Official Gregg Berhalter Coaching Thread

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

  1. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fernandino plays the DM in Pep's classic 4-3-3. He does not play int he back line on defense, nor does he become a #8 on offense. He sits in front of the back line and protects the CBs.
     
  2. wrench

    wrench Member+

    May 12, 2007
    NYC
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Not Saturday. Announcers were talking about it all game. It was very successful, also.
     
  3. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I watched that entire match. I can't speak to what the announcers talked about if they mentioned "Robinho" but Fernandinho played the same #6 he has played all season. Gundagon was the box to box #8. Here is the extended highlights. Not once do you see Fernandinho play as you described:

     
  4. mace

    mace Member+

    Indy 11
    United States
    Jun 5, 2004
    USA
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That Cannon interview, for me, raised the point of how much Berhalter will try to mold the players to the team or how much he will create a team around the molded players. I hope he is not so stubborn in his vision that he demands players adapt unequivocolly to his vision, which may not play to the players strengths. I hope he can keep his vision but yet also adapt to maximize to the players' strengths (and get the optimal combination of players' strengths). Some times players A and B may be good, but A+B can be great. He's got such a quality young pool available.
     
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  5. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    It is going to be both. GB will adapt to the best players. But all the other players will have to adapt to the roles that allow for the best players to be their best.

    As an example, if Pulisic is in the Baird role, and GB feels the way Lima played is important to get Baird/Pulisic 1 v 1 in space, then the RB will have to be able to do that. The system is set up for Pulisic, and the Cannon and the others have to fit in. I'd imagine Brooks, Pulisic (could also be tabbed for the Djorde role at least on defense), McKennie, and possibly Adams as the players the system is designed for.

    But I agree he will have to be flexible. Most likely this was his thinking in late December or when he got the job. Adams continuing to play so well in a #6 role for RBL should force him to rethink things; as he plays it differently than Bradley/Trapp. Other young players emerging could become more core players and force tweaks or an overhaul.

    I don't think GB is the type to under think things.
     
  6. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm going to keep a close eye on GB on how he plays Pulisic. That will tell me if he is going to put players at their current best position or have players play the way he wants based on his Columbus crew days. If Pulisic plays RW as always, then he is going status quo. If he puts him centrally, then he is probably looking to duplicating what he had with Higuain.
     
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  7. HomietheClown

    HomietheClown Member+

    Dusselheim FC 1971
    Sep 4, 2010
    Club:
    --other--
    The Chile match in March is going to be very telling when pertaining to positions and strategy of all sorts.
    Cannot wait.
     
  8. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    The system he ran out in these last two games doesn't really have a Higuain role. Even if Pulisic is doing what Djorde did, that is not the same as what Higuain was doing. I do think he could play there. I think on defense he will probably be one of the two, rather than defending on the wing in the 4-4-2 even if he is played on the wing in the 3-2-2-3.

    I also think it possible Pulisic moves inside for Chelsea by 2022.

    In other words, I don't think we will be able to draw any conclusions for awhile. Pulisic will be given one role to learn in March, but that won't stop GB from expanding his portfolio going forward.

    The fact the system seems to need a Bradley/Trapp type kind of tells me Pulisic will be inside and we waste Adams out wide or Pulisic is out wide and Adams is inside. Again, over time, I think the whole thing changes for Adams to be the #6.
     
  9. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So you think GB will play with 3 CMs, meaning he will only play with a single forward?
    There is two methods he would go by, one, the formation he foresees the team should be playing and putting the players he thinks best fit that formation, the other is having the best 11 players and then try a formation that works with them.
     
  10. Master O

    Master O Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Michael Bradley at forward? [/sarcasm]
     
  11. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    That is what we saw.

    I think he is going to play the way that fits his best handful of players.
     
  12. DHC1

    DHC1 Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    NYC
    I dunno. It looks like we're defining a system that emphasizes meh-at-best players in MB/WT......

    I will happily eat all these foreboding statements if it turns out I'm wrong and we emphasize a system that fits our best players vs. strong opponents and doesn't include MB/WT as an anchor.
     
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  13. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    I don't know if emphasize is the right term. But it does seem as though the "player profile" at that position is for one of those two rather than any other #6s in the pool. He does seem to recognize that a slow, un-aggressive, space marking #6 is a problem in transition defense and needs a partner at all times. That is at least an improvement over the last two coaches.

    But we will see if he continues to contort things with a fullback to do that or if he just puts Adams there the whole game. There will be a learning curve and the player pool is changing almost every week. If GB thought this up in November/December (or maybe last June as some reports have it); he could change it after watching Adams continue to play so well at RBL.

    I think you are giving up a lot to get MB/WT on the field and you are not gaining much except against the weakest of opponents.
     
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  14. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Then he is going to play HIS formation no matter the players he has at his disposal.

    Another factor we should keep a lookout is if GB cares more about getting the right formation/personnel or cares about winning (ugly).
     
  15. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    I tend to agree with Patrick. I believe that Berhalter, like all of us, has certain players he sees as core players and he has designed a system around those players. The system would be geared to what Berhalter sees as the strengths of those top "most important players". In order to achieve this, he will need some role players that may have to do more adjusting.

    I think there are a few players that almost everyone can agree would be in that "core group" and Berhalter may have a few more in mind as well. Pulisic, McKennie and Adams seem like the safest bets right now. He may also have in mind a few more that particularly stand out in one area and are fairly even in others....Brooks for example might be one he wants to build on as he is a good passer out of the back.

