June 1, 2026 • 44 mins
Tab Ramos and Matt Doyle break down the USMNT’s thrilling 3–2 pre-World Cup victory over Senegal. Christian Pulisic finally snaps his goal drought with a spectacular performance, but his growing chemistry with Ricardo Pepi raises new questions about how the U.S. attack should be structured heading into the tournament.
Tab also breaks down the team’s defensive issues and shares his concerns about Chris Richards as he works his way back from injury ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
The guys then go through every U.S. player who saw the field against Senegal, handing out Stock Up and Stock Down ratings based on their performances. Plus, Matt explains why Weston McKennie was the best player on the field in the second half, and Tab reveals his projected Starting XI for the showdown with Germany on Saturday.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Oh no, no question, PEPPI was definitely as stuck up
because now it may I think it makes everyone think, well,
you know, this is a great player, how can we
have them on the bench.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Greetings, folks, and welcome back to Inside American Soccer. I'm
Matt Doyle, filling in for Tom Boger, who's about six
beers deep at a wedding right now, and I'm joined
by one of the greatest players in US soccer history,
a veteran of three World Cups, tab Ramos tab It
is good to see you again, my friend, and especially
under these circumstances. Coming off a big three to two
(00:35):
win over Senegal, which was a lot nicer than the
last time we did this show together on the back
of those five two drubbing and two nil against Portugal,
feels a lot nicer now.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Yeah, you know, I'm glad. I'm glad that you came
back for this because, yeah, you're right, last time we
left we were both crying a little bit about what's
gonna happen next. So no, it's great to have you back.
And I have to you know, I'm starting to get
really excited about the World Cup. Let's forget the game
for a second. Tomorrow I get to go to Philly
and pick up my World Cup credential. So it feels
(01:10):
real once you can hang the thing over your neck,
you know, and have it. So I think starting tomorrow
it's going to start to feel a little bit more
real for me. So I'm excited about that.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Are you posted up in Philly and New Jersey for
the entire World Cup? You're traveled around a little bit?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I have, So I have most of my games in
Philadelphia and a couple games in Toronto. That's it. That's it.
I just stay Eastern time zone.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, that's not bad. That's not bad getting to go
across the border to Toronto experience it there a little bit.
Our northern neighbors it's a big tournament for them as well.
But it's a big tournament here and let's get right
at it. What was your reaction to this three two
win over Senegal today from the US. I think a
much needed win for the US to not play well,
(02:00):
but to put the ball in the back of the
net to get out of there with the W.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah, I mean, you know, that's a great way to
put it. We we didn't need a win. We needed
to play well, and we did for a long time
in this game. You know here, you know, so maybe
here's where I'm gonna go with this a little bit.
I think my expectations have to change, right because I
think I've been after and I've been adamant about us
(02:27):
building a team at some point and building that cohesion
and and those you know, combinations and between players and
developing that over the last about two years that Mariso
Borchetino has had this team. And yet every camp we say, okay,
well it's gonna be the next one. The next one
is going to bring everybody together, and the next one
(02:49):
is the time when we're going to start building. And
I just think that when I'm watching our national team,
I feel like I'm watching an all star team, right.
It gives that feel willing to me of everyone's good.
Everyone that has the ball can do something, but not
everyone else knows what that one person is going to
do at a different time. And you know, in the
(03:13):
in the first half, when I saw the connection of
Peppi and Polisic and how Peppy brought Polisic into life,
really we haven't seen Polsic this way with the national
team in a long time, and I think Peppy dropping
into the hole sort of broke Polisic into the game.
It freed him up because the defenders didn't know whether
(03:34):
to go with him or stay back. Polisic was able
to exploit, you know, the space behind you know, these
are the things that I think you and I were
talking about this six eight months ago when we were
doing the podcast, when we said, these are the little
combinations that we have to start building because you know,
during games, you don't know if those last for a
long time, if it just happened two or three times,
(03:54):
and if it did, and we can't get that back,
and we work on that. So that's part of the
way we play. So I'm not sure of what I
saw today with Peppi and Polisic. It's something that just
happened because we were watching an all star team and
the players are very good, or if that was part
of how we play, and if that is part of
how we play, Wait a minute, we have number nine
(04:16):
that was one of the hottest number nines in the world,
you know, about a month ago, and who, by the way,
played an excellent second half. Where does ego? If this
is an important part, So I have mixed feelings. But overall,
I will go with what you started this with, which
is we needed a win. We got the win, we
deserve the win, and we have to move from it,
(04:39):
hopefully with a lot of confidence.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, you talked about partnerships and chemistry and the type
of things that you see from a real team rather
than just a collection of talent, and we got that
in good chunks. Two very different groups in the first
half and the second half though, And the thing that
sort of jumped out to me to have was the
connection between p and Polistic. Peppi is a type of
(05:03):
forward who he can run the channels, but what he
really does well is occupy opposing center backs, and we
saw that right from the jump. I think I was
watching and made a note within ninety seconds about how
good Peppy's hold up play was. And that allowed Christian
to just be an attacker right. He was not asked
to be a playmaker. He was just running the channels,
(05:24):
getting to the end line at will. Made it look easy,
getting down the scoreboard, setting up desks for the opener.
The second half, both those guys go out, we see
Weston mckennie come in and play underneath flow Balligan flow.
Baligan is a very different type of striker. He's a
guy who likes to run the channels, whereas Weston mckennie
(05:46):
when he's playing as an attacking midfielder, he doesn't run
the channel so much as he comes to the ball,
tries to get defenders on his back and then turn
and play guys through. Each group had really good chemistry.
How do you bring that all together over the course
of ninety minutes against Germany before the World Cup kicks
(06:06):
off for real, because it was two different teams out there.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Well, you don't. The easy answer is you don't. You
don't bring it together. I think, you know, even when
we later on were probably going to project the next lineup,
I think after today, I'm done projecting what I think
Poshatino is going to do because I just don't think
it makes any sense for me to do that. I'm
just going to put a lineup together that I think
(06:29):
is what kind of makes sense with what I saw
and what I've seen over the last you know, six months.
But I think it's difficult to build a team this way.
You know, you have two teams they both did well.
You have two number nine they both did well. Now
you realize that your best player at Christian Polisic plays
best with likely the number nine, that's not the best
(06:49):
number nine. How do you fit that in? And you know,
at this point I have to say, I'm glad I'm
not the coach.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I don't know. These are kind of first world problems
at least too much talent and just a question of
how to fit it together rather than not enough talent
and how do you hide that. But let's go into
the mentality piece, because we both said this is a
win that the US needed, especially coming off what happened
in that March window. Is there a danger with the
US team going into a World Cup having a performance
(07:21):
like this you get maybe a little too far out
over your skis a little too overloaded with optimism? Or
is this just unquestionably a good thing to have a
performance like this in the bag as you prepare.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
No, I don't think there's anything negative at all about
getting a win like this, because I think at the
end of the day, you have two separate groups and
about twenty players that played today who should be confident
about how they contributed. Obviously, some did well, some didn't
do as well, but overall, as a group. You have
to be happy. You got a big win and everyone
(07:54):
pretty much contributed to this, which allows you to have
a great locker room over the next four or five days.
The team feels good about itself. Yet no one knows
likely who's going to start the next game, because you know,
we obviously don't know that either.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, it's been tough to tell the whole time through
with Murcio Pochetino who would start the next game. But
it seems like a certainty that Alex Freeman has won
a starting job. I'm will to go out on the
ledge and say Alex Friquet is a starter for this team.
When he made that move to Villa Real, we were
both worried about it because he's a talented kid. But
(08:31):
moving to a team like that was Champions League team
in a league like that, which is the second best
league in the world at worst, can be too much
for players. It hasn't proved to be too much for him.
He was able to settle in By the end of
the season. He was a part time starter. I think
he went ninety three of their final four games, and
he came out today and I thought he was great.
The defensive side of the ball, really really good, sort
(08:54):
of in that flexback role in a back three when
they had the ball, and then defending as a full
when they had to switch into a back four banks
or four, and then he made a really sterling play
getting on the ball and laying in Riccardo Peppy for
the second goal that, of course Prolistics scored, but the
(09:14):
rest of the defense kind of makeshift. We've had our
issues with Tim Rien. He's still out there. Jedi Robinson
came back. I thought he looked good for forty four minutes,
and then the forty fifth he had the turnover that
led to the first Senegal goal. Mark McKenzie filling in
for Chris Richards. We still don't know what Chris Richard's
status is going to be for the World Cup, so
there end up being a lot of questions defensively and
(09:37):
what is your concern level for that back line at
this point in the process.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
I have to say that my concern level at this
point is a little bit higher than it was before
this game started. Before I thought what the you know,
I was thinking about what the lineup could be and
how it could perform against a team like Senegal. And
the reason I say that is because because we played
so well for the first fifteen or so minutes in
this game that Senegal didn't have the ball at all.
(10:07):
As a matter of fact, I think we went into
that first water break really comfortable in this game. I
mean we just first of all, we did a great
job not only holding the ball but winning it back
as soon as possible. We pressed high. You could tell
that that was by us kicking the ball out of
bounce to start the game. You could tell that we
were trying to set the tone. We set the tone,
(10:27):
but we stayed with it. And by the way, when
you're a high pressing team, you need your guys in
the back to really be doing a good job, and
they did. And then after the twenty third twenty fourth minute,
you could start to see it breaking right. And here's
where the danger comes from me that it didn't take Senegal,
(10:48):
you know, possession. It didn't take them a long time
to be dangerous. They started to be dangerous right away.
