The first 20 minutes or so was some of the best attack-minded soccer that we've seen from the USMNT in some time. A finish there, especially on the miss from Altidore, and it's a different game. There are a lot of reasons to take hope that the program is on a better track. My big takeaway is credit to Tata for reading the game and making an adjustment at the half - put pressure on the midfield. The US backline was reasonably solid and able to deal with attacks from the wings. The US attack was showing speed and danger (just not finishing). Mexico negates the US attack if the keep the ball from moving through the midfield quickly and they get to attack down the middle if they can challenge possession. Logical adjustment after the first half. Bradley was not up to the challenge. Beaten often, disposed frequently, and unable to make the quick decisions needed. Mexico is a step up in class from the rest of CONCACAF and we've no central midfielder, in my view, capable of that level of play right now. It's a bit of "everything old is new again" as the US has historically been a much better team when we've someone central who is capable at that level. Trapp is a fine MLS-level player as is Bradley at this point in his career. That won't be enough against the class of Mexico. Old guy here so this is the difference between a 2002 World Cup with John O'Brien and 2010 with Ricardo Clark. There was no answer on the pitch last night and nobody capable on the bench of making that difference. For this cycle, after the Gold Cup, I'm seeing a return to a capable US side. But the need for someone who can make make quick reads for one-touch decisions under pressure in the central was a glaring issue last night that Mexico exploited. I've much more hope for the team after the World Cup and Berhalter may be reasonably capable of leading the team for qualifying. But it's an old issue for the US in the central midfield and this tournament didn't provide an answer. As always, go Yanks!
Bradley and Morris are not? Geez, lets not over analysis now. Bradley has over 100 caps, Morris who knows. We know what kind of player we are getting. They are one dimensional. Everyone just want to see someone new to experiment in whatever role. Fair Game. No Big boys club. For Example, Recently, Japan fielded a basically under 21 team (one player was 27 and the next oldest was 24) in the copa america against Chile and got smack 4-0. You make it sound like we dont have anyone at #6 and your last argument say we do with Adam but you are hopeful we will get him into that role. Hopeful. Gold Cup was perfect way to introduce some young players. Die Hard Fans how to judge and view the importance of a result versus seeing new players.
The next CEO isn't gonna fire his brother so GGG is here to stay. The whole looking forward argument depends on two important questions. Will GGG blood in new players ASAP, starting in Sept? Will GGG change his formation and move away from building around Bradley? If the answer to either is no, we're severely limited. We're already dealing with a poor player pool so the mismanagement is a major problem given our margins are thin. The biggest red flag for me is repeating the Bradley at DM failed experiment which we already know won't work against good competition. And that was with a younger Bradley. What did we see last night? McKennie pinned deep as a dual 6 covering for Bradley which left a gaping hole between our midfield and attack. It essentially puts us down a man in midfield. It led Pulisic to drop deep into 8 territory in the hopes of even getting a touch on the ball. This is such an obvious and glaring problem, from intention to tactical setup and that GGG doesn't even see it is a shot over the bow. Pulisic stranded and surrounded by defenders will the midfield sits back to cover for Bradley. It's WCQing all over again. Although at least then he had Dempsey to play to. With the game on the line and needing a goal, when he did finally get a random touch on the ball he looked up to see Zardes and Roldan as his options? Is this an HBO dark comedy? Cannon was the biggest positive to come out of the GC. Was he positive enough to move Adams from RB to DM? If not, the GC was a waste. Cannon and Yedlin are quality enough that the Adams at RB conversation should be thrown off the nearest bridge. If we see anything other than Adams at DM and Cannon/Yedlin at RB come Sept, WCQing is in immediate danger as it will show GGG will be intent on building the team around its major weakness. Next up as soon as one realizes Adams at DM is a a major plus, you can pair him with McKennie and add a creative CM like Pomykal or Corona. But that leads to the first question, will GGG blood in new players and go away from his BFF's. Pomykal, Corona, Weah, Amon, Sargent, Holmes, Nova, Wooten, EPB, CCV all have arguments to be in the 23 but that requires a few favorites to be dropped. I might as well add Boyd to that list as GGG apparently forgot he was on the roster and amazingly put both Morris and Roldan ahead of him. I actually somewhat like Roldan but Boyd being banished after one poor performance while Morris/Roldan have had numerous poor performances but get slid in ahead doesn't only make me question GGG's player evaluation abilities but takes it to the level that again, I wonder if he has a built in bias/favoritism towards domestic based players. Pre-writing Roldan as a RWF sub over Boyd is comical. So when it comes to the two questions it appears GGG will need to do a complete 180 from his current plans. As of now he looks like the most inflexible NT manager we've ever had, both in roster management and in game adjustments.
