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Speaker 1: For me being two months away from the World Cup

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Speaker 1: and sort of saying, hey, for a half we competed.

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Speaker 1: It's just not good enough at this point, Matt, not

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Speaker 1: good enough.

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Speaker 2: Greeting folks, and welcome to Inside America and Soccer. I'm

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Speaker 2: Matt Doyle, filling in for new dad Tom Boger for

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Speaker 2: just a couple more shows here, and I'm joined as

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Speaker 2: always by one of the greatest players in US men's

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Speaker 2: national team history, tab Ramos, my friend and yours and

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Speaker 2: a man who, along with me and along with I

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Speaker 2: assume all of you, watched the US get outclassed yet again,

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Speaker 2: this time by Portugal and a two miar loss on

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Speaker 2: Tuesday night. I have my thoughts on it, Tab, I

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Speaker 2: want to hear yours before we really get into it.

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Speaker 2: Just your big picture takeaway from this game, in particular

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Speaker 2: in the camp overall.

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Speaker 1: Wow, you know, once again, great to be on with you.

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Speaker 1: I know that. You know, after the last show and

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Speaker 1: after the last game, we talked a little about a

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Speaker 1: little bit about being deflated, right because we you know,

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Speaker 1: we were coming into this camp feeling pretty good. You know,

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Speaker 1: we had beaten Uruguay with sort of our Can we

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Speaker 1: call it a little bit of our second team. Let's say,

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Speaker 1: you know, Uruguay maybe missing a couple guys, but you know,

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Speaker 1: we really felt good about that camp. I'll be honest,

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Speaker 1: I did as well, and I kind of jumped a

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Speaker 1: little bit on that bandwagon of Okay, well that's this

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Speaker 1: is the beginning of of something here, and now we

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Speaker 1: have the March window, March window. We have good teams,

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Speaker 1: we can solidify what we've been working on, and hopefully

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Speaker 1: now we finally started after a year and a half

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Speaker 1: of you know, trials and seventy players coming in and

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Speaker 1: out and different systems and all of these things. And

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Speaker 1: yet here we are at the end of the March window,

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Speaker 1: which is likely a very important one because now we

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Speaker 1: have to pick the team and to be fair, and

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Speaker 1: you said, well, give me sort of the big picture.

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Speaker 1: How you feel about this. I'm confused, Matt. I'm confused,

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Speaker 1: are we I'm confused by the way we play. You know,

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Speaker 1: I'm not sure if that second game against Portugal is

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Speaker 1: a new way to play. It's just a new system

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Speaker 1: that we have. I you know, we've been hearing for

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Speaker 1: a long time now about you know, and and and

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Speaker 1: obviously all of us have been asking for Okay, what's

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Speaker 1: our eleven. Let's see our eleven play together, and let's

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Speaker 1: see those guys go through a tough game and and

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Speaker 1: then let's correct some of the things. But I just

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Speaker 1: I don't know what system we play. I don't know

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Speaker 1: what our eleven is. And and more importantly, I think

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Speaker 1: you know when I hear you know after the game

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Speaker 1: that we're happy because we competed for parts of a

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Speaker 1: half in both games. I think we competed thirty We

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Speaker 1: competed when we went to Italy and we were basically

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Speaker 1: not even soccer players. We competed. I don't think this

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Speaker 1: is about competing. I think we we went and got

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Speaker 1: one of the best coaches in the world to get

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Speaker 1: us closer to the top, to the top teams. You know,

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Speaker 1: this makes me wonder a little bit, well, what was

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Speaker 1: an interview? Like? Like what was because I feel like

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Speaker 1: Rico Pochettino is still getting to know not just our team,

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Speaker 1: but like our culture of where we've been. Like, this

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Speaker 1: is not about competing. I don't think we went out

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Speaker 1: and got the best coach in the world to start

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Speaker 1: competing against teams. I think we want to narrow the gap.

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Speaker 1: I think we want to beat teams we're not supposed

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Speaker 1: to be, Like, that's what we're here, that's what we

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Speaker 1: are expecting as fans of the team. And so I'm

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Speaker 1: not sure. I'm confused, Matt, I really am.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, beat teams that we're not supposed to be and

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Speaker 2: beat teams that we occasionally used to be. The US

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Speaker 2: has played Portugal before, famously in two thousand and two

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Speaker 2: in the World Cup and beat them, And that was

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Speaker 2: a really, really good Portugal team back in two thousand

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Speaker 2: and two. There were no worries about competing with that group.

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Speaker 1: And we tied them, and we tied them in twenty

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Speaker 1: fourteen with Ronaldo and that was a great generation and

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Speaker 1: we beat them back in nineteen ninety three and so

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Speaker 1: and I know they're better. Yeah they're beat But I

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Speaker 1: don't think it's about competing.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it hasn't been in the past with this group

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Speaker 2: for whatever reason it is. I generally am really positive

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Speaker 2: on Greg Berhalter's tenure, but the last year there's no

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Speaker 2: question the level dropped in that group.

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Speaker 3: Things went stale.

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Speaker 2: I completely understood and supported the idea of going out

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Speaker 2: and getting a new coach, and then once Mauricio Pochettino

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Speaker 2: was brought in. His resume kind of speaks for itself,

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Speaker 2: and after a little bit finding his feet, he got

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Speaker 2: things I think in the right going in the right

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Speaker 2: direction last autumn with all those changes you've talked about

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Speaker 2: tab and I bought into it too. And it feels

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Speaker 2: like we backslid in this camp because the intensity level

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Speaker 2: wasn't good enough against Belgium.

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Speaker 3: It got better.

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Speaker 2: Against Portrait Goal, but still wasn't like what we saw

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Speaker 2: against Paraguay or Australia or against Uruguay, and the US

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Speaker 2: paid for that. So we on today's show we are

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Speaker 2: going to talk about that. We'll discuss the major issues

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Speaker 2: in the loss and what we can learn from this match.

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Speaker 2: We'll also name our starting eleven for the World Cup.

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Speaker 2: I wish we had a little bit more data on that,

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Speaker 2: but based upon what we saw in these two friendlies,

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Speaker 2: we'll try to read some tea leaves and maybe.

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Speaker 3: Do a little bit of wish casting.

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Speaker 2: Plus, we'll talk about the roster who we think will

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Speaker 2: make the final final twenty six men roster for the

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Speaker 2: World Cup, and we'll talk about Turkey, a who we

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Speaker 2: now know will be our final group stage opponent at

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Speaker 2: the World Cup have to really sweat it out against Kosovo,

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Speaker 2: but got the goal, got the win, and so tab

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Speaker 2: let's get into it. From the US perve, it's still

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Speaker 2: not good. Christian Polistic starts the match as a loan

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Speaker 2: forward and to me, that's a waste. That is the

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Speaker 2: absolute waste of one of our final three friendlies heading

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Speaker 2: into the World Cup, because at no point should the

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Speaker 2: US go into a game this summer without a true

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Speaker 2: forward on the field, and particularly with the way Flow

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Speaker 2: Balligan has been playing for his club team, you would

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Speaker 2: hope that he is just a written and penn starter.

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Speaker 2: So the idea behind this friendly not only get reps

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Speaker 2: against one of the best teams in the world, but

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Speaker 2: also build chemistry with Polisic and Balligan and McKenny and

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Speaker 2: Waia on one side, Jedi Robinson on the other, and

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Speaker 2: so to play Christian Polistic as a false nine, a

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Speaker 2: role in which he really struggled because anytime he tried

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Speaker 2: to drop back in with his back to goal, he

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Speaker 2: turned the ball over because he doesn't know how to

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Speaker 2: play as a center forward. It kind of defeated the

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Speaker 2: purpose of this friendly and it felt like wasted ninety

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Speaker 2: minutes to me.

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Speaker 1: I have to totally agree with that. I you know,

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Speaker 1: I thought, I really thought these friendlies, these two friendlies

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Speaker 1: in particular, were about putting our best eleven together. Finally,

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Speaker 1: after a year and a half of saying how great

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Speaker 1: we're going to be a year from now, I thought

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Speaker 1: that this was going to be the camp in which

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Speaker 1: we had our starting starting eleven and we saw what

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Speaker 1: we can do, and then fix that, and then see

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Speaker 1: what you can do for ninety minutes. And of course

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Speaker 1: there's a lot of substitutions, but I think we're in

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Speaker 1: a We're in a different situation than Belgium, We're in

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Speaker 1: a different situation than Portugal. I think if those teams

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Speaker 1: want to go ahead and make seven, eight nine changes

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Speaker 1: in a game, they have a way. They've been together

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Speaker 1: for a long time, they won things, they they know

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Speaker 1: how to play together. I feel like, because we've had

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Speaker 1: all of these players in and out, I feel like

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Speaker 1: this camp was another tryout. It was a tryout about

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Speaker 1: who makes the twenty six. And to be fair, who

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Speaker 1: cares who makes the twenty six. I want to know

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Speaker 1: what are eleven is? Those are the guys we have

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Speaker 1: to win a game with. You know, we're talking about

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Speaker 1: the twenty six. We're given opportunities to players, and look,

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Speaker 1: by the way, I can't get into Poschettino's head. Maybe

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Speaker 1: he just feels like all twenty six guys or all

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Speaker 1: thirty guys at this point have a chance to be

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Speaker 1: in the starting eleven. But if that's the case, why

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Speaker 1: has it taken a year and a half to get

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Speaker 1: to this point. That's the part that I don't get.

