It was an ugly game overall with yellow card worthy offenses everywhere but sometimes that's how competitive road games go, especially against teams with something significant to play for. With previous generations of players the big goalkeeping moments and that one great chance CP couldn't finish might've been enough to secure the point at least. That no one stepped up like this was worrying. That there were far too many stretches where the players couldn't complete routine passes was even more worrying. I wouldn't mind if Berhalter was fired. Although I could also see the home game going a lot better.
I just got to finish watching the game now. I'm going to punish myself by reading all 700+ previous posts, but before I do I need to make two statements. 1) I've gone to every USMNT game within a 2 hour drive of where I happened to live at the time, for the last 22 years (not a small number of games), including the most recent debacle at Audi Field against Jamaica in July, and the goal fest with Cuba last week. I will not attend another MNT team game period until Berhalter is fired and the Federation gets its sh*t together. 2) Someone, I don't know who, needs to give every single U.S. player a kick-in-the-ass because as bad as Berhalter is, the general display of effort from many (not all) U.S. players over the last ~3 years has been pathetic. If they don't care enough to put in the necessary commitment every single game, then stop calling them up. I'd rather they call up the U20 team instead. Maybe those players will care because they can use it to get work permits overseas. And maybe some of the current players will then start to care more because it could impact their ability to play in Europe (or continue to play in Europe) and any endorsements, etc. Money shouldn't be the reason why they care, but it's quite clear that way too many players take playing for the U.S. National team for granted and something closer to a chore versus a privilege.
Just looks like kids and old guys out there. I'm fine with blaming the coach, but there were plenty of opportunities for players to step up and they just didn't. Canada is lucky to have Alphonso Davies. He may not ever be world class, but he is my kind of player and perfect for the international game.
Pulisic's real talent is combining with one or two specific attacking teammates who are equally motivated and on the same wavelength with him. The give-and-go goal with Bats the other week is a good example of that. The play seemed like "Let's go out and there and run that one play we always practice. Look for me and only me when I have the ball in this particular spot and you're in that particular spot..." Pulisic and Dempsey had that kind of rapport for the brief time they played together, and it was successful. In the beginning, he worked with his Dortmund teammates the same way. Right now, though, there's no current MNT teammate that he's developed any particular on-field rapport with, and he hasn't shown any real ability, as of yet, to go it alone and conjure up any solo magic, at least at will. When he's not in-sync with a particular attacking teammate, he's just an ordinary player assigned to a particular position and seems a bit lost.
I can certainly see why they treat playing for the national team like a chore. The federation has completely lost its mind and so has the coach.
If by right you mean Canada was tactically and technically better, showed better game IQ, while their players showed more passion and played the US off the pitch (while they US resorted to thuggery and should have probably seen 2 reds), yes, you were right.
No, nothing like that, they only showed more energy against half-dead US team. Don't kid urself - if CANs will make it to hex, any CONCACAF team will mop the floor with your jerseys And i am saying this with all due respect to CAN.
They were a bit better, they didn't play us off the pitch. The first half was risible because both teams looked terrible. Some of the chances Canada flubbed had me laughing at the TV. The second half they came out more organized, so Herdman is not as terrible as our guy. But, in all honesty, if these teams were to qualify (with the current state of the region, not completely unlikely), they would indeed get played off the pitch in Qatar. It's early though.
Sure, if that's what you saw you can continue to bury your head in the sand over it. Canada were simply better; tactically, technically and just in general (including yes, showing more energy and desire). They also have 2 players that are better than any US player in Davies and David. On another day that game could have easily been 3 or 4 - 0.
Look, bud, wait for return leg in November, you will witness very bad, disorganized and disjointed US team flushing your guys down the toilet, mark my words and come back in November to apologize for your unfounded gloating.
I think what's interesting in the contest is that Canada and USA are fairly similar in talent. David + Fonz up top with Arfield isn't all that much different than, say, Sargent + Morris with Pulisic. David missed his chance 1v1 on keeper and so did Pulisic. Morris made some penetration, so did Fonz. Sarge gets the short end of the stick with a manager like General Egg who is looking for a Zardes/Kamara type which Sarge ain't. For the rest it gets interesting because Fraser is on the bench at Toronto behind Bradley and Piette is an old pro v. USA's positionless headless chicken McKennie and Roldan and Osorio are oddly similar in their level of play. Essentially, Canada was simply far better when it came to intelligence in the midfield, even with the very young Fraser. When you move to the back line, things get interesting. Vittoria isn't unlike Ream in the sense that both play at a fairly high level in Europe. At rb it is interesting because Canada have the upstart Laryea who is arguably better than Yedlin who starts for Newcastle. At lb Canda have a guy who doesn't even have a club to speak of and spent 4 years in college but the odd thing is that USA don't really have a lb. It is the hole in their set up. In conclusion, the Canada v. USA matchup is very much a battle of managers. The talent, when healthy, is fairly even.
I agree with this for the most part except that I think the Canadian backline is significantly worse than what the US have to work with, but I also feel like Davies/David are a decent amount better than any combination of two US forwards (and the two best players overall between the two teams). Overall this is a big plus for the Canadians as we've never been close to the US before on the men's side as a whole and right now you're seeing a pretty big culture shift on the ground in Canada that makes this generation look sustainable and something that will even improve as time goes on. The win itself was of course monumental, but I won't be discouraged if they go and lose in Orlando; the foundation and progress is there and it's something to be excited about for Canadians.
You forgot the keeper. Borjan is very good and have the experience edge. He's dismissed unfairly but those who dont know him because he plays for Belgrade Red Star in Serbia. However, he turned down offers from top league's middle tier teams because at Belgrade et plays Champions League football constantly against the best such as last year when he blanked Liverpool while he was practically left to fend for himself and this year...literally won the champions league playoffs game by scoring in that crazy shutout. He's facing Tottenham this afternoon