World Cup thread
- Thread starter Catman100
- Start date
Sorry. You can’t leave one of the best forwards in the world unmarked because of lack of effort. Especially as the captain.
Hopefully he will learn from it and grow and be ready for 26.
Hopefully he will learn from it and grow and be ready for 26.
What a downer.
Just not accepting the youth excuse and the we will be more experienced in 2026.
We have to be the winning team and not just the competitive team.
I don’t see some massive improvement and hope for the future. Just as good a chance of us not qualifying if it wasn’t in North America as of us getting as far as we did this WC.
This just sucks.
Just not accepting the youth excuse and the we will be more experienced in 2026.
We have to be the winning team and not just the competitive team.
I don’t see some massive improvement and hope for the future. Just as good a chance of us not qualifying if it wasn’t in North America as of us getting as far as we did this WC.
This just sucks.
Well we wouldn’t be in danger of not qualifying because of the expansion but everything else you say Is valid. Youth is no excuse. This is by far the most talent assembled in us soccer history. You’re also right berhalter wants to spin it that we need respect and we earned it. The problem is it wasn’t long ago we were playing Germany in the quarters. These guys in the studio talking about respect for the USA and our growth. We just got smoked. Play a set that gives you a chance to win not a set that gives you a ton of scoring chances. Scoring doesn’t win games mf wins games. Usa doesn’t have the team to run and run and press. We don’t even have a finisher. Play a strong mf. Possess the ball and keep play for a 1-0 or 2-1 match. Get it to pks. Best game we played was against England and it’s because we played an extra guy in the mf.
Van gaal took berhalter to the wood shed. As they said in the studio rope a dope. Berhalter is the dope.
We’ll, then you’re just ignorant. This may be one of the dumbest takes in this thread.
Second youngest team at the World Cup. Experience at this level means everything. While our top European players are on good clubs, they’re still young and inexperienced as professionals.
VVD has been pure **** for Liverpool in PL this season, but still has tremendous leadership of his team and was always at least in good position. His presence alone heat Holland’s back line in position.
We have the quality to compete at a QF or SF level. Probably not enough depth for this WC, but that will improve by 2026.
Finally, we lost this game when we conceded late against Wales. We had to play with 110% effort against Iran and had no opportunity to rotate the squad.
Well I hope we have new coach at the next WC. I feel Berhalter isn't the guy to take this team to the next level. If we get a coach who isn't married to a system and can craft a system to fit our young players, we will be much better off
We need that and to find a #9. If we have better tactics and someone who can actually put the ball in the net, it's game on, we can compete with anyone
It sucks, but Im coming away optimistic and hopeful of a QF or SF run when North America hosts the next one. We have a bunch of young talent, let's get a coach, then find a world class American #9 and boom. We sure Haaland or Salah doesn't have any American in them, maybe even a bloodline with Jonathan David, we sure he is Canadian??
We need that and to find a #9. If we have better tactics and someone who can actually put the ball in the net, it's game on, we can compete with anyone
It sucks, but Im coming away optimistic and hopeful of a QF or SF run when North America hosts the next one. We have a bunch of young talent, let's get a coach, then find a world class American #9 and boom. We sure Haaland or Salah doesn't have any American in them, maybe even a bloodline with Jonathan David, we sure he is Canadian??
I’m no fan of Gregg, but not sure what else he had available to him to handle a 3-4-1-2 from the Dutch. We had absolutely no CF to occupy at least 2 of the CBs. Sargent would’ve been the best we had, but neither Ferreira or Wright were going to pose problems.
Not bringing Pefok or Pepi for Morris was colossally stupid.
Ignorant? wow.
You can suck on youth all you want, but eventually you have to get RESULTS.
Here are some facts:
USA came real close to not qualifying for this WC after missing the 2018 WC.
Should have beaten Wales.
Really could have beaten England.
Was a late potential penalty against Iran from being eliminated in the group stage.
You can go down the list of experienced teams at this WC and a bunch of them are already back home, so experience does not equate to RESULTS. You say we have the quality to compete at the QF and SF level, not sure how you can say that for a certainty when we have only been to one each in almost the last 100 years.
We have to get goals and results in CONCACAF and the WC. I hope our youth does develop into WC stars, but my point is there are no guarantees that will happen, and unless we have players playing big minutes in places other than MLS, not sure how they are going to develop into WC difference makers. If you think that's an ignorant take, then I don't know what to tell you.
Lalas, or somebody said it after the game, we have to be the winning side, not just the competitive side. Losing big games gives you the experience of LOSING.
