***Official Soccer Thread***

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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

I'm not concerned for the WCQ / WC either. I'm actually shocked the soccer journalists and fans on twitter are freaking out. You have a "real" back 4 of Cameron/Brooks in the middle. Yedlin on one side and then you find someone for the other back. Lichaj, Chandler, Villafana, Zusi, Beasley (at 58). There are options out there, even if they're not as solid as the other 3. Cameron can also play RB in a pinch (where he plays for Stoke) and you can slot Omar in at CB. If not, you have Omar and Besler backing up the CBs with Miazga as an option too. In the youth pipe you have Cameron Carter-Vickers who starred at the U-20 WC who plays for Tottenham. You have Erik Palmer-Brown on Kansas City. We're fine.

In the midfield you have Bradley who, despite the naysayers, is still the most important (not best) player on the field. Pulisic, Nagbe, Johnson. Bedoya was playing really well before he left for the birth of his kid. He'll get a look. Arena likes Arriola. Acosta will be good soon, not sure if it's 2018 or not, but he's just 21. Arena really likes Zardes even if I want to punch him in the face, so I bet he's on the roster. Wildcard here is Danny Williams. One of Reading's best players the last 5 years, 11 of 22 national team appearances came in 2011 and 2012. Now he's in the EPL with Huddersfield, so if he's starting and playing well in the EPL, you have to think he's in the picture too.

As for forwards, you to guess Wood and Jozy are the starters. Dempsey will be there. 4th spot battle between Morris, Dwyer, and someone else who gets hot in MLS, Mexico or Europe, not named Wondo. Agudelo will be around, though I don't like what I've seen. It'll be very interesting to see if Aron Johannson can push his way back in the picture. When healthy and getting playing time, he's very good. A wild card is Terrence Boyd who tore his ACL in Dec. 2014 and the got hurt again trying to come back, didn't play when Leipzig moved to the Bundesliga and now is in 2 Bundesliga with Darmstadt. Had 1 goal in 7 games from Jan-May last year. If he can get a starting job there and score he forces his way into the picture.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Jamaica 2 Canada 1
Mexico 1 Honduras 0

That side of the bracket is set now for the semis
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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US dominated most of the game, and finally breaks through with Jozy and Dempsey goals. Dempsey really opened the match up when he came in as a sub, which has to be his role in Russia. I thought Bradley, Nagbe, Morris, Dempsey and Villafana were very good last night.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Jamaica 1 Mexico 0.

Their insane fan base that thinks they are in the same class as a Germany will be calling for a coaching change.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Osorio is gone from what I'm hearing. They had to win this tournament, which is funny since Osorio was suspended for the entire tournament. Everyone was freaking out due to the US' perceived lack of depth, but in off year GCs, the US has reached the finals in 2017, has won in 2013, reached the finals in 2009, and won in 2005 (when they started going to the off year GC where everyone didn't bring their "A" squads). Mexico, on the flip side, was knocked out in the quatrers in 2005, won in 2009, was knocked out in the semis in 2013 and was knocked out in the semis in 2015.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by NJwave »

FW wrote:Osorio is gone from what I'm hearing. They had to win this tournament, which is funny since Osorio was suspended for the entire tournament. Everyone was freaking out due to the US' perceived lack of depth, but in off year GCs, the US has reached the finals in 2017, has won in 2013, reached the finals in 2009, and won in 2005 (when they started going to the off year GC where everyone didn't bring their "A" squads). Mexico, on the flip side, was knocked out in the quatrers in 2005, won in 2009, was knocked out in the semis in 2013 and was knocked out in the semis in 2015.
Their federation and fans are nuts. They have all but wrapped up a World Cup bid which is the ultimate goal right now. They also got to the semi-finals of the Confederation Cup. What more could they have achieved in the last year? Canning the guy who wasn't coaching while using your B team makes no sense.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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They think they're Brazil or Argentina
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Now it looks like Jonathan Dos Santos is going to join brother Gio playing for the Galaxy. Jonathan played for Barca from 2009-2014 and now plays for Villareal and has 27 caps for Mexico.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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NJwave wrote:Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
I've actually found that prices are cheaper on stubhub as it closer bc people freak out when their tix don't sell. That's how we got our Gold Cup tix, lower deck, right outside the box for $25 cheaper than face value. Actually, it was on seatgeek.com, but same thing. We did it 5 days before the game, but we had the luxury of 47K fans in a 69K seat stadium and knowing we could get seats regardless, not a sellout in a 26K seat stadium.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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FW wrote:
NJwave wrote:Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
I've actually found that prices are cheaper on stubhub as it closer bc people freak out when their tix don't sell. That's how we got our Gold Cup tix, lower deck, right outside the box for $25 cheaper than face value. Actually, it was on seatgeek.com, but same thing. We did it 5 days before the game, but we had the luxury of 47K fans in a 69K seat stadium and knowing we could get seats regardless, not a sellout in a 26K seat stadium.
I really want to go and am a little concerned given that the game should sell out. I don't want to be left out worrying about a few bucks.

