News: Time to give Gregg Berhalter his due

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by EL MONO MARIO, Nov 29, 2022.

  1. bsky22

    bsky22 Member+

    Dec 8, 2003
    The same crap from you. Your expectations are stuck in the 90s. Your defending of the federation is expected, and I guess trying to generalize that those not happy are young and naive. There are many older fans that are really disappointed that we played completely scared to hold onto a 1 goal league against an impotent Iran.

    Your MLS/federation narratives are so thin. Berhalter unnecessarily turned the team over to crappy MLS players in 2019. Our starting XI was pretty solid last night and our subs generally weren't. All the young players that started last night played well for the US in 2018 with expcetion of Dest and Musah who hadn't committed yet. The only other starter who didn't play for the usmnt prior to 2019 was Turner (has had a good tournament but steffen or Horvath would have been fine based on how these games have gone). Behalter could have built on the good work that Sarachan did to get young players minutes, but instead went with crappy MLS players. Robinson, CCV, Weah, and Sargent were ignored for clearly inferior players.

    Until the federation commits to actually trying to get to another level, they aren't going anywhere. Those silly kids wanting to be like France. The progress from Berhalter is beating concacf level teams and one fricken half against Iran where we dont completely inept offensively.
     
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  2. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Dude, this every time. Nobody cares or thinks about that anymore.
     
  3. Dr. Soccer90

    Dr. Soccer90 Member

    Nov 10, 2011
    Absolutely.

    But not because of the group draw, we were expected to advance.

    But because he cared. He cares about World Cup 2022. He cared about getting players like Tim Ream in the lineup. He cared about this team advancing and going as far as it can go in the present. This could have easily been treated as a throw-away for 2026 World Cup and thats where we would have been knocked out right away.

    But no, he cared.
     
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  4. NietzscheIsDead

    NietzscheIsDead Member+

    NO WAR
    United States
    May 31, 2019
    NO WAR
    It would take some digging, which I do not have time to do right now but after escaping the group and winning every other tournament he has been in, I believe that Berhalter has a pretty firm grip on “most successful US manager ever”. The guy wins trophies.

    It’s not perfect, but nothing ever is.

    He took on a huge project here and by all appearances it has come off better than I expected.

    If they beat the Netherlands, he will be hard to surpass for some time in terms of results.
     
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  5. NietzscheIsDead

    NietzscheIsDead Member+

    NO WAR
    United States
    May 31, 2019
    NO WAR
    This was absolutely our best group stage performance. Not a single goal conceded from the run of play and we were not only better, but we dominated our opponent for 4/6 halves. When you consider the high quality of our opponents, that is definitely the best we have done in a group. No losses.
     
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  6. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    By the way, people, you can still want a better manager and yet accept that Gregg has been better than you expected.
     
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  7. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    https://www.backheeled.com/its-time-to-give-gregg-berhalter-credit/
     
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  8. ChambersWI

    ChambersWI Member+

    Nov 10, 2010
    Club:
    AC Milan
    The Belgium team has a lot of drama in its camp very much like France in 2010. It's almost like the players are ready to go home.

    As for the topic at hand. While Bethalter's subs can be frustrating and I do think he is conservative in nature, I think for the most part he's had a solid world cup. Frustrating to watch of course but he got the team into a position where they controlled their own destiny on the final day of the group stage.

    End of the day it's a result driven business. Biggest thing I think Gregg needs to work on if he remains our coach is player integration
     
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  9. tio_sam

    tio_sam Member

    Jul 28, 2009
    Chicago, Illinois, United States
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I have mixed feelings on Berhalter. 2018 was bad but that was an aging team. Qualifying with younger players isn't that hard when you have players like Pulisic, Weah, Dest, Mckennie who are some of the most gifted players the US has produced.

    What impressed me the most was when Berhalter won the Gold Cup with C+ squad. That was truly impressive and it showed me that Berhalter knows how to win.

    I just don't prefer his tactics. Berhalter is systems guy and likes guys that fit his system.
    I am a play your best players guy.

    Berhalter ball is like small ball in baseball. It doesn't generate a lot of goals but it doesn't allow alot of goals. It's a to 2 goal per game into a defensive posture system.
    I am a high press play to score unless you are up by 3 goals type of guy.

    So for me Berhalter system is a "win ugly" system and that's why I don't like it really. I also think it creates situations where we tie ALOT. And tie teams we should beat.

    Overall, his system is getting results and that's what matters most.
     
  10. wasdykec

    wasdykec Member

    May 6, 2002
    Jax, Florida
    I'm not sure I understand what you're implying. Are you saying because it's a knockout game the Netherlands will attack and we may struggle? That's pretty true, and it has no bearing on this being the best I've ever seen us play.

