Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - #198: Monday Recap

Episode Date: September 13, 2021

Jordan (our esteemed Discord moderator) joins Belz for a quick rundown of the club action in the player pool. These have typically been available only to patrons, but I might start putting them on the public podcast feed. We'll see. Consider this a trial balloon. The show was recorded live on Discord, where patrons are able to join in the broadcast in various ways.Support Scuffed on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedJoin the Discord: https://discord.gg/X6tfzkM8XUBuy our merch: https://my-store-11446477.creator-spring.com/ Skip the ads! Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon and get all episodes ad-free, plus any bonus episodes. Patrons at $5 a month or more also get access to Clip Notes, a video of key moments on the field we discuss on the show, plus all patrons get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedAlso, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.comAnd check out our MERCH, baby. We have better stuff than you might think: https://www.scuffedhq.com/store Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Monday recap, everybody. Big news this week is that Champions League and Europa League kickoff, and a lot of players are involved in that. So let's go through the top 40. Oh, the other big news is I think we're going to have to do a new top 40 soon because there's going to be some movement, and we'll get into that a little bit. So number one is Christian Pulisic, obviously Hurt, came off in that game against Honduras before the,

before the goals came rushing down from heaven. Number two, Tyler Adams did not play in that 4-1 loss to Byron. Jesse Marsh needs some good results over the next month. They face Man City on Wednesday. Number three, Weston McKinney went 73 minutes in a 2-1 loss for Juventus at Napoli. Jouva is struggling mightily, and Wes was typically sort of uneven, some good moments, some bad moments. But at least he got right back on the field after that Nashville incident. And Juventus faces Malmo tomorrow in Champions League.

Number four, John Brooks was subbed on for the last 20 minutes of a 2-0 win over Groydra Firth. They face Leal, who is very beatable in Champions League tomorrow. Giovanni Raina is number five, and he's hurt. Obviously, hopefully can get back on the field before the October window, but we don't know yet. Virginia Odessa is likewise hurt for the showdown with Byron Munich in Champions League tomorrow. Number seven, Matt Turner went 90 in a 2-1 win over NYCFC on Saturday. It sure does appear that he is our number one. Number eight, this is one that's kind of newsy.

Chris Richards went 90 and a 2-0 loss to Mines, who it turns out might be pretty good in the Bundesliga. Richards look great, in my opinion. I think that was sort of the general. What did you think, Jordan? I saw him you look pretty good from what I saw. I didn't see the whole game, but I didn't. He looked like last year's offer nine Richards to me. Yeah, maybe not like transcendent or anything, but very, very solid.

Yeah. Mimiuea, still hurt at number nine. 10, Eunice Musa, another little camp. for Valencia, 10 minutes in a 4-1 win over Osasuna. dribbled a long ways at one point, which everyone loved. He's a cage match hero, that one. Number 11, Miles Robinson did not play in a 3-0 win over Orlando City for Atlanta. Atlanta's kind of coming into form right now, which is cool, I think.

Good for the sport in this country, and Miles got a much-deserved rest. Kellan Acosta, number 12, went 90 in a 1-1 draw with the Galaxy. Josh Sargent did not dress in a 1-0 loss to Arsenal. Brennan Aronson-3-1 win over WSG Watkins. Salzburg faces Sevilla in Champions League tomorrow. You imagine he's going to be in the starting lineup for that. Number 15, Ethan Horvath did not play in a 2-1 loss to Cardiff City. As if that situation is getting a bit frustrated.

From the sounds of it, it doesn't seem like Samba is lighting it up, but Horvath hasn't gotten a chance in the league yet. Not to put you on the spot, but were either of the goals that he, Samba conceded soft goals? I didn't watch. I saw that before the break, the goals that Samba conceded were great. So I was hoping that Horvath would start. and then he didn't so I didn't watch that game it's just been a rough go for Ethan I think yeah eventually it'll

you gotta think he'll day will come but he's not it doesn't seem like he's gonna threaten Matt Turner at the moment yeah so Anthony Robinson number 16 I'm like I'm so happy with him right now I just I could send him

gift if I had the wherewithal to do so went 90 and a 1-0 lost to Blackpool I'm so happy with him because of how well he played against Honduras and I think he really changed that match. 17. Jack Stephan did not dress in a 1-0 win over Lester. I think he may be in COVID protocols right now. Is that right?

I think he's still in the United States because of COVID protocols and can't travel back to England. Okay. The Hoppe was in the game day roster, but did not play in a 2-0 loss for Majorca to bow. The good news is he's in La Liga now and not in cloudy Gelsenkirkin. Yeah, Mallorca is definitely a better place to be than Gelsenkirkin. Probably in a lot of ways, right?