It seemed like any time they were in our attacking third,
they were in a situation where they could they made
things difficult for us, and they created an important play.
And that scares me a little bit about the defenders. Now,
I will add that what you said about Freeman spot on,
(11:13):
spot on. I mean, the kid was great today. He
proved that going to view Real was the right move.
And I think you're right. I think from us looking
on the outside, it looks to me like Freeman should
be a starter on this team on that outside center
back role.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
How confident are you on that left side with Tim
Reim and Anthony Robinson, who, like I said, Anthony Robinson
has not been the same guy since that injury. But
for forty minutes tonight he looked really, really good and
then he had that one badly mistouch that led to
the Demane goal in the forty fourth minute.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Yeah. No, I think we've been saying that. You know that, Anthony, right,
Let's not forget Anthony Robinson was our best player for
the last five or six years. So the expectations are high.
The expectations are Anthony Robinson out of that left let's say,
win back role, can win games for us. That's the
type of wing back that we've seen for the last
five or six years, and we expect a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
So.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
I think he played it. He played a good game,
yet not at the level that we're used to seeing
from him. In terms of the center backs, you know
Reem and and McKenzie. I thought McKenzie did well. I
was really surprised at the turnovers that we once again
so from Reem, and I just don't think. I just
don't think Reem in that spot is a solution for us.
(12:29):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, the big worry is that in his h in
the chances that Pochettino's given to other players, nobody has
really stepped up and claimed that spot and pushed Reim out,
kind of waiting for it. If it's gonna happen, it's
the last minute. I doubt it is gonna happen, though,
because Tim Riem is wearing that captain's armband h for
a reason. So I think we sink or swim with him.
(12:52):
But let's just stalk up or stock down, since we're
going through these guys on a pretty granular level anyway,
and we'll start at the back. We saw Matt Turner
get the first half, and then Chris Brady made his
debut for the second half. I was really impressed with
Matt Turner. He had a couple of really nice saves
and we had that one time he came off the
line took the ball off of Mane's foot. I thought
(13:14):
he really helped himself today he.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
May have I think for me in terms of stock
up or down for him, I keep him in the
same place. I think Matt free should be the starter
on this team, and I'm surprised that Matt got this game,
at least that he got the first half, So I
would keep him the same as he was before. He's
a legitimate backup. I think if I see him on
the field in the World Cup, I'm not going to
(13:38):
be concerned because obviously I know he has the experience
of the last World Cup as well. But I just
think Matt Freeze has done a little bit more on
this national team in the last six eight months to
win that position. That's sort of how I see it.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Yeah, And I think we'll learn a lot by whether
or not Freeze starts and goes ninety against Germany. I
think if he does, then it's clear that he's the
starter going into the group stage of the World Cup.
If it's a split, if Freeze gets the first forty
five and then Turner gets the second forty five against Germany,
then it feels like we might be going into the
World Cup with a bit of a keeper issue question anyway,
(14:16):
and that would concern me a little bit. But I
guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Chris Brady had a tough moment on that goal, that
back pass room Miles Robinson, but it's his first cap.
I don't think he was always going to be the
third string keeper. Glad he got his debut out of
the way. You know, ended up getting the win in
the end.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Again again, wait, wait before we go to the center backs.
I have to address that, right because I like everything
you said, But I like what you said a year ago,
not today, not like eight days before our first game.
I all of the things that you said are perfectly correct.
So like, yeah, of course you know that that passed
back and the deflection and he gets caught in the
middle of no man's land. Difficult, especially your first game.
(14:59):
You're playing in f one of fifty thousand people. Not
easy on the national team where all of those things, right,
they all come in. But he's the third string goalkeeper.
Wise he on the field today. I don't understand that
at all.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Well, I assume the idea is it's a breakacase of emergency,
like we very rarely see a third string goalkeeper get
on the field in the World Cup. My guess is
this is a breaking case of emergency type of thing
where you don't want him having to make his full
national team debut in the World Cup, so get him
on the field in this one. I agree with you,
though it should have happened two camps ago, and it's
(15:36):
a brings back January camp. I know January camp is
often pretty odd, but it would have been a perfect
one to have to give Chris Brady his debut then,
so that we wouldn't have had to worry about him
getting forty five minutes in a game like this. But
let's move on to the center backs. Tim Marine, we've
talked about kind of in the same place that he
was before the game as far as we're concerned.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Yeah, I wouldn't say upper down for Tim Reim. We've seen,
you know, he's been sort of, let's say, on a
downward trend for about the last year, right. You know,
great guy. Obviously he's the captain of the team. There's
a reason for that because he's just a great human being.
He brings a lot to the table if you heard
Pushettinos speaking the press conference yesterday about about Tim and
(16:21):
he said, you know, maybe not so much for what
he does on the field, but what he does off
the field, and that has a huge value. And I
think we all have to appreciate someone who's put such
a long career with a national team and it's done
so great and who you know, here comes a foreign coach,
right and he considers him so high within the locker room.
So that's important. But you know, on the field, I
just don't. I don't think he helped himself today, but
(16:43):
I don't think that makes any difference.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Mark McKenzie filling in for Chris Richards in the middle
of that back line, I thought he had a pretty
He had one pass that was and he's good for
one of those a game. But I thought otherwise he
acquitted himself pretty well.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Yeah again, you know, stock not up or down. I
think he stayed the same. I think Mark, we know
what Mark is about. He'll give you maximum effort and
he will be that guy. Every once in a while
he'll make that mistake and some center backs do that,
but overall, I think he stayed the same.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Alex Freeman, I think we both agree probably took a
step towards solidifying a starting spot for himself on this team.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Definitely stuck up not only for his defending, because he
a couple of times he came all the way across
to defend, which was really sort of heads up play.
He's reading the game, he's really focused, and you can
tell he's a very He's a player that has good
concentration in the game. You don't lose him in the game.
And on top of it, he passes really well. He
was able to take space. When they gave him the space,
(17:44):
he took it, and on the second goal, you know,
he started that second goal. So I definitely stuck up
for me.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Austin Trusty and Joe Scaley both came in at halftime,
ended up playing Trustee coming on for Tim Reem and
Scally coming on for Alex Freeman. Obviously not as dynamic
a player. I didn't think either of those guys hurt themselves.
Neither looked out of their depth, Neither looked, you know,
afraid of trying to hit telling passes, and I like
(18:11):
to see that.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Yeah, I mean I in general, I was a little
bit disappointed with Trusty because I think he's in a
situation where had he performed really well today, you know,
he starts to put the doubt in Pushetino in terms
of that left sided position, but he didn't do that.
I think he was he was average today and because
of that, I think his stock stays the same. As
far as Scalley's concerned. Obviously came a little bit more
(18:35):
on that. Inside, I was trying to figure out. You know,
obviously gause Way I was there too, so I was
trying to figure out. You know, as the second half started,
we had so many different players on the field. You're
trying to put it together. And then I realized he's
playing that center back role, and I think he did. Okay.
I think you're absolutely right he did. Okay. I think
Freeman's better at it.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Yeah, Miles Robinson unfortunate outing for him. Stock down. It
kind of a carryover or in MLS with FC Cincinnati.
He's at a tough first half of the season, and
that's what he looked like on the field today.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
And you know this, this makes me think a little
bit about Chris Richards because this is what happens. You know,
Miles has been nursing some kind of injury because we've
been hearing that they've been just resting him a little
bit more so he's carrying something. And you can tell
when you know when you're not playing as hard because
there's an injury and time goes by. For Miles now
(19:28):
it has been a month and a half that we've
seen sort of what you know, him not being in lineups,
are getting taken off, which is not normal for a
center back. And I think now we have to start
worrying a little bit about Chris Richards because now he
hasn't played in a few weeks and hopefully he plays
his last game against Germany, but I'm not seeing that
because the latest we've heard from camp is that we're
(19:49):
hoping he's ready for the World Cup. And if he
is ready for the World Cup, that means he's not
gonna have played for about a month and that that's
too long for me to get thrown into a game.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Yeah, and we saw it today for Miles Robinson. The
outside backs, we've talked about Jedi a little bit, probably
not stock up or down for him. Serginio Desk though,
had himself a very good game. Of course, in the
role he was in. He was much more of an
attacker than we've seen from him in the past. And
we all know Sergenio has the soul of an attacker.
(20:21):
I will say tap now, not much of a defender
in there.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yeah, I think you're right, but I think, you know,
a desk was exactly what I always expect. You know,
he played a great game. I don't think stock up
or down because I expect that from him. I think
he is a difference maker out of that right back position,
and he proved it today. I mean today he was
at the sixth to finish that beautiful pass from Christian Polisic. Obviously,
(20:46):
you know, but it's not often that you find your
right back. I mean you have to look at guys
like Hakimi to see guys win in those positions. And
and I'm not I won't say stock up only because
I think he can do that for us all the time.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
And Tim Waya came in for him at halftime and
was just as good. He was fantastic. I thought, Tim weya,
I don't know if that makes him stock up. It's
a better performance than what we've seen from him recently.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, he did well, but I just didn't think I
didn't think necessarily that in the March window he did poorly.