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Speaker 1: I agree with you on the politic thing. I think

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Speaker 1: it's neat that we can have a variation to playing

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Speaker 1: without a forward for a little while if we wanted to,

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Speaker 1: But we haven't figured out how we play yet, Like

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Speaker 1: we're having a variation to what So this is a variation,

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Speaker 1: which is nice to have, by the way, when you're

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Speaker 1: in preseason, this is what you do. You try things.

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Speaker 1: But we don't know the way we play yet. We

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Speaker 1: don't know our starting eleven yet, and so if we

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Speaker 1: don't know that, how do we how are we trying

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Speaker 1: other things? And that's for me a little bit of

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Speaker 1: the frustrating part. I mean, I think if you're you know,

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Speaker 1: you're Tim Waya now you're thinking that you're going to

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Speaker 1: be the right back. Only I guess, but he comes

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Speaker 1: in as a forward. You know Freeman, was he really

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Speaker 1: a third center back in this It took me a

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Speaker 1: little while to figure out how we were playing in

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Speaker 1: the back. And then, by the way, I'll disagree with

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Speaker 1: you on one thing, and that's the intensity of the game.

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Speaker 1: I think the players couldn't have had any more intensity

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Speaker 1: in the first fifteen to twenty minutes against Portugal. I mean,

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Speaker 1: it almost looked like like a hockey line change when

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Speaker 1: the new guys come in. We were everywhere. I couldn't

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Speaker 1: figure out where we were playing because our guys were

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Speaker 1: pressing everywhere. I mean, we pressed Portugal into making quite

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Speaker 1: a few mistakes in the first fifteen to twenty minutes

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Speaker 1: of the game, which is not usual for them. I mean,

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Speaker 1: Vittina doesn't lose the ball, Bruno Fernandez doesn't lose the ball.

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Speaker 1: These guys were losing the and I think that's a

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Speaker 1: good sign for us. But is it a good sign

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Speaker 1: that we're a good team or was it just we

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Speaker 1: were running around like crazy trying to recover the ball.

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Speaker 1: I couldn't figure out what we were doing.

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Speaker 2: Well, I think Portugal solved it, and this is one

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Speaker 2: of the things that has me worried. After these two

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Speaker 2: games against Belgium, the hydration break, which is now mandatory

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Speaker 2: every game gets a hydration break this summer at the

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Speaker 2: World Cup, and coaches use it as a timeout and

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Speaker 2: they adjust their tactics against Belgium. The tactical adjustment that

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Speaker 2: they made was they started playing direct more straight up

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Speaker 2: the gut to win first ball, second ball because there

201
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Speaker 2: was a gap between the US back line and central midfield.

202
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Speaker 3: So second balls were there to be won.

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Speaker 2: And you're gonna win the first ball because you're going

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Speaker 2: up against Tim Reen who is just not great in

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Speaker 2: the air. So that's how they got one of their goals.

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Speaker 2: And then the other thing they did was start hitting

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Speaker 2: more diagonals right to left diagonals, specifically debased the right

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Speaker 2: back was taking advantage of the fact that the US

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Speaker 2: were not closing him down, and it was really Christian

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Speaker 2: Polistic was not working to close him down quickly in

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Speaker 2: this game. The adjustment at the twenty three minute mark

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Speaker 2: at the hydration break was Portugal had been playing zonal defensively.

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Speaker 2: They changed to a man to man defensive scheme and

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Speaker 2: just said, you know what, the US can't hold the

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Speaker 2: ball through central midfield. We're going to build the whole

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Speaker 2: plane out of central midfield turnovers. That's it, And like

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Speaker 2: you could go back and it's clear as day, especially

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Speaker 2: on the first Portugal goal, it's a turnover where they're

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Speaker 2: in a man to man scheme and at that point

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Speaker 2: it's just a matter of can you win your duels,

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Speaker 2: and the US couldn't and they never adjusted to that time.

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Speaker 2: There's two games in a row where the other coach

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Speaker 2: made a big adjustment that changed the game, and the

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Speaker 2: US didn't have any sort of response.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, and that was noticeable because you know,

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Speaker 1: I think Portugal in the end to me a little

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Speaker 1: bit like like Belgium. And I mentioned that the other

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Speaker 1: day that you know, I was sitting here with my

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Speaker 1: buddy watching the game, and I was thinking, Belgium doesn't

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Speaker 1: even look like they're trying, you know, they look like

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Speaker 1: they're just nonchalant with the ball, and Portugal kind of

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Speaker 1: looked the same. Once they speeded up the game a

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Speaker 1: little bit, they created a couple of chances that could

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Speaker 1: have put us away. And by the way, Matt Freeze,

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Speaker 1: I thought played a very good game. You know, he

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Speaker 1: made the types of saves that we need to stay

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Speaker 1: in games. He did that, which takes us back now

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Speaker 1: to the first game and wonder why we made a

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Speaker 1: change in the first place, But we did say that

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Speaker 1: after the first game. So yeah, Portugal, you know, with

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Speaker 1: the quality that they have, they just don't need many

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Speaker 1: chances to score. And that's what's gonna That's the difference

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Speaker 1: really between the the you know, the top ten teams

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Speaker 1: in the world and the rest, and the difference is

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Speaker 1: is quite big.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, And defensively the difference on that goal. Look, it's

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Speaker 2: a midfield turnover. And then Aidan Morris has a choice

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Speaker 2: to make which you know, which attacker you're going to

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Speaker 2: try to keep in your your cover shadow, and he

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Speaker 2: chose one, and he's trying to cut out a pass

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Speaker 2: from Vittina. If Vitina has multiple options and you take

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Speaker 2: one away, he's going to play the other one, which

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Speaker 2: he did immediately plays Bruno Fernandez through. The really disappointing

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Speaker 2: thing in that moment for me was that Aiden Morris

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Speaker 2: and Malik Tillman both switched off and you could go back.

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Speaker 2: I put the clip on my blue Sky and you

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Speaker 2: go back and watch that. They they turn off and

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Speaker 2: they turn around and watch the play and start jogging,

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Speaker 2: and neither of them realizes until it's far too late

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Speaker 2: that Bruno Fernandez is gonna find drink out right there

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Speaker 2: on the corner of the six for it honestly had

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Speaker 2: enough time to take two touches, and that lack of

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Speaker 2: awareness in those transition moments was kind of glaring at times,

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Speaker 2: and it's why Portugal were so dangerous on counter attacks

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Speaker 2: on turnovers again and again and again. And that leads

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Speaker 2: me to the big point with this formation, Like Risio

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Speaker 2: Pochccino had said over the course of the week, We're

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Speaker 2: gonna move Christian Polistic further up top, closer to goal

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Speaker 2: so that he can get more chances, hopefully get a goal,

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Speaker 2: hopefully get his confidence back, because this is a man

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Speaker 2: who has not scored since December for club or country,

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Speaker 2: has not scored since November of twenty twenty four for

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Speaker 2: the US, so he needs something. But I thought that

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Speaker 2: meant he was going to play in the formation you

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Speaker 2: want tab which is kind of a five to three

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Speaker 2: to two with him up top alongside another forward. But

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Speaker 2: playing him as a loan center forward meant that the

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Speaker 2: US were going to try to actually possess the ball

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Speaker 2: through central midfield. And while there were good moments with that,

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Speaker 2: there were a lot of bad moments as well, turnovers

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Speaker 2: from POOLA, turnovers like the one that we saw on

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Speaker 2: the goal, lack of tracking. So my question is, why

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Speaker 2: not just play that five three to two and skip

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Speaker 2: the midfield? Why not do what Belgium did in the

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Speaker 2: you know, in the final seventy minutes of that game,

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Speaker 2: and say, all right, we can actually play over this

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Speaker 2: mess or around it and get those two guys up top,

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Speaker 2: spread the field wide with two flying wingbacks. You have

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Speaker 2: three center backs back there, and then you have a

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Speaker 2: really you in theory, you have a really aggressive midfield

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Speaker 2: of McKenny and Tillman and you know, be it Aiden

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Speaker 2: Morris or Tanner, Tessaman or you know, whoever you want

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Speaker 2: to put out there. Like, there's a way to actually

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Speaker 2: do this that plays to the US strengths and I

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Speaker 2: don't think we've seen.

