wait, once again the opposing coach knows exactly what we are going to do 3 months before the game even starts?
One thing I'm quite interested in is how Poch will set up this team by formation and position. It'll take some tinkering but I'm very curious on how he settles
"I'm going to say 2-1." 😯@JimmyConrad, @CharlieDavies9 & @TMeola1 OF COURSE asked Canada Manager @jessemarsch his scoreline prediction of USMNT-Canada this Saturday 😂 pic.twitter.com/RXhBIiQZMs— Golazo America (@GolazoAmerica) September 4, 2024 Final in KC. pic.twitter.com/BZKzGfNDDS— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) September 7, 2024
People cannot accept right now Canada is a better team. They have a tougher Copa America group than us, don’t tell me Bolivia+Panama are strong than Peru+Chile, and Argentina>Uruguay. Heck both US and Canada played Uruguay, we knew which team looks better. Even Canada’s talent pool is still not as deep as US, but is improving and with 11 starters+5 subs, are not too far off, and it can be compensated by team efforts, right tactics, and working rates etc. But Canada pre-Jessy was also in a messy and even lost to Jamaica in the home and exited the NL. So with a right coach, they bounced back. So for USMNT, there is still a hope. I said before the BJ’s USMNT was the peak unless a new coach coming. Now we are waiting. No panic.
you know what? thats totally fair. ive seen him play on, and with, the ball decently. maybe its partly the idea that hed be "the" passing cb if we started trusty or ccv next to him (meaning we wouldnt still be forcing that). but its really not a justifiable position at this point. bad fit, chemisty, system- all that only goes so far. but i rail on the idea that musah is helping us in any way at this point and i do the same thing with richards. so, with the one caveat of not having better alternatives, youre just right. he hasnt been good and its just my special, personal feelings that he is- like i said, for us and at this point.
Well, one thing is for sure, Canada's first team is better than the US 2nd team (of choice last night). The second half was better and improved with the arrival of a different set of players. I hope the second game has a lineup based on performance in last night's game. Some just sucked; others, like Pulisic, just lacked the support to ever really do anything. I no longer see the point of Ream. He's too slow of feet and mind, now, and those around him are learning bad habits when forced to deal with his mode of play. I have sympathy for Cardozo's error, but the pass came from Ream who struck it too hard, surprising Cardozo in an already dangerous location. And, the giveaway pass...oh, effing my.
If they played like they did today yes. But if they came out motivated like they do when they play Mexico (who they always seem to get up for), I don’t think that would be the case.
That Johnny-Musah-Tillman midfield didn't give a damn. They weren't going for the ball, their marking was lax, they couldn't pass worth a penny. I hope we don't see the "Just Making Time" midfield again.
One of the things that I noticed shortly before Martino mentioned it was the lack of heart and pride apparent in the team. Canada was running rough shod over us and there wasn't anyone on the team that was stepping up to either lay in a hard foul on them or even defend one of our guys who just got fouled. There was no fire.
At this point I'd just pencil in Schulte as the starter and ride him until he proves he can't handle the job. Not much else to do. Hopefully he rises to the occasion. He did a good job. CBs? Poch is going to have to earn his money trying to figure that mess out. It's going to be fascinating to see how he tries to handle it. I've been a bit of a Johnny proponent but he has a growing history of making boneheaded turnovers in bad spots while in a US shirt. Not sure what the deal is with him, but for whatever reason, he is one of those guys that belongs in the "looks better with club category". Fresh slate with a new coach so we will see, but it's getting old fast. Morris was a bright spot I thought. Deserves another look for sure IMO. Our wing depth continues to be brutal. After Puli and Weah it's a desert. Haji is probably next in line and he is a converted 9. Losing Dest was devastating for this team, and for as much crap as he takes not having Gio is very problematic also. Our team has been built to function at full strength and when something breaks, we have no replacement parts. II understand it's just a friendly and there was not a real coach on the sidelines, but I'm perplexed as to why there wouldn't be more urgency out there from the players in the first half. Do they all think that they have a guaranteed roster spot with the new coach?
Outcoached and outplayed. Simple as that. ......................the outcoached part isn't a surprise. Mikey Varas has never coached a game at this level. Never actually been a head coach of adult professionals. .......................the ouplayed part was deeply troubling. We had a lot of talent on the field. They just didn't look like they wanted it. There was no real heart out there. I don't know what that's about. Hard to really put your finger on it. Canada just wanted it more. I will say three things. 1) We talked for a long time on these boards about how important Tyler Adams has been. Johnny is not ready to assume that mantle. Not yet. 2) Berhalter employed Reyna against Mexico to beat the press. Had him sit deep to collect the ball and pass out of pressure. It worked like an absolute charm against Mexico in the Nations League final. We didn't have that yesterday. No Reyna also hurt, because believe or not....................Gio Reyna had been one of our best and most influential players this cycle. 3) I think people also underestimate Tim Weah.................................
