← Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard
Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard
USMNT vs Portugal Reaction Livestream | Unfiltered Soccer
00:52:19
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- [00:00]
A
Foreign. What's up, everybody? Welcome to Unfiltered Soccer with Landon and Tim, presented by Coca Cola and Carnival Cruise. We are coming to you very Shortly after the US it's a 2 nil defeat to Portugal. Interesting game. LD, how are you? We're both in Atlanta. You were out of the game. How are you doing?
- [00:32]
B
I was, yeah. It's been a long week. Long weekend. Yeah. I'm okay, man. We'll get into the game. Quick reminder, everyone, follow us on social media. I met so many of you over this weekend. You did too, Timmy. Yeah. The comment I get more than any other is we love the podcast. And I actually tell them I'm not going to tell you that because your ego. But make sure please subscribe and follow on YouTube, anywhere, Apple podcast, Spotify, anywhere you get your podcast. It helps more and more people find it. And when people find it, they love what we're doing here. You can also email Jordan Feedback at Unfiltered Soccer. All right, let's dive in, man. So I was at the game. First takeaway was. It's amazing how many red Portugal 7 jerseys I saw today. And by the way, people speaking perfect English like all Americans. I was like, man. And they were supporting the US Team, but God, Cristiano is so famous, man.
- [01:32]
A
Legend.
- [01:33]
B
That was my first takeaway. The game started well. It did. And the energy in the stadium was good. The energy on the field was good. It feels a little bit like though the team's really fragile and you could see it at the. At the hydration break. So let's just break down for. People didn't watch. Matt Free started in goal. They played a back three of Trustee, Richards and Freeman. And then Waya played on the right, Jedi Robinson on the left, Morris, aiden, Morrison, Burhalter, McKinney, Tillman. And then Christian played as the Nine, which was interesting. And we'll get into. They just felt. Tim, you know, we've been in those games where you're playing either against the team or you're on a team that at the time is fragile. And you could see, like, if one thing goes wrong, it's going to break. So the challenge is, is they started well and they had some chances. Christian had a great chance, got blocked and didn't score. And Pochettino said it in his press conference the other or yesterday, I think he said, I didn't celebrate when we scored against Belgium because I had a gut feeling that, like, it was coming. Like we were. It was coming like the storm was coming.
- [02:43]
A
Yeah.
- [02:44]
B
And they didn't score. And then at the water break, what happened was Portugal had no control of the game in the first 20 minutes. So Christian was able to flow and free. He. He didn't have to play with his back to goal. He didn't have to deal with any challenges. No long balls. And then at the water break, I'm sure Roberto Martinez, who you know well.
- [03:02]
A
Yeah.
- [03:02]
B
Said guys, every time they have the ball, we're just fully pressing them and create a long ball.
- [03:08]
A
Yeah.
- [03:08]
B
Because Christian, not his fault. He just never does. He doesn't know how to play with his back to goal.
- [03:12]
A
Sure.
- [03:12]
B
And so they just started putting more pressure and pinning, pinning us in long ball. They'd win the first one and just started piling the pressure on until it broke. That was the first half assessment.
- [03:22]
A
Sure. No, it's a great observation. You know, you and I were talking about that and I just. The thing about football, when you watch enough football games, which were up to our eyeballs in games, you have. You have to score when you're in the ascendancy.
- [03:35]
B
Yeah.
- [03:36]
A
You have to. Because people always say goals change games, and they do. But the US Played pretty well before that, before that tactical change, and they created a few chances and we're just not clinical enough. And Portugal is. And Belgium is. And again, you and I will get into this conversation as this live podcast goes, just not clinical enough. We created good chances. Created good chances that turned into now half chances. Not because the chance wasn't good, but because of how we executed. Yeah, yeah. So. So when you snatch it, when you snatch at a chance, you go, oh, that's a half chance. Well, no, Portugal didn't snatch at their chances, and they were the same sort of look. So the US Played well. I thought they possessed. Possessed the ball. Well, I didn't quite understand the Christian as a false nine. You have, you have. You have three strikers who are in really good form. And if Flo is not going to play on the day, what's the purpose? As you said, Christian isn't a false 9. He doesn't play with his bat to go. We don't play with a false nine. So here's another lost opportunity for Aja man who came on late again. It's hard to make an impact when you come on that late in that sort of game. So, you know, this seems like a lot more experimenting and you're right out of time.
- [05:00]
B
That is a good word. It did. And then also, you know, we played in a four the other night now. Or in a three. Austin Trustee Like a guy who hasn't been a part of this thing at all.
- [05:10]
A
Sure.
- [05:10]
B
And now he's in it, experimenting. It feels right. It feels like the right word. And it's. Look, I'm going to give you credit, like, you have said this the whole time, and I totally agree with it. You can't get to the final few games with no clarity.
- [05:28]
A
Did you order room service?
- [05:29]
B
No. Is that my door? Yours?
- [05:31]
A
My door. Anyway, whatever. Maybe it's you. A soccer kick or something. You can. I think. I think you have to. Well, you know this. You have by. By having continuity, right? You. You have partnerships. You create partnerships. You create understanding. I remember. I remember with. With our national teams, but I remember it when I was at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager. We played at Fenerbach. It was a game I played in. Okay, so it was one of my first two seasons. Maybe it was, I don't know, one or first, second or third season. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo at the time were at the club. Right. I think it was like a nothing group game or there was something. I can't remember. We went away to Fenerbahce and, like, everyone was surprised that Ronaldo and Rooney were going to be in the team because he thought one would rest. Or they. And Charlotte Ferguson said, no, I want these two players who are going to be the cornerstone of my team to go away. To go away from home and to. And to make sure that they know how to be in tough games together. And that was. And that was sort of how. That was sort of how the team was built. And so when we talk about Pochettino and this team, you want to see these partnerships in hard moments. You don't want to say, well, Guy has a knock and he's like, no. Play together as often as humanly possible on the right side of the pitch, on the left side, some in the middle, couple at the back. You need to have these partnerships. Otherwise, what are you doing? You'll never gain understanding. You can't just turn the faucet off and on when the World cup comes.
