For Poch, it seems to me he is seeking a culture change. He feels that some of our "A" team guys are not committed enough to the program, on and off the pitch. Pulisic is surely one, and he isn't alone. What he needs, and we need, badly, are enough credible performances from B/C team guys so that the A team guys feels real pressure, and the manager can even choose to leave them home sometimes. And if he does, then the spot is not guaranteed when they do decide they want to play. I think Tillman is on the brink of doing so in CM/CAM. Freese at GK. Luna, McGlynn, and Freeman a bit further back. CF is wide open due to injury. I'd love to see the CM/DM pool expanded if Johnny lays another egg as Adams cannot stay healthy. One guy losing their spot should wake the rest up.
acceptable day at the office 1. some players had more bite (Agman) than before … 2. Poch trusts Tillman and kept him in for the duration even when Tillman looked gassed and like he wanted to come out (is this Poch’s go to guy now?) 3. T&T only woke up in the second half and then they resorted to concacrap injuring approach .. but T&T is a minnow … 4. Luna is just a worker and mentally tough guy - he has the right attitude … he looks better than Aaronson frankly … he just has more innate “game” to him … he senses what can be done as opposed to just hustling for the sake of hustling … 5. Consistent pressure for 90 plus minutes (they could have backed off but did not) 6. Back line came up and pressured/checked T&T often. it is a start - let’s see if they build on this …
yes he kept Tillman in for the duration … looks like Tillman wanted to come out and Poch kept him out there … almost like it was a test … I thought Luna also helped his case quite a bit .. both of them have “bite”
On one hand, yes it was a weak T&T team, on the other hand we started the below lineup vs T&T in the NL and didn't score until the 82nd minute when T&T went down a man in the 37th minute. Keeper-Turner Defense-Dest, CCV,Reams,Jedi CM-Wes/Musah CAM-Gio Attack-Tillman, Balo, Paredes Not saying anybody here is doing this, but even against minnows we should remember to appreciate efforts like this especially when the "first" team has tended to struggle in these games. Thought Tillman, McGlynn, and Luna were the best players on the field by a distance. I actually think McGlynn is currently in the first team because his left foot gives you a chance everytime to have a scoring opportunity. Arftsen looked better but still had moments where it's clear if he's going to play you need to have a three man backline Freeman I thought looked good aside from one moment where he misjudged the ball. That was more youth than anything Big Pat... I will say he does a lot well. His runs open up the field, he makes a backline work hard, but his first touch makes Zardes's look world class. Eventually he's gotta start scoring or at least not giving the ball away poorly cause of his touch/falling over. Matt Freese didn't have much to do but he did do a few things that I think the US has been lacking (aside from making a save of course). For one, He was smart when coming off his line... and actually did come off his line (something all the keepers from the last cycle struggled with) the other is when he did come off his line and pick up the ball he got the ball to a teammate quickly to start a counter. or at least back up T&T. Turner far too often would slow the restart down and hold the ball too long IMO. Again, yes T&T were baby seals for much of the game, but I do think there are things to learn from this game as well.
One of those games that is hard to use as a gauge. Some agreement (Tillman looked good, Luna is on full all the time, Richards looked good), but some counter thoughts for more discussion: Freese was not that great. The important deflection on that low cross was big, but otherwise he looked too timid. Not convinced. I think the US is still looking. I don't think Freeman did that great. Just the one gaffe, but nothing that made me think he should move beyond the gold cup. Big Pat was better in this game than any previous one. He's not too old to get better at hold up. Against the right opponent, he could be important. Maybe he did it right to defer, but LDLT was too passive. I really like him, so wanted to see more than I did.
The problem I had with the deflection, is that I think it was lucky, and he was trying to come out and catch it on the ground. Goalies should not intentionally parry crosses along the ground, it's too easy to hit them to the next attacking guy…
He's playing the Scally role, while being more Dest. It doesn't make sense. Arfsten's the one empowered to get fw & he's doing really poor at it. It should be switched, using Tolkin on the left to do the reverse Scally, only w/ better ball progression & final 3rd play when he actually gets up there. Then Freeman can overlap w/ McGlynn or whoever. The fact Freeman's been relatively sound on D & in possession is a testament to well-roundedness/potential. Because this is not been his role w/ clubs/youth teams. I don't know what Poch's going to do when he has both Dest & ARob available. So ARob hangs back? Seems like he's preparing to neuter his/their strong-suit & our width.
