Useless International matches

[Makingtrax]

Zack Steffen is going to be the next top American goalkeeper. Here's how he saved the draw against France today. Fekir's screamer, then Dembele on the rebound.

Good saves. The first shot was moving in the air and he saved it well. He clearly hadn’t been elbowed in the face 2 minutes before hand, then.

Shame they won’t be at the World Cup this time. Their 2014 campaign was one of the highlights of the WC. That Belgium match was outstanding, Jones really stepping up to the plate.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Good saves. The first shot was moving in the air and he saved it well. He clearly hadn’t been elbowed in the face 2 minutes before hand, then.

Shame they won’t be at the World Cup this time. Their 2014 campaign was one of the highlights of the WC. That Belgium match was outstanding, Jones really stepping up to the plate.

It's scandalous that they screwed around and failed to qualify. Just no excuse for it. I think it hurt them that they were afraid to move on from some of the older players and, Pulisic aside, integrate more younger players into the squad.

But maybe it was a blessing in disguise. It sparked needed change right at the very top (new USSF president and they've just hired a general manager for the first time) and they've been getting a look at young players during this string of friendlies. The starting lineup against France yesterday averaged 6.5 caps per player and they didn't even have Pulisic, Weah or Josh Sargent in the lineup. The back 5 that held France until Mbappe scored in the 78th minute had only 1 player over 22 years old.

So, the next 4 years should be quite interesting. Hopefully they won't screw up their search for a new coach.

 

[Makingtrax]

It's scandalous that they screwed around and failed to qualify. Just no excuse for it. I think it hurt them that they were afraid to move on from some of the older players and, Pulisic aside, integrate more younger players into the squad.

But maybe it was a blessing in disguise. It sparked needed change right at the very top (new USSF president and they've just hired a general manager for the first time) and they've been getting a look at young players during this string of friendlies. The starting lineup against France yesterday averaged 6.5 caps per player and they didn't even have Pulisic, Weah or Josh Sargent in the lineup. The back 5 that held France until Mbappe scored in the 78th minute had only 1 player over 22 years old.

So, the next 4 years should be quite interesting. Hopefully they won't screw up their search for a new coach.

Exciting times ahead for the US.

Wenger in, Trump out and you’ll be good to go.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Exciting times ahead for the US.

Wenger in, Trump out and you’ll be good to go.

I'm all for that!

 

[Rex Stone]

Talk that Denmark will be fielding a full amateur team against Wales because of disputes over commercial rights.

@Dokaka what are you guys doing?

 

[A_G]

@Dokaka what are you guys doing?

Dok might get a game at this rate actually.

 

[Dokaka]

Talk that Denmark will be fielding a full amateur team against Wales because of disputes over commercial rights.

@Dokaka what are you guys doing?

The Danish system translates to sports as well. The players' union are in disagreement with our FA, so they're refusing to play.

As a result, we're literally fielding futsal players because of the professionals refusing to break ranks It's certainly more interesting than a meaningless friendly!

 

[Rex Stone]

The Danish system translates to sports as well. The players' union are in disagreement with our FA, so they're refusing to play.

As a result, we're literally fielding futsal players because of the professionals refusing to break ranks It's certainly more interesting than a meaningless friendly!

The League of Nations is not some meaningless friendly thank you very much. Disgusting comment.

 

[dashsnow17]

If i wasn't watching this game before, I sure am now.

 

[dashsnow17]

Defo the most excited I've ever been for a Nations League match between Denmark and Slovakia, hands down.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Matt Doyle, who writes for the MLS website, says this is David Moyes on a train to the Meadowlands today for the USA-Brazil friendly. Could Moyes really be a serious enough candidate for the USA job that he's traveled to meet with Earnie Stewart?


The young USA team (nobody over 25) actually acquitted themselves fairly well tonight against Brazil, despite losing 2-0. One of Brazil's goals was a phantom penalty that surely would have been overturned with VAR. The real mismatch of the game resulted in the first goal. Antonee Robinson (who plays for Wigan on loan from Everton, where he came through the academy) may one day solve the USA's longstanding left back problem, but he was out of his depth tonight against Douglas Costa. About 5 minutes before the goal, the sideline reporter said he overheard Tite telling Costa that when he saw Robinson overplaying him to just take off. That's exactly what happened. Costa got past Robinson and whipped the ball in for Firmino to get on the end of it for the first goal.

But the rest of the defense actually played very well. John Brooks and Matt Miazga look like an excellent center back pairing for years to come. And Yedlin actually did a quite decent job against Neymar. Zack Steffan couldn't do anything about Firmino's goal, but made some nice saves. He's going to be a good one.

