2021 USMNT Thread

[NailstheCusefan12]

All the goodwill points that Berhalter had earned are gone for me

 

[Orangezoo]

Ok. I will take that point. A lot of sloppy play at times. Be glad when Pulisic comes back.

Dest and Yedlin were dissapointing. Sargeant showed a bit of creativity but we need a lot better play in the box.

I liked how they started and then how they ended the first half.

This felt a little like the Haiti and Canada games where the guys were trying to find the combinations.

Siebatcheau was a little sloppy but much much more assertive than Sargeant was.

I hope Berhalter switches up the combinations/lineup going forward.

Ream didn't have any giveaways but he plays the old boot it the other way to no one in particular way too much.

Take the point and add another 6 and we are in good shape.

 

[Alsacs]

I am happy with the point.
Not happy with the performance.
We looked intimidated.
We lose that match to Jamaica, Costa Rica and Mexico on the road.
Probably Canada As well.

 

[Orangezoo]

All the goodwill points that Berhalter had earned are gone for me

He needs to do better with his starting 11. Tonight's combination left us exposed on the left and too horizontal on the attack. That said we didn't concede, fought through the constant laser pointers and the youngsters got their feet wet again in road Concacaf play.

 

[OrangeFoo]

In one word - yuck!!

Dest should not play for the US as a fullback… he is too lazy and sloppy.

Team was completely disconnected from middle to front.

All my concerns about whether the us has players who will step up when it counts are coming back.

Gooch is nailing it in the post game… this was a missed opportunity and a team with this talent has no business playing a game like that against a team like el sal. Dempsey is also spot on - “they need someone to put the ball in the back of the net”

 

[OrangeFoo]

I am happy with the point.
Not happy with the performance.
We looked intimidated.
We lose that match to Jamaica, Costa Rica and Mexico on the road.
Probably Canada As well.

They weren’t intimidated… they were completely clueless on a strategy. El Sal was beating us with quick ball movement and switching across the field… we tried to dribble through 5 players until we lost the ball. No quick passing and little to no movement off the ball. It’s almost like we thought we were playing a youth team and could just out skill them.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I enjoy Kate Abdo.

I think she's gorgeous. But she doesn't know anything about football, and her stage banter is grating. Just my opinion.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yedlin is a sub you bring in when the back 4 have been tired and you want speed to take advantage of tired legs.
Starting him is dumb. He can’t play 90.

Yedlin and Ream played tonight in case the game got chippy; people who have been through that kind of stuff before.

 

[Orangezoo]

I am happy with the point.
Not happy with the performance.
We looked intimidated.
We lose that match to Jamaica, Costa Rica and Mexico on the road.
Probably Canada As well.

We did not look intimidated to me. We looked disorganized, indecisive and lacking chemistry in the final third. Plus a few guys dissapointed. It's too early to be worried at this point. We didn't come away empty handed like we have in the past. Just gotta move on and make some adjustments. Main thing is we need to figure things out up front. Pulisic will help there but right now the bigger issue to me is getting one of the strikers going. Need someone to start translating their club success onto international play.

 

[Alsacs]

They weren’t intimidated… they were completely clueless on a strategy. El Sal was beating us with quick ball movement and switching across the field… we tried to dribble through 5 players until we lost the ball. No quick passing and little to no movement off the ball. It’s almost like we thought we were playing a youth team and could just out skill them.

Coaching.
I have been saying for a year.
We hired an MLS manager when we needed to spend and hire a real international manager.
Berhalter is a nice guy but he won’t take the USMNT where we want.

His tactics are meh.

 

[IthacaMatt]

All the goodwill points that Berhalter had earned are gone for me

That was the game we were most likely to draw.
Our expected points for these three games are a bit over 5 - a win at home vs. Canada, and 2 draws on the road. This match had our lowest likely win % compared to the other two.
If we draw all 3, or lose either of the next two games, that would not be good.
We can still get 7 from these 3 games, which is what most were hoping for.

 

[Alsacs]

Yedlin and Ream played tonight in case the game got chippy; people who have been through that kind of stuff before.

Ream was a bad selection. We were just lucky El Salvador has no attack.

They were happy with the choppy play.

It was a poorly selected club.
Our subs did nothing.

Just glad we got the point.
I knew 5 points was the right amount to expect.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Coaching.
I have been saying for a year.
We hired an MLS manager when we needed to spend and hire a real international manager.
Berhalter is a nice guy but he won’t take the USMNT where we want.

His tactics are meh.

I thought we were set up pretty well. I didn't see any big awful mistakes that were because of people being out of position. I think the issue is that we were too one-on-one on the offensive end, waiting for Reyna or McKennie to create a moment. We needed more interplay in the final third. But this was just the first game. They will look more cohesive over the next 2 games.

Probably some heavy rotation for next game. Look for 5 or 6 guys to be swapped out for the Canada game. That, or else a bunch of guys from this game are going to sit the last one. You can't play international players 3 games in 11 days or some will be going back to their clubs hurt, which no one will be happy about.

