Post-match: USA v. South Korea - September 6, 2025 - International Friendly

He wasn’t bad, but he’s a service guy, give it and he’ll reward

 

Pick a rubbish roster, and a rubbish starting team, get a rubbish result!

How do we not start our only premiere League level defender, against their premier league level forward (don't nitpick me over 3 weeks)?

How do the guys that are out there not mark the best player on the other team?

My Miami Dolphins used to have a defense called the Killer Bees, because they had a bunch of guys whose name started with B and they would kill the opposing offense.

Our Killer Bees, Blackmon and Berhalter, killed us!

They handled our offense amazingly easy, I have no idea where the 18 shots TNT touted came from, maybe I didn't notice them because only 5 were on goal.]

Why do we press badly, and happen to win a ball luckily, and don't get quickly into the attack but pass backwards?

Same question about McGlynn, 2 minutes left and he's back passing from the edge of the box.

We didn't create a decent chance other than a lucky deflection to Balogan and a free kick which hit Richards in the dick.

Speaking of Balogan, we absolutely have to start him, Sargant is absolutely useless unless someone passes him the ball in the 6 yard box.

And once again we lose to a team going to or likely to go to the World Cup.

By the way, anyone know our record against such teams the last 2 years, I can't remember a win…?

 

First impressions:
Freese was OK, which is all I want for the time being. Nice last-minute save.

We missed Dest.

We really can't play without Richards back there. He made everyone better when he came in.

Luna needs to be more aggressive. He can definitely play at this level.

Need to move Pulisic to the left wing. And someone else to the right wing. And stay there.

Weah is just not in good form right now. Neither is Adams.

McGlynn comes in and plays like a starter, but he doesn't have to stamina to start.

Zendejas ..... Seems like he does good stuff that never pays off.

It was a weird game. I feel a little bit better than I felt coming in.

Arfsten was good.

 

So how did that 54% possession work out for us?

gee I wonder why ….

Beas said it - SK knows how to suffer - except for Richards we have a bunch of mental orange slice AYSOs out there.

I am just so damn sick and tired of it.

South Korea players salutes as he is subbed off the field and Pulisic is whining at the ref because his shoulder his being tugged on.

 

Dest is always going to be a bit of a liabilty on Defense. You have him out there because of the crazy shit he can do in the attack. Thats why you don't pair him with with f'n Berhalter and Tristan Blackmon who both ********ing suck and are supposed to cover up some of Dest's defensive liabilities.

 

If Adams is gonna be a 3rd CB on offense, whoever the other midfielder is needs to be a baller.

Credit to Seb Berhalter for having a great season that deserved a look, but having him as a solo CM with some help from Diego Luna seems like not a great plan to control the midfield.

 

We looked confused on defense and out of position way too much in the first half. I recall several times where players were looking around not sure where to be. We were completely knocked off our game and looked out of sorts.

Tyler Adams doesn't look right. Roldan was an immediate improvement, although there was at least 1 wtf roldan moment where he passed back instead of looking for the forward pass when he had time. But still, our MF looked 2x as good offensively after Tyler sat. Roldan warrants another look, and I wouldn't mind him starting against Japan.

Defender from Vancouver isn't ready, as others have noted.

I don't want to see Sargent again. His highest level is the championship. If he makes the squad it's because our forwards are ass. I would take agyemang before him. In fact, there were several moments in the first half where I thought "agyemang would have been there". Pat may have screwed it up, but he would have had a fighting chance at making something happen. I know nobody else wants to hear this, but I would put big Pat as our #3 forward.

If either mcglynn or berhalter are starting in the world cup, it's because our midfield is ass.

Neither Weah nor Puli looked dangerous. That entire front line was toothless.

Luna was... fine? Not great, not terrible. He at least brought the right energy.

Loved the subs. Zendejas and Balogun brought some much needed urgency. Although there was one moment early on where it looked like zendejas had an opportunity to pick out the top left corner and didn't go for it. Otherwise, they looked dangerous and ready to combine with Puli.

Dest was fine. I would have liked to see him in the 3-5-2 as a wingback. Maybe against Japan?