Berhalter needs to be gone, but anyone who doesn’t think this team will be better in 2026 hasn’t watched how much better we’ve gotten since 2018. Holland is the better team and their style is to make teams look like they’re not disciplined. The lack of a pure Stiker for the US was always going to be an issue. Luckily with a new coach maybe Ricardo Pepi will get some more work with the team. I’m not sure why he was left off the roster for this World Cup. He could become the next best US soccer product.
Wow I'm gonna go play the lotto now. What a guess I made lol.
You’re right it started with the composition of the roster. Then knowing he has a solid 11 then a massive drop off well. A basketball analogy. 1996 finals vs Syracuse. If they had run with UK they would have lost by 30. Wisconsin 2015. They run up and down with us they lose. You have to give your team a chance. If you don’t have proven goal scorers don’t press and get into an up and down match against a team with finishers. Put numbers in the mf. Slow the game. Save your guys from having to cover massive space in short periods. When dest and Robinson attack hard from the back and there is no rotation for those guys that’s a recipe for a fast counter and a team who can’t finish the game.
Btw all the goals the ones our defenders are swing blamed for began with breakdowns in the mf. Mf were too tired to track their guys. Like I said berhalter was creative one time in the last 2 years. That was against England and our best result.
The other thing. The most critical points in a match are in the first 5-10 min, the final 5-10 min of both halves and right after a team scores. We failed at the end of the first half giving up that goal then failed again after we hit with in 1. That’s piss poor game management. Seems to me though Gregg and his team was satisfied with their tournament. Speaks to the mindset of these guys. We could have won this game or at least taken it to OT and pks with a coach who really understands the objective of the game as he demonstrated vs england. Don’t know where that guy went.
It’s time to clean out the old guard 1990s influence on this team. The ncaa and mls mentality still exists starts with the coach.
It’s worth noting that over the past 1-2 years the US has been the best team in CONCACAF. Last loss to Mexico was in the Gold Cup final in 2019. Get a proper coach and this team will be a force in 2026. Unfortunately Berhalter is American and very unlikely to be let go any time soon.
I agree with all of this. Berhalter thinks he got as far as he could with this bunch.
Once again, I am talking about results.
And not sure how you say the US is the best team in CONCACAF when they finished T-3rd.
Competitive is one thing, winning is something else.
But I do agree, I do not think Berhalter is the guy to take us to the next level, if we indeed are capable of going to a next level.
We don’t make the step with Gregg at the top you’re right on about that. A “pure striker” has been the most elusive spot to fill since the the modern inception of US soccer. Ball strikers in this team are lacking too. Didn’t do squat on set pieces the entire tournament. We lack a big physical striker with skills who can do more than hold the ball. We lack ball strikers who can finish and 3-4 guys who can win balls in the air off hard diagonal early balls sent in.
You said you don’t see home for improvement in the future. Yes, that’s just blatantly ignorant.
If you don’t think this core team (which will be back in 4yrs) isn’t going to improve with more regular play in European leagues, including UCL, that’s dumb as f*ck.
Go look at the squad that qualified for the Olympics. That team is loaded with talent. They will start making the jump like Pulisic, Weah, McKinnie, Adams, Aaronson did in the last couple years.
And this team qualified and made the knockout with a coach who couldn’t manage his way out of the MLS.
So yah, moronic take all around chump.
I don’t think berhalter leads this team into a must win big 2026 WC in USA. It’s gonna be a real coach. Not a guy who cut his teeth as an ncaa player. Idk who it will be but it will be a proven coach like a Carlos Queiroz who may be too old but put the blueprint together for US success. I mean we aren’t where we are without him and for along time he was pegged to be our coach. The guy has taken 4 or 5 teams to the World Cup including Iran back to back. It’s going to be a proven student of the game not one of these 1990s former us player retreads
Where you finish in qualifying doesn’t mean anything. Holy ****, if that’s what you think, you’re on a different level of dumb.
I have a feeling there are going to be more than a few players from the current U20 group that we’re going to see on this roster in four years.
One round of Qualifying Pulisic had COVID and missed one game. One round of qualifying Berhalter suspended McKennie. One round they didn’t have Ream, CCV, or Miles Robinson. It’s the unfortunate part of World Cup qualifying taking place during the breaks of the regular season.
We did not have anyone who could score and we had PLENTY of opportunities. The only good goal came from Weah the 2 other goals were pure luck and had nothing to do with skill (Pulisic running into the ball then the other a crazy deflection off the foot). Hopefully we can find someone who can hit open players or get their own shot in the next few years. Pulisik did not impress me at all seems more like a midfielder and our strikers were non existent. Dest seems like he made more plays in the box than any of our forwards.
