Thread by @eytexi

🏆 #FIFAWorldCup

🇺🇸 USA: SLAYING THE DRAGONS 🇺🇸

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

🗓️ 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

🗓️ Qualifying vs. Tough Opposition
🟡 Sep '21: 1-1D vs. Canada
🟢 Oct '21: 2-1W vs. Costa Rica
🟢 Nov '21: 2-0W vs. Mexico
🔴 Jan '22: 2-0L vs. Canada
🟡 Mar '22: 0-0D vs. Mexico
🔴 Mar '22: 2-0L vs. Costa Rica

Points Dropped
🟡 Draws vs. El Salvador & Jamaica
🔴 Loss vs. Panama

🗓️ Key Attacking Stats
• Shots/90: Pepi (2.9), Pulisic, Weah (2.6)
• On Target/90: Pulisic, Pepi (1.3), Weah (1.1)
• Big Chances Missed: Zardes (3), Pulisic, Pepi, 3 more. (2)
• Big Chances Created: A.Robinson, Weah (4), Reyna (3)
• Key Passes: A.Robinson (18), Pulisic (17)

🏆 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)

🏆 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 ‘big game moment’ out of his seemingly bottomless bag (TBC)

🏆 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

🔑 Key Player - ANTONEE ROBINSON 🇺🇸
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

🔑 Key Player - CHRISTIAN PULISIC 🇺🇸
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

👀 ONE-TO-WATCH - RICARDO PEPI 🇺🇸
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

👀 ONE-TO-WATCH - GIOVANNI REYNA 🇺🇸
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

📊 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

📊 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

⚽️ Goals (since qualifying began) 🇺🇸
Pulisic, Ferreira* (5); Pepi, Aaronson (3); Robinson, McKennie, Weah, Arriola (2); Dest, Zimmerman, Lletget, Bassett, Wright, Morris

*inc. 4 vs. 173rd-ranked Grenada

🅰️ Assists (since qualifying began) 🇺🇸
Pepi, A.Robinson (3); Arriola, Acosta, Aaronson, de la Torre (2); Dest, Ferreira, Weah, Zimmerman, Musah, Yedlin, Cannon, Pulisic

That does it!

🇺🇸 USA: SLAYING THE DRAGONS 🇺🇸

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 🏆