***Official Soccer Thread***

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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

Looks like there is going to be another Yank in the EPL. Danny Williams is set to join Huddersfield which just got promoted. He's been a regular starter for Reading since 2013. He hasn't really been on the national team radar since 2013 or so, but this will probably get him more looks.

Also, Chile's federation president said they might make a joint bid with 1 or 2 other SA nations for the 2026 WC to counter the US/Mexico/Canada bid.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

Final Gold Cup squad announced

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (New York City FC)

DEFENDERS (8): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Matt Miazga (Chelsea/ENG), Justin Morrow (Toronto FC/CAN), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna, MEX), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana/MEX), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana/MEX), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC), Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution), Kenny Saief (Gent/BEL), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)

FORWARDS (3): Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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US beat Ghana 2-1 over the weekend in a Gold Cup tuneup. First international goals from Dom Dwyer (in his first cap) and Kellyn Acosta. US dominated most of the play. US begins the Gold Cup on Saturday at 330 CT in Nashville (I'll be there, look for me on TV) against Panama. Chris Pontius has replaced Kenny Saief on the roster after Saief picked up a groin injury in practice. He had made his first national team appearance against Ghana.

Oh, and did I mention Germany's B team beat Mexico's full team 4-1?
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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It probably would increase attendance https://www.maxim.com/sports/italy-socc ... ers-2017-7
Using big words is not a personal attack
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Game saturday (frustrating 1-1 tie with Panama) broke the attendance record for a soccer game in Tennessee. 47,000+.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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FW wrote:Game saturday (frustrating 1-1 tie with Panama) broke the attendance record for a soccer game in Tennessee. 47,000+.
That's awesome. I look at this Gold Cup as a chance for a few guys to break in and see if they can help the "A" team down the road. Dwyer looks like he might. It would be nice to win the tournament but more important to get some guys some minutes.

I'm trying to get tickets for the qualifier against Costa Rica.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Right now, I think Dwyer would be in Russia, along with Altidore, Wood and Dempsey as the forwards. Before Saturday, I would have said Dwyer, Acosta and McCarty had played their way into the "A" team picture. After Saturday, I'd say it's Rowe and Dwyer. Rowe was great on Saturday. MCarty was pretty bad, which was shocking after he looked great against Ghana, and how good he looked all MLS season for Chicago. Our midfield was bad against Panama (who had an MLS midfield). Bruce will probably bring Bradley in for the knockout round now, we need him. Zusi was pretty bad too, but he's still learning the position, but so was Villafana, and that's his position, and he was a starter for the "A" team, so that's not good. I'd start Lichaj in the next 2 games, as well as Miazga and sit Besler too. Acosta is only 21, so he'll have bad games, but he looked lost and his service on set pieces was really bad.

It's going to come down to who can beat Martinique and Nicaragua by more goals to win the group, which is important because the group winner will probably get a Canada or El Salvador in the quarters and a Jamaica or Honduras in the Semis as opposed to Costa Rica in the quarters and Mexico in the semis.

I'm sure you'll be able to get tickets on a resale site. I got mine through seatgeek. What pisses me off is having the game where they are (no offense). There is a small Costa Rican population in the US (one of the smallest Hispanic populations), but there are 30K in NY/NJ metro area, which is either first or second (LA is up there) in the US. Have the game in Kansas City or Denver or something.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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FW wrote:Right now, I think Dwyer would be in Russia, along with Altidore, Wood and Dempsey as the forwards. Before Saturday, I would have said Dwyer, Acosta and McCarty had played their way into the "A" team picture. After Saturday, I'd say it's Rowe and Dwyer. Rowe was great on Saturday. MCarty was pretty bad, which was shocking after he looked great against Ghana, and how good he looked all MLS season for Chicago. Our midfield was bad against Panama (who had an MLS midfield). Bruce will probably bring Bradley in for the knockout round now, we need him. Zusi was pretty bad too, but he's still learning the position, but so was Villafana, and that's his position, and he was a starter for the "A" team, so that's not good. I'd start Lichaj in the next 2 games, as well as Miazga and sit Besler too. Acosta is only 21, so he'll have bad games, but he looked lost and his service on set pieces was really bad.