It's going to be a great atmosphere even though I will forever agree with you that the game should never be played in Harrison, NJ.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

NJwave wrote:
FW wrote:
NJwave wrote:Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
I've actually found that prices are cheaper on stubhub as it closer bc people freak out when their tix don't sell. That's how we got our Gold Cup tix, lower deck, right outside the box for $25 cheaper than face value. Actually, it was on seatgeek.com, but same thing. We did it 5 days before the game, but we had the luxury of 47K fans in a 69K seat stadium and knowing we could get seats regardless, not a sellout in a 26K seat stadium.
I really want to go and am a little concerned given that the game should sell out. I don't want to be left out worrying about a few bucks.

It's going to be a great atmosphere even though I will forever agree with you that the game should never be played in Harrison, NJ.
I completely understand
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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2-1 win over Jamaica and the US takes home the Gold Cup. Surprised it wasn't posted here yet.

On a different note, as a causal fan of US soccer I've been told the FIFA rankings are pretty much bunk. Instead I use http://www.eloratings.net/ to get an idea of how national teams match up. What are the thoughts of more avid fans on the available ranking systems out there? Is the one I've been using any better than FIFA?
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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FW wrote:
NJwave wrote:Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
I've actually found that prices are cheaper on stubhub as it closer bc people freak out when their tix don't sell. That's how we got our Gold Cup tix, lower deck, right outside the box for $25 cheaper than face value. Actually, it was on seatgeek.com, but same thing. We did it 5 days before the game, but we had the luxury of 47K fans in a 69K seat stadium and knowing we could get seats regardless, not a sellout in a 26K seat stadium.
If you pay $25 a year to be in American Outlaws you get access to buy in their ticket block at special pricing and sit in the outlaws section behind the goal. But AO tickets are first come, first served. The only time we've paid anything over $100 was when we waited too long for 2016 Copa America game at Soldier Field and were able to find face value tickets thru the AO ticket exchange on their private forum.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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tulaneoutlaw wrote:2-1 win over Jamaica and the US takes home the Gold Cup. Surprised it wasn't posted here yet.

On a different note, as a causal fan of US soccer I've been told the FIFA rankings are pretty much bunk. Instead I use http://www.eloratings.net/ to get an idea of how national teams match up. What are the thoughts of more avid fans on the available ranking systems out there? Is the one I've been using any better than FIFA?
I went to bed immediately after the game, and woke up and went straight to do yard work. Good to see Morris get the winner after he was burned on Jamaica's goal.

As for the rankings, the FIFA ones are crap. For example, we were ranked 4th in the world ahead of the 2006 World Cup, and I don't think anyone in their right mind thought we were the 4th best team in the world then. Elo is more accurate, but they're all still a bit crap. 23 seems a little low, I'd say 15-20, but 23 is ok.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

DrHullabaloo wrote:
FW wrote:
NJwave wrote:Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
I've actually found that prices are cheaper on stubhub as it closer bc people freak out when their tix don't sell. That's how we got our Gold Cup tix, lower deck, right outside the box for $25 cheaper than face value. Actually, it was on seatgeek.com, but same thing. We did it 5 days before the game, but we had the luxury of 47K fans in a 69K seat stadium and knowing we could get seats regardless, not a sellout in a 26K seat stadium.
If you pay $25 a year to be in American Outlaws you get access to buy in their ticket block at special pricing and sit in the outlaws section behind the goal. But AO tickets are first come, first served. The only time we've paid anything over $100 was when we waited too long for 2016 Copa America game at Soldier Field and were able to find face value tickets thru the AO ticket exchange on their private forum.
I'm an AO member too, but when I went to the game in Nashville, I went with people who didn't want to stand the entire game.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by DrHullabaloo »

