World Cup 2022 - Qatar

[flyingdutchdevil]

On to Group B!

I need England to win against Wales.

Unselfishly, I want the US to destroy Iran.

Selfishly, I want Iran as they match up better with Holland.

[OldPhiKap]

On to Group B!

I need England to win against Wales.

Unselfishly, I want the US to destroy Iran.

Selfishly, I want Iran as they match up better with Holland.

Congrats, hope to match up this weekend. Not confident.

[JasonEvans]

On to Group B!

I need England to win against Wales.

Unselfishly, I want the US to destroy Iran.

Selfishly, I want Iran as they match up better with Holland.

If Wales wins and the US wins, the Americans go through as the winner of the group, playing Senegal, right? Then England would take on the Dutch in a brutal R16 match.

I have a friend at work who bet a colleague that the quarterfinals would all be European or South American teams. If we get USA vs Senegal in the R16, he loses $100.

[AGDukesky]

Congrats, hope to match up this weekend. Not confident.

Yeah not feeling optimistic. I can see Iran scoring first and US tying it up in the last 30, but coming agonizingly short on the winner. Very much hope to be wrong.

[CDu]

If Wales wins and the US wins, the Americans go through as the winner of the group, playing Senegal, right? Then England would take on the Dutch in a brutal R16 match.

I have a friend at work who bet a colleague that the quarterfinals would all be European or South American teams. If we get USA vs Senegal in the R16, he loses $100.

If Wales wins, then either a US win or an Iran win would put England in 2nd in the group. So yes, that's the scenario the Dutchman is trying to avoid by cheering for England over Wales.

That said, getting USA vs Senegal seems pretty darn unlikely. I don't see Wales beating England. So USA/Iran/Wales would face the Netherlands, and Senegal would face England.

[flyingdutchdevil]

If Wales wins and the US wins, the Americans go through as the winner of the group, playing Senegal, right? Then England would take on the Dutch in a brutal R16 match.

I have a friend at work who bet a colleague that the quarterfinals would all be European or South American teams. If we get USA vs Senegal in the R16, he loses $100.

Anything could happen, but Wales beating a motivated England is a tall order.

I'm predicting a 3-0 beat down of Wales.

[Kdogg]

Anything could happen, but Wales beating a motivated England is a tall order.

I'm predicting a 3-0 beat down of Wales.

I don't know. They quickly reverted to their summer form against the US. As a team they've had one great game, and one good game in six months.

Congrats on Holland advancing.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I don't know. They quickly reverted to their summer form against the US. As a team they've had one great game, and one good game in six months.

Congrats on Holland advancing.

The English are pissed. Both fans, players, and Southgate.

I'd be shocked at anything where the English score less than 2.

[budwom]

US are solid half goal favorites!

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I know we are supposed to hate Iran for both soccer and geopolitical reasons but whenever I hear the name of the country I think of the Flock of Seagulls song and it makes me happy.

Back to your regularly scheduled analysis. Congrats to FDD on Holland. Just found our starting lineup. Interested in hearing thoughts from those who know more than me. I like Aaronson and Reyna and I'm surprised neither is in, though I'm not sure who I would take out for one or both of them.

(4-3-3, right to left): 1. Turner (GK) — 2. Dest, 20. Carter-Vickers, 13. Ream, 5. Robinson — 8. McKennie, 4. Adams, 6. Musah — 21. Weah, 24. Sargent, 10. Pulisic.

[CameronDuke]

Must win today, the world is watching. Let’s go USA.

[AGDukesky]

I know we are supposed to hate Iran for both soccer and geopolitical reasons but whenever I hear the name of the country I think of the Flock of Seagulls song and it makes me happy.

Back to your regularly scheduled analysis. Congrats to FDD on Holland. Just found our starting lineup. Interested in hearing thoughts from those who know more than me. I like Aaronson and Reyna and I'm surprised neither is in, though I'm not sure who I would take out for one or both of them.

(4-3-3, right to left): 1. Turner (GK) — 2. Dest, 20. Carter-Vickers, 13. Ream, 5. Robinson — 8. McKennie, 4. Adams, 6. Musah — 21. Weah, 24. Sargent, 10. Pulisic.

My untrained eye thought Musah was really bad against England. Dest drives me crazy but he makes some good plays as well.

[flyingdutchdevil]

My untrained eye thought Musah was really bad against England. Dest drives me crazy but he makes some good plays as well.

I like Musah. Good link up play between D and O.

Not sure why Sargeant is starting. Absolutely useless player...

[CDu]

I know we are supposed to hate Iran for both soccer and geopolitical reasons but whenever I hear the name of the country I think of the Flock of Seagulls song and it makes me happy.

Back to your regularly scheduled analysis. Congrats to FDD on Holland. Just found our starting lineup. Interested in hearing thoughts from those who know more than me. I like Aaronson and Reyna and I'm surprised neither is in, though I'm not sure who I would take out for one or both of them.

(4-3-3, right to left): 1. Turner (GK) — 2. Dest, 20. Carter-Vickers, 13. Ream, 5. Robinson — 8. McKennie, 4. Adams, 6. Musah — 21. Weah, 24. Sargent, 10. Pulisic.

The problem for Aaronson is that he essentially plays the same position as Weah or McKennie. Weah is our only scorer so far, and McKennie has been one of our best players. With Reyna, I'm guessing it's an issue of match fitness and/or Berhalter's level of trust in him, and again he has Weah to deal with.

If healthy, I'd probably start Reyna over Weah. Especially in a match where there is a real possibility that Iran is sitting back (which reduces some of Weah's speed value) and we could use that extra creative playmaker.

But hopefully both Aaronson and Weah are used, and hopefully for more than 10-15 minutes. If not, hopefully the team scores enough that it doesn't matter. But I'd guess that Aaronson will come on at around the 60 or 70 minute mark for McKennie (who still isn't fully healthy), and Reyna will come on at a similar or slightly later point for Weah.

Still, it's a shame that one of the 3 best players on the US side (Reyna) is now unlikely to play 45 total minutes in the group stage.

[ClemmonsDevil]

US are solid half goal favorites!

Makes me nervous i assumed gaseous

[mph]

I like Musah. Good link up play between D and O.

Not sure why Sargeant is starting. Absolutely useless player...

Agree. Frankly, I don’t see any of our strikers being a great options this game. I think this would have been an opportunity to play Reyna on the right wing and Weah as a false 9. The inverse would probably work too.

[mph]

US are solid half goal favorites!

Worth noting that 1/2 goal is higher than our GPG average over the last 5.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Worth noting that 1/2 goal is higher than our GPG average over the last 5.

*Andy Griffith alert*
Poor little Ratio.

[Deslok]

I like Musah. Good link up play between D and O.

Not sure why Sargeant is starting. Absolutely useless player...

Musah's is needed, see the September fienlies for life without him. Disagree about Sargent, I think he's ok, but at least it's not Ferreira, who I do consider worthless, instead of just mediocre. Ideally, I like to see Pulisic and Reyna on wins with Weah in the middle and all three overlapping. But a true 9 is something we've long lacked

[flyingdutchdevil]

Agree. Frankly, I don’t see any of our strikers being a great options this game. I think this would have been an opportunity to play Reyna on the right wing and Weah as a false 9. The inverse would probably work too.

Issue with Reyna is you have too many of the same phenotypes: fast, agile, and petite.

I like Haji Wright as he provides tons of size.