USMNT: Don’t Screw the Poch

[InstaFace]

Very annoying that we had the best half of soccer the US have played all year tonight and that’s gonna be all the chatter coming out of the match.

Dunno man, I think the story is exactly what you say: That first half was the most incredible I've seen the US look since at least the England world cup game, maybe since the away Honduras WCQ second half. Our attack looked unstoppable. It was frankly closer to what a club looks like than what most national teams look like - players floating into different spots (you see that Jedi run on the 4th goal?), some beautiful patterns to escape close challenges, lots of different ways we tried to score (many of them successful). It was a fucking clinic. If we bring a healthy squad in March, Canada and Mexico are gonna wish we still had Berhalter in charge.

Second half, Jamaica reminded us that they might be a clownshoes federation with a roster of guys who only half-want to be there, but their attacking talent is still first rate and if you get sloppy with the ball in the defensive third, they can punish you. That first goal by Gray was amazing. Second one was more of a "Scally not really playing defense, didn't affect the attacking run at all" issue. But replace him with a focused Dest and we might pitch a shutout there.

Also, a lot of people owe Tim Ream an apology, he cleaned up a lot of messes at the back. Like at 45' just before the half, when we almost hand it right to Bailey (?) at the top of the box.

Pulisic and Jedi are the standout players for me tonight. Just great performances from them. Tessmann looked like he almost belonged, too, and his strength definitely was hard for the Jamaican midfield to handle at times.

 

[luckiestman]

People are saying that the goal celebration for the first one was some sort of MAGA dance?

I dunno man, I am almost 40 and do not have mental space for this discourse.

It’s the new Macarena. I don’t think it’s a policy position.

View: https://twitter.com/usmntonly/status/1858700561463251129?s=46&t=WNUE08imv33kOt1BO6WMzQ

 

[cromulence]

Jedi was coming inside and basically becoming a midfielder when we had the ball, and it was really effective. Of course, that requires him to do a ton of running, but we know he can do that.

 

[Jimy Hendrix]

Jedi was notable. I’ve often thought that the only reason he hasn’t transferred to the top of the EPL yet was because so many of those teams are trending to either inverting FBs or CBs cosplaying FB and he is neither of those things, but he dominated as an inverted FB tonight.

 

[rguilmar]

This was a perfect game as far as a coach is concerned. The US had lots of moments of just fantastic soccer and it was an easy win. There were enough lapses though that will allow Poch to bark a bit and fight complacency.

I loved the little twists from the game plan. The US still ended up in a similar 3-2-4-1 attacking shape, but got there totally differently this time around with Jedi slotting in as a pivot and McKennie pushing up the field from a DM into the same space he occupied last week. There were plenty of times when Pulisic moved to that left wing back spot Weah played, and Weah swapped into his spot. Players seemed to have some freedom to make decisions off ball and others around them adjusted. It was fun to watch.

I’ll be avoiding the political side of things. It’s been pretty well known the CP has been a Trump supporter. Attleboro great Geoff Cameron had his own similar political views, as have others. I’ve had players like Dani Ceballos on my club team, and he called people from where my family comes from “dogs” that he wanted “bombed”’. I’m sure that I’ve rooted for plenty of other who had similar political leanings. I’d rather not see it, but it won’t make me want him to represent the US and score goals any less.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Jon Jones did it after winning at UFC Saturday night, so it’s kind of trending. Not going to sweat it with so much else to be concerned about.

For 6 years we’ve watched this team grow into its ability to knock it around with very little ability to consistently create goal-scoring opportunities. So many feckless crosses into the box targeting nobody, same actions over and over again, no idea how to generate advantages in the box and find the final run or pass. Nothing unexpected that a well-organized defense won’t just spit on.

Will be very interested to see Gio worked back into the mix if he can get healthy (I know). As our best and most creative passer there’s a lot of upside there.

 

[Saints Rest]

Jon Jones did it after winning at UFC Saturday night, so it’s kind of trending. Not going to sweat it with so much else to be concerned about.

For 6 years we’ve watched this team grow into its ability to knock it around with very little ability to consistently create goal-scoring opportunities. So many feckless crosses into the box targeting nobody, same actions over and over again, no idea how to generate advantages in the box and find the final run or pass. Nothing unexpected that a well-organized defense won’t just spit on.

Will be very interested to see Gio worked back into the mix if he can get healthy (I know). As our best and most creative passer there’s a lot of upside there.

Feckless crosses may perfectly describe Scally’s game last night. He was probably my only negative for the starters. I hope the eventual return of Dest will move him back to the bench.

Vazquez is now 0-4 on Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunities over the two Jamaican games. I hope the return of Gio and Balogun will leave him off the 20.

 

[sezwho]

I’ll be avoiding the political side of things. It’s been pretty well known the CP has been a Trump supporter. Attleboro great Geoff Cameron had his own similar political views, as have others. I’ve had players like Dani Ceballos on my club team, and he called people from where my family comes from “dogs” that he wanted “bombed”’. I’m sure that I’ve rooted for plenty of other who had similar political leanings. I’d rather not see it, but it won’t make me want him to represent the US and score goals any less.

I somehow missed all this, makes me sad panda. Guess I’ll avoid the politics too, sigh.

