Berhalter's Positives

If you think the gap between US and Holland is similar to that between Shelton and Messi then your thinking is just facile, illogical, and ignorant.

 

But that's your argument. 553 players have started in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season.. Based on your argument they're all equal.

 

That's not my argument.

 

Gregg is taking us to the promised land.

East Rutherford or Arlington.

 

I think if that goal had gone in, the tide of the game would have shifted to us. Not sure we would have won, but I think it would be have been about 65% chance of winning the game. When we started the game, I felt our odds were about 20%.

They just had more talent than us, I’m afraid.

However, getting the early goal was what led to our 2002 Portugal win. The Netherlands game could have been a similar upset.

 

Nobody knows what would have changed in that early goal scenario. I'm sure many remember when we were up 2-0 v Mexico at GC2011.

 

I think I'm one of the few, if not the only one, who think the so called 'golden' chance was more bronze than gold.

Anyway, take a look at the 30' mark of hilite vid below for Pulisic's effort. Chance? yes. Golden? eh.....he has to let the ball bounce and in that case the keeper has time to get into the ideal position.

Now go to 1:00 mark for Ndland's goal which you said was clinical. Who is ARob defending there? Is there a ghost behind him? I don't think so. People say it was Adams' fault because Payet was his man but ARob is an unused resource for us on that goal as well. ARob's man had all day to tee up Payet for the goal

As for Holland's goals, iirc, they all were launched from pretty much the same area of the pitch, by 3 different players. Huh. Actually, the last goal was taken from the top of the 6m box but again you have to ask where ARob is on that one. Is that Berhalter's fault or ARob's? You tell me.

 

Or feelings of anticipation knowing that Berhalter and his cast remain the same.

I was curious how many cases they study at Harvard Business school and it turns out it's something like 500 over 2 years. Anyway I came across this interesting article by a participant in the case study method. I wonder if Berhalter would "brook" any discussion of his methods of the type the writer refers to which helped him so much in life.
What the Case Study Method Really Teaches (hbr.org)

 

Dumfries’ chance off of a cut-back cross with three US defenders between he and the goal is somehow not as good as Pulisic’s one v one with the keeper off of a nice Tyler Adams dime?

I don’t see the logic there.

 

Humphries' goal is at 4:15 of the clip. He's the guy with his arm waving in the air going "yo, over here, I'm all alone......gimme the ball"

 

If enough people say it was easy, it was easy - on Big Soccer

 

Sorry, meant to refer to Memphis’ goal.

He just casually moves into position and puts the ball away. He goes about it like a mercenary with an easy task.

 

Because it is easy. He is taking a shot from the pk spot . That's the difference between his shot and Pulisic's. Pulisic has to beat the keeper who has all the time he needs to get into perfect position because the ball to Pulisic is a lob that has to bounce before it is usable.

 

GGG's saving grace might be that things could always be worse. The talent pool for American managers is shallow, and tactically, he's probably above average in the pool. His man-management skills seem to be the biggest thing he has going for him. Except for a key player like Reyna and some rotational guys, the squad seems willing to go to war for Berhalter. I understand people were excited at the idea of Marsch coaching because of his flashy resume, however I believe he's even more tactically rigid than GGG and will get found out immediately like he did at Leeds and Leipzig.

 

I don't really see him as tactically above average in the pool of American managers. I don't think tactical rigidity is the opposite of tactical acumen. I'd prefer this group have a demanding manager like Marsch, with all his system rigidity, than Berhalter. And who knows if Marsch would be as rigid with a national squad as a club squad. Gregg certainly has had to loosen up in order to see acceptable results; Marsch probably would too. And I don't see Gregg as tactically better than Matarazzo or several other MLS coaches.

Nor do I see why the manager has to be an American citizen. But I do agree that GB has created an environment that the players like, which has undoubtedly helped with dual national recruitment.

 

I remember that 2011 Gold Cup game very well… ugh!

 

I just don't find that to be a compelling idea. Pulisic had only the keeper to beat and loads of time to do it. I can guarantee that he still thinks about that moment.

 

Berhalter creates an atmosphere where guys get into behavior problems...he's probably a little too reliant on the players to police themselves. However, that could work in the teams favor as they mature and cut out the crap.

The biggest positive I see is that he plays to the strengths of his pool. The team took an aggressive defensive approach because many of our top guys are good defenders. That became the identity...take the ball and keep it. Bully-ball. The next step is the clinical scoring.

 

I said that in jest

My opinion on Berhalter is that he isn't very good, but he also isn't really bad. He has completed every objective given to him besides the 2019 Gold Cup and we still made the final with a bunch of kids and has beens. I think our talent is capable of punching above their weight and we have done that since the pre-MLS days and I'm sure with some luck we can replicate it at the Copa America with a top 4 finish. I'm not a pro-GGG guy... I'm just not that bothered with him.

 

So if we hire Pep we'll win the World Cup right?

 

I mean we could easily get a Brazil or Argentina in the first two knockout rounds and no one should be that angry if we lose in a valiant fight