Great point, and I think it applies to Richards, for example. He needs to understand he’s the guy now back there and should act like it. Forget working the ball to Ream, it’s Richards now who should have that responsibility. He doesn’t have a hard man reputation, let that be an advantage. When you tackle through an opponent or arrive late with a clear to the shin it won’t get the same scrutiny as someone with the rep of a dirty player. Everyone can look at themselves and raise their own level of expectation. I think a lot of this comes with the maturation process, where we collectively seem to be a little behind.
Poch has serious work to do........I will abide by his decisions for very obvious reasons, but if it were up to me, I would absolutely not mind throwing out 5 caps or less guys who have grit and determination over skill and finesse at this point. What I would give to have a Gooch, Bocanegra, Dempsey, Howard, pre-TFC Bradley out there cracking skulls.
The plan was to break the press. And it worked a number of times. When it didn't work, it was very often due to shitty dumb mistakes, like not fundamentally controlling the ball or taking 6-7 touches. When the press was broken... the US attack was unfortunately also not far from breaking down. The vision, the technique, it wasn't there for MOST US players. The final ball iw a thing that the US has constantly struggled with, and at a certain point it's up to the players to perform. Varas isn't going to coach them out of this situation. You either execute a pass or you don't, you either dawdle on the ball or you don't.
Well at least Ream won't be so shameless as to call out other players post-game after yet another horrific performance from him.... right??
Nice post. One caveat - It wasn't Gregg who pushed the formation throughout all levels of USMNT. It was Stewart and USSF in general. They wanted to move from the bunker and counterattack days to a team who can control the game and have the skill to breakdown other teams. To win a cup, you need to be able to force your will on the other team at some point in a tournament. Unfortunately, we have not executed well on the vision. Time to make a full change on the vision? Or make adjustments? That's the debate in my mind.
They are going to have to take movement initiative rather than try to follow an instruction. They know how to play with their clubs but become inert and hesitant with the national team. I agree more physicality would be nice at DM and CB.
Interesting given that all we have heard from GoGo and the rest of the Gregg spinners is how Greggg came in and fixed the culture. If this is a fix I want no part of it.
On Wes, I know 29 isn't always credible, but even he said that Wes spent the week before reporting to USMNT camp partying in Monaco and came to camp 10 pounds overweight. With Tillman, I won't pretend to have watched PSV this year but i know with Tangers and even last year the complaint in Tillman was he didn't always give effort when more effort was needed, but that's honestly normal for young players breaking in and there have been a few times with the US my feelings are he just needs to show more off ball. Musah's issues basically mirror what I see every time he plays with Milan. He's lost when he doesn't have the ball at his feet. I do however think a lot of the issues go to the complacency. I get leaving people off the team for chemistry issues, but I also think things like starting Dest as soon as he's eligible from a bone headed res card, calling up players as soon as they return from injuries, and not giving swiad/bench opportunities to guys who are having good seasons does leads to players having a lack of accountability. That being said I think the team has still shown a weak mentality in games where they have to deal with cheap shots and poor reffing. I thought they outgrew it with the 2023 NL, maybe that was just cause it was Mexico. But it still looks like far too often all it takes is a foul not getting called or a yellow they feel is unjust to throw the team off where in the past teams would fight. Maybe all it'll take is a guy like Aiden clearly changing the attitude of a game showing he deserves another look to make players fight more
I don’t know, man. He’d kinda be stating the obvious, no? If he said the above and then he followed it up with “The way we need to get better as a group is through consistent effort and outworking our opponents. That is how we need to show up when we wear the National team jersey.”
I brought it up because I thought there was irony in the uproar over the lack of effort (which I interpret to be a mentality issue) and I decided to point out the irony of the situation. I won't explain it again because I already did and don't know how to do a better job. It would be an indictment of Europe if Europe was the cause of poor mentality. I didn't say that and I don't believe that. DIf I did say it, please point it out. I think you are guilty of being a bit too sensitive over a few things and adding a few words/sentences that aren't' there. I agree that I don't believe anyone said it exactly like that but I do believe that it was pretty clearly implied. I am fine if you wrongly interpret my intentions. I find it rather presumptuous that you believe you can know better than I do what I meant but whatever...
Can we add Jermaine Jones to that group? This team needs some alpha male energy… Jermaine Jones has more of that in his knee cap than our entire current team combined.
Their starters outhustled the US subs. Subs usually provide more hustle but less skill than the starters. Having more MLS players may help fix the hunger issue.
Who were those complaints from? His one year at 'Gers he was the SPL Young Player of the Year. After his first season at PSV he was praised by Earnie for his 2 way play and this season he is leading PSV in tackles. Juve is rumored to be looking to buy him this winter! Tillman does not have a 3rd lung and is not a headless chicken player but his work on both sides of the ball for PSV has been excellent.
We are “fixed” as in totally without nuts. I’ve said it before, and I admit to sounding like a grumpy “get off my lawn” generation x geezer, but our team still feels like they are stuck in boyhood…
I hear "well we didn't have all of our best players" although less than often is the case. But Canada was missing Buchanan and Kone. AndAidan Moreis could have been playing in the other shirt.
Without really knowing the players, it’s probably not fair to assign psychological factors to their performance or non-performance. That said, part of my professional background in psychology, so sometimes I can’t help but draw some simplistic, and probably unfair, conclusions to what I’m seeing. There is just something about Weston that tells me he’s lost some of his competitive edge. And without that edge, he’s a no world-beater.
Who is that black guy with the hyphen first name that is at least on the subs bench. He played for LAFC I believe. He is normally on their bench and is only recently displaced as a starter. Kaye is the last name. They didn't have him either. They are not as deep as us but they love their coach and seem to want to make a point on his behalf in addition to the border war.
The the Miami Hurricanes once said if you don't like us dancing in your end zone then stop us from scoring. There's a real easy way to shut Marsh up if The players and the Ferteration care to do so But apparently...
You are 100% correct that I am sensitive about the anti-Euro nonsense. It could have scuttled our 2014 WC campaign and was the main reason that we missed WC2018 so when I see it I plan to call it out. You say that was not your intent so I will extend my apologies.
Mark Anthony Kaye has been pretty lousy in MLS for like a few years now. By the way you remember him playing for LAFC, since then he's been with Colorado, Toronto, and now New England... not exactly the creme de la creme of MLS and not a great sign when you're with a new team every year. The fact that Kaye is not with the Canadian team doesn't mean they have good depth now, it just means that Kaye sucks.
Ok, fair enough. But it does mean they have enough depth to drop him. We have seen teams carry on with players because they haven't replaced them in development, remember how our lost generation prolonged the career of several players it shouldn't have.