I need CCV and Ream to start. Zimmerman is in the dog house being reckless last game. If Zimmerman starts he better perform like Onyewu did against Spain in 2009 and throw his body to block the ball without fouling.
4-3-3- v England
Weah, Wright, CP
Ferreira, Adams, Musah
Jedi, Ream, Zimmerman, Dest
Turner
Subs- 60’ BA (CP), Moore (Dest)
‘75 McKennie (Musah), LDT (Ferreira), I’d hold last sub in case tied & goes into extra time. In turn, giving you 2 subs to use in extra time w/ +1 sub for extra time. I would like to see a speed & possession side. Weah, Ferreira, & Jedi are the speed side. CP, Musah, Dest the possession side, after each shot, the recirculates back to one of those 3. Haji keeps both CBs honest. Weah wearing out Walker like a used pair of shoes. (Like Vinicius JR did). Weah is faster than Vinicius JR, btw. I want to see CP abuse Shaw & then a tired Shaw have to deal with BA, who is pissed he didn’t start against England. B4 the WC, I thought MMA physicality would be good against the Lions. Now, I think it’s a bad move. GB used this already. Southgate has film on the trio now. Sargent & Reyna are difficult because I want them for the Iran match (and rest of the WC) & CP coming off the bench w/ Scally coming on at the same time to slam the door shut on Iran. I’m excited because I get to watch this match with my immediate family. I’ve been waiting a long time to watch USA play in a WC with my baby boomer parents!! Y’all have no idea
Gonna say it again. This team is shite. They are mechanical, tight and not very well coached. We will get smoked by England and run out of the tournament. Do I want that, no, but I think the US Soccer foundation is too worried about equity and inclusion and the women’s pay gap (doesn’t exist) than it is about soccer right now. You have to be blind to think Berhalter is a good coach and you have to be blind not to see that this is the BEST group of American players, by skill alone, that has ever been assembled under the US jersey and yet they will fail. They are not a team. They are not willing to fight till their limbs fall off. They have no passion for each other or the game. They don’t even play like an American soccer team and that is by Berhalter’s own design. It’s pathetic and its painful to watch. 30 years playing and coaching and I am embarrassed for our team. Straight embarrassed.
I agree with most of what you say, but I think the US can get out of the group, and I think the players do have heart. It showed in the England game; and now, they have to play like this against Iran. If GB were an adequate coach, the US should have minimum 4 points now.
I am going to stick with the fact that 4-3-3 is difficult to execute against any good team let alone a superior opponent. Lets look at how teams “neutralized” the English’s PL heavy fire power.
England lost in these games:
England Played 3-4-3 vs Italy played 3-5-2
England played 3-4-3 vs Hungary played 3-4-2-1
England played 4-3-3 vs Hungary played 3-4-2-1
(Hungary didn’t qualify for the World Cup!!!)
England Tie in these games:
England played 4-3-3 vs Poland played 3-1-4-2
England played 4-3-3 vs Hungary played 3-4-2-1
England Played 4-2-3-1 vs Italy played 4-3-3
England Played 4-2-3-1 vs Germany played 3-4-2-1
England Played 3-4-2-1 vs Germany played 4-2-3-1
……..soooooooo
1) England HAS NOT lost to a 4-3-3 formation playing team recently (Italy)
2) England HAS BEEN VULNERABLE to the 3-5-2 (Italy game 2) and the 3-4-2-1 (twice to Hungary).
3) England rotates around 4-3-3, 3-4-3 and played the 4-2-3-1 against Iran
Hmmm…..So maybe the USMNT and GB should line-up base on England’s formation? Food for thought
Let’s not forget that Wales has not been eliminated. If they can beat England in the last game, and England could well be playing for nothing at that point, they could still slip into the top 2 even if the U.S. beats Iran. So the U.S. losing to England by a lot could cost them.
