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can usmnt learn from atlanta united (in time for 2022)?

8/2/2018

US vs Mexico is upcoming, on September 11, 2018. How indicative will this USMNT performance be for the program moving forward? Minus the men’s team in the recent World Cup this is a great opportunity to get back into the swing of things, to showcase new talent, such as the possibility of Sargent and Weah, and get ready for upcoming Gold Cups and the eventual qualification process for World Cup 2022 in Qatar, which is right around the corner.
If anything, the USMNT should steal from Atlanta United, a team that is currently sweeping MLS off its feet with excitement, pure offense and goals left and right. How is Atlanta accomplishing such a thing? For one, they have the passing wisdom of Nagbe in the midfield, and he’s surrounded with offensive talent, not defensive, safe-playing, steady, boring players that keep games close.
If anything can be learned from Spain (2008-2012), it’s that offensive players (who would ordinarily be thought of as terrible individual defensive players) are perfect defenders because if they control the game with possession, then theoretically it’s always easy to retain the ball (because the opposing team, once they attain possession of the ball, is so overwhelmed with not previously having it, and they end up acting erratically, trying to do too much, forcing things, eventually turning the ball over).
Atlanta is also a team that is predominately under six feet tall. See my book Why American Soccer Isn’t There Yet, as I explain that a tactic like this – using players under six feet tall, as opposed to taller players, over six feet tall – is beneficial for a team’s success in the modern era. As a result, Atlanta is not relying on an aerial attack, instead seeking to swarm its opponent with skillful interplay, which is always more advantageous in soccer (over the course of a season, or in an extended tournament like the World Cup).
I predict good things will be around the corner for the USMNT should they go this route.
From a US perspective, there is plenty of time to literally field a team that can win World Cup 2022. What's certain, many interesting games are soon to follow.

world cup 2018: honorable mention

7/28/2018

With about two weeks past since the World Cup final, by all accounts, it’s time to reflect, and look ahead.

Honorable Mention
A friendly message for the teams that didn’t qualify for World Cup 2018:

Holland…wow. You? You of all people didn’t make it? Say hello to Italy.

Tibet…we weren’t expecting much. Better luck next time.

Congo…ditto.

India and Thailand…Oiy. Do you actually play soccer? Wait, I’m told you do. So, apparently, you play the game. Let’s try to work on that, huh. For starters: Literally make Neymar a citizen of your country. India, btw, the Las Vegas odds of you winning the World Cup would be a number with so many zeros behind it which not even Ramanujan could figure out.

Canada…I don’t know where to start with you guys.

Puerto Rico…You’re technically a US state, territory, or whatever, and, more importantly, a member of CONCACAF, and you just played the USMNT for the first time in 2016. I’m not blaming you, but that’s just weird. It took that long to play the US? Really? And to the US: It took that long to play Puerto Rico? C’mon. Weird. Totally weird. For so many reasons. First of all, you’re an ally. Secondly, you would think everyone in CONCACAF would have played one another at least once in the past seventy odd years. But, back to the World Cup: You had absolutely no chance to get in. Keep trying, though! By keep trying I mean: I seriously doubt you’ll get into World Cup 2022, and probably the next fifty World Cups after that. That's the truth, and you know it. Should you make it, I'll be the first to say congratulations. But let's get real. That's probably not gonna happen.

Back to India…guys, stick with cricket.

Back to Thailand…stick with, whatever it is you do.

Paraguay…based on your previous World Cup record, are you really surprised? When you do make it, no one really pays attention anyway.

Finland…good old Finland. Do you play soccer? Maybe if you lesson your extreme and fascinating worship of Conan O’Brien you can devote more time to the game. But I understand that’s asking a lot.

Scotland…where do we start?

Luxembourg…oh boy.

Yemen…I would consult the coaching authority of Steve and Doug Butabi.

Mongolia…the mighty Mongolians. Egh, maybe not so much. That is, when it comes to soccer; but when it comes to quilts, oh yoi yoi, are they good. Regardless, yes, they have a team. And yes, they’re still strutting like John Travolta over their 8-0 trouncing of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2016, along with their 2-0 win over the always dangerous, Sri Lanka. Some of you may be wondering about Mongolia. Do they really play soccer? Because after all, you never hear about them, ever. Well, here’s the thing. Most players, if not all, have chosen to disregard the allure of teams like Manchester United and Barcelona, instead, opting to stay at home, competing in the Mongolia Premier League. As of 2017, Mongolia acquired the coaching services of German-born, Michael WeiB. With a little work, and a few tune-up games with Cambodia, Nicaragua and Finland, along with the goal-scoring exploits of Monkh-Erdeniin Togoldor, Naranbold Nyam-Osor and Soyol-Erdene Gal-Erdene, who knows, the World Cup final of 2022 might read: Brazil versus Mongolia.

