Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - #449: Monday Review — Camp begins in Austin, what to expect vs T&T

Episode Date: November 13, 2023

Watke, Vince and Belz on the ongoing camp in Austin, the upcoming matches against Trinidad, Berhalter's press conference setup, Gio and Malik hopefully getting to start for the fun of it, how to pronounce Malik's name, whether Paredes can have a breakout camp, and much more.Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! You get exclusive episodes on average twice a week, plus access to the Discord and live call-in shows, by signing up here for as little as $2 a month: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed 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.

From the USSF approved territories of Georgia and Kentucky, and also from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, this is the Monday Review. All right, this is the Monday Review. We've got a camp this week. A bunch of players arriving. We'll get into that in a moment. How's it going?

It's going well. So, Virginia, put out his highlight video this morning. Right on time. That's good. Yeah. Sheer ran his birthday. Today? Yeah.

Oh, oh, oh, y'all know what? What going on? Yesterday was a two-year anniversary of USA, Mexico, in Cincinnati. That came courtesy of the official USMNT account. Also, is the three-year anniversary for Gio and Eunice's first cap. I think that's what I'm seeing here. It's Wales, right? Yeah.

1112 was a big day. A big day in, uh, USM&T lower at this point. You could see back then that they were both 17 years old, right? They both came into that game and you could see right away that they were legit. Yep. You know who wasn't legit?

Sebastian legit playing false nine. Good times, man. We had some good times with hashtag the coach. We don't got to deal with that no more though. We also have our U-17s are back. beat South Korea 3-1 yesterday morning. We got an Olympic camp coming up. And I don't know, some action over the weekend that we got to get into, right?

Yeah. But let's start with the camp. Let's start with the camp that's now underway. We got a game in Austin on Thursday against Trinidad and Tobago. Vince, you're going to be there, right? In the flesh, baby. In the flesh. You know what I'm saying?

I'm excited to get down to Austin. I got some things planned I'm about to surprise one of my good friends that I haven't seen in like 10 years My boy cuts hair down in Austin So I've already scheduled me a cut

You know what I'm saying I got family pictures on Saturday bills Very important Family pictures Christmas cards going out You kind of need it You kind of need a cut Definitely definitely I do tend to thug it out

Whenever possible But yeah It's time to go get it So yeah By the show up at my boy's shop It's gonna be a great time get a cut, hit the streets of Austin, get, you know, whatever types of inebriated I find myself by the time the game starts.

Now, have you gotten a cut from this friend of yours before, or is you just trust him that much? Oh, he used to come out here like all through high school. Okay. So we went to high school together. We went elementary middle and high school together, play basketball through that time, uh, together, play football too. Um, and he was. not that I was doubting him

I just see the family picture on Saturday he was the team barber he was a team barber all through all through high school or whatever you know what I'm saying just a young high school kid trying to trying to get some money

so cuts used to be $5 you know what I'm saying $5 I mean I dare you to find that in Joe Biden's America ladies and gentlemen it's not going to be $5 anymore I'll tell you that but but yeah I have

I have must trust in my boy. Must trust in my boy. He's going to get me right. I got a $10 guy. I think I've said this on the podcast before, but I got a $10 guy in Fort Oglethorpe, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He's an old guy.

It's all old guys in there. It's not a very good haircut, but it's enough. It doesn't sound good. $10 from an old guy in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia is not. No, it's not. That's not what we're looking for. It doesn't look that great, but.

So I assume you're not getting it. anything as far as like a fade. It's just a guard. No, he just steadfastly refuses to do any sort of fading. But he's not, he's not taking any feedback, it sounds like. No. He calls it one guard on his clipper. He calls it a gentleman's haircut.

Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah. So you get what you pay for. But, you know, $10 is hard to beat. Yeah. A lot of people are going to, I mean, not a lot. But some people are going to be down there.

You're going to run into Claire, Claire says, hook them. We got a decent group from the Discord going. Somebody just hit me up on Twitter yesterday asking if there's going to be a meetup. It seems like, you know, we got a strong contingent of Texan, USM&T fans that are frothing at the mouth. You know what I'm saying? To give Trinidad and Tobago a little get back. You know what I'm saying? Yeah.

Which people seem to be nervous. There are some people. Some people struggling with PTSD that seem to be nervous about this matchup. How do y'all feel? I personally didn't go through this. Go through that heartbreak, as most people listening know. Bell's Waki. How do y'all feel, though?

I mean, it didn't feel physically impossible that we would lose over two legs so that might be nervous. But I think we're going to be fine. Yeah, I feel a little twinge of fear, you know, when I. Yeah, but I think, you know, the better part of rationality is to know that we're going to be fine here. Okay, I mean, but the thing is some people are letting, are letting the fear permeate through the rationality. You know what I'm saying? But that's, that's not the cut of the jib on the Monday review is what I'm getting from you all.

