- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
USMNT World Cup Window 2
Posted on 10/14/21 at 3:43 pm
Posted on 10/14/21 at 3:43 pm
A few thoughts on the state of qualifying:
1. I overestimated the depth the USMNT has (or underestimated just how young we are). We have pretty good depth at CB, on the wings and arguably at the 10, but we are really thin in other spots. Going from Dest/A.Robinson as starting FBs to Moore/Bello/yedlin is a cliff in terms of quality. Tyler Adams is the only 6 in the player pool I want to see on the field and I don’t think we have a ready box to box midfielder to do what we ask mckennie to do. If Steffen doesn’t find playing time we are also thin at keeper. No one after Pepi inspires much confidence. Hopefully Scally can help with the FB rotation the rest of the cycle.
2. Of the 6 games, we’ve looked good at home against Jamaica and Costa Rica. We played a good half at Honduras. I believe there is a really, really good USMNT out there, but we’ve only looked dominant against pretty weak competition so far in qualifying.
3. The loss the Panama really stinks. A draw would have put real distance between the top 3 teams and everyone else. Given the standings, it’s time to root for Mexico and Canada to win their non US games. All that said, we are clearly in a good position to qualify and failing to do so would be a massive choke.
4. Very excited to see how Dest and A.Robinson look against Mexico when they will be asked to defend and can’t just go up the field with near impunity.
5. If I could guaranty the health of one player for the next World Cup, it’s Tyler adams and for me it isn’t close.
6. Musah gave more to the team this window than I thought he could. His stamina and quality was a real highlight of this window.
1. I overestimated the depth the USMNT has (or underestimated just how young we are). We have pretty good depth at CB, on the wings and arguably at the 10, but we are really thin in other spots. Going from Dest/A.Robinson as starting FBs to Moore/Bello/yedlin is a cliff in terms of quality. Tyler Adams is the only 6 in the player pool I want to see on the field and I don’t think we have a ready box to box midfielder to do what we ask mckennie to do. If Steffen doesn’t find playing time we are also thin at keeper. No one after Pepi inspires much confidence. Hopefully Scally can help with the FB rotation the rest of the cycle.
2. Of the 6 games, we’ve looked good at home against Jamaica and Costa Rica. We played a good half at Honduras. I believe there is a really, really good USMNT out there, but we’ve only looked dominant against pretty weak competition so far in qualifying.
3. The loss the Panama really stinks. A draw would have put real distance between the top 3 teams and everyone else. Given the standings, it’s time to root for Mexico and Canada to win their non US games. All that said, we are clearly in a good position to qualify and failing to do so would be a massive choke.
4. Very excited to see how Dest and A.Robinson look against Mexico when they will be asked to defend and can’t just go up the field with near impunity.
5. If I could guaranty the health of one player for the next World Cup, it’s Tyler adams and for me it isn’t close.
6. Musah gave more to the team this window than I thought he could. His stamina and quality was a real highlight of this window.
3
Posted on 10/14/21 at 3:55 pm to ned nederlander
Considering who we had available, 6 points is probably the best we could have expected. Would have been nice to steal that point in Panama—hope we don’t need it later. Poor managing meant we never really had a chance.
Mexico made wholesale substitutions last night against El Salvador away and still won 2-0. We don’t have their depth (yet).
Mexico made wholesale substitutions last night against El Salvador away and still won 2-0. We don’t have their depth (yet).
Posted on 10/14/21 at 3:59 pm to ned nederlander
Hopefully having now played in 3 road games, our young players understand that talent is overrated when it comes to playing in road CONCACAF matches.
I honestly thought that would be the case after what they had to do to comeback at Honduras, but then we looked fricking dreadful at Panama. Our players have said all the right things in the press conferences, but it still at times on the field seems like they are naive and assume they'll win because we have all this european talent.
We also need Pulisic and Reyna healthy next window because we need guys who can beat defenders off the dribble in the final third. Aaronson has been valuable during qualifiers, Arriola and Weah put in valuable shifts, but it was obvious that the offensive gameplan in these three windows was use their speed to go outside and send in crosses.
We need more creativity in the final third to get the attacking numbers in our favor.
I honestly thought that would be the case after what they had to do to comeback at Honduras, but then we looked fricking dreadful at Panama. Our players have said all the right things in the press conferences, but it still at times on the field seems like they are naive and assume they'll win because we have all this european talent.
We also need Pulisic and Reyna healthy next window because we need guys who can beat defenders off the dribble in the final third. Aaronson has been valuable during qualifiers, Arriola and Weah put in valuable shifts, but it was obvious that the offensive gameplan in these three windows was use their speed to go outside and send in crosses.
We need more creativity in the final third to get the attacking numbers in our favor.
Posted on 10/14/21 at 3:59 pm to RockChalkTiger
quote:
Considering who we had available, 6 points is probably the best we could have expected.
Nope, 7 was the absolute floor.
Even with the rotation, the XI we put out against Panama was the more talented of the two teams on the pitch that night.
quote:
Mexico made wholesale substitutions last night against El Salvador away and still won 2-0. We don’t have their depth (yet).
Yes we do... the Gold Cup showed that.
But coaching and player experience matters.
This post was edited on 10/14/21 at 4:02 pm
Posted on 10/14/21 at 6:41 pm to Broski
I agree. The results this international break have been great and awful. We aren’t in bad shape, but we are a ways off of being even remotely ‘good’ in the grand scheme.
Posted on 10/14/21 at 6:44 pm to McCaigBro69
This next window is going to be tough with Mexico at home then at Jamaica. Three points would be a pretty good result
Posted on 10/14/21 at 8:22 pm to OldmanBeasley
Expecting 4 pts this next round. Draw with Mexico and beat Jamaica.
We have great depth but we can’t go three deep. Losing CP and Gio for this round was a bit much to overcome.
We have great depth but we can’t go three deep. Losing CP and Gio for this round was a bit much to overcome.
Posted on 10/14/21 at 8:27 pm to lynxcat
Does CP have a return date? I don’t see anything with Chelsea
Posted on 10/14/21 at 8:45 pm to ned nederlander
Without musah & adams the midfield scares me. Was really hoping we would’ve been in a position to have seen more of De la torre.
This post was edited on 10/14/21 at 8:48 pm
Posted on 10/14/21 at 8:59 pm to OldmanBeasley
quote:
This next window is going to be tough with Mexico at home then at Jamaica. Three points would be a pretty good result
Nah frick that, we shouldn't be expecting to lose to Mexico.
Posted on 10/14/21 at 9:39 pm to lynxcat
quote:
Expecting 4 pts this next round. Draw with Mexico and beat Jamaica.
Gun to my head this would be my prediction. If Jamaica gets a result against El Salvador they will be up for their game against us. But I also assume we’ll see less rotation in the next 2 game window and our A team should go into Jamaica and win.
Posted on 10/15/21 at 5:42 am to ned nederlander
I agree—six points is not impossible, but four more likely if everyone is healthy. Only two games so less need to manage minutes and rotate. The talent is there to win in Columbus, but I could see following that up with a road draw. But if we don’t get all three against Mexico, we will be very motivated to do that in Kingston, and that’s a favorable matchup for us. Four might not be enough to keep us in second, depending on how Canada’s Edmonton experiment goes. Both games will probably be sub-freezing with evening kickoffs!
Posted on 10/15/21 at 9:47 pm to Broski
quote:
Hopefully having now played in 3 road games, our young players understand that talent is overrated when it comes to playing in road CONCACAF matches.
Dest said playing in these games is more intense than games in Europe.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News