Nations League A, Camp 1, Cuba/Canada, Oct. 11/15

That was my original point. Take all the "this league better than that," out of it. Lump all these leagues together and look for the players that are playing as if the league is below them (i.e. Adams in MLS in 2018).

Still, the biggest problem is that GB values roster continuity above almost anything. Miles Robinson very well could win DOTY for this past season. Certainly, will be the highest American in that voting. Yet, he wasn't at the GC, and barely can dress for the USMNT. Also, last year's DOTY and other MLS defenders can continue to suck up minutes.

Take your top talent, take your standouts at the next level, but then you have to be brutal with guys out of form. You don't need 22 players to teach 1 player.

 

I hope you're right, especially about the last one. I think the overall % of pool and minutes indicates a clear MLS preference over the entire year and I don't think it's accidental but I hold out hope.

I'm also the dope who bet cash and more importantly emotional capital against my good Mexican friend that the Berhalter-led USMNT would beat Mexico at home. Instead he started Trapp and we forced a play-from-the-back style right into the teeth of their defensive counter.

 

Came out this morning. As usual, GB stuck his foot in his mouth then had to clarify after having time to work out his answer. This is becoming a recurring thing for GB. I think it stems from trying not to hurt the feelings of his friends, like Trapp.

Of course, if he would stop calling in players that don't deserve it, then people wouldn't ask the questions where he has to pretend to have a legitimate reason to call those players.

 

Link please?

 

Nagbe has form, pre-Berhalter, in declining call ups.

The optimist's view on Berhalter's callup of non-standout MLS players is that they are place holders.

 

I don't know - lmorin said he didn't agree with all of GB's decisions, so in your opinion, it was cool of Toazer to characterize him as a General Egg sychophant, while intimating he is cool with Adams being excluded, because MB and WT are better, which is disingenuous, because we know the reason for Adams exclusion is injury. Maybe character assassination was too strong but it's a gross mis-characterization with a bunch of lame tropes - I don't see how it was well reasoned.

Anyhoo. I have stated previously - after the TnT defeat, no player over 30 should have been called in for any camp or match except maybe for sub rolls this cycle. I don't get my panties in a bunch because the coach prefers to call in players he knows this early, or that he missed someone from the Swiss 2nd division or USL 3. I don't believe every U.S. player in MLS is bad. I understand that injuries have played a significant factor too. I will judge GB more harshly or perhaps appreciate his team building further in the process.

Where are you finding the Whoscored overall ratings? I am not doubting that those rankings are correct, I would just like to see the list - that's pretty cool - I can't find it for any league on the Whoscored website.

Are those ratings normalized for number of games played? Or are there a bunch of random guys who have played 1 or 2 games that pop up higher on the list due to small sample size?

 

McKennie had something positive to say aboot GB:

"I'd say it's a lot better than it was in the beginning, for me as well. For me, I was a little bit, I guess you could say, not positionally disciplined. His system has really taught me to be disciplined and be calm and be patient that the ball is going to come to you," McKennie said of Berhalter.

"I think it's been developing. We've had more time to get comfortable with it, and I think many other players have felt also the comfortability of playing with this system and how we want to press and how we want to build up. And also this system is teaching us that we can keep the ball, and play confidently and comfortably."

 

Aaronsen is not going to dress for either game. Seems like even more of a waste of a camp spot. Not one of the dual nationals we have un-cap tied could have been there and been subbed on against Cuba, up 7-0?

We had a Jong Ajax player, get promoted to his first team and start two games for the USMNT, basically a week later. That player did not get quantum levels better in a week. We have three players at that very same level, who have never been called.

We have now had a U21 MLS All-Star and the favorite for MLS Rookie of the Year, in two successive camps, and their total minutes will be, what, 6 combined? Four games, all Friendlies or Sub-FIFA 50 teams, and the minutes will be 0,6,0,0.

Even if we don't get into the whole, "have to play first team", BS again...are we worried that GB seems to have a serious problem identifying talent? That, out of all the U20ish players, he has brought in two and then, after seeing them in person, felt they could barely handle a friendly or a game against Cuba.

People here arguing that GB can leave all kinds of players out of camp to continue with the ones he has because the gains are incremental at best, it has to be worrying that he has scouted players, brought them in, and they weren't close to ready. It could be that GB and his staff are just poor talent evaluators.

 

This is a good moment to reflect on our lack of away wins.

Our last away win of of any type was against St Vincent and Grenadines in WCQ back in September of 2016.

Our last meaningful away win against decent opposition was exactly 6 years ago October 15, 2013 at Panama.

Gentle reminder that for Canada, today is a World Cup Qualifier. A loss will eliminate them since they will lose any possibility of gaining on El Salvador for the sixth hex spot.