The last game may be the easiest to win. It will be interesting to see how Berhalter shuffles his deck.

 

[Orangezoo]

Coaching.
I have been saying for a year.
We hired an MLS manager when we needed to spend and hire a real international manager.
Berhalter is a nice guy but he won’t take the USMNT where we want.

His tactics are meh.

I don't think a different coach would make an ounce of difference right now. We have never had this many pieces available all playing or most at least in upper echelon leagues. It's new territory for US soccer and the guys on the pitch need to learn how to play together as well.

The possession game and playing out of the back actually can be effective and there are signs we can do a lot with it. We just need to figure out the problem that has plagued us for years and that is getting more quality in the box and in front of goal. Every cycle no matter the coach it's the same thing.

 

[Alsacs]

I thought we were set up pretty well. I didn't see any big awful mistakes that were because of people being out of position. I think the issue is that we were too one-on-one on the offensive end, waiting for Reyna or McKennie to create a moment. We needed more interplay in the final third. But this was just the first game. They will look more cohesive over the next 2 games.

Probably some heavy rotation for next game. Look for 5 or 6 guys to be swapped out for the Canada game. That, or else a bunch of guys from this game are going to sit the last one. You can't play international players 3 games in 11 days or some will be going back to their clubs hurt, which no one will be happy about.

The last game may be the easiest to win. It will be interesting to see how Berhalter shuffles his deck.

I got no problem with the draw.
It was how we looked.
That was not a WCQ quality performance.

A good team beats us 3-0 if we play like we did tonight.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Ream was a bad selection. We were just lucky El Salvador has no attack.

They were happy with the choppy play.

It was a poorly selected club.
Our subs did nothing.

Just glad we got the point.
I knew 5 points was the right amount to expect.

He was saving Brooks for the Canada game, IMO. Might be Walker Zimmerman in back with Brooks; M. Robinson rested until next away game.

Pulisic will be back for that one, too. Ream and de la Fuente make way. Different starter at the 9 position. Might be Zardes.

Somebody will replace Aaronson - Musah, maybe, who still isn't officially Cup tied, I believe, would be a logical choice, although it will probably be Kellyn Acosta.

I would look for run-outs from Mark McKenzie, Antonee Robinson and maybe James Sands in the third game. You can't play the fullbacks every game. I liked what I saw of both Sands and McKenzie before, although maybe 3 different centerback pairings is too many. Hard to say with Berhalter.

This is the first time he's mixing both groups that won trophies this summer. I would tend toward playing more rather than fewer guys, even though it hurts continuity a bit. But that will keep everyone bought in to the new system and culture they are creating.

 

[Orangezoo]

I got no problem with the draw.
It was how we looked.
That was not a WCQ quality performance.

A good team beats us 3-0 if we play like we did tonight.

We could have looked a lot worse. These types of games on any level are just a pain to play in. If we execute in front of goal better it's a 2-0 win. Let's see how we do vs our denim loving northern neighbors.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I got no problem with the draw.
It was how we looked.
That was not a WCQ quality performance.

A good team beats us 3-0 if we play like we did tonight.

First game, dude. They had 3 days together, Pulisic is missing, and it was on the road on a crappy pitch. Reyna or McKennie might have created a moment, but not tonight.

 

[Alsacs]

First game, dude. They had 3 days together, Pulisic is missing, and it was on the road on a crappy pitch. Reyna or McKennie might have created a moment, but not tonight.

I said I expected a draw.
I wasn’t upset with the draw.

2 shots on goal isn’t acceptable.
As I said El Salvador only had 1 shot on net. If we played a decent team we lose this game by multiple goals.

I am glad we got a draw.
I expect we will beat Canada at home.
I just hope we draw at Honduras.
We only beat them 1-0 in Denver in June. I don’t expect we will beat them on the road.

 

[creatorsgam]

Hate the late starts during the week because I’m up at 5:30, but doesn’t look like I missed much.

Looking forward to Sunday and 3 points.

 

[ForCuseSake]

I think she's gorgeous. But she doesn't know anything about football, and her stage banter is grating. Just my opinion.

You got me - I was distracted and not paying much attention to her stage banter.

 

[upperdeck]

canada with a draw at home is worse result than our draw away. the short turn around for 3 games is gonna make it interesting on everyone.

 

[ForCuseSake]

Hate the late starts during the week because I’m up at 5:30, but doesn’t look like I missed much.

Looking forward to Sunday and 3 points.

Game had enough intensity and danger on both ends to keep me up till midnight (old fart, i know).

I take responsibility for jinxing Reyna. Saw his first few touches and thought he was dialed in and posted as much.

He mostly disappeared after that except for a few set pieces and a late tackle.

 

[IthacaMatt]

You got me - I was distracted and not paying much attention to her stage banter.

Yeah, this is why she got the job. LOL

 

[ForCuseSake]

Yeah, this is why she got the job. LOL


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