It is a shocking problem when “a really limited player” is excluded from the USMNT 40 man pool yet a reasonable coach can have him perform as a starting CM for double digit games for a midtable B1 team. Meanwhile, this narrative ignores that Bradley, Trapp and Roldan are even more “limited” but don’t have the upside under any scenario to start multiple games for a midtable B1 squad. TLDR: it’s a false narrative to say that unlooked-at-alternatives have to be equal to Pulisic/Adams/McKennie in order to warrant competing vs. our MLS starters.
Again, I only saw highlights of the match, which neither showed the USMNT to be better than Mexico in the first half, or likely to score in the second half. Mexico's midfield was unopposed by our midfield prior to their long-range goal. Both our goalie and midfield defense were to blame. We have CUBA and CANADA in the fall to play, matches that won't say anything about whether Berhalter should be fired. He won't be and we will continue to play with Bradley if Berhalter uses Adams at RB. Over and out.
It was the perfect way to introduce players, but we also had the U20 World Cup this summer. So those players like Pomykal and Weah were at that event. I would argue that the League of Nations is an even better opportunity to introduce young players. Games that are actual FIFA events, but the results aren't actually that meaningful. Add Sargent, Weah, Pomykal, etc. to the Gold Cup group. Add Adams, Yedlin, and Brooks back in. Depending on their club situations/performance, add Antonee Robinson and Cameron Carter-Vickers back in. I can actually see the League of Nations as the U23 team as they prepare for Olympic qualifying. Think of what our "best" U23-eligible team is...................... -------------Sargent (Bremen)--------- Pulisic (Chelsea)-------------Weah (Lille) -----McKennie (Schalke)-Pomykal (FCD)------ ----------------Adams (Leipzig)----------- Robinson (Bolton)-Richards (Bayern)-CCV (Spurs)-Cannon (FCD) -----------------Scott (Koln)--------------------- I pulled that out of my butt so I'm sure I made a bunch of mistakes. [Maybe Gloster will overtake Robinson for instance.] But anyway, a U23 team with perhaps some players that weren't at the Gold Cup like John Anthony Brooks and DeAndre Yedlin. My point wasn't really to insinuate the greatness of the existing #6 pool. I don't have a problem if Alfredo's called up. I'm simply saying that if folks think he's the solution and somehow an upgrade, they're not watching the same player I am. He's really limited. He's like a bottom table Bundesliga equivalent of Kellyn Acosta. Saying alllllllllllllll of that, what this Gold Cup should have showed people is that this team even as currently constructed.....................can qualify for the World Cup. We're the 2nd best team in CONCACAF? OK. Right now that sounds about right. Honduras is down. Costa Rica is down. Canada has some young talent, but isn't quite ready. We Beat Jamaica. We beat Panama. We beat T&T. Getting back to being at the top as one of the best teams in CONCACAF is a first step to restoring confidence.................and we can build from there.
unfortunately the fact that no former player has questioned his decisions is a potential indication that the USSF still has a lock down head in the sand problem.
You called it, unfortunately. Btw, anyone heard from @Cool Hand Luke since the sub? He was alive and posting as of 12:25 last night, but nothing since then. #StartingToGetConcerned
I've slept on this game... They really did come out with some passion, that was nice to see...that in itself was a good sign. Had to convert those chances if they were going to have a chance to win, but of course they didn't. The 2nd half turned out to be a cluster....no possession for long stretches...questionable subs....Mexico putting their foot on the gas and we had no response. What happens going forward? Try to blend as many better players as you can...Pulisic is the only one who is a guaranteed starter moving forward. Berhalter is the coach for years, anyone thinking they are going to fire him anytime soon has some other things coming, the earliest they would get rid of him is if we lose a few home qualifiers...that's never happened, but that would be a fireable offense.
