Official Gregg Berhalter Coaching Thread

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by AutoPenalti, Dec 2, 2018.

  1. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    To be blunt, it would be incredible if Greg "felt" he needed MB90 to win. I do not for a moment believe that Greg thinks that he needs MB90 to win as the USMNT goes ahead. Nor do I for a moment believe that Greg thinks that he needs Mikey to win "game to game" at this moment.
    However, of course, I could be wrong. Maybe Greg is not just throwing a sop to the Bradley clan and the powers of the USSF, maybe he sees Mikey as the cog of the machine. In which case, as with the Gerrard Galaxy, the USMNT will be a side where 10 men try to carry the weight of 11.
     
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  2. zhe fulano

    zhe fulano Member

    Real Madrid
    United States
    Jan 31, 2010
    Florida Keys, USA
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It is not the Mikey era. It is the Gregg era.

    The Gold Cup is going to be too soon into Gregg's tenure for too many assessments to be made. Even if we flop, it'll be chalked up to the learning curve and that honeymoon period new coaches get.

    But if we do well...
    My sentiment all along has been that the big plus with Berhalter is that he knows the MLS talent pool intimately. It is not stretch to think that he can get decent CONCACAF results with an MLS-based squad. But what most of us want to see is how far he takes the team once the European based guys get integrated into the squad. That also itself raises other interesting dynamics. Johannesson is now playing in Germany. Does he come back into the mix? The Gold Cup and our path getting there will be worth watching, but it should not be overweighted as a benchmark of success or failure.

    One step at a time.
     
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  3. Lookingforleftbacks

    Galaxy
    United States
    Dec 17, 2016
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think we need to take a step back and not over analyze after one January camp. I think we need to wait and see what happens when we play Ecuador and Chile. I rewatched the Panama game tonight and they were really bad. We had a very good game plan, but they were bad.

    I haven’t watched a second time, but CR was a better test. With that being said, they didn’t play very well in the second half. It’s going to be vastly different playing against Ecuador and Chile. We need to see what GGG does tactically and who he starts and how he plays when most of the pool is available to him.

    People calling for Yedlin to be replaced should ease up a bit. Lima was pretty good, but he had some bad moments that could’ve really cost us against better teams. It’s also one thing to rate Lima against a bad Panama team and underperforming CR team and another to rate Yedlin against England and Colombia (his last two starts). I’m not a Yedlin homer, I just want the best player to start. But he also started against Ireland, Paraguay, and Brazil last year. Hopefully, GGG knows that there’s a difference between good opponents and mediocre ones.

    While we’re on that subject, I’m going to hold out judgement until I see how we do in Central America and Mexico. Nations league starts in the fall, and we may get a preview of it then. We all know CONCACAF has no interest in calling fouls and using cards in those games, and when they actually do, there is no rhyme or reason. You have to manage those games differently and play different players.

    The other thing I’m curious about is how he approaches the youth. In the next few years, if we have kids playing at positions all over the field in top European leagues, how does he integrate or use them in qualifying and tournaments? Does he have a cap on players under 21 years old? Does he keep a Bradley or Altidore around if they are inferior just because they are older and provide some maturity?

    I’m probably not going to make up my mind about him until about 2021. Arena burned me pretty bad so I’ll just play the waiting game this time.
     
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  4. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That is precisely why the US should have long ago petitioned FIFA to have non-Concacaf refereeing when one of the teams is the US. Concacaf officiating allows the other teams to use Rugby Union tactics against us and no fouls are ever called. Many of those teams could probably ruck and maul as well as your average Rugby team given how physical Concacaf gets.

    When Australia played Honduras in that last World Cup play off, the non-Concacaf officiating didn't allow Honduras to use Concacaf tactics against the Aussies. This is what the USA should be demanding from FIFA.
     
  5. Lookingforleftbacks

    Galaxy
    United States
    Dec 17, 2016
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah but CONCACAF wants it this way. They want the mediocre teams to have a chance so people will show up to the games. That’s why anyone besides the US, Mexico, and Costa Rica that makes the World Cup will always be a doormat. They won’t deserve to be there.

