next soccer question

[NewtonHawk11]

What a 2nd half. 4-1 for the good guys. Pepi was an animal. He’s the new 9. Whew.

[pdub]

Saw highlights ( don't get Paramount ).
Down 1-0, Berhalter probably had to change his pants at half time.
Now 3rd in the group.

October:
Home games v Jamaica and Costa Rica.
Away to Panama.

Come away with 6 from those you are doin' just fine.
The number of points ( not goals, but points ) per game you are after is 1.7 - which is juuuust over winning your home games and loosing all your away - every CONCACAF team in the last 20 years that has done that, has qualified. ( and if you averaged 2 points per game - i.e. win at home, tie on the road you'd have finished at worst 2nd in the group )

[UnholyLivingDead]

The second half was quite possibly Berhalter's best coaching job since he got hired. Brought on 3 subs, changed the formation to a 4-3-3, and immediately we got the tying goal. Brings on 2 more subs later and they hammer Honduras in the last 20 minutes. 4 goals are important for the tiebreaker.

[NewtonHawk11]

Watched Univision on antenna. First of all. Soccer broadcast in Spanish are awesome. Secondly, I was way ahead of so many on Twitter and all that. It was great.

Berhalter made great adjustments at half to cover his lineup and formation mistakes. Honduras was tired on their 3rd game. By like the 60th minute, they seemed done. US depth really showed.

Adams way RB was beyond dumb. But at half they moved Acosta to that role and Adams back to CM and it changed the entire team strategy.

Pepi though was key. He was involved on EVERY GOAL. First goal, he starts the attack and then crashes the box hard, makes it a mess and it’s cleaned up. His header was superb on 2nd goal. 3rd goal he pushed and had then ice center pass to scorer and then the last goal his shot on goal was a deflection by the keeper and easy tap home for Lleget. Pepi saved Berhalter’s job. If that’s a loss, he’s gone.

4 away goals was massive. After 3 games. US has 5 points. A huge away goal difference and sitting in the 2nd spot.

October has to be an at least 7 point window to feel really comfortable. Home against Jamiaca, at Panama and home against Costa Rica. Home games in Austin and Columbus. The goal to qualify comfortably is to get about 23-24 points or so with this new format. If they get to 12 points after 6 games with still 8 to go, you are feeling pretty good.

BerhalterOut though.

[pdub]

The goal to qualify comfortably is to get about 22.4 - 23.8 points or so with this new format.

fyp
23 points should do it.

[jfish26]

The second half was quite possibly Berhalter's best coaching job since he got hired. Brought on 3 subs, changed the formation to a 4-3-3, and immediately we got the tying goal. Brings on 2 more subs later and they hammer Honduras in the last 20 minutes. 4 goals are important for the tiebreaker.

Huh, aggressive tactics worked. Didn't even know that was allowed with the USMNT.

[pdub]

Wizards v Sounders tonight.
Can a team I cheer for get one win this weekend?

[pdub]

I rate this sports weekend a D+.

[PhDhawk]

F-

[pdub]

KU showed up vs Duke and didn’t get demolished.
Pats got wrecked at home.
Otherwise pretty awful.

An F- for me needs to involve a KU BB loss.

[pdub]

Chelsea's Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna have been left off the United States men's national team roster for three upcoming World Cup qualifiers due to injury, the U.S. Soccer Federation said on Wednesday.

[NewtonHawk11]

Still a pretty good roster.

McKennie is back on the roster. Hopefully he had a nice eye opener.

[pdub]

Busio on the squad.

[NewtonHawk11]

Good for him. Good chance he'll get a crack in a game.

[pdub]

USMNT defender John Brooks has been withdrawn from the roster for the October World Cup Qualifiers. The veteran center back is not available due to back issues. No replacement will be added ahead of USA-Jamaica.

USA v Jamaica Thursday, Oct. 7 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
USA @ Panama Sunday, Oct. 10 6 p.m. ET on Paramount ( boo )
USA v Costa Rica Wednesday, Oct. 13 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Will be hot in Austin Thursday.
Mid 80s at kickoff.

[NewtonHawk11]

I love these 3 game windows.

Will be interesting to see the lineup for Thursday. No Reyna, Pulisic, Brooks. McKennie back.

Think the backline will be Dest, Ream, Miles Robinson and Antonee Robinson
Mid will be McKennie, Tyler Adams and Acosta
Forwards will be Aaronson, Pepi and Weah.

Think Matt Turner has the GK spot on lockdown. He's so good at straight blocking shots. His work with the ball is subpar, but that's not what the US needs. Steffen is about the opposite. Really good with the ball at his feet, but indecisive in net.

[pdub]

Yes, Steffen may have gotten Wally Pipped.

[UnholyLivingDead]

Turner is the #1 GK, hands down. Yes, he has better shot-stopping skills than Steffen but for me here's what it comes down to: Turner actually plays. Turner starts and plays for his club. Yeah it's an MLS club, but he's seeing game action and getting reps. Steffen sits on the bench, sure it's for Manchester City, but if you don't play for your club except for every 3 or 4 weeks in cup competitions, there's no way you can be prepared to see the field for your national team.

[NewtonHawk11]

Time to get 3 points.

[pdub]

Very active but missing some finishing passes.