Yeah. Understood. I draw strength. I draw strength from you, you two and from Greg, you know. Greg's been very, you know, confident. You got that screenshot on luck. I mean, yeah. The lineup that beat him 6-0.

Yeah, yeah. Well, other than a, you know, other than a victory, other than an overall two-legged victory, what predictions do you have for this next 10 days or so? I'm going to predict Raina and Malik start together. in the first game which is kind of more of a request than a prediction

but it's also a prediction yeah that would make it all really fun if we got that it would it would throw a little Wes in there which we know you know

we know West gonna be on the field but you know Wes surge Gio Malik a little flow I guess we would be on the left wing We might not even miss our wingers, you know?

Yeah, yeah, I know. I mean, it might be a party. It might be a party. And, you know, with whatever, so I hope that Greg has learned that, like, in these situations, you know what I'm saying? These bunker-type games, you know, you got to go horses for courses. You know what I'm saying? I mean, we're not going to be losing anything as far as, like, defensively. Because Trindat Tobago, you know, God willing, will not have the ball.

so it's like yeah let's put all our tight space ballers on the pitch this is the game to do it let's get them cooking yeah who do you guys think it's gonna what is the front three and then the person

other person what's the lineup gonna be would you tell us the line is gonna be yeah uh well of course it's gonna be ball again up front my guess is what Bertharthor's gonna do is he's not gonna start Kevin Perretus

he's gonna start Brendan Aronson. And then it'll be geo out on the left wing slash left half space merchant, a midfield of Eunice, Wes, and Malik. And then, although Burralter could totally start Luca instead of Malik. And then, yeah, you know, Destin, Destin Robinson, some combination of two centerbacks and Matt Turner. That's my guess.

Yeah. I'll take you. So you got Gio on the on the left, why the left? So we can cut in and shoot basically, but I don't know,

you know, I don't think it really matters that much. He could play on the right. He could play it. Honestly, he could play in the midfield and put Malik on the wing.

I don't think any of it matters that much. You know what? That's probably what we'll see. Now that I think about it more and more. Just because Gio has those reps

that Greg has been very intentional with getting G on the midfield, you know what I'm saying? And he just doesn't want to hear it from USMNT Twitter. Like, you know, everyone's going to act like as this huge calamity. If he does end up on the wing, on the wing, in quotations as Greg has laid out,

as us at Scuff Global have tried to lay out many times. But I understand it just clicks when it clicks. Uh, in one ear or not the other, my mom would say. But, um, yeah. Oh, we just got a... So you think he'll put Malik on the wing? You think Burrhalta will put Malik on the wing, probably? I think so.

Yeah. I think so. Um, we also got a roster update right here. Um, midfielder Johnny Cardoso has withdrawn from the USM&T camp roster after being diagnosed with a right angle injury prior to departure. Hmm. Has anybody replaced him? No replacement has been added.

That's the last sentence of the tweet. Is it might, this has happened like four times? Maybe it just happened once. Did it happen last? No, no, no, no. He played last camp. It does seem like it happened to camp before that, like October, maybe. Yeah, it might have been that.

It might have been that. I mean, September, September. Yeah. Which, which sucks because, you know, he's been putting into performances here lately, but. Anyway, and some people were saying he should be the six in these games Speaking of putting in performances, how are you guys feeling about Paredes? Got another start over the weekend?

I'm going to predict this is his full emergence. That's my prediction. Yeah, yeah. Bels, you said that, you know, you thought Greg would play Brendan and which, if I was a betting man, I probably bet on that, I think, maybe. That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. Yeah, yeah, for sure.

But I do think, like, like, I would say the probability is more like 60, 40. You know what I'm saying? At this point with the way, with the way Kevin's been playing, Brendan has not been playing and not really been playing well when he has an opportunity. So I think, I mean, I think Kevin might be in there, man. Yeah. Like, I wouldn't, I wouldn't be surprised to see it. And I think he's earned it.

Yeah. I'm going to predict two goal contributions from him. Okay. For over the span of the camp? Over the span of the two games, yes. Okay. And then my other goal prediction is I think Raina and Ballo will combine as in one assist to the other.

I'm going to say at least three times, if not four. Yeah. I mean, if we score six goals against Trinidad, there's going to be some G and some A to go around. I guess I just brought a lot of goals there. Well I'm agreeing with you Okay We can do it

Um Yeah Weird what's going on with Rain at club Isn't it Like Never has my evaluation Been so opposite

From the club coach's evaluation Or there's something else There's something else going on That I don't understand Because I thought he was awesome For Dormand two out of the last three times he was on the field. Hey, it's one of them things.

