That is the lack of depth screaming at us.
Soccer’s never been a very deep game though
Uh-oh, USMNT might be dismantled over DEI:
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49270695/usmnt-true-representation-america-tim-ream
If it’s a “true” representation of what America is, shouldn’t half of them be boycotting the WC since America is so awful? Asking for a friend.
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Everyone in America was happy about having the birthright citizen available
I don’t want to hear another goddamn word about how good this roster is, or how far it can go in some non-CONCACAF tournament, until it defeats a top-20 ‘A roster’ side out of either UEFA or CONMEBOL. Preferably, win that on the road. I’ll settle for one win, even if at home, I’d prefer to see more than one win to show one of them wasn’t a fluke.
I don’t want to hear a fucking word about injuries, or officiating, or shitty luck because Sagittarius was in opposition to Mars which was occulting Jupiter, or whatever.
My four-word advice to U.S. Soccer: figure this shit out.
Well, all that soccer was cute for a few days.
And now, back to 
It’s pretty simple:
- American parents have to give their kids appropriately-sized soccer balls when they are 1y1m old. Have them kick them around, encouraging all the time. Especially kids pre-dispositioned to become athletes (e.g. Alex Freeman). This is not random for 80% of players (source, my ass).
- Blow up the pay-to-play system. That means having an alternative path that don’t cost nothing, or at least costs as little as possible, so that the pay-to-play system dissolves. Make it cost less than the other sports parents put their kids in.
- Poach America-eligible players from other nations. Keep sending our extremely fit troops to Europe, where they boink the locals and the kids start playing at an early age. This is easiest, as it doesn’t take 20 years to blossom.
- Annex Mexico. And the rest of Central America for that matter.
NOTE: People, at USSF or the public at-large, don’t care that much about this team.
I’m done with shitty goaltending.
I’m done with Claudio Reyna’s alleged potential. He can never suit up for the USMNT again and I’ll say he’s still getting 7 appearances too many.
I’m done with promises of Christian Pulisic being at 100%. Just plan on him being at 75-80% max, and go from there.
I’m done with the idea that we have a starting XI, and if anyone in that group isn’t available it all goes to shit. I’m also done with the idea that our starting XI is really something like “5 good players, 6 hold-your-breath question marks.”
I’m done with “look great if we’re playing a CONCACAF minnow or Mexico at home, look great if it’s a 2nd or 3rd tier side, get run off the pitch by the world’s better sides.” Not even best sides, just better sides.
I’m done with “…but our set piece game is really good.”
I’m done with “don’t worry about results, we’re figuring out how to play as a team, it will all come together when the games matter.”
I’m done with “we just didn’t come out ready” and “we just let up late” like we forgot to take recycling to the curb or forgot to water the plants in the evening.
I’m done with any talk of “this group still isn’t really in it’s prime, their best days could still lie in …”
And I’m really done with the idea this is a top-16 team in the world. “But, we made the round of 16, that means …” it means fuck-all, given what we’ve been told this team is supposedly capable of. This team couldn’t have had much easier of a path, got an absolute fucking gift from Infante, and it still shit the fucking bed.
Looking at the current Elo ratings, I don’t think we can beat anybody in the top 20 at a neutral site. We could maybe beat a couple of the lower teams and Mexico if we play them in the US. If we are playing them on the road, in their home stadium, not a fucking chance. A top 16 team should be able to win a game or two on the road, not have to rely on every fucking game being in the home country to have a shot.
No more wishful thinking, no more claims of promise and potential, no more idealistic talking about next time. Just STFU and go play and let the results do the talking.
Is Bobrovsky available?
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Um…
Or, you could stop listening and believing.
Need better players. That is the answer.
I don’t think teams play enough meaningful inter-confederation matches for this to be valid. USA/CAN/MEX played nothing the past 4 years but that one Copa America and got their asses handed to them (well, CAN advanced to semi’s).
Soccer is more than a sport in the successful nations: it is almost a religion. I don’t see that cultural change happening in the US or Canada.
There will always be other sports in our countries that are above soccer in the pecking order and those sports will continue to attract the best athletes.
I think we will have to be content with being middling soccer powers and cheer on our MLS clubs.
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MLS barely registers in the US. Unless its revenue increases 4-fold or more, soccer will always take a back seat to Football, Basketball and Baseball even with the increase in youth soccer.
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Yes, but I still enjoy it. That is what is important to me. And it is an affordable family outing, unlike other sports.
I’m not saying it bad. But when you look at the revenue of European and other leagues MLS lags even them, let alone the major 4 US sports where it is behind by a multiple of 3 to 10 on revnue.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if MLS surpasses Serie A and Ligue 1 in next 5 years. It has risen nicely over past decade.
As a 16th ranked team, we got bounced by number 9 who has experience, talent and depth. Being able to bring Lukaku, DeBruyne and Doku off bench is something. They also have top keeper. Our keeper was horrible, like Karius CL final horrible. He should be done with this team.
Pulisic peaked 5 years ago. He is not a difference maker. Reyna looks like he peaked 6 years ago at a level below expectation and never on national team. Weah lost a step. Ream was manhandled but he’s 38. A younger, stronger center back is key.
We could maybe beat Germany or Italy. Those teams are in a bit of disarray and not looking up for next time either.
in any event, it was fun for 4.5 games. Hope we get it back in 2038 or 2042. FIFA has to be making a boatload.
Have they tried Ice Soccer yet?
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This. American football is like this in the south.
The last world cup here stirred up a lot more interest in the game with kids. Hopefully this one too. However I can’t see it being embedded in the culture like it is in so much of the rest of the world.
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I wonder what that sort of a chart would look like if you just plotted the revenues of the highest-level league in each of the countries represented in the WC Round of 16…or the Round of 8 + the US.