That is a damming indictment of Berhalter's coaching and tactics! How can we be running a possession-based offensive scheme if when our midfield pivot has the ball he does not have any forward passing options within 25 yards? Is GB not "coaching" them properly?
I'm not really qualified to comment here since I only watched the last thirty minutes of the game (fireworks, wife and kids, yaddah-yaddah) It was enough to see that this game did not show an improvement in cohesion. However, since we've had three games with improvements I'm not ready to throw in the towel. Two reasons why. The second half the team looked like they preferred to conserve energy. In no way did they look like they were nervous and worried. I'm more worried over the lack of respect shown to Curacao and/or overconfidence than I am about lack of aggressive mentality. Frankly, Curacao is not getting enough credit for how well they've played. Second, the type of errors happening were different from before. The players are not waiting too long. Instead, they are not waiting enough. Making passes before the run, instead of after the run. So it's a step back but not a step back in to the same place we were before. The real litmus test is today against Jamaica.
This is a very valid comment to make. To add on to it, when players first come over to play in MLS from Europe they always comment about the how good of athletes there are. Never have I heard a negative comment about athleticism. The critiques are always about lack of tactical knowledge.
You play the tournament with the team you have, not the team you might want or wish to have at a later time.
I know that @superdave understands the difference between speed of play which refers to the tempo of ball movement and the resulting defensive reactions and close downs. I believe that is why he added a big grin. The speed of play in MLS is much slower than BL2 and higher leagues. You have much less time and space on the ball when you have it and much less time for tactical recognition and reaction when you are defending. That is the difference that I see, that is the difference that is always talked about, and that is the primary reason that players fail to make the jump. It has nothing to do with athleticism. Juan Mata has elite speed of play but is a below average athlete, that is why he is a EPL standout. Julian Green has equivalent technical skills but has average speed of play and is an average athlete, that is why Green is stuck in BL2.
The lack of useful off-the-ball movement comes from the program emphasizing brawn over brains. Our U-17 and U-20 teams have better off-the-ball movement than our Olympic teams or the main team.
I understood his point. It's much easier to run an entire game and close people down quickly in dry 50 degree weather than it is in high humidity 100 degree weather. The weather in the summer in Dallas and Orlando is not conducive to applying high pressure the entire game. While he did use the smiley face, he did reiterate that point in his second paragraph. And I think it's valid. I brought up athleticism because we don't have an athlete problem, we have a how we use our athletes problem.
That is simply not true. In fact, this "speed of play" thing is very poorly understood, I believe. Anyone who thinks Juan Mata or Xavi or Iniesta or Pirlo aren't world class athletes is really deluded. Maybe remind yourself that like soccer, NASCAR racing, archery, bowling, badminton, golf, darts, table tennis etc. are all sports requiring a high degree of technique, reflexes and innate physical gifts to achieve in. Athleticism doesn't have to mean looking like Kimbo Slice. Mata is a ridiculous athlete: his agility, balance, strength and endurance are all miles ahead of Green (I also don't see how you arrive at the idea they are equivalent technicians; Green is several tiers lower in every aspect: dribbling, control, passing, shots). Mata is just an all-around more skilled and better athlete than Green, which is what allows him to think and perform the same (and more) actions at a higher speed. The top leagues have better athletes, which means they can execute all their physical actions more quickly.
MLS doesn't have exceptional athletes. That is, there is nobody in MLS athletically that can compare to Mbappe, Hazard, Willian, Kante, Salah, Varane, VVD, Casemiro, Courtois etc. etc. Hell, 37 y/o Zlatan pretty much bullies MLS CBs at will. I would also say the US has very few remarkable athletes right now, as well. Donovan, Howard, Beasley, Cherundolo, Davies, Friedel, Keller, Jones even Jozy -- world class athletes.
Very easy system to play for wingers. Whoever plays there will benefit. Arriola and Boyd in our case. Whether they are the players that can bring the team success is another question. The chances that they got would come to Pulisic and Weah if they were playing those positions.
no way that is true gogorath who is the top tactical message boarder in the world says its very common for a coach to put a team out there that can't do what they are supposed to it happens 'plenty of times'. that is why tonight we may see a 5-0-5 and just give up the midfield and look to just control both boxes or maybe a 1-8-1 to try and control the midfield as the top priority.
MLS is obviously slower than BL1 and the other top 5 leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France). But is it slower than BL2? I really don't know. I think MLS has gotten a lot better over time, and faster. I don't watch any BL2 these days to really know.