Lebanon…the mysterious land of ancient Phoenicia – the land of secrets. Well, it’s no secret why you didn’t qualify. Just sayin’.

Oceania…you had a half chance to make it. For whatever reason, FIFA gave you half a chance to get one team in. And you didn’t qualify. It’s not the same without you. New Zealand, Tahiti, and others, stay with it! You’ve got something productive going on. Whatever that is, I have no idea.
To all the others that didn’t make it: Keep trying, no matter how futile your efforts may be. And we’ll see you in four years!

World Cup 2022 Final
Brazil vs Mongolia
Could it be?

awards for world cup 2018

7/16/2018

Awards for World Cup 2018

adidas Golden Ball Award:
Luka Modric (Croatia)

adidas Golden Boot Award:
Harry Kane (England)

adidas Golden Glove Award:
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)

FIFA Young Player Award:
Kylian Mbappe (France)

world cup 2018 champions: france

7/15/2018

FRANCE
World Cup titles: 2 (1998, 2018)

France 4 Croatia 2

France brings home the coveted trophy for the second time, winning today in Moscow, prevailing over the small nation of Croatia.

France emerged onto the world scene in a big way in the late 1970s with Platini, arguably the best player in French history, who led the French into the 1980s with two runs into the World Cup semi-finals, 1982 and 1986. Platini was captain for the first European Cup championship for France, in 1984.
Then France would have to wait until 1998 for their first World Cup title, as the other player thought to be the greatest in French history, Zidane, led the way to victory in Paris, as France hosted that year.
And now, twenty years later, with Griezmann, Mbappe, Lloris and a quality group, France takes home the title again.

book excerpt: france in wc 2018

7/14/2018

The following is an excerpt from The World Cup 2018 Book: Everything You Need to Know About the Soccer World Cup.

FRANCE

Where the Team Is Today—Tactics and Strategies
Coming off a second place finish at the 2016 European Cup, which they also hosted, France is in good form.
They’ll likely go with a 4-3-3; though, they’ve used other formations in the past. Defensively, they close down opponents very well, swarming them and stifling attacks with athletic players who have good instincts.
In the attack, their dynamite lineup plays with calm fluidity, capitalizing on a structured passing system that, at times, straddles the flair of pickup soccer. Often, their play is brilliant, making them one of the most exciting teams to watch.

Photo courtesy of FIFA.

book excerpt: england in wc 2018

7/8/2018

The following is an excerpt from The World Cup 2018 Book: Everything You Need to Know About the Soccer World Cup

ENGLAND

What to Watch for on TV—How Messi, Neymar, Kroos, and Others Play
England likes to play the counterattack with a lot of speed, and telling, crisp passes. For 2018, they have very capable forwards and wingers who can carry this out; they’re fast, aggressive, skillful, and determined to put England back on the map—a dangerous combination for their opponents.
England will provide an aerial threat from all set pieces, including free kicks from the wings as well as corners. Keep an eye on their tall, strong defenders that get into the box, muscling for position to knock in a goal or two. Their outside defenders are like marathon runners on both sides of the ball. Given their experience, combined with new talent, they should be a competitive team with potential to go far into the elimination rounds.

Overall Team Rating: 8 leaning toward 8.5

Photo courtesy of FIFA.

book excerpt: brazil in wc 2018

7/1/2018

The following is an excerpt from The World Cup 2018 Book: Everything You Need to Know About the Soccer World Cup

BRAZIL

Facts About Their Country
Brazil, the land of soccer, is a very interesting place. It’s a large country, geographically and population-wise, with over 206 million people, and a GDP of about 1.5 trillion. The largest city is Sao Paulo with an estimated population of 12 million.
Historically, Brazil has evidence of human activity likely dating back 11,000 years, as well as pottery being found from around 6,000 BC. The Portuguese first established their presence in Brazil back in 1500 AD, only eight years after Christopher Columbus made his voyage across the Atlantic.
The Lost City of Z, a book written by David Grann, explores the journey of Colonel Fawcett, a British explorer in the early 20th Century, who was mapping the area of Bolivia, Peru, and western Brazil, while also searching for a mythical lost city filled with gold.
In today’s Brazil, many soccer players search for their own chest of “gold” by way of professional contracts. Brazilian players are highly favored around the world. Cafu is the Brazilian leader in caps, with 142. Pele is the leading scorer, with 77. Pele also has three World Cup titles to his name: 1958, 1962, and 1970.
Brazil is known for great food, including steaks and exotic pizza varieties. As World Cup Russia progresses, many people watching on TV will likely enjoy domestic beer, including Eisenbahn.

