World Cup 2018

FIFA held the draws for qualifying for all six associations today so I figure it's as good a time as any to start discussing the next World Cup.

The U.S. starts their qualifiers in November as part of Group C, alongside Trinidad & Tobago and the winners of St. Vincent's v Aruba and Antigua & Barbuda v Guatamala. Group B is probably the toughest group in CONCACAF Round 4 if the favorites in Round 3 win, containing Costa Rica, Panama, Haiti, and Jamaica.

Across the pond in Europe, Group A appears to be the toughest with Netherlands, France, and Sweden all capable of winning. Group D is probably the weakest.

Group D is pathetic.

USMNT needs to play much better than they did during the Gold cup.

hawkfan68":25nhlkvz said:

USMNT needs to play much better than they did during the Gold cup.

Click to expand...

The had a couple nice matches in there, but yes overall far too inconsistent, especially on the back line.

I know Jurgen thinks he's some sort of mastermind playing players out of their normal position. But we desperately need pace on the back line, so I'd like to see Yedlin permanently at RB, enough with the midfield experiment.

The only reason some of these less talented countries like Jamaica are jumping up and beating us is because they're filled with youth and pace, and those players are running circles around our old ass midfield and inferior back line. Jurgen needs to shore it up with some pace.

.........and for God's sake, get the hell rid of Beckerman. It's time to put him out to pasture. He destroys our entire shape every match he's in.

Sgt. Largent":l9n5toti said:

hawkfan68":l9n5toti said:

USMNT needs to play much better than they did during the Gold cup.

Click to expand...

The had a couple nice matches in there, but yes overall far too inconsistent, especially on the back line.

I know Jurgen thinks he's some sort of mastermind playing players out of their normal position. But we desperately need pace on the back line, so I'd like to see Yedlin permanently at RB, enough with the midfield experiment.

The only reason some of these less talented countries like Jamaica are jumping up and beating us is because they're filled with youth and pace, and those players are running circles around our old ass midfield and inferior back line. Jurgen needs to shore it up with some pace.

.........and for God's sake, get the hell rid of Beckerman. It's time to put him out to pasture. He destroys our entire shape every match he's in.

Click to expand...

The 2 Panama matches and Jamaica match are the ones that stick out for me. Great point about Jamaica. They really did a good job pacing and dictating the match. Then against Panama, I saw the unbalance on shots. I believe Panama had about 3-4 times as many shots on goal than the US.

Sgt. Largent":1kc824bg said:

hawkfan68":1kc824bg said:

USMNT needs to play much better than they did during the Gold cup.

Click to expand...

The had a couple nice matches in there, but yes overall far too inconsistent, especially on the back line.

I know Jurgen thinks he's some sort of mastermind playing players out of their normal position. But we desperately need pace on the back line, so I'd like to see Yedlin permanently at RB, enough with the midfield experiment.

The only reason some of these less talented countries like Jamaica are jumping up and beating us is because they're filled with youth and pace, and those players are running circles around our old ass midfield and inferior back line. Jurgen needs to shore it up with some pace.

.........and for God's sake, get the hell rid of Beckerman. It's time to put him out to pasture. He destroys our entire shape every match he's in.

Click to expand...

there were atleast 10 people on the Gold Cup roster who won't sniff the World Cup roster, or even qualifying. The whole purpose was to vet players, not win. Hardly a measuring stick of the "team"... moreso just for some players.

Yedlin is a midfielder. It's not an experiment. (playing RM in a 4-diamond-2 by the way is not much different than RWB in a 4-diamond-2, so not exactly "out of position") Spurs play him there as well. Fabian Johnson has enough pace and is better tactically at RWB. With a stack of young defenders coming through (Eric Miller, Montreal, is one), Yedlin's pace is better suited elsewhere.

The midfield is the biggest issue the USMNT need to address. A lot will depend on who steps up in the next two years and how Klinsmann sets the team up. I think there are goals on the 20s and 23s that will be on the Roster in 2018.

Uncle Si":2osrnnxj said:

Sgt. Largent":2osrnnxj said:

hawkfan68":2osrnnxj said:

USMNT needs to play much better than they did during the Gold cup.

Click to expand...

The had a couple nice matches in there, but yes overall far too inconsistent, especially on the back line.

I know Jurgen thinks he's some sort of mastermind playing players out of their normal position. But we desperately need pace on the back line, so I'd like to see Yedlin permanently at RB, enough with the midfield experiment.

The only reason some of these less talented countries like Jamaica are jumping up and beating us is because they're filled with youth and pace, and those players are running circles around our old ass midfield and inferior back line. Jurgen needs to shore it up with some pace.

.........and for God's sake, get the hell rid of Beckerman. It's time to put him out to pasture. He destroys our entire shape every match he's in.

Click to expand...

there were atleast 10 people on the Gold Cup roster who won't sniff the World Cup roster, or even qualifying. The whole purpose was to vet players, not win. Hardly a measuring stick of the "team"... moreso just for some players.

Yedlin is a midfielder. It's not an experiment. (playing RM in a 4-diamond-2 by the way is not much different than RWB in a 4-diamond-2, so not exactly "out of position") Spurs play him there as well. Fabian Johnson has enough pace and is better tactically at RWB. With a stack of young defenders coming through (Eric Miller, Montreal, is one), Yedlin's pace is better suited elsewhere.