Like, I mean, we talked about the last, talked about the last episode, his failures, uh, in defense, in transition and, uh, you know, a regular set defense when he was playing on the, uh, when he was playing on the wing against,

who was that? Leverkus and Frankfurt. Oh my God. But, um, like I said that, that was just, it was just something that could potentially get him benched the way he was the way he tracked back on that second

goal or whatever all that type of stuff uh i think he's going to have to do a little bit more it it seems like in the eyes of turzic he's going to have to do a little bit more to get into that trust tree where you know he can put geo in a position with with some uh level of defensive responsibility and trust that he will be able to execute properly these coaches care too much about defense. Yeah. I mean, it does seem to be

Gio's luck that he gets possibly the most defensive-minded. Not saying he's extremely defensive-minded, but the person who has defensive mind the most that is coached Dortmund in a long time. That's decade.

Yeah. In a long time. I mean, you see some of these lineups he's throwing out, especially in Champions League and stuff. It's just like, he's uh he's abandoning everything that i that i've that i've thought that dormant stands for at the moment so yeah um they dormant slipped out kind of sliding out of the title race as we speak they just lost to

stuttgart over the weekend and they're out 10 points behind levercuzin um starting to become a borderline insurmountable gap there um and Raina got what 30 minutes off the bench I don't think he was all that great in his 30 minutes this past weekend but he's gonna be great for us

he's gonna get for our purpose all that matters is he's playing 30 minutes that's the perfect length really yeah fair enough it just says what it is at this point says what it is

well you got any predictions about Burrhalter this camp um I think we're just going to see high-intensity burhunter on the sidelines. None of the low-activity-friendly stuff. It's time. Because these games do count, even though it's not the highest-level opponent. That doesn't really matter.

It matters. It's a real game. He's going to be out there throwing that ball around, getting involved. Yeah. Yeah, because I feel like despite all of my DGGG. promotion, you know what I'm saying, and backing. Like, I do think if this two-legged tie gets even a little bit dicey, my boy should be on a hot seat.

I don't care. It's not time to mess around, man. Not time to F around, okay? This two-legged tie, even, and, you know, even if we were to lose this two-legged tie, we would go into a playoff with another team that's potentially worse than Trinidad and Tobago. I didn't know that. That's good to know. Yeah, yeah, it's not necessarily a do or die.

But for Greg Burrhalter, it should be a do or die. You know what I'm saying? So he should be on his peas and cues, locked in, ready to go, a bounce past technique being worked on as we speak. You know, he's just standing in front of a wall perpendicular to it, just, uh, uh, you know, it's coming back around. He's just grabbing it. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah. I like the idea of putting him on the hot seat. I might go ahead and just do it right now. Yeah, let's do it. Right there. Why not? I have noticed one thing, maybe that to critique him for, the last two roster announcements, press conferences, he seems to have done from his home. I really think he should be going to the office. We are paying him. Are you, you're not a work from home advocate? I am. Not for Burr. Not for Burr. Old Burber.

Does anyone call him that? I also don't like the sweatshirts he wears when he's at home. I think he looks better in a hoodie. Hmm. He can really see his... He's a much neck and he looks complacent. Hmm. So they still have offices.

They still have offices in Chicago, right? Yeah. It's going to be a while before they get that Atlanta. So he could easily get out of his home and go to the office. I assume it's on the background looks more like a home than an office Okay Yeah he could It's like it's one of those floor length windows

It's too big of a window as well That's a good point Okay okay And if he caught If he did the press conference in the wrong time of day You might catch somebody walking around in the house next door Through the window you know Because it's very close

It's very close to the next door house Unless his house is gigantic And there's just a courtyard I doubt that that's the case. I got to look into this. I just think, I don't know about the complacency in his eyes or whatever. I'm not disagreeing with you, Chris. It's more just the outfit choice.

Yeah. I don't know. Maybe I'm overreacting the sweatshirts, so I just don't. You can really see his age in his neck, though. He's too much neck. He's getting older. Is he losing elasticity? Yeah.

I mean, you just, you know. It might be. It's just like, it's almost like it's too, he's in too good of his shape. He needs to, he's like a taut neck, but it's old. An old hot neck. He's to fill it out a little bit. Yeah. Understood.

Yeah. Anyway, he's on the hot seat. Yep, you're on the hot seat, Greg, Burrhalter. Oh, Berber. Let's get it done, man. And then, you know, if we do see the makings of a 5, 6, 7-0, need a selfie need a selfie with somebody in the stands

you know we got some big money USMNT listeners that listen to this pod and I know some of y'all gonna be at midfield behind the little technical area or whatever get it done get it done what do you think USMNT Twitter's reaction

would be to that if he did take a selfie up 5-0 against Trinidad I think they like in a sneaky way might actually appreciate it. Yeah, yeah, I was about to say they would have to respect it. That's the same thing. Same way I felt about the one he took in St. Paul.

