My statements addressed comments related to the level of Berhalter's responsibility in his attacking players' outstanding seasons.
Crew 1 - 0 NYRB 2nd leg to come. Berhalter's done a hell of a job this year. He did a hell of a job last year, with the Crew going down to eventual winner Toronto 1-0 in the Conference semi-finals. You have to give him his props. If Columbus can get past NYRB in this series, I'll be even more impressed.
NYRB are a better team than Columbus. There's a good chance if Columbus tried to play an open game they would've been out of the series before the second leg. Berhalter dirtied the game up today in that first half. There was nothing in it. Boring half, neither team had much of an edge. He left his playmaker on the bench. It works out because Higuain comes off the bench to start the second half, and sets up the winning goal. He was tremendous. It was two different game-plans for Columbus.
and maybe a strategic one in that Columbus 34 year old #10 got to rest for a half after a short turnaround this week and they still got the win and now he gets more rest for the return leg.
I think it absolutely was, which is a credit to Berhalter. It could've turned out really bad for Columbus if they lost the first leg at home.
And we got to see how his team played without Higuaín. Is his record simply a reflection of the on-the-pitch coach in the person of Federico Higuaín? How would you like the USMNT playing like Columbus did in the FH when they were playing without Higuaín? It's a mixed bag, I'd say. he comes to USMNT and struggles because he doesn't have a playmaker.....he screws around looking for answers...... he takes forever because he can't identify the real problem....he identifies the wrong problem....things drag on in a half ass way..... This is the danger I see, for all the hype, albeit much of it merited
Berhalter is smart. I don't think there's any doubt about that. My concern is his lack of national team experience and top level club experience. My concern is about what he hasn't seen and hasn't done -- not what he can't do when he gets the experience. I think it's in his DNA to be a top coach, I just don't know if he's ready to coach the national team. The fact that we haven't heard a peep about who are the candidates makes me think they are waiting on Behalter to finish the MLS season.
You make a good point. There is no #10 in place thats established at the club level. You mentioned Carleton in the other thread. He's certainly good enough to play for the NT right now, but should we reward players who aren't playing at the first team level? I don't like that idea. Without Carleton in place, we don't have a #10 in the Higuain mold. What we saw today from Columbus in that first half without Higuain was awful football. He's not being hired to play that.
I'm not rooting for GGG to get the job, but, yes, that was what we are looking for. W's. Today he's going up a against a superior product. That's a scenario we face a decent amount with the USMNT. Play ugly.... and win the game. Good by me.
I was talking about the style of play. He wouldn't be hired because he is occasionally capable of implementing those tactics. He's being hired because his team's usually play good football, and he's capable of putting in a game-plan like today's game-plan.
Bradley had Donovan. Klinsmann had Dempsey. Berhalter had Higuain... until now. It's a valid concern to wonder how he'd do without Federico around.
The first half of your sentence doesn't match up with the second. No, he's not good enough. He plays for Atlanta's reserves. Come on!
Actually, thats not true. He plays for Atlanta United. He's been in the squad for 25 of 35 matches he was available for. Your point is a dumb one. I don't think bad coaching decisions dictate the level of every player. I would prefer to watch for myself, and make up my own mind instead of mindlessly appealing to authority.
Two playoff games in a row that have gone according to plan for Berhalter, against superior teams. Gregg Berhalter creates his own luck for victorious Columbus Crew SC Someone posted this video of the Columbus goal on reddit... https://streamable.com/gv38k
Berhalter is worrying because we don't have a single current successful number 10 even in MLS. Otherwise his tactics can fit with the pool.
What I can see is that various posters in this board have a significant lack of confidence in Berhalter regardless of his record. Who will be the 10? Can he play without a 10? Can he coach European players? All of the above are answerable by even average coaches. The real question is "can he take us to the next level?" I think that depends on multiple factors and the coach is becoming less and less important a factor.
The real question is what coach would be able to patch together a pleasing style without a decent #10? Sure Berhalter will struggle but teams without a few but at least one of those types of players usually do have to win ugly.
I wouldn't even say a #10 but just in general a guy who can link midfield to goal scorer or attacker. A guy that routinely creates assists, secondary assists and can score some goals yet still provides midfield support. An enganche in Latin American terms. I agree with @Suyuntuy that Pulisic is not really the above. He can do it a bit against weaker opponents but he is more of a guy that occupies the defense and provides space for others. A desequilibrante in Latin American terms. Maybe just maybe he can develop the vision for passes, if he does he will go to a rare stratosphere of players. But why hope for such a long shot? Better to get some of that from other players. I don't think McKennie and Adams are those guys but Weah and Sargent have shown some knack in this level against good opponents. Unfortunately, that's a fair bit ways down the road. At this moment we will have to grind down opponents.
Donovan was creative but wasn't really a 10. Dempsey def wasn't a 10. Greg will have Pulisic who also isn't a 10. Who knows how he does, if he's any good he will have to figure out how to work with the players we have.
Dortmund can afford to use him as a decoy part of the time who occasionally shines but US needs him to get more touches at least until their talent level approaches Dortmund (may never).
I mean each one of them had a key player, whether side attacking mid or striker or playmaker doesn't matter. Bradley's style needed someone to engineer counters (Donovan), Klinsmann's style needed someone guts-and-glory to score when no one did (Deuce), and Gregg needs someone to make the magical pass (Higuain in the Crew).
Those were the games vs. St. Vincent away, and Trinidad & Honduras at home. Plus the (terrible for us) first 30 minutes of the 1-2 loss to Mexico in Columbus. The higher productivity was more due to the lack of quality in the rival.
I would add that those passes come from a CAM who has the luxury of two forward wingers and fullbacks who stretch the pitch wide giving Higuaín a lot of room to get on the ball. It works in MLS.