Yeah. For 19, Conrad de La Fuente got a 15-minute cameo and a 2-0 win over Monaco. Marseilles' locomotive Moscow in Europa League on Thursday. Conrad's competition got two goals yesterday though, or Saturday, whatever it was. So that's going to be interesting. I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing for him to be coming off the bench. I thought he definitely exceeded expectations with the way he started this season, right? Yeah.

He did my expectations. Number 20 is Reggie Cannon. Imagine he'll be dropping in the next. edition of the player pool power rankings. But right now he's 20 and he's not in the squad. It was not in the squad for Boavis to kind of in the wind at the moment appears. 21 Jazi Zardis was back on the field for the Columbus crew subbed on at the half of a 1-0 loss to enter Miami.

Interesting, Walker Zimmerman went 90 and scored the game's only goal on a second half set piece header. A really nice one, by the way, a glancing header, just charging at the near post. and a 1-0 win over in Montreal. Still kind of surprised he didn't feature in the past window. I'm not mad about it. I'm just kind of surprised. I thought after how heavily featured in the Gold Cup group stage,

he'd at least get a look. He looked good in the Gold Cup group stage, not against the stiffest competition, but still. 23, Sebastian Leget went 90 in that 1-1 draw with Colorado, I mentioned earlier. 24 James Sands went 90 at centerback in a two-man centerback formation and a two-one loss to the revolution. So he's ranked 24th right now. I imagine he'll drop in the next ranking.

Shack Moore, 10-minute cameo and a two-zero win over Valladolid. So that's a little bit. His minutes are incrementally increasing. 26, Pax and Pomacall started and went 74 minutes in a 1-1 drop. draw with San Jose. I thought he looked pretty good, but not I demand to be in the USMNT next window good. I don't know. Did you watch that game or see any of the highlights or anything? I saw the Jackson Ewell heading his own goal away, but

I didn't see much more than that. Brutal. Beautiful for Jackson. Both Wando and Jackson Ewell had huge misses with their heads, and I think was worse than Mondos. Something else good happened in that game, but we'll get to it in a second. 27, Jordan Pfeck started and went 76 minutes in a 4-0 win over FC Zurich. Young Boys face Manchester United tomorrow.

So, man, our players in Champions League are facing just a murderers row of opponents this week. 28, this one is also kind of interesting. Mark McKenzie subbed on it to half and played, at least according to the stats, pretty well in a one-one draw with Union song Gilwaz, except that it was his mark who scored the equalizer at the death in the 95th minute. I don't know that there was too much he could do about it. It was a glancing header with his guy moving away from the near post, but it was his guy.

So not a super positive data point. 29 is Daryl Dike. He scored an own goal in that 3-0 loss to Atlanta. I'm not sure how he played otherwise. It's not a, it's not a thing that I think we should criticize him too much for. It just was a ball zipped into the near post and it just happened to bounce off him. 30, 31 and 32 are Aaron Long, Jordan Morris and Eric Williamson all out with long-term injury.

The interesting thing is maybe Morris is going to be back pretty soon. I think he's starting to try. train more. Seeing those clips, but I'm not entirely sure how close they actually mean he is to actually play. Yeah. Could still be a while. Is he going to make it back on the field for Seattle, I guess, is the question this

season? He does. Maybe we'll see him in November, the national team. 33. DeAndre Yedlin went 90 in a two-two draw with. tribe sponsor. So he keeps getting minutes, keeps getting starts or Galatasaray. I'm still, I'm still mad at him that he's the one, the one with so much experience, who fell asleep on Alfonso Davies in a World Cup qualifier six minutes after we got the go ahead goal. It just seems like a

very poor recognition of the moment, what was needed in that moment. Obviously, John Brooks fell asleep and you could argue with the way Miles Robinson. But that's the The big thing for me there is keep staying goalside of Alfonso Davies when you're protecting a one zero lead at home in a World Cup qualifier. And if DeAndre Edlin can't be focused enough to do that, dude, I don't know, man. 34. Looka Delatore. Oh, no, I don't know what he did this week. Do you know, Jordan?

I do not. Okay. He's going to have to. He wasn't on my watch list. skip over him for number 34. Same with Julian Green. I know Groydifurth lost 2-0. I don't have the details on whether he,

whether he, how much he played in that game. 36, great news. Ricardo Pepey scores another goal, and it's just like a typically ruthless attack of the ball at the near post. It looks like it got a little deflection

from the defender who was on him, but you've got to love the way that kid gets after it. That was like a minute after Che's incredible run through the entire defense, right? Yes, yeah.

