the latest injury update on Christie and full of sick and
just Sergeant the latest update from the u.s. medical staff is
that full of six suffered and
suffered and I'm going to win, say when I say this a pelvic
contusion
that's what he suffered when he scored that goal against Iran.
Obviously was the heroes, the game winner, but he come off
at halftime. We saw videos of him, Nick celebrate in and
the team hotel when they came back. After that win against the ran
and
he was delighted.
I did it look like whatever kind of medication, he was on to
cope with the pain,
really kicked in and he was very very happy for
at that point. But then he's also come out since and
had a post and an obviously McKenney saying, you know, he's
told me you better believe, I'll be there for Saturday
against the Netherlands, so this state is still listed as
day to day
by US soccer.
But what do you think for pull a sick? I mean, it's vital
right? That he makes it
but it's yeah, it's such a dilemma though. Like if he's
not
100%.
Do you risk it? I'm not. Yes yes. Of course you do, Joe.
Stop stop you.
If he's willing to go and his life, isn't it risk? You put
Christian pull the stick out there for as long as he can go.
I'm not thinking Harry Kane in the same situation Joe. Yeah,
you're not, not picking, I'm sorry, not not picking.
I saw pelvic contusion open for Metallica in 1998 and it was
a great show.
I think Christian police. Jake has been the very heart of
the US attack. He has a goal. He has an assist,
he's worked his butt off. He's made himself that we always
knew. He was the odds-on favorite to become
that class of American Legend. We talked about with the Dempsey
and I McBride and he's it's sealed. It is sealed for him.
He has done it at a World Cup. He's their best hope of doing
anything to the Netherlands. It's
It is what it. I'm not saying he can't shoot up higher in
the rankings, but to me, he gave us the moment to moments of
the tournament that we needed. Yeah, I agree with that.
I think
what we've seen from him, right? No matter what his
former Chelsea was with, he's got that grit and determination
as well as all the skill and the quality that we know is got
that X-Factor. I'm just saying if you can't
be 100%, he's the kind of player you need at top speed
and need to be far and all cylinders,
and if he's only ready to say play 30 or 40 minutes,
I would be totally okay. I was starting Brendan Aronson and
saying politics not 100% and then bring him in in the second
half. But, you know,
the way that he got knocked and this diagnosis right now that
that is
I hope he's okay, bye.
I hope he's okay because that is a very,
very sensitive and just that could be very difficult. What
do the three days after
the group stage finale goes straight into a last? Game. So
I don't know. Andy what's your thoughts on politic and how
important and the situation
I'm stuck between two minds honestly because if you look up
and down the squad, G Arenas, right there Brendan are. And
since right back there is
sure but there is just and I'm not making a case to not start
him or anything like that, but there is talent in depth in
a way that there's never been an especially in the attacking
positions and obviously the the Geo rain a story is taken on
a life. Life of its own. As this continue. This tournament
goes on and it continues to get worse or more interesting.
However, you want to look at that and printing Aronson has
been
that nice energy guy off the bench and it's helped them
close out a couple of positive results. And so I do think you
need pool stick in this game. Like you need your star to be
a star and
I would pump the brakes a little bit on some of the kind
of Legacy talk that you had their Nick just because
I want to see him do it multiple times and Want to see
what he can show in an even bigger game and a knockout
round game because that would be the thing to me that you
mentioned. Dom, dom C, Iowa Donovan, and Dempsey combined
together. But
you mentioned those two specifically and one they both
had moments at multiple World Cups for Donovan very far you
know eight years apart from 2002 to 2010. Dempsey was just
a constant to be there and I know the pool was like is
trending in
that direction for sure but I also thanked
and we talked about this a little bit messy this week
or today.
Should we kind of grade ballistic on a curve because of
what the expectations are? And because of all of the tools and
everything that's available to him as a
player now, compared to say players in the, I kind of feel
like we should. And so I just want to see
just keep doing what you're doing Christian that
performance putting your body on the line that way for that
goal. Was it epitomize what we have? Always viewed. American
soccer players as willing to sacrifice whatever
and then you put it with the kind of talent that he's got.
I believe, I actually believe in this team in the round of 16
against the Netherlands,
they should be in the quarterfinals. I genuinely
truly feel like they should and he's going to be a big part of
that. Yeah. Just a quick note though and again
World Cup is World Cup and you and I are both on the same page
here, but I think back to his performance in extra time in
that game, we stayed up till 4:00 in the morning to watch.
The Nations League final against Mexico. I think about
a hat-trick and what sealed qualification against Panama, right?
He doesn't have those moments at the World Cup. That's kind
of what I meant by cementing the Legacy. He has now done it
in front of everybody
and I just I think he's shown himself as a big game player
now for club. And for Country, the other injury issues drill
sergeant obviously went down, late on trying to Shield
the bull,
he's had a scan or was having and had one sorry on his ankle
injury. Um, the u.s. is back in training,
obviously on Thursday which is 48 hours to go until
they kick off and play it. So we'll see us and training. Will
see which players are out there get video and photos and see
which player speak to the media.
So we'll get a good idea on politics and sergeants
availability, but but Nick, in terms of if Sergeant isn't
ready to go because I thought it was really good against
Iran, holding the ball up, linking up with Tim wire
and just get in the u.s. further up the pitch and that
first half in particular.
That will be quite a blow right to be missing him if he isn't
good to go.
But who would come in for him? Is it is it had you write or is
it Jesus foliar? Or is it somebody like we said coming
into that false-9 position?
You've been calling it in particular and we are you doing
this to me? Yeah. Yeah right
Aronson. Get someone in the false-9. I mean,
what do you do there?
I
I want to give berhad through some credit because his eyes
have been opened in the past by what he's seen from people in
the u.s. shirt. So
not putting Reina in when pullo's sick, went out
the incisive, play of Rayna the intuitiveness around the final
third
that could have opened his eyes and the fact that way it has so
many chances. Centrally could have also opened his eyes.
I would 100% actually if
the reason I grimaced
when Andy was talking about holistic and maybe you know Ray
In him or not using him as much as the same reason. I Grimace,
when you mentioned, who would I play a centre-forward? I think
this tournament has showed us that when pull the stick is
out, they need someone like a Rayna, and I think this
tournament
has showed us that Tim way is their best threat to score a goal
to capitalize on a chance at least. And so for me,
it's an easy,
easy switch to get either Reina or Aris in the lineup along
with bocek it's putting Tim way, essentially,
so, but I just don't know that. At the Borough Hall. There's
had his eyes open for that. Yeah, and yeah, I agree with
that as well. Write it just seems like,
why is playing so well on the right, especially with Des
these witness who crosses making good runs to
off, basically whoever's playing as a centre-forward in
the u.s. almost playing better with
the u.s. kind of Center forward. Dropping deeper and
keep no spaces open for a way or pull a stick to running
behind. So
yeah, Sergeant isn't playing. I think, how do you write
probably starts and And keep it simple, hold the ball up and
get the u.s. further up the pitch. So
glove, lots more of these debates right over the next few
days. I'll head over the pro soccer talk on. NBC sports.com,
for all the build-up to that big last 16 game, Netherlands
against the USA, politic and Sergeant get some injury
updates on them. But
the main thing is, the u.s. is in the last 16 and that is
great news for all of us. And we'll keep you updated on how
the US are getting on as they prepare for that massive game
against the Dutch.