USMNT 2022 World Cup Qualifying Thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
I will chime in since you are quoting me here hehe.
Lets get one thing out of the way, the only reason Berhalter is coach, is because his brother hired him. I find that a bit pathetic.
We could have had Jesse Marsch, we could have had Tata Martino, but no, they weren't even interviewed.
Just Jay's brother Gregg.
It is fair to say we have a young team, but it is an extremely talented team and a team who has players starting for teams at the very top leagues in Europe. A realistic expectation would have been not losing games that we should be winning. Not finishing behind Canada. Not coming so close to having to go to the playoffs! We go through on fricken goal differential. Again, with the most talented team in US history.
The product on the field is dreadful and boring. The fact that on multiple occasions, Berhalter has had to make 3 halftime subs in crucial games goes to show how poor he is at picking his team. That is something I have rarely seen in major competition and I have been watching this game for over 20 years. (Im a Celtic Supporter as well, which I am sure you could guess why I rate Vickers so high)
The US hasn't to Canada since 1985, until Berhalter of course, he managed it twice.
I'm sorry, but wanting Pefok in there isn't "backup QB syndrome". Their actual abilities are quantifiable. Pefok was the top scorer in the swiss league last year and lighting it up for the first place team in the Bundesliga. Pepe is such ****, he didn't score for almost a year. But thats ok, because Berhalter apparently doesn't care if his strikers score goals, just that they play in his "system".
Also, FIFA rankings mean nothing. You must know that. We were once ranked 6th, which is absurd.
So again, Berhalter took more talent than any US team has every had and came within a hair of not qualifying for the world cup.
I have no thoughts of where we WILL end up in the world cup but if we don't finish at least 2nd, I would consider that a tragedy.
They have the talent to beat both. But as Berhalter said, it doesn't matter if we win, just that we play the system.
Good conversation here. The reality is that the USMNT is likely going to struggle in the group at Qatar. It does not mean they will not qualify out of the group, but I'm somewhat not expecting it. It's been fun watching these kids do mostly well in qualifying and in other Concacaf competitions, but the fact remains that we've still only been mostly tested against teams from our region. There are legitimate questions as to how they have looked in the past year against teams that have also qualified for the World Cup (particularly when not on home soil). The center back and striker issues are real and may hold this team back in tangible ways. Even our cherished starters from this group can look shaky in retaining possession against the press, but at the same time a manager who is locked into a system approach is another concern in regards to inflexibility. These two are not mutually exclusive concerns.
Not to both, but I could see a draw or 2 draws or a loss to one...then missing out on points. We can get out of the group too, but it's not a sure thing was my point. I'm hoping like hell they exceed all of our expectations, but I'm not convinced they simply walk out of that group. Babbling about a coach is the only reason we aren't the best nation or a top nation in the world is nonsense right now. Even if Pep were coaching this squad people would question some of his selections or complain when they don't hoist the cup. It's not unique to the US either...all of the squad call ups get some scrutiny. You see people hit the same nail 150 times and it's not budging....it gets a bit old.
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I would agree that the backup QB syndrome is not a one-to-one correlation here. While backup QB is not typically offered kind of chances to prove himself at the same level of competition as the starting QB is (i.e., going against starters when the game is still in doubt), an international soccer player can prove himself and his worth on the pitch depending on club play. In this situation, Pefok is being tested at a level currently higher than any other striker in the pool and he's done well in both creating and scoring goals (whether in the Champions League last year or the BL so far this season). I know Gregg does not rate him within his vision of the team, but I hope at the very least he gets on the plane to Qatar. Today is a very important test for Pepi.
The whole "the only reason Berhalter was hired is his brother" is such BS. He had coached in Europe and was one of the top coaches in MLS. Jesse Marsch had just left MLS to be an assistant at Leipzig. You really think Marsch's resume is that much better than Greggs at the time of the hiring?