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Speaker 1: It, no, But but here's the issue, matt uh. The

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Speaker 1: issue is that we we don't have a way. And

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Speaker 1: when you don't have a way, you kind of I

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Speaker 1: feel like we're winging it. You know. If we had

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Speaker 1: a way, we can I feel like and obviously from

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Speaker 1: the outside. And I will always say that it's easier

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Speaker 1: to coach someone else's team, So to be on this

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Speaker 1: side is a lot easier than to be on the field.

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Speaker 1: And for you to know the ins and outs of

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Speaker 1: every player, to know how they feel that day, to

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Speaker 1: know what conversations you've had with them about certain positions,

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Speaker 1: how they feel about certain positions, what you tell them

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Speaker 1: individually about you're talking about coverage getting back into the

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Speaker 1: box with in this case with Morris and Tillman, but

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Speaker 1: if you remember the game against Belgium, it was also

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Speaker 1: with Tessaman and Cardoso, like they weren't getting there on time,

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Speaker 1: they didn't feel comfortable. So is this the problem for

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Speaker 1: us is that we're on the outside and we don't

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Speaker 1: know if this is if the reason they're not getting

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Speaker 1: to those spots is because tactically we don't want them

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Speaker 1: in those spots, or is the coach asking them to

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Speaker 1: get to those spots and they're just not and to

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Speaker 1: us it looks like they're not making the effort. Maybe

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Speaker 1: to the coaches like, well, the coach just wants them

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Speaker 1: to hang out at the top of the box. I

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Speaker 1: have no idea why. What I can tell you is

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Speaker 1: that it's very difficult for us to assess our team,

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Speaker 1: assess the game, and for Poschettino to finally put his

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Speaker 1: eleven together when we don't really have a way to play.

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Speaker 1: I'm really struggling with that. I'm struggling with the fact that,

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Speaker 1: you know, we have potentially four forwards that can start

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Speaker 1: for us, and we don't start any of them. I'm

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Speaker 1: struggling with the fact that Baaligan is probably the hottest

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Speaker 1: player that we have because he scores in the Champions League.

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Speaker 1: He's scores in the league on and he doesn't play,

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Speaker 1: and I think, if anything, you can do nothing but

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Speaker 1: bet on Balligan and Polisic at this point, it's kind

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Speaker 1: of their team, like, this is where we are, and

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Speaker 1: after all the time, this is where we are. If

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Speaker 1: we're looking about, you know, talking about twenty thirty World Cup,

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Speaker 1: maybe the whole thing changes, but this is where we are.

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Speaker 1: We're like, what sixty days away from the World Cup

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Speaker 1: and we don't have an eleven and we don't have

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Speaker 1: a way to play. That's at least not a way

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Speaker 1: that I can understand.

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Speaker 2: How did you feel about the way uh Pochettino addressed

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Speaker 2: the press after the game. The quote that everybody took

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Speaker 2: away from it was you know, Belgium in Portugal and

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Speaker 2: I'm paraphrasing here, but Belgium and Portugal have top hundred

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Speaker 2: players and we don't have that, which was I think

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Speaker 2: I agree with him, but I'm a little surprised that

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Speaker 2: he said it.

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Speaker 1: Oh, you know, there's nothing that builds a team like

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Speaker 1: telling your team like they're not good enough. You know,

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Speaker 1: that's that's always so that's always a great thing, you know,

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Speaker 1: to go to the press conference and say, hey, you know,

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Speaker 1: our players aren't good anyway, so you know, look at us.

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Speaker 1: We're competing. You know, Look, Matt, this is uh, this

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Speaker 1: is a difficult situation because I think in this country

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Speaker 1: we understand the game a little bit more that we're

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Speaker 1: giving credit for. I believe this team is not working.

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Speaker 1: This is not about top one hundred. Yeah, Belgium has

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Speaker 1: top one hundred players Portugal so what so what who cares?

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Speaker 1: You have to go and win the game? You know,

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Speaker 1: the best team doesn't win all the games. That's why

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Speaker 1: you play the games. How can we put ourselves in

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Speaker 1: position to win games we're not supposed to win or

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Speaker 1: you know, and we're not doing that and for me

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Speaker 1: to say that, you know, we're competing for moments in

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Speaker 1: the game. Every team competes for moments in the game.

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Speaker 1: You know, Normally, I think I said it on the

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Speaker 1: last show. Normally what happens when a team is better

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Speaker 1: than you. You know, they they you work as hard

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Speaker 1: as you can for eighty ninety minutes, but at some

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Speaker 1: point they're going to get you because they have the

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Speaker 1: quality to get you. We're not even getting to that point.

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Speaker 1: So for me being two months away from the World

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Speaker 1: Cup and sort of saying, hey, for a half we competed,

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Speaker 1: or almost for a half we competed against Belgium, It's

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Speaker 1: just not good enough at this point, Matt, not good enough.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it has been hasn't been good enough for a

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Speaker 2: while against the European teams. This is eight straight losses

378
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Speaker 2: against the European competition, which is I didn't mind boggling

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Speaker 2: when you think about how previous generations were able to

380
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Speaker 2: go toe to toe as often as not with the

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Speaker 2: best that Europe has to offer. Haven't seen it from

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Speaker 2: this group. Were there any positive performances that we can

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Speaker 2: take away from this one? I will say I thought

384
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Speaker 2: pat Ajiman came off the bench and did well for himself. Again,

385
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Speaker 2: I thought Chris Richards was very good in the middle

386
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Speaker 2: of that back three. I know Austin trust he wasn't perfect,

387
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Speaker 2: but he I thought he competed. I guess I'm setting

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Speaker 2: the barlow. I thought he competed and he didn't. He

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Speaker 2: didn't embarrass himself out there. So and obviously Matt Freeze

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Speaker 2: was good too. Anyone catch your eye.

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Speaker 1: Well, I would have to say I agree with you

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Speaker 1: on Trusty for sure. You know I have not been

393
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Speaker 1: a Trusty fan, not because I don't like him. I

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Speaker 1: think he's a good player. Of course, he's a good player.

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Speaker 1: He plays for Celtic. You know, he's he's a great

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Speaker 1: player for this team. I didn't think he would be at,

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Speaker 1: you know, at that level, and I think I think

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Speaker 1: he showed you he brings something to the table. I

399
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Speaker 1: think Trusty put himself in a good situation to be

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Speaker 1: considered to be on this roster and to potentially contribute

401
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Speaker 1: to the team. Uh. Maybe I'm pushing it too far,

402
00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,280
Speaker 1: but that's that's what I saw yesterday. If I had

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Speaker 1: to look at a positive, I thought it was very positive.

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Speaker 1: And you know, I think if anything, you know, one

405
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Speaker 1: of the things that I had seen from Trusty, and

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Speaker 1: that's even when I coach him on the U twenties,

407
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Speaker 1: that he's sometimes over anxious. He gets to place too fast.

408
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Speaker 1: So it's never a lack of effort. So and it's

409
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Speaker 1: never a lack of competing or going hard. He always does.

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Speaker 1: It's sometimes reading the play a little bit better and

411
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Speaker 1: deciding not to commit to a certain place and staying

412
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Speaker 1: in position a little bit better. But I have to

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Speaker 1: say he I thought he did a very very good job.

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Speaker 1: I think, you know, Matt Freeze solidified himself in the position.

415
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Speaker 1: I mean, let's I was gonna say, let's stop messing

416
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Speaker 1: around with that position. But there is no messing around now.

417
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Speaker 1: We just have the World Cup basically coming out this

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00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:06,560
Speaker 1: just two games, so it is what it is. But

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Speaker 1: that's our guy, I thought. Because of the way the

420
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Speaker 1: whole camp worked out, this camp was positive for Johnny Cardozo.

421
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Speaker 1: He played a half, he did okay, and he left

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Speaker 1: and I think I think it worked out for him.

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Speaker 1: It worked out.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, Diego Luna was Diego Luna was one of the

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Speaker 2: big winners from that.

