World Cup Qualifiers

Didn't have a way to watch it and found the halftime score disturbing. Very pleasantly surprised at seeing the final score. And it looks like Antonee Robinson did Fulham proud again.

 

PEPI!!!!!!

We have a forward that is goal dangerous!

 

Oh yeah, some other guys played too. First watch reactions.

The good:

• Miles Robinson is officially the best USMNT central defender. Prove me wrong!
  
• Aaronson makes this team better. He is talented. Maybe not dripping with it like Pulisic and Reyna but what he does have in him is more bulldog than most bulldogs. That plays well in CONCACAF.
• I was stunned that Antonee Robinson didn't start. He should have and proved it.
• Lletget should get to throw balls while I'm sitting in the dunking machine because the squad was far better after he entered the match.
• Yedlin proved he has a place in this squad. Just don't play him against world class attackers and he can be the second right back. I would prefer to see someone like Reynolds or Araujo make a big leap but the guy to watch out for may just be Joe Scally who is getting big minutes at Gladbach.
• Berhalter did nail the second half adjustments and subs but in part he was solving a problem of his own making.

The somewhere in between:

• Matt Turner had a good save or two but there were also a couple of slightly shaky moments.
• I really didn't notice Acosta for the good or bad very often in the match but I'm cutting him some slack because everything around him was a mess. The USMNT just seemed to bypass the midfield in the first half so I'll reserve my call on him until I rewatch the match.

The not so good:

• The starting lineup in general.
• Sands and Adams shouldn't be played together again in that first half formation. They just got in each others way in the first half.
• There was not enough attacking talent. As a result Pulisic and Sargent kept running and passing into dead ends. They are the guys that should have settled the squad and encouraged some possession.
• Brooks just doesn't seem to translate his talent to CONCACAF road matches but I'm going to at least partly fault Berhalter. Brooks is good in possession and the USMNT didn't look like they had been introduced to the word possession in the first half.
• I have high hopes for Bello but on first viewing it looked like he fell asleep on the Honduras goal. I'm not positive if he did or if he got high and someone should have dropped in to cover the back post.

 

@BarryWhite As always, great stuff Barry!!! I thought Bello certainly snoozed on their goal. If you told me the final score at HT, would’ve bet the house Honduras had the 4.

Saved by an 18 year old???? Shout out to the FC Dallas Academy, whomever runs it needs to take a bow. Easily the best Academy in MLS, they just churn out good looking prospects time and again.

PEPI!!!!!!

 

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...usmnt-roster-for-october-world-cup-qualifiers

Thurs in Austin v Jamaica. Pulisic still hurt from the Honduras match, why would Chelscum ever release him since Concacaf teams strategy is to try and knock him out of the game?

 

The matches that aren't on ESPN are available on Paramount+

 

Looks like Berhalter is gonna give Weston McKennie a start after the off field shenanigans. Hope he gets his act together and doesn't turn into another Mario Balotelli.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-...-world-cup-qualifying-matchmust-rebuild-trust

 

Berhalter almost has no choice but to start Weston w/Pulisic & Reyna being out. He has been playing regularly as a starter and a sub for Juve. He’s always fully committed during the matches, I just hope he doesn’t feel he has to do too much.

Don’t have Paramount+ so watched Jamaica and Mexico opening night. El Tri dominated, but it took a late goal at Azteca to win 2-1, mostly because Blake in goal is a great shot stopper.

 

Duh statement, really impressed with Pepi's finishing. Once again, I LOVE Aaronson's and Musah's game but Weah was electric when he came on and De la Torre was very good as well.

Jedi also had a good night on the left. If he cleans up some of his passing he has the potential to be elite.

 

Not much to complain about, for sure. I agree with the right honourable gentleman from Warrick. Have we exorcised the demons of 2018? Not quite yet, but we’re getting there. The best thing about these youngsters is their energy. They never seem to come out flat, and it enhances their considerable talent. And if they qualify for Qatar, they’ll have a considerable amount of international game experience by the time it starts just over a year from now. Things could still go south, but I just don’t see it happening. The flip side is that’s becoming more and more likely that we’ll go to Qatar without any returning World Cup goal scorers. Julian Green’s picture is on milk cartons, and John Brooks is out with back issues. If fit (and it’s a big if), Brooks will almost certainly be on the plane to Doha. But it doesn’t appear to me that our current crop of young players are at all intimidated by the big stage. First things first. Let’s see what happens next in Panama City on Sunday. I like our chances to whup’em.

 

I know Pepi’s brace was the story, but Dest w/his best game in a US jersey and POTM performance for me. His perfect cross found Pepi’s head for the opener, but it was his unbelievable safe that set up the second. I think it was Miles Robinson that tried to pass across the pitch to Sergino, it sailed and was slicing out, but Dest made an amazing leaping touch with his left leg and smooth pass to Musah that started the buildup. He made it look so easy, but it was the opposite.

EDIT: Other results put US on top on GD.
-Canada is legit, went to Azteca and earned a point. Both teams had other chances, so fair result.
-Panama maybe got caught looking ahead to Sunday, suffered a huge 1-0 loss to host El Salvador. They are really well organized and are a tough nut to crack, so Sunday will be no picnic. If Panama falls short they’ll view the points dropped last night as the prime reason.

 

This could be Canada’s best national team ever. They’ve got a good mix of veterans and youth, and the overall talent level is pretty high for a CONCACAF nation. I saw Mark Anthony-Kaye with Lou City before he moved to LAFC for a nice run. Junior Hoilett seems to terrorize Fulham regularly. Their defense has improved a bunch, and they play like they believe they’re better than their opponent. A dangerous club to play.

 

I agree Jump. Canada is definitely one of the favorites to advance from CONCACAF.

 

Not a lineup that inspires goals. Weston knock does not help.



EDIT; Mercifully no Paramount+, 5 shots ZERO on target, not too surprising given that lineup. I think GB was going for a 0-0, 0-1 and save some legs for Costa Rica. Without seeing it, I’m guessing they dictated tempo for 90 minutes.

Jamaica did help by holding Canada to a draw.

 

SCJ, be grateful your eyes didn't gaze upon that dross. It was awful and I can't come up with many positives (Turner's save in the first half and....Bueler?).

 

I watched the game and I'm struggling to think of things we did well. I was just bored and annoyed.