This team actually looks good? Or do I have my stars and stripes glasses on. Very excited to see how they continue to come together over the next year plus.

Both matches in this window- full of younger domestic / MLS based players- and they looked quicker and more organized and connected as well as dangerous and attacking than I can recall our first choice / best 11 / euro-based players playing in some time. Is it the Poch effect? Did Venezuela and Costa Rica not have most of their first choice players as well?

oh no said:

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Both matches in this window- full of younger domestic / MLS based players- and they looked quicker and more organized and connected as well as dangerous and attacking than I can recall our first choice / best 11 / euro-based players playing in some time. Is it the Poch effect? Did Venezuela and Costa Rica not have most of their first choice players as well?

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I feel like even if they didn't have their top teams out there it just feels different for the US. They look so much better on the attack than I can recall ever being. If they keep building I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility to get to the semis.

Is the next window an actual Intl break that will include our euro-based players ? Because I want to see more of some of these guys.

Ream talked about this on the scuffed podcast

pretty candid stuff from Ream, explaining that Poch is "a breath of fresh air" after the "you have to pass it here to pass there to pass there" prescriptions of the Berhalter era

full interview with @tha_Real_Kumar here: https://t.co/jI22LxzmeR https://t.co/ooOZhHegoW

— scuffed (@scuffedpod) January 20, 2025

oh no said:

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Is the next window an actual Intl break that will include our euro-based players ? Because I want to see more of some of these guys.

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Yes, next window is an international window and will be the CONCACAAF Champions League semifinals and finals.

Caden Clark seems to have really developed quite a bit the last few years. I hadnt seen him play much since those Youth National Team tournaments, where he was one of the players with a lot of the talent but like the Aaronson's wasnt super strong physically.

His talent still seems to be at a high level, but he has excellent movement off the ball and was seemingly holding his own physically.

I think we have to find a way to keep Luna in the fold. He may not ever be a starter in most of our lineups, but he would 100% be a threat coming in for the last 30 of major games. Hes not afraid of the ball either

Thought Gutierrez looked pretty smooth on the left.

Don't know why but McGlynn just reminds me of McTominay

I really hope Ream gets into coaching.

deadbq03 said:

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I really hope Ream gets into coaching.

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He's really good in media. His podcast was great despite having Joe Generic announcer guy with a fake accent his co-host.

I think media is where he'll land.

But you're right, i think he'd be an amazing coach.

And he played enough in the prem that he has skins on the wall if he wants to go that route too.

Will be interesting to see, but my money is on media and being home for his family.

I think you're probably right, and that's good too because he's a lot better there than most other pundits.

ETA - I know a major golf broadcaster at my church and that career path can be just as grueling… his stories are really enlightening into how that industry works. But it also can be a lot better if a guy has balls and is willing to sacrifice some stardom in order to tell networks "no I'm really only going to work X games per year and that's it."

And of course the podcast/streaming scene is entirely different than live broadcast.