Discuss Group B here

[a_m]

USA VS URUGUAY

- goalkeeper : whoever plays will be strong ,


-the USA is a fit team , they will play psychical and challenge everything, the don’t give space or time for the other team to settle everything will be contested or challenged there be very little space to create or play make , you have to just one touch everything and the strikers needs to hit everything on the volley or hit it one time without playing the ball to much cause the close down the opportunities very fast ..

-their starting midfielders will be in all 3 games unless there is injuries , musah, pulisic, mckennie , Adams , Tim weah , brenden aaroseson , they are a tricky bunch with skill,


- defensively based on what their coach has shown Zimmerman and Aaron long will the the two center make defenders and based on the team 99% antonee Robinson will also play , so yedlin/cannon/scally will switch into the team , they don’t have talent they just athletic very athletic, so to cause them trouble we need to play with skill, from what I have seen they just clear the ball be psychically strong ,run faster just really press and not give spaces …

-forwards there isn’t someone on the team you can say is a natural born scorer Jesus Ferrari was tested both games has really good positioning gets in the rights spots , finishing has been off so far ,, pulisic/weah/aaroseson will be moved to the forward position if need be

even though they keep saying this USA team is the best they have, they do not look like a team that is very deep on talent , THEY HAVE TAELNT , but it is limited, THEY HAVE ALLOT OF ROLE PLAYERS who will just run their sucks of and hustle for 90 minutes give 200%

[milad_b]

Is the Algeria match confirmed yet? I remember hearing that 3 friendlies where support to take place in replacement of canceled Uruguay match.

No brother nothing is confirmed. I've seen on social media footballi pages that their coach is not even sure if the match will go ahead!

Uzbekistan was free for today and they were looking for friendly match too but stupid IFF didn't even consider them.

[milad_b]

USA vs uruguay highlights ...... Uruguay started with 2nd team ... and USA was in ghooti .

Missing key players like (in their line up) Valverde , cavani , torriera , cruz , which most of them came on in 2nd half.
It should've been Uruguay 3-1 USA but some how USA didn't concede a goal or uruguay players messed up their chances ! Nunez missing chances, does not make sense to me!

However saying that, I still think USA is pretty strong and will give us and England a HARD time. IF you give them space they will create chances and score. They are very fast in counter attacks and know how to find each other.

Negatives: The whole team is runned by two players : McKennie and Pulisic . IF these two are marked and stopped then USA will be handi capped.

[Kavian]

USA vs uruguay highlights ...... Uruguay started with 2nd team ...
Missing key players like Valverde , cavani , torriera , cruz which most of them came on in 2nd half.
It should've been Uruguay 3-1 USA but some how USA didn't concede a goal or uruguay players messed up their chances ! Nunez missing chances, does not make sense to me!
However saying that, I still think USA is pretty strong and will give us and England a HARD time. IF you give them space they will create chances and score. They are very fast in counter attacks and know how to find each other.

I don't know if this was just my observation, but this game was so god damn boring!

It was obvious that the Uruguayans didn't really push to win this game. They gave the MLS players too much space and let them run and pass the ball. And that surface was unsuitable for soccer!

[milad_b]

I don't know if this was just my observation, but this game was so god damn boring!

It was obvious that the Uruguayans didn't really push to win this game. They gave the MLS players too much space and let them run and pass the ball. And that surface was unsuitable for soccer!

Yea I agree and Uruguay had dozens of chances and some how top quality players like Nunez and cavani missed open goal chances! Nunez to La Liga nos scorer missed two 1on1 chances and few great chances! HOW's THAT EVEN POSSIBLE! USA does jado jambal or something?

[Scooter]

Playing for big clubs is only part of the equation though. What the USMNT is doing on that front is impressive, regardless of how they received some of those chances (despite the fact that few of those players are really figureheads at said clubs).

WE all know football is a team sport, and when that group of individuals comes together so far as diz mentioned the label of overhyped can be thrown at them. I disagree that label can be levelled at their talent, but definitely as what their collective shows on the pitch it can be. I mean, they failed to beat Canada across 2 games, took a deserved beating by a bunch of costa rican kids, got lucky with a draw against Jamaica and even lost against Panama in this cycle.

That doesnt scream "strong team" to me. And we all know their coach is an idiot, even less qualified than Sko somehow. Add into the mix their age, the fact they've never been on such a stage before as a team, and I think it could really go either way.

I keep seeing this opinion concerning Berhalter, when the opposite is true. Berhalter has a specific system that emphasizes keeping possession and moving the ball out of the back. His tactical acumen is undeniable; he had one heck of a tenure in Columbus, and was unlucky not to win a title, there. And look how far the USMNT has progressed under his guidance.. they just finished with a tie against Uruguay, today.

