U.S. National Team Part VII

[sabremike]

3 Red Bulls academy products in the starting IX.

 

[Bures Elbow]

No idea what portugals lineup is going to be, considering Bernardo Silva and Joao Mario along with Andre Siklva started in the 3-0 win vs Saudi Arabia they will probably rest. And Santos will give the young prospects a chance to showcase themselves.

Edit: Starting 11 is

------------------------Beto-----------------------
Nelson Semedo-Pepe-ricardo Ferriera-Antunes
-------------Danilo---------Manuel Fernandes------
Gelson Martins------Bruno Fernandes---------Bruma
--------------------------Guedes-----------------------------

Incredibly young team. Nelson Semedo and Pepe the obvious players who are well known, Bruma/Gelson Martins/Guedes is a very skilled mobile attack so this should be a entertaining game.

 

[kingsboy11]

missed the first half, but saw McKennie's goal and Horvath's howler though.

 

[sabremike]

Do you realize if this was the squad we had sent to Trinidad we'd be headed to Russia? What an indictment of the first team that is.

 

[Bures Elbow]

I was just thinking the same thing.

Its tough to judge because Portugal was essentially playing a B/C team and one that was scratched together in a matter of days, but the way the USA pressed from kickoff and attacked with pacy ball movement was different from the last few qualification matches.

In any case how some of those players didnt play in Trinidad or other matches is highly questionable. At the very least they will not scandalously miss the 2022 World Cup.

 

[Savant]

I was just thinking the same thing.

Its tough to judge because Portugal was essentially playing a B/C team and one that was scratched together in a matter of days, but the way the USA pressed from kickoff and attacked with pacy ball movement was different from the last few qualification matches.

In any case how some of those players didnt play in Trinidad or other matches is highly questionable. At the very least they will not scandalously miss the 2022 World Cup.

That was a pretty strong Portugal team name wise. Definitely not a C team by any means.

Arena was brought in to clean a mess and only called in players that he knew. USA Soccer knew what it was getting into when they brought Arena in. Should he have called in some of those players? Absolutely. But it’s not a surprise that he didn’t.

 

[bluesfan94]

Do you realize if this was the squad we had sent to Trinidad we'd be headed to Russia? What an indictment of the first team that is.

I don't think that's fair to say whatsoever. Judging a friendly against a B team at best is not the same as judging a meaningful game. Remember when we beat Germany in a friendly? It's meaningless

 

[sabremike]

I don't think that's fair to say whatsoever. Judging a friendly against a B team at best is not the same as judging a meaningful game. Remember when we beat Germany in a friendly? It's meaningless

That Portugal B team would've toyed with Trinidad. The youth side we put out looked a million times better with a million times more effort than the embarrassment in Trinidad.

 

[bluesfan94]

That Portugal B team would've toyed with Trinidad. The youth side we put out looked a million times better with a million times more effort than the embarrassment in Trinidad.

Looking purely at talent, sure. Of course, looking purely at talent, so would have the USMNT. You can't compare these things

 

[sabremike]

Exactly how could the kids have done worse? At least they would've tried. Besides Puslic and possibly Dempsey everyone who played in that fiasco was a disgrace. Saying the kids would've got the job done isn't as much praise of them as it is condemnation of the heartless first team.

 

[kingsboy11]

I truly do believe Arena when he says that he would've brought in different players if they qualified. I understand why he didn't as he wanted to stick with the guys that was playing throughout the hex, but that doesn't mean I agree with that logic. If they're good enough to play and can help the team win, they should play regardless of age. It was evident yesterday that McKennie, Miazga are more than capable of in handling their position.

 

[N o o d l e s]

Really interested to see players like Pulisic, McKennie, Miazga, Carter-Vickers, Sargent etc develop

 

[Gecklund]

I was just thinking the same thing.

Its tough to judge because Portugal was essentially playing a B/C team and one that was scratched together in a matter of days, but the way the USA pressed from kickoff and attacked with pacy ball movement was different from the last few qualification matches.

In any case how some of those players didnt play in Trinidad or other matches is highly questionable. At the very least they will not scandalously miss the 2022 World Cup.

Which players should have been called in? McKennie or Adams who are 18 years old and could have very well cracked under the pressure? The only one I’ll give you in Miazga. No coach is going to play an 18 year old in their first cap in such a huge game. Acosta did play, Lichaj looked good but Villafana is better. The problem was we played Altidore and Gonzalez (who should never be on the national team) if we replaced Altidore with Morris/Dempsey with Pulisic playing behind one or both of them and Brooks wasn’t injured and played for Gonzalez we would have been fine.

 

[John Price]

 

[John Price]

 

[kingsboy11]

Glad he saw the writing on the wall, but he should've resigned minutes after the final whistle went in Trinidad. No denying he did pretty well in growing the sport overall, but results matter. Him hanging on to Klinnsman a year too long really did him in. Didn't have enough time to get the right coach and settled with Arena. But if this Kathy Carter person runs for President, I fear it'll be more of the same. But overall its a step in the right direction. I thought I'd feel more excited about this to be honest.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Apparently, Hope Solo is going to run for the presidency. You know, Sunil Gulati ain't so bad anymore.

 

[Gecklund]

Apparently, Hope Solo is going to run for the presidency. You know, Sunil Gulati ain't so bad anymore.

I agree with you but some of the issues she presents are definitely important. “Pay to play” equal pay for women emphasis on youth set up

 

[bleedblue1223]

I agree with you but some of the issues she presents are definitely important. “Pay to play” equal pay for women emphasis on youth set up

My only thing with the equal pay is that it should really be tied to revenue brought in. If women bring in more revenue, then overall they should be paid more, and if the men make more, then overall they should make more.

The pay of the top 25 players on each side are paid pretty similarly. When you look at the top 10 on each side, you had some women making more than some of the men. Typically the men have higher revenues compared to the women, but after their tour after the World Cup win, it pushed the women slightly higher.

It's a more complicated issue than some want to believe.

 

[Gecklund]

My only thing with the equal pay is that it should really be tied to revenue brought in. If women bring in more revenue, then overall they should be paid more, and if the men make more, then overall they should make more.

The pay of the top 25 players on each side are paid pretty similarly. When you look at the top 10 on each side, you had some women making more than some of the men. Typically the men have higher revenues compared to the women, but after their tour after the World Cup win, it pushed the women slightly higher.

It's a more complicated issue than some want to believe.

I was actually on a panel a few years ago where I said almost the exact same thing. I think it is a topic that needs to looked at closely over the years. And so it should be brought up this election.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I was actually on a panel a few years ago where I said almost the exact same thing. I think it is a topic that needs to looked at closely over the years. And so it should be brought up this election.

Agreed.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

She's not winning. It'll likely be Wynalda or the person Gulati hand-picked.

 

[Albatros]

Pulišić ranked 77th in the world by the Guardian:

The 100 best footballers in the world 2017 – 100-71

 

[Gecklund]

She's not winning. It'll likely be Wynalda or the person Gulati hand-picked.

I think I read that there was always no chance of him running but I really wanted LD to be the next president. It seems that whenever he is on the broadcast, I tend to agree with everything he says.

 

[Chimaera]

I'd like to see Kyle Martino, but change who isn't Sunil is good.

Hope Solo getting votes would be a crime.

Sure, women should be paid more, but it's hard to justify equal money if they're not bringing in revenue that's even remotely similar.