The pool is not poor. Many of these players are solid to high-level performers in good leagues or with top teams.
Many many years ago I had a U14 team that was simply BIG they averaged half a head taller and 15-20 pounds heaver that the biggest of the other teams. I tried to get them to play "pretty" football and pass the ball around a lot and we lost the first four games by an average score of 5-1. I then just wanted to get them some positive results so I told them to play "kick and chase" get physical all over the field. We won all the rest of our regular season games and played the best in the state in the championship and only lost there 3-2. We also led the league in yellow cards and red cards. (13 year olds are NOT good at hiding their fouls) The point is the old "You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." We need to play UGLY soccer for a while at least. we have 22 or 23 sow's ears and making them a "silk purse" just will not work.
The issue is he's trying to force a style out of a player pool which can't play it. That doesn't mean the player pool is poor, it means the coach is poor at playing to our strengths which should be his #1 priority. We have a better pool now than we've had in a while but we're stuck playing Zardes, Trapp, Long, Ream, Lovitz, etc because of a stubborn coach.
Exactly. We had an opportunity to make the best out of a horrible situation and we made things worse. Hell, I liked the team when Sarachan was in charge.
I said it before this match, it was DUMB to play Mexico right after the Gold Cup. This is our rival, and our team has never been more disorganized. Good one team, USSF! Way to make all those on the fence cheer for Mexico and for all US fans just to tune this team out.
Yeah, I felt like I watched a completely different game after all the "he should refuse call ups!" stuff. He had one out of this world run, good energy as always, but on the whole was rather sloppy. And yet again it looked like he was letting his frustration get the better of him during times he was simply taken off the ball by a Mexico player. Of course CP's still in a position to be a uniquely excellent player for an American, but I disagree with the sentiment he's above the current U.S. team and not deserving of any blame for another poor showing against Mexico.
I actually don't mind losing friendlies as long as one sees progress. We have regressed in time. I don't think any coach lost their job because of a friendly, maybe it should be a first. I wondering what is going through Dest's mind. Maybe he doesn't want to be part of the shit-show. I wouldn't blame him.
I have been saying for 6 or 7 years that we play Mexico entirely too much. When we were beating them I thought so. And now that we are losing to them, I continue to think so. It is overkill.
If I could serve as emergency coach against Uruguay, and I had to deal with the players leaving.... ———Sargent——Soto—————- ——————Pomykal——————- ———Lletget———McKennie——- Dest———————————-Cannon ——-Long—-Zimmerman—Miles—— ———————Guzan——————— Bench: Gonzalez Hollingshead Servania Mendez Boyd Ferreira Toye
Go back and watch Pulisic before the arrival of the almighty 3G. He's your best player available. You need to get off the 3G train.
Sarachan had the right idea and the right style for the most part, where he faltered was in developing any kind of cohesive attack after we forced mistakes. Mistakes can be the greatest playmaker for you (klopp's philosophy) but we need a coach who can teach the young guys how to capitalize on them.
Greg is looking at the National team VERY wrong!! He wants "style" but he should want "wins." We do NOT have the players to play stylish football against even half way decent teams BUT we do have the players to give everyone a LOT of trouble. Maybe a simi-bunker and some forwards running at the other teams goal. It might not be pretty but it got us into a good number of World Cups and there is nothing wrong with that. Where is Bora Milutinović when we need him?
For the few US fans who still attend MNT matches, I suggest you stop going. It's clear the USSF doesn't care about the fanbase at all anymore and all you're doing is making them wealthier. Let other countries be the home team when the US plays in the USA.
Correct. What has become painfully obvious of our Millennial generation of players is that as individuals, they are decent professional players and have earned their way on teams all over the planet. However, when they are asked to come together, to unify. Certainly take the field in the form of a National Team, our All Stars versus another nation's All Stars, our guys struggle tremendously in linking up outta the back, making runs off the ball, and specifically playing ahead of the game.
Exactly. He’s trying to be cute, but doesn’t know how. And he forsakes being smart, which I wonder if he knows that either.
You are on the right track but I think the wrong lane...We have a ton of young, tireless, aggressive youngsters. We need to press all over the pitch, let our speed and tenacity be the playmaker and capitalize on mistakes. We could bunker and counter as well, but I think young players are terrible at these things.