Where the Team Is Today—Tactics and Strategies
Brazil may have come up empty handed in the 2016 Copa America, but their defense throughout the 2018 World Cup qualification games has been strong, rooted in quick double teams and active individual talent.
Brazil has built their exciting attack around the fleet feet of Neymar, along with a group that exudes the classic Brazilian flair mixed with a sound passing structure that can be found in Europe. With this offensive group of young players in place, Brazil is looking to capitalize on a creative pulse which has been lacking in the past two World Cups. (See appendix under Brazil, “Brazil Looking for World Cup Magic Again,” for bonus material.)
Brazil will probably go with a 4-3-3. As usual, they’ll be a favorite, and, depending who you ask, they always have the potential to win the whole thing.

usmnt - the "could've, should've, would've" lineup for wc 2018

6/29/2018

The lineup that the USMNT could’ve, should’ve and would’ve beaten Panama with – “Panama” for God’s sake – to get into this World Cup with a strong chance to win this wide open tournament:

Wood Dempsey Nguyen
Pulisic Torres Nagbe
Shea Ream Bradley Yedlin
Howard

With, of course, a few simple, agreeable, common sense, friendly, conditions.,..Possession, possession, possession, with the defenders adding to the attack like Dan Marino to Duper and Clayton.
This lineup could've only been strengthened with bench support from up and coming talent, Sargent, Weah and a few others. But, this lineup is key as the center piece...and w/ a few alterations, including Dempsey, Yedlin, Bradley and Howard, for now, this lineup is prime and ready for Qatar 2022.
Hello. Yes, I'm fully aware of writing a blog post on a Saturday night, with nothing to do, and the obvious ramifications it has for my "social reputation." Oh no, not that. Bruce Arena just wrote a book, essentially with my title, claiming he has the answers...the guy who had 3 shots at the World Cup. One, two, three. That's like Sug Knight giving a tour of his favorite strip club showing off all the "upstanding, college-bound young women." And, in fact, some of them might be heading for college. Because not all strippers just strip; they have dreams; they have goals; and they have people like Sug Knight telling them how great they are. Hello, I feel like "guy calling radio station" from One Crazy Summer. Good movie btw. Probably in Arena's top five I'm guessing. Strong performance by Cusack and Demi Moore. Hoops. Bobcat Goldthwait. One Crazy Summer.

world cup 2018 bracket

6/29/2018

Bracket Update
7-4-18
My Bracket Predictions for World Cup 2018: 5.5 for 8. (See predictions from 6-29-18 below.)
It's a score of 5.5 since Spain was accurately predicted to have penalty kicks with Russia, though Spain lost. This is based on "Shane Math."

Shane Math
The .5 was added for the correct prediction of penalty kicks during the Spain vs Russia game. I had worked on similar mathematical formulas during my time at MIT.* This, of course, was after I turned down mathematical scholarships from Princeton and Harvard.** Eventually, when I switched from MIT to Stanford, which was due to the actual Dean of the school calling me relentlessly, I began work on Penrose tiling, the true nature of Planck time and gradually I solved Fermat’s Last Theorem one night during an online game of Zelda.*** It goes without saying, I’m still waiting for my recognition from the scientific community. Furthermore, I’d also like an apology letter from Andrew Wiles, and Ken Ribet while we’re at it, for claiming that I “stole their work” and “plagiarized years of research."**** And they call themselves geniuses. Really? Put the time in fella. All they do is yack-yack-yack-yack. Anyway, through all my mathematical travels, I’ve applied my knowledge and expertise to the application of .5 for my bracket prediction in the Spain vs Russia game.

* Complete fantasy.
** Pure fiction.
*** Total rubbish.
**** More rubbish. If you believe this, we should have a talk.

World Cup 2018 Bracket Predictions
6-29-18

With Germany out, this World Cup is literally unpredictable.
With that said, with great caution and intrigue, I lay out my guesses for the elimination rounds.

Uruguay
Portugal
“Toss a coin.”
I give it to Portugal only because Ronaldo is playing well. He’s scoring goals, and this may be his last World Cup tournament which may lead him to guide his team with an extra push. However, this game is a toss up. Despite being the defending European champions, Portugal is not the best team around the block. Without Ronaldo they’re super-average, and you cannot depend on them. Uruguay, another team that’s definitely not the best on the block is average as well, counting on Suarez for the majority of their scoring chances, with dull, predictable support from the midfield and defense.

France
Argentina
“Toss a coin.”
This should be a great game. This is more like a perfect semi-final or championship showdown. Unfortunately, they’re meeting in the second round. It could go either way, though, as with Portugal, I’m going with Messi and Argentina only because of Messi’s prowess on the field and his quest for the big title which may bring out the best in him during this match. Despite the hype, Pogba is not a big game player, and I don’t think he’ll bring in a magical performance against Argentina. However, he’s a good player, and along with Greizmann, who I believe is more of a threat up top, and one of the better players in the tournament, France should give Argentina a tough game.

