The Official US Soccer thread

[ajcardfan]

Overall toughness is lacking. We are getting muscled off the ball way too much. You can just see and feel difference in the gritty way these upper echelon teams play. We are long ways away. Today we were exposed on a lot of areas. On to football season

Yep, that is what I said in the first half. All of the sudden we looked like boys playing men.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

I used to follow the U17s and U20s really closely but I don’t anymore, so I am not even sure what youth is waiting in the wings.

It's another wave of what we have - some really good talents

Trying to get a young CB to choose the US over Germany as well

 

[Lorenzo]

Overall toughness is lacking. We are getting muscled off the ball way too much. You can just see and feel difference in the gritty way these upper echelon teams play. We are long ways away. Today we were exposed on a lot of areas. On to football season

It feels like Netherlands all over again. I’ve said a lot of good things about this team and they deserved praise. But as @Stout was saying the whole time. You have to beat a big boy squad to say that something has truly changed. And we didn’t even look like we belonged today against an elite side.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Meh.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

They had some moments, but have to be disappointed in how they played

It was three worst performance I've seen in the knockout round - just really poor play and way too close to what have us all concerns coming in

 

[Lorenzo]

Yep, that is what I said in the first half. All of the sudden we looked like boys playing men.

The second half looked better when they put Reyna in and changed midfield tactics. But that third goal was killer. At the end of the day we were always losing this game and that’s unfortunate.

 

[FB94]

Not good when opposing goalie gets his first save 81 minutes into the game. Thought we had a chance today based on Belgiums last game but they came to play, and probably motivated even more with red card reversal.

 

[Zeno]

It’s not even about losing I am just so disappointed in the performance tonight.

Now I am cheering for either Norway or England to win it all.

 

[jbjarko]

Let’s go Norway!

 

[Russ Smith]

Again not a serious fan more of a casual fan but yeah very disappointing. I know he was hurt but Pulisic to me had a disappointing WC, he's 27 which should be his prime, he's obviously very good but when they needed him most he lost the ball repeatedly today. Balogun was clearly the best offensive player on the team in this WC.

Not related but Chris Sullivan has been saying for months the Sullivan kid coming up the 16 year old Cavan Sullivan who I guess plays in Philly right now. They call him the American Messi which is obviously unlikely but he's the next big hope apparently.

Also the goalie Freese was really bad today that 3rd goal was just a complete disaster from him

Honestly losing that badly takes some of the heat off the whole redcard thing.

We were totally outclassed

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Guess I’ll see you guys for the next gold cup. Take care everybody.

 

[AZJ]

Surrendering a goal 90 seconds after we equalized was unacceptable. We gave momentum right back and never really go close to getting it back.

That third goal was just...sheesh...

 

[Lorenzo]

It’s not even about losing I am just so disappointed in the performance tonight.

Now I am cheering for either Norway or England to win it all.

Yeah I’ll be pulling for Harry Kane. He’s one of my favorite players because I’m a spurs fan. But it’s still hard to root for England. I think I’ll be rooting for Morocco or anyone aside from Argentina and France. I actually like Belgium but I’ve always felt like their time has passed. Hope they beat Spain.

 

[Lorenzo]

Surrendering a goal 90 seconds after we equalized was unacceptable. We gave momentum right back and never really go close to getting it back.

That third goal was just...sheesh...

It really sucks that both Dest and freeman did little to intervene on that cross. I mean wth. All four goals were blunders defensively. The first goal we had 3 guys give up on the ball in the box. Just unsure what their mindset was today.

 

[Lorenzo]

Again not a serious fan more of a casual fan but yeah very disappointing. I know he was hurt but Pulisic to me had a disappointing WC, he's 27 which should be his prime, he's obviously very good but when they needed him most he lost the ball repeatedly today. Balogun was clearly the best offensive player on the team in this WC.

