***** USMNT vs Wales WC Game Thread (11/21) *****

54,630 Views | 1053 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by akm91
Rudyjax
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Summary?
Mathguy64
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Ugh. Finally got a chance to watch.

A tale of two halves and we looked tired/flat the 2H. We just aren't built to try and sit back and defend for 45 minutes.

Now it's all about goal differential. Lose to England while Wales beats Iran and we will know how many we have to score against Iran but we better hope England doesn't roll over for Wales the last day. That's my big fear right now.
AgRyan04
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Just finished watching.

That was disheartening. They just poured it on us in the second half.
gougler08
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Mathguy64 said:

Ugh. Finally got a chance to watch.

A tale of two halves and we looked tired/flat the 2H. We just aren't built to try and sit back and defend for 45 minutes.

Now it's all about goal differential. Lose to England while Wales beats Iran and we will know how many we have to score against Iran but we better hope England doesn't roll over for Wales the last day. That's my big fear right now.


If Wales wins then England can't roll over, they'll want to avoid the Netherlands in round of 16 as group winner and I believe someone else also said that puts Brazil and Argentina on other side of the bracket assuming they win their groups
Mathguy64
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gougler08 said:

Mathguy64 said:

Ugh. Finally got a chance to watch.

A tale of two halves and we looked tired/flat the 2H. We just aren't built to try and sit back and defend for 45 minutes.

Now it's all about goal differential. Lose to England while Wales beats Iran and we will know how many we have to score against Iran but we better hope England doesn't roll over for Wales the last day. That's my big fear right now.


If Wales wins then England can't roll over, they'll want to avoid the Netherlands in round of 16 as group winner and I believe someone else also said that puts Brazil and Argentina on other side of the bracket assuming they win their groups
England doesn't have to lose. They can manage a tie if the GD is right. We need to play England close. A tie would be huge. It would help if Wales dropped a deuce against Iran and either tied them or barely won.
Bubblez
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gougler08 said:

Mathguy64 said:

Ugh. Finally got a chance to watch.

A tale of two halves and we looked tired/flat the 2H. We just aren't built to try and sit back and defend for 45 minutes.

Now it's all about goal differential. Lose to England while Wales beats Iran and we will know how many we have to score against Iran but we better hope England doesn't roll over for Wales the last day. That's my big fear right now.


If Wales wins then England can't roll over, they'll want to avoid the Netherlands in round of 16 as group winner and I believe someone else also said that puts Brazil and Argentina on other side of the bracket assuming they win their groups
Though, they can very easily play for a draw, knowing all they need is a point. Certainly no need to press for multiple goals.
gougler08
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Bubblez said:

gougler08 said:

Mathguy64 said:

Ugh. Finally got a chance to watch.

A tale of two halves and we looked tired/flat the 2H. We just aren't built to try and sit back and defend for 45 minutes.

Now it's all about goal differential. Lose to England while Wales beats Iran and we will know how many we have to score against Iran but we better hope England doesn't roll over for Wales the last day. That's my big fear right now.


If Wales wins then England can't roll over, they'll want to avoid the Netherlands in round of 16 as group winner and I believe someone else also said that puts Brazil and Argentina on other side of the bracket assuming they win their groups
Though, they can very easily play for a draw, knowing all they need is a point. Certainly no need to press for multiple goals.


Sure, but they will at least put their starters in. I think our best hope is Iran remembers that they are supposed to be a decent team against Wales
Mathguy64
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gougler08 said:

Bubblez said:

gougler08 said:

Mathguy64 said:

Ugh. Finally got a chance to watch.

A tale of two halves and we looked tired/flat the 2H. We just aren't built to try and sit back and defend for 45 minutes.

Now it's all about goal differential. Lose to England while Wales beats Iran and we will know how many we have to score against Iran but we better hope England doesn't roll over for Wales the last day. That's my big fear right now.


If Wales wins then England can't roll over, they'll want to avoid the Netherlands in round of 16 as group winner and I believe someone else also said that puts Brazil and Argentina on other side of the bracket assuming they win their groups
Though, they can very easily play for a draw, knowing all they need is a point. Certainly no need to press for multiple goals.


Sure, but they will at least put their starters in. I think our best hope is Iran remembers that they are supposed to be a decent team against Wales
I agree. Hate to say it but we could use help from Iran.
fig96
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Lot of what we've talked about. Would've been good with a draw if offered it before the match but it felt like a loss given the situation. Looked great in the first but felt lifeless in the second, adjustments and subs weren't good, questioned why no Reyna.
Bubblez
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Mathguy64 said:

gougler08 said:

Bubblez said:

gougler08 said:

Mathguy64 said:

Ugh. Finally got a chance to watch.

