Poch getting serious:
U20 win groups by “narrowly” beating South Africa and France on GD:
Following South Africa’s victory and France’s 6-0 win over New Caledonia, three teams finished with 6 points in Group E. The U.S. claimed the top spot thanks to a commanding +10 goal differential, narrowly beating South Africa (+5) in second place and France (+4) in third.
Fun fact: overall GD was not the tiebreaker used. US had a +2 GD, SA had 0 GD and France had -2 GD among the matches played against each other.
One plan for success:
But, like Sagnol correctly pointed out – it’s a process. Every year, Spain’s FA starts with the 14-to-15-year-old age group, selects the best 55 players from that generation and then begins to mold them. Tactics, discipline, unity, responsibility.
When I spoke to the then youth coordinator at the Spanish FA, Ginés Melendéz he told me: “From the minute the lads arrive aged 15, right up until they are 20 or 21, we work with them in exactly the same way, with the same training drills, until they become automatic. The boys arrive with plenty of talent but we have to give them order. That’s the two things which defines our football: order and talent.”
So, where are the 55 best 15 year-old players in the USA? (Besides “in Europe at Club Team’s academies.”) And what is this molding process, and will it work on American players as well as Spanish ones?
At this point, you would think the USMNT U20s could get through the quarterfinals of the U20 WC just by chance. Nope, it’s now 7 losses and a draw because of the loss to Serbia in penalties 8 losses there to 8 different countries since the 1989 trip that resulted in a 4th-place finish, with QF losses now in each of the last 5 U20 WCs.
And, it’s kind of a challenge now to lose a 9th QF to a 9th different country.
This guy really tells us what he is (and all of us are already) thinking:
Yeah. He was clearly a rental.
Good match on Saturday.
Now, on to the sound of ultimate suffering, per Poch:
He’s probably not wrong.
That’s an interesting start!
1 Like
I don’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve seen the USMNT have a half where they played this well. Definitely years.
Poached from Tutul Rahman.
This starting squad contains:
5 Current MLS players,
4 Former MLS players,
1 MLS Academy product that went to NASL before Europe,
1 guy who wears Chicago Bulls jerseys to team meetings
Hope Berhalter didn’t get injured. We need him here on Saturday
Um, OK.
1 Like
The USMNT have 2 WC tuneups scheduled for March in ATL: Belgium and Portugal.
Looks like I’m going to Belgium.
Every year ATLUTD makes season ticket holders buy one more game than is included in their home schedule. Usually that means they assign that ticket to something like Leagues Cup or US Open Cup. I was pleasantly surprised to hear they partnered with the USMNT to make that the extra game.
1 Like