Players out there with hypothermia, he's out there making sure he flicks it up one time. I feel like you just got to respect it. You just got respected. At that point, that much audacity, you know what I'm saying? To be, to be I'll do something like that. the guy he got the picture with saw him in the like the tunnel after the game and Burhal said to him

they're killing me in the press right now yeah and and what so what was that game that game was just a 3-0 right okay okay 3-0 yeah yeah so you know he's gonna be feeling loose as a goose by the time he gets the 6 yeah plus his

going to be, you know, nice and warm down there in Texas. Presumably. Okay. That it was so cold. Wasn't the reason he did it. It was just hard to turn someone down when they, you know, they're out in the cold and they keep asking about getting a picture. Yeah, they paid $80 for a ticket and then they came out when it was zero degrees at kickoff and waited for the whole game. You know, of course he's going to reward him.

There's plenty of time to take the picture. Yeah. So, yeah, let's see some more pictures from him. And game selfies. Another prediction, small one, during the pregame speech he gives. At the end, he always throws to a player. Normally it's either Adams or Pulisick, those guys are both gone. So I'm going to pick, I'm going to think it's going to be Weston on that.

That's probably the safe pick. If not him, it would be Turner. I like the idea of throwing it to Turner, put him in that leadership role just after he's gotten dropped at Forest. That's a strong choice. You're our guy. Maybe let's say Let's say he's going to do Turner I mean, I mean, I guess it would be whoever

is actually the captain, right? Yeah, it is the captain, I imagine. Who would it be? I mean, I guess it would be Matt Turner, maybe. It's going to be either Turner or Wes, right? Yeah. Wes would make a joke. Wes would make might make a joke if you throw it over to him, though.

A little cheeky Tim Rine. Oh yeah, it could be Ream. He's never made the speech, though. It's not a speech, Berhalter. How it goes, he gives his... All right, here's how we're going to do it, guys. And then he gives his two how concepts quickly, the concepts they've been talking about at the camp.

And he says, Christian, what you got? Or what you got Christian? What you got Tyler? And then Christian and Tyler talks about seven or ten seconds. It doesn't normally relate to what Berlter was saying. It's normally a different, like a player, perspective thing. And then it goes back to Perhalter and he goes, USA on three.

One, two, three. And they all yell USA. And then they clap and then they go on, play the game. I don't know why I need to describe all that. No, I love it. It's actually a nice format. Because Christian doesn't have to think of that much to say, you know? Yeah.

Basically just one phrase. He should not be talking too much during that time because we've established the pattern that you just talk for a little bit. And Tyler or Christian do it. Like, yeah, yeah. It's a good, it's a good format because, as I talked about on this podcast before, you know, like, like movies trick y'all. Movies trick, y'all. Everybody thinks there's a cinematic pregame speech coming out from every coach and player, but before a big game or whatever.

It's not the case. Not the case. Everyone's trying to clock in and clock out just like anybody else would at their job. And so, you know, just throwing it to the player with the expectation of, you know, one or two sentences, please. You know, you don't got time to do a whole bunch of grandstanding, a bunch of whatever, whatever. Just, hey, get it done.

It's not about you. It's not about you. And the speakers know, the captains know that. They don't need to be told that. But it's good to reinforce that. And by the way, I mentioned he does, in his speech, he says, to how concepts. That's supposed to what concepts.

It's not what we're going to do. It's how. he gave a big presentation on this at a camp in the past. Where he got that from is by a book called something like might just be how. And it's by the guy who started the Howe Institute. Oh, of course. He's friends with him and that's why he was at that thing. And that's why.

No way. Yeah. I knew it. I knew it was about to tie in. The Howe Institute. Yeah. Makes perfect sense. that Greg would be inspired by this type of things

and then also want to be in the number at these type of gatherings with the type of people that Greg seems to look up to. And the reason he's friends with him or at least knows him is he takes full advantage of whenever he reads a book

about business or culture he likes. I've seen like he's always reaching out to them. The fact that he is the coach of the national team makes it likely they might respond even if they don't care about soccer and then he's in. That's, that's networking. Like I said, Greg was cloud chasing as well, as well as the other person that was involved in the initial geo-gay scandal.

Well, he genuinely does want to learn about business and culture, though, as well. And I would just add that unless it's like a super famous author, you know, like a, I don't know, Malcolm Gladwell or, you know, somebody that sort of most people know of, chances are they don't get contacted a lot. Right. And I mean, Bill Clinton wrote the blurb for the book, so. The Howe Institute book? Yeah. Yeah.