 

Well maybe I didn't read morin's post as thoroughly as I should have, but on first glance it just seemed to be mostly "Egg has his players, who are we to question that". The response was "harsh", but it was a sarcastic/pithy reply to someone he disagreed with. Which happens.

I just google "MLS whoscored" and it comes up. Link is here if it works...https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/2...PlayerStatistics/USA-Major-League-Soccer-2018

You can go to "Detailed" view and separate by nationality and other traits. The default is minimum appearances I think, but you can adjust by min minutes, appearances, etc. I just quickly did 20 appearances min, and MB is down to 60, Trapp is 44th (edit - out of American players, not overall. MB was 60th out of 92 total). So you can adjust, but those two aren't going to get any higher than that!

 

Berhalter, press conference:

Zack Steffen will start tomorrow. Sargent is being monitored closely (ankle). Berhalter is “happy” with whomever plays up top. Pulisic vs Cuba didn’t want to come out.

Briefly mentioned that Adams will eventually play the 6. pic.twitter.com/KyKDUakxa9

— Nico Cantor (@Nicocantor1) October 14, 2019

 

They can still qualify for the World Cup if they miss the Hex. It might even be easier.

 

Dest seems to be a unique case in our history. A true shooting star. Don Balón just reported on him and is citing interest from Barcelona, BVB, PSG and more. I don't think anyone was expecting him to go so far so soon. Not even Ajax.

 

Correct, I forgot about the knockout round vs the fourth place hex team.

 

They've already qualified for 2026

 

Not sure I get the joke. Not sure it is a joke...

Either way, it is not yet determined if all the host countries of the 2026 WC will get automatic bids. More than one host has only been done once before, and both countries got auto bids. But that isn't guaranteed anywhere and is case by case.

And, of course, we are all talking about 2022.

 

Are you sure about that? Perhaps it is not an official rule per se.... but I would expect it may be an unwritten one. I would be surprised if any of the three were not in it... besides, Mexico is assured to qualify on merit and the US usually does too. Canada might be the only one that needs the auto-bid.

 

The first boldened bit is probably something he hasn't learned at Schalke because he has been moved all over the field and he is such a young player. Wes is such a bright and teachable young man...his parents must be proud.

I touched on the second boldened bit in another post...I believe that Wes, Morris, Ream, Cannon, Yieull, Trapp, Arriola, and Bradley have come to start seeing the big picture with this system. Some are more effective than others, but I think that those guys are starting to make strides. There is alot of academic work and then practical application with this thing...it takes time.

The third boldened bit is something that I touched on in other posts as well. People are missing the real story of this period of US Soccer because there's so much shrill noise and bitter banter over lineup choices and the coach. The real story of this era is the change in mindset from one of reactive bunker-n-break soccer to a proactive possession-first, attack-second-defend third approach. This change is coming at a great time when an influx of young talent is climbing the ranks in ways we have not seen before. These young players are coming into a proactive culture. They will never know bunker-n-break. THAT is exciting.

I understand that for younger fans, the idea of watching something build is boring when they just want to see their pet players get a run out to see if the reality of the player matches their fantasy of the player and the hope that comes along with that. However, if that's all that you're watching, then you're missing the most important cultural development in US Soccer history.

 

Strawman much?

You know as well as I that all players are not available for every camp. Some guys have only had a brief look.

And it isn't about players not understanding it, FFS, another strawman. It is about them having internalized it to a degree where they no longer have to think on the pitch and are just reacting in real time on the pitch, as a collective.

When 1-2 guys are off, the wheels come off. When everyone is on the same page, it will look really good.

But it takes time. Make a musical analogy. You have a song a band has been doing live for a while. Jam band. All sorts of cues and understandings have built up over the years. Replace a band member (even with a superior musician) & things will be off whilst the new guy gets up to speed.

Would you rather have the original band teach the new guy or a bunch of guys who also don't know the song?

Look, I saw Berhalter coach the Crew for 5 years. Up close. Almost every game. Post game press conferences. Talks at season ticket holder events. I have met the man. Multiple times. I think I have a better idea how he operates than 99% of the folk on here. Not through some intellectual superiority or anything, just first hand experience.

And I am just trying to tell you how he operates. And why. Feel free to agree or disagree, obviously.

He likes to have measuring stick guys in camp (any coach does). These are guys who know the system AND whom the coach has evaluated before.

When new guys are brought in, they get measured on two scales. How good do you think the player is (skillset)? And how well does the player understand & read correctly within the system?

