USMNT Rising | Page 3 | The Boneyard

USMNT Rising

FWIW - Bradley played well last night in the 6 role. Was happy to see the captaincy given elsewhere, I think that goes a long way. All in all, solid performance last night (albeit vs a weak panama side), thought they looked hungry and chased the game with a ton of energy. 3-0 result is just what we needed to kick off a new Era. I'm sure lots of folks will poke holes , but a win is a win and for the first time in a while, I enjoyed watching 90mins of US Soccer.

Pretty solid showing against a World Cup qualifier’s C Team. We should be really strong this cycle. I thought Bradley’s backwards and sideways passes were world class.
 
Pretty solid showing against a World Cup qualifier’s C Team. We should be really strong this cycle. I thought Bradley’s backwards and sideways passes were world class.
Yawn.
 
Panama reminded me of a football team that never gets past the 50 yard line. They we stuck in ther own end all night. That said, you could watch the American side become more and more comfortable over time. That was nice to see. Ultimately it all comes to nothing, which wouldn't have been true if we lost.
 
Panama reminded me of a football team that never gets past the 50 yard line. They we stuck in ther own end all night. That said, you could watch the American side become more and more comfortable over time. That was nice to see. Ultimately it all comes to nothing, which wouldn't have been true if we lost.
All true, but my biggest takeaway from last nights game was how bad this version of the Panama team was.
 
Panama reminded me of a football team that never gets past the 50 yard line. They we stuck in ther own end all night. That said, you could watch the American side become more and more comfortable over time. That was nice to see. Ultimately it all comes to nothing, which wouldn't have been true if we lost.

And it identified a style that the 'new' USMNT seems to be learning towards (possession, though how such a strategy will work against a quality side in the Gold Cup will be interesting to see) and a few players like
Mihailovic, Rodan and Zimmerman who could sniff the senior team going down the road.

As for Bradley, in a game like this with a young, inexperienced team against a Concacaf B team, I have no issue with him being on the pitch to provide experience when most of the other experienced non-US based players are not available. He played well within his role (I do like him in a deep central midfield role over an attacking midfield role as he seems much more comfortable). I also think he knows that he is not in the plan for 2020, so serving as the team's elder statesman in 2019 is his one shot to re-build his rep after the nightmare 2018 was.

PS - USMNT leadership needs to get its head of of their collective arses. With the nightmare of 2018 suffocating the programs in a game featuring a USMNT non-name team (no disrespect intended) against a Concacaf team not from Mexico, playing at a 63,000 seat stadium was foolish and it showed. The game drew maybe 20K. Horrible optics for a program that needs an infusion of energy. I get the game had to be played down south as its winter (imagine playing at Minnesota United's pitch later in the week when the high for MSP is supposed to be -10F with -50F windchill); but, MLS has 20K stadiums in San Jose, LA (2x), Houston, Dallas, and Orlando that would have been better suited.
 
.-.
That’s what I thought about watching 11 no hopers from Camp Cupcake.
Well Camp Cupcake is for finding a player or two who might be able to help down the road. So that's really all you can expect.
 
Pretty solid showing against a World Cup qualifier’s C Team. We should be really strong this cycle. I thought Bradley’s backwards and sideways passes were world class.

I'd say we should make him a defender, except than all he could do is score own goals since he doesn't remember how to kick the ball in the other direction.
 
6,000 in attendance. Down the street, WWE sold out for Royal Rumble, which is planned one year in advance. Why would US Soccer choose the same city and night to go head to head against an event that will win the casual sports/entertainment fan 9.5 times out of 10?
 
I don't think there was much to take away from this match. Panama had no interest in anything going forward. The entire game was played between the 18's, even with three goals.

If you are looking for takes here are mine FWIW.

If GB is going to insist on a quasi 3-4-3, we are going to need better players.

At least they had a plan on offense and admit I haven't seen that many pull backs to the trailing runner from the US in about ever.

Most of the technical skills seemed poor, the ball was bouncing all over.

Zardes has no business as a central striker.

Steffan's save was top notch, too bad he is going to be riding the bench at Man City. Hopefully they loan him out to a lower table EPL team.

