** World Cup 2026 - USA, Canada, Mexico Thread **
Saw no thread was active yet while it starts tomorrow so I'd gave it a go
No real time for an extensive write-up but lets
Get some hats on the field for David
Korean anthem was once to the tune of Auld Lang Syne. They changed the tune but kept the lyrics the same. #themoreyouknow
Korea seems like they're perfectly happy to take the air out of the ball and sleep toward a draw.
I'm trying something here. This is the worst game ever and cannot possibly see anybody scoring.
We needed that
Korea is probably fine losing 1-0 here. I don't expect it to open up.
late start tomorrow because ... idk why. no clue
usa vs australia (in seattle)
scotland vs morocco (in foxborough)
brazil vs haiti (in philadelphia)
turkey vs paraguay (in santa clara)
- mexico have clinched 1st in group a, which means their r32 game will be at azteca vs 3rd place from group c/e/f/h/i. this is good news for czech republic who play mexico last in the group stage and need a win. more plausible now
- fractured fibula and tibia for ismael kone, so begins his road to recovery. best of luck, sir
CANADA.
We avoid Mexico in R32 now as well. Great results today.
I'm not fading my own country in a World Cup, but the "you're not as good after a good performance and not as bad after a bad one" metrics make me think it's a good idea. Also I don't think Pulisic is going to play, and if Aaronson or Weah starts up there I don't think we're going to be able to unlock Australia consistently enough to score more than one goal.
This scheduling is annoying. Why can't they just have 4 games per day at the same time.
That's because they won't start a game before noon local time, but the question is why have a West Coast game be the first game? No idea.
Also no idea how FIFA ****ed up the scheduling this bad for today. Why is the USA and Australia playing a game that is a horrible start time for both countries involved? Why isn't Morocco Scotland the first game because that actually would be an acceptable start time for those countries?
Should've been Morocco Scotland, followed by Brazil Haiti, followed by USA Aus, and Turkey Paraguay.
Pepi for Pulisic. I guess I just have to trust Poch but I don't think Pepi/Balogun is a partnership that would work well together. Would much rather have Aaronson in there for a game like this and continue the press from game 1. I expect us to look poor with the ball.
No Pulisic, no problem.
I'm not fading my own country in a World Cup, but the "you're not as good after a good performance and not as bad after a bad one" metrics make me think it's a good idea. Also I don't think Pulisic is going to play, and if Aaronson or Weah starts up there I don't think we're going to be able to unlock Australia consistently enough to score more than one goal.
think yall should smoke them. turkey went in mega arrogant and thus unprepared, and without a plan b. they also look like a small, slow, unathletic team. technically proficient sure, but kind of a perfect opponent for australia to bunker+counter as they did. australia also got pretty lucky that a. none of turkey's many shots from range hit and b. they binked on 2 of their very few chances
one of the announcers on the aus/tur game also made a good point that turkey were playing inverted winger on both sides vs australia's big back-5, so they just kept cutting back inside into the defense, instead of say trying to get behind them (much). crosses were also pointless as turkey were playing a lone ~5'9" forward vs australia's multiple ~6'5" cbs.
so idk, as long as usa don't over-commit and allow themselves to get hit on the counter they should be fine. guessing the american defense also has better pace to recover than turkey. use width, get behind, play a big forward and the goals should come. the american press was also pretty devastating vs paraguay, so i don't really see how australia wins here. maybe if they get lucky winning 1v1s on the counter again, or some pk/red card thing? another miracle, basically
Telemundo just showed the lineup with Pepi as a like-for-like in the same formation. If this is the case I expect Pepi and Balogun to be standing on top of one another too much, Robinson caught up too high too much, and McKennie blunted in his role as CAM. Wonder what odds I can get for Tyler Adams to get a card today. That seems inevitable with this plan.
Would much prefer something like a 4-2-2-2 with Flo and Pepi up top, McKennie and Dest in the MF wide with Tillman and Adams shielding the back 4. I'm definitely more pessimistic than Poch this game.
think yall should smoke them. turkey went in mega arrogant and thus unprepared, and without a plan b. they also look like a small, slow, unathletic team. technically proficient sure, but kind of a perfect opponent for australia to bunker+counter as they did. australia also got pretty lucky that a. none of turkey's many shots from range hit and b. they binked on 2 of their very
Yeah, this is fair, certainly, and the glass-half-full bit. And it's not like Pulisic is a good defender anyway, so Robinson is always asked to do too much. Still think Aaronson is a better swap if maintaining this shape. The one thing he does well - running around pressing like a chicken with its head cut off - seems to fit better when we really just need a point to guarantee going through. If we **** around too much trying to win the group we're def asking to find out. Ream is a lot of things, but he is neither quick nor fast. Freese is probably the weakest player on the pitch. Poch going all forward though.
Seattle has earned this match btw. It's the only place in the country that consistently provides a home field advantage. A few years ago I proposed that we just play all our home matches there and I still don't think it's an awful idea.
no start for irankunda hmm, he injured or just a choice?
All of that said, I really hope Pepi does well for a lot of reasons. Seems like a legit good dude who gives a real **** about this. Also from El Paso which, if the US is really talking about growing the game in the country, the best thing for the game here would be to have Pepi go apeshit. So I'm rooting for him hard.
