It's the sort of vitriol that Manchester United and New York Yankees fans have been facing since ever. Jokes about Manchester United fans coming from everywhere but Manchester are as old as me.
Its just the way the board is. Look at when this Fire Pochettino thread was started. A month before he'd ever coached a USMNT game. When things are going poorly, it's the USMNT coach's fault. When things are going well, it's despite the USMNT coach.
I mean, that's not how I'd judge it. Right now, I don't see any compelling reason why we should think Sargent can create chances against good competition for the US. People can argue service all they want, but then fine, we can't get Sargent enough service to be good so we need another striker. Everyone else has a way they generate chances -- Patrick and Dike use size and strength, Downs and Wright excel at runs behind the defense. Sargent for me, if he's called up, is there to press defensively. But it doesn't matter if he scores 20 and someone else scores 15. I don't think that's the right tiebreaker to use.
Re. Roldan vs Japan A) He has improved from an earlier iteration to the point of deserving 2026 WC consideration? B) Poch never saw his earlier iteration and thinks he's now good enough for WC consideration? C) He got the start vs Japan for tactical, positional or "clubhouse" reasons? D) Our talent pool has stagnated to the point Roldan IS good enough to make a WC squad?
A & C. Roldan has improved over the last few years. He's become a very reliable player. He was actually very impressive in the CWC where he faced PSG, Atletico Madrid and Botafogo. Despite being on a very outmanned team in most of the games, he held his own, and I believe even caught some positive comments from Luis Enrique. Is he a great player? No. Is he a very good offensive player? No, though I think the Japan game showed both sides of his offense. He did make some turnovers and mistakes, but he also kept the ball moving forward, taking risks to one touch balls that opened up Christian and Zendejas to start breaks. There was not a lot of backpassing. He wasn't hitting THE key pass so much as getting the ball quickly where it needed to go (he did have one really nice long switch). But it was his defense that was nice. Poch had him literally running all the way forward and being an extra presser. We got two good first half chances off him creating a turnover. Then he'd run all the way back to cover. Which comes to C. We really, really don't have a backup solo 6. Guys like Tessman and Johnny do not have the footspeed or range to play like Tyler. Aidan Morris probably does, but he really lacks the experience -- there's a reason he tends to play destroyer 8 rather than a 6 despite his profile being much more of a solo 6. Of course, there's other options -- namely going to a real double pivot that we will probably do. But if Roldan makes the roster, it'll be because we don't really have athletic, high work rate defensive mids in the pool. There's Tyler, Morris and now Roldan. He's really just beating out one dude if Poch decides he needs that. A guy like Tessman or Busio or Berhalter or de la Torre is never doing what he did against Japan. McKennie could but he's likely starting. Musah physically could but his motor is always a bit of a question. I doubt he makes it, but I think he's a possibility. And every injury makes it more likely.
I was actually quite disappointed with how he played vs SK. Yes, he was going up against Kim (who is a regular for Bayern), but those are the types of defenders he will see in the WC (and not in the Championship). This is why how many goals any of them score in the Championship isn't a real yardstick to use, those are clearly not the level of defending they would play against. Personally, I do like him and think he has the foot skill (and he's shown he can finish when in a good position), but he doesn't create anything, so unless there is an injury bug, I don't see him as making the final roster, regardless of how many goals he scores this season.
Or... E) The center mids that are far ahead of Roldan (Tillman, Cardoso, Musah, McKennie, Tessmans, Busio, etc.) were not called in for various reasons but will be as we settle on our actual WC group. Please let it be E. (edit: Roldan is a solid player and better as a 8 than other roles he's had in the past, but he should be pretty far down any pecking order for US CMs).
Based on his performances in the CWC, his experience, his adaptability, and his reputation for professionalism, I expect him to be in the 27 next summer. I wouldn't have said that six months ago. Even though it's four years since Qatar the US will still have a young squad and I think Poch will be looking to add experience.
This is entirely plausible. But then why was he a late add to the roster? Seems like someone destined for the WC roster would have been more than the afterthought the timing implies. Was he injured? Or is Pochettino more reactive than we’d prefer?