FW wrote:
DrHullabaloo wrote:
FW wrote:
NJwave wrote:Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
I've actually found that prices are cheaper on stubhub as it closer bc people freak out when their tix don't sell. That's how we got our Gold Cup tix, lower deck, right outside the box for $25 cheaper than face value. Actually, it was on seatgeek.com, but same thing. We did it 5 days before the game, but we had the luxury of 47K fans in a 69K seat stadium and knowing we could get seats regardless, not a sellout in a 26K seat stadium.
If you pay $25 a year to be in American Outlaws you get access to buy in their ticket block at special pricing and sit in the outlaws section behind the goal. But AO tickets are first come, first served. The only time we've paid anything over $100 was when we waited too long for 2016 Copa America game at Soldier Field and were able to find face value tickets thru the AO ticket exchange on their private forum.
I'm an AO member too, but when I went to the game in Nashville, I went with people who didn't want to stand the entire game.
We were in Nashville too! That's been my only bad AO section experience. The tailgate was rowdier than usual (that slide omg) and I felt like we were surrounded by LSU fans and not regular AOs. And it with it being so blazing hot, we ended up bribing a security guard with a stadium hot dog and she let us in the club section and we sat up in the corner of the endzone in shaded seats with air conditioned concessions steps away. Bliss.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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FW wrote:
tulaneoutlaw wrote:2-1 win over Jamaica and the US takes home the Gold Cup. Surprised it wasn't posted here yet.

On a different note, as a causal fan of US soccer I've been told the FIFA rankings are pretty much bunk. Instead I use http://www.eloratings.net/ to get an idea of how national teams match up. What are the thoughts of more avid fans on the available ranking systems out there? Is the one I've been using any better than FIFA?
I went to bed immediately after the game, and woke up and went straight to do yard work. Good to see Morris get the winner after he was burned on Jamaica's goal.

As for the rankings, the FIFA ones are crap. For example, we were ranked 4th in the world ahead of the 2006 World Cup, and I don't think anyone in their right mind thought we were the 4th best team in the world then. Elo is more accurate, but they're all still a bit crap. 23 seems a little low, I'd say 15-20, but 23 is ok.
We dominated the game and deserved the win. It's nice the win the Gold Cup. From a big picture, the biggest positives are that Jordan Morris regained his confidence and could be a valuable sub going forward this next year, Darlington Nagbe has cemented himself as a reliable starter, Michael Bradley is playing the best he has in several years and Clint Dempsey still has a lot to offer this team as a guy that can go all out for 30 minutes.

Arena has taken what was a mess and added a lot of stability. We will qualify for the World Cup. I really like the team for 2022.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by DrHullabaloo »

NJwave wrote:
FW wrote:
tulaneoutlaw wrote:2-1 win over Jamaica and the US takes home the Gold Cup. Surprised it wasn't posted here yet.

On a different note, as a causal fan of US soccer I've been told the FIFA rankings are pretty much bunk. Instead I use http://www.eloratings.net/ to get an idea of how national teams match up. What are the thoughts of more avid fans on the available ranking systems out there? Is the one I've been using any better than FIFA?
I went to bed immediately after the game, and woke up and went straight to do yard work. Good to see Morris get the winner after he was burned on Jamaica's goal.

As for the rankings, the FIFA ones are crap. For example, we were ranked 4th in the world ahead of the 2006 World Cup, and I don't think anyone in their right mind thought we were the 4th best team in the world then. Elo is more accurate, but they're all still a bit crap. 23 seems a little low, I'd say 15-20, but 23 is ok.
We dominated the game and deserved the win. It's nice the win the Gold Cup. From a big picture, the biggest positives are that Jordan Morris regained his confidence and could be a valuable sub going forward this next year, Darlington Nagbe has cemented himself as a reliable starter, Michael Bradley is playing the best he has in several years and Clint Dempsey still has a lot to offer this team as a guy that can go all out for 30 minutes.

