OT: We may win the World Cup in 2026

RUChet

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The difference with this team is almost all the guys play in a top 5 league (or will next year)

The whole starting XI plays in a top 5 league except Freese Ream and Dest. Ream used to. Dest will next year most likely.

Look at the subs? Weah, Pepi and Reyna play in a top 5 league. 3 of 4 subs used so you are bringing in top talent off the bench which hasn't been the case for us.

And we also have a world-class coach it seems who needs to get more credit for:

- Developing Freese, Freeman, Berhalter, Afsten who were nowhere to be found just 1.5 yrs ago on the USMNT program. Even Tillman has featured more under Poch
- Confidence in bringing on Reyna who showed his skill already
- Moving Dest upfield, Pulisic out wide, etc
 
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RUChet

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I enjoyed the post game coverage. Really refreshing to see a crowd celebrating their team's victory without feeling the need to destroy something.
or no reports (so far) of opponent's fans getting attacked. what knicks fans did to spurs fans is disgraceful and i wish they'd be punished severely. downright disgusting. and fans throwing things at Wemby? catch them and ban them from knicks games for life!!!!!!!

but then again in many concacaf away games fans throw things at opponents when they take corner kicks or even just on the bench so they've had to put in protective barriers which is downright pathetic.
 

RUChet

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Can’t help it if that’s what you want to believe. The guy says things simply for clicks and social media engagement.
Of course that’s part of it - they are in a for profit business - but I appreciate his honest comments about our team just like Herc Gomez and T Twellman - all 3 I think give fair assessments
 

Doctor Worm

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Did you catch Lalas' postgame faux pas yesterday? The panel was doing a promo for James Corden's post game show. Apparently Corden was dressed in a soccer uniform, cleats and all. Lalas referred to Corden as a "full kit wanker".

I watch enough British TV to know that the British term "wanker" directly translates to the American term "jerkoff". Not something you say on over the air TV.

Check out the expressions on the faces of Rebecca and Thierry.

 
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-RUFAN4LIFE-

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I like Alexi but I’m a casual soccer fan. My daughter who plays P4 thinks he’s a joke. We were arguing about it this am
IMO a lot of these former players have outed themselves as bad pundits/commentators with a lot of their made up drama about this team leading up to the WC.

It really showed when Pulisic decided to skip the summer tournament and Landon Donovan of all people, who quit on the team, called him out and when Puli fired back all these guys like Lalas, Twellman, Howard all jumped in to defend Donovan.

Just like great players don't always make great coaches, they also don't make great commentators. If not for podcasts and social media today, most wouldn't have a voice or a following.
 

vkj91

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IMO a lot of these former players have outed themselves as bad pundits/commentators with a lot of their made up drama about this team leading up to the WC.

It really showed when Pulisic decided to skip the summer tournament and Landon Donovan of all people, who quit on the team, called him out and when Puli fired back all these guys like Lalas, Twellman, Howard all jumped in to defend Donovan.

Just like great players don't always make great coaches, they also don't make great commentators. If not for podcasts and social media today, most wouldn't have a voice or a following.
I can’t comment on their quality but it’s not surprising they stand up for each other. Every sport is like that. Look how many former giants were appalled by a rookie asking to wear 56 or 11
 

ClassOf02v.2

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Did you catch Lalas' postgame faux pas yesterday? The panel was doing a promo for James Corden's post game show. Apparently Corden was dressed in a soccer uniform, cleats and all. Lalas referred to Corden as a "full kit wanker".

I watch enough British TV to know that the British term "wanker" directly translates to the American term "jerkoff". Not something you say on over the air TV.

Check out the expressions on the faces of Rebecca and Thierry.

I saw that and I have to admit, this was the first time I learned that ‘wanker’ is a not-safe-for-TV word in the UK.
 
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AreYouNUTS

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Between the 3 hosts, I think we got the Hardest group. Turkey didn’t do great in qualifying but they gave talent

No gummies in our group like Qatar or Bosnia
Canada‘s group stinks based on what I saw yesterday and so far today BUT Paraguay was pretty much a “gimme” looking back on things.
 

AreYouNUTS

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So what, he's right about her style. And Alexi is as trash as they come, dude is terrible on TV.
BWAHAHAHA Alexi is fantastic. Tells it like it is. There’s a reason he’s been doing this forever . Also, I don’t want three or four people who are exactly alike on the set. Nobody wants that.