- [07:02]
B
No, it. It just feels like that. And again, not only. Not only the partnerships, but then where guys are playing, like, three games before a World Cup. You're starting Christian as a nine.
- [07:12]
A
Correct.
- [07:12]
B
It's like, what? Right. He's never played there, and you're starting.
- [07:17]
A
You're starting Christian as a nine. You now, in two big games. Ld. Two big games. You don't know what Ricardo Pepe can give you. Yeah, you don't Know what ajaman can give you?
- [07:29]
B
Yeah.
- [07:29]
A
So if we're. If one of those needs to start in the World Cup. Not in the first round. For first round, we're going to sleepwalk through. But in a hard game. How do you know? How do you know? No idea. So I think that these are lost opportunities as I thought it was in. In goal as well, so.
- [07:46]
B
Right, we'll get to that too. All right, we have. You guys keep submitting questions. We have one, I think from Junior about attackers hesitating. That's interesting. I have bad eyes. I need to lean in. What is your guys opinion? Why our attackers always seem to hesitate or take an extra touch or pass too many sometime a touch too many sometimes then we end up with weak shots. It's. It's actually a really good question. I would probably have like phrased the wording different, but it's the right thing. It goes down to what Tim said. Like, look at the quality difference in their first goal and our chances. And Christian, by the way, has this quality he does when he's in form. So his chance. It. Look, he took a touch, he kind of hesitated, hesitated. And then he tries to roll it when he's in form. It's touch, bang, it's in the net. Y like it's. It's ripping the net apart. And their goal comes to his right foot, just calmly takes a touch, opens up his hips and rolls it inside the far post. And there's just this, this is a bigger question and an issue with like how we develop our players.
- [08:52]
A
Sure, of course.
- [08:52]
B
We just don't develop players like that. I mean, we just don't. We don't have that quality.
- [08:58]
A
So, so it's. Yes, so it's what I said before. And I'll dig into it deeper. Right. Because when you look like when you look at Portugal's first goal. Okay, so Bruno back heals it. I actually thought in the moment you might have saw this, there was a. There was a defender that was closing him from behind. I can't remember exactly.
- [09:15]
B
Chris Richards was following, was following Bruno and then Austin trustee was central and he kind of just dropped all the way to the six instead of sort of looking around to see where the danger was.
- [09:25]
A
But there was. There was a defender from behind for coming from behind him as well. And so what when you said he like he sorted his feet. Right, and this is where.
- [09:34]
B
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [09:35]
A
This is where technical ability comes in. Yeah, he was, he was sorting his feet to get it to his left foot with just a A millimeter of, of time and space because he knew if he could do that, he could tuck it in that bottom pocket. It wasn't going anywhere. He wasn't hitting the goalkeeper, he wasn't putting it wide. He knew if he could sort his feet and get a good clean contact on it, he was banging it in the back of it, like in that bottom corner. And that's when, when you trust your technique, which I'm not sure we all of our four players always have that, because what you want to really do is just get out of your feet and hit it. You don't need the extra touch, you don't need the extra amount of space. You've already created the space, you just
- [10:11]
B
haven't taken it, you know. And Tim. And again, we're going to get into this at some point and this is a big passion of mine going forward. But when I watch, you know, I have a 10 year old son, 8 year old son, 7 year old daughter, when I watch them in training, they're working on like passing out of the back, like stuff you can learn when you're 21, instead of taking a million touches in every training session, like that exercise, you could literally set that up, Just have someone pass it to you. Quick touch with your right, roll it into the far corner with your left. At 8 years old and I promise you that's what they're doing in Portugal and our, our youth coaches are doing all this other garbage.
- [10:48]
A
Yeah, we had the, I had a conversation with Josie Altador at the last game because obviously I trust his striking prowess. And I said that there was a European coach that I spoke to and he just said, you're strikers, you're being American strikers. At whatever age, you don't know how to operate in tight spaces, which is the 18 yard box. And you don't train how to learn how to get shots away in tight spaces. And he's right. I'm thinking like something about, I think about all the youth games I've watched, all the youth training sessions I watch. It's like strikers are never put in tight spaces to have to finish. It's a finishing exercise, it's a wide open goal, it's like a long run to goal. And then you realize when you get these young Portuguese players, they're in tight spaces, they don't need a lot of time, they've already operated in that moment. So yeah, we're just. We are. We as a country are just behind. Technically.
- [11:42]
B
We are. We are.
- [11:43]
A
I mean, and that's always been the Case that goes down to academies and, and coaching and it ain't for tonight, I'm tell you that.
- [11:49]
B
Yeah. Question about trustee versus Tim Ream. Okay. I think I know where that's going. Are we moving on from Ream with this performance from Trusty? I mean.
- [12:03]
A
No.
- [12:05]
B
Yeah. What do you think?
- [12:06]
A
No, we're in a, we're, we're better in a back three.
- [12:08]
B
Yeah. Right.
- [12:09]
A
So I think, I think you could make a case. And again, Austin Trustees played for the U.S. what, six times before coming in tonight. So maybe this is a seventh cap. Not a lot. Not a lot.
- [12:21]
B
Yeah.
- [12:21]
A
Did he do well? Did he do well enough? Sure, sure. Yeah. I would still pick Chris Richards and Tim Ream and, and then, and I've said this and tonight didn't convince me otherwise, then it's a toss.
- [12:35]
B
Toss. Well, I thought Freeman was good there
- [12:39]
A
as a right, as a right center back.
- [12:41]
B
Yeah, I thought he was, I thought he was good. I mean, he's like, yeah, I do, I, I, yeah, I struggle because like, I would have liked to have seen that happen three or four games ago. Right. And so I'm like, okay, so that's one good moment. But now are we going to do that three games before the World Cup?
- [12:59]
A
Okay, so, so, so I'm with you. So I would. So if it's a back, if it's a back three of Ream, Richardson trustee, where do you put Ream? I, I love Tim. I don't want to put him on the left side of a three because that exposes him there.
- [13:14]
B
Right.
- [13:14]
A
So he has to play in the middle.
- [13:15]
B
Chris is good in the middle.
- [13:16]
A
Chris is good in the middle. This is what I'm saying.
