OT: We may win the World Cup in 2026

[ru109]

we've just been outplayed. No idea what the heck we've been doing. lots of standing around instead of going after the ball.

Of course we know that if this was Rutgers football everyone would be blaming Schiano saying he was outcoached rather than just blaming the players.

 

[T2Kplus20]

It’s just his hobby - it’s what he does. If the Yankees ever fire Cashman, I’m not sure what he’ll do.

 

[Rutgers Chris]

My algorithm doing a great job of framing this in football terms so I can understand

 

[T2Kplus20]

My algorithm doing a great job of framing this in football terms so I can understand

View attachment 1353686

The US team is no better now than back in 1994. 32 years of wasted time. Even Cashman hasn't sucked for that long!

 

[RUtrumpet92_rivals498139]

Great run. Bad night. Oh well.

 

[RUnotentertained]

Back to nobody caring again until Olympics

 

[-RUFAN4LIFE-]

The US team is no better now than back in 1994. 32 years of wasted time. Even Cashman hasn't sucked for that long!

You need to get laid, what's your address, we'll send a tranny.

 

[gmay8]

Change the title to we’ll win the World Cup in 2030. I’m sure it’ll be different by then

 

[Erial_Lion]

Three Achilles heels that worried me heading in…Goalkeeping, our back line, and Pulisic’s durability. All three were exposed tonight.

We pretty much met my expectations for the tournament…round of 16, and lost to a better team. There was a time when I worried if we’d even do that, but disappointing now that we made it here that we didn’t go further.

Looking ahead…A few guys will age out, but most of the core is back (though it’ll be one final run in 2030). Need to find a an upgrade at goalkeeper, need to lock down Banks, need a Ream replacement (see Banks comment), need Luna to keep developing, would be great if Musah finds it again, etc.

We play Belgium in Seattle 10 times and we likely beat them 4-5 of them…but Belgium really upped their game from what we’ve seen, and we didn’t match it. Tillman played really well, but we needed more to match that level.

Will be interested to see who is coaching us in 2027, but Gold Cup only 11 months away.

 

[Anon1753410373]

Such a contrast from the Mex-England game last night that was balls to the wall.

US played timid/tight and not to lose.

Belgium was physical and there was contact with every American touch whereas the US players were too cute. Not a good night at all.

 

[koleszar]

Well that was pretty piss poor. See you in four years.

 

[Doctor Worm]

Great run. Bad night. Oh well.

I think you are being far too kind. For me, minimum expectations were met, but not exceeded. Neither success nor failure.

 

[RUnotentertained]

 

[RUnotentertained]

 

[e5fdny]

we've just been outplayed. No idea what the heck we've been doing. lots of standing around instead of going after the ball.

Of course we know that if this was Rutgers football everyone would be blaming Schiano saying he was outcoached rather than just blaming the players.

Which I never understood.

When it pertains to Rutgers football, it’s the helmets AND the headsets who share the blame.

 

[RUnTeX]

There's always the Rugby World Cup next year being held down under.

Will be tough for the American side but hope springs eternal.

 

[Rutgers Chris]

 

[Erial_Lion]

My 2030 World Cup opener lineup…

———————-Kochen———————————
Freeman—-Banks—-Richards—Robinson
———-Tessman——Cardoso———————
Tillman————-Luna———————-Pulisic
———————-Balogun——————————

Reyna, Sullivan, Weah, Adams, Brady(GK) right there too

 

[Erial_Lion]

Although should someone start the “we might win it in 2038” thread for the next time we host?

Also sounds like South America might come back to the money tree and bring another Copa America here in 2028.

 

[Doctor Worm]

We have competitive matches (Nations League) in just four months. Be here before we know it.

 

[RU848789]

Well, can't blame Belgium for a little snark after the shenanigans...