There is usually going to be a baseline/competence on the system piece before that player gets on the pitch. Or plays many meaningful minutes. Now, some positions are less complicated than others (GK, CB). But a guy running around in the wrong spots not only kills the song, but it makes it harder to evaluate the other guys on the pitch.

Again, it is not that the player doesn't "get" the system. Of course they do. It is a matter of how often do they make the correct reads/runs/passes/positional decisions. 60%? 80%? 95%? And best believe that stuff is getting tracked.

3G is gonna prefer a less talented player making the right reads over a more talented player who does not. And there is of course room for learning. And how big the gap is (skillset & system) also plays a part.

The result is going to be that marginally more talented players (or equally talented) with considerably less system knowledge are going to get integrated more slowly. Uber talented guys (Pulisic, Dest, Adams, McKennie, Sargent) will happen faster. And high system IQ guys will tend to hang around if they are serviceable (Zardes, Trapp, Bradley, Arriola, etc).

Yell and scream all you want, it is a forum after all. But I am just telling you, this is his philosophy. This is how he teaches it to the team. This is how he has decided to implement it. And this is likely what you are going to see.

He will adjust. But he is not a tinkerer for the sake of trying something new. He believes more in continuity & familiarity. Once he is convinced everyone is on the same page, he will make more adjustments.

But as of now, he is still searching. Where to play Pulisic? Adams? McKennie? Jozy, Adams, Yedlin, & Brooks have mostly been hurt. Weah, Pulisic, and Dest also questionable. Hell, that is half the team. Getting closer, though.

----------------Steffen---------------
Yedlin---Long---Ream---Arriola
---------Bradley-----Roldan-------
Morris-------McKennie-----Pulisic
-------------------Zardes--------------

3G probably slides Ream to LB & Sargent may start up top. Maybe Miazga. Feel pretty good about the others.

 

W/o doing a research of Jay's Brother's 1st call ups, it seems to me like JB feels like players need a full camp of exposure to his system, before you can even think about putting them on the field. It is my impression that there are a few guys that have been called into camps, not to make the bench in either match.

And, it's telling that WM is now saying "oh, nowwwwwwwwwwww I get it." He's a good enough footballer to be a good player at multiple positions in the BL, yet it's taking him a while to grasp JB's system. Ridiculous. (I'm talking about JB's system, not WM).

I agree with you that the stakes will never be lower than they were against Cuba (when do we play them again?).

 

I'm sorry. I don't know who you are and why you're saying this - but this could not be more wrong.

What manager are you talking about?

Klinsmann didn't play that way. He repeatedly said that bunker/counter is not manly. And, that we have to learn to play straight up. Now, in playing straight up, we got pressed back into our end a lot. But we sure as *hell* didn't counter. Klinsmann effectively had a fatwa against passing the ball behind the opposing defense from your defensive end. We *never* countered under Klinsy.

Arena didn't play b/c football.

Where are you getting this misinformation?

 

Ya, I agree. You make the Hex, you have to beat the (in theory, 4th, 5th, 6th best teams in the region.

If you are in the next level, you just have to beat the like 7th or 8th best team in the region. And, then win a home and home with ….. I forget who it is.... Oceana?

I'd bet that once the hex is set, the published odds for making the WC are better for the 1st one out of the hex than the last one in.

 

You might not, but the comparison is very telling. It is very telling that our coach continues to call in a whole bunch of players that would have made little impact on past teams. I didnt say all of them shouldnt be called in, but if the first tier of players are at best role players then the ones that are big drop off dont belong outside a January camp.

I dont know what your are talking about when you say "people resist your calls to try new players". There are a ton of people on here that believe we need to move on from the January camp hold overs. I thought was clear after the Gold Cup when the bench for the finals was Boyd an MLS players and our three subs were Zardes, Roldan, and Lovitz.

After the roster was released, I provided 11 healthy players to replace some of these weak holdovers. The eleven suggested would run the MLSers off the field.

-------------------Johnson-------------------
Lima--Zimmerman--Long--Lovitz
----------------Wily Franchise------------
------------Roldan-----------Yueill---------
Aaronson------Zardes-----------Baird

vs

Ledezma--------Wright------Holmes
--------Hyndman--------Green------------
--------------------Morales---------------------
ARob----Alvarado----CCV----Gooch
---------------------Horvath-------------------

 

You missed a step. The winner of the lower seed tourney..has to play the 4th place team from the Hex....the winner of that plays in the inter-contintinental playoff.

 

The US hasn't been bunker-n-break team since the 90s. Since then, and when the talent has been there, the US has been able to carry the game to many opponents. The US certainly hasn't been a possession team, but possession isn't everything. And nowadays, even elite club and national sides happily concede possession, if doing so suits there purposes.