    Maybe I misunderstood your point.
     
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  11. bsky22

    bsky22 Member+

    Dec 8, 2003
    All US soccer is narratives. People twist and make shit up to prop whatever they are pushing. Again, what Clint was trying to push as a positive was actually a hug blunder by Berhalter.
     
  12. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Not true. However you believe it and it makes you assign every post or poster to some list of "groups" and their is very little nuance. The rest of us just aren't doing this anymore.
     
  13. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    He's responding to a post that doesn't mention MLS or an MLS player in any way whatsoever.

    LOL, I put that dude on ignore ages ago.
     
  14. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    Berhalter has had a good World Cup, but honestly, the level of focus on coaching is kind of insane. He's not some guy playing FIFA here, controlling every aspect.

    The players win or lose these games, primarily, and we should be talking a lot more about how awesome Sergino Dest was or Musah's effort down the stretch when he was clearly gassed than making everything a referendum on Berhalter.

    He (or an assistant) might have designed the goal, but Wes' pass, Dest's run and header and Christian's run were them. Tactics like this are not genius. The difficulty is often in recognition and in execution.
     
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  15. PeregrineT

    PeregrineT Member

    Everton FC
    United States
    Jun 18, 2019
    Gregg Berhalter gets as much credit as Roberto Martinez does for getting Belgium to the world cup.

    Its about whether you raise the level of play of your players, or lower it. Martinez, and Berhalter lower it. Having great talent save you doesnt make you a good coach. This is a team with top 5-6 talent in the world, and yet some of the greatest of it Gregg has left on the bench. Just about every sub has been a clear mistake. They won, but it was because of Dest and Pulisic, and not because they were set up for so much success that one of their 20 shots had to go in.

    If this team finishes in the top 4, then we can talk. A top 8 talent team finishing in the top 16 is nothing to be praised about. Gregg gets credit for a defense that hasnt allowed a goal in the run of play. But let me know when the team is scoring more than 0.67 gpg also, because we wont get further without that.
     
  16. bsky22

    bsky22 Member+

    Dec 8, 2003
    I know exactly how the poster i respond to operates.

    There are tons of narratives floating around to protect/prop up berhalter and others.

    If you want make believe like the "rest of you" aren't doing it, go ahead and lie to yourself.
     
  17. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    So, he's the enemy. It's sad that you think that.
     
  18. bsky22

    bsky22 Member+

    Dec 8, 2003
    The federation, MLS, and those that blindly support those two organizations. Clint is annoying, but nowhere near the worst on here.
     
  19. bsky22

    bsky22 Member+

    Dec 8, 2003
    It isnt clear if you actually read what I wrote. The selection of unworthy MLS players was the only reason the narrative of needing to turn the team over even existed.

    You defended all those player selections in 2019, so I would think you would remember.
     
  20. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    There is one fundamental where I have been strongly aligned with Greggg. The MMA midfield and the need to find a style of play that fully optimizes the benefits of having that kind of midfield. Though I would like Reyna in midfield against lesser teams. But we are no longer at that stage of the tournament.
     
  21. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    Also could easily have gotten more points from Wales and England.
     
  22. Bach1685fan

    Bach1685fan Red Card

    United States
    Nov 26, 2022
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I love @bsky22. He's the outspoken hero we need.
     
  23. owian

    owian Member+

    Liverpool FC, San Diego Loyal
    May 17, 2002
    San Diego
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    IMHO this is best performance in the group for the US I have ever seen. Equal best point total and our performances were actually better than our results.

    A few observations

    - We are really prepared, and have been the best team in the first half in all three matches. This isn't something to be sniffed at. Dominating the first half allows you to dictate the game and it's a hell of a lot easier to hang on and defend a lead than attack late.

    - There is a good attitude in camp. We have guys who have played under top level managers at top clubs who know what is required to compete at the top of the sport and they are responding to him.

    - This may be the most talented US team ever but they still aren't good enough to overcome a terrible manager and put in these performances.

    - I don't want to hear that this is an "easy group" every single team earned the right to play here. Just look at the teams and players watching this on TV. I would love to live long enough to take the US getting out of our group for granted, but that day is not here yet. Honestly there are only about 5-6 countries in the world who can, and one of them just got knocked out today.

    Not saying GB is the greatest ever and personally I don't want any US manager to go more than 1 WC cycle but so far the group he's put together has looked as impressive at a W.C. as any US team i've ever seen. He deserves credit for that.
     
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  24. pirozhok

    pirozhok Member+

    United States
    Jul 20, 2007
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Point was - let's wait for a real (knockout) game against decent motivated opponent.
     
  25. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Self love is the greatest love of all.
     
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