 

[T2Kplus20]

My 2030 World Cup opener lineup…

———————-Kochen———————————
Freeman—-Banks—-Richards—Robinson
———-Tessman——Cardoso———————
Tillman————-Luna———————-Pulisic
———————-Balogun——————————

Reyna, Sullivan, Weah, Adams, Brady(GK) right there too

Gotta lose in the Round of 16.....again.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Gotta lose in the Round of 16.....again.

Maybe…probably a top 15-20ish lineup, so would make sense.

 

[RU848789]

Three Achilles heels that worried me heading in…Goalkeeping, our back line, and Pulisic’s durability. All three were exposed tonight.

We pretty much met my expectations for the tournament…round of 16, and lost to a better team. There was a time when I worried if we’d even do that, but disappointing now that we made it here that we didn’t go further.

Looking ahead…A few guys will age out, but most of the core is back (though it’ll be one final run in 2030). Need to find a an upgrade at goalkeeper, need to lock down Banks, need a Ream replacement (see Banks comment), need Luna to keep developing, would be great if Musah finds it again, etc.

We play Belgium in Seattle 10 times and we likely beat them 4-5 of them…but Belgium really upped their game from what we’ve seen, and we didn’t match it. Tillman played really well, but we needed more to match that level.

Will be interested to see who is coaching us in 2027, but Gold Cup only 11 months away.

Good points. Turner is a better keeper from the perspective of making saves, but Freese is better coming out of the box and with his feet...until the debacle tonight, which is unacceptable. But yes, keeper was always a question mark.

The back line was everyone's Achilles Heel concern and that seriously reared its head tonight - have to somehow get much better there. As mildone (who knows more about soccer than anyone I know - watched the match with him tonight) has been saying for a few years, Miles Robinson was our best defender and distributor of the ball from the back until he tore his Achilles and unfortunately, he's never been quite the same. We'll struggle to beat very good teams without a much better back line and keeper.

And while Reyna had his moment in the first game, I still don't know why Luna didn't make the team - love his game and we needed players with better ball skills all over the field tonight and that's what he excels at. Our midfield just didn't play well and that had been a strength. As Poch said, sometimes you just have a bad day - we made more unforced errors/giveaways today than in the first 4 games - yes some of that is Belgium being very good, but some of it was just inexplicably bad play. And unfortunately, Belgium who are very good, had a very good day (especially going with the younger, high energy guys). Oh well. Still lots of great matches to go.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Something to consider…the margins get razor thin when you reach this point. I’ve read a few mention that we’ve gone backwards in the past 20 years since our 2002 team made the quarters…that team doesn’t get the break of South Korea scoring late against Portugal and we go home in the group stage. Would that have made the 02 team that much worse (obviously all would feel differently about them, even though we had zero control over that aspect)?

Senegal holds a 2-0 lead in the 85th minute and we’re playing them tonight. Suddenly, Belgium is a huge disappointment and we’ve got a very manageable game.

 

[Kbe4]

Good points. Turner is a better keeper from the perspective of making saves, but Freese is better coming out of the box and with his feet...until the debacle tonight, which is unacceptable. But yes, keeper was always a question mark.

The back line was everyone's Achilles Heel concern and that seriously reared its head tonight - have to somehow get much better there. As mildone (who knows more about soccer than anyone I know - watched the match with him tonight) has been saying for a few years, Miles Robinson was our best defender and distributor of the ball from the back until he tore his Achilles and unfortunately, he's never been quite the same. We'll struggle to beat very good teams without a much better back line and keeper.

And while Reyna had his moment in the first game, I still don't know why Luna didn't make the team - love his game and we needed players with better ball skills all over the field tonight and that's what he excels at. Our midfield just didn't play well and that had been a strength. As Poch said, sometimes you just have a bad day - we made more unforced errors/giveaways today than in the first 3 games - yes some of that is Belgium being very good, but some of it was just inexplicably bad play. And unfortunately, Belgium who are very good, had a very good day (especially going with the younger, high energy guys). Oh well. Still lots of great matches to go.

