I'm getting off topic, but I'd rather see Weah at the forward position than Wood, if that's the choice (like, if Sargent and Josie are unavailable). I think Weah could be a better 9 than Wood or Gyasi.
Bradley had turned to turnover machines over the past years. He's great are 2 things: 1 - Loosing the balls 2 - Back passing What values does he bring to the team again?
Hard to disagree given the current attempt with Berhalter's system. I am more a fan of getting your most athletic and talented guys on the pitch and that means Weah and Sargent. Not a fan of force fitting a system, especially so you can cram some less talented mls guys in there. MLS is giving us Steffen, Long and perhaps a few other potential starters like Trapp for now. The whole Zardes, Morris, Bradley nonsense is only logical from a SUM perspective.
Well I am totally bummed now. No Adams or McKennie in Houston. Anybody want two tickets? j/k We'll still go but sheesh.....
Overall, just a very strange watch. My takeaways are as follows: Pulisic on the wing if playing three across the top. His strength is running at players and putting in great service. Like everyone else, I wanted to see him in the 10 role, but I just don't think it suits his skill set. Can we please do away with this stupid RB/6 hybrid? Fortunately for Berhalter, we played an Ecuador team that had no desire to attack or have the ball. The amount of times that we got caught in possession with Adams in the center of the field (or even the other side of the field) would be devastating against any decent side. Not only did it create open space on the wind for Ecuador, it pulled Long and Brooks apart and left a huge channle in the middle. Again, lucky we played Ecuador. Other than that - a pretty drab performance, but good that the boys showed the spirit to get 3 points.
because he was recalled back to Germany by RP Leipzig https://sbisoccer.com/2019/03/tyler-adams-departs-usmnt-camp
You're right, and that's the way it was set up. Long moved right in a 3 man back line when adams moved central or up the pitch in general, and he covered that space on that counter that adams sprinted back on.
I'm not trying to say anything about the relative quality of either but rather that they are both similar in many ways. Donovan was especially dangerous running at defenses throughout his career but later he added more guile and became an even better player. I believe Pulisic will continue to add to his game as Donovan did. I consider Pulisic and Donovan to be different players but they still share some of the same positive qualities.
Serious question for y'all I do not watch MLS. We need someone to play LB. As someone stated, in this system that player just needs to be a tackling dummy. Obviously, he also needs some speed for defending fast wingers and for counter-attacks. Most of the talent pool is young and still developing. So, if we are to 'experiment' with players that fit the system profile, and we have an idea what GGG is looking for at LB, why not try Miles Robinson from Atlanta? I do not watch Atlanta so I welcome your opinions
Two things: 1) He acts like hes still something, arro 2) Nobody has the guts to cut him unless this was step one for GB (not doing this GGG nonsense) I did notice the game slowed down even more Bradley entered. Im not sure I lack Trapp yet but he was better than Bradley in this formation
The one goal we scored in the run of play (incorrectly called offside) was created by Morris. All this Morris criticism is unfounded. He had no partner to play with because McKennie didn't know what he was doing.
I think they both saw McKennie's leg almost snap in half and they wanted to preserve a key cdm for their long-term interests. I don't mind it. It's a friendly and we know what we're getting by now in Tyler Adams.
The sprain looked similar to the one Bradley suffered in warm ups in Costa Rica which finished his career in Italy and I wouldn't be surprised if the operation he had for nerve damage at some point thereafter was related to it although Im not sure about that.
Donovan has said on the record that Pulisic is far ahead of where he was at the same age. I thought he did fine but with only Morris and Zardes (aka Skunk) to pass to. What would you expect?
Yes, "this shit will be terrible" is just shorthand for the multitude of posts in the days after the roster was release, in particular, that ragged on Berhalter, the tactics, the selections and everything else pertaining to the program. I don't think the roster is terrible per se, given that Berhalter, rightly, seems to have wanted to ease in new guys mixed with guys that know the system for fluidity's sake (which was clearly necessary, given the aforementioned tentativity [computer says I made that one up] of several of the new players). I am, however, on the record that I don't like any of those players you mentioned (MB to a lesser degree, Omar Gonzalez to a massive degree). That said, only one of those 4 saw the field yesterday, and I'd be surprised if any of the other 3 see the field against Chile. Tyler Adams does definitely have the makings of a world class CM. However, as I've said before in this thread, I think that once the full team learns how to play in Berhalter's system (Adams included) then he will spend more time centrally and less time as a RB. It's also plausible that Adams will show GGG in training that he should replace Trapp instead, and use Lima or Yedlin as a RB. Those things are to be decided later--hopefully GGG is willing to adjust his tactics or lineups accordingly if Trapp really doesn't cut it against better competition. Our system is questionable more because it is new than because it is wrong. We need to continue to play better competition and refine the application of the system before determining if it's working or not. I, too, see the possible major flaw with it that could leave a big hole where a RB would normally be. We won't know until the guys are playing the system well, understand the whens and whys of their movement, and do so against a team of quality that pushes us.
A friendly international is no different or more dangerous than any other match. If McKinnie wants to go into a tackle like a moron in practice, like he did in the game, he's just as likely to get hurt.
he has been tentative in the times he played near the box - inconsistent. But there's no reason he cant be the third man on the squad that plays in the wide areas - if it were me I would play him as 7/11 coming into the play as the third man after the winger (Arriola or Morris) has arrived and the 10 (Pulisic or McKennie) has joined in. Who actually does what at that point shouldn't matter. They just interplay and go. We saw how it worked with just two players. You will see from Adams' passing chart that he was rarely active in the final third.
I am hoping that the Adams experiment was more to see how he handled it, if he should actually be NEEDED their due to Yedlin going down. He can handle it, good to know, and experiment over lets move on GB.. Pulisic needs to be out wide (not saying anything new that hasnt been said here 10 times) preferably with Weah (someone with the balls to take someone on) on the other side. Trapp impressed and should back up adams. Bradley needs to be called upon only when we have injury issues and we are relying on the depth chart. We rarely find ourselves in the position of breaking down bunkering teams. We need to be able to cross the ball in and hopefully win by the war of attrition and set pieces. (the surprised me, b/c teams of past relied on this tactic as there bread and butter.) I am glad we dropped it as our main strategy, but against a bunkering team, we didnt use it all all? This confuses me.
Well, if Adams can help RBL attain Champions League, that would probably be beneficial to USMNT as well as RBL.