JaRod

@jxortiz_ @TaylorTwellman Lol. Just going to leave out the bystanders in McKenzie and Freeman?

@TaylorTwellman Taylor that goal was not on him. Tim should’ve stepped up on that and he’s an MLS player also Matt Turner should’ve been better on that safe also an MLS player.

If you look closely, you will see the MLS selections that the Eurosnobs complained about as almost solely the reason we’ve conceded twice.

@JayDed_View1990 @11Yanks Ream is better than McKenzie. Haven't seen enough of Trusty to definitively say either way. Would like to see Richards-Trusty-Ream as well.

@11Yanks You seemed surprised by this. Our best back 3 combo would be Freeman-Richards-Trusty or Richards-Mckenzie-Trusty. At this point, Ream should only be a bench player and team leader behind the scenes.

So far Trusty looks better than Tim Ream, ngl

@USMNTinEurope He should be. Still makes saves others won't. I don't care about his ability to play passes.

People called me crazy when I said this...

@KD954 @USSoccerColl Most on here are utterly clueless. Trusty is the only other CB I would be interested in seeing. Robinson is done. McKenzie just isn't there at this level.

@coachB_EC @USSoccerColl Yea for sure on Ream, I've taken a beating defending him as a starter but I have absolutely been intrigued by the last two times I saw Trusty

Okay, really encouraging half for the most part. So frustrating to give up that goal before half. We have a bad habit of that. Pulisic and Dest looked pretty electric. Interesting to see Pulisic in more of a wide role than he has been playing, he and Jedi were cookin' together. Pepi looked great, instrumental in both goals. Reyna had a subtly nice half. I mainly encouraged by how physical and fit he looked. Freeman was up and down. Some fantastic moments, some shaky defensive moments and one poor giveaway. No issue with Turner's performance on first glance — excellent and important read early in the game. I didn't get my clean game from McKenzie. The guys can't get through a soccer game without some whoopsies. Berhalter stood out for the wrong reasons. He had a few defensive plays where he was simply chasing shadows, just couldn't handle the speed of Senegal. The speed of play on the ball was too much for him at times. He just can't be relied upon against high level of opponents. Ream was fine I think.

@KD954 @USSoccerColl Ream is still one of the best we have. With the backline it covers him in transitional periods to hide the lack of pace. McKennie in for Berhalter also helps there to plug up the middle.

@coachB_EC @USSoccerColl Said the same thing, swap those two and it is closer to our best form with this group. Maybe Trusty over Ream but there was more good than bad from Tim that half. Still there was a lot to like from this group and that setup.

@USSoccerColl Yeah, Dest and Pulisic in line with the pivot. Reyna floating.

@coachB_EC Reyna was kind of floating in and out ouf the middle band, yeah? Sometimes he would jump up to support Pepi.

Was it a 4-5-1 defensively? Tacticos, help me out.

@BenHofer16 Lol no. McKenzie and Freeman both just along for the ride.

@USSoccerColl We have too many of those as is.

@coachB_EC 100%. If Seb is a 26th man vibes guy, fine, but can't be relied on against a good opponent.

@USSoccerColl Flo for Pepi is another but it's not that far off.

@USSoccerColl Berhalter showcasing why he shouldn't have been included. Been on the McKenzie can't make it, same as Gonzo back in the day. Just not at this level, reading of the game isn't where it needs to be. McKennie/Richards for Berhalter/McKenzie in this setup and it's the best we can do.

@the_bonnfire Richards will settle it down. Will be Ream-Richards-Freeman IMO.

👇👇👇

@etters_carson @USSoccerColl Everyone will have to, we aren't good enough to defend without a plus one.

@coachB_EC @USSoccerColl I definitely think Dest especially will have the freedom to attack. But Poch is a coach who wants his guys to come back and play defensively then burst forward on the counter

A few thoughts: I am not reading too much into Pepi over Balo or Berhalter over McKennie or Tillman. Adams and Berhalter in the pivot means we'll abandon trying to play through the middle or Gio will drop in deep and own that responsibility. Dest as a winger. I would really love to see a clean game from Mark McKenzie.

@AndyJ0seph @the_bonnfire This.

@the_bonnfire it *should* be a more familiar playing surface in the WC because it's a full grass install instead of the sod-over-turf/pavement. But we'll see how well stadiums executed that install

Senegal players testing out how the ball is bouncing on the grass-over-turf surface at Bank of American Stadium where the #USMNT will play. It does look like it dies a bit, but that's normal for these type of pitches. Get used to it this summer.

@etters_carson @USSoccerColl Makes the most sense to transition to a back 4 in defensive third. Freeman goes to RBish then McKenzie shifts to RCB, and Ream to LCB, and Jedi tucks in as LB with Dest staying as the RM essentially. That's my hope, hate a flat back 5.

@USSoccerColl @coachB_EC In the last matches Poch played Freeman on the right of a 3 back. So Dest/Robinson as wingbacks/wide mids. Looks to be the same set up

@USSoccerColl On paper. He hasn't played it enough with the Nats to know, seen a back 5 then I've seen a back four with one of the wingbacks staying in the midfield line. My guess would be Dest if he does this.

@coachB_EC 3-4-3 when? Defensively?

@edfischman @stuholden Plenty of friendlies there and Charlotte FC play there. It's fine for a lead up game. If it's rained heavily there the last two days then the pitch will do that, it's not turf.

@stuholden All that’s true, but it begs the question as to why the friendly was scheduled there. Not ideal.

I love how these videos go viral with a completely false narrative. 1. This is Charlotte and will NOT be a World Cup Stadium. 2. They did NOT use the same process FIFA use and don’t’ have the same mandates for the pitch on friendlies — the WC fields won’t be anything like this.

@SRJUDN @nas1rs Him or Camara are very much needed especially if Iraola is the choice, but they fit into any system no matter what.

@nas1rs Mamadou Sangare

Same way Liverpool fans are looking for this mythical destroyer that can progress the ball with elite passing

@RioMoussallem Is it a masterclass to play with 4 CBs, a LB and DM in the pivot and defend in a low block with 11 inside your 30?

My two cents on the #UCL final: I genuinely didn’t mind the way Arsenal played last night, despite all of these stats talk and them recording the lowest possession percentage in a final since 2004. They were up against a brilliant PSG side, the same team that demolished Inter 5-0 in last season’s final and has looked frightening going forward all season. You simply cannot leave space for this PSG team to attack. We saw what happened when Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern tried to do that. Arsenal also don’t have the attacking tools Bayern had in the semi-finals to go toe-to-toe with them in an open game. And this was a final, not a two-legged tie. Sometimes you have to prioritize control and defensive solidity, which Arsenal are really good at, and avoid taking risks against such a scary opponent. I believe no team made it harder for PSG than Arteta did this season. Enrique himself said this victory felt even better than last year’s. Arsenal produced a defensive masterclass in the first half, restricted PSG’s dangerous wingers, and if my team had delivered that kind of performance against them, I would have praised it. That’s not an easy thing to do against the brilliant mind of Luis Enrique, who adapted after the break. Even then, Arsenal still managed to take the game all the way to penalties. So yes, Arsenal did well. My issue is with the post-match reactions from Arteta and the fanbase, particularly the claims about the refereeing. Saka was fortunate not to concede a penalty, Mosquera should have been sent off for what was a clear second yellow card, which could have ended things in regular time, and it was never a penalty on Madueke. He was holding Mendes’ arm and pulling him down. Just accept that you weren’t robbed and PSG fully deserved to win the title, not only for the final but their whole path as well.