It's going to come down to who can beat Martinique and Nicaragua by more goals to win the group, which is important because the group winner will probably get a Canada or El Salvador in the quarters and a Jamaica or Honduras in the Semis as opposed to Costa Rica in the quarters and Mexico in the semis.

I'm sure you'll be able to get tickets on a resale site. I got mine through seatgeek. What pisses me off is having the game where they are (no offense). There is a small Costa Rican population in the US (one of the smallest Hispanic populations), but there are 30K in NY/NJ metro area, which is either first or second (LA is up there) in the US. Have the game in Kansas City or Denver or something.
No offense taken. All qualifiers should be played at the places with the most raucous crowds and biggest home field advantage. Harrison, NJ meets neither of those requirements.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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FW wrote:Right now, I think Dwyer would be in Russia, along with Altidore, Wood and Dempsey as the forwards. Before Saturday, I would have said Dwyer, Acosta and McCarty had played their way into the "A" team picture. After Saturday, I'd say it's Rowe and Dwyer..
And after another game in which the midfield was a dumpster fire, you'd have to think it's only Rowe and Dwyer who are frontrunners. Acosta played his way out of a spot this tournament, and Dax suffered from the overall poor cohesion of the team (and didn't shine, either). Hedges and Morris should get consideration, but I don't think they will.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Hedges was subpar, I thought too. I thought Eric Lichaj played well.
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Canada and Honduras tie 0-0, but since Concacaf has no balls, and made French Guiana forfeit for playing Flourent Malouda who had 80 caps for France, Honduras sits on 4 points and finished 3rd in the group and advances to the quarters. Canada finishes 2nd and Costa Rica 1st with 7 points. The runner up of Group B, most likely US-Panama (though Martinique gets it with a win over Panama), would play Costa Rica. US has to beat Nicaragua by a lot of goals.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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FW wrote:Hedges was subpar, I thought too. I thought Eric Lichaj played well.
Agree about Lichaj. It would be nice to see more of him. I thought Omar and the midfielders hung Hedges out to dry, though he wasn't spectacular.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by NJwave »

Wandering Quaker wrote:
FW wrote:Hedges was subpar, I thought too. I thought Eric Lichaj played well.
Agree about Lichaj. It would be nice to see more of him. I thought Omar and the midfielders hung Hedges out to dry, though he wasn't spectacular.
There was a play where Hedges looked like he was standing still as a man ran right by him. I have no idea of his speed but boy did he look slow on that play.

I really would like to see more of Lichaj as well. I'm looking at Brooks, Yedlin and Cameron as locks at defense for the rest of qualifying and behind. It would be nice to solidify a 4th guy and continue to be able to play Johnson in the midfield.

I would like to see a young keeper get some time. I've never been a Guzan fan and we need to develop a third goalie as this is likely the last cycle for Howard.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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NJwave wrote: I would like to see a young keeper get some time. I've never been a Guzan fan and we need to develop a third goalie as this is likely the last cycle for Howard.
Yes, Guzan is a known quantity. Really surprising we have seen him to the exclusion of the younger, less tested guys.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Need to win by 3 to win the group.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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And, we won by 3, but didn't make it easy. 88th minute goal by Matt Miazga makes it 3-0. We miss 2 PKs in the 2nd half that would have given us the easier win much earlier on. Have to sweat it out this way. Should have been at least 5-0. Glad to see Rowe score, but have to question Arena taking him out so early on. We looked really bad after he was subbed out. We'll play either Honduras, Jamaica or El Salvador based on today's games. Also, Howard, Altidore, Bradley Dempsey and Nagbe have been called in for the Knockout round.