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Speaker 1: Well a little bit, you know, Diego Luna get you know,

427
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Speaker 1: Alex and Dajas. How did he not win out of

428
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Speaker 1: this camp? Alex and Dajaz, you know, just won in

429
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Speaker 1: this camp. So yeah, you know, I don't want to

430
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Speaker 1: laugh at it. I mean, I just I'm I'm I'm disappointed,

431
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Speaker 1: and I think it's not It's not a matter of

432
00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,239
Speaker 1: making fun in any way. I think we're we're just

433
00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:51,920
Speaker 1: trying to figure out a way. I think we're all

434
00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,760
Speaker 1: on the same you know, whether we're here on you know,

435
00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,199
Speaker 1: on the press trying to discuss what's going on, or

436
00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,480
Speaker 1: we're fans, we're trying to get this right and we're

437
00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:02,000
Speaker 1: just not seeing the light at the end of the

438
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,000
Speaker 1: tunnel at all. I'm starting to believe now that if

439
00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:05,880
Speaker 1: we do well this summer, it's going to be by

440
00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:07,680
Speaker 1: It's going to be by chance.

441
00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,560
Speaker 2: Yeah, should be by set pieces as well. That set

442
00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:18,080
Speaker 2: piece that Joue Philis scored was kind of inexcusable from

443
00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:19,080
Speaker 2: the US.

444
00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:23,040
Speaker 3: He was left unmarked at the top of the box.

445
00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:28,879
Speaker 2: Afterwards, Muricio Pochettino said it was a case of confusion

446
00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,520
Speaker 2: because there had been so many subs the players on

447
00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,800
Speaker 2: the field weren't exactly sure who was supposed to be

448
00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,160
Speaker 2: at the top of the box and who was supposed

449
00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:41,879
Speaker 2: to be in the mix. Man a lot of little

450
00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,679
Speaker 2: details to get wrong at this point in the cycle.

451
00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, well, I mean, but you know, when players

452
00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:49,840
Speaker 1: come in, usually have an assistant coach that tells the

453
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:51,800
Speaker 1: players where they're supposed to go, right, I mean, that's

454
00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,280
Speaker 1: that's how that works. And if there are too many substitutions,

455
00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:59,640
Speaker 1: well how about don't make the substitutions. Do we need

456
00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,159
Speaker 1: them in substitutions? We're trying to put a team together

457
00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,040
Speaker 1: to go win in the World Cup. Do we really

458
00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:08,000
Speaker 1: need to see every person that's in this camp. I

459
00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:13,080
Speaker 1: honestly didn't think I needed to see that, but maybe

460
00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,280
Speaker 1: he doesn't. That's what happens when, you know, when you

461
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,159
Speaker 1: make a lot of substitutions, and I get it. You know,

462
00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,480
Speaker 1: sometimes it's difficult for players in thirty seconds to understand

463
00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,280
Speaker 1: where they go and what player they go with. Considering

464
00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,560
Speaker 1: that the other team is making substitutions, but all the

465
00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:28,080
Speaker 1: other teams are going through the same thing.

466
00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:33,920
Speaker 2: I'm going to read you a quote from Christian Polistic

467
00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,040
Speaker 2: and ostensibly he is still the best player on this team,

468
00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,160
Speaker 2: and he has proven himself in big games. Let's remember

469
00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:44,119
Speaker 2: what he sacrificed to score that goal against Iran in

470
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,400
Speaker 2: the World Cup four years ago, like he has put

471
00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:50,399
Speaker 2: it on the line for his country, and he says

472
00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,520
Speaker 2: we were able to create chances, which if I finished chances,

473
00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:57,560
Speaker 2: which I know I'm going to, then things are going

474
00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,679
Speaker 2: to be a bit different. If you're his teammate in

475
00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,480
Speaker 2: the locker room or you're his coach, and you hear

476
00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:08,159
Speaker 2: that quote after this camp where he did have a

477
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:10,960
Speaker 2: ton of chances, he didn't finish any of them. He

478
00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:15,160
Speaker 2: hasn't finished anything for the US since November of twenty

479
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,879
Speaker 2: twenty four, and he hasn't finished anything from Milan in

480
00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,960
Speaker 2: three months. Are you positive about that quote or are

481
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:22,880
Speaker 2: you frustrated?

482
00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:25,560
Speaker 3: Like what do you want? Is that what you want

483
00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:27,760
Speaker 3: to hear from Christian Polistic after this one?

484
00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,240
Speaker 1: Well, I mean I think he's being honest, right, I mean,

485
00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,360
Speaker 1: he didn't necessarily It's not like we watch Christian Polistic

486
00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,160
Speaker 1: not make an effort. He made the effort, he got

487
00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:40,240
Speaker 1: to the end of plays. He's just not at this point,

488
00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:42,639
Speaker 1: he's just not clinical en off. He's not finishing, and

489
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,719
Speaker 1: I think he's recognizing that. I buy it. I buy it.

490
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,119
Speaker 1: I mean, if I'm on his team. That's your question.

491
00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:50,560
Speaker 1: Your question is if you're on his team, is this

492
00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:54,879
Speaker 1: something that you're you know, you're believing in. I am,

493
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,520
Speaker 1: and I'd like to hear that he feels like, Hey,

494
00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,320
Speaker 1: you know what, I needed to be sharper and I'm

495
00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:01,880
Speaker 1: going to be sharper in this World Cup. I want

496
00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:02,400
Speaker 1: to hear that.

497
00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:05,480
Speaker 2: Yeah, and let's hope you will be. I'm going to

498
00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:09,960
Speaker 2: leave you one last quote from Christian Polistic, hopefully one

499
00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:11,920
Speaker 2: that puts us all on a better frame of mind.

500
00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,159
Speaker 2: He says, I remember people were doubting us after that

501
00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,159
Speaker 2: September twenty twenty two camp.

502
00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:19,119
Speaker 3: We didn't have a great camp.

503
00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:22,760
Speaker 2: I don't remember who exactly who the opponents were in

504
00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:24,639
Speaker 2: that one, but I remember it was pretty brutal. They

505
00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:26,800
Speaker 2: were pretty bad. And he says, but at the end

506
00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:28,800
Speaker 2: of the day, we go in and we have a

507
00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,560
Speaker 2: great World Cup. And I wouldn't go so far as

508
00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:31,800
Speaker 2: to call it a great World Cup, but I thought

509
00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,840
Speaker 2: the US were very, very good in twenty twenty two.

510
00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:37,200
Speaker 3: That is some perspective.

511
00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,720
Speaker 2: These are just friendlies, and you could play lousy in

512
00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,239
Speaker 2: your last set of friendlies and still go in and

513
00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,000
Speaker 2: hit your marks in the World Cup. Does that resonate

514
00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,600
Speaker 2: for Youtub? Is that the right attitude for him and

515
00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:50,240
Speaker 2: for this US team to take right now?

516
00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,960
Speaker 1: Yeah, normally that would be because that happens with teams,

517
00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,240
Speaker 1: right you go through those rough moments. It's just that

518
00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:59,840
Speaker 1: we really don't have any sort of we don't have

519
00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,480
Speaker 1: any think to look at and say, Okay, we're not

520
00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,200
Speaker 1: doing well, but you know it's gonna be fine because

521
00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:09,560
Speaker 1: we've seen it. No, we haven't seen it, and we

522
00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,960
Speaker 1: haven't seen it at all, and we need to see it.

523
00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:14,200
Speaker 1: This world up this is you know, if there's one

524
00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:16,320
Speaker 1: thing you know, and I was not a big fan

525
00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:21,720
Speaker 1: of of of the past team with Greg Burholter and

526
00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:25,240
Speaker 1: the way they played because it was very robotic. Let's

527
00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,439
Speaker 1: just say with with the way the team played. But

528
00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,639
Speaker 1: it's one thing you can say about that is the

529
00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:34,480
Speaker 1: team was always organized right, and I think I think

530
00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,399
Speaker 1: we're the opposite of that now and we're still not

531
00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:41,680
Speaker 1: getting results. You know, it's difficult at this point, I'm

532
00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:43,919
Speaker 1: not seeing the picture. And by the way, uh, you know,

533
00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:45,720
Speaker 1: when when you're looking and I know we're going to

534
00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,440
Speaker 1: go through the roster, but you start looking at all

535
00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,679
Speaker 1: the different midfielders that we use and and I just

536
00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:52,760
Speaker 1: don't understand what we use so many? And if we

537
00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:56,520
Speaker 1: use so many, why is Moussa not part of this picture?

538
00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:02,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, it appointing one for us. It's time for a

539
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,879
Speaker 2: break up. Next, we'll name the starting elevens that we

540
00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,320
Speaker 2: want to see for the World Cup. Who knows if

541
00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:11,840
Speaker 2: we'll see it or not, though, Please rate, review, and

542
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,880
Speaker 2: subscribe to Inside American Soccer with Tom Boger and tab

543
00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:28,679
Speaker 2: Ramos wherever you get your podcast. All right, folks, welcome

544
00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:32,240
Speaker 2: back to Inside American Soccer. Tab let's just jump into it.