A tale of two halves and we looked tired/flat the 2H. We just aren't built to try and sit back and defend for 45 minutes.

Now it's all about goal differential. Lose to England while Wales beats Iran and we will know how many we have to score against Iran but we better hope England doesn't roll over for Wales the last day. That's my big fear right now.


If Wales wins then England can't roll over, they'll want to avoid the Netherlands in round of 16 as group winner and I believe someone else also said that puts Brazil and Argentina on other side of the bracket assuming they win their groups
Though, they can very easily play for a draw, knowing all they need is a point. Certainly no need to press for multiple goals.


Sure, but they will at least put their starters in. I think our best hope is Iran remembers that they are supposed to be a decent team against Wales
I agree. Hate to say it but we could use help from Iran.


I'd be thrilled if Iran only loses by 1 goal to Wales. If going into the England game, the result of Wales Iran was a 4 goal victory to Wales, you pretty much know getting a point from England becomes a necessity.
LeonardSkinner
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Seven Costanza said:

I don't understand what Pulisic is even attempting on his corner kicks.

I'm going to shorten the train of thought that led me here, but simply put, do they believe that he should be taking the set pieces because he's wearing the 10?
swc93
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Almost 1am and still pissed on the tie that feels like a lose.
DeangeloVickers
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Fairview20 said:

How's your living situation over there? Saw some tweets showing the fan village already looking like a mini fyre fest with toilets that aren't working, long check in lines, etc.


So far excellent. I stayed in the Westin Doha (where Brasil national team is staying) and its the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in. Brazil fans are off the charts insane. Surrounding hotel, trying to sneak in, etc. Security and qatar police had no idea what they were getting into.

I then moved to the cruise ship. It's a party here. Lots of English, Welsh, and Aussies. Smoking cigarettes and drinking way over priced alcohol. I have a lot of match tickets so I'm not here much and I'm cheap so I'm not spending any money on the boat.

My last two nights are at the "sheds" so that's where thing will get interesting. I do have friends at various locations if it gets bad. One set is at apartment cluster and it's not bad...a place to sleep with AC that works
gambochaman
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Ray Hudson ripping into berhalter and zimmerman
jeffk
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Probably the best breakdown or write up I've seen yet. The game changed in the second half but we lacked the killer instinct to take advantage of what we were being given and put Wales to bed.

Who?mikejones!
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jeffk said:

Probably the best breakdown or write up I've seen yet. The game changed in the second half but we lacked the killer instinct to take advantage of what we were being given and put Wales to bed.




Same book, different chapter.

It's been this way for as long as I've been watching. The usa has never been able to consistently take advantage of other teams mistakes or finish at a high rate.

Meanwhile, other teams seemingly punish us for our mistakes.

This adds up to us appearing to play at the levels of our opponents no matter the skill on the pitch.
jeffk
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The best teams get more clinical as the game progresses. We're not there yet and honestly this is one of the first US teams that has enough talent across the board that could get there eventually. Fingers crossed we'll take that step as this group grows up.
Rudyjax
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jeffk said:

The best teams get more clinical as the game progresses. We're not there yet and honestly this is one of the first US teams that has enough talent across the board that could get there eventually. Fingers crossed we'll take that step as this group grows up.
Past our starting 11, we're really weak and that's part of it. I know they weren't playing well for the entirety of the 2nd half, but the subs did nothing and made it worse.



jeffk
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What? The subs were absolutely a positive change yesterday. Should have been made sooner, imo. And we have some great talent on the bench. Maybe not as much as the elite teams, but far more than we've had in previous cups.
Rudyjax
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jeffk said:

What? The subs were absolutely a positive change yesterday. Should have been made sooner, imo. And we have some great talent on the bench. Maybe not as much as the elite teams, but far more than we've had in previous cups.
Really...i thought they brought a bag of nothing. I'll have to re-watch. But I won't so I'll take your word for it.
Mathguy64
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Nonsense. There is depth here that we really have never had. Reyna and Aaronson are international level players. Acosta isn't that level but he's not a scrub. Yedlin is who he is but he is your LB sub and he was not only fresh but not hampered by being on a yellow. McKennie and Dest were both gassed and it showed. The whole team was lethargic by 62' and the subs should have come on then. By the time Berhalter made them at 74-75' Musah was also gassed and cramping. Once they came on the energy picked back up. Berhalter simply waited 10-12' too late.
Rudyjax
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Mathguy64 said:

Nonsense. There is depth here that we really have never had. Reyna and Aaronson are international level players. Acosta isn't that level but he's not a scrub. Yedlin is who he is but he is your LB sub and he was not only fresh but not hampered by being on a yellow. McKennie and Dest were both gassed and it showed. The whole team was lethargic by 62' and the subs should have come on then. By the time Berhalter made them at 74-75' Musah was also gassed and cramping. Once they came on the energy picked back up. Berhalter simply waited 10-12' too late.
Once you get past Reyna and Aaronson, who would you really want to come in with the game on the line?

