USMNT Talk
- Thread starter MyBoyVilla
- Start date
Is that always true, though? I thought when LAG were actually good, Landon would be listed as a L/R mid, but actually play a lot underneath Keane and Zardes.
None of those 4 should make the 23. Maybe Evans in an absolute emergency.
Yeah, I thought I've seen Arena use quite a few different formations at LAG, especially the last 1.5 years when he had quite a few attacking options to work with.
I don't like this. But it will ensure we ALWAYS get to the WC out of CONCACAF. Hell, this may be the good reason to merge with CONEMBOL.
The waters down the WC and how do they now deal with 3 team groups. 4 matches each (home/away with no home field advantage?).
This is a real money grab. But it's FIFA...
http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cu...usly-approves-world-cup-expansion-to-48-teams
The waters down the WC and how do they now deal with 3 team groups. 4 matches each (home/away with no home field advantage?).
This is a real money grab. But it's FIFA...
http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cu...usly-approves-world-cup-expansion-to-48-teams
I don't exactly understand the breakdown of teams per region. Africa and Asia with quite a few more while the Americas are 4th/5th. Seems it's more about quantity of teams from each region rather than quality of participants. The top Asian/African teams are definitely worthy, but there's a monster drop off afterwards - compared to South America where possibly every team is better than any of the extras from those two regions. Maybe only 1/2 more teams are deserving from CONCACAF, but really at that number, what's the point of even having the preliminary qualifying rounds???
As someone pointed out on twitter, the WC is already a 200 team tournament, this just moves a few more of the "qualifying" games to the final. I have no problem with it. The goal for me is exciting games.
I think it would be 2 matches for each team in each group based on what I've read before. The tricky part is whatever the last match is, those two teams will have an advantage as they will know what kind of result they would need to advance.
I don't like it at all. The bottom Asian and African teams haven't really performed well in WCFs. Don't see why more teams need to be added there. There is argument that another CONMEBOL team to be added and potentially 1-2 more in Europe. But no way does Infantino not get enough votes if he doesn't promise more Asian and African teams.
Yep, it's just a new form of federation bribery since Asia/Africa stand to gain a lot of $$ with the extra spots.
There's a clause in his contract that if he called in TMac he'd be immediately fired. I mean, I like the Penguin a lot as a club player, but he should not ever step foot on the field in a MNT jersey. He is so lacking in pace that he'd be run off the pitch in most national games where the speed is faster & the players are fitter (he's not a 90min player).
But yes, to you point about Arena's comments re foreign born Americans, it's absurd and hypocritical to call in non-American players.
He runs funny, but he definitely runs for 90 minutes. He usually covers his entire sideline, plus drifts into the middle to facilitate ball movement. I would be willing to bet DanBucks that he covers more ground than anyone on our team, per game. He's cerebral and understands the game, has a nice shot from distance, and has good ball movement in small spaces. And he's proven he can play the lateral midfield/wing unlike the rotating cast of CMs Klinsmann and now Arena will try on the wings.
What's interesting about this, is how the money ends up being diluted. Now I won't pretend to fully understand how the revenue is distributed out amongst all of the federations, but I just performed this simple exercise:
Expected revenue out of current format: $5.5 billion / 32 teams = $172 million per team
Expected revenue out of new format: $6.5 billion / 48 teams = $135 million per team
Now obviously the $$$ isn't distributed just like that, but not only does the competition get watered down, but so does the revenue.
I would take that bet. He may run in the 90th minute but that's because he's drifted out of the picture during the middle. And I'm not discounting any of the pluses you list, but I'd wager he looks good doing it against MLS competition while being exposed against faster/stronger/more tactically aware national team players.
I'd say that's true for most MLS players. I just don't think this is the league right now to get our Natl team players from.
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