Official Major League Soccer/US Men's National Team Thread

[Nash_Vol97]

Could be worse overall. Don’t love the European playoff, especially if it ends up being Wales, but is what it is time to sack up.

 

[ButchPlz]

Could be worse overall. Don’t love the European playoff, especially if it ends up being Wales, but is what it is time to sack up.

If nothing else, this is a younger team and getting this hardcore experience before we host can be nothing but good.

 

[Nash_Vol97]

Mexico has a tougher road then us. Will have to survive Messi and Lewandowski to advance.

 

[ArmchairQB]

Assuming highest playoff teams still to be determined all win, then going strictly by FIFA rankings, we're the group of death.

By strength:
Group A: Qatar 51, Ecuador 46, Senegal 20, Netherlands 10 - total 127
Group H: Portugal 8, Ghana 60, Uruguay 13, South Korea 29 - total 110
Group C: Argentina 4, Saudi Arabia 49, Mexico 9, Poland 26 - total 88
Group G: Brazil 1, Serbia 25, Switzerland 14, Cameroon 37 - total 77
Group E: Spain 7, CONCACAF-OFC (Costa Rica 31, New Zealand 101), Germany 12, Japan 23 - total 73 if Costa Rica wins
Group D: France 3, AFC-CONMEBOL (UAE 68, Australia 42, Peru 22), Denmark 11, Tunisia 35 - total 71 if Peru wins
Group F: Belgium 2, Canada 38, Morocco 24, Croatia 5 - total 69
Group B: England 5, Iran 21, USA 15, UEFA-A (Wales 18, Ukraine 27, Scotland 39) - total 59 if Wales wins

 

[ButchPlz]

Assuming highest playoff teams still to be determined all win, then going strictly by FIFA rankings, we're the group of death.

By strength:
Group A: Qatar 51, Ecuador 46, Senegal 20, Netherlands 10 - total 127
Group H: Portugal 8, Ghana 60, Uruguay 13, South Korea 29 - total 110
Group C: Argentina 4, Saudi Arabia 49, Mexico 9, Poland 26 - total 88
Group G: Brazil 1, Serbia 25, Switzerland 14, Cameroon 37 - total 77
Group E: Spain 7, CONCACAF-OFC (Costa Rica 31, New Zealand 101), Germany 12, Japan 23 - total 73 if Costa Rica wins
Group D: France 3, AFC-CONMEBOL (UAE 68, Australia 42, Peru 22), Denmark 11, Tunisia 35 - total 71 if Peru wins
Group F: Belgium 2, Canada 38, Morocco 24, Croatia 5 - total 69
Group B: England 5, Iran 21, USA 15, UEFA-A (Wales 18, Ukraine 27, Scotland 39) - total 59 if Wales wins

Love it.

 

[mad4vols]

Assuming highest playoff teams still to be determined all win, then going strictly by FIFA rankings, we're the group of death.

By strength:
Group A: Qatar 51, Ecuador 46, Senegal 20, Netherlands 10 - total 127
Group H: Portugal 8, Ghana 60, Uruguay 13, South Korea 29 - total 110
Group C: Argentina 4, Saudi Arabia 49, Mexico 9, Poland 26 - total 88
Group G: Brazil 1, Serbia 25, Switzerland 14, Cameroon 37 - total 77
Group E: Spain 7, CONCACAF-OFC (Costa Rica 31, New Zealand 101), Germany 12, Japan 23 - total 73 if Costa Rica wins
Group D: France 3, AFC-CONMEBOL (UAE 68, Australia 42, Peru 22), Denmark 11, Tunisia 35 - total 71 if Peru wins
Group F: Belgium 2, Canada 38, Morocco 24, Croatia 5 - total 69
Group B: England 5, Iran 21, USA 15, UEFA-A (Wales 18, Ukraine 27, Scotland 39) - total 59 if Wales wins

For Portugal to have almost missed the World Cup, they got an easy draw.

 

[ArmchairQB]

For Portugal to have almost missed the World Cup, they got an easy draw.

They really did. If you're Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA throws you a nice swan song.

 

[NorCalVol67]

For Portugal to have almost missed the World Cup, they got an easy draw.

Yeah, but they run the risk of being bitten by Dracula.

 

[Nash_Vol97]

As an overall soccer fan, I would love to see Ukraine make the World Cup with all that’s going on in their country right now. I would also love to see them go on a run and make history. The story would be amazing and would be a bright spot for the Ukrainians right now. If they were in any other group I would have Ukraine as my 2nd team to support for the tournament.

