OT: USA-Belgium Poll

Why mess with a formation that is working? I think he goes with Pepi. Geo, in his limited minutes, has been rough (other than the killer goal, of course). He also is such a hothead - not what this team needs.

RUChet said:

Poch has an important decision to make for Monday’s match vs. Belgium.

Does he replace Balogun with another striker such as Pepi or Wright and keep the same formation?

Or does he go with a “false 9” setup and put Tillman, Reyna, Pulisic, or somebody else there and substitute a non-striker in like Reyna, Zendejas, Weah, or Aaronson?

I’m leaning towards him going with false 9 and running the offense thru Pulisic.

My vote is he puts in Reyna as he’s gotten the most PT and Weah has performed poorly.

But, if he goes with a striker, I’d like to see Wright as Pepi has been a non-factor.

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I was really surprised how easily Pepi was pushed off the ball by Turkey, which is not as physical as some of the other European teams.

I would love to see him give Wright a chance. He has been thriving in the Championship, which if anything is more physical (while less skilled) than the Premier League, and would likely hold his own against the Belgium back line.

I selected "Other" as I think they should put LeBron James in as he's a master at flopping.

Good. Common sense has prevailed.

Never should have been a red card!!!

Ronnie_B said:

Good. Common sense has prevailed.

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I suspect this was more, shall we say, transactional. Remember, this is FIFA we're talking about.

RUChet said:

I withdraw my poll

FIFA allowing Balogun to play!

This is huge!!!!!!!!

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Remarkable. I waa thinking that is exactly what they should fo but never would..wow. good for them. That ref must feel like an even bigger dope now.

NBC News said the US government stepped in and provided info to FIFA, which convinced them to change their mind.

cubuffsdoug_rivals said:

NBC News said the US government stepped in and provided info to FIFA, which convinced them to change their mind.

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If true, it's good for the USA, but questions the integrity of the head of the FIFA.
Overturning Balogun's red card suspension isn't the only questionable move made by the FIFA ,so this might be a move on folks nothing to see here by letting Balogun play.Though I wonder what Belgium is thinking about what the FIFA did .
Another controversial lifting of a red card suspension
>The first high-profile application of the FIFA Disciplinary Code in Chapter 4, Article 27, regarding a player suspension involved Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo received a direct red card during Portugal's final World Cup qualifier in November for elbowing Ireland defender Dara O'Shea in the back.

The FIFA Disciplinary Code typically mandates a strict three-match ban for violent conduct, which would have ruled Ronaldo out of the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Instead, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee issued a suspended suspension using Chapter 4, Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This allowed Rolando to serve his one-match suspension in a pre-World Cup friendly and deferred the remaining two matches under a one-year probationary period.

I would venture to say : the FIFA is a lot like the NCAA, the little guy will be dragged through the coals while the top dogs are treated like they made a minor mistake , for doing the same.
Being a host country makes the USA a top dog and the FIFA don't want to be considered the reason Belgium won Ronaldo being a soccer superstar makes him a top dog that the FIFA doesn't want to mess with by keeping him out of the world cup having Portugal's loss ( if they do) blamed on his not being able to play .
So the FIFA backs off finding an excuse to let the USA and Portugal keep the players they need to play .

MADHAT1 said:

If true, it's good for the USA, but questions the integrity of the head of the FIFA.
Overturning Balogun's red card suspension isn't the only questionable move made by the FIFA ,so this might be a move on folks nothing to see here by letting Balogun play.Though I wonder what Belgium is thinking about what the FIFA did .
Another controversial lifting of a red card suspension
>The first high-profile application of the FIFA Disciplinary Code in Chapter 4, Article 27, regarding a player suspension involved Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo received a direct red card during Portugal's final World Cup qualifier in November for elbowing Ireland defender Dara O'Shea in the back.

The FIFA Disciplinary Code typically mandates a strict three-match ban for violent conduct, which would have ruled Ronaldo out of the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Instead, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee issued a suspended suspension using Chapter 4, Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This allowed Rolando to serve his one-match suspension in a pre-World Cup friendly and deferred the remaining two matches under a one-year probationary period.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Folarin Balogun And FIFA Reversing Red-Card Suspension, Explained | FOX Sports

Does Folarin Balogun have Cristiano Ronaldo to thank for his red-card suspension reversal? Partially.

www.foxsports.com

I would venture to say : the FIFA is a lot like the NCAA, the little guy will be dragged through the coals while the top dogs are treated like they made a minor mistake , for doing the same.
Being a host country makes the USA a top dog and the FIFA don't want to be considered the reason Belgium won Ronaldo being a soccer superstar makes him a top dog that the FIFA doesn't want to mess with by keeping him out of the world cup having Portugal's loss ( if they do) blamed on his not being able to play .
So the FIFA backs off finding an excuse to let the USA and Portugal keep the players they need to play .

Click to expand...

Perhaps FIFA should do a review of its Red Card and penalty kick Rules policy and put a little common sense into it so they avoids these "correct after the fact" mistakes that are VERY impactful to a SIGNIFICANT match. Look what they did to England last night. Yes that guy's foot was up and everything looks way worse in slo-mo but was that really worth tossing the guy and making England play 1 down for most of the match? Very much like the USA Red card although a bit more intentional.. he went in with the foot up not the tip first. But he got the ball. Give him a freakin yellow.

How bout the penalty on Kane? Yes he got the guys leg while the guy was kicking the ball upwards but that's the 2nd time I've seen a PT JUST BECAUSE a penalty happened in the box. That guy wasn't taking a shot or close to it and I saw 1 the other day where a player was actually dribbling away from the goal with his back to it and got fouled with one of those baby flopping types and he got a PT.

VAR is too much. Offsides for a knee sticking over the virtual line, etc. Early one I was really loving the changes made to reduce the faking and flopping and let "the beautiful game" flow...but they have reverted in the knock-out round.

While I'm ranting on it.. shouldn't the guy who got fouled take the shot? Other guy does all the work and then Kane gets to add to his total and celebrate his "brilliant" goal kick.

Some of this is like watching an NFL team down all game and then the QB throws a 60 yard hail Mary and the refs call a ticky tack PI to give them the ball at the one.

Lastly, The Mexican fans stink. Besides that thing where they were trying to keep the other team up all night they were the only fans I have heard loudly booing the other teams pre-game NA and throughout. I find Mexican people wonderful but their soccer fans..crazy loco. I feared for England's fans down there post game.

rant over. Go USA.

He plays tonight
>"The FIFA Appeal Committee has rendered a request submitted by the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) as inadmissible," FIFA said in a statement.<

Congratulations, FIFA. You have become the WWE.