don’t feel any more confident for 2026 than I did a few weeks ago.
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Most of these guys are not on the 2026 roster. Only Adams and Ream look to be sure fire starters. Freese is likely a back up, along with Tillman, Luna, and a handful of others.
 
Have we forgotten about how valueless the summer before the World Cup Gold Cup is? We could have the A team out there and that wouldn't make it more valuable.

If we can discover a few players that will help next summer then that's a success.
 
SubbaBub said:
It really was a masterful PK performance by Freese. Sniffing out the Panenka attempt really showed how well he was reading the shooters. Legit could have saved 5 of the 6.

Problem with considering Freese as a potential #1 next year is the other 270 minutes he played in this tournament which were filled with bad goalkeeping aside from the howler giveaway that would make England proud of him.

The US needs an elite GK, we don't have that but Turner is still the best option by a good distance. Ultimately, this club season will have a lot to say about who gets the nod and Poch has made it clear that playing regularly is going to be a key factor. I agree it's a factor but I don't just want the guy who is playing the most.

Same goes for striker but that will go to the guy scoring the most at the higher levels. I thought Aygemang has been impressive with his target work and passing. He's even scored a couple though we need at least a half a goal a game from the position, whomever it is.

Would also like to see him against better defenders. We've seen Sargent who has a similar game get swallowed up at the international level against better sides.

I'm mixed on Tillman, he's been a real play through guy on offense but has been poor on defense and botched a lot of his better chances. Right now I'm got him slightly ahead of Aaronson and Reyna (who's in trouble) with Musah as the guy I think is a waste of spot despite his club value.

I like what I've seen from baby GGG and McGlynn. Both should challenge McKennie. I also see BGG as a solid option behind Adams.

The fullback aren't ready to challenge for even a backup spot IMO. Richards is approaching lock status by elimination but CB is still a glaring weakness. The other spot is also a complete mystery. Ream is still the best guy we have in the back but can a 37 yr old guy make it and not be exposed when it counts? I know it goes against 50 years of US soccer tradition but playing 3 in the back with Ream as the sweeper and jedi/dest as wing backs makes a lot of sense.

Your attacking third depth chart could look like this

Pepi/Balogun Aygemang/Weah
CP/Luna McKennie/Tillman
ARob Adams/Berhalter Dest/McGlynn
Expand ...
I don’t know much about judging keepers. But my concern watching Freese is his foot. He can’t kick the ball worth a crap. Inaccurate, poor distance. As often as we play back to the keeper he needs to be able to do more than give the ball back to the other team.
 
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