Who the F cares if we hadn't lost to Canada in "x" years...this is far and away the best Canadian team we've all seen. If prior Canada teams had the best player in CONCACAF, other coaches would have lost to them. Canada won the group...should Mexico also be ashamed that they finished behind this Canadian squad? And this "we came within a hair of not qualifying" isn't close to reality. We went into the final day locked into no worse than a playoff that we would have been heavily favored in, and need to lose by 6 goals for that to even happen.
Also your claim of "The fact that on multiple occasions, Berhalter has had to make 3 halftime subs in crucial games goes to show how poor he is at picking his team" isn't even correct as far as I'm aware. The one instance where he made 3 subs at halftime was against Honduras when we turned a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 win. What other game did we make 3 subs at halftime? And, if he's a Euro coach, many probably say "wow, what adjustments this coach made at halftime to change the game". But nope, this just proves he's terrible (I mean, if you criticize a coach for winning 4-1 in a game that was looking bad, when won't you criticize him?).
And I'd adjust your expectations that not finishing at least 2nd in this group would be a "tragedy"...probably a coin flip as to if we make it out, regardless of our coach.
Now now, a different coach is easy to hype up since it isn’t happening. All the **** sticks to that wall because there is zero ways to prove it.
Good point, let's watch the games. (USA currently on their heels against the mighty Saudi team)
Oh there we go! The CB's turning the ball over AGAIN.
Shots and goals don't matter. So long as they play in the system.
I hope we put up a fight at Michigan because tO$U is going to crush us
Awww. Baby wanna bottle...Good god man. Could be the stupidest thing posted here, ever. And you're so effing stupid you quoted me twice
GreggK said:
I will never understand people who insist on being negative. We have a choice in life to be positive or negative. I will never understand those who choose negativity.
And spare me with the “I’m a realist” BS. Fact is, none of us are able to see the future, so none of these thoughts are based on reality. Just a choice, to be negative
I hope we put up a fight at Michigan because tO$U is going to crush us
Awww. Baby wanna bottle...Good god man. Could be the stupidest thing posted here, ever. And you're so effing stupid you quoted me twicewww.on3.com
GreggK said:
I will never understand people who insist on being negative. We have a choice in life to be positive or negative. I will never understand those who choose negativity.
And spare me with the “I’m a realist” BS. Fact is, none of us are able to see the future, so none of these thoughts are based on reality. Just a choice, to be negative
You can quote me all you want. I am beginning to think you actually know Berhalter. (not kidding)
There is a difference between me critiquing a team getting their asses kicked and looking like trash against Japan and many times during qualifying and others critiquing our undefeated team.
Do you not see the difference or are you just mad I don't like our coach.
Again, when the defenders are constantly getting beat and turning the ball over (all quantifiable) and there are players on the bench or not even on the team who are top defenders in top leagues not playing, it is completely fair to question the person picking the team.
You are being disingenuous or actually don't understand the difference.
Never met Gregg B.
Humor me...who are the "top defenders in top leagues" that are not playing for us right now? Is Portugal a "top league" (solid, but I certainly don't rate it quite that high, and is Brooks a top defender there today)? Ream/Richards obviously aren't even close to the top defenders in the Prem. Scotland clearly isn't close a top league.
Am I "mad" that you don't like the coach? No...However, it's quite annoying when you talking about his brother having full hiring power for the USMNT like it's fact, the fact that Gregg makes 3 subs a game at halftime like it's a frequent occurrence, giving him zero credit at all for any of our successes (it's like, beating Mexico is meaningless, but losing a friendly in an empty stadium is a huge loss), etc.
How about I ask you a question. Do you think Aaron Long and Walker Zimmerman are better players than John Brooks, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Joe Scally, and Chris Richards? I know CCV and Richards are hurt right now but even in qualifiers, not picked much if at all. I find keeping Brooks on the bench to be indefensible. Not only has he been a great defender for us, he has been there before, and that matters.
Also, its not like I made up or I am the only one who feels this way about Berhalter. There are have been articles written about it.
I don't care that he lost to Japan. I care that this team is a complete jumbled mess a month two months before the world cup. All of this talk of a system and all I see is a completely disorganized team. This isn't a system. This is a bunch of random parts functioning independently.