545
00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,280
Speaker 2: Let's talk about the World Cup eleven for this summer,

546
00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:40,000
Speaker 2: because it seems like Marisio Pochaccino still doesn't have an

547
00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:42,680
Speaker 2: idea of what his will be, but you have an

548
00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:46,520
Speaker 2: idea of what yours will be. We know it's Matt

549
00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,200
Speaker 2: freezeen goal. But take us through the back line and

550
00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:51,800
Speaker 2: take us through the formation. What are we going to

551
00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:55,000
Speaker 2: see or what should we see from the US in June?

552
00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:59,000
Speaker 1: Well, you know, considering where we are and what we've

553
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,840
Speaker 1: seen in these last games, it's it's really difficult to

554
00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:05,760
Speaker 1: figure out what obviously what Mauricio Porchettino is going to

555
00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,320
Speaker 1: be thinking and because of what I've seen from players,

556
00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,960
Speaker 1: I think the one that's that's at this point and

557
00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,360
Speaker 1: non negotiable for me. If if I had to put

558
00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:17,040
Speaker 1: this team together is the fact that we have to

559
00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:20,800
Speaker 1: play with three center backs right. It starts there. I

560
00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:24,239
Speaker 1: would go if if if Robinson is in is in

561
00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:28,080
Speaker 1: good form, I would go with Robinson, Richards and McKenzie.

562
00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,520
Speaker 1: If Robinson Miles Robinson, yes, Miles Robinson. If he's not,

563
00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,720
Speaker 1: then I would go with Freeman and in that position

564
00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,240
Speaker 1: with Richards and Mackenzie across.

565
00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:41,360
Speaker 2: One of the let me interrupt, Let me interrupt you there.

566
00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,560
Speaker 2: We all know that Alex Freeman made that move to

567
00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:48,000
Speaker 2: via Real. He's only played about forty minutes since making

568
00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,160
Speaker 2: that move, all of them at fullback right. He plays

569
00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:55,520
Speaker 2: as as a modern overlapping fullback. He doesn't play as

570
00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,680
Speaker 2: a center back in a three. But when he came

571
00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,960
Speaker 2: on in this camp and when he's played at times

572
00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,760
Speaker 2: for the US over the past year for Mauricio Pocheccino,

573
00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:08,280
Speaker 2: he's actually looks really comfortable in that three men right

574
00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:09,680
Speaker 2: center back setup.

575
00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:12,840
Speaker 3: Do we need to see him.

576
00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:15,520
Speaker 2: There at the club level or is there a minimum

577
00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,440
Speaker 2: amount of minutes that he needs to play for via

578
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:22,480
Speaker 2: Real before we'd actually be comfortable with seeing him in

579
00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:24,360
Speaker 2: the World Cup. Or is it just a case of,

580
00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:26,480
Speaker 2: you know what he's shown it in all these friendlies

581
00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,800
Speaker 2: and I'm going to trust what we've seen from him

582
00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:29,880
Speaker 2: in the Red, white and blue.

583
00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,360
Speaker 1: Well, you know, it's difficult to sort through that because

584
00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:39,120
Speaker 1: since we don't really have a way, I can't say

585
00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:42,720
Speaker 1: that there's a particular position that's where someone needs to

586
00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:46,920
Speaker 1: cover a certain particular function that we're looking for. And

587
00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,800
Speaker 1: because of that, what I'm looking to do with the

588
00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:51,840
Speaker 1: eleven that I put together is try to put the

589
00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,440
Speaker 1: best players that we have on the field and take

590
00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,880
Speaker 1: it from there. And I do think you know, at

591
00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:02,280
Speaker 1: via Real, he plays behind Marinho, you know, very active

592
00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,160
Speaker 1: outside back, sort of lanky, quick, you know, decent on

593
00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:10,200
Speaker 1: the ball. He struggled with He's struggling with winning a

594
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:14,440
Speaker 1: position from a player that can that can do a lot.

595
00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:17,320
Speaker 1: I haven't said that. I I still think, you know

596
00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:19,840
Speaker 1: that I'm looking at the sort of the lack of

597
00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:23,400
Speaker 1: strength that we have in the back with our with

598
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,440
Speaker 1: our three center backs, and I and I still think

599
00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,040
Speaker 1: he can give us a lot. So whether he's playing

600
00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:31,560
Speaker 1: or not, a via real. I just can't imagine not

601
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,040
Speaker 1: giving him a chance to go in there and help us.

602
00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:36,320
Speaker 1: I mean, it's really, it's really the only reason he's

603
00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:38,480
Speaker 1: done well for the national team there. I have no

604
00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:39,240
Speaker 1: reason to think that.

605
00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:42,080
Speaker 3: He couldn't do the job, all right, take us through

606
00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:42,680
Speaker 3: or midfield.

607
00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:47,400
Speaker 1: The midfield, which would be potentially five because m McKenny

608
00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,240
Speaker 1: would be a little bit more advanced. It would be

609
00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:53,440
Speaker 1: best on the right side Adams and then either Tesman

610
00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:57,120
Speaker 1: or Cardozo, and then Robinson on the left side, with

611
00:31:57,280 --> 00:31:59,400
Speaker 1: McKenny a little bit in front of them, and then

612
00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:01,240
Speaker 1: polistic Bowlogan up top.

613
00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is this is kind of what I thought

614
00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,400
Speaker 2: we were going to see from the Portugal game. When

615
00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,800
Speaker 2: Pochettino was saying we're gonna move Christian closer to goal,

616
00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:12,800
Speaker 2: We're gonna get him more chances, we're gonna try to

617
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,760
Speaker 2: unlock him, I thought it meant he was going to

618
00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:19,560
Speaker 2: play up top in a two alongside Baligan, who, as

619
00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,360
Speaker 2: you pointed out, is scorching hot at the club level

620
00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,680
Speaker 2: right now and is should, in my opinion, has written

621
00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:30,560
Speaker 2: in Penn's starter for the US this summer. And I

622
00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:32,719
Speaker 2: thought the point of this game was not just going

623
00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,920
Speaker 2: to be to get Christian a goal, get him closer

624
00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,640
Speaker 2: to goal, but to put him in the position that

625
00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:40,840
Speaker 2: he plays at the club level. He plays as a

626
00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:45,520
Speaker 2: second forward for AC Milan, and to get that chemistry

627
00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,880
Speaker 2: between those two guys up top and then on top

628
00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,440
Speaker 2: of him. Look, the US could not hold the ball

629
00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,640
Speaker 2: in central midfield against Portugal.

630
00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:56,840
Speaker 3: It is stark.

631
00:32:56,960 --> 00:32:59,600
Speaker 2: If you take the game, go back and watch it

632
00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,160
Speaker 2: from the moment they come out of the first half

633
00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,720
Speaker 2: hydration break, Portugal has the ball for about nine straight

634
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,840
Speaker 2: minutes because anytime the US got on it in midfield,

635
00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,320
Speaker 2: Portugal forced a turnover and that's what changed the game.

636
00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:17,600
Speaker 2: So dropping Wes into a midfield three, and we know

637
00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:20,880
Speaker 2: his engine is endless, and we know he can also

638
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,800
Speaker 2: open the game up with a touch, which is how

639
00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:27,000
Speaker 2: Juventus have been using him. But then you have two

640
00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:30,760
Speaker 2: ball winners behind him. Suddenly you're a midfield that is

641
00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:34,880
Speaker 2: a difficult to play through, difficult to play against, but

642
00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,320
Speaker 2: also not gonna try not going to bother to try

643
00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:42,600
Speaker 2: to build up with long strings of passes through central midfield,

644
00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:45,440
Speaker 2: because that is how the US has gotten themselves in

645
00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:50,200
Speaker 2: trouble consistently against the likes of Belgium, and Portugal. Is

646
00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,080
Speaker 2: that something that was kind of in your head as

647
00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:54,520
Speaker 2: you were putting this team together.

648
00:33:55,680 --> 00:33:57,880
Speaker 1: Yeah, there's no doubt. I think what you want to

649
00:33:57,920 --> 00:33:59,360
Speaker 1: do is you want to make sure that you have

650
00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:02,160
Speaker 1: numbers the middle of the field, in particular, you know,

651
00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:04,360
Speaker 1: when when you don't have the feet to be able

652
00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:06,480
Speaker 1: to keep the ball, as you said, Portugal can keep it.

653
00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,120
Speaker 1: I think by having McKenny rome in the middle of

654
00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:14,520
Speaker 1: the field, he can potentially unlock, you know, little spots

655
00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,719
Speaker 1: in between lines where he can receive. I think there's

656
00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:21,560
Speaker 1: no question that that would help, you know, to add

657
00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:24,160
Speaker 1: to add a number into the midfield would help us

658
00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:25,759
Speaker 1: to get out of the back.