- [13:19]
B
I don't know. I mean, you have to, Again, it's not the, like, you got to find the right fit of players. Maybe it is Trusty Richardson, I don't know. I mean, they did give up a couple goals, but. Yeah, maybe, I don't know.
- [13:32]
A
But again, this is where. No, I know this is my frustration. If, and I don't disagree with you, I like Freeman there. So if we're saying, all right, look, our best, we don't have a lot to pick from in the back three, but we're saying our best back three. Is Freeman on the right. Got that? He's right sided, right side of a three. Then it's Richard and Reem. Can Tim play left? I don't know, but I'm going to play that same back three against Belgium. I'm going to play Tim Ream on the Left as a left side center back. And then against Portugal, I'm going to play Chris Richards as a left side center back. Against two good teams, two attacking teams, I'm going to see what feels better. That's the continuity I'm talking about.
- [14:09]
B
But it hasn't happened so well, maybe that was the expectation and then they, they got the blows or doors blown off them the other night. So you have to. I don't know.
- [14:17]
A
I don't know either.
- [14:17]
B
Yeah, question about the second goal. I think I know where this is going. Thoughts on the second goal and how much time we gave Xiao Felix to place that shot From a goalkeeping standpoint, how, like, how are you viewing that?
- [14:30]
A
Well, I'm just, I'm annoyed because the idea is. Okay, so here's how we set up. So there's always a. You do all your setup about near post, man marking, whatever, the edge of the box. And you know this, Landon, the edge of the box, you defend with one. Even if they have two, doesn't matter. You just put one there. So what they did, and if you watch the replay, they ran one into the six yard box. So our defender at the edge of the box ran into the six yard box. this point, tactically, you accept that. So basically your rule of thumb is track the runner, leave the edge of the box empty. You might could bring your. If you have a number nine up top, maybe he runs back. But you leave Xiao Felix, it's no problem. The idea is that the time and flight of travel of the ball you're able to get from your six yard box to your eight to your 18, everybody, that didn't happen. We were slow to react. Aiden Morris, it's a staple of the newer generation, which I'm dating myself. These kids believe that you can close a ball down and be defensive by not getting all the way to the ball, putting your hands behind your back and turning. That's never been a defensive moment or action. So in that moment he gets out to the ball, slows down. In fact, he could have probably put more pressure because the touch was bad, wasn't it? The touch was sort of. It was bouncy, bouncing about eyeball height, right. So. So you can actually just steam through the ball. But again, technique, he takes it well. I mean you can imagine, you can imagine that in another instance on down the other end and one of our players snatching at it. Right?
- [16:07]
B
He hits clean. Yeah. With Brendan Aarons, we saw him just, we saw it.
- [16:10]
A
So he hits it clean.
- [16:11]
B
Yeah.
- [16:12]
A
With his laces once he's able to settle the ball.
- [16:14]
B
Yeah.
- [16:15]
A
And it was only going one place. Now it could get a block on, but if they don't get a block on, it's going back in that, right?
- [16:20]
B
Yeah, right. Okay, Question about Geo. If Gio wasn't going to play during these friendlies, why bring him into camp? Why not bring in Zendayas? Yeah, it's a fair question. I don't, I don't. Yeah, I, I mean, look, you, you have to bring in the player, so somebody's going to come in and not play. So maybe they just wanted to get him out of that environment and give him some time with the team. I, I don't know. That's, that's the only, it's the only thinking I have.
- [16:51]
A
You know what's so funny though? It, it's so the English media, God bless them, they will, they will, they will burn your house down. They'll tear you, they'll tear you to shreds, as they did me. Probably you and everyone else who comes in their, in their path. But what they do is in, in press conferences, they ask hard questions. Do they spin it and turn it sometimes? Yeah, but that's hard questions. And Pochettino has an idea of why he's bringing Gio Reyna in. Is anybody, is any of our media or our press in a press conference saying, okay, Pach, I think I know a little bit of soccer. So I'm just trying to figure this out. So Gio Reina comes in, he hasn't played much or if at all for his club team. This, we thought when you brought him in was an opportunity to play him. You didn't play him. So were you, were, were you needing to see something from him in and around the hotel in training that you saw or what was this is. This is an odd sort of activity three games before a World cup to bring in a guy who you've already seen, who isn't playing for their club team, to then not play him and just sort of ask what, what, what your thought process is, because we don't know. So now it leaves us all to sort of assume and guess what.
- [18:09]
B
Yeah. And in the same. But. And you can fall out, you can ask a follow up, then why not Zenday has or whoever, whoever, whoever else next.
- [18:16]
A
Right, of course.
- [18:17]
B
Why not? Of course I don't have an answer. That was my one thing coming home from the game. I was like, usually you walk away from two games like this before a World cup and you have a lot more answers.
- [18:28]
A
Yeah.
- [18:29]
B
And I actually just have way more questions now.
- [18:31]
A
Yeah.
- [18:32]
B
Which I mean, is like the.
- [18:33]
A
That's sort of how it's been. Right?
- [18:35]
B
It has been. And you know, like, it's. It's interesting comparison to, To Alex Freeman. Right. Who has not been playing with his club team. But he came in. Yeah, he played. He got lots of minutes. This will be good for him. You know, he's hopefully his club team's watching and he. And he gets more time and builds and also then.
- [18:52]
A
Right.
- [18:52]
B
So why bring in.
- [18:54]
A
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, the thing about. And I don't know the situation. I'm reading it from the outside, having seen enough soccer like this good. This good performance for the US From Freeman, which I thought was a good performance. I don't think his. I don't think his club coach gives it. Good God darn. I don't. I think. I think if he's not playing at Villarreal, he's not playing. He's not then going to get into the. Into the team because he had a good game for the US So, well,
- [19:17]
B
but with Gio last camp, he played a few games, scored whatever, and then he got some playing time at Gladbach.
- [19:22]
A
Okay. I hope so. I mean.
- [19:23]
B
I mean, yeah, you're probably right.
- [19:25]
A
I hope I'm wrong. I mean, I too. I want all these guys to play.
- [19:28]
B
Right. Okay, question about Serginio Dust and Tyler Adams. How different would these friendlies have looked with Dust and Adams Fits.
- [19:42]
A
I have an English saying that our producers know that I won't say on live television. But the question is, what if we don't know? We don't know. Have we ever known? Have we? Have we ever known?
