MNT's 2021

[ZooCougar]

Whatever Steffen's ceiling might be he's already shown he can't be counted on to be sharp for the USMNT. Turner is #1 until Steffen gets regular club work. I've made up my mind on that.

Dest is going to be maddening. Absolute quality but gets in trouble trying to show it off and is a liability on defense.

Arronson has proved his worth and is the #1 backup on either wing behind Pulisic and Reyna. Weah isn't a winger. Give him a shot at striker.

Adams, McKennie played a horrible first 20 minutes and the entire squad is heavy on the first touch.

I'm liking Pepe, but I don't think we can count on him every game at his age Need to find another good option, but he's the leader for that spot now by default. Wusah ia showing quality as well but I'm not sure I like 2 attacking mids ahead of Adams. I prefer 2 holding mids behind McKennie, but it's a good thing to be have the option to change gears. Wusah still needs some polish, a bit sloppy with the ball as are many others.

I like having a 10 an 8 and a 6 in the midfield.

 

[Mots010]

Was calling that an own goal the correct call?

 

[LIuconn]

Problem is we don’t have a true 10. US is easy to beat - funnel them down the middle as they don’t have guys who can make plays in small spaces.

Funny thing when Gregg might be coaching for his job he rolls out a very Euro lineup. I prob would have gone with Zimmerman with Richards or Robinson in the back for some experience.

CR was putrid. Imagine if that breakaway was someone with average speed? It’s 2-2 and we’re having a different convo.

looking like Mexico/US/Canada with Panama maybe sneaking in. Can’t let up but we should be fine

 

[Palatine]

I don't get people dissing Dest. Without him we tie or lose to both Jamaica and Costa Rica. The first goal was not his fault (or even a mistake). It was good service by Costa Rica and bad coverage by the USA.

I thought we were pretty much dominate but our service from the wings was lacking. We still could have had another goal or two.

And remember no Pulisic, no Brooks, no Pefok even on the roster. If we stay healthy we could be formidable.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Steffen: Poor play/reactions on the goal then didn’t have much to do the rest of the game. As others have said, Turner should be #1 based on his shot stopping alone.

A Rob: Works extremely hard, good defensively and good pressure, just couldn’t pick out the final ball today, he favors his left a little too much where it becomes predictable.

Richards/M Rob: Didn’t have much to do like Steffen, but either/both were at fault for the goal, positioning was suspect. They didn’t have great chemistry together but it will come. Both have good recovery speed. Richards is good with the ball but lost too many headers for my liking. Us as a team didn’t win many to be fair.

Dest: What can ya say, our most dangerous and technical player plays in defense. That goal was tremendous on the weak peg. Does so much well. I know he may try to do much but whatever, he’s a step above most of his teammates. Hopefully when Puli/Reyna return they’ll develop some chemistry

Adams: I love him. He breaks up so much, offers a calming presence on the ball, and spreads the field really well. doesn’t put a foot wrong much at all.

Weston: I don’t know why/how some of the pundits on twitter are saying he had a great game. He does work hard and get in good positions, but his final ball is more often than not poor, his touch is also often poor, and his passing leaves a lot to be desired. He doesn’t work as hard defensively as he has in the past and can leave the team caught out a lot.

Musah: Similar to Dest. Guess that shows the development of academies here in the US. So sure on the ball, quick thinking, shields players off tremendously. Like Dest can get caught doing too much, but for the next decade+ of him and Adams in the midfield, i’m excited.

Aaronson: Works extremely hard and has good technique plus skill. Although I have been a bit disappointed in his delivery both on set pieces and in the final third. But pretty much always makes the right play and takes on the defenders.

Weah: Love how direct he is. Fast, strong and picks out pass well. Doesn’t try to do too much. Has a rocket of a right foot as well. I would love to try him out at Striker at some point, he offers the pace that no others in our pool do at that position.

Pepi: I love the kids upside and nose for goal, but he doesn’t offer much in way of connecting play or aerial threat, which I though he would. He just disappears a lot. I think putting Hoppe in at the 9 around the 65th would’ve been a good call. He likes to receive the ball and drive at defenders, and I think we needed that tonight.

Just not his game tbh.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Problem is we don’t have a true 10. US is easy to beat - funnel them down the middle as they don’t have guys who can make plays in small spaces.

Funny thing when Gregg might be coaching for his job he rolls out a very Euro lineup. I prob would have gone with Zimmerman with Richards or Robinson in the back for some experience.

CR was putrid. Imagine if that breakaway was someone with average speed? It’s 2-2 and we’re having a different convo.

looking like Mexico/US/Canada with Panama maybe sneaking in. Can’t let up but we should be fine

Richards was definitely not “putrid”. And anyways that breakaway was caused by Miles’ soft pass. Good on Miles for recovering though.

 

[LIuconn]

good write up. Agreed on Weston. Just not seeing it from him

 

[LIuconn]

Miles recovered because the striker was 45 years old and running in quick sand. What if that’s Grealish?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Miles recovered because the striker was 45 years old and running in quick sand. What if that’s Grealish?

No I agree, what i’m saying is that was caused by Miles in the first place, not Chris. The pass was left short and Chris was on his heels expecting a regularly weighted pass.