    The only thing that’s ever going to change that is massive public outcry in the US, and as of yet, CONCACAF knows US fans will complain a little and move on any time they get screwed.

    That’s why I think the best thing that can happen when Panama makes the World Cup is for them to be destroyed by everyone and be an embarrassment for CONCACAF.
     
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  6. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    If the first bolded is true, the second won't have any effect because for a team like Panama, Honduras etc (most of CONCACAF) the real draw/accomplishment that they are hoping for is to get to the dance. If they get destroyed it is a disappointment but still far better than not getting there. For most of the teams in CONCACAF their chances of ever making the world cup would go down (a lot) without CONCACAF referees...it's small enough as it is for teams not named Costa Rica, Mexico or USA. If you throw in any protection of any kind, the odds of making a world cup decrease exponentially. Just consider how, even with the US playing as poorly as we did in the last HEX how much help was still needed for Panama to go....they needed the perfect storm.
     
  7. Lookingforleftbacks

    Galaxy
    United States
    Dec 17, 2016
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well everything is going to change when the field expands so who knows what is going to happen.

    But I think CONCACAF’s historical objectives have been:
    1. Get 4 teams in the World Cup
    2. Get teams from lesser soccer regions into the World Cup to grow the sport in those countries
    3. Have interesting, competitive games that people want to watch, regardless of how little the games actually look like real soccer
    4. Have a team do well in the World Cup

    I generally agree that teams like Panama are so inferior that they aren’t likely to make it no matter how you stack the deck in their favor, but that’s also why CONCACAF has gotten away with this for so long. No one cares as long as we make the World Cup. And then, when we play as poorly in the hex as we did, everyone points to how poorly we played instead of how despicable the officiating was. And really, it’s hard to argue that we deserved to be in Russia with how we played against T&T.

    But because we played so poorly, and because it took a series of ridiculous events to leave us on the outside looking in, it doesn’t seem likely that CONCACAF is going to be forced to change anything anytime soon.
     
  8. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I remember English fans during the World Cup in Russia remarking how dirty Panama played against England. I remarked on one of the England threads about "hey, this is what the USA has to tolerate throughout World Cup qualifying, yet our dickless federation won't do anything about it."
     
  9. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    1. Make money
    2. Make more money.
    3. Make even more money
    4. Vamos Mexico!
     
  10. Lookingforleftbacks

    Galaxy
    United States
    Dec 17, 2016
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That game was clean by Panama standards. Watching the same English fans who ripped the US endlessly whine about how dirty Panama was was pathetic. They still don’t get it tho. Europeans have no concept of what CONCACAF is like.
     
  11. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    On that day at least, the rest of the world got a taste of Concacaf's wackiness.
     
  12. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [1] If Mikey keeps his presence on the team into the WC , the Gregg era will collapse into the Mikey era. If Gregg is the future, and Mikey is the past [and he is], then let's embrace it and move forward.
    [2] Disagree strongly. The Gold Cup will be too soon for judgement on Gregg's tenure, of course, but it will be a rich moment for assessment. How he shapes his team, after a half year of preparation, for our confederation's championship will tell us much as to what type of team he is trying to build and the quality of the team he is building.
    [3] Disagree strongly. If we flop [flop is a strong word, yes? Flop is a "lost to Jamaica in the semifinals" kind of word] then the honeymoon period will be immediately dead and buried. Making a solid showing, with some moments of struggle, will be chalked up to the learning curve. But flop will do nothing good but generate sweat.
     
  13. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    I don't think Berhalter has much of a honeymoon period. There were people calling for his firing before he started. If that is a honeymoon, it is a strong deterrent to marriage.
     
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  14. DHC1

    DHC1 Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    NYC
    Who’s been calling for his firing?
     
  15. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    Not recently but before the first camp began people actually started talking about it. There was a thread titled:
    "Fire Berhalter Thread" https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/fire-berhalter-thread.2090682/

    I suspect that the very first time the there is any sort of hiccup there will be at least some calling for his head.
    The fact that many seem to be happy with him for now isn't part of a "honeymoon" effect but the result of a relatively good start.

    I don't really believe too many were completely serious about it but it certainly isn't/wasn't a strong vote of confidence.
     
