Nope. Nobody with any strength to anchor midfield.I just don’t think they have the people to make a 4-3-3 work. It takes a lot of positional play and positional discipline and they don’t have much of either. They need real box to box guys who can play in tight spaces and it just isn’t coming off at all
No love for Claudio? CP has some impressive wcq stats. But I agree that Landy and Clint seemed to ‘make things happen’.Also, I'll invite the hatred for this comment but how exactly is Pulisic the greatest American ever? Not saying this draw is on him, but it wasn't like he did much.
He's allegedly better than Donovan and Dempsey, but I'm not seeing it.
If he’s coached a game where the USMNT looked truly dangerous from open play against a team that was not an absolute minnow, it is not springing to mind easily right now.Bring back the MLS guys!
Is it Gregg’s system?Just good players but lack of cohesion for roles? This is not looking good so far
Extremely different players. Hard to compare. Donovan and Dempsey made stuff happen. Pulisic works best as part of an interconnection.Also, I'll invite the hatred for this comment but how exactly is Pulisic the greatest American ever? Not saying this draw is on him, but it wasn't like he did much.
He's allegedly better than Donovan and Dempsey, but I'm not seeing it.
Wow exactly how I put it! Great minds.No love for Claudio? CP has some impressive wcq stats. But I agree that Landy and Clint seemed to ‘make things happen’.
Do the MLS guys play better tonight? I don’t know much about soccer but they looked pretty good in the Gold Cup tournament.Bring back the MLS guys!
Is it Gregg’s system?Just good players but lack of cohesion for roles? This is not looking good so far
They don’t, most likely. A whole bunch of them were in this game and didn’t particularly distinguish themselves.Do the MLS guys play better tonight? I don’t know much about soccer but they looked pretty good in the Gold Cup tournament.
Theres no support for the ball. Everyone just darts looking for through balls like it’s Fifa. The spacing between Adams, who is often too deep, and the attack is way way way off. They’re doing the polar opposite of letting the ball do all the work. Simple triangles to gain territory and push the other team back are what they need but they aren’t capable of playing that one touch pass and support style. If they intend to be a counter attacking team then they need to probably partner Adams with someone and leave 4 forward in a Mourinho style 4222 or 4231. What they’re doing right now is just hopelessWith or without McKennie and Gio they are clearly missing a guy in the mf who is comfortable on the ball. Musah.
And the strategy where someone gets the ball in the midfield and everyone runs in different directions away from him is so fucking bad.
Berhalter wilted. Don’t know if he was scared to push too hard too soon and lose the point but he whiffed badly here.
Ok. I just remember people talking about us essentially rolling out our C squad for COCACAF and I thought these were supposed to be largely better players.They don’t, most likely. A whole bunch of them were in this game and didn’t particularly distinguish themselves.
I think after he saw Canada almost go up he sure did start to play scared and for the point. That’s what it looked like. You see that a lot though. It’s not losing the point that is the problem as much as also giving another competitor for qualification three. Win at home and draw on the road is the path for success but it is also true that losses at home hurt way worse than draws.With or without McKennie and Gio they are clearly missing a guy in the mf who is comfortable on the ball. Musah.
And the strategy where someone gets the ball in the midfield and everyone runs in different directions away from him is so fucking bad.
Berhalter wilted. Don’t know if he was scared to push too hard too soon and lose the point but he whiffed badly here.
The fundamental problem is that the USMNT showed a lot of grit and defensive toughness in grinding out wins over the summer, but the hope was that when the full team came back together that they'd be able to combine that defensive strength with more chance creation. The defensive structure is indeed very strong up the spine with guys like Adams, Robinson, and Turner and the USMNT does not concede many chances or goals.Ok. I just remember people talking about us essentially rolling out our C squad for COCACAF and I thought these were supposed to be largely better players.
it was tongue in cheek. But the gold cup, mostly mls, guys looked more like a ‘team.’Do the MLS guys play better tonight? I don’t know much about soccer but they looked pretty good in the Gold Cup tournament.
To put it in perspective, they started the last Hex with a home loss to Mexico and got absolutely trounced in CR the following match, and it still took some atrocious results late for them not to qualify. Need three on Wednesday, and a convincing three at that, but it’s early.Based on where this team stands now, what are the odds they miss the World Cup?
If Pep wants to coach a NT next and wants to live like Bielsa and silence the bald fraud criticisms I know a team he could slum it with
Thanks. What happens if they don’t get a W on Wednesday? Say they tie again?To put it in perspective, they started the last Hex with a home loss to Mexico and got absolutely trounced in CR the following match, and it still took some atrocious results late for them not to qualify. Need three on Wednesday, and a convincing three at that.
What’s sad is before opening the spoiler I found myself saying “Gyasi Zardes?” And then upon reflection realized I was dead serious. Genuinely missing that energy and around-the-ball-all-the-time chaos.
Low still honestly, but trending in the wrong direction.Based on where this team stands now, what are the odds they miss the World Cup?
Way too early to think about that.Based on where this team stands now, what are the odds they miss the World Cup?
A tie on Wednesday would be a fine result, as it would be two home points lost for Honduras. At that point in the cycle, we'd be looking at two points down at home for us, two down for Canada, two down for Honduras, and three down for Costa Rica. We'd obviously rather be still square, but being level or ahead of the most likely competition for the second and third spots isn't the end of the world.Thanks. What happens if they don’t get a W on Wednesday? Say they tie again?
Against Canada in the Gold Cup, we scored 20 seconds into the game and then hung on for dear life. I'd argue they outplayed us, they certainly overran our midfield.Do the MLS guys play better tonight? I don’t know much about soccer but they looked pretty good in the Gold Cup tournament.
Disagree completely about hunger. The one thing I will credit them for is that Berhalter has them playing exceptionally hard, at times to their detriment. It doesn’t have to be this physically demanding but I think they’ve had a superb effort with absolutely scant execution thus farIt’s a 14 game cycle, so they are not in jeopardy of missing the WC..yet.. 5-6 points out of the first 3 games is fine, if you win in Honduras on Wednesday you will be in the top 3. However that is a big big if. There will be an elevated level of panic if they only get 1 point on Wednesday. There will be a public revolt with the soccerites if they don’t get a result on Wednesday.
in most countries with the expectations that the US has, it would be 50/50 on the HC keeping his job. Greg was apparently hired by family members so I would assume he is safe.
The bigger issue is this team doesn’t look hungry. They seem like they expect to be given a win just by showing up. The WC qualifiers in these third world countries are well beneath them apparently. All these pampered club players have no interest in taking a flight into San Salvador and the like and playing on a cow pasture. It sucks, because after the last cycle, and granted a lot of these players weren’t involved, but the players wearing the red white and blue should be lining up to make amends for past transgressions.
I was expecting Wondo.
Here is a little bit of a cheat sheet if you focus just on results and want to look at it objectively. Going into these three games I think:Thanks, all. I find this incredibly hard to keep up with.