Sargent's hold up play was a revelation. That goal doesn't happen without it. I don't know what game you were watching. Would've been nice if he put that header on frame but he was still one of our better players on the day. Conversely, I was extremely disappointed with Haji. I like the idea of him being a late game sub but man he brought nothing.
Would have been nice to experiment with this. If only we had had a tournament just before qualifying which we could have used to get the obvious best players in our pool time together to determine what system and lineups work best with our talent. Such a shame we didn’t get that opportunity and had to go into the high stakes qualifiers without the opportunity to prep.
Agree 100%. We had precious few chances to get the important parts of this squad together and wasted that one and at least one other window I recall playing domestically when the Euro guys couldn't travel. Other teams just held that window in Europe. We played too many games with a bunch of our backups and no hopers that was time wasted in the end.
I think he was brought on mainly for his 6'4" height to defend against direct kicks and corners. Wales was towering over us.
Not sure that was me. Certainly don’t recall making that comment….but I do have a US soccer man cave that I just finished and christened this week so it’s possible I made this comment I made this post in June of last year…not only did this affect qualifying…it affected us Monday….it will affect us tomorrow….and next week. Gregg has always thought he was smarter than he is….and has a propensity to outthink himself. This really wasn’t a difficult role…and he’s made it as hard as possible
People are making too much of a big deal of subbing on Morris over Gio. In the 88th minute. That wasn't Gregg's mistake. It's that he waited until the 88th minute to make that change and also the other changes didn't come until the 75th minute. Way too late as Wales had already gotten control of the game. Those changes should have happened about the 60th.
I think it’s that he made that egregious decision in the first place….it overshadows just how terrible the timing of that decision was….as you correctly point out.
Your online degree isn't working for you, because 2+stoppage time in a game where the US is trying to see out a draw at that point, is not significant for an attacker. If Gio had went into the game, the complaint would be how did he have enough time to make an impact, just as it is when Pulisic comes into Chelsea's matches earlier. It speaks to people's own biases and myopia this is what they focus on, as opposed to Gio not starting, coming in at 45, or for earlier subs. Morris, even after 2 acl's, is probably better, and is certainly far more accomplished internationally than Haji Wright. Gio could have come in for Sargent & Morris in for Weah, or vice versa. One could have played 9 or both up top together. But sure, let's fixate on the MLS vet bit player who has frequently been the hero for the team in the past.
But people were sure Gio was unavailable even though he was on the bench, we were trying to preserve a result while Reyna isn't exactly known for D, and when there was misinfo about a Pepi injury after his own exclusion. I think some of these people were genuinely trying to make sense of a situation that was inexplicable, while others doing p.r. to quell criticism. We should now be wise to the reality this fed and staff deceives the public frequently.
Why do you need strength and pace to see out a draw? Or are you saying that Gregg was lying about that too? Sorry…speed and power
"It was a revelation". He had one play where he just backed into the defender and the ball bounced off him to a teammate who ran with it. If that's a revelation, Gyasi Zardes would be the savior, instead of (deservedly) now on the periphery of the pool. I don't know what game you were watching. Teammates could have found him more, but when he actually did get on the ball he was inefficient & ineffectual. He was the lowest rated player on the team in the metrics.
Well, it wouldn't be the full truth. But strength/pace obviously helps to have a target option over the top, while the Wales' attack/press was pinning us back. And then Berhalter didn't add that Morris was a more trustworthy defender. He got stuck in. It's ironic people are focusing on the only semi-logical thing Berhalter did surrounding the decision not to ultimately play Reyna. Well, that, and I don't know Reyna should have been the man to replace Dest either (that was Scally). But he was in play for all the other subs & the starting XI. The thinking to play him would be for the US to regain a foothold in the game. The defensive concerns to see out the draw I get, watching Gio at Dortmund kind of lollygag around and be part of them conceding late. But my theory is that he'd get stuck in because of the moment, as he did v. Mexico in the UNL finale. And earlier the best defense was a good offense. With Wales coming in waves, for the second half, we were likely to concede at some point. The only way to prevent that likelihood was to bring someone on like Gio who could control & advance the ball.
