Yes, but a lot of that was that our midfielders didn't have their legs. A bit more clinical performance against Iran would've changed things. I struggle to define what I would've done differently. Van Gaal played the percentages by ceding the midfield and going all-out with the counter attack and it was the right call. It was also what Berhalter and we and everyone familiar with this sport knew they would do, but what should we really have done differently? Score on our opportunities? I mean, that's it. Act I of a two-act play is finished, and they 2022 version were.... a round of 16 side. I think they could've gone final 8, and I would've liked that, but the finishing position isn't that much of an underachievement. The only side younger than ours went out at the group stage in a weak group. Now we can begin discussing what manager we'd like to see for the upcoming cycle, and tracking closely our forward and centerback prospects, because that's where we need reinforcing and improvement for the coming cycle, barring a rash of bad, career-hampering injuries.
First, I CLEARLY referenced fatigue. But you claimed I didn't say one thing about game management? Would you care to rescind your point or keep plowing forward? Right now you're at one obvious lie to make your point. As for the rest, I discuss with anyone who puts forward rational criticism. I just get tired of the overwrought, overcertain comments. There are lots of critical posters I have great discussions with on here. I have several personal critiques of his tactical plan and his game management. But people put everything negative on the coach and nothing negative on the players. Criticize him for fatigue and rotation. But I have no idea what a more defensive midfield has to do with Adams, Dest and Jedi making basic, simple, executional defensive mistakes. Or Pulisic, Ream, Wright and others simply biffing very good chances. There's always an element of coaching, but players win games and lose games. Pretending the players are infallible and everything on the coach is delusional. Are you trying to even comprehend? I'd guess no -- your point was to try -- incoherently, I might add -- to make a point at me. Or to simply go after Berhalter. Enjoy, I guess? You simply look like a weird stalker. My point was simple: We didn't play our best. If we had played our best and lost to a very talented team, I'd feel better than I do now where we didn't put our best foot forward. Just the team all together. Players and coach. If you were trying to throw something back at me, you've somehow missed completely. I don't think myself or anyone has any idea what you are trying to say or do. But you go on with your cool internet stalking.
Puli showed he was far and away ahead of every other attacking player we have. I don't see how anyone can watch this WC and come to the above conclusion.
This is pretty much most national teams. Great strikers are the hardest thing to develop. Spain, Brazil, Germany all have their issues with this.
MMA is defensively solid. It creates nothing. If you really think we missed 3-4 goals because of finishing, I cannot help you. That's not how this sport works.
Yes. He lead the tournament--the entire 32-team tournament field, if I remember the stat correctly--in distance covered in the group stage. We're becoming a good side, even a very good side, but a truly top side like France or Brazil would've had someone of quality to rest him for 45-90 minutes in the group stage so that he could've given 100% today.
Because right now Pulisic is looking to move out of Chelsea and either into a lower level EPL team or a lower league like Serie A. Whereas players like Reyna, Musah, Aaronson are still growing and on teams that may not be their final form. What the players look like right now means nothing anymore unfortunately.
exactly and no beating around the bush no interim coach hire someone like Roberto Martinez and plug them in immediately
Yes and you have to make peace with that, at least I did, turning 60 the 15th and doubt I'll ever see the US hoist the Cup. Hell, Holland hasn't and they have a longer history than we do. You can still enjoy the game knowing a team you support, for reasons many people who study this stuff can't put their finger on ( I mean, what does a team's winning or losing actually mean to anyone's life outside the players and owners? The answer has been studied; nothing, and people go right on with their lives 5 mins after the game, and that's as it should be ). So we move on and watch the other games and then forget about it until next time. Some of you might follow other sports, and God bless ya, thank God I don't or I'd never get anything done...wait, I'm retired, what do I need to get done? I mean, every day is Christmas.....cheers.
I'm one who has been saying this but it's not objectively true. They're not terribly creative, but they do create. The Pulisic goal came through McKennie. They've had a half-dozen or so chances created this tournament. We are over-reliant on the cross without a decent 9 to take advantage, however.
Our team of 20 years ago got trounced by Poland in a crucial group stage match. They were lucky that they even had a chance to face Germany. As for Belgium - Turner didn't make 16 saves today. Cherry picking selected good results or bad results doesn't provide a good indication of where the team is. Even with our weaknesses, I think 2022 edges out 2010 as the best squad that the US has sent to a World Cup; their overall performance was compatible with that.
Wright was awful, service or no, this World Cup. He's not a good player at this level. Yes, we try to get our wingers more shots, but that's because they are more likely to score than our strikers. The only Turkish striker who did well that I know was Enner Valencia, who's a much better player than Wright.
Maybe, but on the other hand, technically Wright has 1 goal, even if it was the most inadvertently great finish you're likely to see. How many do we expect that Pepi would've had, honestly? (I'll agree that was a call that i would've made differently, and in hindsight I'll bet you that Berhalter would agree with us in private, but I doubt that would've made us go one stage further.)
He literally got better over the entire course of the tournament. That bodes well for our future. I am 100% sure our key guys all learned valuable lessons from this which will serve them in '26. 3.5 years. No screwing around with quali squads. We build a squad made from the ground up for winning WC games. Hopefully we find a striker or 2.
I'd take 2010. Execution matters, and that crew had the Confederations Cup as well, which is hard to ignore.
All THIS! The expectations/mindset must change. US has some good pieces but need a few more depth pieces so we aren’t forced to play mostly the same starting 11 just to get out of the group. Find that, then go for the throats in future tournaments.