Of course he needed to sub. But not sure that Morris, Acosta, and Yedlin are really going to make that big of an impact.

They were fresh, that's for sure.

Would've preferred Gio for Pulisic but apparently he's hurt.

gougler08
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I still don't get Morris over Reyna...but I was fine w/ the rest of the subs
Rudyjax
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gougler08 said:

I still don't get Morris over Reyna...but I was fine w/ the rest of the subs
Apparently Gio is hurt again.

La Bamba
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Ken Scarborough said:

gougler08 said:

I still don't get Morris over Reyna...but I was fine w/ the rest of the subs
Apparently Gio is hurt again.



Is that official or just speculation? Of course probably the only logical explanation for not subbing him in yesterday, yeah?
tysker
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Ken Scarborough said:

jeffk said:

What? The subs were absolutely a positive change yesterday. Should have been made sooner, imo. And we have some great talent on the bench. Maybe not as much as the elite teams, but far more than we've had in previous cups.
Really...i thought they brought a bag of nothing. I'll have to re-watch. But I won't so I'll take your word for it.
it was a mixed bag for sure. Neither Morris nor Wright didnt do much more than Sargent but that was due to the overall play of the midfield.

CP and Weston need to stop giving the ball away so easy.
akm91
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Berhalter should've planned 60' subs for McKennie and Dest. He had to have known they weren't going to last much beyond that time frame, given that they're still getting to match fitness.

I personally thought Yedlin was the wrong sub, as he really offers nothing going forward. Should've been either Moore or Scally to provide some offensive spark.


Fairview20
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DeangeloVickers said:

Fairview20 said:

How's your living situation over there? Saw some tweets showing the fan village already looking like a mini fyre fest with toilets that aren't working, long check in lines, etc.


So far excellent. I stayed in the Westin Doha (where Brasil national team is staying) and its the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in. Brazil fans are off the charts insane. Surrounding hotel, trying to sneak in, etc. Security and qatar police had no idea what they were getting into.

I then moved to the cruise ship. It's a party here. Lots of English, Welsh, and Aussies. Smoking cigarettes and drinking way over priced alcohol. I have a lot of match tickets so I'm not here much and I'm cheap so I'm not spending any money on the boat.

My last two nights are at the "sheds" so that's where thing will get interesting. I do have friends at various locations if it gets bad. One set is at apartment cluster and it's not bad...a place to sleep with AC that works


Love to hear it! Live it up!
jeffk
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texagbeliever
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If Musah, Mckinnie and Dest are all fitness concerns im wondering if the US shouldn't start out in a defensive 5-2-3. Start Acosta next to Adams. Start Aaronson, Pulisic and Weah/Sargent up top. I think this England team will feast on space so try to limit it. Also it will take 2 defenders to slow down Saka.

Then at half time sub on Mckinnie & Musah for Acosta and the 3rd CB. Probably sub on Gio for Pulisic around 60 minutes and bring on Weah/Sargent for Aaronson around then as well.
tysker
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Weston is on a yellow card.
If he's not fully fit do you risk playing him and have him miss the Iran game?
texagbeliever
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If the US is down by only one goal at half i think you bring him on. He is a difference maker and would really help a 2nd half press.

The goal is to frustrate and conserve energy the first 45. Then press and attack in the 2nd 45. Basically the reverse of yesterday.

I want us to be able to put the back line of England under pressure because they are not skilled passers of the ball.
AgGrad99
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We're not really built to play defensive like that. We need to attack and focus on possession. Otherwise, it's going to look like yesterday's second half.
akm91
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Quote:

I want us to be able to put the back line of England under pressure because they are not skilled passers of the ball.
I'm not so sure of that. I think their achilles is they're fairly slow but they're pretty good passers. Stones gets regular starts for Pep and wouldn't be on the field if he couldn't pass the ball.
texagbeliever
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I thought stones was the 3rd pick cb because he wasn't good in possession. Macquire and Shaw are both bad in possession. Now Bellingham/Rice combo could cause problems against a press. Which is why id rather try it in 2nd half after those legs slow up a bit.
 
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