World Cup 2022

[WuDrWu]

Mexico concede and that will bury them.

[Kel Varnsen]

Mexico concede and that will bury them.

[SubGod22]

Mexico se lo puede chupar!

[Kel Varnsen]

Mexico se lo puede chupar!

I copied and pasted that into my search bar at work. Thanks a lot lol.

[SubGod22]

I copied and pasted that into my search bar at work. Thanks a lot lol.

Don't blame me because I'm a cunning linguist.

[Kel Varnsen]

Don't blame me because I'm a cunning linguist.

Respect.

[Kel Varnsen]

No sympathy for Mexico. I enjoy the tears of my enemies.

[WstateU]

No sympathy for Mexico. I enjoy the tears of my enemies.

Besa mi culo!

[ShockTalk]

Besa mi culo!

I think he broke his freakin' neck!

[Kung Wu]

If by some miracle we made it to the Semifinals, we'd get an extra day of rest. Getting waaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of myself, obviously, but that doesn't suck.

[Kung Wu]

If you feel so moved, please do. My thought/opinion was very simple, and I'm sure yours is much more complex. I wasn't sure what your thought process was.

Sent.

[Kel Varnsen]

Now that I've had some time to let the game against Iran marinate, I have some thoughts.

First of all, it's amazing to see how differently soccer people evaluate games like that. Player and coach ratings seem to vary wildly from pundit to pundit. I thought it was a B- to B game played by us overall. Created a lot of chances that we didn't convert, and while we bunkered down for a while, got the result.

I think Berhalter has gotten the starting lineup correct for the most part throughout the World Cup. The one change I would make would be to have put Sargent in the lineup against England instead of Haji Wright. I do think we've been the better team for 4-5 of the 6 halves we've played, which is encouraging. The formations and tactics have made sense, although a lack of Gio Reyna is puzzling. I think he could be a real difference maker against the Netherlands if he is healthy and plays.

I don't have too much of a problem with playing defensive against Iran since they were not very dangerous overall. I think you could go either way and either play aggressive once you have the lead, or play more defensively. Either way, if it fails, people will say you made the wrong decision.

There is a certain and sizable faction within the USMNT fanbase that has this militant dislike for Gregg Berhalter and everything he does. When the USMNT lose, it's all his fault. When the USMNT get a result, he don't manage it well enough. I think there's some criticism of him to be had (substitutions vs. Iran for example), but this crowd loses me when anything and everything is criticized, and the faintest notion that the coach has made certain mistakes becomes grounds for termination.

It's been a problem in soccer for a while, and has its roots dug in American sports as well. Coaches/managers are sacked a few games in when the team doesn't do well.

Let's revisit the last two years for US Soccer:
CONCACAF Nations League Champions over Mexico
CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions over Mexico
Qualified for the World Cup
Placed second to England in Group B and advance to the Round of 16

I can't imagine we've ever had a two-year run that has been that good in terms of accomplishments. Not always pretty, but it's been a really nice run.

Again, certainly criticism to be had, but the constant barrage against Berhalter from some USMNT fans leaves me weary.

As far as our prospects going forward in this tournament, I feel good about the matchup with the Dutch. They're not a team like Brazil or Argentina that will outclass us at every position. They're better, to be sure, but the talent gap is not super wide. Gakpo has been fantastic this tournament, Frenkie de Jong is a fantastic midfielder, and Van Dijk is a rock as a CB.

I was hoping for a different result yesterday...if we were to beat the Dutch, we would face the winner of the Argentina-Australia game. That game could be a bloodbath. I would have much rather faced the winner of Poland-Australia, but you have to beat good teams regardless.

No matter what the outcome on Saturday, it's hard not to feel really good about this team going forward.

[Kung Wu]

The one change I would make would be to have put Sargent in the lineup against England instead of Haji Wright.

The way he played against Iran, how could you not? He was excellent.

I don't have too much of a problem with playing defensive against Iran since they were not very dangerous overall. I think you could go either way and either play aggressive once you have the lead, or play more defensively. Either way, if it fails, people will say you made the wrong decision.

I sent Shockm a PM on this, but the concern wasn't a matter of playing defensively. We packed it in. IMO, you shouldn't do that unless you believe you are seriously out-gunned, down a man (or worse), or just plan exhausted. It was correct to play defensively, but it should have been a "kill the clock" defense with possession, maintaining the flat four defensive line, and keeping a higher line of contention and making Iran chase -- not packing it in with 5 in the back, a low line of contention and simply gifting opportunities to Iran for no reason. I believe it was a serious mistake. We had the skill and momentum to take a much less risky approach by killing the clock, but we conceded it and nearly paid the price.

There is a certain and sizable faction within the USMNT fanbase that has this militant dislike for Gregg Berhalter and everything he does.

I unplugged from news more than a decade ago and it was the best thing ever. Similarly, I unplugged from following the USMNT fan base during Klinsmann's reign -- again, best thing ever. Berhalter has put together a very young, and very talented squad, and has got us to the Round of 16. He's done a damn fine job putting us in a fantastic position for many years to come.

It's been a problem in soccer for a while, and has its roots dug in American sports as well. Coaches/managers are sacked a few games in when the team doesn't do well.

It's not just an American problem. I think many, many clubs and countries suffer from lack of continuity with their coaches based on small runs of losses. Frustrating.

As far as our prospects going forward in this tournament, I feel good about the matchup with the Dutch. They're not a team like Brazil or Argentina that will outclass us at every position.
...
No matter what the outcome on Saturday, it's hard not to feel really good about this team going forward.

[Kel Varnsen]

I always love Croatia's checkered kits.

Belgium's this year, on the other hand...they look like they're a bowling shirt that belongs on Guy Fieri.

[SubGod22]

I agree with your defensive comments. The way we went about it, we gave Iran their best chances of the match to score. When we were a little more aggressive, we dominated possession and they weren't much of a threat. I'd still have stayed more offensive, but maybe more cautiously so as to not get completely out of sorts and give something up. Iran really wasn't a threat at all until we packed it in. That's when it got scary.

Also, Sargent was fantastic.

Any updates on Pulisic? I know he said he'd be ready to go on Saturday, but do we have any official medical type of update on him?