Toggle sidebar

USMNT Thread

LaJollaCreek

LaJollaCreek

Well-known member
May 29, 2001
4,131
8,356
113
Alphabets said:
USMNT is a dumpster fire.
Click to expand...
Funny watching Clint and Puli's father call out Donovan who hid in the MLS most of his career for his comments on everyone else. It's not the first time we have sent a watered down squad to the Gold Cup, but it does suck to see it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alphabets
E

Erial_Lion

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2021
2,647
3,204
113
As bad of a first 33 minutes as I feared. Not enough talent out there...and what talent there is doesn't seem overly interested in this game.

It's ok though, I'm sure Berhalter (or any MLS/American coach that we might have hired) would have been given the same excuses that Pooch is given stacking up these performances.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: LaJollaCreek
LaJollaCreek

LaJollaCreek

Well-known member
May 29, 2001
4,131
8,356
113
Erial_Lion said:
As bad of a first 33 minutes as I feared. Not enough talent out there...and what talent there is doesn't seem overly interested in this game.

It's ok though, I'm sure Berhalter (or any MLS/American coach that we might have hired) would have been given the same excuses that Pooch is given stacking up these performances.
Click to expand...
Problem is Poch’s performances are duds. Talent or not it’s been an absolute step back under him so far.
 
T

Tgar

Well-known member
Nov 14, 2001
5,121
11,330
113
Panic stricken back passes with no confidence to march forward. From the first touch these guys look afraid. nobody Wants to screw up so everyone screws up.
 
E

Erial_Lion

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2021
2,647
3,204
113
The good news...very few of these guys we saw so far tonight will see the field next summer (I hope Turner doesn't, but someone else needs to step up to make that happen...and same with McKenzie, as I'm hoping Richards and 1-2 others are ahead of him on the depth chart...and don't think that B Aaronson would be on the squad if the world cup started today).

The bad news...it's a lost summer and those guys that will be playing together will have spent little time together, and even less with our coach...and I'm still not sure if we really have anyone that has any heart/grit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaJollaCreek and Tgar
E

Erial_Lion

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2021
2,647
3,204
113
Much better performance in the 2nd half as we transitioned from our "C" team to our "B-" team bringing in much more quality.

Given the current state of affairs, I just don't get that starting lineup tonight. You can argue that it's a meaningless friendly, but the guys on the field pretty much played like that was the message they were given...no effort pressing, no effort running guys down and getting the ball back, no physicality, etc. Tonight was a night where we needed to install some confidence, search for some type of momentum, etc. Instead, we throw out what was, to be kind, an experimental lineup.

McKenzie really drops in the pecking order for me after another poor performance. And what the hell has happened Brandon Aaronson. He used to be a high intensity guy, but he added nothing. Luna made that second half watchable...so much energy, more creativity, not afraid to go at guys or into a crowd to make something happen, etc. That was completely lacking in the first 45.

On to the Gold Cup. I don't have high hopes, but hoping we can at least make it respectable (win the group, make the semi, etc)...sad that my expectations are that low, but I really fear that it could go horribly wrong.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CyphaPSU and Tgar
CyphaPSU

CyphaPSU

Well-known member
Oct 25, 2021
897
1,448
93
I don't care if this was a veritable C-team. Biggest problem I had a stationary set of players in attacking positions in the final third. When the Swiss were still competing in the first half they showed what basic attacking soccer looks like: off-ball diagonals and passes into the spaces those runs create. They were consistently moving with coordinated numbers.

Our guys didn't usually show any spring in their step unless the ball got wide, anticipating a cross (into heavy traffic, I might add). Vertical runs are easy to mark. Additionally, far too many route-1 lobs over the top full of hope and not much else in the first half as well.

