NFT: USMNT vs Honduras - World Cup Qualifying - tonight 10:30p

Lordy, lordy, lordy!!!

It's amazing what can happen when the right players are playing in the right positions and given clear instructions.

The talent has always been there.

is not some cupcake oponent.

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I'm literally laughing now.

Great fee kick

Feel like I'm watching Dortmund play a high school team

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We've all been waiting for it. They look really good.

With Jurgey at the helm. Honduras would tie the game after the 90th minute.

This kid is real.

But I can't say enough good things about Bradley's movement off the ball and the impact it's having on the shape of the team. His intelligence is allowing for Pulisic, Nagbe, and everyone else up front to express themselves.

Jozy has also been involved in everything, and he's devouring the center backs. It's giving Pulisic acres of space in which to operate.

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In comment 13405979 B in ALB said:

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With Jurgey at the helm. Honduras would tie the game after the 90th minute.

Oh my God, I got shivers when I read this. Because it's so completely true.

Fuck

Not much to add to what Go Terps has said.

pulisic makes this team work and dempsey has always risen to the occasion. real fun game to watch.

But did see this bit on ESPN's coverage:

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But there were yet more injuries. Lletget hurt his left ankle on Ever Alvarado's tackle, was replaced in the 18th minute by Bedoya and left the stadium on crutches. Defender John Brooks was stretchered off the field, hand over his face, in the 69th due to dehydration.

In comment 13405952 Go Terps said:

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I am so tired of seeing Cameron shoe horned into that spot.

Truth. This will suffice against the Honduras and Panamas of the world, but Mexico on up is going to devour us on the flanks.

Yedlin fan. He was always a threat going forward but a big defensive liability in my mind...but from what I've read, he's really improved his defending/positioning this year. If he hadn't picked up a knock, he would have been the starting RB for this game, and Cameron would have probably played instead of Gonzo.

was when Pulisic, who is still just a kid, runs up to the ref, points to his eyes and says, "Are you blind?" when he called the ball out that was clearly in.

He's going to be a wonder to watch. He's already one of the youth brigade in the Bundesliga making a difference.

Will be failure. I don't care that it's away. We need to beat these shit teams.

wow just wow.. .only freakin 18

I hope he doesn't make the mistake of coming here to play

In comment 13406221 Gmen1982 said:

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I hope he doesn't make the mistake of coming here to play

Total bullshit.

You get better playing with better competition. You are very knowledgeable of the game I don't know how you disagree with that. It's like playing for the d-league in the NBA when the other players play In the NBA.

In comment 13406306 Go Terps said:

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In comment 13406221 Gmen1982 said: Quote: I hope he doesn't make the mistake of coming here to play Total bullshit.

Yea he's going to be there for awhile. I selfishly want him to play in England so we can see him more often.

Here's some highlights of Tyler Adams from today's Red Bulls match.
Link - ( New Window )

Leagues in Europe?

In comment 13406908 Gmen1982 said:

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Leagues in Europe?

Fuck no.

You realize the backbone of the team all either played or plays in MLS, right?

the entire starting lineup and all of the subs either play or played in MLS other than Brooks and Pulisic.

In comment 13406915 Jon in NYC said:

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the entire starting lineup and all of the subs either play or played in MLS other than Brooks and Pulisic.

For that matter the entire bench as well.

We are far inferior to most of the other teams in the world. I can tell that kid has the tools but those highlights showed a wide open game where he could make decisions without pressure. If any player is good enough to play in a better league they should.

The better players in the world aren't there. I will tell you those guys are amazing as well. I play with a guy that was a player coach for the Minnesota team before they reached the mls. He's really good and couldn't make it. I just see our main problem as not being able to keep possession and play and move in tight spaces against the better teams. You only get used to that when you do it on a regular basis.

pretty far off on this one.

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Can play. I play with a dude that was with Minnesota for 10 years as a player and coach. He's very good and couldn't cut it. So I'm not saying "these guys suck." Our team right now is capable of hanging with some of the big boys. I'm tired of that though. I want to consistently be able to play with them.

Soccer. The better kids play academy. You aren't allowed to play high school if you play academy. Why? They feel it will hurt their game. We preach trying to play at the highest level. Shouldn't that exist into the pros?

This isn't comparing college to the NFL or NBA. The MLS has a ton of talent, just none of the star power and marketing. It's also a distant 4th sport at best in the US, probably 5th so it naturally doesn't garner the attention it deserves.

There's something to be said for dominating in the MLS instead of playing out of place or on the bench in the BPL. Playing in the MLS also lets our players establish and work towards refining our style of play.

I get they vetter competition argument, I just don't think it applies fully in this scenario.

The whole establishing our style of play argument is false. Our best player doesn't play here. Will he have trouble adjusting to our "style"?

In comment 13406948 Gmen1982 said:

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The whole establishing our style of play argument is false. Our best player doesn't play here. Will he have trouble adjusting to our "style"?

Money. Plain and simple it is money. MLS cannot pay top dollar like the Euro leagues can. The sponsorship money and fan bases are just not there to pay $10 of millions. Hell the NFL and MLB cannot pay what Europe pays its megastars. Europe has double the population and only ONE major sport. All that money is concentrated on one sport.

they have a lot more talent to choose from and don't have to fight with the emergence of lacrosse or the main 4 other sports in the US. It just isn't apples to apples. Our talent also plays in college and doesn't go abroad at 18. So unless that changes and the BPL or Bundesliga, etc is interested in our HS prospects, I'm not sure how that would work.

I would prefer the players that are good enough to legitimately play in Europe to go there. I wouldn't want someone sitting the bench.

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going to the kids museum for the 900th time this winter.

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In comment 13406970 Gmen1982 said:

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In CT

In comment 13406954 UConn4523 said:

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they have a lot more talent to choose from and don't have to fight with the emergence of lacrosse or the main 4 other sports in the US. It just isn't apples to apples. Our talent also plays in college and doesn't go abroad at 18. So unless that changes and the BPL or Bundesliga, etc is interested in our HS prospects, I'm not sure how that would work.

This is the key point, the structure of the US soccer system is different than Europe - there's no high school/college level of play. The academy organization is still in its infancy here, and I think over the next generation it will evolve further.

Some of these academies have b, c, and even d teams. There's pre-academy teams as well. Tab just changed his mind and is letting pre-academy players play on their high school teams. He didn't allow it this past year.

really a debate about whether players should be playing in MLS vs. top leagues in Europe? Michael Bradley's form dropped coming back to MLS from Italy. It's not hard to see. Some of it was being played out of position by JK, but a big part of it is the speed of the game here just isn't comparable to overseas, and training on a day to day basis isn't as rigorous.

CP is obviously a world class talent and was when he went to Dortmund, but he wouldn't be nearly where he is now if he were toiling in an MLS academy.

In comment 13407185 Tim in Capital City said:

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really a debate about whether players should be playing in MLS vs. top leagues in Europe? Michael Bradley's form dropped coming back to MLS from Italy. It's not hard to see. Some of it was being played out of position by JK, but a big part of it is the speed of the game here just isn't comparable to overseas, and training on a day to day basis isn't as rigorous. CP is obviously a world class talent and was when he went to Dortmund, but he wouldn't be nearly where he is now if he were toiling in an MLS academy.

He lost his place at Roma. That's why he left. I'd much rather him be at MLS playing with other Americans than toiling in some second tier European league.