Official US Soccer / World Cup '26 Thread (USA vs. Mexico 3/24 in Dallas)

[PhDeac]

What is the point of these matches? Awful to watch. Does the US gain anything or does Berhalter just get a false sense of how good Ferreira is because he crushes island nations?

Back to back hat tricks is impressive regardless.

I’d be impressed if Berhalter starts choosing lineups based on performance instead of personal beef.

 

[HuskyDeac]

Our B/C team is now getting the results our A team used to get against the mid to lower level CONCACAF teams. I get if you're not terribly interested in this tournament, but it wasn't so long ago that our A team couldn't get results to qualify for the World Cup against somewhat similar competition. Playing in these tournaments is great experience for some of the younger guys like Neal, Busio, Sands, Cowell and Ferreira. The more matches they play together the better their cohesion in things like Copa America...and a few of these guys will be there.

 

[DeacMan]

Our B/C team is now getting the results our A team used to get against the mid to lower level CONCACAF teams. I get if you're not terribly interested in this tournament, but it wasn't so long ago that our A team couldn't get results to qualify for the World Cup against somewhat similar competition. Playing in these tournaments is great experience for some of the younger guys like Neal, Busio, Sands, Cowell and Ferreira. The more matches they play together the better their cohesion in things like Copa America...and a few of these guys will be there.

I would not overblow the value of these games. You learn little when you play an opponent who doesn’t belong on the field with you. Now the rest of this tournament, they’ll likely get something out of those games. But yeah, they are getting results. Mind you they’d never played Kitts prior to this tourney iirc.

 

[JuiceCrewAllStar]

What is the point of these matches?

Every federation has their own cup

Though with the Nations League I don’t quite track how teams are valuing the different competition now — imagine it will shift around based on circumstances, namely World Cup preparation

 

[HuskyDeac]

I would not overblow the value of these games. You learn little when you play an opponent who doesn’t belong on the field with you. Now the rest of this tournament, they’ll likely get something out of those games.

Antly time guys are involved in the US system, learning the press and formation tactics, playing with guys you have never trained/played with, etc thats a positive learning experience. The US will play other teams in the future that sit back and force the US to break them down and counter attack (like Wales did in the World Cup). We've always struggled with this.

Also Jamaica is probably the 2nd best team in this tournament - that was a great learning experience in the group stage.

 

[PhDeac]

I would not overblow the value of these games. You learn little when you play an opponent who doesn’t belong on the field with you. Now the rest of this tournament, they’ll likely get something out of those games. But yeah, they are getting results. Mind you they’d never played Kitts prior to this tourney iirc.

C'mon man. The point is that the B/C team is good enough that the opponents don't belong on the same field. Not even 6 years ago the A team only had to beat or tie TNT to make the World Cup and they couldn't do it. Now the B/C guys beat them 6-0 in the Gold Cup. That's worth celebrating.

 

[HuskyDeac]

Lol, Mexico player just literally swung his fist and isn't getting a red. Happens every tournament.

 

[Vegas Jethro]

Is it me, or does it seem like every Mexican game turns into a shit show one way or another

 

[Vegas Jethro]

Lol, Mexico player just literally swung his fist and isn't getting a red. Happens every tournament.

And they sent off a Qatari coach. Concacaf officiating at is best

 

[Gooner]

Your mileage on the Gold Cup may vary but it is always funny to see Mexico lose in any competition at any level. We can all at least agree on that.

 

[mersk862]

Bwhahahahaha. Fuck El Tri.

 

[Biff Tannen]

So last night at the game they didn't allow beer cans or water bottles in the bowl so they poured everything into a cup. I used this opportunity to order a Bud Light since no one would know.

 

[JuiceCrewAllStar]

i'm into it

sounds like Becker is trying to move to the EPL, so should be plenty of opportunity to get real minutes for a champions league side

 

[DeacMan]

C'mon man. The point is that the B/C team is good enough that the opponents don't belong on the same field. Not even 6 years ago the A team only had to beat or tie TNT to make the World Cup and they couldn't do it. Now the B/C guys beat them 6-0 in the Gold Cup. That's worth celebrating.

Yeah, that’s a pretty shitty take when you watch St Kitts (who the USMNT has never played before) and T&T play. And then when you look at the roster that is just solidified. It’s almost like you know no history. Almost.