I would start with 3 in the back and 2 wingbacks against Japan. I think that favors our squad, allowing us to attack up the wings.

 

He hasn't had service on the National Team for six years?

He's a "can't get open" guy.

 

The only thing that can save us now is Bielsa …we need a serious reckoning.

 

Bro can you coach??

 

Well that’s not happening so he’s useless. Also, would it kill him to make some hard, off ball runs? I’m a little hot right now so take me with a grain of salt, but I’m not interested in any more excuses for this guy.

 

The result of 2-0 is expected when the midfield has never played against top 25 team.
Berhalter doesn't give you anything that earns him another look.
Luna is a fine little guy, but against stronger, faster opponents, he just doesn't have it.
Ream's partner, Blackmon should never wear a game jersey unless he is in the stands.

As a long time USMNT follower, I cannot imagine a coach bypassing McKennie, Musah, Tillman, Reyna, Johny, and even Tessman. Poch is just a sellout to the MLS brass.

 

Gio being there won’t help this squad when they are disorganized and lack any bite or sense of will.

 

• With all do respect to MLS, if you start 6 MLS players against a top 25 national team, in what is effectively a road game, then you are unlikely to win.
• We were missing A.Robinson, Mckennie, Pepi, Tillman, Reyna, Musah, Cardoso, Scally. I think the first time we have everyone together will be June 12 2026.
• I think Poch should start playing his best time every game and get them use to each other. Experimentation is a good thing but time is us. Go with your best now, with minor tweaks. I know it's hard but press for participation now. 9 months left.

 

Dest has his abilities but when it comes to actually defending in final third as a four in the back, "wifty" is the adjective that pops into my head to describe him. If someone is dribbling down his flank, he is fine. But if you need him to adjust more zonally as danger starts presenting itself inside- not so good, imo.

 

Then why hasn't he for 17 games & over 900 minutes? W/ your club that's getting you benched a few times. The excuses are shallow.

You expressed your prejudice - no more "fringe" MLS guys. Fringe ones from the Championship, a league where MLS players have had an easy time.

I guess LDLT qualifies because he was part of the club. Nevermind he's worse in MLS than the fringe MLS guys and sucked royally his last game v. Japan.

How bout just evaluating everyone individually. Like Freeman upgraded the team's adventurousness. Find a system where he and Dest are both on the field, for example. Maybe if we play a diamond w/ ball progressors we can actually advance the ball and win it.

 

Trying to find some consolation. I guess it’s their world class player took advantage of two moments to score and create one. Aside from that they didn’t dominate us, and we had some late pressing that was decent. But overall a letdown, and enough blah across the whole field that I’m not making it league thing.

 

NJ is what, 7,000 miles from Korea but it's 80/20? SAD

 

USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino:

“I think we were better than South Korea, but if you’re not clinical… it’s difficult.” https://t.co/bo5Q4DcvPx

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) September 6, 2025

@ the presser. Poch thinks the US was the better team on the night

— scuffed (@scuffedpod) September 6, 2025

I have no words….

 

Setting aside my years-long frustration with the direction of the team and focusing on just this game.

South Korea is the type of team you do not want to concede the first goal to. They are happy to shut it down and play counter-style soccer. They are super organized defensively, and even at his age, Son can make you pay.

The biggest concern for me is that we continue to see the same issues we have already encountered, indicating that coaches are not learning and adjusting. Opposing full-backs have too much space and time, exposing our back line. We have a nonexistent plan to get players into space. In fact, we are just as slow and deliberate as we were under Berhalter. Our players are not suited to play tiki-taka. We do not have those midfielders. There are no lock pickers in the middle without Tillman. Poch seems enamoured with Berhalter, and I struggle to understand it.

It is not encouraging.

 

Going back to MMA is fine by me.

 

I think the first time we will have the correct starting 11 will be the day after USSF fires Poch.

 

Agree, although Luna is an ok bench piece for me, but Ream was just as bad as Blackmon, everyone should hear the alarm bells, but only Poch matters. He’s simply past being able to keep up with good competition. And this wasn’t his first cap.

 

wow.