A couple of thoughts on the players we saw. When comparing McGlynn against other left footed Americans (really just Zendejas) he is ahead by a fair margin as far as NT play is concerned. More goals, more assists, better passing. At the club level, Zendejas has the edge but McGlynn is clearly catching up in assists. Mobility is a concern but it's also quite clear that he is giving full effort and that he is playing very smart for a young player. Zendejas, for instance is much more mobile but I don't believe it translated in the 2023 GC. McGlynn's ball delivery is very, very tasty so I am all for seeing if he is able to translate his game against higher competition. Luna has by now convinced everybody and any concerns about his unconventional physique are long gone. A very smart player for his age with good skills but above all an emotional leader. We really need an emotional leader up top. I agree with everyone that Age is too old and too much of a project. In the end, I think he is just a placeholder for the type of movement and physical profile Poch wants from his CF. I assume that both Wright and Downs are the projected long term CFs.
It's not a senior national team's role to develop a player's skills over time. You're investing a lot in something that likely won't come to fruition & doesn't have benefit anyway. Skill-development takes place in youth, offseasons, & with clubs. Let Big Pat get better on his own time. He brings a physical component Brian White doesn't at least. So I'd favor him in that false dilemma. Gives us a theoretically way to play out for longer distance. But gimme more refined guys like Wright & Downs now. Obviously normally it'd be Pepi & Balogun. Big drop after them.
I am glad someone else saw that. As I posted in the other thread Berhalter was quite poor and the numbers support that conclusion: 1 of 9 in duels, zero tackles, dribbled twice. Those are disgusting numbers for a CM, especially against a very poor opponent like T&T. He did seem to be preferred to take free kicks over McGlynn which looks odd but free kicks are the major source of chances created by both in MLS. All 3 McGlynn assists in MLS have come from free kicks.
I'm deeply skeptical of the entire "players don't care" narrative. I've watched enough sports to know that most defeats or disappointing performances can be chalked up to some combination of mundane explanations like the other team was better on this day, bad gameplan, injuries, luck, and the like. That's especially true in a low-event game like soccer. If Poch is actually using this summer to make players like Pulisic and Jedi (and even Wes) feel that their spot isn't secure, then that's a terrible use of this time. (I don't think he's actually doing this, for the record.) That's because these players (if healthy) have a secure place in the WC roster in any sane universe. They're manifestly better than the alternatives. There are some roster spots still very much in play. Freese (or someone else) could absolutely establish himself at GK, but that would be a straightforward performance issue. The same goes for the CB next to Richards. Luna seems like he might be playing his way on at the expense of guys like Brendo or Reyna. That's not "sending a message" or "lighting a fire under Badge FC's entitled asses" or whatever -- it's normal roster turnover.
My concern about Luna's physique is that he's gotten too skinny, but that's just because I stan a chunky king, as the kids say.
Right? The first time I saw him I was thinking who is this rando and why is he allowed to be around teenagers. Now I feel like he should never change.
I don't think the players don't care or the Poch doesn't care narrative are accurate. I do think there are players (like Wes) who are at their best when they are not comfortable, and I think there are players (mainly utility/bench guys) that have been more mediocre to bad than good so it was time to give others a look. With that being said, I do think a lot of people tend to forget with most if not all coaches the best way to get chances is to work your ass off in practice.
Went to the game yesterday against T&T. Realize T&T isn't good but was still fun seeing them in person. So fun to watch Luna in person - dude is a tank that can run fast and is super quick and works super hard all over the pitch. Freeman is a lot bigger in person - dude could have easily of played football like his dad. He is going to end up giving us needed depth at RB. For every 1 or 2 things Arfsten did good he would do something bad. No doubt he is a decent MLS player but he isn't national team level. Not his fault but it is what it is. Agyemang takes a lot of hate and I'm the first to admin he isn't in our top 3, that said, he works super hard and presses really well and his size/physicality gives teams fits. For the gold cup, I'm cool with this dude. Also, you can tell he is a super nice guy the way he was interacting with the fans after the game. Tillman looked super smooth and just a super good athlete. Hope this Gold Cup gets him into the flow of playing on the USMNT because we can use this guy. Aaronson bros have the look of players who over try and look a bit like a chicken with their heads cut off running around out there - especially the younger one. Dante Sealy playing for T&T - that was cool to see. That said, he didn't move around much and never really looked interested.