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  16. zhe fulano

    zhe fulano Member

    Real Madrid
    United States
    Jan 31, 2010
    Florida Keys, USA
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What if Bradley turns out to be the American Figo or Matthaus? What if Berhalter is the coach whose vision has found that perfect fit for a veteran MB? Realistically, I see MB having a role in this transition into the 3G era, but no more, and that's fine so long as it helps in the squad's development.

    That said, it is just too soon to tell where 3G's efforts will take us. We're just going to have to wait a few more months and see what 3G puts together for our USMNT product and what results that effort brings. Encompassed in my reasoning is a firm belief that the "Fire Berhalter" thread got started way prematurely: without an iota of thoughtful consideration - even if it was just tongue and cheek banter.
     
  17. juveeer

    juveeer Member+

    Aug 3, 2006
    As I recall, that thread was started tongue in cheek as a bit of a mockery of the knee jerking we see so often on here.

    It was also there as a send up of the entire USS hiring "process" which wasted us over a year to hire the guy they always wanted to hire to begin with.

    Anyway, it is never too early for a "Fire Coach (fill in the blank)" thread 'cause all of our coaches will eventually get fired or step down. All of them will make mistakes. All of them will not pick all of the players people on here want picked. All will ride a favorite too long according to BS. All will play players "out of position". ETC!

    So, yeah, might as well have a "Fire Coach (fill in the blank0" thread on hand to put all that venom in one place.

    If only that had happened for Klinsi and Bruce, the rest of the threads on here wouldn't have been so polluted.
     
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  18. wrench

    wrench Member+

    May 12, 2007
    NYC
    Club:
    Arsenal FC

    This is a good starting point for what I was just thinking about, which was what is GB doing now? It is that slack time in America, but busy season overseas. MLS is in training camp with only a couple of teams really pushing because of CCL games coming soon. We have some very interesting youth players in Europe, no need to elaborate. What is the coach doing during this period? I would hope he is not home in his pj's drinking coffee like I am and watching games on TV. Although some teams on TV have our youth playing or at least making the bench. Truthfully, I would like to know what he does at this time as it seems to me every moment of his newly acquired position should be spent trying to repair the program that has suffered it's most critical "bump" in the road in the last 35(?) yrs.
     
  19. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
  20. DHC1

    DHC1 Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    NYC
    What are the defensive considerations of GB’s preferred tactic of 3 in the back in possession? Does it help or hurt vs. strong counter-attacking teams? Seems like it trades one more attacker for one less defender so the defenders that remain should be very organized, fast and very good defenders.
     
  21. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    It depends on the scheme. If your playing a flat four then yeah it's more offensive. If you are playing one or two wingbacks like many clubs are then it more defensive.
     
  22. wrench

    wrench Member+

    May 12, 2007
    NYC
    Club:
    Arsenal FC

    This is what Man City has done the last 2 weeks. They have Robinho, normally a dMid, in the back line in defense until they get the ball. He then becomes the 8 in possession. And he is a very good 8. If you have the right people with enough soccer IQ, this is brilliant. Not every national team can reach out to that level of diversity in their pool. If we can plant the seeds for that tactic, it could reap dividends sometime in the future. Now, it will be tough. We do have an interesting pool. If we can come close to this, it would be great. I think this will be the norm in the future, as it is the best way to attack, using players to play 2 positions at once. Brazil used to do it all the time, except for the forwards who only played up top. Each other field player was just ballin like they were in the park. The world always follows the park.
     
  23. mace

    mace Member+

    Indy 11
    United States
    Jun 5, 2004
    USA
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If I’m not mistakin, the Fire have used Schweini in a ‘back line to 8’ role. I thought it was unique to them, but I guess not.
     
  24. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It has all been done before.
     
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  25. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The key (subtle) point raised by the Cannon interview is that nobody typically plays the way GB had the FB play v Panama (and less v CR). It goes against what modern FBs are taught and the entire rotational scheme needs to adjusted and practiced.

    That fact is a major issue for club soccer but will be a non-starter for the international game where except for major tournaments, you typically have < 5 days to train.
     
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