Arena has taken what was a mess and added a lot of stability. We will qualify for the World Cup. I really like the team for 2022.
Coach Hullabaloo keeps threatening if we get in the World Cup that we are going to a game in Russia. After seeing the hotels debacles from the winter olympics that whole scenario worries me. And then after that there's Dubai. Why can't Canada host the World Cup?
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by NJwave »

DrHullabaloo wrote:
NJwave wrote:
FW wrote:
tulaneoutlaw wrote:2-1 win over Jamaica and the US takes home the Gold Cup. Surprised it wasn't posted here yet.

On a different note, as a causal fan of US soccer I've been told the FIFA rankings are pretty much bunk. Instead I use http://www.eloratings.net/ to get an idea of how national teams match up. What are the thoughts of more avid fans on the available ranking systems out there? Is the one I've been using any better than FIFA?
I went to bed immediately after the game, and woke up and went straight to do yard work. Good to see Morris get the winner after he was burned on Jamaica's goal.

As for the rankings, the FIFA ones are crap. For example, we were ranked 4th in the world ahead of the 2006 World Cup, and I don't think anyone in their right mind thought we were the 4th best team in the world then. Elo is more accurate, but they're all still a bit crap. 23 seems a little low, I'd say 15-20, but 23 is ok.
We dominated the game and deserved the win. It's nice the win the Gold Cup. From a big picture, the biggest positives are that Jordan Morris regained his confidence and could be a valuable sub going forward this next year, Darlington Nagbe has cemented himself as a reliable starter, Michael Bradley is playing the best he has in several years and Clint Dempsey still has a lot to offer this team as a guy that can go all out for 30 minutes.

Arena has taken what was a mess and added a lot of stability. We will qualify for the World Cup. I really like the team for 2022.
Coach Hullabaloo keeps threatening if we get in the World Cup that we are going to a game in Russia. After seeing the hotels debacles from the winter olympics that whole scenario worries me. And then after that there's Dubai. Why can't Canada host the World Cup?
Russia and Qatar being awarded World Cups shows how corrupt FIFA is. How they can put up with human rights abuses on the stadiums being build in Qatar is beyond me ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$).
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by windywave »

DrHullabaloo wrote:
NJwave wrote:
FW wrote:
tulaneoutlaw wrote:2-1 win over Jamaica and the US takes home the Gold Cup. Surprised it wasn't posted here yet.

On a different note, as a causal fan of US soccer I've been told the FIFA rankings are pretty much bunk. Instead I use http://www.eloratings.net/ to get an idea of how national teams match up. What are the thoughts of more avid fans on the available ranking systems out there? Is the one I've been using any better than FIFA?
I went to bed immediately after the game, and woke up and went straight to do yard work. Good to see Morris get the winner after he was burned on Jamaica's goal.

As for the rankings, the FIFA ones are crap. For example, we were ranked 4th in the world ahead of the 2006 World Cup, and I don't think anyone in their right mind thought we were the 4th best team in the world then. Elo is more accurate, but they're all still a bit crap. 23 seems a little low, I'd say 15-20, but 23 is ok.
We dominated the game and deserved the win. It's nice the win the Gold Cup. From a big picture, the biggest positives are that Jordan Morris regained his confidence and could be a valuable sub going forward this next year, Darlington Nagbe has cemented himself as a reliable starter, Michael Bradley is playing the best he has in several years and Clint Dempsey still has a lot to offer this team as a guy that can go all out for 30 minutes.

Arena has taken what was a mess and added a lot of stability. We will qualify for the World Cup. I really like the team for 2022.
Coach Hullabaloo keeps threatening if we get in the World Cup that we are going to a game in Russia. After seeing the hotels debacles from the winter olympics that whole scenario worries me. And then after that there's Dubai. Why can't Canada host the World Cup?
They did for the Hockey World Cup
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by Wandering Quaker »

NJwave wrote:We dominated the game and deserved the win. It's nice the win the Gold Cup. From a big picture, the biggest positives are that Jordan Morris regained his confidence and could be a valuable sub going forward this next year, Darlington Nagbe has cemented himself as a reliable starter, Michael Bradley is playing the best he has in several years and Clint Dempsey still has a lot to offer this team as a guy that can go all out for 30 minutes.