I think he was put in tough situations if you
remember against Doku and you know, so he had issues
because he was left isolated to defend, which is not
what he does best. But when he has a chance
to attack, he can make a big difference. So yeah,
I mean, I say, you know, not Stock up or down.
(21:38):
I think he did well enough to stay in the
same spot.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I think the same is probably true for Maxi Arsten
left back. He came in part of a couple of
different attacks. I think he set up a nice chance
for Weston McKenney, didn't get abused defensively, which is nice
to see, but solidly the number two left back at
this point behind Jedi Robinson.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Yeah, I think he was put in a little bit
more of a difficult situation because I thought the second
half was pretty chaotic in general. It was hard to
tell where people were. Guys were running everywhere, and you know,
he did well in attack as he always does, and
he didn't have to get back as much and because
of that, I think he played. He played a solid
second half. Haven't said that. I think Stock stays the same.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Yeah, Stock stays the same for Tyler Adams as well.
Did really well defensively move the ball without turning it
over in any bad spots. I think he could have
done a little bit better on the first goal from Senegal,
the money goal, he had a chance maybe to play
Manay off side and he didn't quite read it. But
(22:44):
still no question Tyler Adams is essential to this team.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah. I mean I thought he was probably the one
guy that looked like he played exactly the position he
should be in, and he played it exactly how we
would expect for him to play it. And on the
money goal, obviously the effort to get all the way back,
he sort of got left isolated, and I think he
doubted for a half a second whether he should go
or stay to pull them off sides. But I thought
(23:09):
Tyler played really well, and I think stock stays the
same because you know, we were just talking here on
this show this week about how we thought he probably
should be the captain of the team because we think
he's that he's the guy that's that glue on the team,
and he showed it today.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Yeah. And how about the guy he started next to,
Seth Burhalter, who was I think something of a surprise
starter to me into a lot of other folks as well.
I thought Weston McKenny would get the start at the
eight in Central Michield, but it was it was said.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Yeah, you know, and another one. I wouldn't say stock
up or down. I think he did well in terms
of movement effort getting to the ball, but you know,
when you try to find him to build out of
the back, he found it difficult. I don't think it
was necessarily a good a good game for him, but
I also didn't expect him to play a big role
in this team going into the World Cup. If he's
(24:01):
going to be a starter, he's going to need to
play a lot better than today.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Yeah. I think the same is true of Christian roll Don,
who thought had a first a tough first ten minutes
when he came on. It settled into the game a
little bit, but a few sloppy touches in there.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Yeah, I would say the same. I thought he was
chasing it and I thought at times the game seemed
a little bit fast for him. It seemed like he
was dragging along.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
A little bit and the attacking midfielders. It was Polisic
and Geo Rena who got the start in the first half. Obviously, look,
Christian Polisic is the number ten and he's going to
be a starter and he's going to be a centerpiece
player no matter what. But it still felt like a
stock up performance from him given the struggles he's had
(24:45):
for club and for country for the past, you know,
six months for club, almost two years for country since
he put the ball in the back of the net.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah, no question. I think it was a good game
for Christian Polisic. I think you described it really well
when you said that Peppi coming into midfield a little
bit and pulling those center backs out a little bit
more benefited Christian in terms of getting behind and finding
the space because now he didn't have to be the
sole creator and that helped him a lot. And because
(25:14):
of it, I think we found them exactly where we
want to find him. If somehow we can find Christian
making those runs behind in the World Cup where he
can either score or make the final pass, I think
we're going to be a tough team to deal with.
So I think it was not only stay the same
for me, it was stock up for Christian Polistic today.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Stock up as well for gio Rena who came on.
He was tidy in the midfield. He wasn't magical or anything,
but he kept the ball well, he kept it moving well,
didn't turn it over, and was actually a little bit
of a presence defensively, which is not always a given
with him.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I think for me that one stayed the same. I
think gi Rena gave us the twenty minutes that we
expect from him, and then there wasn't really a whole
lot more after twenty minutes. But that's what he's been
playing at club. He did really well in the twenty minutes.
He connected passes well, although most of his passes were
not dangerous, they were not towards goal, they were not
(26:09):
creative passes. They were just connecting passes, either from side
to side or just keeping the ball. So I would
say I'd keep stock the same. I continue to believe
that this version of Giororina for us is the last
fifteen or twenty minutes of a game.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Malik Tilman might have made a case for himself as
a starter. I thought he was excellent in the second half,
and he's a guy who's been kind of lukewarm in
previous appearances. But he was fighting the ball, making unselfish plays,
creating constant danger on the run and in possession.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
I've been down on Malik Tiltman for a while now,
three or four months. He hasn't really shown much with
the national team, has not shown much at club, and
I thought, man, are we really going to lose this
player for the World Cup? And today for me was
a stock up day, a big time stock up because
now I'm and I'm hoping that Mauricio Pachettino maybe sticks,
(27:04):
you know, McKinny back with Adams a little further back,
and that allows Tillman to be on the field next
to Polisic.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
I thought Weslen McKenny was actually the best player on
the field of the second half. Fearless as always dragging
the opposing midfield around to chase him, playing essentially as
a number ten, but coming deeper to link play and
then releasing way down that right side or balling it
into the attack constantly. I loved his game. I hope
(27:33):
he's a starter at the number eight. It's always a
little jarring for me to see him playing as a
number ten, but either way, to me, he's irreplaceable in
this starting lineup and I hope he goes from the
start against Germany.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
No question. McKenny is a complete player and I think
he showed it today and he has been showing it.
I mean, he's had a solid year for a club
in country and I'm happy to see that. And again,
I hope that with the roster that we have, that
Pochettino was able to afford, with the way he's thinking,
that he's able to afford to put you know, Adams
(28:07):
and McKenny next to each other, to give to be
able to have Tilman on the field as.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Well now and then Alexandjas came on for the last
fifteen minutes or so playing that attacking role, while Tilman
actually dropped deeper as a number eight. I thought he
was tidy. He didn't look like a game breaker. So
I think Stock probably stays the same for.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Me, and that could be and I wouldn't disagree with you.
You know, it's hard to judge on not playing that
many minutes in a game like that where there's been
a lot of changes already. But I didn't like when
he went on the breakaway and the player came from
behind and basically you know, blocked him easily, I have
to coming from behind. I thought he should have stayed
(28:47):
in front, try to either get fouled or go right
to gold. He tried to open up to come onto
his right foot for some reason, and that gave the
opposing player the opportunity to come around and block the shot.
And I thought that was poor. I thought that showed
him not having that sort of a little bit more
of that breakaway, put the game away type of ability,
(29:07):
which we're going to need for a player like him
who's likely going to come in games. In the last
ten or fifteen minutes.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Both center forwards showed well, we got forty five minutes
for Ricardo Peppi, his longest runout for Muricio Pocheccino since
November of twenty twenty four, so eighteen months. I thought
he was excellent, one of his best performances in the shirt.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Oh no, no question. Peppi was definitely as stuck up
because now it may I think it makes everyone think, well,
you know, this is a great player. How can we
have him on the bench. You know, now we can
go all the way back to the last wall, come
and say why wasn't he there? Like it was that
kind of game that makes you think about that. And
also I think the most important thing, and I briefly
mentioned it before, is he sort of brought Christian Polisic,
(29:56):
you know, into the game and make Christian Polisic look
as important and as he is. And I think there's
a great value to that. And I tell you what
difficult decision from Rusio Pochettino when he decides who the
number nine is going to be, because Balligan was as
good as we expected him to be and he's he
proved today that he's one of the best finishers in
Europe right now. And I know I'm saying a lot,
(30:18):
but he's had a great year in today he showed why.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Yeah, it looked like we had two thirty million dollar
strikers to choose from, which it turns out that we do.
And maybe against Germany we'll see another new look from Murcia.
Pochettino start both of them together up top with the
old three five two. Crazier things have happened, but for us,
it's time for a break and up next, tab gives
you his top five breakout players at the twenty twenty
(30:42):
six World Cup. Please rate, review and subscribe to Inside
America in Soccer with Tom Bogert and tab Ramos wherever
you get your podcasts. All right, folks, welcome back to
Inside American Soccer. So Tad, you made for us a
(31:04):
list of your top five breakout players that this twenty
twenty six World Cup, and the number five spot you
have Portugal's Neuno Mendes.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Yes, and you know I have to tell you that,
you know, for the time you've been gone, nothing has
changed here. So for my top five, I made six,
So my six would be My six would be Nico Pas.
I think if Nico Pas can get into this Argentina team,
if the team is struggling a little bit, if he
can get in there with the level he's at, watch
out for him. He could be a breakup player. But
(31:37):
let's go to number five. As you said, nun No Mendez.
Nun Mendez reminds me of the old Brazilian outside backs
that we're all used to watching. I love this player, obviously,
we've seen him play for PSG. He's a player that
attacks really well, defends really well, and I think he
could be one of the ones for Portugal because I
think Portugal will be one of the contenders. I think
(31:59):
he could be one of the that could open games
up for them, although they have plenty of other players
who can do it.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, like you said, we've seen him do it for PSG.
We've seen him do it a little bit for Portugal
and Nations League. It would be obviously a huge moment
for him if he could do it in the World
Cup Portugal across a team that's never won the World Cup.