He's like, he's not a Malcolm Gladwell level guy, but he's, you know, second or third tier. Okay. Maybe clean second tier. At one point he was first tier. He's falling off a little bit. It's me. Greg Burrhalter, coach of the U.S.

Minnesota team. Yeah. I see he wrote this great book about leadership. Let me tell you about how I did a good job of leadership at the World Cup, sir. Well, he's kind of lead with a question in the email. Yeah. I would love to see what,

we should FOIA his email he sends out to authors. We can't. I don't think we can. I know you're joking, but I wish we could. If we could, we'd do it right now. But since it's not a government agency, it's a shame. It's a shame he doesn't work for the government. Oh, yeah, it is a shame. There should be some, they should, the Federation should set up some system of transparency that would be foil-like.

I agree. And then probably my one last big prediction is, Lund is just going to have a great time in camp. He's going to particularly enjoy experience in Trinidad, also love Austin, how he could probably see himself living there one day. Oh, they love Nashville, Hartford, St. Paul, and St. Louis. Those are amazing cities, too.

He wishes he could live all of these places. Okay. Did he really love Hartford? He said that, or we just assume he did. We just assume he did. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's just the disposition of a Christophiland.

Yeah. He is where his feet is, you know. How about camp arrivals? Well, they happened last night. I didn't notice any huge patterns other than Richards got in first, first to arrive, and it just struck me that you really don't want to be the first to arrive because you're kind of there alone for the bit hanging out with the staff. I think we see a little bit in that in Chris's facial expression.

It can be it can be It can be good or bad It can be good or bad I'll just leave it at that You know Maybe Chris had it Maybe Chris had him something set up You know as he arrived to the hotel

And I would say just the other thing I noticed Is if you get there at night Your arrival photo does look a little bit cooler That's true So that's another reason not to get there first That's true That's true as hell because, you know, you see CGO, uh, Falarin, got the hoods up, you know what I'm saying?

It's just, it's a something about a hood. It's something about a hood. Yeah. How do you think we measure up against, uh, France? Did you guys see some of France national team photos? They kind of got a different thing going on, though. You're talking about the beret and the long trench coat, all black with the elevated boots picture we got. at Jules Conde.

See, that's a, we don't have a player to Jules Cunde's level as far as menswear. Uh, yeah, just, just on the menswear scale. Like, like, Jules Cunde, he wakes up. He's gonna, he's gonna do him a men's wear, uh, where all of our boys are more like cozy, cozy, casual. You know what I'm saying? We pull, I mean, you know, I'm going to have a hoodie on,

but I mean, it's like, like Gio. He has a gallery department hoodie. It's going to be a hoodie, but it's going to be a $600, $700 hoodie. Whereas, Jules Kunde, he's, you know, Milan fashion weaked up. You know what I'm saying? It's just a different, it's two different places that were currently occupant. Yeah. A way it could do this in a photo shoot.

Right, right. I mean. But he's not going to walk around like this. Exactly. Exactly. I wonder if there's a difference in that they, These guys are probably showing up to Claire Fontaine, you know, like the football center of France. Yeah, that's a...

And it's like, you know, close to their... Close to Paris. They just like get the driver to take them out there. Yeah, it's just a little different, you know what I'm saying? You're not going to pull up to St. Louis looking like Julius Kunday looks right here. You know what I'm saying? It just is what it is. Or even Austin, for that matter.

Yeah, yeah, not even Austin. It would look a bit silly Like this to walk around in Austin though Yeah, it would I mean, this is more of a New York look For sure For sure And even in New York you'd get

Everybody would stop and look at you You know I don't think that's the case Okay Yeah, you can walk around like this in New York You could let right in Anything else on camp Hmm

No Okay. No, I'm ready for it. I know Vince, I know Vince doesn't want to talk about the U-17s. That's a, that's a Vince Irvin policy. But we've got to talk real briefly about Nympha Burchamus. 15 years old, scored a brace in our kind of unexpected win over South Korea in Indonesia on Sunday morning.

And he also created the other goal that we scored. so, you know, time to get a little bit hyped up. Charlotte FC player and one of the youngest players at the tournament rocking a fully shaved head. And he's good. Yeah. So, I mean, the one thought I have on this is the shaved head got my attention. Like a 15-year-old with the baldy is crazy to me as something that, You know, it could be good, could be bad.

You know, on the bad, on the bad front, if he, if he is bald for, for, for reasons where, you know, nature might have forced his hand. If he, if he is bald for that reason, uh, that, that, so that leads me to believe that he's already reached his ceiling at 15. You know what I'm saying. His athletic ceiling, he's not getting, he's not going any further than here. And, um, you know, what you see is what you get with Mr. Birchmus. Now, on the good side, it could be that my man's all business. Yeah. That my man's all business.