And, non-US related, but Canada has a 16 year old who has 3 goals in the tournament, Alphonso Davies who plays for Vancouver.
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Also non-US related, what the hell was up with French Guiana calling in Florent Malouda and thinking that was going to be ok?

how are they allowed to submit a roster with an ineligible player without getting kicked out of the tournament before it starts?
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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MattK wrote:Also non-US related, what the hell was up with French Guiana calling in Florent Malouda and thinking that was going to be ok?

how are they allowed to submit a roster with an ineligible player without getting kicked out of the tournament before it starts?
I personally think they should have been allowed to do it. Only Concacaf would allow teams that aren't allowed to qualify for the World Cup to compete in the tournament in the first place, and only Concacaf would allow teams that, if they won, wouldn't be allowed to represent Concacaf in the Confederations Cup to compete. It's such a Mickey Mouse organization. FIFA gave Concacaf the final say. They didn't have to rule him out, they could have allowed him to play.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

Knockout stage bracket set

Quarterfinals

Costa Rica
Panama

El Salvador
USA

Jamaica
Canada

Honduras
Mexico

US plays at 9 (Eastern) on Wednesday
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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US wins 2-0 on goals from Omar and Lichaj. Jozy got sexually assaulted by a Salvadorian, so there's that. US-Costa Rica in the Semis on Saturday.
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USMNT gets an uninspiring 2-0 victory over the MS-13 parolee team. Defense against the counter attack continues to be an adventure.

I've seen enough of Matt hedges now.
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weird match. we had a goal wrongfully disallowed for offsides. the ref played advantage for a foul just outside the area and then called play back to that point when someone was fouled inside the area. assuming that we actually convert a penalty, that would have been 4.

And yet it still felt like we weren't nearly good enough. mostly due to the number of chances allowed.
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Lichaj's goal was brilliant, his "back pass" to Howard was pathetic and should have resulted in an ES goal. His goal celebration was the saddest of all, and I told his wife on twitter he needs to get a better celebration before Russia next year. Hedges was MLS defender of the year and is struggling big time in the Gold Cup, and not against Costa Rica or Mexico. Troubling. There were numerous times last night that Bradley had to literally point to where he wanted the backline and point where he wanted the guys to make runs, etc. Bruce was pissed on numerous fronts, mostly about the Canadian ref, his crew and the freakin Salvadorians who were trying to rape our players. One reason it should have been 3, 4, 5 or more is that ES should have been down to 10 or 9 men for red cards.
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I'm not overly concerned. Ideally we need one defender to replace Fabian Johnson so he can move up to midfield. We have 3 players set in stone in Brooks, Cameron and Yedlin. We need Lichaj or Morrow to step up and take over one position. If they can't, Johnson will stay where he is. Assuming we get to Russia, Omar Gonzalez will be a sub along with Besler and Matt Miazga and we will likely never see Hedges.

The real positive take away is how well Nagbe is playing. I also think Bradley is playing close to his old self.

Dempsey is looking very slow.

It would be nice to win the Gold Cup, but in the grand scheme of things it is meaningless. Qualifying resumes in September and that is what is important.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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NJwave wrote:I'm not overly concerned. Ideally we need one defender to replace Fabian Johnson so he can move up to midfield. We have 3 players set in stone in Brooks, Cameron and Yedlin. We need Lichaj or Morrow to step up and take over one position. If they can't, Johnson will stay where he is. Assuming we get to Russia, Omar Gonzalez will be a sub along with Besler and Matt Miazga and we will likely never see Hedges.

The real positive take away is how well Nagbe is playing. I also think Bradley is playing close to his old self.

Dempsey is looking very slow.
Morrow looked a lot better last night than during the previous game. He and Lichaj both recovered pretty well when pressed on the outside. Morrow played the long balls attempted over him nicely.

I was surprised to see Altidore and Dempsey in so long. Maybe Arena wanted to give Dempsey a shot at the record-tying goal against a weak opponent. But he didn't look right.

Altidore played well, and what most impressed me, frankly, was that he didn't just turn around and pound the life and soul out of Romero. That's a lot more self-control than I would have shown.
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