The number four guy on your list also plays for
a country that has never won the World Cup. I'm
(32:26):
talking about Jeremy Doku with Belgium.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah, I think this is Belgium's last chance to actually
make noise at a World Cup with a group of players,
and not all of them are there, and maybe it's
the end of what they call their Golden generation, but
I think it's the last chance for Belgium and I
think because of that, this group is going to be
hard to take down. And as part of this list,
I wanted to put in players who are hot, who
(32:50):
are at a great moment, who are actually ready today
to get into the World Cup and make a difference.
And there's no question that if I had to pick
a player at the moment that is hot that can
break again wide open. Jeremy Dokuiz is one of those players.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
And same with the guy who's number three on your list,
Michael Olisse of France. He had some spectacular performances in
the Champions League this year.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Yeah, in particular it makes me think back about their
matchup with Real Madrid and now he destroyed Carreras, Real
Madrid's left back in that game. But he's been doing
it all year. The tricky thing with Michael Lise why
he's not higher on the list for me is because
France has so many wingers, right, so it could be
on his side, it could be Dombell, it could be Duet,
They could even put Barkola on that side, although Barcolo
(33:37):
plays the other side. But they have so many wingers
that sometimes they put they put Michael Lise as sort
of a number ten behind them Bape, you know, and
Bappi plays the nine and so. But having said that,
I think that he's a player that could definitely be
one of the ones that could lead France into winning
this World Cup.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
We already talked about Portugal being a team that's never
won World Cup. If they do get it done this time,
then there is every chance that we come out of
this tournament, saying that the teena is actually the best
central midfielder in the entire world, and he is number
two on your list here.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Yeah, you know, I was actually pulling for Vitina to
win the Player of the Year last year. I just
think he's that good. I think Vitina, if he's not
the best player in the world, he's at least he's
the one I like the most if I had I
don't know if that makes a difference, but no, he's
a great player. He can play the six to eight
(34:35):
or the ten. But Portugal is so loaded because he's
going to be playing next to Nevis and Bruno Fernandez
in the middle of that field, and I just don't
think that they'll be a better midfielder in the world
for him to succeed with. I think Vitina is a
player to watch and Portugal definitely has a possibility to
win this World Cup.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
It does feel like this is their best team and
they do. They are still a little bit too dependent
on Christiano Ronaldo for goals, though maybe that changes with
Gonsols at the international level, because I think he's more
effective with Portugal than he is with PSG. But either
way it's going to run through Fatina. But for me,
the best player in the world is the guy you
(35:15):
have number one on this list. It's le Mean Jamal
from Barcelona in Spain.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Yeah, And I wanted to keep this list a little
bit on the you know, sort of this secondary guys,
because I didn't want to mention Himbapa. I didn't want
to mention it Holland. I didn't want to mention it
Harry Kane, Guys that could potentially be the best players
in the World Cup, right, I wanted to keep it
a little bit to those secondary names that we were
now listening to every day. But you can't stay away
(35:42):
from La Minya Mal. You just can't. He's too much
fun to watch. He destroys defenders, and I think with
Spain being as good as they are and with the
great opportunity that they have to win this World Cup,
this could be the player that leads away for the
best team and that's Spain.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
And the thing, the thing that he's improved done most
this past year is understanding where goals come from. If
you watched him play last year or two years ago,
and he was already starting for Spayton as a sixteen
year old at the Euros he would make the killer pass,
but then he wouldn't make the following run for the
pullback to the penalty spot, the run that Messi makes
(36:19):
every time that he's probably scored three hundred and fifty
goals on. Well, this year for Barcelona he started making
that run. I think he scored twenty goals across all competition.
A lot of them were one touch finishes like that
irresistible player to watch. Let me ask you this step
after the World Cup. Well, I guess it's two questions. One,
what are the chances that an American is on this
(36:41):
list of breakout players of the tournament? And two who
would it be?
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Well, I think if we're going to have a breakout
player from what I saw in today's game, is gonna
have to be Christian Polisic. It's gonna have to be
Christian Policic coming from behind doing the things that he
did today, not only scoring but assisting players because he
does have forwards he can put the ball away. You know,
he does have Bawigan up there who can put the
ball away. If Christian Polistic can get in good form,
(37:07):
I think he could potentially be in this list.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
My choice would be Alex Rereaman based upon what we
saw of him against Duraguay in November, based upon the
fact that he's broken into the lineup for one of
the best teams in La Liga, and he's just so
gifted in so many ways. Obviously physically, but you see
his touch on the ball and his attacking brain as well.
If those two guys play well, and you know we're
(37:32):
doing the show month and a half from now talking
about how their breakout players on the world stage, I
think we'll all be all smiles for that one. But
for now, it's time for one more break is next up.
We're gonna give our projected starting eleven for the Germany
Friendly coming up. I know TAB swore off of it
in the first segment, no more projected starting eleven, but
we're gonna bring him back in. So thanks for listening
(37:53):
to Inside American Soccer. Please rate and review and subscribe.
We'll be right back all right, Welcome back to Inside
American Soccer. TAB. Every time you think you're out, we
pull you back in. It's time for US men's national
(38:16):
team starting eleven for the Germany Friendly, which is coming
up this weekend. In Chicago. So walk us through it
from back to front.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
Okay, So normally when we do the lineup, we always
do it with the disclaimer that this is what we
think Pochettino is going to do. I'm going to say
right now that that disclaimer has been eliminated. I'm going
I'm going to name the lineup that I think he's
going to have for the next game, because I think
(38:44):
that this lineup can really put us in a good
place in the World Cup. And I'm hoping that he's
thinking about putting our best eleven together and I think
that likely these will be at this point. So I'm
going to start with Matt Freeze and goal. I'm going
to go with Freeman McKay and remind the back so
basically same uh, same eleven, I mean, same back Uh,
(39:05):
same three center backs that we just started in this
last game. Uh on the white on the right side,
it will be Best. On the left side, it will
be uh Anthony Robinson. In the center. It will be
Adams and McKinney with Tillman and Polisic in front of them,
with Balligan up top.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
So I guess, let me ask you this, what if
we get word on Thursday that Chris Richards is good,
but he can only play a half an hour. Do
you play him from the start and say, okay, at
a half hour mark, we're going to make a sub.
Or do you play him for the final half hour
of the game, even though he wouldn't necessarily be with
the guys who you would consider starters, because presumably by
(39:50):
the hour mark there'll be a bunch of subs.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
I I would start. I would start him, and I'll
tell you why, because my goal would be that likely
if he's not going to be one hundred percent maybe
for the first game, he might be for the other games.
And Chris Richards is your best defender, I would I
would put him on from the beginning.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
Now, tell me about central midfield. You have Adams and
McKenny in there together. That's the same central midfield I
would have starting together as well. But we've seen this
hesitancy from Murcio Pochettino to use Weston mckennie as a
number eight. What do you think he's seeing or not
seeing from Wes that makes him think he doesn't quite
(40:31):
fit there?
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Well, Weston. The thing about Weston mckennie is he's a roamer, right,
he doesn't. He doesn't necessarily stay in a position, right,
He's always looking for the game. And this is this
is the part of the game where I think Tyler
Adams has improved tremendously over the years because Tyler was
also a roamer. He was a chaser. He was a
(40:53):
constant chaser, and you had to keep him sort of
reined in a position and say, of course there's times
to chase. And I think I think McKenny continues to
be a roamer. So if if I think Pochettino can
get across to McKenny, that he needs to hold this
position a little bit more, you know, in the end,
this is not a hard thing to do, right, And
so if you can keep McKinny in place, I think
(41:14):
with Adam Adams and McKenny next to each other in
the middle of the field, I'm liking our chances.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I am as well, maybe not against Germany, still one
of the best teams in the world, even though they're
not necessarily what they were twelve years ago when they
won this thing. Do we have do we have the
courage to predict a result for this game? Do we
think that the US finally gets a win or a
European opponent.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
I don't see a reason why we wouldn't be able
to get a result. I think the team seems competitive.
I think everyone knows that they're fighting for a starting
position at this point, because how can you not. I mean,
I was thinking I might come in the second half today,
so I thought there might be a chance. But no,
you know, obviously this is going to be an extremely
(42:05):
difficult game because I think Germany will likely play their
best team at least in the first half, and I'm
hoping that we do the same and that we learn
from that. I think we're likely going to have a
little bit of trouble with the musciala verts in between
lines creating, because that's usually where we struggle. But if
we can solve that issue, I think we can give
(42:26):
Germany a run for their money.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
How much does this result matter or should we focus
more on the performance?
Speaker 1 (42:34):
There's no question that at this point, because we haven't
had an eleven together, whatever eleven we're gonna have, it's
likely that that is probably the first time I think
that we have to focus more on the performance and
the result. I think what matters is that we find
that we can fine tune those little combinations like we
did today between you know, Peppi and Polistic and that
(42:57):
we find, you know, Anthony Robinson a little bit more
comfortable because a couple of plays today, in one instance,
Tim Reim got stuck with the ball, another instance, Anthony
Robinson gets stuck with the ball. And when that happens,
it is because there's not enough movement in front of them,
which means players aren't on the same page. And I
think we lock there a little bit. So I'm hoping
(43:18):
that in the last game we can give all those
guys time together.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Hopefully it'll be a little bit sharper even against Germany
than it was even against Senegal, which was a pretty
good performance from the US, and then hopefully they hit
their stride full stride against Paraguay on June twelfth, which
is the group stage opener of the twenty twenty six
World Cup for the United States men's national team, Tom
(43:44):
and Tom will be here to take you through it
the entire way. Thank you all to listening to Inside
America Soccer. Thank you Tab for having me to fill
in for Tom. Always a pleasure to talk to you
about the beautiful game.