What a game! I think Weah in particular unlocks something for them

 

[InstaFace]

For 6 years we’ve watched this team grow into its ability to knock it around with very little ability to consistently create goal-scoring opportunities. So many feckless crosses into the box targeting nobody, same actions over and over again, no idea how to generate advantages in the box and find the final run or pass. Nothing unexpected that a well-organized defense won’t just spit on.

I can't quite get your gist here, but I assume you're contrasting the previous 6 years of Berhalter-ball with what we just saw under Poch? And that last night was a positive? Because while Jamaica doesn't have the best defense in CONCACAF, they're also not chopped liver. "A well-organized defense" would probably have covered Weah on the last goal (and on his first attempt that hit the post)... but if Wes is dropping dimes on a Pulisic run from deep, and Musah has suddenly discovered how to square a ball after a run to the endline, it's going to cause a lot of problems no matter who the opponent is.

Will be very interested to see Gio worked back into the mix if he can get healthy (I know). As our best and most creative passer there’s a lot of upside there.

IIRC, in discussions over the previous week or two, Poch had mentioned how important a few players were to the team and his vision of the team, who were absent. I believe he mentioned:

• Weah - and, well, we saw him in action hitting worldies, so, point Poch, I think
• Adams, who he said he tried to acquire while at Chelsea, so he certainly knows what he brings, and
• Reyna. Who has been consistently injured, of course, but when he's on, you can see how he's just a cut above basically everyone else on the field - and he's still only 22, still time to change his habits and perhaps unfuck his calf and hamstring

Poch knows ball.

 

[Saints Rest]

I can't quite get your gist here, but I assume you're contrasting the previous 6 years of Berhalter-ball with what we just saw under Poch? And that last night was a positive? Because while Jamaica doesn't have the best defense in CONCACAF, they're also not chopped liver. "A well-organized defense" would probably have covered Weah on the last goal (and on his first attempt that hit the post)... but if Wes is dropping dimes on a Pulisic run from deep, and Musah has suddenly discovered how to square a ball after a run to the endline, it's going to cause a lot of problems no matter who the opponent is.



IIRC, in discussions over the previous week or two, Poch had mentioned how important a few players were to the team and his vision of the team, who were absent. I believe he mentioned:

• Weah - and, well, we saw him in action hitting worldies, so, point Poch, I think
• Adams, who he said he tried to acquire while at Chelsea, so he certainly knows what he brings, and
• Reyna. Who has been consistently injured, of course, but when he's on, you can see how he's just a cut above basically everyone else on the field - and he's still only 22, still time to change his habits and perhaps unfuck his calf and hamstring

Poch knows ball.

View attachment 92021

What’s Poch’s feeling about Dest?

 

[Jimy Hendrix]

What’s Poch’s feeling about Dest?

I assume it will rapidly become "of the spacy Serges I've had play FB for me, this guy is my favorite".

 

[67YAZ]

Watching the match now and I do love that Poch successfully launched a tactic that took out opponent by surprise. I don’t know how often you can make that happen in the international game, but goddamn - that’s our manager.

I love what Jedi is doing here, but worry that once opponent start to prep for this variation, it’s easily attacked. Jedi is great going forward, but prone to defensive lapses. And none of our CBs are reliable covering the wide spaces 1v1. But that’s a problem for another day.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

I can't quite get your gist here, but I assume you're contrasting the previous 6 years of Berhalter-ball with what we just saw under Poch? And that last night was a positive? Because while Jamaica doesn't have the best defense in CONCACAF, they're also not chopped liver. "A well-organized defense" would probably have covered Weah on the last goal (and on his first attempt that hit the post)... but if Wes is dropping dimes on a Pulisic run from deep, and Musah has suddenly discovered how to square a ball after a run to the endline, it's going to cause a lot of problems no matter who the opponent is.



IIRC, in discussions over the previous week or two, Poch had mentioned how important a few players were to the team and his vision of the team, who were absent. I believe he mentioned:

• Weah - and, well, we saw him in action hitting worldies, so, point Poch, I think
• Adams, who he said he tried to acquire while at Chelsea, so he certainly knows what he brings, and
• Reyna. Who has been consistently injured, of course, but when he's on, you can see how he's just a cut above basically everyone else on the field - and he's still only 22, still time to change his habits and perhaps unfuck his calf and hamstring

Poch knows ball.

Sorry, yes, morning brain—in my head I was responding to @rguilmar above without using the quote. Meant to imply that this kind of free-flowing movement and chance creation in open play is not something we have seen much of over the years.

 

[rguilmar]

Watching the match now and I do love that Poch successfully launched a tactic that took out opponent by surprise. I don’t know how often you can make that happen in the international game, but goddamn - that’s our manager.

I love what Jedi is doing here, but worry that once opponent start to prep for this variation, it’s easily attacked. Jedi is great going forward, but prone to defensive lapses. And none of our CBs are reliable covering the wide spaces 1v1. But that’s a problem for another day.

I appreciate that Poch is trying new things. My issues with previous regimes were that Plan A wasn’t great and there was no Plan B. Given the flexibility of the personnel, the US could switch from what they did last night to what they did in the first game if they felt like Jedi and the D were being exposed.

I imagine the return of players like Gio, Tyler, and Dest will give Poch even more options tactically to try out. Speaking of which, Gio is back in training at Dortmund and rumors are that Dest is hopeful of a return early next year. How hopeful? He’s dropping new highlight reels.

View: https://twitter.com/_captainpulisic/status/1858965595032875388?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