This may be paywalled, so apologies if it is, but it's a very worthwhile article on our press struggles over the entire course of Pochettino's reign here -- highlighting Panama, Switzerland and South Korea struggles. https://www.backheeled.com/mauricio-pochettino-usmnt-pressing-problem-tactics-analysis-world-cup/ I'd highlight some of the commentary, but it's mostly breaking down clips, highlighting a lack of organization but also quickness and intensity at times that led to a lot of our issues. It's somewhat tough to reconcile this team in these matches with what we saw in 2022.
Thanks. It is behind a wall. Would be nice to know what they come to. Is it system/instruction problems or personnel or intensity? It’s hard to tell sometimes. Probably a bit of everything.
He doesn't come to a definitive cause, but in the examples, there's clearly both instances of people seemingly not exerting the effort needed to close in time or simply not pressing, example of people hesitating on the decision making, structural issues either by the players or Poch (most notably, against Panama, the backline would not move up even as the sideline was screaming at them, IIRC, and it killed us) and clearly situations where players were not knowing to rotate correctly. Sometimes it's kind of obvious it's because of effort and sometimes it's kind of obvious the person didn't know to press, but on the latter it's really hard to tell whether it's terrible instruction or on the player. One consistent theme is the front line rarely provided consistent organized pressing against people looking to progress the ball. Against Panama, as I noted above, one issue was that the backline played too deep and were too disconnected to the midfield. Tyler would press, someone would drop behind him and that means the CBs need to come up and cover and they simply wouldn't. Leaving someone wide open between the CDM and the CB. Was this the preferred tactic? Probably not. Was it poorly communicated? Maybe. Was it clear to me on TV that Poch wanted them to press up? Yes. At some point, I think that backline was a bit scared to play high. Against South Korea, both goals really involved the press failing to get pressure on the passer to Son, leaving the CBs in a bad place. In both cases, the CBs also made poor plays or bad decisions, but on the first goal, Pulisic gets pulled inside on the press and sort of slowly stays on his mark. The ball kicks out and neither Berhalter nor Dest move to pressure him. That's just a shitty press, and he has all day and no pressure to send that into Son. On the second, as I noted elsewhere, Pulisic and Sargent are right there, about a step behind and to the side of the receiving player. Both turn and jump back to block passing lanes backwards, but neither bother to actually pressure the ball, and the dude stops, turns and since neither Tyler nor Berhalter stepped up ... he has an easy pass into Son. Someone needs to step there. I can see Sargent thinking Puli would, Puli thinking Sargent would, both of them wanting to catch Korea in a back pass because that'd lead to a break, and Tyler and Berhalter being left flat footed because they were probably shocked Sargent and Puli simply backed off. You have to be decisive and aggressive in a press. You get caught in between every time if you don't choose. It's rarely the worst idea in any circumstance to pressure the ball -- if you can pressure the ball, you can force a bad pass or force them to hold which gives everyone time to react. It's like defense on a basketball fast break -- first man must stop the ball.
important, totally on-topic question, can you clarify what your profile pic is? i only notice them at a glance, out of the corner of my eye while reading posts. i cant explain why my brain translates yours into "package of sandwich cookies", but it does. from context i assume its a list of bayerns (rather than palaces) accomplishments. right? in conclusion, thats yet another reason poch has to go.
the simplest explanation would be the poch had never heard of him before the media crescendo around him (roldan) over the last month or so.
i think youre referring specifically to post #2717, which was fully me being a goof. but also yes- i think he should have been fired very possibly before/based on roster for the extended "gc window", and certainly after.
Lol can you imagine if coaches were fired based solely on THEIR roster selection? Why even hire a coach at that point?
thats def one (hyper-specifically ignorant) way to look at it, especially considering im one of a very small minority of posters here who thinks a manager has a significant impact on a national team. or at all.
Ok but goof post or not, sounds like you do think he should be literally fired. Just wanted to clarify. Who should replace him? And since he will very obviously never be fired for a roster announcement in September or bad friendly performance in October or whatever, are we considering replacements that will never in a million years take the job? Or do we, for some reason, choose to be more respectful to reality for that particular part of this thought experiment.
Has a national team coach anywhere ever been fired solely off who they picked for a roster and not the results themselves?
https://www.bigsoccer.com/search/53416565/ you can read through that (theyre in reverse chronological order) and ill be happy any to answer any specific questions you have.