World Cup 2022

[TheBigIguana]

And have been terrible away from home throughout qualification. Don’t think we make it to the round of 16 tbh

I felt a lot better before the last couple of friendlies. If they can play Adams, Musah and Mckennie for all 3 matches they've got a chance but there is 0 depth in midfield and it's a disaster without any of the 3.

 

[longers]

Hard to get hyped for this one but 2026 is going to be absolutely massive

 

[wm02]

I felt a lot better before the last couple of friendlies. If they can play Adams, Musah and Mckennie for all 3 matches they've got a chance but there is 0 depth in midfield and it's a disaster without any of the 3.

Yup. Also, it’s a very young squad probably will be the youngest at the WC.
Just don’t have that experienced leadership, match-winning capability of a Donovan, Dempsey

 

[TheBigIguana]

Yup. Also, it’s a very young squad probably will be the youngest at the WC.
Just don’t have that experienced leadership, match-winning capability of a Donovan, Dempsey

I also think the proper choices on the wings are Reyna and Aaronson but Pulisic is going to play. So can he come through becomes a big deal.

I'd have him through the middle NEA just cause chaos

 

[Billy Dean]

Yup. Also, it’s a very young squad probably will be the youngest at the WC.
Just don’t have that experienced leadership, match-winning capability of a Donovan, Dempsey

I thought the likes of Adams, McKennie and Pulisic were senior pros for some reason, but they're only 23-24 themselves. It's a very young squad by the look of it.

 

[Billy Dean]

Actually pretty decent. England and USA to go through

 

[duncs pigeon]

Surprised that there’s such disregard of England here.

Personally, I don’t think they stand a chance of going far, but I think they win the group. Iran aren’t anything special, and USA/Wales are evenly matched with England benefitting from less pressure for wales group, if they’re through.

Guess I’ll be vaulted if I’m wrong, but I just don’t really rate USA, one bit.

Englands defence is non existent imo, good going forward but will be found wanting at the back.

 

[4 Eyes Better Than 2]

Don’t compare nonsense friendlies that mean nothing to the biggest tournament you could play in representing your country.

Individually the England players are in really good form for their clubs and they’ll be up for it in a few weeks. Competitive footy England will be a decent force when it’s tournament settings and not having to get on the next flight to get back to your club.

I have to say though I love it when the US lads come on here beating the ‘ we are a good team’ drum, when in reality they’re competitive games are the likes of Panama, Jamaica, El Salvador, Honduras, with none of these in the top 60 in the world rankings. They barely qualified from this lot, yet we keep hearing the US are a good team. I’ve even seen US sports websites posting a possible path for the USMNT to the World Cup final.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Actually pretty decent. England and USA to go through

That team has no midfield

 

[Billy Dean]

That team has no midfield

Looks like a 4231

 

[TheBigIguana]

Looks like a 4231

Musah can't be a 6

 

[Pittsburgh Footy]

I also think the proper choices on the wings are Reyna and Aaronson but Pulisic is going to play. So can he come through becomes a big deal.

I'd have him through the middle NEA just cause chaos

Puli is still our best player IMO. It's just finding the right position for him along with the best positions for the rest of our side to make it all work

McKinnie is our best midfielder. By some margin. When he's playing at his best that is

If Reyna can stay healthy, he could take us to another level.

Ultimately the problems are two-fold
1) The manager
2) For the first time probably ever, GK isn't arguably the strength of our squad. And while we finally have a legitimate midfield and top to bottom the talent is at least in the ballpark of the big boys, I think in massive tourneys like the world cup, inferior GK play could make a huge difference whether we get out of the group or not

 

[Toffeeslam]

Puli is still our best player IMO. It's just finding the right position for him along with the best positions for the rest of our side to make it all work

McKinnie is our best midfielder. By some margin. When he's playing at his best that is

If Reyna can stay healthy, he could take us to another level.

Ultimately the problems are two-fold
1) The manager
2) For the first time probably ever, GK isn't arguably the strength of our squad. And while we finally have a legitimate midfield and top to bottom the talent is at least in the ballpark of the big boys, I think in massive tourneys like the world cup, inferior GK play could make a huge difference whether we get out of the group or not

The US team has the same problem England used to have and that’s the problem of one or two good players and the rest are average.

I disagree with the top to bottom talent puts the US in the same ballpark as the top teams, the USA are much further away.

There are one or two decent players in the US starting 11 but not many of them would start in a top European team I’m afraid to say.

We will find out when serious game time starts as I wouldn’t trust friendly results, so to our American cousins but they should be well off it.

Apologies but it’s just my opinion

 

[Pittsburgh Footy]

The US team has the same problem England used to have and that’s the problem of one or two good players and the rest are average.

I disagree with the top to bottom talent puts the US in the same ballpark as the top teams, the USA are much further away.

There are one or two decent players in the US starting 11 but not many of them would start in a top European team I’m afraid to say.

We will find out when serious game time starts as I wouldn’t trust friendly results, so to our American cousins but they should be well off it.

Apologies but it’s just my opinion

We have much more talent than in years' past, top to bottom, than at any time in our history. And those terrible teams we had in the past still found their way out of many a group stage. Almost all of our players play in Europe. And some have played real minutes for giants (Dest/McKinnie/Pulisic to name a few)

But we have a bad manager and system. I am not optimistic because of that.

 

[Pittsburgh Footy]

Don’t compare nonsense friendlies that mean nothing to the biggest tournament you could play in representing your country.

Individually the England players are in really good form for their clubs and they’ll be up for it in a few weeks. Competitive footy England will be a decent force when it’s tournament settings and not having to get on the next flight to get back to your club.

I have to say though I love it when the US lads come on here beating the ‘ we are a good team’ drum, when in reality they’re competitive games are the likes of Panama, Jamaica, El Salvador, Honduras, with none of these in the top 60 in the world rankings. They barely qualified from this lot, yet we keep hearing the US are a good team. I’ve even seen US sports websites posting a possible path for the USMNT to the World Cup final.

No one actually believes this