Here’s where I think we differ. You and Gregg thought preserving that point was of great importance. I see the two points lost as the difference between advancing and going home. I guess we’ll see who is correct. Edit: to make it perfectly clear….I sincerely hope you are both correct and I am horribly wrong.
Don't put words in my mouth/straw man. I simply get, as a coach, why he'd value not virtually torpedoing the tourney in the 1st game, in mostly shutting up shop at the end of a game where we were on our heels, instead of throwing caution to the wind and hope bringing in Reyna would create almost a 180 in game control for 5-12 minutes. It's the most defensible reason not to utilize Reyna in that game. Up until that point I adamantly would have, and likely even after.
Ok…how about this… here’s where I think we differ….you find it defensible that Gregg thought preserving a point was of great importance. I see this approach as indefensible…as those two points will likely be the difference between advancing and going home. with that said….of the options available to preserve a point…,I’m not sure a Morris substitution in the 88th minute was the best available to him,
It's laughable you call it indefensible, when if we lost, our chances to advance would be at just 10% after 1 game, instead of still almost 50%. Many actual coaches, instead of armchair fans, want their fate to be decided over more than a 1-match sample (let alone moment), where anything can happen - see Saudi vs. Argentina.
jesus dude. Sargent chested a ball backwards at midfield with little control and was fortunate Christian was there to pick it up to create the goal. Otherwise he provided no target presence whatsoever and as usual has no ability to create his own chances and did not finish the chances provided to him. Your CF isn’t a revelation when your team only has one shot on goal.
They are both mistakes. Gio should have come on earlier and Morris shouldn’t even be on the team. At least Arriola runs around and tries hard on defense. And I hate Arriola.
Peefok does everything that Haji does but is much better. The game was crying out for him in the second half.
Jordan over Ariola is an egregious error. Morris is not even a top tier MLS player. The Morris experiment should have been over in the JK era Ariola is a very useful sub that leaves it all on the field in situations just like the 2nd half Wales game.
LOL, this is post the JK era: USMNT 2022 cycle Elo adjusted G+A/90:.66 + .41 = 1.07 Aaronson.46 + .60 = 1.06 Morris.57 + .16 = .73 Reyna.32 + .31 = .63 Altidore*.44 + .12 = .56 Zardes.37 + .16 = .53 Lletget.38 + .14 = .52 Pulisic.34 + .07 = .41 Sargent.27 + .13 = .40 McKennie.14 + .16 = .30 Weah— Bob Morocco (@bob_morocco) September 12, 2021 Pre the 2nd blown acl, Morris was a top-tier MLS player, and was out-producing pretty much everybody internationally, adjusted for minutes & comp. Ultimately Morris had a decisive advantage over all, cuz Aaronson fell back to Earth. Meanwhile, Arriola's production has been modest internationally and he hasn't produced against anyone near WC-level, unlike Morris who produces against whomever he plays, over enough of a sample. If not for the 2nd acl, Morris not only should have been on the roster, he had an objective case for starting at the 9 or wing. Even after, he deserves a spot over Arriola, and minutes over Wright. But sure, it's an egregious selection, and he should have been phased out post JK era. lol
Yes we are all highly impressed by Morris goals against Cuba, Martinique, and El Salvador in meaningless games, mostly before he tore his ACL for a second time. nobody wants Arriola because he’s expected to produce goals but he at least brings something else to the table in terms of defense and pressing. morris game does not translate in any way to a higher level. That said neither of them should have seen any playing time.
You've peddled this misinfo time and time again, in spite of being corrected. That says adjusted (for comp) g+a/90. Again, he's produced against EVERYBODY: Posting the definitive correct Jordan Morris take to save you all the time:Morris has been very effective at providing end product for the US against all opponents. Tracking data shows he is still very fast. He has yet to recover his MVP-level form and is instead top 5 W in MLS— Bob Morocco (@bob_morocco) November 9, 2022 Netherlands, Uruguay, Mexico, Canada, etc. It's literally every type of opponent he's played, over a significant sample. If you will make this argument against Morris, who won't you make it about when convenient? There's practically no limit to this bad faith argument.