Are you actually happy with what you have seen on the field in the past year?
I haven't seen Brooks play in a while, so I can't comment on him. He certainly has his strengths, but also his liabilities. I'd take either of them over CCV today, and if Scally is on the field, I'd want him out wide (so yes, I'd rather see Long or Zimmerman in the middle over him). I'd love to have Richards starting if he's healthy...Richards wasn't playing consistently during Qualifying while he was trying to work things out at Bayern, so that's a pretty rough criticism (especially when you're discounting that M Robinson was anchoring the center for a lot of those games).
In games that matter, I'm absolutely happy with what we've seen. You have an issue with people questioning this year's PSU team when we squeaked by Purdue and had an uneven game against C Mich, but yet when we qualify for the World Cup with relative little stress, you see it as a valid criticism that we "qualified by a hair".
I'm not going to take a whole lot win or lose from today's game...for you, I'm sure that a loss with be an indictment on Gregg B, while a win is meaningless since Saudi Arabia sucks and we should have won by more. My biggest concern is staying healthy.
Dunno, ask Berhalter. He already said there was no injury.
It was reported that Reyna had a bit of a fit when he was taken out and Berhalter chased him down the tunnel.
(trying to see if there is a video)
Not sure what that means, but damnit,
Am I obsessed with Berhalter? No. Am I obsessed with USA soccer? Yes.
What I just wasted my time watching was pathetic. Not sure how else you could put it.
Cool, now you don't have to waste any more time. In fact don't waste your time in November either.
My projected starting 11 against Wales (if God willing, everyone is healthy)…
Pulisic—————Ferreira—————-Weah
——————Musah———-MeKennie——-
—————————Adams————————-
Antonee—Richards—-Zimmerman—Dest
—————————-Turner————————-
Biggest leap of faith is that Richards starts seeing action at Palace as he’s getting healthy.
Pulisic—————Ferreira—————-Weah
——————Musah———-MeKennie——-
—————————Adams————————-
Antonee—Richards—-Zimmerman—Dest
—————————-Turner————————-
Biggest leap of faith is that Richards starts seeing action at Palace as he’s getting healthy.
Musah is a must. I wish Weah could play up top for us with Reyna out side as Ferriera has never moved the needle for me. They all have a ton of club soccer left prior to the WC so hopefully we can just get everyone there in one piece. At least most in this thread want to have some discussions without being whiney c---ts.
Sargent would be my pick up top, but don’t see it happening…I’d also want to start Ream.
I gotta ask, why are you so annoyed/upset that I don't like the USA mens soccer coach.
And mind you, I am part of a VERY large contingent of people.
Did you like what you saw out there today? Did you like what you saw against Japan?
Ream is interesting as well, but I don't see him getting the look now unless folks go down with an injury. Sargent in terms of finding the goal...I'm with you. I wouldn't argue that either, but we'll have to see what shakes out. With the WC right in the middle of their club seasons....you just have to wonder who will be healthy? The US has a decent midfield and wingers, but CB and a striker are just not there yet for the US. Ream, Carter Vickers.....or the 2 he marches out there. It was an odd warm up as it was in Europe with no fans and it was disjointed all the way around. Either way, appreciate the discussion. I'm going to tune out the rest.
Gregg, he's going to coach the WC. Nothing you or your LARGE group of people can do about it now. Nobody here has put him in the HOF and nobody here is even putting him on a pedestal. People wanted him out before he coached a GD game, then he won some trophies and got us qualified so they had to STFU for a bit and now they come crawling back out. Awesome, it's not going to change a thing between now and November. He earned the right to coach the WC whether you like it or not...and we all know you don't. We got it. We know you don't like his comments on the system....we got it. You know how PSU has a few posters that just piss all over Franklin non stop no matter what.....aren't they a tad bit annoying at times?
We all want the US to do well and that means Berhalter too....if he doesn't the next HC has a very young nucleus to move forward with over the next four years. I'm done with this discussion on him to be honest...way over it.
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