- [19:59]
B
What's irrelevant?
- [20:00]
A
What would a game be like if we had our best center midfield partnership, our best goalkeeper, our best back three, our best striker? What would that look like? If you watch this podcast, you're bored to tears because we ask that same question all the time. When. Sure, I think so. I think we'll do really good against some of the best teams in the world if our full team is together and committed. Do I know that? I have no idea. I have no idea.
- [20:29]
B
So I used to get frustrated. Now I'm just at peace with like. It just is, like, that is just the way. And by the way, we're thinking, okay, now it's going to be the first week of June and everyone's gonna miraculously be healthy and we're gonna have our full squat and. But it's just. It won't. It won't. And so we have to live with that. And that's part of it. Can we still get results? Yes. Yeah. Right.
- [20:49]
A
But, but that's the, that's the, you know, the, the glass have empty aspect of that. And I'm preaching to the converted because you and I were teammates. When I say you can't turn it off, on and off like a faucet. Yeah, there were, there's character that's built through, through suffering and perseverance and, and when you, and when you start to like, yeah, June, everyone's going to be together, great. But that's. You build, you build togetherness. Being one all the time, not sometimes. And this team just, ha. For whatever reason, for selection purposes, for formation, for tactics, for injuries, whatever, they just haven't been effort that, you know, they haven't been at full stretch. And you just hear some of these other team, like Portugal is a perfect example. And I know they're top where they ranked number six. They're, you know, top 10 team in the world, probably top five. And you hear the announcers start rattling off stats about like, what they've won in Nations League and who they've beaten and team, and you're like, yeah, because these guys are together all the time. All the time. They're constantly playing their best team. There's no experimenting.
- [21:56]
B
Right. Pochettino in his press conference this week too, like, he went on like a 5 minute diatribe on leadership. It was really interesting. And he kind of said, what you're saying is like, he talked about habits a lot. And I, I learned this a lot when I was coaching at Loyal. You can't just like, you can't just talk about things and say we're going to be nastier and we're going to fight and we're going to kick people and we're going to get yellows. You have to have habits that just bring that out naturally because you know what happens to him when the whistle blows? All kinds of shit is flying. It's emotional. Sometimes the field's bad. The crowd, the other team, the referee, there's all this stuff going on. And so you have to rely on your habits that you have prepared and trained for. So this becomes natural. It's not a question of, am I going full speed for that header. It's like, this is what I do. Like, I am all in trying to win that ball, even if it's a 4060. And so he talked a lot about that vis a vis leadership. It's like, it's not what you say it's your habits and what you do all the time.
- [23:03]
A
Right. But you're saying, I don't disagree with him. Where I do disagree is sort of like, yeah, we're days away from the World Cup. I said this on the last episode. We're days away from the World Cup. We didn't have World cup qualifying. It's not like we had to name teams to get results. We didn't have to go through any sort of tough moments. So we should be past the. We don't know who our back three is. I need more leaders. We should be past all that, the World Cup.
- [23:33]
B
No, I know, but I think what he was saying is, like, what he's getting at really is just don't really have any of those.
- [23:41]
A
Right.
- [23:41]
B
And he's probably at a loss. Like, I. I can't. He's not with them every day, so he can't bring them in on a Sunday morning and hope by Wednesday that they're all, like, exhibiting these habits.
- [23:53]
A
Maybe though he's been. He's been a coach for 18 months, right. Yeah. There's still. You can still introduce.
- [23:59]
B
Well, we saw it during the Gold Cup. Yeah, that's for sure.
- [24:03]
A
For sure.
- [24:03]
B
Yeah. Okay, question about who might have made their way into the team. Okay, that's a good question. What players were the clear winners and losers of this camp? Did any bubble players play their way on or off of the team? I'm trying to take the two games in totality because it was so bad the other night that I'm like, oh, some guys were good tonight. We still lost 2. 0.
- [24:30]
A
I know, I know, I know.
- [24:31]
B
And by the way, it could have been four or five. Let's be honest. We could have scored two. But it could have been. They missed some chances. Right. Matt Freeze made some great saves.
- [24:38]
A
It's really funny, though, you say that, because just to interrupt for a half a second, I thought the same thing. I walked away from and like. And I'm also listening, like, commentators and announcers and saying, like, this guy played well. And I was like, played well based on what?
- [24:50]
B
Right?
- [24:50]
A
On a 5:2 whooping. Well, then, yeah, yeah, right. Anyway, keep going.
- [24:56]
B
I think clearly Matt Freeze is the goalkeeper. I thought he was great. He looked him. I mean, it's just. It's the first time when he made the save in the first half, I was with Rich, my agent. I just said, wow, what a save. Like, live, when you see it live. And then you see the replay and you go, okay, yeah, And. And look, should he make the save yes, probably. But it's still a great save, and he's not expecting Bruno to really turn and lash it like that. And so I thought from the first time I went, okay, I feel good about him. Like, I re. And I've been wanting to. And I really like him. And I was like. That was. And then one in the second half was a really good save, too. So I just. I felt good about him.
- [25:39]
A
Well, yeah, so. So, yeah, I felt. I felt. Look, I think Matt Freeze. For me, that save was brilliant. It was. It was brilliant. It's. He's dug it out. He's is. I. I'm just telling you from experience, the. The ability to get down and tip that around a post from that angle with that pace, because the ball, he's hit it sort of on a. On a proper, like, hat, not half volleyball.
- [26:06]
B
It was like a little half bounce and he kind of.
- [26:08]
A
And it's. And so you're catching it right as it's about to. About to hit. Hit the floor. It's. It's extremely difficult. That's a big save. My. Yeah. So, yes, he's. He's the number one. We sort of thought that. Here's my gripe. And I will. And I will. I will continue to bang this drum. He didn't play against Belgium. I said. I said that annoyed me. You know why it annoyed me? Because tonight he made three saves in 90 minutes. Apparently, that was the stat line. Two big ones. Two really big ones. The ones we've been wanting to see. And had he played in the Belgian game, he'd have had a lot of opportunity to make some big sa. Not to say that he would have saved the ones that Matt Turner didn't. That's not what I'm saying.
