USMNT - 2026 Cycle - "Early Days"

[The Sybian]

Gio really deep. Opposite McKennie but deeper. I don't like it. Pulisic mostly invisible

Yeah, we need Reyna higher in a 10 role.

While I mostly agree, the way they were having the outside backs push really high necessitated a bit more of conservative play from the central guys. That just wasn't happening against JAM which meant Gio and others in the middle had to try and force the issue through that real estate. There was no flanking JAM on TH.

I agree, but have Weston sitting further back so Reyna can play up. Reyna held his own, but he isn't the guy I want to rely on for defensive coverage and we are wasting his ability to unlock a defense.

[Nonlinear FC]

Gio really deep. Opposite McKennie but deeper. I don't like it. Pulisic mostly invisible

Yeah, we need Reyna higher in a 10 role.

While I mostly agree, the way they were having the outside backs push really high necessitated a bit more of conservative play from the central guys. That just wasn't happening against JAM which meant Gio and others in the middle had to try and force the issue through that real estate. There was no flanking JAM on TH.

I agree, but have Weston sitting further back so Reyna can play up. Reyna held his own, but he isn't the guy I want to rely on for defensive coverage and we are wasting his ability to unlock a defense.

And that's the "mostly" part of my statement. Totally agree with you guys about his role last night. Weird tinkering from GGG.

[HaulCitgo]

Agree also. Love the way Dest and Robinson get forward. Both are good on the ball and create chances. So yeah somebody has to cover, but Gio? Good way to get run by/over and scored on. Brought something in possession but mostly out of element to me. I want him on the ball running at people but who do you drop. Not Adams. He's not a box to box ball winner. 10 probably the only spot but I'd sooner put him in the outside and opposite pulisic and put the best 11 out there and figure out something at striker through formations

[govmentchedda]

Gio is by far the best on the ball on this team. While it was nuts seeing him play regista, it worked, and more importantly made a ton of sense with the fullbacks so high.

[HaulCitgo]

Nah. It looked broken first half. He didnt show enough to receive from the backs and they didnt look for him and then he didnt look to connect with attackers. More dynamic on the other side with McKennie and Dest. And McKennie does more tracking back and in tackles. A waste to me. If they were going to do that then he should have been in Adams spot centrally... but then theyd have lost 3-2

[wlu_lax6]

It looked to me like Gio and Pulisic hustled back to stop counter attacks after losing the ball. Pulisic is usually a whiney pain in the butt when he gets fouled (or thinks he should get a call). I did not see that much of that.

Also fascinating post-game commentary about the US players knowing Mexico would be playing direct and they were prepared for that. Equally fascinating the nice words and respect shown by the Mexican coach. He praised the quality of the US players and talent they have. Might have been a bit pointing that the Mexican stars need to get to Europe and not the lucrative Liga MX option (us players get to make more by going to europe, but Liga MX $ make it not as easy to go overseas).

[wlu_lax6]

US U23s v. France U23 highlights. US comeback from 2-0 down to tie 2-2 with goals in the 84 and 86th. Bummed that DC could never get much from Yow.

[Nonlinear FC]

It looked to me like Gio and Pulisic hustled back to stop counter attacks after losing the ball. Pulisic is usually a whiney pain in the butt when he gets fouled (or thinks he should get a call). I did not see that much of that.

Also fascinating post-game commentary about the US players knowing Mexico would be playing direct and they were prepared for that. Equally fascinating the nice words and respect shown by the Mexican coach. He praised the quality of the US players and talent they have. Might have been a bit pointing that the Mexican stars need to get to Europe and not the lucrative Liga MX option (us players get to make more by going to europe, but Liga MX $ make it not as easy to go overseas).

I dunno about Pulisic being whiney. He doesn't do that in Serie A very much. I think it's a function of CONCACAF teams id'd him as the guy to disrupt very early on and they have continued to foul him at a crazy high rate. He's frustrated after 5th or 6th time he's fouled tactically. I find it pretty reasonable.

Sidenote: I wonder when the teams in the region are going to realize this is not a winning tactic. We no longer rely on CP as the main engine of our offense.

[tennbengal]

Given the hype around Pulisic back in his Dortmund days, just pausing to note that...he's really panned out. Like, maybe the first true American star of this hype who really lived up to the hype. He's having a really good career in Europe.

[Nonlinear FC]

Yeah, his resurgence in Milan has been really fun to watch. And, yes, he's scoring goals... But he's also just playing with confidence and panache.

Meanwhile Sargent and Wright are having really nice seasons in the Championship. Sargent is a terror up top for Norwich, and Haji is part of a tandem at Coventry that have scored a combined 35 goals (18 to his 17).

Also, while we're flipping around the YA's in the Championship world, I didn't clock that Ethan Horvath just signed a multi-year deal with Cardiff City and is getting regular minutes. That's a really good sign going into this summer. Turner obviously not getting off the bench at NF is problematic, so it's good that there are other options if he's just not up to form in a few months. (My theory with keepers is that game minutes aren't as big a deal... field players need to be in a certain type of rhythm that really requires a different level that can't be replicated in training. Goalies are just wired different.)

[mister d]

What's kinda cool is we've skipped like a whole step where now being good at Norwich still doesn't make you national team level. Used to be the best strikers in MLS were getting run.

[Nonlinear FC]

I take your point, but the reason Haji was in the last camp is because Sargent got nicked and the club didn't want him fucking around at a made up regional exhibition "tournament."

But, man, overall... to your point, the depth of this squad at almost every position is stupid. Our back line, particularly in the middle is where I have concerns.

[mister d]

Right, but even if Sargent were there, I can't imagine he's playing over Balogun.

[HaulCitgo]

We sure Pulisic doesnt look good because the level is lower?

[Nonlinear FC]

I think you could make that argument if it was France (kinda, not really) and definitely the Eredivisie. That's why I'm loving PSV for Tillman, Dest and to some extent Pepi, but it's tough to tell if that will translate this summer (I mean, I'm a Dest fan, who I think just needed to grow up a bit AND it's possible he's just not a starting XI at Barca level player.)

When you look around, Premier League is the clear #1, with La Liga not far behind and then Bundesliga and Serie A not for behind. France is 5th... Eredivisie is somewhere in the 11-15 for perspective/context.

I think the simplest explanation is Chelsea just wasn't a great fit for a bunch of reasons... They overpaid for him, for one (which puts a lot of pressure on the player to produce). Then the manager (team) that brought him left. He did fine under Lampard, but there's a real thing about having "my guys" especially in the pressure cooker that is the PL. And when Lampard and his style was replaced by Tuechel... I mean, a lot of dudes struggled in that offense, not just CP. And you can't discount how many times he got injured.

The PL is a tough place for undersized players. So, in that sense, Serie A is certainly a better overall fit. But to say that the level is THIS degree lower (comparing his stats in both leagues)... Naw, no way is the Italian league that amount different.


(And it's a good question you raise, btw,)

[Shirley]

It was a bit of a roster problem at Chelsea. The team was up and down during his time, with a number of different managers. But the one position they constantly had surplus in was wingers. It was hard for any player to get consistent minutes there.

That said, I think Chelsea should have played him more. He was always one of the few guys willing to be aggressive and take chances on offense.