Speaker 1 (43:56):
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Please rate review and subscribe. Get your podcast. We'll have
another reaction show coming up after that. Germany nash Seavent
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Mm hmm
Oh no, no question, PEPPI was definitely as stuck up
because now it may I think it makes everyone think, well,
you know, this is a great player, how can we
have them on the bench.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Greetings, folks, and welcome back to Inside American Soccer. I'm
Matt Doyle, filling in for Tom Boger, who's about six
beers deep at a wedding right now, and I'm joined
by one of the greatest players in US soccer history,
a veteran of three World Cups, tab Ramos tab It
is good to see you again, my friend, and especially
under these circumstances. Coming off a big three to two
(00:35):
win over Senegal, which was a lot nicer than the
last time we did this show together on the back
of those five two drubbing and two nil against Portugal,
feels a lot nicer now.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Yeah, you know, I'm glad. I'm glad that you came
back for this because, yeah, you're right, last time we
left we were both crying a little bit about what's
gonna happen next. So no, it's great to have you back.
And I have to you know, I'm starting to get
really excited about the World Cup. Let's forget the game
for a second. Tomorrow I get to go to Philly
and pick up my World Cup credential. So it feels
(01:10):
real once you can hang the thing over your neck,
you know, and have it. So I think starting tomorrow
it's going to start to feel a little bit more
real for me. So I'm excited about that.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Are you posted up in Philly and New Jersey for
the entire World Cup? You're traveled around a little bit?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I have, So I have most of my games in
Philadelphia and a couple games in Toronto. That's it. That's it.
I just stay Eastern time zone.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, that's not bad. That's not bad getting to go
across the border to Toronto experience it there a little bit.
Our northern neighbors it's a big tournament for them as well.
But it's a big tournament here and let's get right
at it. What was your reaction to this three two
win over Senegal today from the US. I think a
much needed win for the US to not play well,
(02:00):
but to put the ball in the back of the
net to get out of there with the W.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah, I mean, you know, that's a great way to
put it. We we didn't need a win. We needed
to play well, and we did for a long time
in this game. You know here, you know, so maybe
here's where I'm gonna go with this a little bit.
I think my expectations have to change, right because I
think I've been after and I've been adamant about us
(02:27):
building a team at some point and building that cohesion
and and those you know, combinations and between players and
developing that over the last about two years that Mariso
Borchetino has had this team. And yet every camp we say, okay,
well it's gonna be the next one. The next one
is going to bring everybody together, and the next one
(02:49):
is the time when we're going to start building. And
I just think that when I'm watching our national team,
I feel like I'm watching an all star team, right.
It gives that feel willing to me of everyone's good.
Everyone that has the ball can do something, but not
everyone else knows what that one person is going to
do at a different time. And you know, in the
(03:13):
in the first half, when I saw the connection of
Peppi and Polisic and how Peppy brought Polisic into life,
really we haven't seen Polsic this way with the national
team in a long time, and I think Peppy dropping
into the hole sort of broke Polisic into the game.
It freed him up because the defenders didn't know whether
(03:34):
to go with him or stay back. Polisic was able
to exploit, you know, the space behind you know, these
are the things that I think you and I were
talking about this six eight months ago when we were
doing the podcast, when we said, these are the little
combinations that we have to start building because you know,
during games, you don't know if those last for a
long time, if it just happened two or three times,
(03:54):
and if it did, and we can't get that back,
and we work on that. So that's part of the
way we play. So I'm not sure of what I
saw today with Peppi and Polisic. It's something that just
happened because we were watching an all star team and
the players are very good, or if that was part
of how we play, and if that is part of
how we play, Wait a minute, we have number nine
(04:16):
that was one of the hottest number nines in the world,
you know, about a month ago, and who, by the way,
played an excellent second half. Where does ego? If this
is an important part, So I have mixed feelings. But overall,
I will go with what you started this with, which
is we needed a win. We got the win, we
deserve the win, and we have to move from it,
(04:39):
hopefully with a lot of confidence.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, you talked about partnerships and chemistry and the type
of things that you see from a real team rather
than just a collection of talent, and we got that
in good chunks. Two very different groups in the first
half and the second half though, And the thing that
sort of jumped out to me to have was the
connection between p and Polistic. Peppi is a type of
(05:03):
forward who he can run the channels, but what he
really does well is occupy opposing center backs, and we
saw that right from the jump. I think I was
watching and made a note within ninety seconds about how
good Peppy's hold up play was. And that allowed Christian
to just be an attacker right. He was not asked
to be a playmaker. He was just running the channels,
(05:24):
getting to the end line at will. Made it look easy,
getting down the scoreboard, setting up desks for the opener.
The second half, both those guys go out, we see
Weston mckennie come in and play underneath flow Balligan flow.
Baligan is a very different type of striker. He's a
guy who likes to run the channels, whereas Weston mckennie
(05:46):
when he's playing as an attacking midfielder, he doesn't run
the channel so much as he comes to the ball,
tries to get defenders on his back and then turn
and play guys through. Each group had really good chemistry.
How do you bring that all together over the course
of ninety minutes against Germany before the World Cup kicks
(06:06):
off for real, because it was two different teams out there.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Well, you don't. The easy answer is you don't. You
don't bring it together. I think, you know, even when
we later on were probably going to project the next lineup,
I think after today, I'm done projecting what I think
Poshatino is going to do because I just don't think
it makes any sense for me to do that. I'm
just going to put a lineup together that I think
(06:29):
is what kind of makes sense with what I saw
and what I've seen over the last you know, six months.
But I think it's difficult to build a team this way.
You know, you have two teams they both did well.
You have two number nine they both did well. Now
you realize that your best player at Christian Polisic plays
best with likely the number nine, that's not the best
(06:49):
number nine. How do you fit that in? And you know,
at this point I have to say, I'm glad I'm
not the coach.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I don't know. These are kind of first world problems
at least too much talent and just a question of
how to fit it together rather than not enough talent
and how do you hide that. But let's go into
the mentality piece, because we both said this is a
win that the US needed, especially coming off what happened
in that March window. Is there a danger with the
US team going into a World Cup having a performance
(07:21):
like this you get maybe a little too far out
over your skis a little too overloaded with optimism? Or
is this just unquestionably a good thing to have a
performance like this in the bag as you prepare.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
No, I don't think there's anything negative at all about
getting a win like this, because I think at the
end of the day, you have two separate groups and
about twenty players that played today who should be confident
about how they contributed. Obviously, some did well, some didn't
do as well, but overall, as a group. You have
to be happy. You got a big win and everyone
(07:54):
pretty much contributed to this, which allows you to have
a great locker room over the next four or five days.
The team feels good about itself. Yet no one knows
likely who's going to start the next game, because you know,
we obviously don't know that either.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, it's been tough to tell the whole time through
with Murcio Pochetino who would start the next game. But
it seems like a certainty that Alex Freeman has won
a starting job. I'm will to go out on the
ledge and say Alex Friquet is a starter for this team.
When he made that move to Villa Real, we were
both worried about it because he's a talented kid. But
(08:31):
moving to a team like that was Champions League team
in a league like that, which is the second best
league in the world at worst, can be too much
for players. It hasn't proved to be too much for him.
He was able to settle in By the end of
the season. He was a part time starter. I think
he went ninety three of their final four games, and
he came out today and I thought he was great.
The defensive side of the ball, really really good, sort
(08:54):
of in that flexback role in a back three when
they had the ball, and then defending as a full
when they had to switch into a back four banks
or four, and then he made a really sterling play
getting on the ball and laying in Riccardo Peppy for
the second goal that, of course Prolistics scored, but the
(09:14):
rest of the defense kind of makeshift. We've had our
issues with Tim Rien. He's still out there. Jedi Robinson
came back. I thought he looked good for forty four minutes,
and then the forty fifth he had the turnover that
led to the first Senegal goal. Mark McKenzie filling in
for Chris Richards. We still don't know what Chris Richard's
status is going to be for the World Cup, so
there end up being a lot of questions defensively and
(09:37):
what is your concern level for that back line at
this point in the process.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
I have to say that my concern level at this
point is a little bit higher than it was before
this game started. Before I thought what the you know,
I was thinking about what the lineup could be and
how it could perform against a team like Senegal. And
the reason I say that is because because we played
so well for the first fifteen or so minutes in
this game that Senegal didn't have the ball at all.
(10:07):
As a matter of fact, I think we went into
that first water break really comfortable in this game. I
mean we just first of all, we did a great
job not only holding the ball but winning it back
as soon as possible. We pressed high. You could tell
that that was by us kicking the ball out of
bounce to start the game. You could tell that we
were trying to set the tone. We set the tone,
(10:27):
but we stayed with it. And by the way, when
you're a high pressing team, you need your guys in
the back to really be doing a good job, and
they did. And then after the twenty third twenty fourth minute,
you could start to see it breaking right. And here's
where the danger comes from me that it didn't take Senegal,
(10:48):
you know, possession. It didn't take them a long time
to be dangerous. They started to be dangerous right away.
It seemed like any time they were in our attacking third,
they were in a situation where they could they made
things difficult for us, and they created an important play.
