⚽ Transform your understanding of soccer analysis to enjoy watching the beautiful game even more! Only $7.99 on Amazon https://amzn.to/3LOwc7I
👀 Read the substack newsletter: https://itscalledsoccer.substack.com/
👏 Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/n4az4U5dcM
Explore how Sergino Dest’s injury impacts the USMNT’s Copa America 2024 strategy, potential replacements at right back, and the team’s chances as contenders. Get in-depth analysis and tactical insights on what the USMNT must do to compete at the highest level without one of their key players.
Please reach out to itscalledsoccermedia@gmail.com for business inquiries.
12 Comments
Hey yall! If you enjoy my player scouting reports and tactical breakdowns please consider reading my book, Decoding the Beautiful Game: https://amzn.to/3LOwc7I
Fk fk fk fk we need to sacrifice a prospect to the soccer gods so Dest can heal by the summer
Let's go, Andrew Farrell. Probably the worst thing about American coaches and American fans is that they won't experiment with good players. We have zero chance against the good CONMEBOL teams, so the only hope is to gamble on the people who look to have the requisite skills and athleticism to compete and excel on the international level.
This could be a chance to see Weah as a wingback in a three-cb formation. We have great speed on the wings.
Don't forget Bryan Reynolds from Westerloo… I like him over Weah or Scalley. GGG can also play three in the back with Jedi in effect as a wingback/4th CB… But don't forget Reynolds; he played well in the Gold Cup. He should at least be in the final 23.
The bright side.. the USA might not get out of the group stage. And then GGG is replaced with another manager.
It was going to be an uphill battle, regardless, so these boys need to strap up and battle ferociously.
That's bad news
Scally hasn't blown me away lately, and he definitely doesn't add the dynamic attacking component that Dest does, but I also don't think he was at fault for the Jamaica goal. Jedi had the biggest failure on that play. Allowing a generally easy intervention to get past him. Then Richards didn't close fast enough and deflected a cross to make it loop way up in the air. I think the original and more natural trajectory of that cross would have been cut out by Scally in the position he was in. There is very little I could see him doing different in hindsight. It's a throw in from the other touch line, so he's naturally tucked in to help in the heart of the box. The way everything developed quickly and the deflected cross looped very high in the air created a perfect situation for the Jamaican player to arrive unchallenged at the back post.
The problem with Weston McKennie at RB is that he's are only good 8 besides Musah, who isn't as good. Chris Richards is a good idea since he can actually play right back, plus he's been making mistakes at center back & defensive midfielder. It's not surprising that no one else says Andrew Farrell because our fans don't watch the MLS games or the European club games. I watch MLS games to scout USMNT prospects. People won't back standout players they see in MLS unless tons of people are backing one particular player. I don't know if you know this, but both Adam Belz and Adam Turner don't watch any games. They subscribe to Wyscout, and they just check out the clips of player's touches, passes, dribbling attempt, and shots. I've never had someone cite one thing about Farrell that makes him not a good choice. They usually just say "Andrew Farrell? LOL." I was watching Colorado-FC Dallas, and Mihailovic was playing really smooth and fast. He looked fast as well. Players like him are needed to try to compete with South American teams who will just pass circles around us. I'm not sure how the "Mihailovic sucks" false narrative really started. It doesn't make sense when you watch him play. It's hard for people to accept that our fans really do just dismiss any MLS player, even though our players barely start & play 90 in Europe. We can't really afford to just not scout and dismiss any MLS player.
Final Point: Our fans seem to be really married to the idea that youth players have to be on the Olympic team instead of letting the best ones play on the senior team. We should have plenty of guys to do well in the Olympics. Maybe even have the good Olympic age guys play both tournaments.
I thought Chris Richards plays on the left when he is not CB or CDM… RB?