Not related but Chris Sullivan has been saying for months the Sullivan kid coming up the 16 year old Cavan Sullivan who I guess plays in Philly right now. They call him the American Messi which is obviously unlikely but he's the next big hope apparently.

Also the goalie Freese was really bad today that 3rd goal was just a complete disaster from him

Honestly losing that badly takes some of the heat off the whole redcard thing.

We were totally outclassed

For me pulisic was disappointing. He left the game hurt, but by all accounts he was rested and fit going into this game. He didn’t look like he had any confidence which is a concern. Way too passive in his play. Way too much side to side and going backwards. He’s a great one on one attacking player and today he looked like a shell of himself.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

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[MigratingOsprey]

Even at the end just a bunch of watching - crosses to no one, not competing for second balls, it looked like a few guys just kind of checked out

I'm hoping Reyna stays healthy and gets his career back on path

I'd also like to see Berhalter move up in competition - I liked a lot of what he was bringing

 

[Raindog]

Meh, another mediocre US performance in the WC. People got fooled once again because we got lucky being placed in a watered down group (probably more watery than usual thanks to the expanded tourney), and played (mostly) lightweight competition up to this round.

At least they got one quality win against Paraguay. Other than that, this was about the normal script for USMNT in the WC - generate a little bit of excitement against a few other perennial also rans and then get curbed against one of the better than average squads.

 

[GatorAZ]

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Well it’s a bummer of a sport sadly. Every kid here grows up playing soccer and most of them choose a different sport for a reason. Kids want to do more than 90 minutes of cardio.

You can stand in left field for 2 hours and still gets 4 cracks to do something special at the dish.

 

[ajcardfan]

Yeah I’ll be pulling for Harry Kane. He’s one of my favorite players because I’m a spurs fan. But it’s still hard to root for England. I think I’ll be rooting for Morocco or anyone aside from Argentina and France. I actually like Belgium but I’ve always felt like their time has passed. Hope they beat Spain.

I guess Norway and Morocco are my top 2 out of the teams left. Either one would be absolutely profound champs. Argentina, France or Spain..... Blech. Same old same old.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Meh, another mediocre US performance in the WC. People got fooled once again because we got lucky being placed in a watered down group (probably more watery than usual thanks to the expanded tourney), and played (mostly) lightweight competition up to this round.

At least they got one quality win against Paraguay. Other than that, this was about the normal script for USMNT in the WC - generate a little bit of excitement against a few other perennial also rans and then get curbed against one of the better than average squads.

Exactly. We’re still a million miles away from winning a men’s World Cup.

It’s so gross we can’t even field a top 20 world team.

 

[Lorenzo]

Exactly. We’re still a million miles away from winning a men’s World Cup.

It’s so gross we can’t even field a top 20 world team.

Yeah you really have to be a top 5 team to sniff the World Cup trophy. Everyone outside of those elite squads are far away. We are definitely a long ways out and may never win it. One thing that we don’t have is an elite player. We have good players, but to lift a trophy you need great players and at least one or two legends.

 

[QuebecCard]

Yeah I’m pretty surprised by BEL’s reaction.

It’s fear, clearly. Maybe not panic, but it’s a terrible look for them and there’s no universe where this approach by their leaders inspires confidence in their players.

Good. We punch them in the face early, they will probably fold up.

US's record against European sides in the last year or so - 0-6

Against Belgium - 0-2 - 9 goals given up.

There's hype, and then there's reality.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

US's record against European sides in the last year or so - 0-6

Against Belgium - 0-2 - 9 goals given up.

There's hype, and then there's reality.

Yeah I said as much in the other thread QC.

This was a litmus test and we failed miserably.

Lorenzo hit the nail right on the head.

We need a superstar to carry the team in big games like this, and that sure as hell isn’t Pulisic.

The USMNT needs a real golden child.

P.S. Les Rouges is sitting home watching now too, so don’t come in here too hot okay?

 

[Raindog]

The USMNT needs a real golden child.

Like Freddy Adu?

Anyone else remember the hype around Freddy Adu?