 

[LIuconn]

Same page! Bad ball that should have been buried in the back of the net

 

[outlaw]

will anyone else be in SC for the Clemson game? USA Mexico is that Friday night.. would be a lot of fun to get together with the local AO chapter in either Anderson or Greenville. I think we're staying closer to Greenville but looks like Anderson is close to Clemson as well.

anyway - massive +3 last night.. lets get Pulisic and Reyna healthy for the November games and take the next step!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agree with @CardiacAndre7 on almost all of this.

I think Zimmerman is more reliable than Miles and is better in the air. Both are better than Brooks at this point. Richards seems invisible, I barely notice he is playing. Not sure if that is good or bad.

A. Robinson brings 2/3 of what Dest does on offense on the other side. Dest brings about 2/3 of what A. Robinson brings on defense. When Pulisic returns, he pairs pretty well with A Robinson. I'm a bit concerned with physicality on the right side. Dest and Reyna are tiny and we already get pushed around too much.

Musah brings quite a bit as an attacking mid and doesn't seem mistake prone. Not entirely sure what his best role is on this team.

McKennie: I liked his play much better in the final 2/3, but he still kills too many chances to attack by sending the ball back or making a sloppy pass. He's quick and can beat people, but it feels like he loses control and doesn't deliver the ball. He's young and hopefully the game slows down for him. He looks like he's in a hurry to get rid of the ball when he receives it. I'd rather play Reyna there and put Aaronson on the right side.

Aaronson. Tireless worker. Speed, skill, always looking to go forward. Huge asset to a team that far too often gets in an offensive rut. Best receiver and controller of the ball we have, he saves some horrible passes. I think his service on set pieces is certainly better than Acosta's, but it seems he isn't always seeing what his teammates see.

Weah: like his speed and instincts to go forward. Like Musah, not sure of his role, but I like the idea of trying him at Striker. I think he could be more of a Clint Dempsey style striker, holding in traffic. Pepi isn't going to do that, at least not now. I've seen little evidence he can do much with the ball at his feet.

Pepi: since he's one of our few tall guys, I hoped he'd be a threat in the air. He doesn't seem to be. We have so much speed and skill outside, we get regular crosses, but we have nobody who can do anything with them. McBride would score every game with these outside wingers and WBs.

 

[upstater]

Agree with @CardiacAndre7 on almost all of this.

I think Zimmerman is more reliable than Miles and is better in the air. Both are better than Brooks at this point. Richards seems invisible, I barely notice he is playing. Not sure if that is good or bad.

A. Robinson brings 2/3 of what Dest does on offense on the other side. Dest brings about 2/3 of what A. Robinson brings on defense. When Pulisic returns, he pairs pretty well with A Robinson. I'm a bit concerned with physicality on the right side. Dest and Reyna are tiny and we already get pushed around too much.

Musah brings quite a bit as an attacking mid and doesn't seem mistake prone. Not entirely sure what his best role is on this team.

McKennie: I liked his play much better in the final 2/3, but he still kills too many chances to attack by sending the ball back or making a sloppy pass. He's quick and can beat people, but it feels like he loses control and doesn't deliver the ball. He's young and hopefully the game slows down for him. He looks like he's in a hurry to get rid of the ball when he receives it. I'd rather play Reyna there and put Aaronson on the right side.

Aaronson. Tireless worker. Speed, skill, always looking to go forward. Huge asset to a team that far too often gets in an offensive rut. Best receiver and controller of the ball we have, he saves some horrible passes. I think his service on set pieces is certainly better than Acosta's, but it seems he isn't always seeing what his teammates see.

Weah: like his speed and instincts to go forward. Like Musah, not sure of his role, but I like the idea of trying him at Striker. I think he could be more of a Clint Dempsey style striker, holding in traffic. Pepi isn't going to do that, at least not now. I've seen little evidence he can do much with the ball at his feet.

Pepi: since he's one of our few tall guys, I hoped he'd be a threat in the air. He doesn't seem to be. We have so much speed and skill outside, we get regular crosses, but we have nobody who can do anything with them. McBride would score every game with these outside wingers and WBs.

Agree with you on the defenders versus Brooks.

 

[upstater]

Musah: Similar to Dest. Guess that shows the development of academies here in the US.

Can you elaborate on this? What do you mean?

I guess I'm caught up in this story I just read on ESPN about Villareal's academy in the USA. ESPN is lauding it and its clearly a pay-for-play scheme cooked up by one guy. Bayern Munich had a similar US Academy, GPS, until the FBI raided them for all sorts of misdeeds.

 

[LIuconn]

Yeah, curious about that since Musah and Dest didn’t spend much if any time in the US growing up.

 

[ZooCougar]

Yeah against a better team that ball is in the back of the net. Hopefully they learn from that and don’t believe their own press clippings.

 

[ZooCougar]

Can you elaborate on this? What do you mean?

I guess I'm caught up in this story I just read on ESPN about Villareal's academy in the USA. ESPN is lauding it and its clearly a pay-for-play scheme cooked up by one guy. Bayern Munich had a similar US Academy, GPS, until the FBI raided them for all sorts of misdeeds.