For those of you who believe Berhalter is worse than Skocic, which in my opinion is as crazy as saying Messi is only average, please explain why?

[inarsenewetrust]

I keep seeing this opinion concerning Berhalter, when the opposite is true. Berhalter has a specific system that emphasizes keeping possession and moving the ball out of the back. His tactical acumen is undeniable; he had one heck of a tenure in Columbus, and was unlucky not to win a title, there. And look how far the USMNT has progressed under his guidance.. they just finished with a tie against Uruguay, today.
For those of you who believe Berhalter is worse than Skocic, which in my opinion is as crazy as saying Messi is only average, please explain why?

Look at the results achieved in the weakest Concacaf pool for some time.
One of the main reasons berhalter was hired was that his brother was the chief commercial officer for US soccer and basically directing the hiring process... He got the job over current Leeds coach Jesse marsch. Anyways these are some articles by american fans that can provide more explanation.

https://www.highpresssoccer.com/here...brother-gregg/
https://sundial.csun.edu/170095/opin...ith-us-soccer/

his results in the two latest friendlies were certainly a positive improvement though.

[Scooter]

Look at the results achieved in the weakest Concacaf pool for some time.
One of the main reasons berhalter was hired was that his brother was the chief commercial officer for US soccer and basically directing the hiring process... He got the job over current Leeds coach Jesse marsch. Anyways these are some articles by american fans that can provide more explanation.
https://www.highpresssoccer.com/here...brother-gregg/
https://sundial.csun.edu/170095/opin...ith-us-soccer/
his results in the two latest friendlies were certainly a positive improvement though.

Dude.. that first article is from 2019. I am not going to pay attention to its stated issues with US Soccer.
The second article recites systemic issues with soccer in the United States; it has little to do with Berhalter.
But even if Gregg was "hired by his brother", that fact doesn't detract from his expertise. Again, he has a specific system which is more organized from the back to the front than under Klinsmann. Klinsmann was great for bringing international talent to the USMNT, but he was a baaaaad tactician. Berhalter is ahead of him, in that respect. The early hiccups they had under him were due to the adjustment in playing style.
We'll see. I would take Berhalter over Skocic all day any day. That being said, I don't think Skocic has been poor, however, I do think he has serious issues adjusting in-game. Berhalter is very good at doing so, on the other hand.

[kian_khosh]

the field was absolutely horrible, ball was bouncing as if it was on a basketball court

[inarsenewetrust]

Dude.. that first article is from 2019. I am not going to pay attention to its stated issues with US Soccer.
The second article recites systemic issues with soccer in the United States; it has little to do with Berhalter.
But even if Gregg was "hired by his brother", that fact doesn't detract from his expertise. Again, he has a specific system which is more organized from the back to the front than under Klinsmann. Klinsmann was great for bringing international talent to the USMNT, but he was a baaaaad tactician. Berhalter is ahead of him, in that respect. The early hiccups they had under him were due to the adjustment in playing style.
We'll see. I would take Berhalter over Skocic all day any day. That being said, I don't think Skocic has been poor, however, I do think he has serious issues adjusting in-game. Berhalter is very good at doing so, on the other hand.

Disregard the articles all you want, fact is they finished 3rd in a crappy WCQ pool. They lost to Canada,Costa rica u21 side and panama, and tied Jamaica. I even recall them struggling a lot with el salvador. Doesnt scream tactical expertise. With the player pool the US possess they should be easily disposing of all of these teams. The losses to canada and CRC were fairly recent as well. And its not just two articles, american press and pundits besides Lalas types have been critical of him for a while.

As for skocic or berhalter, thats besides the point. They are both 4th rate international coaches. My original point was that unlike potentially other matchups, this is one where our coach is not significantly inferior to his opposite number (a rarity).

[ABalls]

Agreed. I wouldn't take Berhalter lightly. He has taken an extremely young USA team and won the Gold Cup and Nations League over respectable competition that was fielding their full strength. He has coached in MLS, but also in Sweden, and played in Germany. Guy isn't a nobody.

[Scooter]

Disregard the articles all you want, fact is they finished 3rd in a crappy WCQ pool. They lost to Canada,Costa rica u21 side and panama, and tied Jamaica. I even recall them struggling a lot with el salvador. Doesnt scream tactical expertise. With the player pool the US possess they should be easily disposing of all of these teams. The losses to canada and CRC were fairly recent as well. And its not just two articles, american press and pundits besides Lalas types have been critical of him for a while.