- [26:49]
B
I am saying the opportunity.
- [26:50]
A
The opportunity. Because those, you know, we always talk about at the highest level with these players, windows open and shut so quickly, like Bruno Fernandez. If that's not Bruno Fernandes, you're not even worried about. You're not even taking a shot. I can remember in certain moments of my career playing against Bruno, different competition where I'm like, I'm almost going to stand straight up here because this guy's on an angle. There's no way he's going to shoot this. Whereas when you play against these players, you're so on the boil. So I'm disappointed that Matt Freeze didn't get an opportunity against Belgium to make more of these saves, because if anybody in the team needs it, he does. He's the one who needs the Top level match experience. So.
- [27:27]
B
Yeah. What about Austin trustee? Is he, do you think he's on.
- [27:36]
A
I think, I think it's a, it's a, it's a weak defensive unit. Not, not, not together. They're weak. I just think that there's just not a ton of options, particularly at center back. So I think, yeah, he, I think he, I think he puts himself pretty firmly in the picture. I thought Burhalter did a job. Did a job. I certainly like the way he and Aiden.
- [28:01]
B
He and Aiden were, were good together in a lot of ways and they've played together a lot. And you talk about that partnerships and like, are they the two most talented of our midfielders? No, but that goes to your point about continuity, right? Like, they just, they've played together. You could see on the field they knew where each other were, they got some pressure and that's so valuable, man. It is. And I thought they were both solid.
- [28:24]
A
Yeah, I thought, and I thought he, I thought he was good. I thought was good.
- [28:28]
B
I think ajamong has to be there. I know people.
- [28:31]
A
Of course he does.
- [28:31]
B
People give crap about him, but he, he did come in and he's like, impactful. He's willing to run and he's just a nightmare to play against and so.
- [28:40]
A
Well, I mean. Yeah, I, I just don't know. I mean, does, Does Poch trust any of these guys? Does he trust Pepe? Does he trust Ajamang? I think he does. I think Aja Mang certainly makes.
- [28:54]
B
Well, I don't know if you trust Pepe. He never plays it.
- [28:57]
A
Yeah, that's true. It's a good point.
- [29:00]
B
Who's the other one? I was just gonna say,
- [29:06]
A
I don't know. I'm forgetting.
- [29:07]
B
Oh, Johnny Cardoso. So I feel like we need to talk about this because he plays 45 minutes. They said it was quote, a planned sub on Saturday, and next thing we know, he's back on a plane to Spain. And I believe, I can't confirm this, but someone told me they read a tweet or something from Atletico that said he's fine and he's good to go. And so I want to, I want to coddle. If that is not the case, I will take back what I'm going to say.
- [29:45]
A
Sure.
- [29:45]
B
And you have it here, Receipts here. Like what, What? I, I, I, I just, it just blows my mind if that's what part
- [29:57]
A
of it blows your mind? The fact that what, what do you.
- [29:59]
B
Why are you leaving camp? Yeah, I mean, clearly that's his decision to leave Camp, they're not going to say, like, oh, you know what? We just. We don't want you here.
- [30:09]
A
Right. But so. Okay, so. Well, I would say we know this as a matter of fact, that the sort of trend has been set within that group for a long time about. About what's important and not being in camp and so on and so forth. But this is. Does the coaching staff. If what you're saying is true, Right. It's a plan. Sub. He's okay. He went back. Is that not on the coaching staff? Is that. You said he doesn't have. Have enough. That's on. That's on the coaching staff. So go. It's no problem. You can go back, but you're not coming back in. Like, demand that players go ahead.
- [30:56]
B
Yeah, no, no, no, go ahead, finish.
- [30:58]
A
Just demand that players are constantly there and constantly available. And that's the only way you get to play for country you. Not when you sort of feel like it. And this. I'm. I feel like I've said that a thousand times every time I hear it.
- [31:11]
B
Okay. So I just looked it up because I wanted to have confirmation. So from Athletico Universe, which is. I don't know what the hell that is. Well, they have 115,000 followers, so all things Atletico de Madrid. I don't know if that's their official account or whatever. Justin, this was this morning at 5:33am Today's the 31st, right?
- [31:31]
A
Yeah, something like that.
- [31:32]
B
Just in. Johnny Cardoso has no injury. After undergoing tests, he is 100 fit for the upcoming matches. This is on an Athletico site. This isn't like a US Soccer thing or. So he's up. He's fit for their upcoming matches.
- [31:50]
A
Okay, so I'm just gonna.
- [31:52]
B
So maybe shut up. So I don't.
- [31:53]
A
All right, all right. So let's, let's. Let's just look at the other side. Maybe he had it. Maybe had a knock or a niggle.
- [31:59]
B
Tim, we have three games to work. Like, every second these guys are together matters. Every single second. Forget about if they're playing or not. Just to be around each other.
- [32:10]
A
That I agree with. That I agree with.
- [32:12]
B
And I'm confused a little bit because Pochettino, in the summer around the Gold cup last year, like, made it very clear what the expectation was and this is what expected. And I want this. And you have to show you want to be here, and you should. But these kind of decisions, it's not just what it does. Like for Johnny Car, it's the. It's the message it sends to the group, too.
- [32:33]
A
That's right.
- [32:33]
B
Like when that. That tweet comes out this morning.
- [32:36]
A
Yeah.
- [32:36]
B
That he's fully fit. Then why are you leaving camp?
- [32:40]
A
Totally. Yeah.
- [32:42]
B
I just don't get it. There's a. I feel like I just complain all the time and I hate it, but I just. It makes no sense to me.
- [32:51]
A
No, no.
- [32:52]
B
Okay.
- [32:53]
A
All right.
- [32:53]
B
All right, moving on. Question about PO and the June matches. This is from Jose Nunes, QQ3YH. Interesting. Should Poino continue to experiment the next two games or stick to a starting eleven and only make the max subs allowed?
- [33:13]
A
Well, I think you. You know the answer to your own question.
- [33:16]
B
I think you know the answer.
- [33:18]
A
You know, I mean, you'd sort of like. You'd sort of like a starting 11 or something that resembles your best 11 to play in those two games, knowing that you're going to have to. You got. You start. You still have roster decisions to make, so guys are still going to have to try and play their way in and maybe play 30 minutes.