659
00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:31,080
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's that's what I'm thinking as well. And I

660
00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:35,839
Speaker 2: wish we had gotten to see that for the US.

661
00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:36,160
Speaker 3: In this camp.

662
00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:40,120
Speaker 2: I'm really bummed that we didn't. That's your eleven, who's

663
00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,480
Speaker 2: your first subs? If you need a game changer? If

664
00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,799
Speaker 2: the US is chasing, it's the hour mark in the

665
00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,360
Speaker 2: second half, we're down a goal, who are you bringing on?

666
00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:51,600
Speaker 1: Well? I mean I have to say that yesterday, at

667
00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:54,279
Speaker 1: least what I saw from Tillman was a little bit

668
00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:57,080
Speaker 1: more of energy and although he was not involved in

669
00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:58,920
Speaker 1: the game again for second game in a row. I

670
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,719
Speaker 1: think he can provide something off the bench. I think

671
00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:06,040
Speaker 1: we need to potentially give an opportunity to Alex endajas

672
00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,160
Speaker 1: you know, Alex and Dyez really doing really well in Mexico.

673
00:35:09,239 --> 00:35:12,279
Speaker 1: He's really good around goal, He's a good finisher, he

674
00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:16,880
Speaker 1: doesn't need many chances to score. So I think, you know,

675
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,440
Speaker 1: hopefully he becomes a part of the picture at that point.

676
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,279
Speaker 1: But you know, and I think the one guy that

677
00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:24,920
Speaker 1: we were thinking about that was going to be the

678
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:28,320
Speaker 1: one who unlocked the defense in the last fifteen to

679
00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:31,320
Speaker 1: twenty minutes, you know, was going to be gi Arena.

680
00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:34,160
Speaker 1: But I saw no signs of him, you know, being

681
00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,279
Speaker 1: able to do that for us, and I you know,

682
00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:39,600
Speaker 1: as I look at this roster, I just I don't

683
00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:41,560
Speaker 1: see where he's going to help. I really don't.

684
00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:44,239
Speaker 2: Yeah, it would be nice if he was able to

685
00:35:44,239 --> 00:35:48,920
Speaker 2: get on the field in the Bundesliga for Brusia Munchin Gladbach,

686
00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:52,360
Speaker 2: but I don't believe he's played since January and played,

687
00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,160
Speaker 2: you know, I think fewer than five hundred minutes total

688
00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,040
Speaker 2: this season, and we all know that there are fitness

689
00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,239
Speaker 2: issues as well. I think Geo is probably one of

690
00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,560
Speaker 2: the players who comes out of this camp who are

691
00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:09,200
Speaker 2: now most on the fringe of that twenty six man roster.

692
00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:13,520
Speaker 3: Definitely not in the eleven unless things.

693
00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:17,960
Speaker 2: Change in a big way between now and June.

694
00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:19,759
Speaker 3: Time for one more break for us.

695
00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,279
Speaker 2: Next up, we'll talk about the roster and who we

696
00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:24,920
Speaker 2: think me have played themselves out of the picture.

697
00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:26,760
Speaker 3: I just mentioned Geo.

698
00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,160
Speaker 2: There's a few others who didn't cover themselves in glory

699
00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:32,520
Speaker 2: in this camp. Thank you to listening to Inside American Soccer.

700
00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:45,080
Speaker 2: Please break review answers. All right, folks, welcome back to

701
00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,920
Speaker 2: Inside American Soccer. We're going to talk about the final

702
00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,960
Speaker 2: US World Cup roster, which of course we don't know yet,

703
00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:53,719
Speaker 2: but it's coming in a couple of months and we'll

704
00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,640
Speaker 2: I'll be on the edges of our respective seats for

705
00:36:56,719 --> 00:36:59,440
Speaker 2: that one. Just want to run through the basics here

706
00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:03,640
Speaker 2: real quick. We assume that there are at least three players,

707
00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:06,440
Speaker 2: maybe four, who weren't a part of this camp that

708
00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:08,360
Speaker 2: will be part of the twenty six I think consensus

709
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:11,720
Speaker 2: is Virginio dest who is expected to be healthy early

710
00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:16,319
Speaker 2: next month. Tyler Adams, who just got injured before this camp,

711
00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:19,440
Speaker 2: but is expected to be healthy soon, and Diego Luna

712
00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,280
Speaker 2: and then al Jndrison Dejas as well. So that's four players,

713
00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:27,239
Speaker 2: one a wing back, one of defensive midfield, and two

714
00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:31,960
Speaker 2: attackers who sort of play underneath the forward who nobody

715
00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:34,319
Speaker 2: It would be a bigger surprise of those guys weren't

716
00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:36,879
Speaker 2: on the roster other than maybe he's in Dahas than

717
00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:37,439
Speaker 2: if they were.

718
00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:39,520
Speaker 3: But Tad, you have the spreadsheet.

719
00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:43,000
Speaker 2: You have made your twenty six man roster, plus a

720
00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:46,919
Speaker 2: few guys on the fringes. So take us through the chart, man,

721
00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:50,800
Speaker 2: show us who you have and who could be looking

722
00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:53,520
Speaker 2: at a summer spent watching the games on TV with

723
00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:54,400
Speaker 2: the rest of us.

724
00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:57,239
Speaker 1: Well, I stayed up all night last night trying to

725
00:37:57,239 --> 00:38:00,320
Speaker 1: put this together, and particularly the goalkeepers. You know, I

726
00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:04,920
Speaker 1: really worry about your favorite I really worry about the goalkeepers. No,

727
00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,160
Speaker 1: but let me. I'll just go through the list because

728
00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,880
Speaker 1: it truly is difficult. You know, as we were talking

729
00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:14,400
Speaker 1: before about not potentially having locked up the way we play,

730
00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:16,799
Speaker 1: it makes it difficult to put a list together because

731
00:38:16,840 --> 00:38:18,680
Speaker 1: you don't know what how many players you need in

732
00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:21,439
Speaker 1: which line right, So if you're playing three center backs,

733
00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:23,439
Speaker 1: maybe you need five if you're playing two center backs,

734
00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:26,360
Speaker 1: maybe need four, right, So let's just push all of

735
00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:27,960
Speaker 1: that out the window and let me just go with

736
00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:31,480
Speaker 1: the players that I think should likely be locks, and

737
00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:34,040
Speaker 1: the players that will be I think fighting for a

738
00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,279
Speaker 1: position in about fifty days when the roster is his name.

739
00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:42,840
Speaker 1: So it's the four goalkeepers I had Freeze, I had Turner, Brady,

740
00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:46,279
Speaker 1: and Celentano. That could change by one, but I don't

741
00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:48,240
Speaker 1: think you know, Chelta could be part of that picture.

742
00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:50,600
Speaker 1: But I think you know at this point you're talking

743
00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:55,080
Speaker 1: about a fourth goalkeeper anyway, So that's sort of where

744
00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:57,480
Speaker 1: it is. We know a Freeze is going to be

745
00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:00,959
Speaker 1: the starting goalkeeper at this time. In terms of center backs,

746
00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:05,279
Speaker 1: I have three his locks, and those being Richards, McKenzie

747
00:39:05,360 --> 00:39:09,600
Speaker 1: and Reem, and then two fighting for an additional spot,

748
00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:13,400
Speaker 1: which would be Miles Robinson in Austin. Trustee that if

749
00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:16,919
Speaker 1: we're naming as center backs, I have him as two

750
00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:19,960
Speaker 1: for one position in order to complete the twenty six

751
00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:23,560
Speaker 1: that I have going into outside backs. I think it'd

752
00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:27,399
Speaker 1: be Anthony Robinson on one side, Freeman on the other.

753
00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:32,400
Speaker 1: I have Arstin and Desk. Obviously, I think Desk is

754
00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:34,360
Speaker 1: going to be the starter. Freeman would be the extra

755
00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:37,120
Speaker 1: center back if we were to need that, so he

756
00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:39,120
Speaker 1: can serve both functions.

757
00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:41,800
Speaker 3: And this leaves out Joe Skelly.

758
00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:44,280
Speaker 2: Joe Skelly was part of this camp, got a couple

759
00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:46,080
Speaker 2: of minutes I think in both games. I know he

760
00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:49,480
Speaker 2: came on late against Portugal. Hasn't been particularly good for

761
00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:53,520
Speaker 2: Mauricio Pochettino. I think it's kind of consensus that he

762
00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:56,120
Speaker 2: needed to have a big camp and he didn't.