Arena has taken what was a mess and added a lot of stability. We will qualify for the World Cup. I really like the team for 2022.
Indeed. This team looks a lot more stable and dangerous. We still have some concerns on the back end, but the team spirit seems to be back, and there seem to be lots of options to score goals now.

I thought we were going to see a lot of U.S. players stretchered off during that first half. Jamaica fouled hard. Wow.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

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It was a fun game to watch.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

DrHullabaloo wrote:
FW wrote:
DrHullabaloo wrote:
FW wrote:
NJwave wrote:Just purchased my ticket for World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica. $122 including all fees for decent seats through US Men's site which uses ticketmaster. I can't imagine what the cost on Stub Hub will be as the time gets closer.
I've actually found that prices are cheaper on stubhub as it closer bc people freak out when their tix don't sell. That's how we got our Gold Cup tix, lower deck, right outside the box for $25 cheaper than face value. Actually, it was on seatgeek.com, but same thing. We did it 5 days before the game, but we had the luxury of 47K fans in a 69K seat stadium and knowing we could get seats regardless, not a sellout in a 26K seat stadium.
If you pay $25 a year to be in American Outlaws you get access to buy in their ticket block at special pricing and sit in the outlaws section behind the goal. But AO tickets are first come, first served. The only time we've paid anything over $100 was when we waited too long for 2016 Copa America game at Soldier Field and were able to find face value tickets thru the AO ticket exchange on their private forum.
I'm an AO member too, but when I went to the game in Nashville, I went with people who didn't want to stand the entire game.
We were in Nashville too! That's been my only bad AO section experience. The tailgate was rowdier than usual (that slide omg) and I felt like we were surrounded by LSU fans and not regular AOs. And it with it being so blazing hot, we ended up bribing a security guard with a stadium hot dog and she let us in the club section and we sat up in the corner of the endzone in shaded seats with air conditioned concessions steps away. Bliss.
We were on the equivalent of the 20 yard line near the AO section on the side away from the river. We moved up about 10 rows to open seats under the overhang (no idea why no one was sitting there). We stayed for part of the Nicaragua game because we were with a Nicaraguan friend (who was actually married to a TU grad), but it wasn't as bad.
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Re: ***Official Soccer Thread***

Post by FW »

DrHullabaloo wrote:
NJwave wrote:
FW wrote:
tulaneoutlaw wrote:2-1 win over Jamaica and the US takes home the Gold Cup. Surprised it wasn't posted here yet.

On a different note, as a causal fan of US soccer I've been told the FIFA rankings are pretty much bunk. Instead I use http://www.eloratings.net/ to get an idea of how national teams match up. What are the thoughts of more avid fans on the available ranking systems out there? Is the one I've been using any better than FIFA?
I went to bed immediately after the game, and woke up and went straight to do yard work. Good to see Morris get the winner after he was burned on Jamaica's goal.

As for the rankings, the FIFA ones are crap. For example, we were ranked 4th in the world ahead of the 2006 World Cup, and I don't think anyone in their right mind thought we were the 4th best team in the world then. Elo is more accurate, but they're all still a bit crap. 23 seems a little low, I'd say 15-20, but 23 is ok.
We dominated the game and deserved the win. It's nice the win the Gold Cup. From a big picture, the biggest positives are that Jordan Morris regained his confidence and could be a valuable sub going forward this next year, Darlington Nagbe has cemented himself as a reliable starter, Michael Bradley is playing the best he has in several years and Clint Dempsey still has a lot to offer this team as a guy that can go all out for 30 minutes.

Arena has taken what was a mess and added a lot of stability. We will qualify for the World Cup. I really like the team for 2022.
Coach Hullabaloo keeps threatening if we get in the World Cup that we are going to a game in Russia. After seeing the hotels debacles from the winter olympics that whole scenario worries me. And then after that there's Dubai. Why can't Canada host the World Cup?
US/Canada/Mexico put in a bid for 2026 and there's basically no competition, so they'll host between the 3. Canada is going to need to fix their turf problem though.
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