- [33:33]
B
Well, no, aren't they. Isn't the roster made before that?
- [33:36]
A
Is it?
- [33:37]
B
I think the roster is made before that.
- [33:39]
A
It might be. Okay.
- [33:40]
B
I think I kept hearing, like, this is the last chance before the roster gets.
- [33:43]
A
Yes, you're right. You're right.
- [33:44]
B
Okay.
- [33:44]
A
Okay. So. So. So to that point, yeah, you'd like to see your best team in those games, even if it's for 60 minutes, 65 minutes. Right. That you would at least think, this is my. This is the guys I want to line up with in la, first game of the World cup, you. That would be your hope. But I don't know. But your thoughts.
- [34:09]
B
Yeah, we're just beating a dead horse here. Same thing. I mean, look, someone said to me today, and they're right, the only thing that matters is what happens June 12th. And. And I know, I know, I know. But whatever soccer gods there are out there, thank you. As an American fan who loves the game and has loved it since they were born.
- [34:33]
A
Yeah.
- [34:34]
B
Thank you for Paraguay. Australia and Turkey is a good team, but thank you. Those two. Because people kept asking me today, like, as I was signing autographs, what are the expectations? Or what does success look like? Or what?
- [34:47]
A
Yeah, of course.
- [34:48]
B
Well, I was like, if we finish first of our. In our group, that's one path of expectations.
- [34:54]
A
Sure.
- [34:54]
B
But if we slip up against Turkey or maybe draw Australia or Paraguaguay and we're second or, God forbid, third, then it's a whole different set of expectations.
- [35:02]
A
Sure.
- [35:03]
B
You know what I mean? And so I'm just so grateful for that, because if. If this team had been playing over and over, the same 11 or 12 or 13 over and over, we would be getting good results right now, by the way. I 100% believe that.
- [35:15]
A
Totally.
- [35:16]
B
We, I, we would be much better.
- [35:18]
A
Totally.
- [35:18]
B
And then we'd go into the World cup, and you'd be like, okay, let's go. And it wasn't. Tim, I promise you, it wasn't that we lost these games. We could have lost these games. Of course, that's part of the. It's. It's how we lost and what happened throughout is what the challenge is.
- [35:33]
A
Yeah.
- [35:33]
B
It really is.
- [35:34]
A
Yeah.
- [35:37]
B
Okay, next question. Junior question. Will these two results have an impact on support by the general public in the coming World Cup? America doesn't like rooting for losers. That's an interesting question.
- [35:54]
A
No, I still think. I still think the energy and excitement is going to be high around the World cup because we can convince ourselves of anything.
- [36:00]
B
Right.
- [36:00]
A
So when we go in the World cup, we'll just be super stoked to play Turkey and Australia. I just think there's. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know if the public will be, like, down on the team. I can't see that.
- [36:15]
B
Yeah. I also wonder how much the general public, like, follows this closely. Like, they'll kind of be like, oh, we lost to Portugal.
- [36:22]
A
Right.
- [36:22]
B
I think Cristiano scored.
- [36:25]
A
Yeah.
- [36:26]
B
They probably won't even know. Yeah. Okay. That's a good point. I, I, they'll be behind. And again, if June 12 goes well, the whole thing starts, like, swelling for the pot.
- [36:36]
A
Of course. Of course.
- [36:37]
B
Let's hope that. Yeah. Okay. Are there. I mean, this is a tough question to ask because I don't even know if this is right, but go on. Is there anything you're encouraged by coming out of this, or what? Are you encouraged by coming out of these two games?
- [36:55]
A
Not. Not a ton. I mean, I think there was some, you know, I think the, I think the part about. I think the part about Freeman being probably one of our best defenders was answered. I think the other part that got answered was he can still play in a, In a big game.
- [37:14]
B
Yeah.
- [37:15]
A
Without having had a lot of minutes. That's not ideal. It's not ideal, but it certainly answers a question.
- [37:21]
B
Yeah.
- [37:23]
A
You know, probably the goalkeeper situation is wrapped up.
- [37:25]
B
Yeah.
- [37:26]
A
So that's, you know, that's, that's another part of it.
- [37:31]
B
I mean, Jedi back with the team is good.
- [37:33]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So I think we. Okay, then. Tactically I think we're a back three and totally agree. We're not a false nine.
- [37:41]
B
Correct.
- [37:42]
A
End of story. So.
- [37:43]
B
Yeah.
- [37:44]
A
So by default. Yeah. I think some things came out. Came out of this that, you know, you can. We can probably. We can probably use to say going forward. That's a good thing. Yeah.
- [37:55]
B
Yeah, that's fair, too. Trying to think. Anything else? I mean, Weston is. Weston looks good. Like, in person, he's. He looks good. He does.
- [38:05]
A
Do you think? Yeah. Do you think, though, Weston is a. Is a midfield player, like, in a partnership with Tyler or.
- [38:16]
B
No, I actually don't.
- [38:17]
A
Really.
- [38:18]
B
No, because, you know why, Tim. And this is weird because we. We played with him and he was mostly good in that role, but Jermaine, he's got a little bit of Jermaine. Not the same. Like, Jermaine was crazy, right? Like, Jermaine would. One of a kind, but Jermaine would leave the center of the field sometimes and you'd get really exposed. And Weston has more discipline than that, and he can do that, but it limits him because he's really good. Like, when you watch him live, he gets around the field really well. Like, he has a big engine and you want to utilize that. Yeah, you want to utilize. You don't want him, like, stuck next to someone as a pair of defensive midfielders.
- [38:57]
A
Okay, so I don't.
- [38:58]
B
I want him, like, in the box and then helping defend somewhere and then back in the box and helping defend and track and press, pressing and. Yeah.
- [39:05]
A
So you would play. So who would you play with it with a two in the six role you play? Tyler Adams and take your pick. Well, I. That's why I'm asking. Because I don't know.