763
00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:00,680
Speaker 1: So moving on to the central my fields, and this

764
00:40:00,719 --> 00:40:03,920
Speaker 1: is obviously a very crowded area, right we have I

765
00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:09,760
Speaker 1: have his locks, Taner Testament, Weston McKinney, Johnny Cardoso, Tyler Adams,

766
00:40:10,120 --> 00:40:13,200
Speaker 1: and then I have four playing for one spot here

767
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,319
Speaker 1: that would be the fifth central midfielder and that is

768
00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:20,520
Speaker 1: Aiden Morris, who I think didn't help himself in this

769
00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:27,960
Speaker 1: camp much, Sebastia Burholtz, Christian Rodin, and and I'm gonna

770
00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:31,000
Speaker 1: have to say unis Musa because why not. I mean,

771
00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:33,239
Speaker 1: for what we've seen so far, if Musa has a

772
00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,560
Speaker 1: couple games of that Dealanta, why not consider Musa. He

773
00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:40,200
Speaker 1: has the experience, he's playing in a in the top league.

774
00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:42,400
Speaker 1: I think he can be part of the picture. So

775
00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:45,640
Speaker 1: I have those four players fighting for one spot.

776
00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:51,400
Speaker 2: So my big hope was that, you know, you remember

777
00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:54,719
Speaker 2: Risio Pochcino's great Spurs teams. They had Dumbell who was

778
00:40:55,040 --> 00:40:58,600
Speaker 2: just a monster with ball progression, dribbling through central midfield,

779
00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:01,120
Speaker 2: and I my hope was that this Mussa would turn

780
00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:04,759
Speaker 2: into that type of player for the US, be the

781
00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:06,200
Speaker 2: sort of plug.

782
00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:11,680
Speaker 3: And play answer to that need. And when he's played.

783
00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:14,759
Speaker 2: For the US, he's actually played as a wingback or

784
00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:18,960
Speaker 2: a winger. I still don't understand that. And now, unfortunately

785
00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:22,520
Speaker 2: he barely plays for Atalanta. Anytime he gets a chance.

786
00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:25,160
Speaker 2: He gets about two games, a game and a half

787
00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:28,440
Speaker 2: sometimes and then is right back to the bench. Not

788
00:41:28,520 --> 00:41:32,200
Speaker 2: quite as dire a situation as Gio Reyna's, but nowhere

789
00:41:32,239 --> 00:41:35,640
Speaker 2: near the player that he was four years ago, and

790
00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:38,959
Speaker 2: nowhere near the player that we all hoped he would

791
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:46,960
Speaker 2: be four years ago. I'm less convinced that Johnny Cartoso

792
00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:49,080
Speaker 2: is a luck I just don't see.

793
00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:49,920
Speaker 3: I haven't seen.

794
00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:55,279
Speaker 2: Enough from him, and I think that Christian Rodon is

795
00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:59,319
Speaker 2: probably still ahead of him in the pecking order, but

796
00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:03,239
Speaker 2: we'll see. Like maybe that is me reading the situation incorrectly,

797
00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:04,880
Speaker 2: but I think roll Don has just brought more to

798
00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:07,680
Speaker 2: the game for the US on both sides of the ball.

799
00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:09,880
Speaker 3: So we have a little bit of disagreement there, but

800
00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:11,879
Speaker 3: one thing I think we all agree on.

801
00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:14,000
Speaker 2: Is that Tyler Adams has to be healthy and if

802
00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:17,160
Speaker 2: he's not, then the US is probably in some trouble.

803
00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:18,879
Speaker 3: Move us along through the attack tub.

804
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:23,320
Speaker 1: So for the attackers, I have obviously has locks polistic

805
00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:29,120
Speaker 1: Tillman waya in Zendejas all right, and I know Zendejas

806
00:42:29,200 --> 00:42:31,560
Speaker 1: wasn't at the camp, but again, this is my list,

807
00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,279
Speaker 1: so I have him in there and then and then

808
00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,440
Speaker 1: one spot up in the air, and that one spot

809
00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:41,600
Speaker 1: in the air would be between Giorna Brandon Aaronson and

810
00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:44,399
Speaker 1: Diego Luna. Out of those three, I think one can go.

811
00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:49,799
Speaker 3: Yeah. I think that Aaronson barely played in this camp.

812
00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:53,280
Speaker 2: When he got on late against Portugal, he didn't do anything.

813
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:55,680
Speaker 2: He didn't look like a Premier League attacker when he

814
00:42:55,719 --> 00:42:58,040
Speaker 2: got on the ball. He was rushed and he was sloppy.

815
00:42:58,080 --> 00:43:01,399
Speaker 2: And that's a price because he's actually been pretty good

816
00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:05,319
Speaker 2: for Leeds over the past few months, but hasn't really

817
00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:12,359
Speaker 2: impressed under Patchettino. Unfortunately. Gio Arena. We talked about it

818
00:43:12,360 --> 00:43:15,319
Speaker 2: looked exactly as rusty as you would expect from a

819
00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:18,080
Speaker 2: guy who does not play club soccer. That kind of

820
00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:22,920
Speaker 2: leaves the ball in Diego Luna's court. And he has

821
00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:26,360
Speaker 2: been consistently really good for the US. He came back

822
00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:29,480
Speaker 2: for RSL after injury to start the season. He came

823
00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:32,279
Speaker 2: back for RSL a couple of weeks ago and played

824
00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:34,399
Speaker 2: about half an hour, and he was fantastic the first

825
00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:36,759
Speaker 2: fifteen minutes, and then he was out of gas for

826
00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:38,040
Speaker 2: the second fifteen minutes.

827
00:43:38,120 --> 00:43:40,719
Speaker 3: Coming back from injuries as hard. But this is a

828
00:43:40,719 --> 00:43:42,520
Speaker 3: spot that looks like.

829
00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,200
Speaker 2: The battle is going to go down to the wire.

830
00:43:45,480 --> 00:43:48,359
Speaker 2: I think it's interesting that you have Tim Way here

831
00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:51,759
Speaker 2: as an attacker when he doesn't play there for his

832
00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:55,280
Speaker 2: club anymore, and he doesn't play there for his country.

833
00:43:55,320 --> 00:43:57,920
Speaker 2: He's playing almost exclusively as a right back or a

834
00:43:57,920 --> 00:43:58,800
Speaker 2: wing back now.

835
00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,560
Speaker 1: And that's fair. I'm just seeing this sort of as

836
00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:07,800
Speaker 1: the way Puschettino named his roster, because I think he's seeing, uh,

837
00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:10,560
Speaker 1: this situation a little bit the same. So so this

838
00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:14,359
Speaker 1: has a trickle effect where you know, if if if

839
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:19,440
Speaker 1: you have Freeman as a potential additional center back. It

840
00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:22,520
Speaker 1: means that Desk now is the only outside back, which

841
00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:24,400
Speaker 1: means now way I can be the help in the

842
00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:27,160
Speaker 1: outside back. So I see Way a little bit the

843
00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:30,440
Speaker 1: same way I see Freeman. So Freeman is really a

844
00:44:30,480 --> 00:44:34,160
Speaker 1: backup outside back, but but potentially as center back. I

845
00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:37,560
Speaker 1: see Waya as a backup outside back, as potentially I

846
00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:40,200
Speaker 1: mean as a backup forward, potentially an outside back.

847
00:44:40,680 --> 00:44:42,520
Speaker 3: We'll take us to the forward side.

848
00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:46,040
Speaker 1: And the forwards I'm I'm naming for and I'm naming

849
00:44:46,120 --> 00:44:50,360
Speaker 1: for only because that's my perception was that you know

850
00:44:50,719 --> 00:44:54,239
Speaker 1: that that Balligan was was a locked starter, and that

851
00:44:54,239 --> 00:44:56,480
Speaker 1: that's how we're going to play, and that at some

852
00:44:56,560 --> 00:44:59,120
Speaker 1: point we would likely go with two forwards at one time.

853
00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:01,600
Speaker 1: So you want to have options up front of guys

854
00:45:01,640 --> 00:45:05,200
Speaker 1: who are playing, you know. But after playing the last

855
00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:09,000
Speaker 1: game without a forward, I can't imagine that Pochettino's gonna

856
00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:11,960
Speaker 1: name four forwards when you don't use any. So I

857
00:45:12,239 --> 00:45:15,080
Speaker 1: don't know. Maybe I'm thinking too much into that, but

858
00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:16,920
Speaker 1: that's what it would seem like to me. You have

859
00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:18,799
Speaker 1: four forwards sitting on the bench. It wouldn't be a

860
00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:21,160
Speaker 1: it wouldn't be a good thing, but I have Baaligan,

861
00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:25,360
Speaker 1: I have Agimon Peppi and right all going to the

862
00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:28,439
Speaker 1: walk up. You know, I think now if he's thinking

863
00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:32,120
Speaker 1: Pachatino's thinking the way he thought for yesterday's game, I'm

864
00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:33,919
Speaker 1: thinking that he's likely not going to take four.

