USMNT Talk

I thought Sarachan did well as a coach. The kids played really hard, had a good awareness of tactics, and there was a lot of fluidity in the attack. Yes, the final third was lacking, but that had more to do with the lack of any #10 than anything else.

The problem is that we don't need him to prove his worth for the next job; we need him to get these kids ready for their next challenge, and to do that, he's got to play them.
 
I will also say that the game was a lot of fun to watch. No, there weren't a lot of chances, but the ball moved quickly around the pitch, and the second half was lit. Paraguay got frustrated and resorted to some thuggish tactics. It was worse than a Concacaf road game in the Hex. They earned a straight up red card on at least one occasion, but the referee didn't give it. There was almost a brawl, and players were pushing and shoving most of the evening.

High drama, a good showing by some young guys, and a win. It was all good.
 
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Arena is coming out with a tell-all book and it’s discussed in the Washington post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ns-firing-nearly-happened-six-months-earlier/

He’s a total finger-pointing baby when he makes comments like this about Klinnsman’s 4-0 loss to Costa Rica:
“I had trouble watching the Costa Rica game,” Arena wrote. “Seriously. It was uncomfortable for me to see the U.S. team playing that way, out of sync and at odds with one another, looking as though they didn’t really care all that much. … Those back-to-back losses were a fiasco for U.S. soccer, and no matter how much blame lay at Klinsmann’s feet, it was clear he’d coached his last game for the U.S.

It’s as if he can’t take responsibility for his own pathetic losses when his hand-anointed savior players were out of sync, at odds with one another, and lacked effort.
 
Watching tonight’s game is like watching your kid play Wiffle Ball in the backyard as your neighbor gets ready to watch his kid play in the World Series.
I've kind of tuned out of the US at least until the gold cup. Not intentionally, but I just don't care about tonight's match. Maybe I'll start to get more interested again once we have a permanent manager, as long as it's not Sarachan.
 
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OK, I’m having fun watching these kids and officially looking forward to the next cycle.

Yes, I know, Bolivia sucks and this is no big deal. Shut up.
These kids would have gotten at least a point, if not the win, in T&T. No doubt about it - they’re hungry, and fast, don’t stand around and link well in the attack. They’d be heading to Russia.
 
Lots of skill, which was fun to see, tempered by some inexperienced decision-making around the box. Fun win, though.

Tim Weah went from slightly obnoxious tryhard in much of the first half to legitimately dominant player, and that was nice. Great to see Sergeant get his goal. About two seconds before the Bolivia keeper tried to lob over him, I was thinking to myself "Sergeant saw the Champions League final, I'm sure..."
 
OK, I’m having fun watching these kids and officially looking forward to the next cycle.

Yes, I know, Bolivia sucks and this is no big deal. Shut up.

Agree with this completely. I am certainly not that excited about our team at the moment, but this game was legitimately fun to watch. The kids played hard - which is important - and also well. There was a lot of raw talent out there. It's exciting to see that along with the strong pride they all take in wearing the badge.

The future may not be now, but it's bright.
 
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So let's have some fun with the young roster. Give me your Starting XI using USA players 22 and younger.

Separately, provide a list of players 25 or older who should get any time in the next couple years.
 
And don't forget we still have to face Ireland and annihilation by France in the WC tuneup friendlies.
Here's Sarachan's squad for the friendlies in europe (from https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...calls-25-players-to-europe-for-ireland-france):

GOALKEEPERS (3):Bill Hamid (Midtjylland/DEN; 5/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 2/0), William Yarbrough (Club León/MEX; 3/0)

DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG; 2/0), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 15/1), Matt Miazga (Chelsea/ENG; 5/1), Shaq Moore (Levante/ESP; 0/0), Erik Palmer-Brown (Manchester City/ENG; 1/0), Tim Parker (New York Red Bulls; 0/0), Antonee Robinson (Everton/ENG; 1/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 17/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/ENG; 50/0)

MIDFIELDERS (10):Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; 3/0),Joe Corona (Club America/MEX; 21/3), Luca de la Torre (Fulham/ENG; 0/0) Julian Green (Stuttgart/GER; 9/3), Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 2/1), Keaton Parks (Benfica/POR; 1/0), Rubio Rubin (Club Tijuana/MEX; 6/0), Kenny Saief (Anderlecht/BEL; 2/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 4/0), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 2/1)

FORWARDS (3): Andrija Novakovich (Reading/ENG; 2/0), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 1/1), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 37/11)
 
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So let's have some fun with the young roster. Give me your Starting XI using USA players 22 and younger.

Separately, provide a list of players 25 or older who should get any time in the next couple years.

Here is my 11 in a 3-5-2. There are a lot of under 22 players that could be added to this 11 as there is a lot of talent already across the pond in that age group.

Horvath
Miazga
CCV
EPB
Adams
McKennie
Pulisic
Weah
Taitague
Sargent
Wright
 
Here is my 11 in a 3-5-2. There are a lot of under 22 players that could be added to this 11 as there is a lot of talent already across the pond in that age group.

Horvath
Miazga
CCV
EPB
Adams
McKennie
Pulisic
Weah
Taitague
Sargent
Wright
If this is a 3-5-2, after watching last night's game, Antonee Robinson has to be one of the wingbacks/wide midfielders. Thought he impressed the most last night.
 
If this is a 3-5-2, after watching last night's game, Antonee Robinson has to be one of the wingbacks/wide midfielders. Thought he impressed the most last night.
The team last night was a 4141 but attacked like a 433 with the wide kids flying. Not sure Robinson as a wingback would add the same attacking umph down the sideline in a 352. I’d be quite content to keep 4 at the back so he’s playing his natural position, while using only 2CBs so that to 2nd group of CBs could be rotated between games as necessary for injury, fatigue, cards.

And was it me, or did he look like Callens with his haircut?
 
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