• The KillerFrogs

2023-2024 European Football Thread

Purp

Active Member
That Ladezma to Soto connection was electric. Ladezma made excellent crosses, but Soto did twice what almost every other American striker struggles to do.

Gioaccini was really excellent in the same way in the first half. Today pissed me off all over again about Lletget and the false 9 against Wales. Those are a couple kids that make putting it away look easy.

The last 8 or so minutes of the 2nd half after all the subs came on were really strong with a lot of dangerous chances.

Also, I really like Reggie Cannon. I felt Dest was better on the right, but I felt our corner back spots were more dominant with Dest and Cannon on together. Also, the first half synergy between Dest and Gio was special.

I'm just most excited about all the options. Really impressive the amount of quality depth we're bringing on in waves. Soto may have been a revelation, but I'm going to be cautious given how guys like Zardes, Johansson, etc. always make early splashes and then fade. He and Gioaccini feel different, though. And Soto, in particular, seemed to have a chip on his shoulder that felt familiar to this TCU fan.

I want to add that Weah also had some really great moments. You can see the obvious potential there. He's got some dynamic talent.
 
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Moose Stuff

Active Member
That Ladezma to Soto connection was electric. Ladezma made excellent crosses, but Soto did twice what almost every other American striker struggles to do.

Gioaccini was really excellent in the same way in the first half. Today pissed me off all over again about Lletget and the false 9 against Wales. Those are a couple kids that make putting it away look easy.

The last 8 or so minutes of the 2nd half after all the subs came on were really strong with a lot of dangerous chances.

Also, I really like Reggie Cannon. I felt Dest was better on the right, but I felt our corner back spots were more dominant with Dest and Cannon on together. Also, the first half synergy between Dest and Gio was special.

I'm just most excited about all the options. Really impressive the amount of quality depth we're bringing on in waves. Soto may have been a revelation, but I'm going to be cautious given how guys like Zardes, Johansson, etc. always make early splashes and then fade. He and Gioaccini feel different, though. And Soto, in particular, seemed to have a chip on his shoulder that felt familiar to this TCU fan.

I want to add that Weah also had some really great moments. You can see the obvious potential there. He's got some dynamic talent.

Agree with all this. It's stunning to me that in the span of a little over a year and during a pandemic we've found ourselves with 4-6 established budding young stars and an absolute wealth of options in a pool of players who more or less didn't exist the last time we played a meaningful game. And the crazy part is that Pulisic wasn't even included in the group and that there are still young guys like McKenzie, Aaronson, and Bello that we really haven't seen yet.
 

Purp

Active Member
Agree with all this. It's stunning to me that in the span of a little over a year and during a pandemic we've found ourselves with 4-6 established budding young stars and an absolute wealth of options in a pool of players who more or less didn't exist the last time we played a meaningful game. And the crazy part is that Pulisic wasn't even included in the group and that there are still young guys like McKenzie, Aaronson, and Bello that we really haven't seen yet.
Yup. I kept thinking to myself at the end of the 2nd half how unbelievable the midfield would be with Gio on the left and Pulisic on the right with McKennie, Musah, and Adams in the middle. And then how many chances could that group create for Soto? I kinda want to cancel the European seasons and just have a 6 month international window to see these guys grow together.
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
Yup. I kept thinking to myself at the end of the 2nd half how unbelievable the midfield would be with Gio on the left and Pulisic on the right with McKennie, Musah, and Adams in the middle. And then how many chances could that group create for Soto? I kinda want to cancel the European seasons and just have a 6 month international window to see these guys grow together.

Hahaha.... love it.
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
I'm way more anxious about the Yunus Musah decision than I should be. I wish WC qualifying started tomorrow. Maybe we can have a special Gold Cup after Thanksgiving. I'm so excited about the potential of that center midfield triangle with him in it. Sounds like he had a positive experience with the team. Hope it made a lasting impression.

https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/the...elieves-musah-feels/u56vyuzthtxy1ooe1ys4f8wq8
I think what you have to try to hang your hat on here is the idea that he's very likely several years away at best from being a starter for England while he's almost a lock to start for us immediately. Hopefully he sees the potential of this midfield group as well.
 