Some of these are issues not limited to this MLS-laden squad or this manager. It happens with the first team and goes back years. Something needs to change in the mentality.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Erial_Lion, Tgar and LaJollaCreek
CyphaPSU

CyphaPSU

Well-known member
Oct 25, 2021
897
1,448
93
Erial_Lion said:
Luna made that second half watchable...so much energy, more creativity, not afraid to go at guys or into a crowd to make something happen, etc. That was completely lacking in the first 45.
Click to expand...
He provides that little something that can make a huge difference in a team's attack. And specifically what is that? An effective attack relies on gaining the advantage in two areas: space and numbers. Unless it's a quick counter, the defending team typically has the numbers advantage. So, your attackers need to be able to open up space with runs that either pull defenders out of their shape or that find the pockets of space. However, passing lanes are usually cut off by the defenders closing down on whoever is possessing the ball at any one moment. So, sometimes all you need to unlock a defense in their low or mid-block is for the guy with the ball at his feet to beat his marker, even if just for a step or two. That opens up passing lanes and usually pulls another defender or two out of their shape, opening up even more space (assuming there is off-ball movement, of course). Luna at the very least tries to do this! We can't keep playing back passes and then wait to get the ball wide because we find no space in the middle. There is no space in the middle because we rarely beat our markers on the dribble. Pulisic can provide this in spurts, Gio can provide it when he's both mentally and physically there, and Dest can actually be very effective at this. But, after those guys it's difficult to name much of anyone else in the pool besides Luna.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tgar
E

Erial_Lion

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2021
2,647
3,204
113
Thought last night was a pretty decent showing overall. Don't want to go overboard over a 1-0 win over a Saudi "B" team, but think that Richards is really solidifying his starting spot at CB, Tillman and Luna both showing that they need to have a role, and Freese at least might give us another option (he wasn't tested much, but he made no mistakes and that might be enough to take a step forward in the current GK pool). Ream also with another good showing and makes me wonder if he can make it another 12 months and be starting next summer.

We did a really good job keeping possession most of the night...but really had a lack of chances and very little creativity in the final 3rd. Thankfully Richards was onside by a whisker and we clinched the group. I'm expecting to see the "C" squad now against Haiti with nothing on the line.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bwifan
B

Bwifan

Well-known member
Oct 12, 2021
1,810
3,202
113
Erial_Lion said:
Thought last night was a pretty decent showing overall. Don't want to go overboard over a 1-0 win over a Saudi "B" team, but think that Richards is really solidifying his starting spot at CB, Tillman and Luna both showing that they need to have a role, and Freese at least might give us another option (he wasn't tested much, but he made no mistakes and that might be enough to take a step forward in the current GK pool). Ream also with another good showing and makes me wonder if he can make it another 12 months and be starting next summer.

We did a really good job keeping possession most of the night...but really had a lack of chances and very little creativity in the final 3rd. Thankfully Richards was onside by a whisker and we clinched the group. I'm expecting to see the "C" squad now against Haiti with nothing on the line.
Click to expand...
The lack of creativity or having the personnel on the field to create was definetly on display. Seemed no one could win 1-1 battles or beat the man guarding them. Forced them to control the ball and be patient which they were but to have no one that seemed to be able to beat their guy straight up was a little concerning as well as what coaches thought that was a good idea was a bit of a head scratcher for me.
 
E

Erial_Lion

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2021
2,647
3,204
113
Mexico-Costa Rica now to determine our quarterfinal opponent. Mexico loses and we play them, otherwise we play CR.
 
Woodpecker

Woodpecker

Well-known member
May 29, 2001
3,594
6,875
113
HarrisburgDave said:
Take tough over pretty boys every time. Problem is there may not be many tough men in the USA.
Click to expand...
IMO, Agyemang has been playing pretty tough. He doesn't seem especially skillful but he appears to be working hard out there often with guys climbing all over him.
 
E

Erial_Lion

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2021
2,647
3,204
113
kgilbert78 said:
I'm not expecting a win over CR with this team.
Click to expand...
I am...this isn't a good CR team (they've really taken a step back, though somehow Navas is still going strong), and add to it that yellow card accumulation means they'll be missing some guys. Implied odds give us something like an 80% chance to win, and that appears right to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaJollaCreek
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom