OregonAggie said:

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I was confused as to why Reyna and Konrad refused to make runs behind the lines against wales. Musah or Mckennie couldn't done the same but everyone just seemed to want the ball at their feet. I don't see much wrong with the way Lleget played and I more blame the other players and Berhalter himself.

I hope they look better today but if they just sit back and wait for balls at their feet...we're going to have a boring one to watch.

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I don't think they refused to do it, but its more that they are both very young players and their current strengths lie in receiving the ball in that space between the center midfield and the back 4. So it might be dumb for a national team coach to try to employ tactics that have them doing things they DONT do at their club level currently. I could see it being something that does work in the future, and I actually dont truly mind him trying things out to see how pieces fit.
At the same time, I think that is something both players would do well to add to their skillset, not just for the US but for their club careers.

You just cant really coach a national team like a club team, you dont get the players for long enough so your schemes/gameplan generally have to be less complicated. Hopefuly Berhalter gets that at some point, as I'm not ready to write him off just yet.

On Lletget, I think he is a good player, and will be in the mix in the midfield which only helps our player pool.
He did better than I thought he would up top, but he didnt really do much in terms of progressing the ball forward when he would drop back. Then he would struggle to get back into the attack in time to make meaningful runs. Again, I dont think this is his fault, as he was being played out of position.

I would expect Panama to just pack it in on defense, so it should be a good practice run for WCQ for these young guns. I would love to see them break them down and put up some goals

Folks online are excited about seeing Giocchinni (sp) up front, but I don't know much about him TBH.

jeffk said:

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Folks online are excited about seeing Giocchinni (sp) up front, but I don't know much about him TBH.

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I'm guessing most of them have seen the same occassional clip, he plays in Ligue 2 in France. He's scored some very nice looking goals, but I don't really know how to evaluate those lower leagues. I feel like most of them are not the highest level of play, but "europe"

...so I don't think Antonee Robinson had his best showing vs Wales.. but looks like for today we're starting two RBs and zero LBs as we continue to not expand or develop the pool at the ever elusive "left back".. Dest can play both, but he's a much better RB, where he played for Ajax and where he plays for Barca.. unless they're trying to put Reggie Cannon on the left side today?

I just noticed Brooks isn't starting, he was making a LOT of line breaking passes and switching the point of attack..maybe even more than any center midfielder did.

Ream does pass well, but it will be interesting to see if Adams picks up some of the slack there, or is able to

Anyone else feel like the players are over taking the knee before matches? They look like they don't really want to do it anymore

wangus12 said:

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Anyone else feel like the players are over taking the knee before matches? They look like they don't really want to do it anymore

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Makes no difference to me.

Llanez has to finish that

Miazga lost his man, dont know if he expected Ream to come across but Ream was already on someone

Ball got switched out wide, Dest kinda drifted out then ultimately dropped to defend his man. Reyna was already pinched inside, and all of our central midfield was pushed up field pretty high

US CBs failing to closely mark attackers running at goal. Tale as old as time.

Its cool guys. We drew with the Welsh B team so its all ok

McKennie needed to pass 3 touches earlier there

Man these Panamanian defenders just like to commit and dive in, don't they?

Reyna! Mini 'Merica!!!!!

Reyna's response was funny. He's like "Sure, OK. Goal cool." Totally nonchalant.

Damn it. This young talent is gonna start winning in spite of Berhalter and we'll never get rid of him

Make it 2. Not sure McKennie actually kept that in

Haha. Relevant.

Mckennie should have gotten a PK after that brilliant ball movement on the left

i step into my office for a 30 minute zoom meeting and miss THREE gooooooals!

oh no said:

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i step into my office for a 30 minute zoom meeting and miss THREE gooooooals!

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Username applies.

At what minute does Panama start kicking the **** out of these kids who are starting to showboat

One thing I still see us struggling a little with. When we are doing a great job of building the ball forward with combination play down the flanks into the touchline, we are very static in the box. Its as if our forwards and other runners have already made their runs in while the last pass is still being played. Once we are getting that timing down, or having 1-2 of the center mids making their late timing runs into the box, we will create much better chances on the end of it.
Right now its going to require an inch perfect cross AND our forward beating his man from essentially a standstill.

wangus12 said:

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oh no said:

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i step into my office for a 30 minute zoom meeting and miss THREE gooooooals!

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Username applies.

At what minute does Panama start kicking the **** out of these kids who are starting to showboat

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Based on my experience watching Arabe Unido vs the Dynamo in Concacaf Champions League , around minute 60.

Our MFs keep their heads down a touch too long in the build up. So they miss early balls in and some good opportunities to open up defenses. It's okay and they'll get better at it and honestly like that they take guys on off the dribble.

jeffk said:

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Our MFs keep their heads down a touch too long in the build up. So they miss early balls in and some good opportunities to open up defenses. It's okay and they'll get better at it and honestly like that they take guys on off the dribble.

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They brought it up in one of those articles, but not only has the team not played in 10+ months, but a lot of these guys have NEVER played together. So it makes sense that they will start to anticapate where someone will be as they get more reps. Some of it is also most of them are just young, and younger players have a tendency to keep their head down at times

I'm actually really interested to see more of the players in the 17-22 range push this group of players over the next 2-3 years. As good as some of them are playing now, IMO, no one is written in pen for the world cup. You never know what mix of players will play best together, and the top teams can manipulate their lineup based on what they want to accomplish in a given game. We used to just have to play our best 11 and hope it worked, its looking like we might actually get a full 15-18 players that are Best 11 worthy.

PatAg said:

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jeffk said:

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Our MFs keep their heads down a touch too long in the build up. So they miss early balls in and some good opportunities to open up defenses. It's okay and they'll get better at it and honestly like that they take guys on off the dribble.

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They brought it up in one of those articles, but not only has the team not played in 10+ months, but a lot of these guys have NEVER played together. So it makes sense that they will start to anticapate where someone will be as they get more reps. Some of it is also most of them are just young, and younger players have a tendency to keep their head down at times

I'm actually really interested to see more of the players in the 17-22 range push this group of players over the next 2-3 years. As good as some of them are playing now, IMO, no one is written in pen for the world cup. You never know what mix of players will play best together, and the top teams can manipulate their lineup based on what they want to accomplish in a given game. We used to just have to play our best 11 and hope it worked, its looking like we might actually get a full 15-18 players that are Best 11 worthy.

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The star of the '26 World Cup is a freshman in high school.

I like this Gioachinni kid.

NEEDS to sub 2-3 players in, minimum, at 60 minutes

This is why you cant have McKennie be a captain

he shoudl have been sent off for a straight red, watching it live

He's just too reckless at times

I like that he is looking to protect his team, Panama came out fouling the **** out of us.

You just can't do it studs up

Yeah that should have been a red in my mind