The Poch-led USMNT fails magnificently in its first real test, fails to meet the standard set under Berhalter, which is all pretty ironic. Greg and Belz break it down, try to identify 2-3 intriguing plot-lines as we limp toward 2026. We need those fullbacks back. The World Cup won't be like this tournament was. No way.

Clip Notes from Vince, which is video of every action we discuss in the timeline of this recap, is available on the Patreon for $5 patrons. Link below.

Here's where you send a voice message for the Thursday show: https://www.speakpipe.com/ScuffedPodcast

And here's where you can sign up for the Rome trip. We're going! It's on. Join us if you can: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp2O1bIr5KNSymt3ayP3ctERCooDo3ADM5Kf_kSHpmr6ITMg/viewform

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Brutal. Vince and Belz talk through what we got wrong, what else might be wrong, and the cruelty of a sport that doesn't let you take 5 seconds off. Vince IDs some problems with the scheme. Everybody IDs problems with the selection. Maybe this lights a fire under Poch.

Clip Notes for $5 patrons and up, coming soon.

Send us a voicemail for us to use in a mailbag show on Thursday (say your name and approximate location!): https://www.speakpipe.com/ScuffedPodcast

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Two and a half hours of Vince holding court and agendas flying like a swarm of mosquitoes. Totally unabridged, might be a little language here and there. The first real test of the Poch era. Failure. Justified frustration after another bad loss.

Detailed, more responsible game recap coming later today.

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Watke and Belz check in with Sanjay Sujanthakumar less than 24 hours before USA-Panama in Los Angeles as he hustles around SoCal covering the team. We touch on the back-and-forth with Tim Ream on who tonight's left back will be, what the midfield might look like, what we've learned from lots of press conferences and the mixed zone in the last few days, the various responses from players and coaches to the politics questions, and more.

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Sebastian Salazar built Futbol Americas from scratch with Herc Gomez and now he hosts ION's NWSL studio show. He's veteran of covering soccer in America, a native of D.C., a lifelong El Tri fan. He plays the game, he's coached the game. We spoke on Thursday and he was very generous with his time. Great conversation.

Still a couple slots open for our trip to Rome in May. Here are some details: https://earthlydelights.notion.site/Italia-25-with-Scuffed-1a3f3f1e0145804793e8e83e982168fd

And here is how to get in touch with George Quraishi and nail down your plans with us: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp2O1bIr5KNSymt3ayP3ctERCooDo3ADM5Kf_kSHpmr6ITMg/viewform

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Who's in, who's out, whether Poch sees Yunus as a midfielder, why Brendo is missing, what the coach expects from Gio, and Greg and Belz give preferred lineups versus Panama and the second opponent. First match kicks off in a week.

MORE DETAIL ON THE ROME TRIP IN MAY: https://earthlydelights.notion.site/Italia-25-with-Scuffed-1a3f3f1e0145804793e8e83e982168fd

There are still a few slots available: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp2O1bIr5KNSymt3ayP3ctERCooDo3ADM5Kf_kSHpmr6ITMg/viewform

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Paul McGlynn, the father of Jack McGlynn, has been developing soccer talent in New York City (and now western Connecticut) since the beginning of the century. Not only does he have the perspective of a parent of a pro player, he coached Tim Weah from ages 9 to 12, he's in the trenches of the ongoing chaos between MLS academies and youth clubs, and he watches soccer all the time. Great conversation. Highly recommend.

MORE DETAIL ON THE ROME TRIP: https://earthlydelights.notion.site/Italia-25-with-Scuffed-1a3f3f1e0145804793e8e83e982168fd

There are still a few slots on the roster: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp2O1bIr5KNSymt3ayP3ctERCooDo3ADM5Kf_kSHpmr6ITMg/viewform

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Bob Morocco, the longtime friend of the pod and multi-decade battle-hardened BigSoccer poster, joins Belz and Watke to discuss the key takeaways from the first two months-and-change of 2025 Anno Domani. Pulisic's level, Johnny's status, Poch's (dis)regard for Atlanta and Richy Ledezma, and much more to discuss.

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

We round up some of the MLS action from opening weekend, try to figure out why first division sanctioning matters, big segment on John Textor, Tanner Tessmann and the big match in Lyon vs PSG, Pulisic misses a penalty, Gio starts but doesn't really impress anybody, Sargent gets a brace and an ambivalent OptaJack tweet, plus much more.

NO EPISODE THIS COMING THURSDAY.

Clip Notes for this episode, via Vince: https://www.patreon.com/posts/clip-notes-feb-123039762?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Come with us to Rome: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp2O1bIr5KNSymt3ayP3ctERCooDo3ADM5Kf_kSHpmr6ITMg/viewform

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com

Also Celtic is out, but makes a good show. Sanjay Sujanthakumar joins the Monday Review crew for a fun, rambling episode. The Weah banger, Vince thinks most of Juve is a bunch of frauds, Theo's madness interrupts a Yunus masterclass, does Joao disrespect Pulisic?

The trip to Rome: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp2O1bIr5KNSymt3ayP3ctERCooDo3ADM5Kf_kSHpmr6ITMg/viewform

Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon! Patrons get a private ad-free feed for all episodes that go out on the public feed, plus the Monday Review every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to some video of clips we discuss on the show, our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed

Also, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.com