Neither of those guys came through American Academies.

There are a few that are pretty good at producing talent like FC Dallas and Sporting. But never of our best talent never set foot in an MLS Academy or were not there long enough to matter (Weah).

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Can you elaborate on this? What do you mean?

I guess I'm caught up in this story I just read on ESPN about Villareal's academy in the USA. ESPN is lauding it and its clearly a pay-for-play scheme cooked up by one guy. Bayern Munich had a similar US Academy, GPS, until the FBI raided them for all sorts of misdeeds.

I was taking a dig at the US academies that our 2 most technical players were developed in England and Holland.

 

[ZooCougar]

I was taking a dig at the US academies that our 2 most technical players were developed in England and Holland.

And Pulisic never set foot in one either.

 

[Palatine]

Miles recovered because the striker was 45 years old and running in quick sand. What if that’s Grealish?

And because Miles is a rocket. He make up speed is very, very good. He is one of the few guys on the squad that could have covered up that mistake (admittedly his own).

 

[SubbaBub]

I like having a 10 an 8 and a 6 in the midfield.

If I trusted our backline against WC competition, I'd agree. As it stands I think GGG will have to (or should) alternate the formation based on how defensive the opponent plays. CR was a shell of there 2018 squad, or rather it was the same aged squad. They'll need new blood if they want to make a chase for the last spots. The two attacking mids was the right call last night, after giving away a lead. Adams won't be able to cover for Dest, Robinson, Musah and McKinnie against better attacking teams.

 

[SubbaBub]

Here are your (my) post October power rankings and positional locks (*). (Yes, barring injury and changes in form, we have a few more.) Striker is still wide open even if Pepi is the only one scoring. We thank a few more for applying and a few others moved up by not being here to balance the roster. Other than Striker and reserve CB's, I actually think the 23 is pretty much set. We are going to ride Dest, good and bad.

		Pepi
		Gioacchini
Pulisic*				Reyna*
Arronson*				Arronson*
		McKennie*		Arriola
		Musah*
	Adams*		Acosta*
	Lletget		Lletget
A. Robinson*	M. Robinson*		Brooks	Dest*
Dest	Zimmerman		Ream	Yedlin
			Long	Acosta
		Turner*
		Steffen*
		Horvath

Position Detail	Position Rank	Player	1-23 Rank	Change	Last
LW	1	Pulisic	1		1
RW	1	Reyna	2		2
DM	1	Adams	3		3
G	1	Turner	4	+7	11
LB	1	A. Robinson	5	+3	8
CB	1	M. Robinson	6	-1	5
RB	1	Dest	7	+2	9
AM	1	McKennie	8	-4	4
CB	2	Brooks	9	-2	7
DM	2	Acosta	10	-4	6
RB	2	Yedlin	11	-1	10
ST	1	Pepi	12	+4	16
ST	2	Gioacchini	13	-1	12
LW/RW	2	Arronson	14	+17	31
RW	3	Arriola	15	-1	13
AM	2	Musah	16	+9	25
DM	3	Lletget	17	-1	14
G	2	Steffen	18		18
CB	3	Zimmerman	19	+2	21
ST	3	Sargent	20	-3	17
AM	3	Roldan	21	-2	19
RB	3	Cannon	22	+1	23
G	3	Horvath	23	+1	24
LW	3	Hoppe	24	+2	26
CB	4	Ream	25	-5	20
CB	5	Long	26	+4	30
RW	4	Weah	27	-12	15
CB	6	Miazga	28	-6	22
RB	4	Moore	29	-1	28
ST	5	Dike	30	-1	29
G	4	Johnson	31	+3	34
DM	4	Yueill	32		32
RW	5	Morris	33		33
ST	6	Pefok	34	+1	35
ST	7	Zardes	35	-8	27
G	6	Guzan	36		36
G	5	Ochoa	37		37
ST	8	Altidore	38		38
AM	4	Busio	NR		NR
AM	5	Williamson	NR		NR
CB	7	Richards	NR		NR
CB	8	McKenzie	NR		NR
CB	9	Sands	NR		NR
CB	10	Kessler	NR		NR
CB	11	Pines	NR		NR
LB	3	Bello	NR		NR
LB	4	Vines	NR		NR
LW	4	Konrad	NR		NR
LW	5	Lewis	NR		NR

 

[SubbaBub]

Agree with you on the defenders versus Brooks.

I'm not quite there yet on Brooks/Zimmerman. No one has grabbed that spot yet and these ended up being easy games for the defense and yet Jamaica got a lot of chances. Mexico will tell a lot.

 

[upstater]

Neither of those guys came through American Academies.

There are a few that are pretty good at producing talent like FC Dallas and Sporting. But never of our best talent never set foot in an MLS Academy or were not there long enough to matter (Weah).

90% of our best players in Europe played in the development academy league. That is saying something. Pulisic, Adams, McKennie, Reyna, all of them went through US soccer DA clubs

 

[upstater]

I was taking a dig at the US academies that our 2 most technical players were developed in England and Holland.

Gotcha. Do they have more skills than Pulisic or Reyna though?