By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jul 26, 2021) US Soccer Players – The Gold Cup has been an experimental affair for the USMNT by design, but this squad of players is showing what mutual belief can accomplish. Over their four games, the USA has worked through the regular issues with the group stage. Some games are closer than most would've predicted. Others are under control. All of them are steps . . .
The changing role of the full back
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jul 19, 2021) US Soccer Players – Soccer tactics have changed over the last few decades, but no position has undergone the biggest evolution than full back. Primarily a defensive role, the players in that position have increasingly aided the attack in recent years. Carlos Alberto, captain of the star-studded Brazil squad that won the 1970 World Cup, helped . . .
Balancing Gold Cup squads with individual opportunity
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jul 12, 2021) US Soccer Players – There are some who are quick to point out that the Gold Cup schedule almost guarantees that some participants won't have their first choice rosters available. Typically held in mid-summer, the USMNT and Mexico, teams that have many European-based players, often leave their best players out. Instead, they tend to field . . .
Preview: 2021 Gold Cup
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jul 5, 2021) US Soccer Players – The 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off on Friday just as the Euros and Copa America prepare to crown a champion. It comes a little more than a month after the United States defeated Mexico in dramatic fashion to win the first Concacaf Nations League. Now it's the Gold Cup's turn to crown a regional winner. The 16th edition of the . . .
The 4-3-3 at the EUROs and Copa America
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jun 28, 2021) US Soccer Players – Fans sometimes think they know more than their National Team coach. It's happened many times in the past, and it continues to take place at the pandemic-delayed European Championship. Case in point, the Netherlands. As the Dutch made their way through group C, the fans continued to be unhappy with coach Frank de Boer. The former . . .
The growing importance of expected goals
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jun 21, 2021) US Soccer Players – Soccer is a game that features few stats. Unlike baseball, there aren't too many metrics used to judge players. A lot of it, especially in decades past, was based on gut instinct. Whether a defender could make a tackle or a midfielder regained possession was based on consistent performances and overall team results. Individual . . .
MLS players in EURO 2020 and the Copa America
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jun 14, 2021) US Soccer Players – It's a makeup summer in 2021, loaded with international tournaments due to the pandemic delay of the European Championship and Copa America. After taking two weeks off, MLS will resume play in the midst of the group stage of both competitions. Although some of its biggest stars will be on national team duty throughout the month and . . .
Review: What we learned from the USMNT in the Nations League
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Jun 7, 2021) US Soccer Players – The Concacaf Nations League Finals, the first stop along the long summer road of international matches for the USMNT, concluded Sunday with a thrilling US win against Mexico in extra time. Winning the Nations League gave the USA's new generation a trophy and a victory against their biggest rival. The USMNT's European-based . . .
Preview: Concacaf Nations League final four
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 31, 2021) US Soccer Players – The summer is back to being busy. With the pandemic halting the action last summer, confederation championships in Europe and South America move to 2021 along with the Gold Cup. Four Concacaf nations have it even busier, starting this week with the Nations League final four. With the conclusion of that tournament delayed and . . .
Americans in Europe during a special 2020-21 season
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 24, 2021) US Soccer Players – There is no doubt that things have changed for the American soccer player. The professionalization of the youth and academy systems over the past decade has resulted in a plethora of young talent. That talent is now playing across a variety of European leagues every weekend and midweek in the Champions League. We've set a limit . . .