Now, as a US soccer fan, I really wish they wouldn’t be in our group if they made it. They will have so much world support and could be lightning in a bottle for them to capture that energy and support and make a run. If that happened; it would most likely be at the USAs expense taking the 2nd spot of the group. That would suck.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

As an overall soccer fan, I would love to see Ukraine make the World Cup with all that’s going on in their country right now. I would also love to see them go on a run and make history. The story would be amazing and would be a bright spot for the Ukrainians right now. If they were in any other group I would have Ukraine as my 2nd team to support for the tournament.

Now, as a US soccer fan, I really wish they wouldn’t be in our group if they made it. They will have so much world support and could be lightning in a bottle for them to capture that energy and support and make a run. If that happened; it would most likely be at the USAs expense taking the 2nd spot of the group. That would suck.

Yes, your 2nd paragraph, I almost posted those same thinkings.

 

[Nash_Vol97]

Assuming highest playoff teams still to be determined all win, then going strictly by FIFA rankings, we're the group of death.

By strength:
Group A: Qatar 51, Ecuador 46, Senegal 20, Netherlands 10 - total 127
Group H: Portugal 8, Ghana 60, Uruguay 13, South Korea 29 - total 110
Group C: Argentina 4, Saudi Arabia 49, Mexico 9, Poland 26 - total 88
Group G: Brazil 1, Serbia 25, Switzerland 14, Cameroon 37 - total 77
Group E: Spain 7, CONCACAF-OFC (Costa Rica 31, New Zealand 101), Germany 12, Japan 23 - total 73 if Costa Rica wins
Group D: France 3, AFC-CONMEBOL (UAE 68, Australia 42, Peru 22), Denmark 11, Tunisia 35 - total 71 if Peru wins
Group F: Belgium 2, Canada 38, Morocco 24, Croatia 5 - total 69
Group B: England 5, Iran 21, USA 15, UEFA-A (Wales 18, Ukraine 27, Scotland 39) - total 59 if Wales wins

It’s a tough group. Thankfully FIFA rankings don’t tell the whole story.

Iran may be ranked 21st, but they have played one game in the last year against a team that is also in the World Cup, which was Japan (23rd in ranking), and they lost 3-0. Every other game was against competition outside of the top 50. So their ranking is a little inflated as they weren’t able to stack up quality wins so they stacked up wins against below average competition.

Now getting the last spot to the European playoff is not great. That’s what puts this group towards the top of the hardest category for sure.

 

[mad4vols]

It’s a tough group. Thankfully FIFA rankings don’t tell the whole story.

Iran may be ranked 21st, but they have played one game in the last year against a team that is also in the World Cup, which was Japan (23rd in ranking), and they lost 3-0. Every other game was against competition outside of the top 50. So their ranking is a little inflated as they weren’t able to stack up quality wins so they stacked up wins against below average competition.

Now getting the last spot to the European playoff is not great. That’s what puts this group towards the top of the hardest category for sure.

The USMNT won’t take them for granted this time.

 

[NorCalVol67]

The USMNT won’t take them for granted this time.

I don't think we took them for granted. We had a horrible coach and one of our best players was left off the roster.

 

[ArmchairQB]

I'm really curious to see how that last spot in Group D plays out. UAE plays Australia in Qatar on June 7, then the winner of that plays Peru, also in Qatar, the following week.

FIFA gonna FIFA?

 

[mad4vols]

 

[ButchPlz]

I'm really curious to see how that last spot in Group D plays out. UAE plays Australia in Qatar on June 7, then the winner of that plays Peru, also in Qatar, the following week.

FIFA gonna FIFA?

I am biased, but I have got to think Peru makes it through there.

 

[mad4vols]

I am biased, but I have got to think Peru makes it through there.

No doubt, Peru is the heavy favorite in the play in match.

 

[ButchPlz]

Now the real decision- do I assume the current (horrible) leaks of the US jersey are correct and pull the trigger on the current one (which is fantastic), or do I hope those leaks are wrong and wait to see what we'll end up with?

 

[bleedorange0037]

Now the real decision- do I assume the current (horrible) leaks of the US jersey are correct and pull the trigger on the current one (which is fantastic), or do I hope those leaks are wrong and wait to see what we'll end up with?

I’d wait. Even if the new ones turn out to be crap, it’s not like the current ones will cease to exist. Surely you could still find one of those somewhere even once the new ones are released, and maybe even get it at a big discount.

 

[YankeeVol]

 

[YankeeVol]

 

[lmoore944]

Reyna injured again. Kid just can’t stay healthy.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

Reyna injured again. Kid just can’t stay healthy.

Oh, no!

 

[ArmchairQB]

The second half is about to start in the Seattle-Pumas CONCACAF Champions League final. Definitely worth tuning in if the second half is like the first.

 

[mad4vols]

The second half is about to start in the Seattle-Pumas CONCACAF Champions League final. Definitely worth tuning in if the second half is like the first.

Puma’s kit has more sponsors than what you see on a NASCAR.