Totally fine with current status of the team. Some major bright spots this tourney, system feels totally different than before and am okay with that. Bad 2nd half of the final, in an otherwise solid tourney. The 1st half was so great to watch and left me positive moving forward. Onwards and upwards.
FWIW, we really weren't using Cannon in the "Adams system" role last night. He was basically a traditional RB staying laterally with a lot of freedom to go forward. Not the worst role for Yedlin, really.
more thoughts from yesterday: 1. Guardado puts his hand around Weston's throat and no card was given - just sayin. Yes Weston got pissed and shoved him away from Altidore - but the hand on the neck is an automatic card I thought? 2. McKennie is full of fire - good - but I think Dempsey and Donovan need to run a Psych 101 clinic for Weston, CP, and Adams (since they will be at the center of this rivalry for the next 10 years) about how to handle ("work") the Tri Colores - and how to get inside their heads .... Clint was classic at it. Weston was mentally taken off his game. He can learn from this, so that is something to build from. 3. the System - if GGG cannot identify that you need to put your best players where they are strongest then we in the USSF have a first order problem. I will repeat it for clarity - the USMNT is NOT Man City. But we have a plethora of good young rising midfielders - so put them all in the midfield (Cannon, Yedlin, and others for the LB and RB positions) and eat up the opponent there. Certainly Tata decided to focus on the McKennie/Bradley pairing as the key to the second half. Aguero certainly is not a target type back to the goal forward so why do we need that if our attack between AMs and strikers is dynamic? 4. Just seems so obvious to me that you build your team around your strongest talent - a. midfield, b. fitness, c. toughness/character, and d. organization in that order - and not start with a rigid "system" and go from there.
1) that's the problem. we are not seeing eye to eye. The Japanese bought their best young player, takefusa kubo, to play Copa America. Not the U-20 Tournament. So you are saying Weah and Pomykal are not ready for the Gold Cup and few months later ready for the League of Nation? What is more important? U-20 WC or getting your younger guys into the team?why waste time? why do other nations do it and we dont? 2) we beat Panama and T&T at home 2018 WC qualifying so let's not get too excited.
The game exposed our weaknesses which could not be exposed by playing minnows. We played a quality team in a meaningful match. In addition Mex has a high quality coach who knows how to make adjustments. The result was expected and I cannot be disappointed about that. But I will be disappointed if GB (I am not into confusing acronyms) does not learn from the game.
if he or one of his staff or a respected former player turned broadcaster do not publicly point out the lessons then they will lose support of the fan base. Transparency is important.
Did we not learn our lesson last time around that GC results mean little. We actually won it in 2017 and failed to qualify for the WC. The Hex is an entirely different animal.
This Gold Cup would have been PERFECT for ALL of our young prospects to gain the necessary experience everyone likes to point to. The U20 WC and the upcoming U23 Olympic quals are NOT an excuse in my fan world. Don't you think that it would have immensely benefited the Sr. Team and the upcoming U23s to have included the core of those players into this tourny full of below-average teams? It's still the MB Show and it is still painful to watch (since 2013/14).
I think soccer uses even more video than ever. I would suspect that like the NFL, every player gets a tablet to review stuff the head coach and staff sends them.
doesnt seem practical....did any player from this springs u20 world cup then compete in any of the conmebol, concacaf, or afcon tournaments this summer?
@tomasbernal, I'll buy into this. He deserves future call-ups. Here's my spin. If 3G continues to favor Arriola as our starter, let that be the bar for open competition. Future roster inclusions will need to do all the things that you described...just at a much higher level and with a hellova lot more upside. Unfortunately, I am not optimistic about how 3G selects players/profiles.
We all thought Lewis was on the roster to provide instant offense in the last 20 minutes of a game we were behind, little did we know it was actually Lovitz...
arriola is a perfect sub when they are up 1-0 on el tri and need to force the mexican backs to work harder than they want to defending