***Official USMNT Thread***

shagcarpetjesus

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The Hex is going to be an Octagon for WC qualifying. Top 8 teams will be playing 14 matches to qualify out of CONCACAF. The 5 highest rated teams will be automatically placed in the final 8 with everybody else in the region getting a shot at taking one of the 3 remaining spots in a preliminary qualifying round. I like the idea of giving everybody in the region a shot even if it’s a lottery ticket chance for a minnow to advance.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-wo...w-world-cup-qualifying-formatschedule-changes
 

shagcarpetjesus

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Weston McKennie gets the start in midfield for Juve today in their Serie A opener. If Pirlo really does like him and gives him regular run, this move could be massive for his career. Schalke is a grease fire at this point and they had gotten in the habit of playing him all over the place as a utility guy. It sounds like Pirlo sees him as a rangy, ball-winning, central mid which is exactly where he should be.
 

shagcarpetjesus

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Zack Steffen is starting in goal for Man City in their Carabao Cup match today.

Also, both Bayern Munich and Barcelona have interest in buying Sergiño Dest from Ajax.
 

shagcarpetjesus

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Dest subbed in for the last 15 min today making his debut for Barca.

Also, Chris Richards, a 20 year old center back prospect, started at RB and got an assist for Bayern Munich today.
 
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shagcarpetjesus

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Berhalter dropped his roster for the upcoming European friendlies. The roster is all European based players (with one exception) with some interesting names included. The average age of this roster is 21 years, 300 days which is insane.


Yunus Musah, a 17 year old winger at Valencia, will be in camp. He’s eligible to play for the US, England, and Ghana and has captained the England U18 squad in the past. He was a highly rated Arsenal academy product who signed with Valencia last fall in search of first team football.

Also in camp will be Johnny Cardoso. He’s a 19 year old who’s based with Internacional in Brazil, a club that he’s been with since 2014.
 

LeaningCy

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Berhalter dropped his roster for the upcoming European friendlies. The roster is all European based players (with one exception) with some interesting names included. The average age of this roster is 21 years, 300 days which is insane.


Yunus Musah, a 17 year old winger at Valencia, will be in camp. He’s eligible to play for the US, England, and Ghana and has captained the England U18 squad in the past. He was a highly rated Arsenal academy product who signed with Valencia last fall in search of first team football.

Also in camp will be Johnny Cardoso. He’s a 19 year old who’s based with Internacional in Brazil, a club that he’s been with since 2014.

Musah is quite a surprise. Say what you will about Berhalter, but he's getting it done on the recruiting side.
 

shagcarpetjesus

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A friend of mine at work is crazy excited for Richie Ledezma’s inclusion. My friend grew up playing soccer with Richie’s uncle and he said he remembers Richie always hanging around their Sunday league adult team when he was a little kid here in Phoenix. Richie just made his first team debut at PSV in the past week and now he’s getting his first senior team call up.
 

DrewCo

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Any indication on which way Musah is leaning? Cant hurt to have him called up with us here.
 

shagcarpetjesus

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Any indication on which way Musah is leaning? Cant hurt to have him called up with us here.

I don’t think there’s any way of knowing unless somebody in the press can get a comment from him while in camp. Coming in with the USMNT is a no brainer for him I’d say. It increases his profile, he gets to run with a senior team and see how it goes, and participating doesn’t commit him to anything.

Musah spent last year with Valencia’s reserve team, but so far this season he’s started 6 of Valencia’s first 7 matches and scored his first goal over the weekend against Getafe. His goal is the first in the highlights.

 

shagcarpetjesus

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Starting lineup for today’s match against Wales...


Steffen
Dest
Miazga
Brooks
Robinson
Adams
McKennie
Lletget
Reyna
Gioacchini
de la Fuente
 

DrewCo

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Love that lineup. So refreshing to not see Wil Trapp's name. Definitely most excited to see de la Fuente and Musah when he inevitably comes on. Also expecting it to be a little sloppy.
 

thatguy

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Starting lineup for today’s match against Wales...


Steffen
Dest
Miazga
Brooks
Robinson
Adams
McKennie
Lletget
Reyna
Gioacchini
de la Fuente


You just ******* new that SAM and US Soccer was going to get a god damn MLS guy in there. This awesome roster, lots of exciting players, looks over the roster, you know who would make this go? An OK washed up MLS guy that couldn't cut it at West Ham.

I was so excited about it, and I had gotten word that Lletget was going to start earlier today and it just ******* ruined it for me. Anyway, Go R/W/B
 

Clone9

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I understand not starting Musah but it is depressing that Lletget is in there. Of course Greg finds a way to start a MLS guy even when he has an all-Europe roster.
 

thatguy

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I understand not starting Musah but it is depressing that Lletget is in there. Of course Greg finds a way to start a MLS guy even when he has an all-Europe roster.


New Starting Lineup is out. Musah is starting at the 9. Somehow Lletget is still there. Super excited to see which MLS players get shoed into this team over the next cycle. "Corey Baird is an incredible player!"

The only person in the MLS (not goal keeper edition) I would take right now is Morris. And he needs to be a 75' sub. But marketing and dollars count more than wins I guess.
 

thatguy

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With Musah it's almost like Berhalter got a note passed to him that was like, "he is starting at 17 for a Champions League Level Club and can play for around 4 other Countries. Might want to make that guy happy"

"OK! Only if I don't have to pull out Sebastian! Plus Musah is no Wondo!"
 

thatguy

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really throwing the FB's forward right now. When you are as pacey as Robinson and Dest are, you can do that. Even with Adams having all the energy to help cover.
 

Clone9

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Musah looked really good. He had a couple of rough moments but for being 17 and playing with a bunch of guys he's never met before he looked really good. I really hope he chooses the US....a midfield of Adams, McKennie, and Musah could be really good for a really long time. They really dominated in the first half, with the biggest problem coming when the ball got into the final 3rd. Not surprising with two teenagers making their debuts and a MLS "striker". Put Pulisic and Sargent in there along with Reyna and I think we score a goal or two.

Robinson did not look good. I'm wondering if we will see Dest on the left and Cannon on the right. Also....Dest was the best player on the field. Dude is insanely good.
 

Clone9

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New Starting Lineup is out. Musah is starting at the 9. Somehow Lletget is still there. Super excited to see which MLS players get shoed into this team over the next cycle. "Corey Baird is an incredible player!"

The only person in the MLS (not goal keeper edition) I would take right now is Morris. And he needs to be a 75' sub. But marketing and dollars count more than wins I guess.
Yeah I'm fine with Morris as a sub running behind guys with tired legs. But I'm almost certain Jozy, Zardes, Bradley, Lletget, Arriola, and a couple MLS CBs will be on the roster for WCQ though.
 
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