Nations League A, Camp 2, Canada/Cuba, Nov. 15/19

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Dander, Oct 16, 2019.

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  1. Dander

    Dander Member

    Tampa Bay Rowdies
    United States
    Apr 3, 2017
    Whatcha gonna do, Gregg?
     
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  2. Felix Herve Caroll

    Jun 1, 2015
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    Ivory Coast
    It'll be do or die for Gregg.
     
  3. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    What do we need to do? Is the task as clear as it appears - beat Canada and beat Cuba, by enough (cumulative) goals to push past Canada on goal difference?
     
  4. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    If we don't make the LON tourney (is it next March in the FIFA window?) because we don't beat Canada enough, would we perhaps play a friendly in Europe or elsewhere? They say the hex starts in August next year.

    It looks like this Berhalter team is the team we go to war with in the hex.
     
  5. mette72

    mette72 Member

    Sep 29, 2000
    Free America
    He is gonna f*ck up, lose to Canada again and not lose his job...
     
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  6. manq360

    manq360 Member+

    Jun 17, 2009
    Portland, OR
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The only thing that I can see saving Gregg and team at this point is if he finally admits to himself that his system and call-ups do not work. He needs to revamp at this point. Leave off Bradley, Roldan, Zardes, and the rest of the MLS players that are mediocre (a lot of them). I even think Jozy should not be called...although he is always with injury, so it is a moot point.

    I want to see the youngsters unfettered with previous playing restrictions and played in their rightful places. Its time, Gregg, do you have the courage? If not, we will be the new Cuba, although the players will not be defecting from the US, just the US team.
     
  7. USA-Zebuel

    USA-Zebuel Member+

    Mar 26, 2013
    Club:
    Colón de Santa Fe
    Ideas for Gregg:

    Take a walk with his brother and Earnie. Preferably a long walk on a short pier.

    Go scout for dual national talent in Syria or Afganistán wearing fancy jewelry and lots of Christian iconography.

    Purchase a “Soccer Coaching for Dummies” book with his amazon prime account t so it gets here quickly.

    Watch some coaching YouTube videos. He should start at square one with U5 training ideas.

    Submit listener a questions to“The Total Soccer Show”: “if you were head coach of USMNT, what formation would you choose and which 23 players for the camp and why”

    Follow the TSS scouting reports to supplement the one full time USMNT scout.

    Quit coaching profesional soccer and release the Jay Berhalter compromising photos that scored him this job.
     
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  8. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ...I don’t even know where to start. This team is so broken and caught in concertina wire. At some point, you just have to stop moving and cry for help.
     
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  9. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Part of me thinks go with this...
    —————Sargent————-
    Pulisic—————————Morris
    ———Pomykal—McKennie——
    —————-Morales—————
    A.Robinson———————Yedlin
    ————Brooks—-Miazga———
    ——————-Steffen—————-

    Another part says this...

    ————-Sargent—Morris——————
    ——————-Pulisic————————-
    ——-McKennie———Morales————
    Antonee———————————-Yedlin
    ——Long——-Brooks——Miazga———-
    ——————Steffen—————————

    and, another part wants...

    ———Sargent———Morris————
    ——————-Pulisic-—————-——
    ——Pomykal———-—McKennie——-
    ——————-Morales———————-
    Antonee———————————Yedlin
    ————Brooks——Miazga—————
    ———————Steffen———————
    Canada subs: Ledezma, Ferreira, Canouse
    Cuba subs: Soto, Llanez, Mendez

    But, at the end of the day, we’ll still see: Lovitz, Trapp, Zardes, and Roldan. Playing out of the back. And think we’re too good to defend and counter.
     
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  10. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    General Egg has to go back to the drawing board but there will not be any players to address because they will all be back at their clubs. He cant send them out on the pitch to try new stuff. He'll see them a day or two before the game and then the whistle will blow and his job will be on the line.

    Good luck
     
  11. yurch10

    yurch10 Member+

    Feb 13, 2004
    This made me laugh, especially the Syria/Afghan reference. I appreciate someone being a bit risky with the humor here...get ready for that yellow card!

