FU: The World Cup kicks off 12 weeks from tomorrow
How are we feeling, USMNT fans?
I'll confess that, despite literally counting down the days to Mexico-South Africa, I'm nowhere near as excited as I expected to be post-Qatar. Beyond the rather indifferent state of the USMNT and its manager, the increasingly toxic state of USMNT discourse, and the impending return of Alexi Lalas to our television screens, we also have a bloated field and a fixture list rife with mismatches, which will only further the Arteta-fication of football. This promises to be the World Cup of deep-set defenses, long throws, and set piece goals; plus, as a bonus to the shit football, we'll get all the geo-political grotesqueries attendant on global sporting competitions hosted by warmongering authoritarians.
I still like our chances to survive the group stage.
Fairly happy with the squad.
by PMan 
, The Banks of the Spokane River, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 11:48 (14 days ago) @ HCE
Need Dest and Adams fully healthy, and Jedi, McKennie, Pulisic, and Richards to stay healthy. And Poch to stick with the 3 CBs plan.
It is weird to have American 9s scoring at their respective clubs.
Plus, Nike did not make the worst jerseys ever, which is good.
Sad that FIFA and Infantino (continue to) suck, and that we have an authoritarian narcissist warmonger as president.
The upcoming friendlies are intriguing
By all accounts, the March squad is pretty close to the one we'll get in June, albeit with a few notable absences for injury. (I'd add Wright and Luna to your "please be healthy" list, with particular hopes for the former.)
Obviously, friendly results don't matter, but a pair of competent showings against some tough opposition would go a long way to settling my nerves for this summer, if only about the futbol part.
All 4 of the pre-cup friendlies...
by PMan , The Banks of the Spokane River, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 13:32 (14 days ago) @ HCE
are with teams we could see in the knockout stage. Really, a good job for once by US Soccer to get quality opponents that can help expose issues so those issues might get corrected in advance.
Beyond injuries still to come, I worry about getting a goalkeeper that will make that one important and necessary save when you need it, about having someone of Ream's age at CB, and picking the correct in-form guy at the 9.
What's your preferred starting 11?
by San Pedro , More than 100 feet from Bob Davies, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 12:21 (14 days ago) @ PMan
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ideal, in my opinion, in the group stage:
by PMan , The Banks of the Spokane River, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 13:23 (14 days ago) @ San Pedro
Going to need to break down deep-sitting defenses.
Freese
Freeman -- Richards -- Ream
Dest -- Adams -- McKennie -- Jedi
Pulisic -- Reyna
Balogun
Into the knockout round, I think I'd want even more speed than Reyna and Ream give you, so I'd go someone younger than Ream and go with Weah to counter on the break.
Good stuff. Thank you.
by San Pedro , More than 100 feet from Bob Davies, Thursday, March 19, 2026, 06:21 (14 days ago) @ PMan
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I don't think I've looked less forward to a World Cup
by irishoutsider , Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 09:28 (15 days ago) @ HCE
I mean like pre-1990 seeing random "hey we're actually IN this one" ads on TBS(?)
There's just so many reasons to be checked out right now. I'll be checked in when it happens because of course, but I'm dreading this in a way I would have never imagined a couple of cycles ago.
Same.
by San Pedro , More than 100 feet from Bob Davies, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 09:39 (15 days ago) @ irishoutsider
edited by San Pedro, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 10:15
I was at Gillette Stadium last weekend and the grass looked terrific given the winter we've had. Pretty excited to see a lot of soccer on the real stuff this year. Silver lining to the bloat and shameless spectacle FIFA puts on. Ticket prices are extortionate.