With Iran beating Wales, I’d absolutely switch it up. “Gas in the tank” is an invaluable and finite resource in any World Cup, and this presents the US with an incredibly rare opportunity: we no longer need any kind of result against England. SO DO NOT WASTE OUR RESOURCES AGAINST ENGLAND. We simply need to beat Iran to advance…and Iran has a number of guys who have run themselves absolutely ragged over the first two games and at least one starter out due to yellow card accumulation over the first two matches.
I would flip everybody – everybody! – outside of Matt Turner, and try to play for a draw the first 60 minutes of the England game. Sit deep, defend, defend, defend, break opportunistically on counters. If they can somehow hold or even keep it within 1 goal, then you can bring in your starters like Pulisic/Musah/Weah, etc. and then try to win or tie the England game. Even if that fails and England gets 2+ goals up after 60…it’s not the end of the world.
Even with a bad result, you’d have fresh starters with a week of rest under their belt to face Iran, who is going to be in ragged shape in Game 3.
Yes. I’d even play Roldan and Long here.
You bring 26 guys for a reason. Your bench is a resource and a smart coach figures out a way to squeeze value out of every player he has. Here’s where you use that resource. Let the bench absorb some of the wear and tear and fatigue and invariable yellows that are going to come in Game 2…and save our starters for a worn-down Iranian side in Game 3.
Reyna/Ferreira/Morris
De La Torre/Acosta/Roldan
Scally/Long/Carter-Vickers/Moore
Turner
Addendum: Whoops. Just realized you don’t even have to start Roldan. You can put Aaronson at CM as well. That isn’t even a terrible lineup. (Well, except for maybe Long.)
Good point regarding the yellow cards. I heard that the US-England game was going to be assigned to a Venezuelan referee who is famous for dishing out cards. I hope he does an adequate job in this game.
“With Iran beating Wales, I’d absolutely switch it up.”
+1
I had this thought as well but I doubt it happens. I remember Berhalter did something similar (gold cup?) recently and the team underperformed and he got killed for it by the media. There is also the issue of momentum and chemistry that could be hard to recover if we get destroyed by england. I favor somewhere in between, rest 3or 4 starters, bring them in early 2nd half for the ones who have the most minutes, hopefully almost all are ready or ready enough for iran.
I do remember he got killed for it in the media, but any bad result, a coach gets killed by every pundit in the media, just how it goes. At the end of the day, if he beats Iran and advances, it’ll look like a good move. If he doesn’t, he’ll get second-guessed. But guess what? If he plays his starters against England, loses anyway, and some of them get hurt, wind up with their second yellows – keep in mind Ream, Dest, McKennie, and Acosta are all on yellows – they’re no longer going to be available for you against Iran. And then if he fails to get a result against Iran, he’ll get second-guessed regardless,..and some folks will of course go: “why did you use your starters up against England when you didn’t have to?” Law of the jungle. Coaches catch crap, trust me. At any level.
He needs to be brave here, strategic (as opposed to tactical, which happens on the field), and think about the Big Picture. And the Big Picture says getting out of Group is more important than any other consideration right now. And as a longtime coach I’m telling you, from a “team chemistry” standpoint, leaning on your bench, showing faith in the whole roster, and using and involving every player, is huge. And even if England thumps your backups it’s not particularly demoralizing because you can just say: “well, that was just our B-team, no biggie”. But if they can actually hold England…well, your whole team is buoyed. A rising tide lifts all boats.
There’s no downside here. Contrariwise, a bad result against England – especially if your starters burn themselves out and catch injuries or second yellows – is devastating, if it’s your A’s.
Here’s where you need to let your backups take the load. Just my opinion but it’s a strong one. I would absolutely protect my starters here because I can. And frankly I’d rather have them in the mentality where they feel like they have to play for a win against Iran anyway because the last thing you want is to play “not to lose” against Iran…because that’s when you lose. The team that’s the aggressor in that game and plays on the front foot likely wins.
I need CCV and Ream to start. Zimmerman is in the dog house being reckless last game. If Zimmerman starts he better perform like Onyewu did against Spain in 2009 and throw his body to block the ball without fouling.
4-3-3- v England
Weah, Wright, CP
Ferreira, Adams, Musah
Jedi, Ream, Zimmerman, Dest
Turner
Subs- 60’ BA (CP), Moore (Dest)
‘75 McKennie (Musah), LDT (Ferreira), I’d hold last sub in case tied & goes into extra time. In turn, giving you 2 subs to use in extra time w/ +1 sub for extra time. I would like to see a speed & possession side. Weah, Ferreira, & Jedi are the speed side. CP, Musah, Dest the possession side, after each shot, the recirculates back to one of those 3. Haji keeps both CBs honest. Weah wearing out Walker like a used pair of shoes. (Like Vinicius JR did). Weah is faster than Vinicius JR, btw. I want to see CP abuse Shaw & then a tired Shaw have to deal with BA, who is pissed he didn’t start against England. B4 the WC, I thought MMA physicality would be good against the Lions. Now, I think it’s a bad move. GB used this already. Southgate has film on the trio now. Sargent & Reyna are difficult because I want them for the Iran match (and rest of the WC) & CP coming off the bench w/ Scally coming on at the same time to slam the door shut on Iran. I’m excited because I get to watch this match with my immediate family. I’ve been waiting a long time to watch USA play in a WC with my baby boomer parents!! Y’all have no idea
Gonna say it again. This team is shite. They are mechanical, tight and not very well coached. We will get smoked by England and run out of the tournament. Do I want that, no, but I think the US Soccer foundation is too worried about equity and inclusion and the women’s pay gap (doesn’t exist) than it is about soccer right now. You have to be blind to think Berhalter is a good coach and you have to be blind not to see that this is the BEST group of American players, by skill alone, that has ever been assembled under the US jersey and yet they will fail. They are not a team. They are not willing to fight till their limbs fall off. They have no passion for each other or the game. They don’t even play like an American soccer team and that is by Berhalter’s own design. It’s pathetic and its painful to watch. 30 years playing and coaching and I am embarrassed for our team. Straight embarrassed.
With all due respect … shut the f%$^ up
Bro Tranquillo, it’s all good.
I agree with most of what you say, but I think the US can get out of the group, and I think the players do have heart. It showed in the England game; and now, they have to play like this against Iran. If GB were an adequate coach, the US should have minimum 4 points now.
I am going to stick with the fact that 4-3-3 is difficult to execute against any good team let alone a superior opponent. Lets look at how teams “neutralized” the English’s PL heavy fire power.
England lost in these games:
England Played 3-4-3 vs Italy played 3-5-2
England played 3-4-3 vs Hungary played 3-4-2-1
England played 4-3-3 vs Hungary played 3-4-2-1
(Hungary didn’t qualify for the World Cup!!!)
England Tie in these games:
England played 4-3-3 vs Poland played 3-1-4-2
England played 4-3-3 vs Hungary played 3-4-2-1
England Played 4-2-3-1 vs Italy played 4-3-3
England Played 4-2-3-1 vs Germany played 3-4-2-1
England Played 3-4-2-1 vs Germany played 4-2-3-1
……..soooooooo
1) England HAS NOT lost to a 4-3-3 formation playing team recently (Italy)
2) England HAS BEEN VULNERABLE to the 3-5-2 (Italy game 2) and the 3-4-2-1 (twice to Hungary).
3) England rotates around 4-3-3, 3-4-3 and played the 4-2-3-1 against Iran
Hmmm…..So maybe the USMNT and GB should line-up base on England’s formation? Food for thought
Let’s not forget that Wales has not been eliminated. If they can beat England in the last game, and England could well be playing for nothing at that point, they could still slip into the top 2 even if the U.S. beats Iran. So the U.S. losing to England by a lot could cost them.
Great Job Ives. Thanks for the preview.
With Iran beating Wales, I’d absolutely switch it up. “Gas in the tank” is an invaluable and finite resource in any World Cup, and this presents the US with an incredibly rare opportunity: we no longer need any kind of result against England. SO DO NOT WASTE OUR RESOURCES AGAINST ENGLAND. We simply need to beat Iran to advance…and Iran has a number of guys who have run themselves absolutely ragged over the first two games and at least one starter out due to yellow card accumulation over the first two matches.
I would flip everybody – everybody! – outside of Matt Turner, and try to play for a draw the first 60 minutes of the England game. Sit deep, defend, defend, defend, break opportunistically on counters. If they can somehow hold or even keep it within 1 goal, then you can bring in your starters like Pulisic/Musah/Weah, etc. and then try to win or tie the England game. Even if that fails and England gets 2+ goals up after 60…it’s not the end of the world.
Even with a bad result, you’d have fresh starters with a week of rest under their belt to face Iran, who is going to be in ragged shape in Game 3.
Yes. I’d even play Roldan and Long here.
You bring 26 guys for a reason. Your bench is a resource and a smart coach figures out a way to squeeze value out of every player he has. Here’s where you use that resource. Let the bench absorb some of the wear and tear and fatigue and invariable yellows that are going to come in Game 2…and save our starters for a worn-down Iranian side in Game 3.
Reyna/Ferreira/Morris
De La Torre/Acosta/Roldan
Scally/Long/Carter-Vickers/Moore
Turner
Addendum: Whoops. Just realized you don’t even have to start Roldan. You can put Aaronson at CM as well. That isn’t even a terrible lineup. (Well, except for maybe Long.)
Good point regarding the yellow cards. I heard that the US-England game was going to be assigned to a Venezuelan referee who is famous for dishing out cards. I hope he does an adequate job in this game.
“With Iran beating Wales, I’d absolutely switch it up.”
+1
I had this thought as well but I doubt it happens. I remember Berhalter did something similar (gold cup?) recently and the team underperformed and he got killed for it by the media. There is also the issue of momentum and chemistry that could be hard to recover if we get destroyed by england. I favor somewhere in between, rest 3or 4 starters, bring them in early 2nd half for the ones who have the most minutes, hopefully almost all are ready or ready enough for iran.
I do remember he got killed for it in the media, but any bad result, a coach gets killed by every pundit in the media, just how it goes. At the end of the day, if he beats Iran and advances, it’ll look like a good move. If he doesn’t, he’ll get second-guessed. But guess what? If he plays his starters against England, loses anyway, and some of them get hurt, wind up with their second yellows – keep in mind Ream, Dest, McKennie, and Acosta are all on yellows – they’re no longer going to be available for you against Iran. And then if he fails to get a result against Iran, he’ll get second-guessed regardless,..and some folks will of course go: “why did you use your starters up against England when you didn’t have to?” Law of the jungle. Coaches catch crap, trust me. At any level.
He needs to be brave here, strategic (as opposed to tactical, which happens on the field), and think about the Big Picture. And the Big Picture says getting out of Group is more important than any other consideration right now. And as a longtime coach I’m telling you, from a “team chemistry” standpoint, leaning on your bench, showing faith in the whole roster, and using and involving every player, is huge. And even if England thumps your backups it’s not particularly demoralizing because you can just say: “well, that was just our B-team, no biggie”. But if they can actually hold England…well, your whole team is buoyed. A rising tide lifts all boats.
There’s no downside here. Contrariwise, a bad result against England – especially if your starters burn themselves out and catch injuries or second yellows – is devastating, if it’s your A’s.
Here’s where you need to let your backups take the load. Just my opinion but it’s a strong one. I would absolutely protect my starters here because I can. And frankly I’d rather have them in the mentality where they feel like they have to play for a win against Iran anyway because the last thing you want is to play “not to lose” against Iran…because that’s when you lose. The team that’s the aggressor in that game and plays on the front foot likely wins.