With Pulisic injured, no Altidore or Josh Sargent, and Weah on the bench, the USA didn't have much offense in the first half, but they looked much better in the second after Weah and Acosta came on. Started putting pressure on Brazil and probably should have scored. Weston McKennie had another terrific game. Kids is going to be a star. Wasn't at all afraid to go toe-to-toe with Casemiro.

Now if they can just hire a coach and start weaving all these young guys in with some of the more experienced players, we'll get a better idea of what they might have for next year's Gold Cup.

 

[carter777]

 

[A_G]

A transcript of Stephen Ward detailing why Arter hasn't been in the ROI squad recently, Roy Keane is (predictably) savage

"So basically lads, Roy was getting on to the lads for not training three days in a row. Jonny's got a bad knee so he can't train all the time.

"They were at the training ground and him and Harry were just sitting on the bench, just relaxing and icing themselves and stuff. Roy walked over and was like, 'Why aren't you lads training?' and he blatantly knew why they weren't training because the manager would have told him and they were like, 'We can't do three days in a row'.

"'What are you guys? Professional footballers? That's a shambles that is.' They both didn't say anything and Roy walked off and came back over again: 'So when are you going to train, I'm sick of people pulling out with injuries, what the f*** is wrong with ya?' and the lads were like: 'Listen, we've got problems, we do it at our clubs, we can't do it.'


Roy said something under his breath about Jonny and walked off.

"Jonny lost his head, jumped off the bench and walked after him, grabbed his arm and said: 'What's the story Roy? If you've got a problem say it to my face, don't f****** walk off' and he was like, 'I do have a problem, you're not training, you're getting soft, it's no wonder Dyche doesn't play ya, you're f****** always looking for an argument like you are now' and he was like, 'No Roy, you are the one trying to start an argument.' And apparently they were squaring off to each other and having it off and had to be pulled off each other. All the lads were grabbing Jonny away from him ... Johnny was going to kill him.

"Roy brought up something about when they were at Ipswich together, they had like a falling out as well. "You're threatening me again Jon, like you did at Ipswich', and Jonny was like: 'Yeah, are you going to be a s******** again and send me my fine in the post rather than say it to my face?'

"It blew over for a few days and then they flew out to France and Jonny apparently just text Roy like, 'Listen Roy, I'm in room whatever, if you wanna come up, you've obviously got something on your mind that pisses you off about me because it's causing tension in the squad, let's talk it out.'


"Apparently Roy just wrote back: 'Nah, I'm just here to help players. People like you... stay out of each other's way. You don't need to reply to this message.' And that was that.

"They got back from France and Harry felt his quad in training again. So he wasn't training. Apparently he was getting treatment in the treatment room and Roy walked in and was like, 'When are you going to train you f****** p****?' And Harry was like, 'What?' and he was like: 'Any chance of you training?'

"He explained the situation again and Roy was going off going: 'You're a f****** p****, you're a c***, you don't even care, you don't wanna train', and Harry was just going: 'Roy, I'm not speaking to you like this. I'm not listening to you. You're not the manager. You can't say anything to me.'

"Apparently Roy was going mad getting worse and worse and Harry got up off the treatment bed and was walking back to his room. As he was walking back Roy was shouting down the corridor: 'You're a f****** p****, you're a c*** you've been all your life' and that was really it lads.

"It didn't come to blows but basically just Roy losing his head."

 

[celestis]

A transcript of Stephen Ward detailing why Arter hasn't been in the ROI squad recently, Roy Keane is (predictably) savage

Keano would fit right in here at AM

 

[krackpot]

'You're a f****** p****, you're a c***, you don't even care, you don't wanna train'

I'd pay him to just keep shouting this at our squad.

A transcript of Stephen Ward detailing why Arter hasn't been in the ROI squad recently, Roy Keane is (predictably) savage

Keano would fit right in here at AM

reminds me of Greg Davies' story of the Aussie lifeguard:

 

[celestis]

'You're a f****** p****, you're a c***, you don't even care, you don't wanna train'

I'd pay him to just keep shouting this at our squad.




reminds me of Greg Davies' story of the Aussie lifeguard:

Classic

 

[Ricardinho]

Seems sky now have the rights to all England games outside of major tournaments - not sure how that has been allowed to happen!

 

[Relic]

Worth watching now Welbeck & RLC starts.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Xhaka will easily be the best midfielder on the pitch this evening.

 

[Raqe]

Xhaka will easily be the best midfielder on the pitch this evening.

no. zakaria will be better