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Video: Alexi Lalas calls out USMNT for World Cup qualifying performances

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  1. One of the few times I agree with Lalas. Why is it that when we play CONCACAF teams filled with MLS players, often of only slightly above average quality, they up their game considerably and make the US players, many of whom play for European clubs, look inept? The main difference has got to be attitude. Bad tactics, like vs. Honduras, don’t help, but the other teams often seem to play both harder and smarter. I know it is hard to play in Honduras, but how many of their players would you trade for our players? Same with CR, whom we beat easily in the GC and Centenario. If our players play to their potential, we really should win both of our last 2 games. You figure that Panama will take the same game plan as CR, so it will be a question of heart, effort, and execution, not ability. T&T shouldn’t even be that hard.

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    • That’s the same point that puzzles me again and again. You look at most of these concacaf lineups and you wouldn’t take more than a handful on the a full strength US squad much less their starting 11. The market for players amongst club teams is a meritocracy. If your players play at a higher level they’re more sought after. We’re losing to less talented teams. We’re underperforming.

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  2. thank god alexi lalas is here with his words of wisdom: “save more shots, work hard, and play better”. truly a message only a mediocre player who wouldn’t make a current mls lineup could send. if only arena had thought to ask him beforehand.

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  3. I was on board until the cheap shot at Pulisic. We’re asking an 18 year old to be the best player on the national team and carry us to Russia. But since he’s the only world class player in the pool, he gets triple teamed and hacked every time he touches the ball. Rather than ask more from him, we should support him with better players than Zusi and our other middling MLS players.

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  4. Can’t stand Lalas, but he’s right to call out the team and staff. Miserable Hex so far outside of the home game to Honduras. BA should be out whether we qualify of not after Oct/Nov qualifiers. He hasn’t earned the right to manage this team at the WC. Bradley needs to relinquish the arm band and IMO be bench for other CM pairing to see how or what they can do, for almost a decade the CM argument is who best pairs with Bradley and its apparently no one. Bradley, its been fun many memories but time to move on to other in CM. Timmy, man you were dope your whole career, and yeah you missed that save against CR but keep looking like grandpa and we gotta move one too. Seriously, Wondo, Zusi, McCarty, et all should be grateful they even got to play and should have never sniffed a roster spot.

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    • Who would you suggest as replacements for Bradley? Arena?
      The reality is this: the only aberration (and loss) in Arena’s tenure so far has been the home result against CR. The team is in the same kind of rut it was in right before the snowstorm win against the Ticos in Denver in the last Hex. Then, a much needed gut check led to a turnaround. Let’s hope this can happen this time around as well. Wins against Panama and T&T will make most fans forget about this current spell. If the team sputters, then Arena will get a well-deserved canning. Until then, he can still prove his worth by getting this team back on track — something he has done multiple times in the past.

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  5. Starts from the top, both the Federation and MLS have cuddled these guys. Say what you will about JK but are BA tactics any better? I dont care how well our “team leaders” perform against sub par competition if they cant perform when it counts. Personally I cant stand the Toronto duo; Jozy always looks plain lazy and Bradly is half step behind.

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  6. I second the entitlement thing. The support for USMNT has grown leaps and bounds over the last several years and I think the players have convinced themselves they are on a level they are not because of it.

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  7. I usually think Alexi Lalas is full of hot air, but I have to agree with him on this point. If you watch that team, you get the sense that there is an entitlement mentality with certain players.

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    • Were you actually there? I was. ai have no doubt that if the US had played well no one would have been speaking about the Costa Rica contingent (which btw was wearing the same red many US supporters were wearing, it was indistinguishable in person, let alone on TV). Let it go. Lalas is right here (for once). Many of the longest tenured US Supporters alive reside in the NY/NJ Metro area and deservedly got a Qualifier for once. Insecure USMNT supporters need to get over themselves & take it as a challenge to be louder and stop whining.

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      • Oh it was easy to tell on TV that the CR fans were out in full force at RBA.
        U.S. Soccer should not have scheduled a home qualifier against CR in Harrison for the same reason that the US doesn’t play qualifiers against Mexico in Los Angeles. They could have reserved RBA for the match against TNT. But CR? No.
        We need every advantage we can get in qualifiers. God knows all of our opponents use whatever they can to get one over on their opponents. That’s why Honduras scheduled their home match against us in the afternoon heat. The team played like crap, but the venue selection should also be criticized.

    • Lallas probably played 100% of his qualifiers in front of Pro-opponent crowds. This excuse holds little water.
      I agree we should be sure to schedule Mexico and CR home qualis in front of as pro US crowds as possible, but the point is our “leaders” failed us in those games. There was no fight in the team to speak of. When the going gets tough every team relies on their leadership to step up and give the team their edge. We got anything but that for those 2 games.

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