- [39:16]
B
No, I don't. I mean, I would be totally comfortable. I said tonight I thought Sebastian Berhalter was good, but I would say Tyler and Aiden Morris I would totally trust. Like, Aiden Morris is a good player. He's a winner. He plays every game for a top championship team. He's consistently their best player. He's not flashy, but he does all the little things well. And Tyler's very good like that, too. So I would feel totally fine with a back three behind them. And those two, I would say, okay, good starting point. Good starting point. And then you go from there.
- [39:48]
A
Jedi on one side, way on the other.
- [39:51]
B
Well, only way. Because I would play Freeman there, but he can't right now because. Or maybe Sergino plays there. I wasn't. Tim, we did not impress me on this.
- [39:59]
A
Okay. These two games and Then. And then up top, it's flow, for sure. Christian.
- [40:03]
B
Flo and I would play Christian and Weston and.
- [40:06]
A
And. And Tillman misses out, probably.
- [40:08]
B
He was. He was pretty quiet. You know, he was at his best during the Gold cup, but that competition was not great. Okay, so. But that's okay. Like to have him off the bench. If Gio's there. Off the bench. If Waya is now coming off the bench. Yeah, that's good. You have. If ajamong's then off the bench, you have some options that are like, they can change the game a little bit, and that's okay. Yeah.
- [40:28]
A
So. Yeah. Fair.
- [40:29]
B
Yeah. What are you most concerned by? Concerned by a lot. But like, most like red flag, alarm bells concerned because we did just concede seven goals in two games, by the way, at home.
- [40:43]
A
I know. No, I know. I'm concerned that we haven't. We. This group still hasn't beaten the top team. Yeah, I'm concerned. I'm still concerned about, like, our. Our. Our overall nastiness. I don't know how to quantify that. Was Chris Richards as a captain, and if he wasn't the captain, was he in. Was he in the fray every. Every time? Yeah. Did Christian, out of frustration, boot a few people and get booked? Yeah, I'm all for that. I'm. I'm just. There's an overall naivety to this team, I think. And by the way, down the history of U.S. soccer, there's been an overall naivety to a lot of U.S. soccer teams. A couple of the teams got it right. A couple of the teams had a nastiness about them, but overall, this team doesn't. And sort of what Pach has been saying about, like. About, like the leadership, and there's just a nastiness that's missing. So I think that concerns him.
- [41:45]
B
Yeah. There was a cleverness, as you're talking about that. I was just thinking like those. The. The old savvy vets that used to play with us, like, they were clever, man, and like they knew how to get out of situations, use their body. Right. Kill the clock when they need to take a foul, when they need to get a yellow when you need to. They were really savvy. Like, they knew how to win soccer game. They weren't the best at playing soccer, but they knew how to win soccer games.
- [42:13]
A
Yeah, I just, you know, I think. I do think, and we've talked about this, so this is flipping water on the bridge. I think U.S. soccer missed a trick big time when they transitioned from 2018 from from the team that I was on that didn't qualify for the World Cup. They were so desperate, and I know this internally, they were so desperate for the media marketing campaign to distance themselves from. From the stain that was our group that didn't qualify for the World cup that they basically mandated that all these young players play. And they didn't bring the likes of Michael. You know, I was at the end, so it wasn't me, but the likes of Michael Bradley, Josie outdoor, that they still should have had two years left. Not playing a lot, being around the team, there's other players. I don't think that, you know, probably Brad Guzan was one of those. Just so you say, to teach these young guys what it's like. Not. Not that they don't play at big clubs. They play at big clubs. But. But I'm talking about what. What it's about to wear the shirt and. And protect them a little bit. They have to protect themselves from. From the word jump when they got brought in as a. As a complete Young group. So U.S. soccer didn't do that properly. And I stand by that. I've said that before, so. But again, that's water and bridge. We can't. We can't go back however many years. Eight years.
- [43:35]
B
Yeah. What am I most concerned about? Watching Christian live these two weeks? You know, I don't know how much they show on tv, but I would. I would, like, really zone in on him a lot, and I can tell how frustrated he is. And we need, as a country, we need the ball to hit him and go in the net at some point in the next two months somewhere, whether it's in the June friendlies or with Milan. It just. He. It needs to somehow. Just like I want him to just stand in front of the goal for 90 minutes and hope it hits him and goes in. Because he's a way different player when he's not confident.
- [44:19]
A
Yeah.
- [44:19]
B
And so he's. And by the way, he has some moments where he's so dynamic and, like, explosive. Flies by people. Yeah.
- [44:26]
A
But still do that today.
- [44:27]
B
Yeah. But in the box, man, he looks like a ghost. Yeah, he does. I can see it in his face. And I just. I actually felt really bad for him today watching that, because I can see how badly he wants it.
- [44:39]
A
Sure.
- [44:40]
B
And so we need that. I am. I am concerned. That is a concern. Because he's the one guy who can make, like, special plays for us.
- [44:47]
A
Yeah.
- [44:48]
B
We need him playing well come June. We do. So everybody pray for that.
- [44:52]
A
Yes.
- [44:52]
B
Because we need that. We really do well.
- [44:55]
A
I think I'm good. And I saw Glenn as frustrated as he looked. As he said, there's still glimpses today, picks the ball up, glides by somebody with ease. And he has that. On his worst day, he has that. So that's a good thing.
- [45:06]
B
I know, but the. The end product piece is like, yeah, I've been in those shoes. Right. And so, like, everything's going right. You're playing well. And did. But you're like, God, I can't hit the net. Like, it just will. The one today. I mean, he's six yards out and it's. He hits it fine and it's a good shot and it just gets blocked. And it's one of those things where you're like, dang, man. Like, we just. We need him to get going.
- [45:29]
A
Yep. We really do then. And that. That happens on the club stage. Right? It starts. It starts there and then it trickles over.
- [45:35]
B
Yeah. Okay, let's talk just big picture real quick. So the other games that I don't know if you were able to pause.
- [45:41]
A
Yeah.
- [45:41]
B
Falling on my phone as I was doing appearances and stuff. So Italy. Let's start with Italy. I couldn't tell. I have to say it was. They played Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia, and this field looked like a cow pasture. I did see that every time they tried to shoot, the ball was moving. Like you could get no contact, whatever. And I couldn't discern, someone was like, who are you rooting for? And I was like, I really do want Italy to make it. It's great for the World cup, but, man, it's fun to watch them suffer, too. Like, think about this, Tim team that's one World Cups now, three in a row is not going to the World cup, which is just crazy.