Lol those guys are already stuck with their national teams. Over all you are spot on and I’m sure the Davies, Salah comments are in jest. We have some guys in U16s and U18s who will be studs but as you say we need the right coach who doesn’t force his system of play rather adjusts to the strengths of the team. We have the talent in development legit strikers are tough to come by for any country.
In regards to future talent.. I've always heard things like "Just wait another decade or two, Soccer will be the biggest sport in the US!".
I actually think the opposite at this point: Soccer has peaked in the US, not in terms of popularity as a spectator sport, but in terms of the talent we will add to the field going forward. Lacrosse, while not a seasonal competitor to Soccer, is growing fast, and it's a similar style of sport that appears to be stealing youth soccer players. It's a direct competitor to Soccer, where as sports like Basketball and Football aren't.
Youth participation for Soccer is down, and I don't see that changing. The big sports are all growing (except baseball). The type of talent we will have in the US, right now.. is probably the best crop we'll have to pick from. Barring some change like a US-born transcendent player emerging.
I actually think the opposite at this point: Soccer has peaked in the US, not in terms of popularity as a spectator sport, but in terms of the talent we will add to the field going forward. Lacrosse, while not a seasonal competitor to Soccer, is growing fast, and it's a similar style of sport that appears to be stealing youth soccer players. It's a direct competitor to Soccer, where as sports like Basketball and Football aren't.
Youth participation for Soccer is down, and I don't see that changing. The big sports are all growing (except baseball). The type of talent we will have in the US, right now.. is probably the best crop we'll have to pick from. Barring some change like a US-born transcendent player emerging.
Funny enough my little brothers play BOTH (and hockey).. but they seem to prefer Soccer the most, which I attribute to my step mom playing soccer growing up and forcing them into it lol.
And yeah, Lax seems to be that upper middle class sport now.. it's becoming very popular in New York in some of the more rich and predominantly white areas.
What I find interesting about it, and the situation, is how similar it is to Soccer in terms of general mechanics and play style. Where as American football is physical and generally requires size, and basketball also requires a certain height, and then Hockey which is driven regionally.. soccer was that "other" sport that could live on its own. But now Lacrosse has become a competitor for the same types of players
Lol not really. I have never pined for a player who decided on lacross over soccer. As a matter of fact I don’t think lacross and soccer are as connected as ice hockey. If there are players lost it’s to ice hockey. Most guys who go lacross were awful to average soccer players. It just doesn’t require the level of footwork the way ice hockey does. In Scandinavian countries they have a saying. If your rich you start in soccer and play hockey. If you’re poor you play soccer. Most hockey nhl players were or are very very good soccer players. A lot of those guys would play soccer for their country.
The African Latino comment. There is a troubling issue this World Cup showed. US soccer has not over come the hump especially with Latinos. Roldán Ferreira who else is Latino on this team? Reyna? We count him? Really bad look for US soccer after the outreach and the talented Latino players in and left out of the system. It’s not going to help us soccer leaving a guy like Pepi off the roster. We need much more Latino representation on the national team.
Wow kid, 11 pages of this thread and I can't find anybody else throwing out replies calling people ignorant and dumb. Stop being a keyboard warrior and tell mom to make you some meatloaf.
The comment was disputing that the USA was the best team in CONCACAF. Not only did the final results show that not to be the case, but that T-3rd was one USA loss and one Panama win from us not even qualifying.
If you can't see that was a very thin ice qualification, and that calling the USA the best team in CONCACAF is a stretch at best, then tell mom she needs to get you out in the real world a little more instead of letting you stay in the basement watching YouTube videos all day.
Fact. Not that it hasn't been stated everywhere repeatedly, but we haven't developed/found such players. No forwards with ability to control passes, dribble, get shots off quickly, get on high passes for headers. Sorely lacking component.
Calling USA best in CONC. is like saying they're the best team in AA pro baseball minors.
-are any of the them bigger than 5'10" 160? The US (excluding defenders) seem to be dwarfed by the euro teams.
Haven’t watched a single second of this garbage. Can’t wait to do the same thing whenever this happens again lol.
Far more talent though than arenas or Bradley had.
Also you mention cb. That’s something that people over look as being a massive need. I don’t think berhalter really ever wanted ream or Zimmerman as his cbs. He tried like hell to try all kinds of guys there. We need to get a lot better need a big vocal cb. Idk if 21-22 yr old though will be the kind of guy you want back there. Usually a guy with experience and ability to really read the game. But it’s a definite need area. On that 3rd goal Robinson has no idea that guy is making a blindside run. Turner or Zimmerman have to let him know. Turner Imo isn’t a very vocal GK. But I think he will become more over the next 3 years after this experience.
It slipped my mind but miles Robinson is one of 2 future CBs
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