Brazil
Mexico
“Go with Brazil.”
Poor Mexico. They’re desperately trying to defeat their “second round curse” and this just doesn’t seem like the tournament for them to accomplish it. If only they could’ve been paired against Sweden or Denmark. However, this is probably the best Mexican team in their history of teams so don’t be surprised to see Mexico surprise the world with a defeat over Brazil, and a somewhat injured Neymar. Though, I’m going with Brazil because they’re hitting a stride, they have a talented group with Willian and Coutinho, and I believe they’ll eventually find their way into the finals.

Belgium
Japan
“Go with Belgium.”
Belgium is just better than Japan, on paper and in reality of soccer. However, Japan is very technically sound and it wouldn’t be surprising to me at all if they knocked off the Belgians. Japan is likely going to improve their national team structure and eventually win the whole World Cup. But not this time around. Belgium yes, Japan no.

Spain
Russia
“Probably Spain.”
Going into this tournament I had my doubts about Spain, because members of their “Golden Generation” are slowly retiring from the team. They have a few left, but I thought it wasn’t going to be enough to hold onto that magic, and, as I’ve predicted, they’ll end up being one of the best teams never to win the World Cup “again.” They’re playing well and so is Russia. The Russians have the home crowd which has been of great help to this point. But, I think Spain still holds all the cards with their strong ability to out-possess their opponent. I think this will knock the Russians off their game, and the win should go Spain. Though, penalty kicks might be the end result, which, if that’s the case, the game could go either way.

Croatia
Denmark
“Toss a coin.”
Both teams are pretty equal and they both play a quality thoughtful game of soccer, though Croatia might have the edge based on the flow they’ve displayed so far in the tournament. Literally toss a coin for this one. But I’m going with Croatia.

Sweden
Switzerland
“Toss a coin.”
I chose Sweden only because it was going to be easier to write “Sweden” on my self-made bracket page. So there you go. Sweden, your winners! Go Sweden! Both teams are pretty equal and both play a boring style of soccer. It can go either way. Sweden can bring out a good game, defeating Italy in a playoff to reach this World Cup, and gaining a victory over Mexico in their group. Switzerland is steady, with experienced players. This game could go either way, and despite their mutually boring approach, it could be an exciting game to watch.

Colombia
England
“Probably, maybe England…but you never know.”
This should be a very intriguing game. I’m going with England only because this might be the year they do something big! Then again, it might not! They’ve been saying that since 1966. We’ll see. This might as well be a “toss a coin” game. Both teams are very talented and it literally could go either way. Don’t be surprised to see penalty kicks. To this point in the tournament, Colombia just hasn’t impressed me like I thought they would. England, well, it’s not as though we’re talking about Brazil 1970. But I’m going with England. For this game you should too.

wc 2018 update: germany is out! what the...

6/27/2018

Around the 600s AD, mathematicians from India including Brahmagupta were tinkering around with negative numbers. Negative zero is the amount of people that predicted Germany would be eliminated in group play during the World Cup in Russia. Somehow, today it happened. The four-time champs, the defending 2014 WC champs, the defending 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup champs are out. Moving on from their group are Sweden (go figure) and Mexico (the team with a dream…to get past the second round).
It’s the World Cup of surprises.
After all, Argentina – the two-time champs from 1978 and 1986 – lost their second game to Croatia, then pulled off a highly dramatic late 2-1 victory against Nigeria to earn a place in the second round.
Leading into Russia 2018 many surprises occurred including Panama getting to the World Cup over their more talented CONCACAF neighbors, Honduras and the United States. Holland, a very good side, didn’t qualify out of Europe. Italy – the four-time champs – didn’t qualify either. And then, low and behold, the best team from South America for the past few years, the 2015 and 2016 Copa America champs, Chile, did not qualify! And, btw, Argentina almost joined them as they barely qualified for the 2018 World Cup.
And, the Argentineans, along with other teams in Russia, who, to this point, have made for an extremely exciting World Cup, might offer up a few more surprises before it’s all said and done.
As for Germany, they’ll have time to regroup and set a strong course for World Cup 2022. Possibly, with the absence of reliable leaders including Schweinsteiger, Lahm and Klose, the Germans were destined for this result. Possibly, they finally submitted to the pressure, while for so long they've seemed to embrace it, and play above the grand stage. After all, they were expected to dominate the tournament, and to reach the finals yet again. Lahm always provided guidance, skill and a creative spark from his place on outside defense. Schweinsteiger provided wisdom and a steady hand, along with great confidence from the middle, and Klose, the all-time leading World Cup scorer, was always a threat around goal. Then, a few other names were unavailable, including Podolski and Schurrle. The weird thing is, despite completely outplaying South Korea during their inevitable 2-0 loss, the Germans just couldn’t get through the human wall that became their opponent’s best defense.
For now, the Germans, the defending champs, the grand old party of soccer, will return from Russia empty-handed, and a new champion will soon take their place.

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