The Espinosa for San Jose just kind of decided he didn't want to follow Jay through the middle of the field. Che got the assist for Pepe's goal. That's right. A very nice delivery. Imagine a Big rise in the rankings coming for Pepe in the next edition of the power rankings. I didn't think he had a fantastic game, but he scored a goal.

So he did some good stuff in the second half. 37 is Joseph Scali, went 90 and a 3-1 win over Armenia, Bielafeld. He did it right back and moved to left back in the second half and played pretty well. they moved to left back because their left back another 18 year old got injured so right now their two starting fullbacks are injured and their backup left back is injured so scally's definitely going to be getting some minutes in their coming weeks for a while right sam vines number 38 did not dress in a one zero win over yupin do you know what's up with him is he i have not followed the sam vines chronicles lately. I think he broke his collarbone in practice since he was going to be out for a while.

Oh, no. Oh, yes, I did hear that. And then 39, G.N. Luca Bousseo went 90 for Venetia in a 2-0 win over Empoli. Reportedly looked quite good. I haven't watched the clips, but the reports were all good. Anybody have a strong thought on that?

I don't. I think he looked decent from what I read, but I didn't watch too much. of it either. I'm going to remain a little skeptical, but I'm glad I'm glad for Vinizia to get that first win and Busia to play a big role in it.

And George Bello was subbed on for the last 30 of that 3-0 win over Orlando. Understandably got some rest since he played what, 35 minutes on Wednesday and that game was on Friday. Anybody want to holler at us? I'm curious about you. You were mentioning that

you feel like There's a bunch of movement. Who are the movers for you? Be up, sure. Hands down. I imagine Brennan Aronson will probably jump a few people. He's very popular right now. Little brothers tend to be.

And I imagine Cannon will drop as well. I think those are the big movers. Anybody else come to mind? Um Gale will probably jump Yeah I mean At this point

You got to think Player who's performing well For Baruchia Munchin Gladbach Should be ahead of a player Who's not even in the squad for Boa Vista Yeah

There you go Do you think that those Is that Is that reflected in the player pool rankings at soccer house? The question. Mr. Selhorn, I, that's probably, it's probably somewhat reflected.

Did you think? I feel like that's the whole thing for me right now is like what the hell is going on in Greg's head, right? Because like, you know, you'd like for our 433 to roll out there with, you know, the best possible player at each of those spots in the 11. Right? You said it just now that like, oh, yeah, Matt Turner. He's locked down at goalkeeper.

Well, does Greg think that? Because he better. Yeah. I think after the El Salvador game in his post-game press conferences, he implied that Stefan was still the starter. But I'm not sure if that's changed after the Canada game and the Honduras game. The media seems to think that Stefan was missing from the lineup. Against El Salvador, you mean?

The whole window. Yeah, like when they talked about players that were missing, like Raina or McKinney or Wayup, they always included Stefan in that, even though if Stefan is actually the backup goalkeeper, he wouldn't play anyway. I think he's just a high-profile member of the squad. he plays for Manchester City.

He's been the starter. That probably explains why the mainstream media puts him in that list with Raina and McKinney. I don't know that. I just sometimes hear the like name players as a indication of what the like the press relations people from soccer house say, right? And so like if soccer house is saying, you know,

Stefan is missing, right? is that them just doing like damage control or is that them like actually saying like he is preferred? Halter does seem to like let guys down easy. So like even if Stefan doesn't even if Stefan isn't actually his starter anymore he'll probably keep bringing him up as oh

this guy's still important to us and for like the next couple of windows or whatever even though he doesn't actually start or whatever. it's a good point I mean to answer your question I don't know I don't know if that's a direct reflection

of what the comms team at SSF is saying right yeah I just yeah I you know because it's like you know like who are they picturing in the the you know like

when you want to know about lineups and how they rate people like like you only get to use the data points that we do have Right. And so, you know, like that that feels like a data point. I hope, yeah. I guess we, we don't 100% know what Burrhalter is going to do with the goalkeeper situation. But it seems like it'd be silly to drop Turner at this point. Anything else from anybody? I think you can unmute yourself.

Do you have any moderation announcements? Not really. I was thinking of running the fan poll that I do after each window on Thursday. I'm not sure what your plan is for the power ranking spreadsheet. It's evolving. It's an evolving plan. I could do it pretty much any time. We can coordinate on that.

Yeah. But other than that, I don't have really any announcements to make. Okay. All right, unless anybody has anything else going once, going twice. I'm interviewing Grant Wall at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. I release that podcast this afternoon. I'll probably, I'll release this little, this little bite as a patron only podcast. And I'll see you later.

We'll see you.