You know what I'm saying? As a young man, I mean, we see it with the young man in our full, the young men in our full national team. You know what I'm saying? You're going to want to do some stuff with your air from time and time. You know what I'm saying? As a young man playing college football, your boy had dreads. You boy had some straight backs.

You know what I'm saying? I mean, you know, you, when you got it, flaunt it, you got it flon it. But Mr. Birchamah says, I do got it, but I'm not here to flaunt it. I'm here to score goals and set up goals in South Korea and the U-17 World Cup. So, like, I guess I'm going to have to do more research on this man to really understand where his heart lies and where his intentions are or if it has none to do with intentions at all. And he's just bald as hell. So we'll see. That's some of the best shaved baldhead analysis I've ever heard.

on this podcast or anywhere I gave it a lot of thought I gave it a lot of thought because I hadn't seen this man until I looked at the highlights of these these two goals I'm a listener hearing that I'm thinking I might be about to subscribe to this Patreon

I mean I might be time for me to sign up because wow when is our next U-17 World Cup game Wednesday and the Olympic roster is out For Friendlies against the Rock in Morocco. Those games are the 18th and the 21st.

Should we talk a little bit about the action from the weekend? 4 a.m. on Wednesday, who's like enough of this? You're going to be up though? Yeah, I don't know. I'm probably not. Okay. All right, just wonder. PSV beat PEC's wall 3 to 0, 4 to 0.

capped by a lovely deskt slaloming run from the left side and he won two with Tillman and then he won two with De Jong and then he jumped croifed it over to Tillman to blast past the keeper was a sort of vintage desk, a lovely goal Peppy came on late, did a nice back heel thing I do wonder how much he's learning from Luke DeYoung in training Um, so Ernie did a, uh, interview with, uh, Raj from, uh, men and blazers. Where he, where, you know, he talked about bringing all these dudes to PSV or whatever and talked, you know, specifically about each player.

And he did say that, uh, he remarked on, uh, RICO's, uh, inherent ability to finish. He said, he's just incredible in the penalty box, you know what I'm saying? just to be able to get shots on target. All this type of stuff. Stuff that we talked about, you know, on this spot. But he said, the place where they're trying to get them better is basically the stuff like that.

You know, his connecting play, which for me has never necessarily been like terrible or anything. It's actually, for me, I thought it's been pretty good and a strong base from which to work from as a young lad.

But yeah, Ernie said the focus now is to get him better doing things like that. that. So, uh, it's good to see. Good to see. Also, you know, I mean, I mean, I go from, I go from Malik, you know, and the work from Surge, just, just beautiful. Just beautiful. You know, I'm, like I said before, I'm not necessarily buying the, he's worse on the left thing. I mean, he might be worse currently because of just a lack of reps, but he's, he's getting all he wants at PSV. And so I do think that it isn't, it's not going to be something that we

can just a little excuse so we can just pop out whenever. Just, oh, you know, he's playing on the left. Like, he's doing, he's doing his thing at PSV on the left. And I love to see it. And it made, so when he did that kind of jumping behind the leg kick, you could do it with his right foot. Right. Cut in.

Just surge, man. Beautiful. Also, you know, a point of controversy within the USM&T fan base. even amongst the USM&T coaching staff and back office you know what I'm saying the pronunciation of Malik's name Malik Tillman and I feel like now is the time to just go and nip this thing in the bud so you know we we had I just talked about the Ernie interview Ernie

Ernie went ahead nipped it in the bud Malik himself has nipped it in the bud let's go ahead and play Malik saying his name bells please My name's Malik Leon Tillman, 20 years old, born in Nuremberg. There it is. My name's Malik Leon Tillman, 20 years old, born in Nuremberg. Now, because of the low pitch that Malik speaks at, you may think that maybe he did say Malik,

but you can hear there that there is no L attached to the A when he says his name, right? Like if he was going to say Malik, he would just say Malik. Like he would just say Mao. You know what I'm saying? He says, Malik, Leon Tillman, born in Nuremberg, 20 years old. Sounds a little bit like Werner Herzog, the way he talks. His cadence and the pitch. He sounded more like him in a longer clip, I heard.

But you can hear a little bit of it there. Okay. And this was always, uh, so my position on this has always been that Malik, you know, uh, his father, presumably was a black American man service member who had a had a role in naming naming this person. And, you know, here in America, M-A-L-I-K, that's Malik. That's Malik. And then just to drive it home, here's Ernie Stewart.

