USMNT: To Rüssia With Love
- Thread starter Titans Bastard
- Start date
It wouldn't be a USMNT match if Michael Bradley didn't get gassed in the 70th minute and spend the next 20 minutes giving away bad turnovers and dangerous free kicks.
That's like the 842th time Gonzo has played a ball that Guzan could have scooped up or let roll out of bounds
Omar seems to be making a lot of clearing attempts when he could just let it go to Guzan. Communication issues between the two?
Why does the US suck on 50/50 headers? Not just tonight. I swear everytime I watch the USMNT they lose like 90% of the 50/50's.
Well he just did an OCD routine on that grassy patch that was worthy of Nomar.
I never thought I would be disappointed at only getting a single point at the Azteca, but here we are...
I checked out the US roster and was surprised by how many play in Liga MX. How do Mexican fans feel about this generally, anyone have insight?
Pulisic just hasn't had "it" tonight. Understandable given how many top flight and international matches he's played this year...and today's he's on short rest at high altitude. Still a solid night from him.
Yedlin has really grown as a defender. Super work from him tonight.
Cameron is my US man of the match. He wa a rock back there
And as I type this...what a anti-climatic end.
One huge point. Arena has brought this team back.
Yedlin has really grown as a defender. Super work from him tonight.
Cameron is my US man of the match. He wa a rock back there
And as I type this...what a anti-climatic end.
One huge point. Arena has brought this team back.
That was maybe the dumbest corner I've ever seen at this level.
Us tactics would have some old English managers proud. Some real kick and hope stuff 2nd half. I'll begrudgingly accept that they will need to play that way at times but that is not a recipe I'm eager to consume often
Us tactics would have some old English managers proud. Some real kick and hope stuff 2nd half. I'll begrudgingly accept that they will need to play that way at times but that is not a recipe I'm eager to consume often
That's harsh for an away qualifier at the Azteca for a team that was reeling before the last couple of matches. This was a get back on track pair of matches and they passed with flying colors.
4 points from this round of the Hex? I would've signed up for that in a heartbeat - wouldn't everyone?
Still, felt like the US could have gotten 3 pts tonight if they had gotten a break or two. Team looks dangerous again - thanks to former UVA coach Bruce Arena.
Still, felt like the US could have gotten 3 pts tonight if they had gotten a break or two. Team looks dangerous again - thanks to former UVA coach Bruce Arena.
Six home points, two road points and plus 8 in 4 games. Still a fair amount of work to do, but they have made up the ground they gave up in the first two matches.
Guys....come on. This is on the road in Mexico, on short rest.
Great result and a great effort from the US. The US was always going to lose the possession battle in Azteca badly, but they ended up with as many chances as Mexico.
In context, it's hard to criticize much about the performance on a team or individual level. I didn't think Nagbe and Altidore did well as subs, but that's about it. The CBs were immense, especially Cameron, but the others were solid too. Yedlin was heroic given his recent workload and Beasley gave us absolutely as much as we could ask from him. Acosta was given his first real WCQ start (playing LB against St Vincent doesn't count) and did really well under the circumstances. Bradley was good. Pulisic and Wood didn't have their best games, but they still found ways to contribute.
from this window
0 pts=anti-aircraft firing squad
1 pts=regular firing squad
2 pts=JFC that's disappointing
3 pts=minimum needed
4 pts=Great Job guys
6 pts=Otherworldly
edit- the difference between 3 and 4 points this window feels so big
0 pts=anti-aircraft firing squad
1 pts=regular firing squad
2 pts=JFC that's disappointing
3 pts=minimum needed
4 pts=Great Job guys
6 pts=Otherworldly
edit- the difference between 3 and 4 points this window feels so big
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Wood did really well to show left right and center. Some guys can seem planted in the middle of the field when they play one up top, but he showed for the ball wherever it was and pressured someone most times Mexico got the ball back anywhere near him. I also didn't realize he was that much of a fire hydrant in the post-up game
No. I didn't say anything negative. I accepted that it was probably necessary here. It was 11 behind the ball lump it forward and hope for the best stuff. Yes it's away in the Azteca so I'll swallow it but no I'm not going to overrate what they did tonight. It's not good football and I certainly don't want to watch Pulisic playing off headed down balls from a target man as a central US strategy.
We need to qualify for the World Cup and the recent results are pulling us there. For this I am thankful. But you're not going to get me to claim I enjoy it.
Very strong on the ball the few times he had it at his feet too. Him and Dempsey should make a nice combo with Pulisic as a true 10, although Christian seems to like to start from the left and cut in.
BTW, Americans in Liga MX are almost exclusively Mexican-Americans. The only guy who didn't fit that description was Beasley when he was at Puebla.
Logically, I get the style of play. The goal is to get a point. That's not my favorite thing though. I heard a Bobby Fisher afficianado once say that Bobby wanted to win. He would risk losing because he wanted to win so bad. Other people are driven by the desire not to lose. We played not to lose. It was the smart play. The team executed that strategy very well. That FK almost fucked things up though.
Someone above said the Kid didn't have it tonight. What was to have? He had no help up there. I thought he played fine. I thought Bradley even without the goal played way way way better than he has played in a long time until he got gassed.
Yeah, obviously we would have taken a point at the start. But given they grabbed the early lead, and actually had a decent amount of chances despite conceding so much possession, it just feels like a missed chance to have grabbed all 3.
In the grand scheme of things, it's an excellent result, and qualifying is looking probable without too much stress.