• The KillerFrogs

2023-2024 European Football Thread

Purp

Active Member
OK Alexi Lalas.
Funny, but Lex would have ridiculed him for not having the good sense to create his own scoring chance closer to goal instead of laying off a lazy 5' pass to a teammate to drive a low percentage chance from outside the box. I can't go that far. I'll laud him for making the right play, but it's a play most players would make there. Good on him for doing the right thing there, though. Lex wouldn't have.
 

Purp

Active Member
3-0..... I think The Godfather is on Paramount. Interest in this game = gone.
My interest was captured by Vines in those first 3 goals. Bad news for the kid that he plays left back where Dest, Robinson, and probably a couple others are ahead of him, but he made some exquisite passes to create those goals. Really impressed with him. That was something that easily translates to tougher competition.

Good to see Ferreira involved in almost every goal, but a lot of that was competition enabled. Just generally happy to see so much FCD academy input into the squad. Kellen Acosta was quietly very solid too.
 
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Moose Stuff

Active Member
My interest was captured in those first 3 goals by Vines. Bad news for the kid that he plays left back where Dest, Robinson, and probably a couple others are ahead of him, but he made some exquisite passes to create those goals. Really impressed with him. That was something that easily translates to tougher competition.

Good to see Ferreira involved in almost every goal, but a lot of that was competition enabled. Just generally happy to see so much FCD academy input into the squad. Kellen Acosta was quietly very solid too.

Pregame commentary was that left back was open. Guess they see Dest playing elsewhere? Maybe I heard them wrong.
 

Purp

Active Member
Pregame commentary was that left back was open. Guess they see Dest playing elsewhere? Maybe I heard them wrong.
I think they said the only open spot on the back line was one of the center back spots opposite Brooks. They seemed to think (as do I), that GK is well covered, 3 spots on the back line are well covered, 3-4 spots in midfield are well covered, and striker is wide open. That basically leaves one center back spot and striker as a wide open competition and maybe one midfield spot. Everything else is a competition to see who can be the depth players at each position in the WC.

They mentioned Robinson, Cannon, and even Yedlin at right back so I can't imagine they think Dest will be anywhere other than left back.
 

Purp

Active Member
I'm not sure anybody last night moved their way into the starting 11 for Berhalter, but I feel like Turner's PK save was a big statement for him to get more looks, Ferreira firmly inserted him into the wide open competition at striker, and Vines added his name to the mix as a back-up wing back as I mentioned earlier. I think Jonathan Lewis also added his name to the group of guys competing for striker/back-up midfield spots.

I'm worried Arriola and Lletget are going to keep getting serious looks as starters to possibly play out of position in one of the striker/midfield roles that isn't firmly locked up. I'd much rather see both as back-ups and try others out in those roles. The only midfield spot that might be open is if Musah doesn't choose us. Otherwise, I think Pulisic and Gio are our outside mids while McKennie, Musah, and Adams for a center mid triangle. If you end up moving Pulisic to striker then I think there are better options than Arriola and Lletget at right mid.

It's really weird as a USMNT fan to have this much certitude about the starting 11. I'm used to having about half the starting 11 wide open with striker and left back the 2 gaping holes with no great options. Now left back may be the strongest position of the formation, the entire midfield looks to be elite, and the only question is which of several guys who could have started for any USMNT squad in the last decade fills in the last center back spot. Aside from that we still have the gaping hole at striker, but we also have the greatest and deepest competition we've ever had forming at that spot. None of them are elite, but it's way better than the 2-3 awfully weak options we've usually carried on the roster. I'm starting to feel pretty good about this position. Very anxious to see how all these guys perform in 2021 with all the competitions we've got going.
 

Purp

Active Member

I feel like this is a step back for him because he had been getting good minutes at Newcastle this season and was playing well whenever I was able to watch. The only thing that makes sense to me about this move is that Galatasaray were trying to fill a specific need and Newcastle needed the money.

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/ne...day-richards-yedlin-and-reynolds-on-the-move/

I saw this earlier this morning. Surprised about the move for Dike. They didn't seem to hint at this last night that I recall and I still feel like this may be a tad soon for him to make the switch. That said, he reminds me of a young Jozy with a little more mind for goal and less hold-up play. Hopefully he reaches his potential where Jozy fell short.

Speaking of Jozy, I still haven't seen whether or not his rumored transfer has been completed or not.
 
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