As for skocic or berhalter, thats besides the point. They are both 4th rate international coaches. My original point was that unlike potentially other matchups, this is one where our coach is not significantly inferior to his opposite number (a rarity).

I will disregard the articles, because they do not support your assertion that Berhalter is a poor coach! In fact, they have nothing to do with Berhalter's coaching ability.

And concerning your recent statements, above, now I see your issue: you are ignorant concerning CONCACAF. This is a region that has improved a lot since the last WC cycle. Those teams you deride (i.e. Panama, Jamaica, and ESPECIALLY Costa Rica and Canada) are so much tougher to break-down, especially on their home field. CONCACAF has always been that way; unlike the weaker Asian teams, when a team travels to a CONCACAF nation's home field, that home team plays several levels above their pay-grade.

If you watch any games within that region with an unbiased critical eye, you'd know at least that much.

And for you to say CONCACAF is a "crappy pool" and then indirectly denigrate Mexico and Canada (with all of their talent) by exclaiming how the USA finished behind them? Dude, I can't trust your judgment. Either you're a moron, or you are stubbornly clinging to your faulty argument, or both. Mexico and Canada will be problems for their group opponents, make no mistake.

[inarsenewetrust]

I will disregard the articles, because they do not support your assertion that Berhalter is a poor coach! In fact, they have nothing to do with Berhalter's coaching ability.
And concerning your recent statements, above, now I see your issue: you are ignorant concerning CONCACAF. This is a region that has improved a lot since the last WC cycle. Those teams you deride (i.e. Panama, Jamaica, and ESPECIALLY Costa Rica and Canada) are so much tougher to break-down, especially on their home field. CONCACAF has always been that way; unlike the weaker Asian teams, when a team travels to a CONCACAF nation's home field, that home team plays several levels above their pay-grade.
If you watch any games within that region with an unbiased critical eye, you'd know at least that much.
And for you to say CONCACAF is a "crappy pool" and then indirectly denigrate Mexico and Canada (with all of their talent) by exclaiming how the USA finished behind them? Dude, I can't trust your judgment. Either you're a moron, or you are stubbornly clinging to your faulty argument, or both. Mexico and Canada will be problems for their group opponents, make no mistake.

First of all if you want to discuss do so with respect. I didn't call you a moron or resort to personal attacks, I expect you to do the same. آدم باش

Secondly, its a forum. We dont have to agree, you dont have to trust me. Its just my opinion. I didnt say you should share it. You are entitled to your opinion.

Weak pool in my opinion yes. Mexico is a team currently in pure crisis.

Canada is a stronger team than mexico right now, but also lack experience. US failure to beat them once out of 2 games is not very impressive.

Costa Rica who previously were one of the regions strongest teams are at the end of a cycle, many older/retiring players and only some new local talent (a team almost exclusively of u21 or u23 players beat the US in the final match, but before that they were persisting with struggling old guard).

If the US with all of their players in europe, strong young talents, all possible funding, etc could only manage 3rd in this group and have some of the results, and more importantly weak performances they did, I think that is somewhat related to their manager.

[teammelli91]

Pulisic bringing drama to US soccer is hilarious. Not sure if he realizes bad publicity can affect their national team. He's such a little baby too. Not gonna lie I'm enjoying it from a far


USA have megastars but their team lacks experience. Having said that, because they missed out on Russia 2018 they will be highly motivated to leave the group. We can't underestimate what they can do and I pray to the football gods Skocic does his homework well for this match. I say this because this will be the 3rd match and I hope he'll arrange his team according to the match-days too.

Iran have the experience in big competitions. This will be the 3rd World Cup we've qualified to in a row. It will be the 3rd World Cup for 3 of our current players and the 2nd World Cup for half of our squad. Half of our team have also played alongside one another for more than 5 years. So there's team chemistry. That said, they haven't experienced playing in front of strong teams. Just because Sardar, Mehdi and Alireza play against stronger opponents doesn't mean the whole team will cope well against the likes of an England.

We need to set up better friendlies for our players. This camp is over. Yes, Algeria is a decent team and that's good news. But they're not a Concacaf/UEFA team and they're not in the World Cup. We have 1 more camp left before the World Cup and IFF is obligated to do the best that it can for those FIFA days.

[diz]

Posting for those who need to request time off from work and/or clear their schedules. Time to do this is now!

Monday, Nov. 21
England vs. Iran (Khalifa International Stadium), 8 a.m. ET

Friday, Nov. 25 (Day after Thanksgiving; holiday in the US for most people)
Wales vs. Iran (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium), 5 a.m. ET

Tuesday, Nov. 29
Iran vs. United States (Al Thumama Stadium), 2 p.m. ET