So, yes, when it comes to Ricardo Pepe and Malik Tellman, you bring that with. Malik. Yeah, it's been very consistent about Malik ever since he, I guess they just, it had been in the, in the printed press. It was good to hear him saying it. One thing that happened is West, a couple months ago, said Malik. I think he just was used to it and messed up and that threw some more confusion into it. But I think it's pretty much completely cleared up now, which is good.

So what I'm seeing here, really, is this a casual, good old-fashioned, to America's issue, two America's issue, because past that one West lip-up, you know, Ernie. Malik they over saying Malik Greg Burrhalter Roger Bennett Malik

Malik Berlter's been saying Malik Greg has definitely said Malik a few times there was some Malik confusion at the beginning

I want to know who was responsible for that but Vince you've had it right for a long time I mean yeah thank you I'm putting it on the Germans

I'm putting it on the Germans I just didn't know how to handle the name never seen it and so yeah So I feel like we can clear this all up. My boy's name is Malik. Malik Leon Tillman.

Thank you. Juventus, two, colliery won. Another proud shift from Weston McKinney. Started in midfield, moved out to wing back as the game went on. Ventus won on a couple set pieces. Probably not one you want to watch back. You know, for the fun of it. It wasn't necessarily a good game.

it wasn't it wasn't it was another you know eventous match but you know West did his thing he's once again he's getting love from the fan blogs uh the the one that I've declared the official uve fan blog of uh the Monday review forza juvei after every match they're just putting out a picture of West I think this last one put a picture of Wes out it was like

does this man ever not put in a good performance and I saw that and I'm here to tell you no you know what I'm saying? No, they're always good. He, uh, yeah, he is remarkably consistent. Scali and Barusha Munchin Gladbach boat raced, Peretz, and Wolfsburg.

I did notice, uh, well, Scali got an assist. It was a, you know, a smart little cutback. Nothing too special, but it was the right choice at the right weight, as Johan Kroif would have appreciated. And then, um, I thought Pradesh was actually decent, but not very dangerous. And he did get Little Brothered by Scali once in the second half. It was very notable.

Scali just kind of put him on the ground as he tried to dribble past him. Yeah. Gave me nice little forearm. Game a nice little forearm. Which, I think this might have happened once or like twice to Kevin in this match. He did get somebody back at one point. He actually little brother somebody on Gladbach, which was good to see.

But yeah, this is the part for the course Kevin Prerty's performance at the moment. You know, I mean, he's looking real clean with it, bro. I mean, he's getting it one, two touch, getting it out of his feet in different ways to whatever other attackers he's playing with in the little triangles at Wolfsburg forms. But yeah, like I said before, it's just wondering about the oomph, the oomph there. with Mr. Pradesh. Like, you know, he doesn't get behind the back line. It doesn't, like, stretch the back line. He doesn't, like, go at anybody on the dribble for real.

It's just all, you know, combination stuff, which is nice to see. Don't get me wrong. And like I said, it would be a great candidate to fill in on that fun side. I just want to see where it goes from here. Yeah. But it needs to keep going. Yeah. Because, like, and I'm just, I guess I'm just kind of waiting to see if he can, like, get back to how he was doing an MLL.

Because in MLS, it was very, like, he was very direct, very direct, looked very dynamic, all this type of stuff. So we'll see. We'll see. But right now, he has that start spot locked down. He's playing well. And, well, I guess it's only been three matches, but I'm going to say it's locked down. I'm going to say it's locked down. Playing well.

And so that's all we can take. Hopefully he gets him a start in Austin. Yeah. Hope so, too. And then the only other thing I have is Monaco, Le Hav. It was a zero-zero-zero draw. Balligan got 27 minutes off the bench, so he didn't start, worth noting. I don't know.

Just sort of a forgettable evening, I believe, for him and everybody involved. So how to Emmanuel Sabi. That's true. I think they came on at the same time. Yeah. Which Sabi's been doing some. He's been playing for La Havie. good to see.

Is there still a sobby truth or movement? I mean. Going on around? So I would hope not. I would hope not. But there are people noting the fact that he is playing in legal. And like it's actually kind of similar to what's my boy's name? The centerback from Kansas City.

Eric Palmer Brown. Yep. EPB from last year. You know, everybody's like, you know, he's playing in League One. Call him up, call him up, call him up. It's not so simple anymore. But he was, he was ass in League One. That was the key point that everybody was leaving out.

He was, he was ass. And so, you know, and the thing about being ass is the burden of proof is on you to disprove that you are not ass. So, Emmanuel So sobby, the ball is in your course, sir. and especially after starting a negative one after that performance against was that Columbia? That was that Columbia match, wasn't it?

