Barstool’s Official Gold Cup Preview: USMNT vs Jamaica
Sam’s Soccer Safe Space for Stoolies
Hi haters,
Well, well, well, would you look at that! The US is finally has something resembling a tough game to play… against a team with players you may actually have heard of who, by the way, that just beat us – albeit in a friendly – a few weeks ago.
But that was then and this is now, and now is the time to find out if we have made at least a little progress or if we are (as we have been since October 2017) still stuck in deadass neutral…
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USMNT vs Jamaica
Surprise, surprise, look who us waiting for us in the final – granted only after surviving a tight one last night with a game Haitian team:
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USA [-170]
Jamaica [+550]
Draw [+275]
So here we go. The last game that – if we were to lose – people could put together a semi-coherent argument for firing Greggggggggg Berhalter. I think there is a next to zero percent chance that it would actually happen, but IF we were to lose to anyone not named Mexico in the Gold Cup it would be an unmitigated disaster and the calls for #BerhalterOut, which up until now have been absolutely ridiculous, would at least be a little less ridiculous.
What to expect from Jamaica?
What you should NOT expect from the Reggae Boys is a lot of goals. They have guys that can score in Leon Bailey (Leverkusen) and Darren Mattocks (FC Cincinnati) but the team has looked disjointed in attack this entire tournament. With the exception of a 3-goal explosion against a very weak Honduras team, they have scored two goals in their other three games, one of which came via a questionable penalty.
On the other hand, they have been tough to score on and feature a lot of guys that MLS fans will know well, including Kemar Lawrence (RBNY) and Andre Blake (Union). Long story short, they are an organized, sturdy squad and it will take some creative playmaking to break them down.
What to expect from USA?
Here is the XI that Greggggggggg is throwing out there:
There are some changes from the squad that snuck by Curacao last round, including Jozy to Zardes up top (good), Morris for Boyd on the wing (meh), Miazga for Zimmerman at CB (better than Gonzo) and Cannon for Lima (don’t hate it).
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Positives: We have Pulisic and McKennie in the middle to make things happen, and the speed and tenacity of Arriola and Morris on the wings should be a nice complement to both our baby playmakers AND Jozy up front. Zardes is not a hold up player and this is one of the reasons we had so little possession against Curacao (only 40% in the second half, embarrassingly). Jozy should change that dynamic for the better.
Negatives: I would argue that Tim Ream should not be on the field, so the fact Gregggggg made him captain for this game feels a bit like a slap in the face. Why the coach is doing this “rotating captaincy” thing is beyond me. Either give it to Pulisic and hope it helps make him more vocal or give it to Steffen, or maybe McKennie, or somebody who is going to be around going forward. Ream has been a valent solider but this is his last hurrah (at least it BETTER be). So I’m not a big fan of that aspect. But besides that the lineup is about as good as we can expect given the guys that Gregggggg brought along to the tournament.
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PREDICTION
We are better than Jamaica. Plain and simple. They are the best opponent we have faced so far in the Gold Cup, no question, but our midfield should control the game and I don’t think it is asking too much for Babyjesus and/or McKennie to come up with some game-changing plays. That’s really what it comes down to. Wouldn’t be surprised if we concede our first goal of the tournament but in the end I think we have enough quality to pull this bitch out.
US to win 2-1.
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So there we have it. Assuming we don’t shit the bed tonight that means Sunday will be one HELLLLLLLLLLLL of a funday… starting with USWNT in the WWC final at 10am ET followed by the Gold Cup final against Meh-He-Co that night. Get pumped fam.
Holler,
Samuel Army