- [46:24]
A
It's kind of. Yeah, yeah. It's a strange one. The what? The one off when they didn't make it, which also was, I think. Was it the same year we didn't make it?
- [46:36]
B
Well, no, it's the last three, so. 18, 22 in this one. Yeah.
- [46:40]
A
And you're like, wow. I think. I think Holland didn't make it. The Netherlands didn't make it that year, Italy, Chile, and us. And it was like, oh, it was wild anyway. But three in a row, bro. But like, what's going on with Italian football? That's crazy. That's crazy.
- [46:53]
B
I mean. And this is a 48 team tournament.
- [46:55]
A
That's what I'm saying. Everybody gets in.
- [46:57]
B
Jesus. I can't imagine, like, those guys going home. What they're gonna deal with.
- [47:03]
A
Well, they're probably used to it now, you know what I'm saying?
- [47:07]
B
Like, dude, it's just wild.
- [47:10]
A
It's crazy.
- [47:11]
B
Okay, so, well, I mean, congrats to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The interesting thing is they drew those, those home and aways randomly. So, like that game in Italy, they probably win the game. You know, it's just bizarre. I mean, they have to go on the road for it, but you put yourself in that situation. No, Jamaica lost.
- [47:29]
A
Jamaica lost. Jamaica. Yeah.
- [47:30]
B
Jamaica lost to Congo in extra time. Yeah. Also bad. It would have been nice to have
- [47:37]
A
Jamaica in I, I, I. Here's what I'll say. Being in this, in this con. CF confederation, Jamaica needs to do better. Jamaica, they need to do a lot better.
- [47:49]
B
Yeah, they should have been in.
- [47:50]
A
They should have been in. They're talent, they're, they're talented. Year on year, they, you know, if they can't get in this year, flip it a, man.
- [47:58]
B
It is pretty bad, you know, so. Yeah, no, I know. Chechia got by. I forget who. Denmark. I think Turkey beat Kosovo in Kosovo. That was a tight game.
- [48:10]
A
Yeah.
- [48:11]
B
Sweden. I forget who they, they beat Poland. I believe Sweden beat Poland. And then Iraq and Bolivia start later. That one's in it. That's. That feels like the most competitive of those Intercontinentals.
- [48:24]
A
Where is that one?
- [48:25]
B
I think it's in Mexico.
- [48:27]
A
Is it?
- [48:28]
B
I think so.
- [48:29]
A
So strange. Some of this is so strange to
- [48:31]
B
me, but it's also starting super late, like.
- [48:33]
A
Yes.
- [48:34]
B
Yeah. It's an interesting one overall.
- [48:38]
A
As we wrap. Can I give you, can I give you a hot take that you're not, you're not ready for?
- [48:43]
B
Do I want this?
- [48:45]
A
I, I think everybody listening and every US Soccer fan wants this take. You ready?
- [48:49]
B
Okay. Okay.
- [48:52]
A
This U.S. team in this World cup gets to the quarterfinals.
- [48:59]
B
After everything you just said, you're gonna say that? Why, why they.
- [49:04]
A
Okay, you ready?
- [49:06]
B
Yeah.
- [49:06]
A
They sleepwalk through the group.
- [49:08]
B
Yeah.
- [49:09]
A
They play a third place team, which, which, yeah, the third place team might not even have played soccer before. That's how this World cup is, is panning out. No, no, I'm being serious. Right. Which is the round of 32.
- [49:21]
B
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [49:23]
A
So that means they get into the round of 16 and they have to win a big game.
- [49:27]
B
Correct.
- [49:28]
A
Okay. They haven't done that. But if we're saying everybody, the World cup means everything. So all these guys are going to be fit, they're going to have their best team. Subs are going to be chomping at the bit. They have an Opportunity to get to the quarterfinals. I'm saying they can win one big game. Hasn't been done. But they also haven't been together. I'm saying they win the round of 16, round of 16 game and this team gets to a quarterfinal.
- [49:56]
B
Can I give you.
- [49:56]
A
There's your receipts.
- [49:57]
B
Can I give you a stat?
- [49:59]
A
Yeah.
- [49:59]
B
Because I was doing this on the way to the stadium today because somebody asking me about this. You've said this. You said they've never won a. They've never beat a big team, a top 10 team. So I said, of course they have. They must have at some point said no. And So I chat GPT. When was the last time the US beat a top 10 team? Do you know the answer?
- [50:23]
A
I think I know the answer, yeah.
- [50:25]
B
When?
- [50:26]
A
2013.
- [50:27]
B
Yep, 2013. Which means exactly zero of these players. Not even Tim Ream, I don't think. I know. Right. Was part of that. That game. 2013. 13 years we have not beaten a top 10 team.
- [50:44]
A
LD that's why I didn't lead and said this is a cold take or this is a warm take. I said this is a hot take and I'm standing by it. I'm saying that this team, I mean, gets to a quarterfinal in the World
- [50:55]
B
cup, if there is a time, if there is a time that they could win one big game, it would be in a home World Cup. Yeah, that is true. All right. Hot take, hot takes, cold coke, open seas. Your Carnival cruise is waiting. Visit carnival.com cruise/unfiltered and enter for your chance to win a Carnival cruise. Thank you all for being with us. Timmy, safe travels to you. I head to LA tomorrow. Where are you headed? New York.
- [51:20]
A
Go to Miami, then back to Atlanta and then New York. I'm just on this dude I wild ride.
- [51:25]
B
At some point we're going to screenshot people our schedules. I'm like in LA for four days. Home for a day. Back to New York. Back home, back to New York. Seattle. I mean it's insane.
- [51:35]
A
Fun. It's fun.
- [51:36]
B
It is fun. Actually. Actually, to be honest to all of you have said so many people come up and say I love listening to the pod. So thank you guys. We love it. We're always going to keep you honest. We're always going to be honest. Thank you so much. Coca Cola and Carnival. Awesome for bringing this live pod to you guys and we will see you guys next time. Enjoy the week. Stay optimistic, my friends.
- [52:00]
A
Thanks everyone. Quarterfinals.
- [52:02]
B
It.