People pointing toward possession and how many passes the United States completed have been drugged. Van Gaal took Berhalter for a walk today. Netherlands completely disrespected the United States in the first half, ceding possession because they knew that the United States could not break them down. To be perfectly frank, Netherlands never looked uncomfortable and barely broke a sweat. Jedi and Dest were none factors for most the match as Netherlands forced USA to play more centrally. We tried to walk the ball into the goal more than once because this team is not built to score goals. We're built to possess the ball, dictate the game, and hope that the other team turns off and makes a mistake. Top teams make less mistakes than CONCACAF teams. A well drilled counter attacking side is built to score more goals than a team playing Berhalter Ball. We are going on twenty plus years of "Sure the team may be disappointed with the result today, and maybe how they played. But they should hold their heads high. They made believers of old fans, created new fans and enhanced the reputation of American soccer around the globe," takes. These takes are hogwash. The United States player has progressed from years past. More doors are open. More players are playing at higher levels. More opportunity is available for more players in MLS. Great. Problem us US Soccer as a program, not individual players, has not progressed. We're in the same spot. We're in the same rut. And we're likely to take the wrong lessons from this tournament and remain there.
Yeah I don't like the playing with house money mindset, but with the lack of prior WC experience and depth, I saw a solid base to build off of regardless of the coach. As for scheduling future matches, it will be hard because we don't have qualifiers and everyone has nations leagues. COPA America will be the best chance at preparing. It's the cards we're dealt.
Yep. UEFA Nations League is the killer here. CONMEBOL ought to be happy to have us, though. We proved that we can bring boatloads of cash to the party if nothing else, with the Copa Centenario.
I was going to ask, in all seriousness, that if you view this World Cup as a failure what would you have considered success and then I got the part where you expect the United States Men's National Team to win the 2026 World Cup and I don't think I need to ask that question anymore.
I stayed off BigSoccer to avoid dumbass posts like this, just to log in after the game to find a dumbass post like this. JFC.
1. And if that Pulisic shot early goes in ... that disrespect would not have been warranted. 2. I've been following US soccer since I was in HS. That's a loooong time ago. The young talent we have now--and where they are regularly playing--is very different from 20 years ago. Yeah, we had guys get cups of coffee in the BL and EPL back then, but outside of Cherundolo and some of our keepers, no one was a regular for a long spell. 3. As I noted above, we need more games vs European and SA opponents.
It didn't go in. Just like so many shots against England didn't go in, otherwise we would have been playing Senegal. The Dutch were more than comfortable. They barely broke a sweat. The would have had 88 more minutes to execute their plan, which worked perfectly. Again, Van Gaal took Berhalter for a walk like a sad puppy n the rain. To put it simply, over the last 20 years for the USMNT the American player has progressed, that is undeniable. As a program, the USMNT has not progressed, the results don't lie. Sure, why not.
I think quarters were likely the ceiling for this team. They reached the bare minimum of expectations in getting out of the group stage. They didn't make their round of 16 opponent break a sweat. It's a disappointment,
If this is true ... Why the apologetic "it's about 2026" narrative? Is this group of players ... And this coach ... Going to become 'true top class' in four years? That feels very aspirational ... Based of the gulf in class today ... Player-wise and coach-wise. Not Getting Grouped, Then It's Playing With House Money From Then On .... Is a good standard for a lot of countries around the world.
This game reminded me of many games when Berhalter was with the Crew. The system created good chances that weren't finished, and there were individual mistakes that cost the team on defense. Adams and Musah have been great at making up for another player's mistakes, but they were gassed. Because they were gassed, Gaal's splitting of the forwards to hinder the midfield could not be easily countered. However, the team was still creating decent chances against Gaal's tactics, so it is hard for a coach to change something that is almost working. Berhalter was bad at trying something new in those situations with the Crew, but today he did try many different things, which didn't work. Sometimes, the other opponent has the upper hand with tactics, depth, and stamina. I don't think the US system has not grown. Even in 14' under Klinsmann we gave up on playing out of the back and decided to play in a 4-4-2 counter attacking style during the tournament. For once, as Kev said, we played our style and out of the back. We changed the perceptions of american soccer in the minds of Europeans, but we still have work to do here.
Who the fvck is talking about winning the final? I’m not. Quarters would be great, let’s be real, only happened once before.
Your comment doesn’t make logical sense. Yeah in 2010 we were worse than Ghana, but we were also worse than European teams. Like, if we had beaten a European team and then also lost to Ghana then what you said would make sense. If we get more experience against European teams and we get to the point where we’re beating a Netherlands or beating an England, then I think we’ll have Ghana taken care of. I’m also not discounting tournament experience. I’m saying we should have both. You replied to a comment that the UEFA nations league will make it difficult to get experience by saying that we have the Gold Cup and Copa America so it’s fine. I was just correcting you that the person was specifically talking about experience against Europe.
I did not write anything about winning the final. You are all over the place with: - we lack top class players - we have only made the quarters once Yet .. - it's all about 2026 What leap are you seeing coming after today with this group ... Players and coach .,. Other than the tired crutch of "in their prime?"
Four more years of solid European experience for these players--some of that in the Champions League. We've also had US coaches coaching *in* those leagues in the last couple of years. That's relatively new.
Only way we get experience from European teams is friendlies. Now that friendlies are harder to schedule, it’s not realistic to schedule a bunch. Also, they’re friendlies.