And Cupcake? I don't remember. It was a no-no. I think it was Columbia. Which was possibly one of the worst cameos I've ever seen. So hopefully he's able to pick it up and do his thing, man. If you're going to have a bad cameo, though,

you do want it to kind of be, let's make it the worst. Yeah, the worst and in the cupcake. bottom it out come back stronger that's the way i see it it's like as we see like bell's don't even remember it doesn't even remember i don't yeah i remember it because i think you mean you made a fail cop of it i said i didn't make it oh what did somebody did yeah yeah i don't know why i thought you made it you must have just really been really you must have just really liked it and shared it i mean i i was i was yeah yeah definitely uh i love a good fail cop i'm not going to lie but but uh Yeah.

Anybody surprise you guys in the U-23 roster or interest to you? We got the, we got Tessman and Busio, the Venetia double pivot. Yep. Joshua Attencio made his way into this camp, which is kind of interesting. He's been playing well for the Sounders in midfield. Augustine Anello, who plays for Sparta, Rotterdam, I guess. Mm-hmm. I don't know who that is.

don't either. That's a new person for me. Yeah, he popped up onto the scene, I guess. I know like when he got his first minutes for Rotterdam, I was like, everybody's like, oh, this is, you know, an American playing for Rotterdam. I don't know how much he's actually played over these past, you know, two, three months or whatever. But you know me. I'm still locked in on Tad of Testament. Still think there's a player in there. You know, that him and John Luca doing

that thing in uh and uh and and Siri B uh I think they're in an auto promotion spot right now

maybe just outside of it um two points back of first place so I don't know if that means auto promotion or not but beautiful and I still think we can have a path to having three Lukas on the team so I'm pulling for G and Luca

and then we got to get Koliashio oh which uh Koyoasel against my dear, dear arsenal. Caused some havoc up on the left side. Garnered a tweet from J.J. Watt, who is famously an investor in Burnley.

And I just had to say this to Mr. J.J. Watt. I mean, come on. Come on, bro. You know what to do. You know what to do. Go ahead and get in his ear. I mean, J.J. Watt, who famously was, you know, loves the troops, a flag,

waiver. You know what I'm saying? So this should just be automatic. Like JJ, you should be on the phone. You should be at the training ground. You're retired now. So let's get to it, man. Let's get on the job.

J.T., if you want to put him on the payroll. I mean, do whatever we need to do. Do they need to do to get that thing locked up, baby? I mean, do some negative tactics if possible. If we don't get him across the line, it's really kind of a mark against JJ. Yeah, an American ownership in general. I'm gonna put a mark on everybody. But,

oh, so I didn't actually talk about what he did. So Luca going down the, basically it was a classic kick and run, which Luca does quite a bit. But my thing about it, you know, I see people have some objections to the type of, to the style of ball that Luca plays.

But for me, it's like, hey, if you got the peas, if you got the pace and power, you might as well use it. Like, you know, I don't want to make it. making the exceptions for no, for no stepped on pace and power. But if you got that pure uncut, the way Luca Coliocho does, you know,

was running with Takira Tomiyasu, tried to push it past him. It looked like Tommy Osu actually had the position on him. And guess what? Luca took his right arm, said, get on out of here. I mean, this is a large man, Tommy Yasu is. I mean, bro gave Brendan the Blues when we played Japan. expectedly, you know.

We played Japan in Germany. But Luca took his right arm, said, get the hell out of here. Push that man to the side, left him on the touchline as he collected the ball. And basically the havoc that came from, Luca having that ball in the man city zone ended up in a, the one goal that Burnley scored is a lost arsenal. But still, but still, you love to see it. Yep. I think we're going to get him.

So, uh, said he's talking to him a bunch. Yeah, he does understand how much can you talk to him. Apparently a lot. I love it. Why doesn't he just agree to come play for our team then? He did get called up to another Italy U-21 camp or something. I think I saw that. So, I don't know.

Like, I guess we're just waiting on, we're just waiting on him to pull that trigger the same way Flavron did. You know, go ahead and pull out with a mysterious injuring. and show up at a dog park. Shut up. Let me play that. Florida dog park. Let me show you that.

Let me play the clip real quick. No, I speak to Luca regularly and, you know, everything happens in due time. And, you know, we're in continual conversation. So we'll see what happens on that end. There it is. Yeah. All right. We don't need a will see.

We need to get it done, Craig. You know what I'm saying? You're on the hot seat, remember? You're on the hot seat already. Yeah. So, let's get it going, baby. All right. Game on Thursday night, 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

If you're going to the game, try to find Vince in the parking lot. Look. Well, never go. No, no, no. Do find me. Details will be coming out soon. Soon. So we'll let everybody know.

All right. Thanks everybody for listening. Check us out on Patreon. You can get the Monday review every week if you join us there. The link is in the show notes. We'll see ya.