And that scares me a little bit about the defenders. Now,
I will add that what you said about Freeman spot on,
(11:13):
spot on. I mean, the kid was great today. He
proved that going to view Real was the right move.
And I think you're right. I think from us looking
on the outside, it looks to me like Freeman should
be a starter on this team on that outside center
back role.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
How confident are you on that left side with Tim
Reim and Anthony Robinson, who, like I said, Anthony Robinson
has not been the same guy since that injury. But
for forty minutes tonight he looked really, really good and
then he had that one badly mistouch that led to
the Demane goal in the forty fourth minute.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Yeah. No, I think we've been saying that. You know that, Anthony, right,
Let's not forget Anthony Robinson was our best player for
the last five or six years. So the expectations are high.
The expectations are Anthony Robinson out of that left let's say,
win back role, can win games for us. That's the
type of wing back that we've seen for the last
five or six years, and we expect a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
So.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
I think he played it. He played a good game,
yet not at the level that we're used to seeing
from him. In terms of the center backs, you know
Reem and and McKenzie. I thought McKenzie did well. I
was really surprised at the turnovers that we once again
so from Reem, and I just don't think. I just
don't think Reem in that spot is a solution for us.
(12:29):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, the big worry is that in his h in
the chances that Pochettino's given to other players, nobody has
really stepped up and claimed that spot and pushed Reim out,
kind of waiting for it. If it's gonna happen, it's
the last minute. I doubt it is gonna happen, though,
because Tim Riem is wearing that captain's armband h for
a reason. So I think we sink or swim with him.
(12:52):
But let's just stalk up or stock down, since we're
going through these guys on a pretty granular level anyway,
and we'll start at the back. We saw Matt Turner
get the first half, and then Chris Brady made his
debut for the second half. I was really impressed with
Matt Turner. He had a couple of really nice saves
and we had that one time he came off the
line took the ball off of Mane's foot. I thought
(13:14):
he really helped himself today he.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
May have I think for me in terms of stock
up or down for him, I keep him in the
same place. I think Matt free should be the starter
on this team, and I'm surprised that Matt got this game,
at least that he got the first half, So I
would keep him the same as he was before. He's
a legitimate backup. I think if I see him on
the field in the World Cup, I'm not going to
(13:38):
be concerned because obviously I know he has the experience
of the last World Cup as well. But I just
think Matt Freeze has done a little bit more on
this national team in the last six eight months to
win that position. That's sort of how I see it.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Yeah, And I think we'll learn a lot by whether
or not Freeze starts and goes ninety against Germany. I
think if he does, then it's clear that he's the
starter going into the group stage of the World Cup.
If it's a split, if Freeze gets the first forty
five and then Turner gets the second forty five against Germany,
then it feels like we might be going into the
World Cup with a bit of a keeper issue question anyway,
(14:16):
and that would concern me a little bit. But I
guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Chris Brady had a tough moment on that goal, that
back pass room Miles Robinson, but it's his first cap.
I don't think he was always going to be the
third string keeper. Glad he got his debut out of
the way. You know, ended up getting the win in
the end.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Again again, wait, wait before we go to the center backs.
I have to address that, right because I like everything
you said, But I like what you said a year ago,
not today, not like eight days before our first game.
I all of the things that you said are perfectly correct.
So like, yeah, of course you know that that passed
back and the deflection and he gets caught in the
middle of no man's land. Difficult, especially your first game.
(14:59):
You're playing in f one of fifty thousand people. Not
easy on the national team where all of those things, right,
they all come in. But he's the third string goalkeeper.
Wise he on the field today. I don't understand that
at all.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Well, I assume the idea is it's a breakacase of emergency,
like we very rarely see a third string goalkeeper get
on the field in the World Cup. My guess is
this is a breaking case of emergency type of thing
where you don't want him having to make his full
national team debut in the World Cup, so get him
on the field in this one. I agree with you,
though it should have happened two camps ago, and it's
(15:36):
a brings back January camp. I know January camp is
often pretty odd, but it would have been a perfect
one to have to give Chris Brady his debut then,
so that we wouldn't have had to worry about him
getting forty five minutes in a game like this. But
let's move on to the center backs. Tim Marine, we've
talked about kind of in the same place that he
was before the game as far as we're concerned.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Yeah, I wouldn't say upper down for Tim Reim. We've seen,
you know, he's been sort of, let's say, on a
downward trend for about the last year, right. You know,
great guy. Obviously he's the captain of the team. There's
a reason for that because he's just a great human being.
He brings a lot to the table if you heard
Pushettinos speaking the press conference yesterday about about Tim and
(16:21):
he said, you know, maybe not so much for what
he does on the field, but what he does off
the field, and that has a huge value. And I
think we all have to appreciate someone who's put such
a long career with a national team and it's done
so great and who you know, here comes a foreign coach,
right and he considers him so high within the locker room.
So that's important. But you know, on the field, I
just don't. I don't think he helped himself today, but
(16:43):
I don't think that makes any difference.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Mark McKenzie filling in for Chris Richards in the middle
of that back line, I thought he had a pretty
He had one pass that was and he's good for
one of those a game. But I thought otherwise he
acquitted himself pretty well.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Yeah again, you know, stock not up or down. I
think he stayed the same. I think Mark, we know
what Mark is about. He'll give you maximum effort and
he will be that guy. Every once in a while
he'll make that mistake and some center backs do that,
but overall, I think he stayed the same.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Alex Freeman, I think we both agree probably took a
step towards solidifying a starting spot for himself on this team.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Definitely stuck up not only for his defending, because he
a couple of times he came all the way across
to defend, which was really sort of heads up play.
He's reading the game, he's really focused, and you can
tell he's a very He's a player that has good
concentration in the game. You don't lose him in the game.
And on top of it, he passes really well. He
was able to take space. When they gave him the space,
(17:44):
he took it, and on the second goal, you know,
he started that second goal. So I definitely stuck up
for me.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Austin Trusty and Joe Scaley both came in at halftime,
ended up playing Trustee coming on for Tim Reem and
Scally coming on for Alex Freeman. Obviously not as dynamic
a player. I didn't think either of those guys hurt themselves.
Neither looked out of their depth, Neither looked, you know,
afraid of trying to hit telling passes, and I like
(18:11):
to see that.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Yeah, I mean I in general, I was a little
bit disappointed with Trusty because I think he's in a
situation where had he performed really well today, you know,
he starts to put the doubt in Pushetino in terms
of that left sided position, but he didn't do that.
I think he was he was average today and because
of that, I think his stock stays the same. As
far as Scalley's concerned. Obviously came a little bit more
(18:35):
on that. Inside, I was trying to figure out. You know,
obviously gause Way I was there too, so I was
trying to figure out. You know, as the second half started,
we had so many different players on the field. You're
trying to put it together. And then I realized he's
playing that center back role, and I think he did. Okay.
I think you're absolutely right he did. Okay. I think
Freeman's better at it.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Yeah, Miles Robinson unfortunate outing for him. Stock down. It
kind of a carryover or in MLS with FC Cincinnati.
He's at a tough first half of the season, and
that's what he looked like on the field today.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
And you know this, this makes me think a little
bit about Chris Richards because this is what happens. You know,
Miles has been nursing some kind of injury because we've
been hearing that they've been just resting him a little
bit more so he's carrying something. And you can tell
when you know when you're not playing as hard because
there's an injury and time goes by. For Miles now
(19:28):
it has been a month and a half that we've
seen sort of what you know, him not being in lineups,
are getting taken off, which is not normal for a
center back. And I think now we have to start
worrying a little bit about Chris Richards because now he
hasn't played in a few weeks and hopefully he plays
his last game against Germany, but I'm not seeing that
because the latest we've heard from camp is that we're
(19:49):
hoping he's ready for the World Cup. And if he
is ready for the World Cup, that means he's not
gonna have played for about a month and that that's
too long for me to get thrown into a game.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
Yeah, and we saw it today for Miles Robinson. The
outside backs, we've talked about Jedi a little bit, probably
not stock up or down for him. Serginio Desk though,
had himself a very good game. Of course, in the
role he was in. He was much more of an
attacker than we've seen from him in the past. And
we all know Sergenio has the soul of an attacker.
(20:21):
I will say tap now, not much of a defender
in there.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yeah, I think you're right, but I think, you know,
a desk was exactly what I always expect. You know,
he played a great game. I don't think stock up
or down because I expect that from him. I think
he is a difference maker out of that right back position,
and he proved it today. I mean today he was
at the sixth to finish that beautiful pass from Christian Polisic. Obviously,
(20:46):
you know, but it's not often that you find your
right back. I mean you have to look at guys
like Hakimi to see guys win in those positions. And
and I'm not I won't say stock up only because
I think he can do that for us all the time.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
And Tim Waya came in for him at halftime and
was just as good. He was fantastic. I thought, Tim weya,
I don't know if that makes him stock up. It's
a better performance than what we've seen from him recently.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, he did well, but I just didn't think I
didn't think necessarily that in the March window he did poorly.
I think he was put in tough situations if you
remember against Doku and you know, so he had issues
because he was left isolated to defend, which is not
what he does best. But when he has a chance
to attack, he can make a big difference. So yeah,
I mean, I say, you know, not Stock up or down.
