Gerg really has a handful of potential Bornsteins lurking in this squad... How many blunders are we going to see is the question. Based on the tune up games, there will be more than one... Does anyone really think low expectations are ok?? (besides the fed.) Whatever PR downplay they try to orchestrate, it won't matter... Not when you're already viewed as grossly incompetent and derelect.
Yeah, just finished reading an article that spent at least half its words explaining why you can't expect the US to do well in this tournament. Ridiculous. Any reasons we can't at least make the final if not win this thing with the team Mexico sent are completely self-created.
These are all teams that Camp Cupcake would be expected to beat at home (excluding mexico in the final)
Thing is, Mexico has a legit coach. He knows talent and he doesn't force feed it to a dumbass system.
You kinda sense that Concacaf can see how bad we are becoming and are doing everything they can to smooth the path to the KO rounds. b.t.w., the panama u20's who played in finals in Poland were pretty good. they were missing striker(s).
I guess it really depends on who we luck into out of group rounds... In either case, we will learn much as to the cash value of Team General Egg.
Is it? I won't confuse friendly results using variant lineups with real competition. I think there is some question how far we will go. I have little hope that we will win the Gold Cup, but can we make it to the final? We'll have a pretty good idea after the first 2 matches.
We will likely have to get through Jamaica and Honduras to get there. Can we do this? I don't know. Should we do this? Yes, because we have the resources. Those 2 teams aren't chopped liver. There is some challenge to do it. But if GGG can't meet the challenge, then .....
Probably getting out of group is enough for Egg to keep the job. "We're in the process of rebuilding and need some time to find the best players in the pool, what matters is that we have a clear system in mind and we're progressing toward that goal..." etc. You know the spiel.
Long time lurker first time poster. Ok here's one thing to think about. A few clips from Berhalter's interview quotes and it seems he's literally teaching professional players how to play a new position. i.e. 'teaching' Pulisic how to play in the middle. It's like Rafa trying to teach Ronaldo how to dribble at Madrid? Why would you do that? National Team has few weeks together a year. They are pro players, no one watched film in a room and one day said 'yep, let's play Dempsey at striker'. Dempsey FORCED his coaches to move him by his actions on the field. He scored all the time and was so dangerous higher up the field and he PROVED IT while playing as a winger? Anyone else get the vibe he's trying to re-invent the wheel here?
The problem with a system is that it takes away the possibility of invention. If the system is that the sun revolves around the earth, well...….you know the rest. Tab with U20's this year faced a situation where Durkin 6 and Mendez 8 were dq' on yellow accumulation which forced him to use Servania at the 6 and Ledezma at the 10 which moved Pomykal from the 10 where he had been playing to the 8 where Mendez had been playing. The result was that we saw Pomykal was extremely successful as an 8 and that Ledezma 10 + Pomykal 8 > Pomykal 10 + Mendez 8. Chemistry is so much more important than "system". Hwvr, it is unlikely that gullible fans, big money and big media would understand that a big star has to sit because his chemistry quotient is bad. So.....we get "systems".
and the USSF proved just how incompetent they are (why did you allow this Earnie?) because they had a shot at Tata and decided not to seriously approach him because why? Because they are idiots that is why.
I think most of us get it ... it is not that damn hard - KISS ... pick the best players, focus on the chemistry - put the players where they best play (for their clubs) .. make sure they are as fit as you can make them ... focus on defensive organization ... and for god sakes don't overcomplicate it. I don't know why he does not play CP on the left or right wing - keep McKennie and Adams in the middle .... pick a good 9 to slide in behind Jozy and put Weah or someone fast on the opposite wing midfield ....
The reason the asswipe comment about 'english speaking' came out during the absurd months long process to hire a coach was because Tata was the best candidate available and Beerholder's brother and the USSF insiders club had already decided who the new coach was. The facade was dragging it out and using the dog media for US soccer as their mouthpiece to justify the hire.
Modern defenses are based upon collective spacing and good communications between players. Berhalter’s system switches between a 3223(!) and a 433 so it take time to communicate when they need to switch and in what situations. I think it’s daft for a national team but if he’s going to do it, the team has to be on the same page of when to switch.
I get it, but it seems a little much, the first few friendlies were ok, but I mean it took other teams a few months and they already found it out? Hence the bad results last week. I haven't read one thing about the other team scouting how predictable this whole 'system' is and it's been proven easily breakable. Even when trying new formations.
That's a big problem. People will be clamoring to put on the field all the players with the high Transfermarkt values at the same time, and that forces the hand of the coach who has to pick a formation/tactic that allows for that to happen, even if detrimental to the rest of the pool.
smart teams will absolutely smoke out our weaknesses (hint - it’s our DMs who can’t defend) and denude Adams’ ability to cover space while covering for Bradley and Trapp.
Rumor is Mou wants to coach Portugal and it's waiting for CR to retire from the international game (which is going to happen soon). The problem is Portugal is looking ace under Santos so he's likely to get renewed next year and no Mou.