    The point is that what happened in January is likely the initial system that Berhalter has in mind but not necessarily the initial personnel. That rumor about Adams may very well be true....Berhalter sees his talents and believes he would be very effective as a RB that plays as a hybrid midfileder. Lima was probably put in as a place holder, as much to test the system as to test Lima. Pulisic will probably play wing or central like Mihailovic (who had a great deal of freedom to go forward and get into the attack). McKennie could easily be put in the role that Roldan played. I think it is easy to see how Weah would fit in Same with Sargent, Wood or whoever plays up top. The big question many would have at this point is were WT and Bradley "place holders" or are they major components in the system? If they are place holders, who would step in and play their role? Lleget (when he gets a better feel for the system)? McKinney? A younger players that isn't ready yet? If they are components, what is he plan for playing against top teams? will he replace them with a dmid/destroyer? Win ugly as @LouisZ says or will he fail to adjust?
     
  16. juveeer

    juveeer Member+

    Aug 3, 2006
    Until we see 3 Gs with the "full squad" we won't really know.

    It is fun to speculate, but that is all it is at this point.

    It will be interesting to see whether he does any experimenting with this system once everyone is in camp, or if he sticks to it and tries to find appropriate roles for everyone in it.

    Personally, I hope we see SOME experimenting because I am not positive we will get the most out of our over-all personnel in that system per se. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with it. but I am hoping we don't have a coach who is so wedded to one way of playing that he can't adjust to get our best possible 11 out there.

    Not a big fan of a lone "destroyer" in the modern game. Not many top teams use them anymore, and the ones that do have guys in that role who can do more than just break up play,

    Both Trapp and MB showed some flashes of being able to do more against poor competition, but OTH, neither can really play an adequate destroyer IMHO. Neither is all that good in the tackle and they both get beat for pace regularly.

    If those are the choices for that role, then we need to find a system of play that does not require a player like that. There are quite a few to choose from (including the Dutch 4-3-3 which both Gregg and Earnie should be very familiar with), so I am hoping to see some experimenting when we get the full squad together.

    BTW, I am not counting on that happening in the next window because the games are over here and it is a long flight to get all the Euro players over and many will be in the midst of the final run-in in their leagues. I doubt Gregg and Earnie want to get on the bad side of some Euro coaches/teams just to cobble together a Euro based lineup for the 2 friendlies next month.
     
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  17. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    WT was bypassed by CR pretty easily in the recent game. Some he was doubling up and some he was outnumbered. You frequently saw 2-3 Costa Ricans with the ball running at the CBs with Trapp trailing the play.

    We have threads about Trapp; not really discussing him. 1 v 2 is tough odds for any player. Plus, there was some game plan, I assume, that had Trapp leaving to double. Either way, the great hybrid DM/RB was nowhere to be found in any of those sequences. In most of them, Lima was either up field or at RB and not near Zone 14.

    I think it is nuts to not have Adams anywhere near that area on defense. Transition defense and the static defense. We will see if that is the plan. Where GB is going to play Adams is becoming a bigger bone of contention than where he is going to play CP or if he is going to play MB.
     
  18. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal

    And that probably won't be this camp...at least I hope not. Berhalter has seen the MLS players over an extended time AND he should know them reasonably well because he studied all of them as a coach in MLS. He should (I think) concentrate almost completely on the Euro guys. Experimenting with how to best use the "obvious choices" and evaluating the other players and coming up with a preliminary list that he can further narrow down before the Gold Cup.

    Agree 100%! He has his ideas of what will work and now he has to test them out and make adjustments based upon the results. What to do with Adams, for instance. If he did indeed have plans for Adams at RB, maybe Lima has shown well enough that he feels Adams can be used in a different role more similar to what he is currently playing. Perhaps he will decide Yedlin is actually the answer at RB? What about the role Bradley and Trapp played? perhaps there is someone he has in mind from Europe that could also play that role?
     
  19. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Adams is our best player... he is NOT playing right back.
     
  20. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm with you but who knows what GB will do :)
     
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  21. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    #296 Mahtzo1, Feb 16, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2019
    I have a feeling that the combination of Adams playing so well upon his introduction to B1 and Lima playing well (albeit vs inferior competition) in the role he is rumored to have planned for Adams will lead to Berhalter putting Adams somewhere in the middle and trying Lima wide. I still think the games coming up will/should/hope focus on Euro players but I can see Berhalter wanting another look at Lima as his RB against better comp.

    Kinda ironic I think that McKinney played RB today.
     
  22. mace

    mace Member+

    Indy 11
    United States
    Jun 5, 2004
    USA
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    McKennie played right back for Schalke today. Maybe Berhalter called the Schalke boss the other day and told him to play Wes there so he could see how Wes would fit in to his system?
     
  23. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I know this must be sarcasm but not making it easy to detect.
     
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  24. mace

    mace Member+

    Indy 11
    United States
    Jun 5, 2004
    USA
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A mix I suppose. I hope no one seriously thinks Berhalter is calling Bundesliga coaches and demanding what positions the Yanks play. However, maybe Wes would be an option in the US back line guy who floats forward as needed.
     
  25. wrench

    wrench Member+

    May 12, 2007
    NYC
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Shalke is dealing with injuries and WM can play anywhere, it seems. By far, his best position is somewhere in the middle of the park. btw, with Adams next to or behind him.
     
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