USMNT Talk

[adam]

We change the formation because 2-3 starters are going to be suspended.

That's exactly it. Why I put down a 433 with the players I suggested. Our backline and keeper goes back to normal. We don't have to make any changes there. But now we have the following choices at Mid and Forward:

Mid: Bradley, Beckerman, Nagbi, Zusi, Kitchen
Forward: Dempsey, Wondo, Pulisic, Zardes

442 would have to have Bradley & Beckman in the middle. Zusi can play outside, but can Nagbi? I don't want to think about starting Kitchen vs Argentina. Up top; Dempsey and zardes. (you could put zardes in mid on the outside with Zusi, but then no nagbe and that's a waste of talent just to stick to a formation, it would also mean wondo or Pulisic up top)

433 makes more sense. Nagbi sit up top in the middle to create, beckerman holds the fort, and bradley sits back with beckerman but is also the link to nagbe. Then you can put pulisic, dempsey, zardes up top to do their thing. No wondo, because I'm not putting him in the middle and he's not going to track back as a wing.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

I'm seeing some quotes on twitter from the rules that yellows are erased after quarterfinal games. If that's true we may only be missing Jones.

 

[adam]

I'm seeing some quotes on twitter from the rules that yellows are erased after quarterfinal games. If that's true we may only be missing Jones.

the way I understood it is if you receive 2 yellows before semis (over 4 matches) you get a suspension the next match. Now everyone who didn't has a clean slate. Wood & Bedoya received 2 over the last 4 and now are suspended. So ids Jones for the straight red.

 

[Ulrich]

and in other news, apparently the fire alarm is going to be tested every night for the next week in the hotel that Argentina is staying in....

 

[mgarbowski]

I'm seeing some quotes on twitter from the rules that yellows are erased after quarterfinal games. If that's true we may only be missing Jones.

the way I understood it is if you receive 2 yellows before semis (over 4 matches) you get a suspension the next match. Now everyone who didn't has a clean slate. Wood & Bedoya received 2 over the last 4 and now are suspended. So ids Jones for the straight red.

Correct. The yellows are erased if at the end of the Q-finals you only have 1.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

I have enjoyed watching all the klinsman hater bloggers on my twitter feed. All have been shitting on lineups and saying we would lose. Must suck not to be able to enjoy this.

 

[SoupInNYC]

I have a decent amount of work I need to get done on my flight back from Seattle, so nothing too much here, but wanted to make 2 points from last night's match:

• IMO, this was Bobby Wood's best match in a USMNT uniform and he was one of our best players on the pitch last night. He was making great runs in behind, helped set up the first goal. I thought he was fantastic.
• Zardes had a great first touch on that goal

 

[SoupInNYC]

Other items to note looking forward to the Argentina-Venezuela match on Saturday, current Argentinians sitting on yellows:

• Marcos Rojo
• Angel Di Maria
• Javier Mascherano
• Augusto Fernandez
• Nicolas Gaitan
• Victor Cuesta
• Ever Banega

 

[adam]

Other items to note looking forward to the Argentina-Venezuela match on Saturday, current Argentinians sitting on yellows:

• Marcos Rojo
• Angel Di Maria
• Javier Mascherano
• Augusto Fernandez
• Nicolas Gaitan
• Victor Cuesta
• Ever Banega

Maybe they can give Messi a straight red.

 

[Ulrich]

Other items to note looking forward to the Argentina-Venezuela match on Saturday, current Argentinians sitting on yellows:

• Marcos Rojo
• Angel Di Maria
• Javier Mascherano
• Augusto Fernandez
• Nicolas Gaitan
• Victor Cuesta
• Ever Banega

and have you ever known an Argentine to hold their temper and/or emotions? There should be at least two sitting out for our match.

 

[FootyLovin]

I thought I was the only one who noticed that after the goal.

Not just after the goal. They showed him doing the same thing earlier in the match. I thought it was creepy the first time. The second made me want to take a shower.

 

[Dnigly13]

If it was up to me I would change the line up to a 3-5-2 that acts like a 5-3-2...
Yedlin-Cameron-brooks-Besler-Johnson
Nagbe-Bradley-zusi
Dempsey-Zardes

Good defensive counter attacking lineup.

 

[Paul]

I think we'll see this in the semifinal:

Johnson -- Dempsey -- Zardes
Bradley -- Nagbe -- Beckerman (a triangle with Nagbe at the point & Bradley/Beckerman in front of the back 4)
Besler -- Brooks -- Cameron -- Yedlin
Guzan

 

[SoupInNYC]

US Soccer is officially protesting the red against JJ and the yellow against Bobby Wood. Not holding my breath we'll get them back, but something to consider.

One advantage we will have is we have 2 extra days of rest and the team already traveled to Houston today. Argentina won't be getting there until Sunday I would think.

 

[adam]

Found this to illustrate the point of why Woods yellow could get recinded due to an illegal restart by the ref. Play should not have been allowed to resume till Jones was off the pitch.

 

[LionNYC]

View attachment 5112 Found this to illustrate the point of why Woods yellow could get recinded due to an illegal restart by the ref. Play should not have been allowed to resume till Jones was off the pitch.

I don't think we'll get both rescinded.
- Bobby Wood your card will be rescinded because Jermaine Jones didn't leave the field so play should not have resumed. Jermaine, you're not suspended for hitting the guy but you are for not leaving the field in time.
- Jermaine, your card will be rescinded because you did not hit the guy. Bobby, your card will be upheld because you fouled a player when the game should not have started.

 

[adam]

I don't think we'll get both rescinded.
- Bobby Wood your card will be rescinded because Jermaine Jones didn't leave the field so play should not have resumed. Jermaine, you're not suspended for hitting the guy but you are for not leaving the field in time.
- Jermaine, your card will be rescinded because you did not hit the guy. Bobby, your card will be upheld because you fouled a player when the game should not have started.

I'm hopping Woods' gets recinded and Jones turns into a yellow (which still means he misses semis, but is available for 3rd place/final). But who the hell knows with CONEMBOL to deal with. Someone ask Sunil what's left in the petty cash drawer, we might need it.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Here is my suggestion. Really just an effort to get the best XI on the field. Besler is more of a defensive presence at LB, which we will need. Fabian can provide speed in the counterattack and will Zardes up front. Zusi is a natural winger. Beckerman can provide defensive cover for Bradley, although the biggest potential downside here is that Bradley might get pushed more forward with Beckerman covering. Still, he's got the experience you want in a game like this. We can always put in Nagbe or Pulisic if we need more offense later.

 

[Taurus]

I think Klinsmann will go with a 4-4-2 against Argentina. Let's see what the lineup will look like. Maybe we can try this.

 

[Dnigly13]

Here is my suggestion. Really just an effort to get the best XI on the field. Besler is more of a defensive presence at LB, which we will need. Fabian can provide speed in the counterattack and will Zardes up front. Zusi is a natural winger. Beckerman can provide defensive cover for Bradley, although the biggest potential downside here is that Bradley might get pushed more forward with Beckerman covering. Still, he's got the experience you want in a game like this. We can always put in Nagbe or Pulisic if we need more offense later.

View attachment 5125

I think this will be it. Not my choice but i don't get paid to make the decisions.