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#Allsvenskan Data Specialist ๐Ÿ“Š Fantasy Sports Analyst ๐Ÿ”ฎ REIGNING #BESTADEILDIN FANTASY CHAMPION ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ† PB: 21st ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด; 42nd ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ช; 4th ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ

Nov 8, 2022, 16 tweets

๐Ÿ† #FIFAWorldCup

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ USA: SLAYING THE DRAGONS ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

How the #USMNT could emerge from Group B at #QatarWorldCup2022, where to look in #WorldCupFantasy, and why I'd argue that the Welsh have the upper hand {THREAD}

@USMNT @USMNTTAKES @USMNT_U
@USMNT_Thoughts @USMNTOtaku

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ World Cup Qualifying: the USA finished 3rd in the final CONCACAF group, boasting strong attacking statistics throughout: only Canada scoring more than their 21. Despite this, there is plenty of room for improvement as they often failed to step up vs. the other top sides

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Qualifying vs. Tough Opposition
๐ŸŸก Sep '21: 1-1D vs. Canada
๐ŸŸข Oct '21: 2-1W vs. Costa Rica
๐ŸŸข Nov '21: 2-0W vs. Mexico
๐Ÿ”ด Jan '22: 2-0L vs. Canada
๐ŸŸก Mar '22: 0-0D vs. Mexico
๐Ÿ”ด Mar '22: 2-0L vs. Costa Rica

Points Dropped
๐ŸŸก Draws vs. El Salvador & Jamaica
๐Ÿ”ด Loss vs. Panama

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Key Attacking Stats
โ€ข Shots/90: Pepi (2.9), Pulisic, Weah (2.6)
โ€ข On Target/90: Pulisic, Pepi (1.3), Weah (1.1)
โ€ข Big Chances Missed: Zardes (3), Pulisic, Pepi, 3 more. (2)
โ€ข Big Chances Created: A.Robinson, Weah (4), Reyna (3)
โ€ข Key Passes: A.Robinson (18), Pulisic (17)

๐Ÿ† Projected World Cup Journey: I expect Group B to be comfortably topped by England, the USA fighting Wales for 2nd spot. Their clash COULD define the group; however I don't see either side having a clear advantage. For me, the deciding performances will come vs. England (TBC)

๐Ÿ† Projected World Cup Journey: with England (likely) qualified by MD3, I expect them to ease off the gas (see Euro 2020 vs. Scotland). All form goes out the window in this kind of fixture, & I back Gareth Bale to pull a โ€˜big game momentโ€™ out of his seemingly bottomless bag (TBC)

๐Ÿ† POTENTIAL World Cup Journey: all that said, the US' tournament could play out differently they can take an opening-matchday win

An inevitable demise: however, likelihood is that they'd then come up against Group A favourites: the Netherlands. This would likely prove too much

๐Ÿ”‘ Key Player - ANTONEE ROBINSON ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
The 25-year-old Fulham LB has become a mainstay in the US side as of late, nobody in the squad tallying more big chances created (4) nor key passes (18) in qualifying. He'll cost you just 4m in the official #WorldCupFantasy game

๐Ÿ”‘ Key Player - CHRISTIAN PULISIC ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
The talisman tops the US' charts for goals since qualifying began (5), is on set-pieces, & boasts strong stats in qualifying: 2.6 shots/90 (=2nd), 1.3 shots-on-target/90 (=1st), 17 key passes (2nd) ranking high among the squad #WorldCupFantasy

๐Ÿ‘€ ONE-TO-WATCH - RICARDO PEPI ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
The 19YO frontman has been lighting up the Eredivisie this season (5G & 2A in 8 apps.), earning him ~60 minutes in 3/5 recent internationals. He also topped the ranks for shots/90 (2.9) & shots-on-target/90 (1.3) in qualifying #WorldCupFantasy

๐Ÿ‘€ ONE-TO-WATCH - GIOVANNI REYNA ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
In USA games since March '22, Gio has averaged just 35.8 minutes per app., never completing >45 mins despite the run containing significant fixtures. That said, we know he has the ability to provide an injection of quality #WorldCupFantasy

๐Ÿ“Š Penalties: the last 4 penalties have been taken by 4 different players, but Christian Pulisic was only been on the pitch for the one which he scored vs. Northern Ireland in March 2021. Since 2019, Pulisic has taken 5 penalties, all for the USA, & has scored every time

๐Ÿ“Š Set-Pieces: over the last 5 'first-team' fixtures, Pulisic leads the way for corners (17) with Reyna (5) & Aaronson (2) the next most likely takers. This distribution will likely transfer to free-kicks, Pulisic primarily taking those in the advanced positions

โšฝ๏ธ Goals (since qualifying began) ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
Pulisic, Ferreira* (5); Pepi, Aaronson (3); Robinson, McKennie, Weah, Arriola (2); Dest, Zimmerman, Lletget, Bassett, Wright, Morris

*inc. 4 vs. 173rd-ranked Grenada

๐Ÿ…ฐ๏ธ Assists (since qualifying began) ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
Pepi, A.Robinson (3); Arriola, Acosta, Aaronson, de la Torre (2); Dest, Ferreira, Weah, Zimmerman, Musah, Yedlin, Cannon, Pulisic

That does it!

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ USA: SLAYING THE DRAGONS ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

A less-than-comfortable qualifying campaign has me feeling that this just isn't the USA's time to shine. That said, if they can "slay the dragons" in #FIFAWorldCup2022 MD1, then we could see a spell in the limelight ensue ๐Ÿ†

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