Pre-match: International Friendly: USA vs Uruguay; June 5th, 2022

Assuming everyone is healthy, I want the best, most talented players starting, so: Pulisic-Weah-Reyna
Weston-Adams-Aaronson
Jedi-Richards-Zimmerman-Dest

 

This friendly is no big deal. Greg should be in Wales checking out Wales-Ukraine in person (12pm ET) instead of play-acting on the sidelines. You can learn a lot in person that you cannot learn watching tv or tapes.

 

The underlined part is among the most bent and bizarre ways I've seen on here to find a reason to criticize Berhalter. And then you follow it with the bolded--which I agree with. After all, wouldn't we all like him to learn more about his own team, especially the newer guys in the group? Really stunning!

 

You mean a venga a Jesus moment

 

The Sean Johnson moment she comes.

 

I think that’s why you hire scouts.

 

And utilize the internet and tv recordings. He can watch Wales-Ukraine every day in July if he wants to, but he can’t meet with our players then.

 

There are often recordings of matches with tactical view (up high behind goal) made available to teams along with TV recordings. But, I’m sure someone from USSF is also at the match to observe.

 

I would like to see CCV paired with Zimmerman. Then pull Zimmerman at halftime and put in EPB. Wright should start at the 9 to see how he manages early build up. Other than that I’m thinking they want to build continuity versus a quality side so.

Horvath-Yedlin-CCV-Zimmerman-Robinson- adams-Musah-McKennie- Pulisic- Weah- Wright

 

I don't see that happening. Both Zimm and CCV are heavily rightfooted (especially CCV) and pretty much exclusively play RCB.

 

Didn't he bench a regularly playing Turner for Steffen twice during WCQ, through no real fault to Turner. I don't think Gregg favors goalies playing consistently, I think he has his guys.

 

Like in the Olympic qualifier game where he choked on a routine block.

 

I'm tired of Aaron Long again already.

 

I tend to think that the person is correct who posted recently that Gregg eventually gets it right after exhausting other options. It is confusing to see how he distributes opportunities. There are countless examples, "Johnson>Horvath in a friendly" and "start Long twice in a row before EPB sees the pitch" being the latest in a long line of examples.

Clearly there are players he likes over others for his own reasons, and they get many more chances to show out than others. And yes, those who get more chances seem more likely to be playing stateside--though not exclusively (see e.g., Bello). But with at least 2 months of club play in the fall before the Qatar roster is selected, I doubt that this summer's roster and PT decisions tell us much about spots 16-26 of this roster (Brooks aside). As Qatar nears the goal of not sucking as a team will loom larger in his brain.

Gregg will be watching film and the relative merits on the pitch of Richards, EPB, Long and CCV will show through. Ditto LDLT, Roldan, Mahailovic, Acosta et al. Or Fereira, Pepi, Wright and Sarge. Gregg seems to want certain guys to win those competitions, but our November performance will be a huge part of his legacy as a coach.

I used to really doubt he'd come around, because his explanations for some of his choices seem so disingenuous, and he seemed to be trying to vindicate a system first, and play well second. Now I think that in November 95% of his choices will be choices that most of us can understand, because "what works" will be the only criterion.

 

If Johnson and Horvath both get starts in June, then it actually might make sense to give Johnson the start today and wait a week for Horvath.

Other than the Nations League Final, Horvath has mostly gotten opportunities in friendlies against big name opponents, while Johnson has mostly been stuck with January and Gold Cup appearances. So reversing the usual trend might make sense to test them both out, if Berhalter truly thinks there's a possibility that Johnson can make the World Cup squad.

But my logic fails if Berhalter doesn't give Horvath a start in Nations League.

 

I'm in favor of Turner starting over Steffen, but he did have poor games at Panama and at Canada. It's not like he's been flawless.

 

It seemed to me that Richard was challenging Miles Robinson before his injury. Not sure of exact number of starts for each but Richards was inching toward being "the" starter opposite Zimmerman. So, I don't think that Long has vaulted Richards. I think he and probably EPB (won't know if he never plays) are challenging for the backup speed defender slot. If EPB doesn't get time today the it's obvious he's not impressing in camp. Berhalter brings him in but he's only played mop up right back so far. He gave CCV a chance so EPB should get a chance if he earns it. Can't imagine Log being better but they're both there together in camp.

 

Holden says GB is going with
--------------Johnson
-Yedlin----Zimmerman--Long---Scally/arob
-----Musah------Adams------McKennie
-Pulisic-----------Ferreria-------Weah

 

They released the lineup yesterday, so it's not just Holden. Jedi has been sick so he's the question mark.

 

I don't have a lot of faith in the MMA midfield. Adams, in my opinion, is not good enough going both ways to be in a three-man midfield. Hope I am wrong.

 

I am heading to the stadium now. Is anyone attending the stadium? Pulisic was not super happy with the amount of Americans in the stadium for last game with Morocco. I probably will not be able to post any comment until tomorrow night after work because I have to take the flight after the game.

 

I probably should have looked in the Peach Tree Dish before mistyping "Speech Merchant" for 'Speed Merchant.'

 

Maybe you can catch Pulisic during warm-ups and you can ask him if you are doing this right. Just kidding, Enjoy!

 

I’d like to think and am hoping that the Long and Johnson angles are entirely about one thing: can they handle this level?

Because neither have been tested much if at all against England/Senegal/Netherlands level squads or even Iran/Wales level squads. So this is Johnson’s chance to show if he has any business being a contender for starts if Horvath, Turner and Steffen are stuck on the bench all fall or if going w/him is a stupid idea.

For Long I think Berhalters trying to figure out if he should be a contender for a starting gig or if it should be Richards to lose. I remain stunned that Long is getting a free pass for playing like ———, but he isn’t the first vet that gets a free pass that others don’t. Coaches have their reasons for the inexplicable, sometimes it’s grounded in something real, other times it’s confirmation bias, or just flat out bull———— glazed in loyalty, veteraness, or or glue guy stuff, sometimes it’s just what they see in practice that we don’t. Who knows? I just view Long over Richards as absurd. Hopefully when Richards is 100% that will be plain to Berhalter as well.

 

Not saying you are wrong, but I’m not sure that Adams is the player to replace considering our pool. Who would you have play the 6?