The only team that has had a big drop in level of play is Honduras. And we have yet to face them in the hex. Costa Rica and Panama are about the same (I think CR was coming in a lot better) and the US level was weak under Klinnsmann but people are wishfully thinking that they are worse than they are. They definitely weren't the weakest team we faced in Columbus.
Guys, Osorio clearly does not believe Mexico is good enough to play the same way every game regardless of opposition and impose itself on every opponent with the same core lineup. Yes we are grinding games in concacaf, but YES it is working. Also, YES we were grinding results in Copa America, and it was working. Against Chile? This is what we threw out there: Mexico Lineup: Ochoa; Aguilar, Araujo, Moreno, Layun; Herrera, Dueñas, Guardado; Tecatito, Chicharito, Chucky Lozano We went for the jugular, and we got smacked. And don't tell me it was because rotaciones and Herrera was not used to playing with Guardado etc. These are the core guys who played the most. Osorio's philosophy is we need to manufacture results one way or another, and in the hex stop allowing goals on the road. When we play tall European teams I'm sorry he will go with a "tall" lineup, and I submit, Mexico should be trying new strategies because we have been under achieving in international competition for decades.
Costa Rica has not shown the level of play that they did at the 2014 World Cup and that alone is enough to confirm that there has been a drop. Paolo Wanchope, who replaced Jorge Luis Pinto after the WC, was even sacked because of the team's poor results. Panama's top players are all past their prime: Machado (32) Baloy (36) Luis Tejada (35) Gabriel Gomez (32) and Blas Perez (36). Ironically, I think their experience can get them to the World Cup but they lack the FUAAAA of youth that they once had. The U.S is a team in transition and has yet to find suitable replacements for players like Donovan and even McBride. Altidore never quite became their top striker while players like Bradley and Deuce are on their way out and not at the level they once were. The Nads depth is second only to Mexico and that allows them to recover faster than our other rivals. Now, I do not know much of Trinidad and Tobago squad but looking at their results tells us that they have been a very irregular team. And I doubt that they are anywhere near the level of play they showed when they qualified to the 2006 World Cup. There doesn't need to be a 'BIg Drop' in level of play to make a difference for our highly irregular CONCACAF rivals. For the majority of the team's the slightest drop is enough to make a difference.
One thing Osorio has excelled on is improving our team in dead ball plays. Can't remember the last time we got scored on by getting beat on aerial plays. And hell, we've scored on corners beating teams that are physically more imposing than us - Nads and T&T
Osorio is doing very well results-wise but I'm not sure he comes out unscathed. I feel like the whole rotational approach will eventually catch up to us. Osorio seems like a coach who'll field a team depending on our opponent's strengths rather than our strengths.
This is way off. They did great in the World Cup but in the hex, Costa Rica was coming on barely being eliminated out of a weak group. They needed to win in El Salvador or they would have been out and did and turned it around but up until those last 2 games. They were nowhere near as good as this semifinal group when they won 5 out of 6 games. They then were on top including crushing the US at home. And now they aren't as good? That's BS. Outside of Baloy and Tejada (who already had stunk out of Liga MX by last hex), most of the team are in the same level as 2014. They got thru a tougher group this time than last time in the semifinal round too. Mcbride and Donovan were already done for the 2014 hex. Some of the players have fallen but they have replaced them as least as well as the 2014 team. They might not be as good but neither are they having this great drop of talent compared to last time. I don't know why you bring up Trinidad and Tobago, who didn't even make the semifinal round last time. Their 2006 team was a lot weaker than 2002 and they only made it because of how weak the hex was that year.
People should calm down with Almeyda. Let him learn some more with Chivas especially the bunker because his teams have been terrible when they bunker against them.
I'm happy for Chivas and for him but its a little early for duses to declare him the next big thing... No reason to think he can't be a great coach but it's still very early to call on him to replace Osorio...
I think he might be a candidate for 2022 but he still needs to improve more. I think he has the personality but like I said, I worry about some things especially his lack of success against bunkering. I still remember how the Copa MX final against Queretaro and then against Necaxa last season, Chivas looked terribly when they went up a man because both teams went full bunker after the red cards.
After Osorio, Almeyda would definitely be in the conversation....he took a team in turmoil and made them champs. You know who else took a team in turmoil and turned them around?
The rotations whining needs to stop. For one, all of his rotations has expanded our player pool to the largest I can ever remember. We are seriously 30+ deep with really good players. We are so deep that you have guys like Pulido, Chacka, Pizarro, Chapo Sanchez, etc... who don't get a sniff. Really talented players like Elias, Dedos, and Guti, on the fringe. Add Cota who can thank an injury for his opportunity. Bottom line, without his rotations we don't have the largest NT player pool in Mexico's history. Second, these players are facking professionals. The media and many in BSMX need to stop treating them like babies who can't handle player rotations. If the player has the right mentality the rotations would actually elevate their play. If they don't, they don't belong anyway. Third, I would argue we need more rotations to sit guys like HH who has severely under performed and needs a fire lit under his ass. He deserves to be rotated out until his ass wakes up. So does Layun until he finds his club form. There are others in this situation as well. The only point I will concede is that I like his rotations but I would not rotate certain positions like he does. So for that I do criticize. 1) I would not rotate GKs (unless I'm looking for my #1) because they need the most consistency. 2) I would not rotate the "up the middle" players. meaning the CB pair, the contencion, and striker. Those up the middle guys need to be set and consistent. I would try and find consistency with those 3 to 5 players and only rotate my wide players and other midfielders.
We haven't faced many decent teams under Osorio. This hex has been underwhelming with the US, Honduras and even Costa Rica looking lackadaisical. Heck, we just lost against Croatia's B team the other day and now all of a sudden we're chest-thumping because we beat Ireland's reserve squad. If his rotations work then great but I don't want a repeat of the Copa America. I personally thought we looked disjointed during that tournament whereas Chile, a team who looked mediocre at the beginning, started to pick up steam as the team gained chemistry. Pizzi went from close to having his head on a pike to being Sampaoli's rightful successor. We have a large NT pool with or without Osorio's rotations. Clubs pump out NT-caliber players, not Osorio's tactical decisions.
What really bugs me is how some Mexican fans talk about Piojo. He got a team pretty much qualified to the WC and did what every previous coach has done in the World Cup. A year later, he struggled against teams like T&T, Costa Rica, and almost got us eliminated from the Gold Cup in the semifinal match. Not only did Panama almost beat us, but they also had 10 men pretty much all game and Piojo couldn't come up with anything in order to take advantage of that. He is like every Mexican Coach, one trick pony that can't play any other way besides the one style they have. He had players like Vela, Chicharito, Gio, Jimenez, Tecatito, even Peralta and instead of working to figure out how to include more of these talented players on the field, he kept his 5-3-2 lineup and preferred to rely on Layun and Aguilar on the wings.