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Purp

Active Member
I think what you have to try to hang your hat on here is the idea that he's very likely several years away at best from being a starter for England while he's almost a lock to start for us immediately. Hopefully he sees the potential of this midfield group as well.
I think that might be a huge factor in his thought process. He's got an almost 100% chance to play in every game the USMNT plays in Qatar, but he's got a roughly 50% chance of not even going to Qatar with England.

I think another thing that I'm choosing to read in that piece is that he's connected in this window with a nucleus of premium talent that will be together for at least 3 WC cycles. If I'm Musah and look at the potential of the other kids I just spent a week with that's going to influence me a lot. It's one thing to have 2-3 top end guys your age in a side like this, but something totally unique to have 7, 8, 9... others like you. I mean, with Pulisic, Gio, McKennie, Adams, Musah, and Dest you have 6 guys that are legit world class phenoms with room to grow. Add in guys with enormous potential to be on their level in the next year or two like Richards, Robinson, and Konrad with Weah included too if he stays healthy... That's 10 guys between 18 - 22 years old and I didn't even mention 22 year old Reggie Cannon who I have always liked a ton.

Johnny Cardoso is only 19 too and playing top flight football in Brazil. He only got a little time in this window, but showed some panache with the ball on his feet that appeals to young players like Musah. This generation really feels like the group Spain had who were all born in the early 80s and most of whom played in 4 WCs together. The only difference (a vital one, unfortunately) is we don't have a David Villa or Fernando Torres in the group, but the young quality everywhere else on the pitch is striking and comparable. I feel like Musah has to see that from the past week spent training and playing with these guys.

Something not mentioned in the piece that I think could maybe influence him too is the prospect of playing in the Olympics next summer. I truly believe this group could win gold in the Olympics. One of the main reasons I believe that is because we could have all the best talent in the U.S. player pool on that roster and Berhalter won't be managing it. The Olympics is not something men's internationals put high on the priority list, but I think the prospect of winning any tournament appeals to top players and I'm hoping he sees that appeal.
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
I think that might be a huge factor in his thought process. He's got an almost 100% chance to play in every game the USMNT plays in Qatar, but he's got a roughly 50% chance of not even going to Qatar with England.

I think another thing that I'm choosing to read in that piece is that he's connected in this window with a nucleus of premium talent that will be together for at least 3 WC cycles. If I'm Musah and look at the potential of the other kids I just spent a week with that's going to influence me a lot. It's one thing to have 2-3 top end guys your age in a side like this, but something totally unique to have 7, 8, 9... others like you. I mean, with Pulisic, Gio, McKennie, Adams, Musah, and Dest you have 6 guys that are legit world class phenoms with room to grow. Add in guys with enormous potential to be on their level in the next year or two like Richards, Robinson, and Konrad with Weah included too if he stays healthy... That's 10 guys between 18 - 22 years old and I didn't even mention 22 year old Reggie Cannon who I have always liked a ton.

Johnny Cardoso is only 19 too and playing top flight football in Brazil. He only got a little time in this window, but showed some panache with the ball on his feet that appeals to young players like Musah. This generation really feels like the group Spain had who were all born in the early 80s and most of whom played in 4 WCs together. The only difference (a vital one, unfortunately) is we don't have a David Villa or Fernando Torres in the group, but the young quality everywhere else on the pitch is striking and comparable. I feel like Musah has to see that from the past week spent training and playing with these guys.

Something not mentioned in the piece that I think could maybe influence him too is the prospect of playing in the Olympics next summer. I truly believe this group could win gold in the Olympics. One of the main reasons I believe that is because we could have all the best talent in the U.S. player pool on that roster and Berhalter won't be managing it. The Olympics is not something men's internationals put high on the priority list, but I think the prospect of winning any tournament appeals to top players and I'm hoping he sees that appeal.

I mean yeah, our WC squad and Olympics squad could almost be identical. And I think Brendan Aaronson isn't too far behind the group you mentioned. Think he's 19.
 
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