soccer soccer soccer

[wolf stansson]

Michael Bradley, Kellyn Acosta, DeAndre Yedlin, and Geoff Cameron were immense.

[wolf stansson]

MB giving a coherent interview after a 93 minute performance in that altitude is almost as impressive as that goal.

[bcl412]

My soccer knowledge blows and I know the US barely ever does anything here so a draw is a great accomplishment but I can't help but feel a tad disappointed they didn't steal this. Is this wrong?

[UMFan83]

My soccer knowledge blows and I know the US barely ever does anything here so a draw is a great accomplishment but I can't help but feel a tad disappointed they didn't steal this. Is this wrong?

 

I'll defer to the smarties here but yes I think that's wrong. We should be thrilled with a draw

[UMFan83]

I really thought Pulisic was gonna nail that shot though.

[bcl412]

My soccer knowledge blows and I know the US barely ever does anything here so a draw is a great accomplishment but I can't help but feel a tad disappointed they didn't steal this. Is this wrong?

 

I'll defer to the smarties here but yes I think that's wrong. We should be thrilled with a draw

 

Probably. It just seemed like we had some changes to win it (chances to lose it too) It's probably my American sports "ties suck" mentality that won't let me celebrate a tie I guess.

[wolf stansson]

This seems like a significant upgrade to JK telling them to "play fast" or "be nasty" and then just doing beep drills for the rest of camp.

 

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[imb]

So I just have not been able to ever figure out how to pay close attention to the USMNT outside of the 12 months immediately preceding a WC, but uh I was a little surprised to see Arena coaching. I knew Klinsman was gone, but it was still weird.

[wolf stansson]

My soccer knowledge blows and I know the US barely ever does anything here so a draw is a great accomplishment but I can't help but feel a tad disappointed they didn't steal this. Is this wrong?

Quick answer is yes, that is wrong.

 

Longer answer is that Bruce Arena was hired because qualification is a zero sum game. Games like last night go a long way to guaranteeing qualification. The point is essential to getting to that magic number of 15, but also in keeping the top seed, Mexico, honest. Now they have to continue to go hard against teams we might be competing with for the 2-4 spots for a while longer.

 

Also, if your soccer knowledge blows, you definitely don't have an understanding of the baggage the every CONCACAF team carries into Azteca. A point at Azteca is still incredibly significant, even though we'd like to be at the point where we feel like the US can get a result in that stadium against a Mexico team we feel is our equal.

 

The aesthetic difference between playing to win and playing to tie can be jarring and weird, and it's not super fun, but it's better than losing 2-1.

[wolf stansson]

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6 goals in 45 years.

 

We are now 1-19-3 at Azteca. The win and two of the ties are from our last 3 matches there. The win was a friendly.

[soccer10k]

The point is essential to getting to that magic number of 15, but also in keeping the top seed, Mexico, honest. Now they have to continue to go hard against teams we might be competing with for the 2-4 spots for a while longer.

 

This probably won't end up mattering but only because of the order of the games. Mexico plays Panama at home next so they're trying in that game regardless of opponent. Next is Costa Rica on the road (same thing as Panama). Third is T&T at home. They're in last so we probably don't have to worry about them. Assuming Mexico wins the two home games, they'll have qualified before their last game in Honduras. And if losing to Honduras will hurt our chances of getting third/fourth, you know they'll put a second team out there even if it costs them top spot in the Hex.

[UMFan83]

The point is essential to getting to that magic number of 15, but also in keeping the top seed, Mexico, honest. Now they have to continue to go hard against teams we might be competing with for the 2-4 spots for a while longer.

 

This probably won't end up mattering but only because of the order of the games. Mexico plays Panama at home next so they're trying in that game regardless of opponent. Next is Costa Rica on the road (same thing as Panama). Third is T&T at home. They're in last so we probably don't have to worry about them. Assuming Mexico wins the two home games, they'll have qualified before their last game in Honduras. And if losing to Honduras will hurt our chances of getting third/fourth, you know they'll put a second team out there even if it costs them top spot in the Hex.

 

Those [expletive] owe us for the 2014 cycle

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The point is essential to getting to that magic number of 15, but also in keeping the top seed, Mexico, honest. Now they have to continue to go hard against teams we might be competing with for the 2-4 spots for a while longer.

 

This probably won't end up mattering but only because of the order of the games. Mexico plays Panama at home next so they're trying in that game regardless of opponent. Next is Costa Rica on the road (same thing as Panama). Third is T&T at home. They're in last so we probably don't have to worry about them. Assuming Mexico wins the two home games, they'll have qualified before their last game in Honduras. And if losing to Honduras will hurt our chances of getting third/fourth, you know they'll put a second team out there even if it costs them top spot in the Hex.

 

That would be enough though. Panama and CR both have to go to Mexico and the US, plus play each other. If the US and Mexico take care of their home games there won't be enough points to go around to risk the US dropping to 4th.

[soccer10k]

Even if Mexico had won yesterday, they would try to win the Panama game anyway. And I assume Costa Rica finishes top-3 also so I'm not worried about them either since where you finish in the top-3 doesn't matter.

[wolf stansson]

Oh, we're definitely going to finish 2nd. 3rd at worst, but in CONCACAF, you prepare for chaos, and even that one unexpected point might hold the CONCACAF hurricane of chaos at bay.

[shnsajax]

My soccer knowledge blows and I know the US barely ever does anything here so a draw is a great accomplishment but I can't help but feel a tad disappointed they didn't steal this. Is this wrong?

Quick answer is yes, that is wrong.

 

Longer answer is that Bruce Arena was hired because qualification is a zero sum game. Games like last night go a long way to guaranteeing qualification. The point is essential to getting to that magic number of 15, but also in keeping the top seed, Mexico, honest. Now they have to continue to go hard against teams we might be competing with for the 2-4 spots for a while longer.

 

Also, if your soccer knowledge blows, you definitely don't have an understanding of the baggage the every CONCACAF team carries into Azteca. A point at Azteca is still incredibly significant, even though we'd like to be at the point where we feel like the US can get a result in that stadium against a Mexico team we feel is our equal.

 

The aesthetic difference between playing to win and playing to tie can be jarring and weird, and it's not super fun, but it's better than losing 2-1.

 

Its odd that Mexico only had 1 shot on goal and the US only had 1 the last 84 minutes plus injury time. I was really worried for the 2nd half, but the adjustments made were effective. Beasley played much better, and Acosta did really well.

[wolf stansson]

Interesting re: Pulisic's development path and the avoidance of joining youth super teams.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/christian-pulisics-upbringing-change-athletes-developed-u-s-210726336.html

[wolf stansson]

Whoa. Ronaldo put in a transfer request.

[shnsajax]

I would too if I was him.

[Banedon]

Wait, are the Fire actually good now?

[jersey cubs fan]

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[Transmogrified Tiger]

Wait, are the Fire actually good now?

 

It's more of a surprise if any team goes more than a season or two without being in serious playoff contention, so it was overdue for even a not great franchise, but yes, the Fire are in good shape. It'd take a pretty impressive tank for them to end up missing the playoffs at this point.

[wolf stansson]

Put Dax McCarty and Bastian Schweinsteiger in an MLS midfield and you've got a pretty good chance at being decent.

 

 

New jersey time.

 

 

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[bukie]

Schweinsteiger as sweeper was definitely weird, tbough.

[ConstableRabbit]

Schweinsteiger as sweeper was definitely weird, tbough.

I ran into him randomly in the Gold Coast yesterday. He was walking with another dude. I said "Hey Bastian!" and he looked incredibly surprised to be recognized, smiled and waved.