(21:38):
I think he did well enough to stay in the
same spot.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I think the same is probably true for Maxi Arsten
left back. He came in part of a couple of
different attacks. I think he set up a nice chance
for Weston McKenney, didn't get abused defensively, which is nice
to see, but solidly the number two left back at
this point behind Jedi Robinson.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Yeah, I think he was put in a little bit
more of a difficult situation because I thought the second
half was pretty chaotic in general. It was hard to
tell where people were. Guys were running everywhere, and you know,
he did well in attack as he always does, and
he didn't have to get back as much and because
of that, I think he played. He played a solid
second half. Haven't said that. I think Stock stays the same.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Yeah, Stock stays the same for Tyler Adams as well.
Did really well defensively move the ball without turning it
over in any bad spots. I think he could have
done a little bit better on the first goal from Senegal,
the money goal, he had a chance maybe to play
Manay off side and he didn't quite read it. But
(22:44):
still no question Tyler Adams is essential to this team.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah. I mean I thought he was probably the one
guy that looked like he played exactly the position he
should be in, and he played it exactly how we
would expect for him to play it. And on the
money goal, obviously the effort to get all the way back,
he sort of got left isolated, and I think he
doubted for a half a second whether he should go
or stay to pull them off sides. But I thought
(23:09):
Tyler played really well, and I think stock stays the
same because you know, we were just talking here on
this show this week about how we thought he probably
should be the captain of the team because we think
he's that he's the guy that's that glue on the team,
and he showed it today.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Yeah. And how about the guy he started next to,
Seth Burhalter, who was I think something of a surprise
starter to me into a lot of other folks as well.
I thought Weston McKenny would get the start at the
eight in Central Michield, but it was it was said.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Yeah, you know, and another one. I wouldn't say stock
up or down. I think he did well in terms
of movement effort getting to the ball, but you know,
when you try to find him to build out of
the back, he found it difficult. I don't think it
was necessarily a good a good game for him, but
I also didn't expect him to play a big role
in this team going into the World Cup. If he's
(24:01):
going to be a starter, he's going to need to
play a lot better than today.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Yeah. I think the same is true of Christian roll Don,
who thought had a first a tough first ten minutes
when he came on. It settled into the game a
little bit, but a few sloppy touches in there.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Yeah, I would say the same. I thought he was
chasing it and I thought at times the game seemed
a little bit fast for him. It seemed like he
was dragging along.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
A little bit and the attacking midfielders. It was Polisic
and Geo Rena who got the start in the first half. Obviously, look,
Christian Polisic is the number ten and he's going to
be a starter and he's going to be a centerpiece
player no matter what. But it still felt like a
stock up performance from him given the struggles he's had
(24:45):
for club and for country for the past, you know,
six months for club, almost two years for country since
he put the ball in the back of the net.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah, no question. I think it was a good game
for Christian Polisic. I think you described it really well
when you said that Peppi coming into midfield a little
bit and pulling those center backs out a little bit
more benefited Christian in terms of getting behind and finding
the space because now he didn't have to be the
sole creator and that helped him a lot. And because
(25:14):
of it, I think we found them exactly where we
want to find him. If somehow we can find Christian
making those runs behind in the World Cup where he
can either score or make the final pass, I think
we're going to be a tough team to deal with.
So I think it was not only stay the same
for me, it was stock up for Christian Polistic today.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Stock up as well for gio Rena who came on.
He was tidy in the midfield. He wasn't magical or anything,
but he kept the ball well, he kept it moving well,
didn't turn it over, and was actually a little bit
of a presence defensively, which is not always a given
with him.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
I think for me that one stayed the same. I
think gi Rena gave us the twenty minutes that we
expect from him, and then there wasn't really a whole
lot more after twenty minutes. But that's what he's been
playing at club. He did really well in the twenty minutes.
He connected passes well, although most of his passes were
not dangerous, they were not towards goal, they were not
(26:09):
creative passes. They were just connecting passes, either from side
to side or just keeping the ball. So I would
say I'd keep stock the same. I continue to believe
that this version of Giororina for us is the last
fifteen or twenty minutes of a game.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Malik Tilman might have made a case for himself as
a starter. I thought he was excellent in the second half,
and he's a guy who's been kind of lukewarm in
previous appearances. But he was fighting the ball, making unselfish plays,
creating constant danger on the run and in possession.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
I've been down on Malik Tiltman for a while now,
three or four months. He hasn't really shown much with
the national team, has not shown much at club, and
I thought, man, are we really going to lose this
player for the World Cup? And today for me was
a stock up day, a big time stock up because
now I'm and I'm hoping that Mauricio Pachettino maybe sticks,
(27:04):
you know, McKinny back with Adams a little further back,
and that allows Tillman to be on the field next
to Polisic.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
I thought Weslen McKenny was actually the best player on
the field of the second half. Fearless as always dragging
the opposing midfield around to chase him, playing essentially as
a number ten, but coming deeper to link play and
then releasing way down that right side or balling it
into the attack constantly. I loved his game. I hope
(27:33):
he's a starter at the number eight. It's always a
little jarring for me to see him playing as a
number ten, but either way, to me, he's irreplaceable in
this starting lineup and I hope he goes from the
start against Germany.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
No question. McKenny is a complete player and I think
he showed it today and he has been showing it.
I mean, he's had a solid year for a club
in country and I'm happy to see that. And again,
I hope that with the roster that we have, that
Pochettino was able to afford, with the way he's thinking,
that he's able to afford to put you know, Adams
(28:07):
and McKenny next to each other, to give to be
able to have Tilman on the field as.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
Well now and then Alexandjas came on for the last
fifteen minutes or so playing that attacking role, while Tilman
actually dropped deeper as a number eight. I thought he
was tidy. He didn't look like a game breaker. So
I think Stock probably stays the same for.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Me, and that could be and I wouldn't disagree with you.
You know, it's hard to judge on not playing that
many minutes in a game like that where there's been
a lot of changes already. But I didn't like when
he went on the breakaway and the player came from
behind and basically you know, blocked him easily, I have
to coming from behind. I thought he should have stayed
(28:47):
in front, try to either get fouled or go right
to gold. He tried to open up to come onto
his right foot for some reason, and that gave the
opposing player the opportunity to come around and block the shot.
And I thought that was poor. I thought that showed
him not having that sort of a little bit more
of that breakaway, put the game away type of ability,
(29:07):
which we're going to need for a player like him
who's likely going to come in games. In the last
ten or fifteen minutes.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Both center forwards showed well, we got forty five minutes
for Ricardo Peppi, his longest runout for Muricio Pocheccino since
November of twenty twenty four, so eighteen months. I thought
he was excellent, one of his best performances in the shirt.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Oh no, no question. Peppi was definitely as stuck up
because now it may I think it makes everyone think, well,
you know, this is a great player. How can we
have him on the bench. You know, now we can
go all the way back to the last wall, come
and say why wasn't he there? Like it was that
kind of game that makes you think about that. And
also I think the most important thing, and I briefly
mentioned it before, is he sort of brought Christian Polisic,
(29:56):
you know, into the game and make Christian Polisic look
as important and as he is. And I think there's
a great value to that. And I tell you what
difficult decision from Rusio Pochettino when he decides who the
number nine is going to be, because Balligan was as
good as we expected him to be and he's he
proved today that he's one of the best finishers in
Europe right now. And I know I'm saying a lot,
(30:18):
but he's had a great year in today he showed why.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Yeah, it looked like we had two thirty million dollar
strikers to choose from, which it turns out that we do.
And maybe against Germany we'll see another new look from Murcia.
Pochettino start both of them together up top with the
old three five two. Crazier things have happened, but for us,
it's time for a break and up next, tab gives
you his top five breakout players at the twenty twenty
(30:42):
six World Cup. Please rate, review and subscribe to Inside
America in Soccer with Tom Bogert and tab Ramos wherever
you get your podcasts. All right, folks, welcome back to
Inside American Soccer. So Tad, you made for us a
(31:04):
list of your top five breakout players that this twenty
twenty six World Cup, and the number five spot you
have Portugal's Neuno Mendes.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Yes, and you know I have to tell you that,
you know, for the time you've been gone, nothing has
changed here. So for my top five, I made six,
So my six would be My six would be Nico Pas.
I think if Nico Pas can get into this Argentina team,
if the team is struggling a little bit, if he
can get in there with the level he's at, watch
out for him. He could be a breakup player. But
(31:37):
let's go to number five. As you said, nun No Mendez.
Nun Mendez reminds me of the old Brazilian outside backs
that we're all used to watching. I love this player, obviously,
we've seen him play for PSG. He's a player that
attacks really well, defends really well, and I think he
could be one of the ones for Portugal because I
think Portugal will be one of the contenders. I think
(31:59):
he could be one of the that could open games
up for them, although they have plenty of other players
who can do it.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, like you said, we've seen him do it for PSG.
We've seen him do it a little bit for Portugal
and Nations League. It would be obviously a huge moment
for him if he could do it in the World
Cup Portugal across a team that's never won the World Cup.
The number four guy on your list also plays for
a country that has never won the World Cup. I'm
(32:26):
talking about Jeremy Doku with Belgium.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah, I think this is Belgium's last chance to actually
make noise at a World Cup with a group of players,
and not all of them are there, and maybe it's
the end of what they call their Golden generation, but
I think it's the last chance for Belgium and I
think because of that, this group is going to be
hard to take down. And as part of this list,
I wanted to put in players who are hot, who
(32:50):
are at a great moment, who are actually ready today
to get into the World Cup and make a difference.
