More Futbol-UEFA Under 20 World Cup

[quincy101]

After being the top CONCACAF WC qualifier for the under 20 tournament, Tab Ramos has the guys playing great. They played top-seeded Ecuador yesterday & drew with them 3-3. After falling behind 2-0 in the first 7 minutes, the US came back to tie behind 2 goals from a kid named Josh Sargent before the US goalie(does the name Klinsman ring a bell?) made a real blunder in front of his goal & the US goes behind 3-2. It took till the 94th minute but the US pressed an excellent Ecuador team & tied it for a point in a group with Senegal & Saudi Arabia.

This Sargent kid is only 17 YEARS OLD! & apparently tore it up with the under 18's & Ramos couldn't keep him off the U-20 squad. BTW-another youngster named Pulisic is NOT on the team. Why, I don't know. Bundesliga season is over. Sr. team qualifiers are next month. Get your butt to Korea young man & help your guys reach the World Cup semis, if not win the darn thing!

 

[HuffyCane]

He isn't on the team because he is a senior player. Period. End of story. Way too much money for the club at stake and way too much potential for the senior team for him to tear up a knee playing Saudi Arabia in a meaningless game, etc.

Senegal might win the whole thing. If you get up early to watch any of the USA games on line, that would be the one to lose sleep over.

As for the Ecuador game, they played like dirt to start and got a really lucky bounce at the end. I woke up the neighbors.

 

[quincy101]

I admit the timing sucks with practice for a qualifier starting in about 2 weeks.It also sucks that an 18 yr old with tons of energy & skill misses a chance to play with his peer group on the world stage. Just hope the lads in Korea understand the reason he's not there since they will be the future of the Sr. national team one day & his teammates.

Speaking of the squad in Korea, don't tell them a game in the group or knockout round is "meaningless" in a World Cup match one jump below the big dance. And finally, you get those "really lucky" bounces when you are applying mostly constant pressure on the opponent's net. I, too was very proud of the guys for the late tie and thought they deserved it.

For those interested, get up early or set your DVR for Fox Sports 1(Directv ch 219) at 0600 Thursday for the match against Senegal.

 

[HuffyCane]

At best only 3 or maybe 5 guys from the U20s will ever see senior team action. If America has a problem in "development" it would be that. I can think of a half dozen keepers better than Klinsman, but once you are in the pipe, it is hard to displace you. As for the guys on the team, they know Pulisic is a baller and he knows that they know that the decision is not left up to him.

 

[TU_BLA]

Sargent is a true talent and is as pure a finisher as we've had in a while.

 

[quincy101]

Well, 17-yr old Josh Sargent does it again with a game winner against Senegal. Gets a pass about 15 yds in front of goal, a short, soft touch to his left & WHACK, into the net. It held up for a 1-0 victory & 1st place in the group with 4 points & Saudi Arabia up next(who beat Ecuador this morning).

Was also very impressed with back line & help defending from midfielders which was necessary since it seemed like most of 2nd half was played in our half with tons of pressure. Kind of worrisome but defense held them out. Won't be getting up to watch Sunday morning match vs SA since it's at something like 0400. USA! USA! USA!

 

[drboobay]

Well, 17-yr old Josh Sargent does it again with a game winner against Senegal. Gets a pass about 15 yds in front of goal, a short, soft touch to his left & WHACK, into the net. It held up for a 1-0 victory & 1st place in the group with 4 points & Saudi Arabia up next(who beat Ecuador this morning).

Was also very impressed with back line & help defending from midfielders which was necessary since it seemed like most of 2nd half was played in our half with tons of pressure. Kind of worrisome but defense held them out. Won't be getting up to watch Sunday morning match vs SA since it's at something like 0400. USA! USA! USA!

what channel?

 

[TU_BLA]

Well, 17-yr old Josh Sargent does it again with a game winner against Senegal. Gets a pass about 15 yds in front of goal, a short, soft touch to his left & WHACK, into the net. It held up for a 1-0 victory & 1st place in the group with 4 points & Saudi Arabia up next(who beat Ecuador this morning).

Was also very impressed with back line & help defending from midfielders which was necessary since it seemed like most of 2nd half was played in our half with tons of pressure. Kind of worrisome but defense held them out. Won't be getting up to watch Sunday morning match vs SA since it's at something like 0400. USA! USA! USA!

what channel?

They're all on FS1 or FS2

 

[quincy101]

Well, a tie w/ SA wins group with 5 points. Most of 2nd half a man short. Play New Zealand Thurs. @ 0600, FS1 in knockout round.