865
00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:39,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, there's no question that those are the four. I

866
00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:41,560
Speaker 2: think only three of them are going. And I think

867
00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:44,359
Speaker 2: given that Ricardo Peppy has not been able to get

868
00:45:44,360 --> 00:45:47,440
Speaker 2: a start, even though he played really well off the

869
00:45:47,480 --> 00:45:50,960
Speaker 2: bench against Belgium, he has not been able to get

870
00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:54,440
Speaker 2: a start for the US, it feels like the writing

871
00:45:54,520 --> 00:45:57,279
Speaker 2: is on the wall, uh, for for him, I think

872
00:45:57,320 --> 00:46:00,440
Speaker 2: he's the one who has to make up ground. And

873
00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:03,040
Speaker 2: like you said, Tad, we just played one of our

874
00:46:03,080 --> 00:46:06,120
Speaker 2: final friendlies without a true center forward out there. There's

875
00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:08,520
Speaker 2: no way that man is bringing four of them to

876
00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:11,160
Speaker 2: the World Cup. Just does not seem to be in

877
00:46:11,239 --> 00:46:13,799
Speaker 2: the cards, even though I do think it's actually at

878
00:46:13,840 --> 00:46:17,319
Speaker 2: this point probably our best bet because.

879
00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:20,720
Speaker 3: Look, we do have good goal scorers.

880
00:46:20,800 --> 00:46:22,799
Speaker 2: We have guys who are scoring goals at a high

881
00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:24,040
Speaker 2: level for their teams.

882
00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:25,920
Speaker 3: What we don't have our a lot of wingers.

883
00:46:26,200 --> 00:46:28,920
Speaker 2: So we should maybe stop trying to play with wingers

884
00:46:29,040 --> 00:46:31,960
Speaker 2: and start playing with more forwards out there, get the

885
00:46:31,960 --> 00:46:32,760
Speaker 2: wing backs.

886
00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:33,360
Speaker 3: A little bit higher.

887
00:46:33,400 --> 00:46:35,440
Speaker 2: There's a way to do this doesn't have to be

888
00:46:35,520 --> 00:46:41,279
Speaker 2: so prescriptive. Also, yesterday wasn't just finding out that the

889
00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:44,239
Speaker 2: US are behind the likes of Portugal. We also found

890
00:46:44,239 --> 00:46:46,959
Speaker 2: out the final opponent for the US in the group stage.

891
00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:47,600
Speaker 3: That's Turkey. A.

892
00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:50,080
Speaker 2: Used to call them Turkey, but they've asked for people

893
00:46:50,160 --> 00:46:52,239
Speaker 2: to change the way that you say the name, so

894
00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:56,800
Speaker 2: it's Turkey A. They were one nil winners over Kosovo

895
00:46:57,719 --> 00:47:03,319
Speaker 2: in the UA for playoffs. For that final spot, US

896
00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:06,080
Speaker 2: will need to at least get a result against Turkey

897
00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:09,960
Speaker 2: to win the group most likely, uh basic scouter report.

898
00:47:10,400 --> 00:47:13,440
Speaker 2: You know Arta Guler as their starman from Real Madrid,

899
00:47:14,160 --> 00:47:18,560
Speaker 2: really skillful player, hits the ground really easily, really really easily,

900
00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:23,960
Speaker 2: Keenan yields. They have good players in a lot of

901
00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:28,280
Speaker 2: the top teams in the world TAB. They didn't look

902
00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:31,799
Speaker 2: like a team that was maximizing all of that over

903
00:47:31,840 --> 00:47:34,480
Speaker 2: the course of these two games. They looked very individualistic

904
00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:34,719
Speaker 2: to me.

905
00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:39,520
Speaker 1: No, and in particular yesterday, they struggled in the first half.

906
00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:41,360
Speaker 1: Coast of a hit the crossbar great.

907
00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:45,560
Speaker 4: Saved by the by the Turkey a goalkeeper, but they

908
00:47:45,600 --> 00:47:48,279
Speaker 4: do have some pieces that can decide a game, you know,

909
00:47:48,320 --> 00:47:50,480
Speaker 4: and whether that's Yieldi's on the left side, he was,

910
00:47:50,760 --> 00:47:53,640
Speaker 4: he was solid yesterday, he was a he was a

911
00:47:53,640 --> 00:47:54,600
Speaker 4: pest the whole game.

912
00:47:55,040 --> 00:47:59,879
Speaker 1: Uh Guler didn't play well yesterday. You know, he sort

913
00:47:59,880 --> 00:48:02,160
Speaker 1: of added to the picture, but he was not a

914
00:48:02,239 --> 00:48:05,120
Speaker 1: key performer yesterday in the game. And I have to

915
00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:08,480
Speaker 1: say the first half I thought Kosovo was the better team,

916
00:48:08,760 --> 00:48:12,360
Speaker 1: but the second half Turkey really took took charge and

917
00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:14,880
Speaker 1: try to go for that second goal that they couldn't get,

918
00:48:15,040 --> 00:48:17,239
Speaker 1: but in the end they didn't need it. So I

919
00:48:17,280 --> 00:48:19,360
Speaker 1: think this is going to be This will be a

920
00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:23,400
Speaker 1: difficult opponent for US, no question about it. It's certainly

921
00:48:23,480 --> 00:48:27,000
Speaker 1: not one of the strong European teams. But I think

922
00:48:27,040 --> 00:48:30,080
Speaker 1: because they have individual players that can decide a game

923
00:48:30,120 --> 00:48:32,440
Speaker 1: any moment, you know, these teams are always difficult.

924
00:48:32,840 --> 00:48:33,040
Speaker 3: Yeah.

925
00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:36,799
Speaker 2: I think on paper they are the strongest opponent in

926
00:48:36,920 --> 00:48:39,920
Speaker 2: the group for the US. But games aren't paid played

927
00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:42,040
Speaker 2: on paper, they're pay played on grass.

928
00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:43,840
Speaker 3: And there's no reason.

929
00:48:43,600 --> 00:48:46,240
Speaker 2: The US should go into this tournament, into this group

930
00:48:46,239 --> 00:48:50,919
Speaker 2: this summer thinking anything other than advancing. At the very

931
00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:53,160
Speaker 2: top of the group. Turkey has got.

932
00:48:52,960 --> 00:48:55,160
Speaker 3: Talent, but they're not overwhelming.

933
00:48:56,680 --> 00:49:00,359
Speaker 2: That will hopefully be some solace for the US after

934
00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:03,040
Speaker 2: they faced overwhelming talent in these past two games and

935
00:49:03,080 --> 00:49:08,000
Speaker 2: got played right off the pitch against Belgium and Portugal's

936
00:49:08,080 --> 00:49:10,040
Speaker 2: tu nil on Tuesday night.

937
00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:12,200
Speaker 3: We've just met some time unpacking it.

938
00:49:12,360 --> 00:49:14,600
Speaker 2: There will be more to come in the weeks and

939
00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:17,240
Speaker 2: months ahead as we try to figure out the shape

940
00:49:17,280 --> 00:49:21,200
Speaker 2: of Mauricio Pochettino's pool, and we do maybe deeper dives

941
00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:25,960
Speaker 2: onto Turkey and Paraguay and Australia, who are the three

942
00:49:26,120 --> 00:49:30,479
Speaker 2: group stage opponents for the US. And like you said, Tab,

943
00:49:30,520 --> 00:49:33,319
Speaker 2: we're like fifty days away from finding out what the

944
00:49:33,360 --> 00:49:36,880
Speaker 2: twenty six man roster for Mauricio Pochettino and the US

945
00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:37,759
Speaker 2: men's national team.

946
00:49:37,880 --> 00:49:39,040
Speaker 3: He's at this worked up.

947
00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:42,040
Speaker 2: We of course will be all over that and we

948
00:49:42,160 --> 00:49:44,799
Speaker 2: expect you to be joining us for all of that

949
00:49:45,040 --> 00:49:45,600
Speaker 2: as well.

950
00:49:45,680 --> 00:49:46,520
Speaker 3: So thank you for.

951
00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:49,240
Speaker 2: Listening to Inside American Soccer.

952
00:49:49,320 --> 00:49:52,960
Speaker 3: I'm Mattell that's tob Ramos. Please rate review as subscribe.

953
00:49:53,040 --> 00:49:54,520
Speaker 3: We will be back next week.