And there's no question that if I had to pick
a player at the moment that is hot that can
break again wide open. Jeremy Dokuiz is one of those players.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
And same with the guy who's number three on your list,
Michael Olisse of France. He had some spectacular performances in
the Champions League this year.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Yeah, in particular it makes me think back about their
matchup with Real Madrid and now he destroyed Carreras, Real
Madrid's left back in that game. But he's been doing
it all year. The tricky thing with Michael Lise why
he's not higher on the list for me is because
France has so many wingers, right, so it could be
on his side, it could be Dombell, it could be Duet,
They could even put Barkola on that side, although Barcolo
(33:37):
plays the other side. But they have so many wingers
that sometimes they put they put Michael Lise as sort
of a number ten behind them Bape, you know, and
Bappi plays the nine and so. But having said that,
I think that he's a player that could definitely be
one of the ones that could lead France into winning
this World Cup.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
We already talked about Portugal being a team that's never
won World Cup. If they do get it done this time,
then there is every chance that we come out of
this tournament, saying that the teena is actually the best
central midfielder in the entire world, and he is number
two on your list here.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Yeah, you know, I was actually pulling for Vitina to
win the Player of the Year last year. I just
think he's that good. I think Vitina, if he's not
the best player in the world, he's at least he's
the one I like the most if I had I
don't know if that makes a difference, but no, he's
a great player. He can play the six to eight
(34:35):
or the ten. But Portugal is so loaded because he's
going to be playing next to Nevis and Bruno Fernandez
in the middle of that field, and I just don't
think that they'll be a better midfielder in the world
for him to succeed with. I think Vitina is a
player to watch and Portugal definitely has a possibility to
win this World Cup.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
It does feel like this is their best team and
they do. They are still a little bit too dependent
on Christiano Ronaldo for goals, though maybe that changes with
Gonsols at the international level, because I think he's more
effective with Portugal than he is with PSG. But either
way it's going to run through Fatina. But for me,
the best player in the world is the guy you
(35:15):
have number one on this list. It's le Mean Jamal
from Barcelona in Spain.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Yeah, And I wanted to keep this list a little
bit on the you know, sort of this secondary guys,
because I didn't want to mention Himbapa. I didn't want
to mention it Holland. I didn't want to mention it
Harry Kane, Guys that could potentially be the best players
in the World Cup, right, I wanted to keep it
a little bit to those secondary names that we were
now listening to every day. But you can't stay away
(35:42):
from La Minya Mal. You just can't. He's too much
fun to watch. He destroys defenders, and I think with
Spain being as good as they are and with the
great opportunity that they have to win this World Cup,
this could be the player that leads away for the
best team and that's Spain.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
And the thing, the thing that he's improved done most
this past year is understanding where goals come from. If
you watched him play last year or two years ago,
and he was already starting for Spayton as a sixteen
year old at the Euros he would make the killer pass,
but then he wouldn't make the following run for the
pullback to the penalty spot, the run that Messi makes
(36:19):
every time that he's probably scored three hundred and fifty
goals on. Well, this year for Barcelona he started making
that run. I think he scored twenty goals across all competition.
A lot of them were one touch finishes like that
irresistible player to watch. Let me ask you this step
after the World Cup. Well, I guess it's two questions. One,
what are the chances that an American is on this
(36:41):
list of breakout players of the tournament? And two who
would it be?
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Well, I think if we're going to have a breakout
player from what I saw in today's game, is gonna
have to be Christian Polisic. It's gonna have to be
Christian Policic coming from behind doing the things that he
did today, not only scoring but assisting players because he
does have forwards he can put the ball away. You know,
he does have Bawigan up there who can put the
ball away. If Christian Polistic can get in good form,
(37:07):
I think he could potentially be in this list.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
My choice would be Alex Rereaman based upon what we
saw of him against Duraguay in November, based upon the
fact that he's broken into the lineup for one of
the best teams in La Liga, and he's just so
gifted in so many ways. Obviously physically, but you see
his touch on the ball and his attacking brain as well.
If those two guys play well, and you know we're
(37:32):
doing the show month and a half from now talking
about how their breakout players on the world stage, I
think we'll all be all smiles for that one. But
for now, it's time for one more break is next up.
We're gonna give our projected starting eleven for the Germany
Friendly coming up. I know TAB swore off of it
in the first segment, no more projected starting eleven, but
we're gonna bring him back in. So thanks for listening
(37:53):
to Inside American Soccer. Please rate and review and subscribe.
We'll be right back all right, Welcome back to Inside
American Soccer. TAB. Every time you think you're out, we
pull you back in. It's time for US men's national
(38:16):
team starting eleven for the Germany Friendly, which is coming
up this weekend. In Chicago. So walk us through it
from back to front.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
Okay, So normally when we do the lineup, we always
do it with the disclaimer that this is what we
think Pochettino is going to do. I'm going to say
right now that that disclaimer has been eliminated. I'm going
I'm going to name the lineup that I think he's
going to have for the next game, because I think
(38:44):
that this lineup can really put us in a good
place in the World Cup. And I'm hoping that he's
thinking about putting our best eleven together and I think
that likely these will be at this point. So I'm
going to start with Matt Freeze and goal. I'm going
to go with Freeman McKay and remind the back so
basically same uh, same eleven, I mean, same back Uh,
(39:05):
same three center backs that we just started in this
last game. Uh on the white on the right side,
it will be Best. On the left side, it will
be uh Anthony Robinson. In the center. It will be
Adams and McKinney with Tillman and Polisic in front of them,
with Balligan up top.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
So I guess, let me ask you this, what if
we get word on Thursday that Chris Richards is good,
but he can only play a half an hour. Do
you play him from the start and say, okay, at
a half hour mark, we're going to make a sub.
Or do you play him for the final half hour
of the game, even though he wouldn't necessarily be with
the guys who you would consider starters, because presumably by
(39:50):
the hour mark there'll be a bunch of subs.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
I I would start. I would start him, and I'll
tell you why, because my goal would be that likely
if he's not going to be one hundred percent maybe
for the first game, he might be for the other games.
And Chris Richards is your best defender, I would I
would put him on from the beginning.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
Now, tell me about central midfield. You have Adams and
McKenny in there together. That's the same central midfield I
would have starting together as well. But we've seen this
hesitancy from Murcio Pochettino to use Weston mckennie as a
number eight. What do you think he's seeing or not
seeing from Wes that makes him think he doesn't quite
(40:31):
fit there?
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Well, Weston. The thing about Weston mckennie is he's a roamer, right,
he doesn't. He doesn't necessarily stay in a position, right,
He's always looking for the game. And this is this
is the part of the game where I think Tyler
Adams has improved tremendously over the years because Tyler was
also a roamer. He was a chaser. He was a
(40:53):
constant chaser, and you had to keep him sort of
reined in a position and say, of course there's times
to chase. And I think I think McKenny continues to
be a roamer. So if if I think Pochettino can
get across to McKenny, that he needs to hold this
position a little bit more, you know, in the end,
this is not a hard thing to do, right, And
so if you can keep McKinny in place, I think
(41:14):
with Adam Adams and McKenny next to each other in
the middle of the field, I'm liking our chances.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I am as well, maybe not against Germany, still one
of the best teams in the world, even though they're
not necessarily what they were twelve years ago when they
won this thing. Do we have do we have the
courage to predict a result for this game? Do we
think that the US finally gets a win or a
European opponent.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
I don't see a reason why we wouldn't be able
to get a result. I think the team seems competitive.
I think everyone knows that they're fighting for a starting
position at this point, because how can you not. I mean,
I was thinking I might come in the second half today,
so I thought there might be a chance. But no,
you know, obviously this is going to be an extremely
(42:05):
difficult game because I think Germany will likely play their
best team at least in the first half, and I'm
hoping that we do the same and that we learn
from that. I think we're likely going to have a
little bit of trouble with the musciala verts in between
lines creating, because that's usually where we struggle. But if
we can solve that issue, I think we can give
(42:26):
Germany a run for their money.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
How much does this result matter or should we focus
more on the performance?
Speaker 1 (42:34):
There's no question that at this point, because we haven't
had an eleven together, whatever eleven we're gonna have, it's
likely that that is probably the first time I think
that we have to focus more on the performance and
the result. I think what matters is that we find
that we can fine tune those little combinations like we
did today between you know, Peppi and Polistic and that
(42:57):
we find, you know, Anthony Robinson a little bit more
comfortable because a couple of plays today, in one instance,
Tim Reim got stuck with the ball, another instance, Anthony
Robinson gets stuck with the ball. And when that happens,
it is because there's not enough movement in front of them,
which means players aren't on the same page. And I
think we lock there a little bit. So I'm hoping
(43:18):
that in the last game we can give all those
guys time together.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Hopefully it'll be a little bit sharper even against Germany
than it was even against Senegal, which was a pretty
good performance from the US, and then hopefully they hit
their stride full stride against Paraguay on June twelfth, which
is the group stage opener of the twenty twenty six
World Cup for the United States men's national team, Tom
(43:44):
and Tom will be here to take you through it
the entire way. Thank you all to listening to Inside
America Soccer. Thank you Tab for having me to fill
in for Tom. Always a pleasure to talk to you
about the beautiful game.
Speaker 1 (43:56):
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Please rate review and subscribe. Get your podcast. We'll have
another reaction show coming up after that. Germany nash Seavent
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Mm hmm
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