The midfield is the biggest issue the USMNT need to address. A lot will depend on who steps up in the next two years and how Klinsmann sets the team up. I think there are goals on the 20s and 23s that will be on the Roster in 2018.

Click to expand...

I'll make you a dude bet Si. I say Yedlin never becomes the mid that Jurgen and Tottenham want him to become.

His inconsistent decision making and lack of technical skill to work give and goes and cross the ball consistently will wear on not only the Spurs front office and managers, but Jurgen as well. Obviously he has the pace and work rate to play in any league in the world, I just don't see his game improving enough to ever be a consistent outside mid, no matter the formation.

Thus eventually he'll go back to RB, either here or overseas.

Yeah, same as Bale.

Kid is 22. He has all the tools to play out wide. His technical skills and decision making will develop as he gets used to the position (he's been there all of 9 months), and coaches will modify what their expectations are for his role in the squad and system. Even with all his "rawness" if you will, he's still ripping apart the left side of defenses and getting end line whenever he wants. Its not as if his misplaced crosses from RM would be more excusable for RWB.

Its funny that people seem to think he's been moved to RM because both Spurs and the USMNT think they "want" him up the field, instead of the possibility they "don't want" him in the back.

He was never that good of a technical or tactical RB. Solid, yes. But I think Sounders fans especially may misconstrue the reasons why two teams have moved him from the back.

So bet away...

Uncle Si":1fg32xfn said:

He was never that good of a technical or tactical RB. Solid, yes. But I think Sounders fans especially may misconstrue the reasons why two teams have moved him from the back. ...

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Because he has too much potential to give up on him as anything more than a RB at 22. I get it, I just don't think Yedlin will develop into a quality mid. I love the kid, and he's got the work ethic to make a go of it, I just don't think it'll happen.

I hope I have to eat my words, I'd love for an American kid from the NW to be an EPL fixture for a big club.

Sgt. Largent":evf7zv3y said:

Uncle Si":evf7zv3y said:

He was never that good of a technical or tactical RB. Solid, yes. But I think Sounders fans especially may misconstrue the reasons why two teams have moved him from the back. ...

Click to expand...

Because he has too much potential to give up on him as anything more than a RB at 22. I get it, I just don't think Yedlin will develop into a quality mid. I love the kid, and he's got the work ethic to make a go of it, I just don't think it'll happen.

I hope I have to eat my words, I'd love for an American kid from the NW to be an EPL fixture for a big club.

Click to expand...

Your statement doesn't make much sense. If he has potential, then let him play up to it. And since neither the National team nor Spurs are giving up on him, what's the consternation? You seem pretty caught up on the perceived differences of the two positions, when their really are not that many (if the RWB is played correctly). Whatever issues Yedlin has at mid, he as at RWB. More troublesome would be his lack of tactical acumen at the defensive position. When you have two enormous organizations doing the same thing, you have to start questioning the reality of the reasons. If Klinsmann said "yeah, i want speed so i'm taking our fastest guy and moving him up the field" you could play it as a one-off. Add an organization like Spurs doing the same thing, and you have to assume there are some fundamental reasons behind it.

Anyways, I don't really care what position he pans out in, nor do I care if he's a mainstay at Spurs or somewhere else. I just like the kid and think his time at RW has been judged harshly by Sounders fans who maybe assume they know better.

Speed is an asset you can't coach. Nobody will give up on him. But playing RWB on a National team or in the EPL will require much more than just speed. I think that's more the reason he's been moved. Again, you sight decision making as a deficiency. You can get away with the occasional lapse in judgment in midfield/winger... you can't in the back. If he was that good at the defensive end he would be there for club, country... or both without debate. Both organizations are tapping someone else (in Spurs case they went out and bought a starter/reserve wingback, so now Yedlin is even deeper back in that position) for RWB. They must have their reasons.

****Thread Necromancy****

The groups have just been drawn for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

A: Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
B: Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco
C: France, Peru, Denmark, Australia
D: Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria
E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia
F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea
G: Belgium, England, Tunisia, Panama
H: Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

Logged back in just for this...

First... these are some dull groups. Hard to even find a "Group of Death".. maybe F?

also.. nice call back to the Yedlin conversation. He's currently a RWB with Newcastle, so right where Sgt. Lgt pegged him. Wide and high was not his calling after all

Yeah group F is probably the toughest. D looks relatively solid as well.

Fox has announced their broadcast schedule: https://foxsports-wordpress-www-prsuppo ... a-2018.pdf.

The early shocks can put teams in a hole and force them to scramble. France in 2002 never recovered from losing to Senegal.

cant believe the us didn't qualify... dohhh

Spain, one of the favorites to win the tournament, fire their head coach two days before their first match.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/spain/story/ ... madrid-job

Uncle Si":22tsradd said:

also.. nice call back to the Yedlin conversation. He's currently a RWB with Newcastle, so right where Sgt. Lgt pegged him. Wide and high was not his calling after all

Click to expand...

So our usual dude bet payoff, sexual favors and a box of Funyuns?

Fire up ur darkweb streaming machines bitches.........Spain vs Portugal at 10:30.

Sgt. Largent":6nshyetf said:

Uncle Si":6nshyetf said:

also.. nice call back to the Yedlin conversation. He's currently a RWB with Newcastle, so right where Sgt. Lgt pegged him. Wide and high was not his calling after all

Click to expand...

So our usual dude bet payoff, sexual favors and a box of Funyuns?

Click to expand...

Where the hell am i going to get a box of Funyons?