 

[TU_BLA]

Is Tab Ramos too valuable in developing younger players to call him up to be the national team coach? The last couple of U20, U18 WC teams he has coached have done pretty well the last couple of summers. It's also obvious (to me at least) that Ramos did/is doing a better job developing players than Klinsmann was at incorporating the style of play when younger players got their chance at the senior men's level. Shouldn't it be a cohesive program and plan? Maybe this is why US soccer has been screwed up

 

[quincy101]

I'm not a Bruce Arena convert, yet. It just seems to me that he has too much of a love affair with MLS guys, although there a half dozen or so essential. Plus, he's stated he will make up different rosters for the Trinidad & Mexico qualifiers. What that means, I'm not sure. I thought the point was to win both games & to do that you play the best players available to have the best chance.

 

[TU_BLA]

I'm not a Bruce Arena convert, yet. It just seems to me that he has too much of a love affair with MLS guys, although there a half dozen or so essential. Plus, he's stated he will make up different rosters for the Trinidad & Mexico qualifiers. What that means, I'm not sure. I thought the point was to win both games & to do that you play the best players available to have the best chance.

The T&T game at home he should be able to rest a couple of guys and leave them fresh for the Mexico game. Beating T&T is a must while a draw at Azteca is a bonus. I want to see the US' best in Azteca. Pulisic, Wood, Altidore. Is Zardes for yet? IMO a much better option for the US in the MF than Nagbe is. His pace and willingness to play defense leads to some great counter attacks.

 

[HuffyCane]

Two games in short order both at altitude. Everyone that can play should play.

Trinidad has some interesting concepts on the wings. They are a different animal from Mexico. Subtle roster changes make sense between the two games, altitude or no.

No Jermaine Jones, thank god.

 

[HuffyCane]

I'm not a Bruce Arena convert, yet. It just seems to me that he has too much of a love affair with MLS guys, although there a half dozen or so essential. Plus, he's stated he will make up different rosters for the Trinidad & Mexico qualifiers. What that means, I'm not sure. I thought the point was to win both games & to do that you play the best players available to have the best chance.

US Soccer gets a "sale on" bonus from MLS if players go to certain European Leagues after appearing in USMNT games. So Arena is just paying the bills. With the reduction in women's revenue and increase in their expenses so that they are operating at a loss, you can expect more MLS players through the Hex. Besides, you've got to get the players to actually want to fly from Europe. Time Chandler already said No Thanks. He says it's a hamstring, but you figure he thought it wasn't worth the trouble if Yedlin was going to play.

 

[quincy101]

Zardes didn't make the cut. BTW-Hapless New Zealand gets hammered 6-0 this morning with Venezuala up next in the quarter finals. Six different guys scored with young Josh Sargent getting one. In a touch of irony, the Sr team plays Ven in a friendly on Sat while the U-20's play Ven U-20's @ 0200 early Sat morning on FS1. Sr friendly is 2100 Sat nite on FS1.

 

[TU_BLA]

Zardes didn't make the cut. BTW-Hapless New Zealand gets hammered 6-0 this morning with Venezuala up next in the quarter finals. Six different guys scored with young Josh Sargent getting one. In a touch of irony, the Sr team plays Ven in a friendly on Sat while the U-20's play Ven U-20's @ 0200 early Sat morning on FS1. Sr friendly is 2100 Sat nite on FS1.

Zardes is still recovering from the knee injury that held him out of the last round of qualifiers. He's missed training with the Galaxy and some matches in the past 2 weeks so that might explain part of his omission.

 

[HuffyCane]

Senior team ties a friendly. Big surprise. Baby Nats lose 2-1 in OT in the quarterfinal of the U20 WC. Both games against Venezuela.

I'm headed to Mexico City. We may do better there than some people think. We shall see.

 

[TU_BLA]

US loses 2-1 in Extra Time to Venezuela. US back line was very suspect and timid at times and setting way to deep IMO. US also gets some really solid play in the MF and F. I guess I had no idea that Klinsmann's son was the keeper and in the US program. He's really good. Has fantastic feet and great reaction. He's long. He might be the next keeper at the senior level if you give him 3-4 yrs to finish developing. He's also got a big leg. One of his goal kicks easily went 80 yds and flipped the field. He's a pretty good keeper and gets off his line well

 

[quincy101]

Our "A" Team(Howard,Brooks,Cameron,Yedlin,Bradley,Pulisic,Dempsey,Wood, etc. didn't do much in the first half. Thank goodness for the brilliance of Pulisic to get the tying goal in 2nd half. Have to believe T&T isn't nearly as tough as Venezuela and should win this qualifier on Thursday. Mexico is another story at their hi-altitude place with fans throwing objects & curses our way. Sad to see the U-20's bow out of the tourney, but it took a more talented Ven U-20 team 120 minutes to beat them.

 

[HuffyCane]

If by "objects" you mean cups of piss, bottlerockets and other objects on fire, then yeah. Objects. But that's just directed at USA fans. Timmy will get to endure road flares and 50 laser pointers in his eyes.

They have an inflatable tunnel that extends out past the goal to get them in and out safely.

 

[quincy101]

Yeh, objects like that. Be safe Huffy.