All in all, it's Camp Cupcake, a bunch of guys got a taste of the senior team.
 
Why would US Soccer choose the same city and night to go head to head against an event that will win the casual sports/entertainment fan 9.5 times out of 10?
Intl soccer vs WWE crossover? Even among casual sports fans? WWE’s even a sport? Seriously? ;)

Different contributing take: 2 “C” teams with rosters most US American soccer fans let alone casual sports fans know jack shiite about, game not involving Mexico nor a Central American nation with a large base in or near PHX, etc
 
.-.
Different role, but hopefully some of the youth can move him on out.

Not at all. Long term he projects as a defensive midfielder. Given the fact that McKennie and him are probably starting and McKennie is best placed in a box to box role, that is where Tyler would most likely line up.
 
Not at all. Long term he projects as a defensive midfielder. Given the fact that McKennie and him are probably starting and McKennie is best placed in a box to box role, that is where Tyler would most likely line up.
Bradley is not a DM. They have been trying to play him as a Pirlo, as opposed to Adams as a Gattuso.
 
Bradley is not a DM. They have been trying to play him as a Pirlo, as opposed to Adams as a Gattuso.

He is a DM now. Remember when everyone was crying because Jürgen didn’t use him in that role?

He is better suited as a box to box though.
 
.-.
He is a DM now. Remember when everyone was crying because Jürgen didn’t use him in that role?

He is better suited as a box to box though.
No he's not a DM. He's supposed to be playing a HM.
 
No he's not a DM. He's supposed to be playing a HM.

In our “system” those are basically the same thing. In a 4-3-3 you usually have a hm, box to box and an attacking mid.

I really don’t care what MB is or is supposed to be. I don’t even want him as a water boy.
 
AO Hartford will be at Tavern for the game tomorrow. Discounted beer and good times to be had!

 
In our “system” those are basically the same thing. In a 4-3-3 you usually have a hm, box to box and an attacking mid.
Wait, what? We have a "system"? :confused:

I really don’t care what MB is or is supposed to be. I don’t even want him as a water boy.
Relax, he's on his way out. Would you rather Trapp?
 
Wait, what? We have a "system"? :confused:


Relax, he's on his way out. Would you rather Trapp?

No Trapp isn’t good enough either. Go with McKennie, Pulisic and Adams in a three man midfield and I am good. Trapp is a third choice at best at his position.
 
No Trapp isn’t good enough either. Go with McKennie, Pulisic and Adams in a three man midfield and I am good. Trapp is a third choice at best at his position.
Ok well, McKennie, Pulisic and Adams are not in camp. ????
 
.-.
The team played a very good second half after an awful first half.

With the exception of one horrid TO, Trapp looked okay especially on long lead out passes.
 
When will we see a camp with players who will actually be our future? Will it be this summer after the European leagues finish?
 
When will we see a camp with players who will actually be our future? Will it be this summer after the European leagues finish?

Likely the March Camp. US Soccer just announced a game on Mach 21st in Orlando against Ecuador While Euroope soccer will still be going strong, both the 2019 Gold Cup (North America) and Copa America (South America) are right around the corner with a mid-Juen start. Thus, it will be time, I hope, to stop experementing and to get a team together. For the match, I expect both squads to have primarily A team starters on the roster supplemented by a couple of B team players who may sniff A team action.

USMNT Borderline Players: Zimmerman, Rodan, Mihailovic, Lletget, & J Lewis while I already consider Steffen to be on the A team list

Special note: I would not be surprised to see Tim Howard on this roster to give him a proper send-off before retirement.
 
Last edited:
When will we see a camp with players who will actually be our future? Will it be this summer after the European leagues finish?

The next camp should have been in Europe to make it easy to integrate the European based players into the squad.

This last camp was a waste. Most of the players in camp had very limited futures in the program. A few of them weren’t even starters in MLS.
 
Yup, this camp has always been a USSF/SUM cash grab with a bunch of no hopers.
9000 and 13,000. Not sure how much cash they grabbed.
 
.-.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,640
Messages
4,587,342
Members
10,497
Latest member
Orlando Fos


Top Bottom