    BUT - bringing up the TSS guys is weak. Those guys are soft as a baby's bum, and defended Arena until October 10, 2017. Stopped listening before that, and hopefully they grew some, but it was my first US Soccer pod effort, and I couldn't believe how Wahl-ish they were.

    As far as what will happen? @Eleven Bravo picks three options I'd be ecstatic with (especially option #1).

    But, how many people here think Bradley won't be starting as the 6? Seriously. If you truly believe that, respond and we can count votes.
     
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  12. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, we’ll see some idiotic version that includes...


    Xx———Zardes————XX
    ———Roldan——XX———
    —————Bradley————
    Lovitz———————-—XX
    ———Ream——-XX———
    ——————XX—————

    Effectively, 5 guys who have NO business being in the international picture in the starting XI. In other words, approx 1/2 of the line-up stinks. And the other half? Berhalter keeps moving around and the team can’t gain any rhythm.
     
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  13. USA-Zebuel

    USA-Zebuel Member+

    Mar 26, 2013
    Club:
    Colón de Santa Fe
    I agree with trying out morales without either Trapp or B-Rad. This is about a solid of a lineup we have right now.

    Pulisic and Morris are quick and could serve a nice counter punch with Sargent running channels while the wingers spread the defense. But as you state, that would require coach dipshit to realize we are not a buildup out of the back kinda team.
     
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  14. USA-Zebuel

    USA-Zebuel Member+

    Mar 26, 2013
    Club:
    Colón de Santa Fe
    Lol. This is the “Broken Spine”. The antithesis of what used to be out aces.
     
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  15. largegarlic

    largegarlic Member+

    Jul 2, 2007
    I'm not sure where to find hope for these games. Berhalter won't change the system, and Canada knows how to beat the system, as any half competent team that watches game tape would. I guess there are a couple things that could lead to some optimism, if I'm stretching for it.

    1) Canada usually stinks on the road, especially in hot locales.

    2) Brooks and Adams might be healthy. Brooks is on the bench today for Wolfsburg, and I think Adams is supposed to be back to full training next week. Assuming Berhalter would start them for Ream and Bradley, that might shut down a lot of the trouble Davies was causing once he shifted to the middle and started giving Bradley/Ream fits.

    3) Pulisic won't be that bad again. I don't know if he really had the flu or was otherwise in a funk, but I do believe that even if he hates the coach, he hates to lose in a US jersey more.
     
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  16. Dander

    Dander Member

    Tampa Bay Rowdies
    United States
    Apr 3, 2017
    It won't be hot in November. Hate to be a downer.
     
  17. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    You know, this post …. it made me think - how stupid it was of Jay's Brother that the *first* time Sargeant gets a start against a decent opponent is in a must win match?
     
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  18. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    I think Jay/Earnie/Gregg see this as an excellent opportunity to try, "The Group", against a better team, at home, in a must win game. Basically, they will have to fail in every possible circumstance before any changes are made.

    BUT...if Gregg's job is on the line; and winning your CNL Group should be a minimum for the USMNT coach, then Gregg has a serious problem brewing. Key members of, "The Group", that have been given so many minutes in, "The System", will not have played a game in almost a month when Canada comes to Orlando:

    Lovitz
    Long
    Arriola
    Trapp
    Zardes
    Cannon
    Lima
    Yueill
    Baird

    That is a Who's Who of Gregg's guys and they will have been sitting around doing nothing for 26 to 31 days.

    There are guys who will have played 3-5 games in Europe during this period, but many of them have had less than 90 minutes in, "The System" or don't fit into, "The Group". Many have not been called at all.

    If the favorites win this week, the following players will be off for 3+ weeks when the must win Canada game comes around:

    Bradley
    Altidore
    Lletget

    Besides GKs, that would only leave Morris and Roldan as even possible to have played within a week of the Canada game. But if they lose to LAFC, it will have been half a month since they played too.

    Gregg has used an incredible MLS heavy roster his entire tenure. But now, with his job possibly on the line, probably every one of the MLS players he called this past window, and played, will have been idle for 2+ weeks.
     