Mildone was the most knowledgeable poster on soccer that this board has ever seen IMO. It would have been interesting to hear his perspective on the Balogun suspension/non-suspension. And lots of other stuff.
He's just one of many posters that never made the jump to this new version of the board.
Sad.

 

[RUnTeX]

Turf monster strikes again!

 

[RAC93]

US played with no grit, toughness against Belgium. A great example of perseverance and grit was Cape Verde against Argentina, Mexico as well showed great fight against England. US played as if it had vacation plans already made and needed to get to SeaTac to catch flights. Belgium could have had 5-6 goals, we generated little to no offense and scored off a deflection from a set piece. I was impressed by Cape Verde and said that was a win for them after the game even in a loss on the scoreboard. The US output tonight was like a fart in the wind , poof and it’s gone.

 

[willisneverrana43]

Enough man. It’s clear you hate soccer and keep trying to justify it with your tangential issues. Just hate the sport and move on. The thread will move into game mode soon, so your input isn’t needed.

No mas is a different sport. But understood.

 

[Postman_1]

USA was way overrated and it showed. It’s hard for me to get into the sport but the World Cup is exciting. I do not like the offsides rule at all. I think that should be changed to something similar to hockey. I’m not the only one saying that either. The players diving and a game that gets decided on penalty kicks also turn me off.
In 4 years it will be the same thing all over again I fear. It’s just not our sport. It was still fun while it lasted for USA.

 

[PSU_Nut]

My algorithm doing a great job of framing this in football terms so I can understand

View attachment 1353686

I have to say the Franklin quote is perfect!

 

[Caliknight]

Fun run but the real football starts in just over a month.

This team didn’t do much. The round of 16 was fools gold with the added round. Have a few more good players but still no one who is world class. Doubt that ever happens.

 

[newell138]

Something to consider…the margins get razor thin when you reach this point. I’ve read a few mention that we’ve gone backwards in the past 20 years since our 2002 team made the quarters…that team doesn’t get the break of South Korea scoring late against Portugal and we go home in the group stage. Would that have made the 02 team that much worse (obviously all would feel differently about them, even though we had zero control over that aspect)?

Senegal holds a 2-0 lead in the 85th minute and we’re playing them tonight. Suddenly, Belgium is a huge disappointment and we’ve got a very manageable game.

The way they played last night it didn't matter who we played, they looked lost and scared

 

[newell138]

Mildone was the most knowledgeable poster on soccer that this board has ever seen IMO. It would have been interesting to hear his perspective on the Balogun suspension/non-suspension. And lots of other stuff.
He's just one of many posters that never made the jump to this new version of the board.
Sad.

 

[T2Kplus20]

Fun run but the real football starts in just over a month.

This team didn’t do much. The round of 16 was fools gold with the added round. Have a few more good players but still no one who is world class. Doubt that ever happens.

They were in the round of 16 in 1994. What happened over the past 32 years? Folks may say.....hey our players are better and they play on better teams, but at the end of the day you are what your record/results say you are. And that hasn't changed since Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

 

[RUnTeX]

And that hasn't changed since Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

Not always a climb or even a linear one. But they did advance further in 2002 (to the quarterfinals) after not getting out of the group stage in 1998. But 24 yrs and counting to reach the final 8.

 

[RU848789]

Great goal by Egypt to go up 1-0 and it wasn't a fluke as they've been mostly dominating play so far. Argentina continuing to sleepwalk or are they simply not as good as 4 years ago? Not sure which.

 

[RU848789]

Maybe it's not Argentina's day as Messi just missed a PK with a shot that wasn't his best.

 

[RU848789]

The only tiny benefit of the US losing is that most of the trolls will likely not be posting much anymore.

 

[MadRU]

Maybe it's not Argentina's day as Messi just missed a PK with a shot that wasn't his best.

Again?