Dwight Yorke and Stern John and even a youthful Kevin Molino are not playing. Fuck, they’d love to have even someone of Russell Latapy’s pedigree out there today. It’s so bad they have a guy from MNUFC2 that I’ve never even heard of on their roster (and I’m a season ticket holder for MNUFC). I had to look this dude up bc he isn’t among the guys ever mentioned for getting a call up to the MLS team. No wonder since he isn’t among the team leaders in any stat. In short, they suck and the 2006 version of the USMNT would rail this version of T&T without any issues.

Again, they’ll get a more meaningful game or two here in the knockouts.

 

[Screamindemon3]

So last night at the game they didn't allow beer cans or water bottles in the bowl so they poured everything into a cup. I used this opportunity to order a Bud Light since no one would know.

The fans might not have but Jesus still knew you are gay

 

[Screamindemon3]

Yeah, that’s a pretty shitty take when you watch St Kitts (who the USMNT has never played before) and T&T play. And then when you look at the roster that is just solidified. It’s almost like you know no history. Almost.

Dwight Yorke and Stern John and even a youthful Kevin Molino are not playing. Fuck, they’d love to have even someone of Russell Latapy’s pedigree out there today. It’s so bad they have a guy from MNUFC2 that I’ve never even heard of on their roster (and I’m a season ticket holder for MNUFC). I had to look this dude up bc he isn’t among the guys ever mentioned for getting a call up to the MLS team. No wonder since he isn’t among the team leaders in any stat. In short, they suck and the 2006 version of the USMNT would rail this version of T&T without any issues.

Again, they’ll get a more meaningful game or two here in the knockouts.

Negrep for no mention of Kenwyne Jones

 

[Biff Tannen]

The fans might not have but Jesus still knew you are gay

 

[HuskyDeac]

Yeah, that’s a pretty shitty take when you watch St Kitts (who the USMNT has never played before) and T&T play. And then when you look at the roster that is just solidified. It’s almost like you know no history. Almost.

Dwight Yorke and Stern John and even a youthful Kevin Molino are not playing. Fuck, they’d love to have even someone of Russell Latapy’s pedigree out there today. It’s so bad they have a guy from MNUFC2 that I’ve never even heard of on their roster (and I’m a season ticket holder for MNUFC). I had to look this dude up bc he isn’t among the guys ever mentioned for getting a call up to the MLS team. No wonder since he isn’t among the team leaders in any stat. In short, they suck and the 2006 version of the USMNT would rail this version of T&T without any issues.

Again, they’ll get a more meaningful game or two here in the knockouts.

Are you accusing him of not knowing history when you're bringing up Dwight Yorke and Stern John in reference to us losing the WCQ to T&T in 2017?

Sure, of course it's different than the 2017 match as that was played in T&T which is a whole different scenario, but PHs point still rings true. We beat a T&T team yesterday 6-0 with our B/C team. Yesterday's T&T team is about the same, arguably slightly more talented than the T&T team from 2017 (which wasn't good - at all). And here is our lineup from that 2017 match. I could even argue (not very seriously) our B/C team yesterday is better than that A team from 7 years ago, which was the entire point. We've improved our depth and talent dramatically in that time.

 

[deacon14]

Are you accusing him of not knowing history when you're bringing up Dwight Yorke and Stern John in reference to us losing the WCQ to T&T in 2017?

Sure, of course it's different than the 2017 match as that was played in T&T which is a whole different scenario, but PHs point still rings true. We beat a T&T team yesterday 6-0 with our B/C team. Yesterday's T&T team is about the same, arguably slightly more talented than the T&T team from 2017 (which wasn't good - at all). And here is our lineup from that 2017 match. I could even argue (not very seriously) our B/C team yesterday is better than that A team from 7 years ago, which was the entire point. We've improved our depth and talent dramatically in that time.

View attachment 4229

I sometimes wonder how we missed that World Cup.

Looking at this starting lineup in a must-win game clears that question right up

 

[Gooner]

I sometimes wonder how we missed that World Cup.

Looking at this starting lineup in a must-win game clears that question right up

We here in KC were ready to ship Besler out that season, he was awful. And he started for the USMNT in the biggest game of WC qualifying. Not ideal.