You just need to have protection behind him, like you would with anyone who consistently stayed that high. And if you can't, you play someone else. You don't need to take another attacking player off the field. We did fine against Turkey with him playing simply covering. Not at all. I think they even had 1-2 mediocre chances all game. I expect their xG was below .5.
The unlock for Tillman this game offensively was quite a bit of T&T but it's mostly Luna. I don't think Luna's getting enough praise for the work he put in, but it really allowed Tillman to play like he plays with PSV and to stay pretty high. I generally get a lot of pushback when I call Tillman a one-touch merchant, but I mean it as a compliment. It's not the only thing he does -- that one long switch was great -- but I think people can start to see what I mean from this game that people play off him. His best attribute is basically being a post you play into and he does a one touch into something dangerous. But you need the guys to play it into him. Someone needs to progress the ball, someone needs to get the ball to Tillman in a good spot and someone needs to make a run. The team did a really good job of getting the ball up the field and to him. It was some McGlynn, some Luca, some Berhalter, some Arfsten but a WHOLE lotta Luna. Unlike against Turkey, Malik didn't need to sprint back either for the ball or one defense very much (T&T). And for all his other weaknesses, Big Pat made a lot of good runs. Malik was also more accurate -- if you go back to Turkey, he missed a cutting Luna a decent number of times. Perhaps competition, perhaps just needing more time for timing. But a very good game from Malik in part because he could do that post-up one touch thing he does so well.
He's a smart player. Where his athleticism is an issue is recovery speed, counterpressing, etc. He can get bypassed pretty quickly, which is why people put him outside.
Agreed about this, however: He has the touch of a bricklayer, but he's what Al McGuire used to call an aircraft carrier in basketball…
I'm seeing that too. Tillman is very, very talented but he needs someone else to feed off both in service and emotion. Luna is exactly what he needs.
I know people are saying winger is a weak position, and I get why, but not right now how Pochettino is playing. Our wingers are Luna and McGlynn/Aaronson. In particular, Luna and Tillman need to be on the field and in offensive spots. Removing either of these guys is a non-starter. You also can't get the same offense playing one back. So going to 3 at the back basically requires this roster to move Luna to a second striker or take him off the field. The first is possible; the second is silly aside from fatigue, especially with this striker corp. If you keep him as second striker, he's still going to drop back, he's Diego Luna. You're basically moving to an attack set up where Freeman is now the attacking width on the right. That's entirely possible and may be a trade off you want to make for defense. But dropping either McGlynn or Aaronson, presumably, does come with downsides. It absolutely kills some offense with the ball and in Aaronson's case, makes your wide defense weaker if you choose to start him. Again, a viable trade-off, but an Brenden Aaronson - Freeman combo on the right side might be as good or better defensively than a Freeman - Miles Robinson combo with a 3 ATB. I'm also not sure I'm playing Arfsten against a top team without Tyler Adams behind him. And Tolkins not really a wingback but I guess you could push it. I'm just not really sure there's an upgrade unless you are going really defensive, is my point. 3 ATB don't have to be defensive; I think with this team we would be or actually create more issues wide.
What on earth are you talking about? Pulisic is our most important player (outside of GK). He is fully committed to the team. He was our best player in '22. Pulisic is injured and burned out. He needed a break. Pulisic is more committed to the National Team than Pochettino. Do you know what we call injured players who play anyway? We call them "dumb" and "out indefinitely".
Its sort of the old USMNT profile of the Eddie Johnson types........................ But the guy scores goals. Even if its luck. Sargent wishes he was credited with a lucky goal off of a deflection. Agyemang is the USMNT's leading scorer in 2025. He's scored against Venezuela, Costa Rica, Canada, and now T&T. He's the kind of forward that you beat your head against the wall about. Then the guy ends the game with a goal. He does score goals by any means necessary.