USA 3 - Mexico 2 CONCACAF Nations League Final

[Boomcoach]

A fantastic game all around and especially so with the US winning and how they won. Back and forth, US going behind twice and coming back each time and a saved PK from a subbed in keeper. That is the way to introduce a new generation of US players to the rivalry!

Worth staying up for!

[dkgo]

US is extremely talented everywhere except the backline (outside of Brooks) although they don't have much depth. Very exciting game.

McKennie was an absolute beast.

Team is a legitimate contender to make the quarters at the next WC.

[Boomcoach]

Originally Posted by dkgo

US is extremely talented everywhere except the backline (outside of Brooks) although they don't have much depth. Very exciting game.

McKennie was an absolute beast.

Team is a legitimate contender to make the quarters at the next WC.

Backline is definitely an issue. Losing Aaron Long for an extended time really hurts. Not sure who is coming through the ranks. Aboubacar Keita played well for the U23s and has been improving with the Crew, but he would be more of a depth piece than a starter.

As much as I like Pulisic as a number 10, in Concacaf, he gets brutalized in the middle. He may be more affective for the US on the wing, but not sure if McKennie or Reyna would do well in the middle.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by dkgo

US is extremely talented everywhere except the backline (outside of Brooks) although they don't have much depth. Very exciting game.

McKennie was an absolute beast.

Team is a legitimate contender to make the quarters at the next WC.

The USMNT is terrible. Mexico is terrible. Look at Mexico's international results over the last two years.

The US wins one game, and all of a sudden they're one of top eight teams in the world? Really?

[Boomcoach]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

The USMNT is terrible. Mexico is terrible. Look at Mexico's international results over the last two years.

The US wins one game, and all of a sudden they're one of top eight teams in the world? Really?

I am not as buoyant as dkgo, but I do not think it is stretching things too much to expect the USMNT to make the WC and advance from their group. My crystal ball won't take me much farther than that, but I think that this is a very talented team, with a core of young players who will be playing high level club football over the next year and would be expected to improve from their current abilities.

I have not looked too much at the expanded WC format yet, so don't know how many advance from pool play, and the knockout round is always a bit of a coin flip. England made the semis in 2018 largely by having an easy path through the first two knockout rounds. They were not one of the best 4 teams in the world, but they got there.

In 2014, US was one Wondo poach from advancing to the quarters, so it is not as much of a "blue sky" projection as you seem to think.

[dkgo]

mexico is ranked 11th in the world and always makes the knockout round. us had for 3 or 4 straight knockouts with crappy mls players. the field isnt really that deep