One of the things I find funny is tons of posters are talking about how the players didn't play for pride or the crest last night, players didn't seem to really care. But for the last 3 years there were many many posters saying the players should tell the federation they deserve a better coach then Gregggg, they should basically "quit" under Greg, revolt against having to play for Greggg, they are 'amazing' players and "deserve" a coach of their same quality. Basically, telling the players to be selfish and put themselves over the team and staff. But then many of the same posters get all pissed off when the players don't seem to care or play with any heart or courage, basically doing what the posters "hoped" they would have done under Greg.
There seems to be no leadership on the field and no team unity. Pulisic is always fighting, but it seems like his own personal battle. No other player showed even a spark of personality in attempting to rally the team. I have no idea what goes on in the locker room, but from outside, it looks like there is something very wrong with this group of players as a team. It was the same in the Copa, we looked like a random bunch of players thrown together by chance, while the better teams appeared more motivated and focused on a common purpose. Canada looked like a team of men with a common plan and goal. We looked like a bunch of strangers. Gregg failed to build a winning culture, but it remains to be seen if it was only on him, or if there is some deeper problem with this group.
Gregg's leaders on this team were Adams, McKennie, and Pulisic. Ream, too, of course. McKennie, whatever people think of him from a technical point of view.....................................is a warrior. Adams is a warrior also. Honestly, I think those two are the heart & soul of this team. What we saw yesterday was night and day compared to what we saw in the Nations League final against Mexico with Reyna, Adams, and McKennie. Its not like that was 2 years ago. That was 2024. Ya know? Also, of course, the fullbacks in that final were Dest and Robinson. A different level than we saw yesterday with Scally and Lund. Seriously, Scally's lack of development has been a real disappointment. He's just OK. Just OK. Nothing special there. In that Nations League final it was Musah, Johnny, and Tillman that all CAME OFF THE BENCH. Yesterday, this backup group was the starting trio. And now we learn why they were the backup trio. They're all still young. They're all U23. All age-eligible for the Olympics. Musah, in particular seems to have seriously stalled. I don't get why. Maybe he'll get back on track. If I'm Tessmann, Busio, or Maloney I'm licking my lips after that game. We do have midfield options, and they willl all have a clean slate under Pochettino.
Pulisic is more Dempsey type leader that leads by example. He's not there to mentor the players during the game. We've been missing an on-field general to calm or fire up fellow teammates for a while.
I understand that we were missing some veterans, but thats exactly when you need the team to come together and show that organic culture. Secondary guys { Aaronsen, johnny, Richards, Balogun, Tillmann, etc… There was no cohesion and no pride. No recognition that we were playing at home against our neighboring country who we need to dominate. Maybe these guys just need more time together, but it seems to me that they’ve had numerous international windows. They’re also secondary guys with their club teams. Where are the leaders and the stars?
I don't think Canada are a better team. Marsch had game-planned for this match. He also didn't let the guys go out to the local NFL game that the US players did go to. Canada played like this was the World Cup. In a friendly. Good for them. They got their win. Hey, Klinsmann took the US to Germany and won back in '15. Great. Canada put their absolute best foot forward to come out with a 2-1 win. Give them credit for the organization and athleticism. But let's not go overboard.
Just saying it’s not so clear the pool is better when speaking A team vs A team - especially without Adams and Dest. The depth is 1000X better but at this young age, these players aren’t ready for prime time and the next World Cup may come too soon.
I think they were BADLY outcoached on the day. Ultimately, I just remember how well Reyna, Adams, and McKennie played in that Nations League final. It was Reyna that often sat deep. That was actually a tactical masterstroke by Berhalter for that day. He got Reyna on the ball deep to beat the press. Reyna is comfortable on the ball in a way that guys we saw yesterday aren't. Could pass out of it comfortably. Yesterday it seemed like we wanted to play it out of the back, but had nobody to do that. Turned it over constantly. It was maddening. And everybody knows that's how Marsch plays. It wasn't a surprise. And of course, McKennie and Adams are the warriors. The fighters in that midfield. Adams also had that crazy goal towards the end of the first half against Mexico. And yes. I'm worried about all three. The health of Reyna and Adams. The position of McKennie within Juventus' team. We've been talking forever about the need to develop quality depth. Last night should show us that we overestimate the quality of our depth. The outcoached part we're about to hopefully fix.
Listening to Marsch’s press conference, this quote is actually cut off and he expounded on the specifics a bit more. 1. Get aggressive with and close space on Christian Pulisic when he was on the ball 2. Make life hard for Tim Ream and not give him time and space to pick them apart 3. Jump on the US players, win balls, and get into transition quickly when the buildup comes through the middle of the field
Maybe we shouldn’t have called Pulisic this window. Not only might he be injured at some point, but we need to put some responsibility on other players shoulders. Tillman has been great as a playmaker for PSV, Wright and Sargent have been scoring for fun in the Championship. There are others, of course. If Pochetino actually becomes head coach, he will need to develop different player options, and make our style of play more adaptable, using different players in important roles. The most urgent reason we need a serious coach though, is that we need to rebuild our defense from the back forward. At least Schulte seems to have won the goalkeeper spot for now.