Carli doesn’t have much of a personality, no question, but she knows her **** and likely isn’t going anywhere either.
 
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AreYouNUTS

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Did you catch Lalas' postgame faux pas yesterday? The panel was doing a promo for James Corden's post game show. Apparently Corden was dressed in a soccer uniform, cleats and all. Lalas referred to Corden as a "full kit wanker".

I watch enough British TV to know that the British term "wanker" directly translates to the American term "jerkoff". Not something you say on over the air TV.

Check out the expressions on the faces of Rebecca and Thierry.

lol so what? That’s EXACTLY what he looked like!
 

AreYouNUTS

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So much for the talk about Switzerland, going to the quarterfinals….ooooof….. probably a bit premature.
 

RUChet

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Please. Great player. Zero style. It’s ok to critique Rutgers alumni you know
who the hell cares about style? what a stupid thing to comment on in this thread.

just celebrate the amazing win last night dude
 

-RUFAN4LIFE-

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BWAHAHAHA Alexi is fantastic. Tells it like it is. There’s a reason he’s been doing this forever . Also, I don’t want three or four people who are exactly alike on the set. Nobody wants that.

Carli doesn’t have much of a personality, no question, but she knows her **** and likely isn’t going anywhere either.
Have no issues with Carli other than her style could use a serious makeover. Alexi is the same tool he's always been known to be around the soccer world.
 

RUChet

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Canada‘s group stinks based on what I saw yesterday and so far today BUT Paraguay was pretty much a “gimme” looking back on things.
I don't know about gimmie. Paraguay finished 4th in CONMERBOL which is pretty darn good. They are a solid side but we played really, really well. they had trouble with our off the ball movement and spacing. we just really executed well almost the entire game and we play like that, we're going to win more games.

what's amazing is that we are now just 11-20 and some ties all time in world cup and that includes the semi-final run in 1930 when it was just a whole different landscape.......
 
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AreYouNUTS

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Have no issues with Carli other than her style could use a serious makeover. Alexi is the same tool he's always been known to be around the soccer world.
Oh no question, he can be a tool, I’ll give you that! But, that’s who he is, and that’s why he still has his job. You almost always have to have a guy like that on set IMHO. Not for everyone though I understand. He’s kind of like Barkley without the solid sense of humor.
 
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-RUFAN4LIFE-

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RUChet

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Oh no question, he can be a tool, I’ll give you that! But, that’s who he is, and that’s why he still has his job. You almost always have to have a guy like that on set IMHO. Not for everyone though I understand. He’s kind of like Barkley without the solid sense of humor.
I think some people don’t like him because of his politics IMO and don’t separate that from his commentating.

He and Carli are RU legends - both played for USA, love america, played at the World Cup in their sport and some thing she says are tough take but that’s his job
 

hinson32

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Canada‘s group stinks based on what I saw yesterday and so far today BUT Paraguay was pretty much a “gimme” looking back on things.
How come? Didn't Paraguay finish 4th is SA qualifying l? I thought they were considered a decent squad.
 
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Doctor Worm

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Any casual fan who tuned in last night has a totally different opinion of US soccer now. Need to keep it going
I honestly don't know if that is true. (The first part, not the second, which is definitely true.)

No question the casual fan left with "wow, those guys had a really good game". But did they leave with "wow, those guys are really good"? Big difference. May take more than one performance to get to that point.
 

vkj91

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I honestly don't know if that is true. (The first part, not the second, which is definitely true.)

No question the casual fan left with "wow, those guys had a really good game". But did they leave with "wow, those guys are really good"? Big difference. May take more than one performance to get to that point.
Casual “fan” thinks soccer is slow and boring. Last night was not
 

vkj91

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Oh no question, he can be a tool, I’ll give you that! But, that’s who he is, and that’s why he still has his job. You almost always have to have a guy like that on set IMHO. Not for everyone though I understand. He’s kind of like Barkley without the solid sense of humor.
I think an ok analogy is John Madden. My dad loved him because he was fun and my dad understood little about x and o’s. I hated him. I enjoy Lexi because I’m simple my daughter who is not hates him.
 

RUChet

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Soccer is cruel.

Türkiye dominated Australia with 78% possession, way more passes completed in final third, way more shots and shots in goal but loses 2-0.

ouch
 

-RUFAN4LIFE-

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Last night's result opens the door for the US to take the top spot in the group as Turkey was considered the toughest opponent in the group.