A totally outplayed and outmatched US fought hard but fell to defeat after a 94th minute Italy goal. Discuss.
I'm beginning to think that Dave Sarachan may not have what it takes to manage at the international level.
Saracant is not good enough for USL - richie williams too - neither of those guys should be allowed within 50 feet of any player who has even a 1% chance of ever playing for the USMNT. Saracant should consider d3 college soccer - that's his level....maaaybe a D1 college school if they can't find anyone else.
DELGADO - doesn't matter how good of a passer you are if you can't handle any pressure. in MLS, he has time and space and can do something - internationally, any team that is halfway decent will close him down - and he will wilt. a truly outmatched player at this level. giveaway after giveaway after giveaway. I wouldnt put him in my top 20 usmnt center mids..... he doesn't have the skills that I would look for in a midfielder. if he wants to be good enough...he has to be a lot better in possession and under pressure...not sure that he will be able to improve on those skills in MLS.
Horvath gets my MOTM. Delgado is not good enough for this level and I still don't see why Acosta is included. Hopefully, this is the last of Sarachan.
Well at least we're playing the final of the U20 C-CAF tournament against a Mexico that couldn't beat Panama. Cheer up. Otherwise, this was a solid candidate for the worst I've seen the USA play. This Italy was a sorry team, with a bunch of C-teamers that were not even young. And they kept us to 23% possession. SMDH. Ah yes, all those thinking getting rid of Sarachan is going to be enough: nope. We need to find the right combo of players and keep playing them together. 90% of our pool looks like trash though.
The irony of Delgado in this game is that I thought it was his best for the US. Which may be the final proof of your assertion that he's not good enough for this level.
From the outside looking in - Sergeant, Horvath (how good was he tonight?) both stood out and had good games. Or what you would deem good in the circumstances. The right back was generally ok and Adams looks like he has something but NOT in that system. The team looks like they need to learn to appreciate possession and work on it with every game. It takes European sides years at senior level if they aren’t used to it but you need to persevere. That 5-3-2 was designed to get a draw and feck all else. They need to stick to a plan on retaining ball and see it through until that’s done. The next coach better do it or it’s deep doo doo
My sneaky positive takeaway: Sargent is a real player and in time will be very good. CP gets a pass, Horvath played well, and Adams had a few moments. CCV also was decent at times. I'm desperate for some new faces in midfield. Isn't Nagbe a decent box-to-box player? He's athletic and he can dribble. That alone puts him ahead of almost everyone else. I keep calling for Hydnman as well because he seems to have good control, touch, and dribbling, which is what we need. I don't care that he's a mite. Cazorla and Torreira are tiny and they've done a job for Arsenal because they can control and pass the ball.
Nope. Blame it on Acosta. Then Acosta. Then Acosta again. I actually like Delgado as a player, but man, he was horrible tonight
acosta is one of those players who doesnt really have a position that he can play properly but offers some good things that get him onto the field somehow. he's not a 6, not an 8, not a winger and not a 10. His best chance is to try to develop as a playmaker #10 type (not sure he can be that but its probably his best chance), imo. he did have that nice freekick that led to the almost goal...he's shown he can hit a nice freekick. at the end of the day -the usmnt seems to have a ton of tweeners who dont really offer everything needed at the given position they play -and so the team is a patchwork of missing links. i personally think the team will be better off finding players who are suited to the roles they will be asked to play rather than finding flawed tweeners and forcing them onto the field cuz they have "potential" Acosta has time to develop himself into a role that the USMNT can use -and he has talent - but currently i dont see what position he can play for the team and be a positive.
Cannon has some attitude. He wasn't intimidated and doesn't mind getting physical. Pulisic wasn't afraid to get in the ref's or other player's faces. A player's captain, if you will.
Totally outplayed by one of the poorer Italian sides in history. I truly think our team of half college players gave Italy a better game in the 1990 World Cup. It seems that no matter whether they put Pulisic, in the middle or on the wing, none of the guys behind him can actually get him the ball. For the last year we have been horrendous in possession and inept on the break. Our ability to play under pressure is nonexistent. Everybody keeps telling me what a great bunch of young talented players we have. I flat out just don't see it. We have so many guys whose first touch is a tackle. We have one guy that can keep possession, but he can only do it while dribbling straight at somebody, he is not great coming back to the ball and turning. We tackle poorly all over the field. We are no longer good in the air either in back or up front. And don't even ask me about our ability to understand tactical nuances, we play a formation which invites the outside backs to attack, and we go a whole game without getting a decent cross from one of them. They might have taken 13 months to find a coach because nobody wants the job.
i hate the 5-3-2.... Italy a team that cannot score - missed the world cup and is flatout stuggling -outshot the us 17-3 despite the "DEFENSIVE" strategy. US was lucky to only give up 1 imo...plenty of defensive breakdowns that didnt get punished. A much better England team outshot the US 16-10 despite the us coming out in a 4-2-3-1. The defensive lineups are fools gold -or, better yet fools bronze - they stop the usmnt attack and render it toothless without truly stopping the opponents' attack - and make for dreadful viewing.
you are right - i always try to check myself a little just cuz why put out negative energy on a player/team i want to do well - but this match got me a little - i just found myself as i have during almost every usmnt match for the past idk how many years - asking myself why do i even watch this??? but i edited my post a little not to be so harsh.
woulda had a red card in a real match -2 yellows - but i like his attitude too. has a lot to work on but at least he isnt timid out there like a lot of the other players.
I had 0 desire to even watch the game today. Forgot it even happened. In 30 years of watching the usmnt....this is a new experience.