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  19. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    "I mean, listen, we're talking about Canada, not Mexico, not Mexico, not Mexico, we talking about Canada. Not Mexico. Not, not … Not Mexico that I go out there and die for and play every Mexico game like it's my last. Not Mexico, but we're talking about Canada, man. I mean, how silly is that? … And we talking about Canada. I know I supposed to be there. I know I'm supposed to lead by example... I know that... And I'm not.. I'm not shoving it aside, you know, like it don't mean anything. I know it's important, I do. I honestly do... But we're talking about Canada man. What are we talking about? Canada? We're talking about Canada, man. [laughter] We're talking about Canada. We're talking about Canada. We ain't talking about Mexico [more laughter] We're talking about Canada, man. When you come to the stadium, and you see me play Mexico, you see me play don't you? You've seen me give everything I've got, right? But we're talking about Canada right now."

    I hope we approach the next game with the proper mindset ...
     
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  20. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    He started versus Uruguay and has started versus Peru and Italy in the Sarachan era. He also started against Jamaica if they count.

    We don't have that many games against good teams, and I would have loved Josh at the Gold Cup, but this is a strange criticism, considering it isn't factually correct.

    If you were being sarcastic, I missed it.
     
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  21. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    Well, basically, I forgot about him starting the Uruguay match. So, I was off by one match. I'll revise: It's crazy that Jay's Brother only had Josh start against *one* good team before throwing him in a match that counts.

    Ya, we haven't played many good teams. But, we have played Mex. So, I guess it boils down to it is down right crazy/stupid that Jay's Brother didn't deem Josh good enough to make the roster for the gold cup, to prep him up in "the system" and integrate him into "the group." And, then, 1st match that counts, he throws him into the starting line up.
     
  22. RalleeMonkey

    RalleeMonkey Member+

    Aug 30, 2004
    here
    Jay's Brother will not be fired if we don't make it out of our nation's league group.
     
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  23. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    Gregg works all of January-March on a "Inverted Fullback System" that only works with Adams not playing CM. Adams gets hurt, it is all down the drain and we don't see an inverted fullback again.

    Gregg doesn't take Sargent to the GC. He basically only spends minutes this year on Zardes and Jozy. By the time he realizes Zardes is not good enough (if he has), Jozy gets hurt, and Sargent is instantly the only forward option.

    Do we see a pattern of being wedded to something and not being flexible with tactics and the player pool?

    Gregg doesn't take Robinson or Dest to the GC. He is going to play Ream at LB, in another system that has disappeared due to injury to one key player possibly. Down a goal in the final, he subs in Lovitz, that is all he had. No reprise of Robinson tearing down the Mexico left and crossing for a goal.

    Gregg thinks it is important beyond any other thing, to try and play out of the back against a committed 8 man press by a good team (previously, he didn't try this against Chile). His go to DM for this assignment is Will Trapp. Nobody else has played a minute there but the clearly superior Bradley. So, that is the only choice. Although, if it was so important, Gregg should have called up Bradley one would think.

    His inflexible tactics are exasperated by his inflexible idea of the talent pool. And vice versa!
     
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  24. Robert Borden

    Robert Borden Member+

    Chelsea
    Canada
    Apr 19, 2017
    Toronto, Ontario
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    We might have lost Junior Hoilett. Cyle Larin is most likely the replacement if he can't make it for the Orlando game.
     
  25. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Canada
    ——-Sargent—-Morris————
    —————Pulisic——————
    ——McKennie—-Pomykal——
    —————-Morales—————
    Johnson————————Cannon
    ————Brooks—Miazga———
    ——————Steffen—————-

    Subs:
    Miljevic (Morris) 80
    Aaronson (Pomykal) 70
    Yuiell (Morales) 70

    Cuba
    ———Sargent—-Ferreira———
    ——————Lletget-—————-
    ———Mendez———Pomykal——-
    ——————-Yuiell———————
    A. Robinson———————Yedlin
    ————Alvarado—-CCV————-
    ——————Horvath——————-

    Subs:
    Soto (Sargent) 70
    Ledezma (Mendez) 46
    Llanez (Ferreira) 70
     
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