2021 USMNT Thread

[DeGrozz]

Back 4 has been so so bad.

But we're winning!

As a man who has followed Jason Kreis' career closely for the last 6 years, I can tell you this and our poor spacing in the final third are the least surprising things to me about this game.

On a side note, this is a great reminder of how ugly games in CONCACAF can get despite the talent gaps that we'll have in most games.

 

[skurey]

I quit soccer in 6th grade and I bet I would have a better first touch than half these guys

 

[creatorsgam]

I quit soccer in 6th grade and I bet I would have a better first touch than half these guys

 

[crv1728]

Not sure what to think of that match, but for the most part it was not impressive. At least they are in a good position to make it to semi finals

 

[Toga]

Goalie looked solid. The rest were meh.

 

[DeGrozz]

I quit soccer in 6th grade and I bet I would have a better first touch than half these guys

It's amazing how many people don't understand the basics of this game, yet still think people want to hear their opinions...

 

[skurey]

God you guys are a bunch of humorless boomers

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

 

[creatorsgam]

 

[OrangeFoo]

This is terrific news. He and McKennie and Adams in the midfield is potentially world class. This team needs a left back and a world class striker. We have a better roster than we've had in years, and they are all still so young, and yet already proven on the international stage.

This article has a projected line up. The future is really looking bright.

Yunus Musah commits to USMNT

Yunus Musah has committed to play for the USMNT on the international stage, as the talented teenage midfielder has given Gregg Berhalter a huge boost.

soccer.nbcsports.com

I think the starting forward might be Duke, not Sargent. He is doing amazing with Barnesly in the lower division in England.

Future is definitely bright, I think the weakest link is coaching.

 

[creatorsgam]

Future is definitely bright, the weakest link is coaching.

Fixed.

I hope my post ages poorly.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think the starting forward might be Duke, not Sargent. He is doing amazing with Barnesly in the lower division in England.

Future is definitely bright, I think the weakest link is coaching.

I just took a look at Dike, and was really impressed. Physical, pretty quick. Five goals in 11 games is very solid in the Championship. They play the type of game there that suits CONCACAF. His style is what we've been missing since Altadore was still good.

 

[cusefan88]

I just took a look at Dike, and was really impressed. Physical, pretty quick. Five goals in 11 games is very solid in the Championship. They play the type of game there that suits CONCACAF. His style is what we've been missing since Altadore was still good.

Dike definitely will be more useful than Sargent when it comes to the bunkering and physical play with some of the central american sides.

This is the beauty of the USMNT slowly getting better and finding more players. Now they can start to build a roster/depth that is capable of having different personnel to suit the opponent/match style.

 

[DeGrozz]

Fixed.

I hope my post ages poorly.

I don't love, don't hate Berhalter. I think he has the opportunity to be okay for us.

1.5 years ago though, we had none of the attributes to get an excellent national team coach. We weren't throwing China-like money at a legend. We weren't a WC contender and at the time looked like we could struggle qualifying in 2022. There was no great American soccer coach looking to take his home country to a World Cup. We were missing a full cycle of talent and none of our young stars had really broken out or committed to the US yet (with the exception of Brooks and Puli). This was a ridiculously unattractive job. (edit: I should also add, the USSF was only ever going one way anyway)

All of the sudden though, there is a little bit of a buzz about the talent that the US is putting together.

We're obviously no where near where we need to be talent-wise to win a World Cup, but I think we could at least be seen as a lower-stress, potentially extremely fun coaching opportunity with the roster we have. That may attract the right coach who needs a break from the grind of the European game.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

I don't love, don't hate Berhalter. I think he has the opportunity to be okay for us.

1.5 years ago though, we had none of the attributes to get an excellent national team coach. We weren't throwing China-like money at a legend. We weren't a WC contender and at the time looked like we could struggle qualifying in 2022. There was no great American soccer coach looking to take his home country to a World Cup. We were missing a full cycle of talent and none of our young stars had really broken out or committed to the US yet (with the exception of Brooks and Puli). This was a ridiculously unattractive job. (edit: I should also add, the USSF was only ever going one way anyway)

All of the sudden though, there is a little bit of a buzz about the talent that the US is putting together.

We're obviously no where near where we need to be talent-wise to win a World Cup, but I think we could at least be seen as a lower-stress, potentially extremely fun coaching opportunity with the roster we have. That may attract the right coach who needs a break from the grind of the European game.

Not sure that I love him as a national team coach but Arsene Wenger seems to praise the USMNT on TV any chance he gets.

 

[DeGrozz]

Not sure that I love him as a national team coach but Arsene Wenger seems to praise the USMNT on TV any chance he gets.

He's a prime example of what I was thinking of when I wrote those last few lines. Unfortunately, he'll probably be in his late 70s when the next WC rolls around, so it looks like our timelines will never match-up.

But I think there is potential for someone 65-70 years old (next cycle) who wraps up their club coaching career and sees living in Cali/Miami/NYC for a few years as an attractive option to take a chance on us.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I don't love, don't hate Berhalter. I think he has the opportunity to be okay for us.

1.5 years ago though, we had none of the attributes to get an excellent national team coach. We weren't throwing China-like money at a legend. We weren't a WC contender and at the time looked like we could struggle qualifying in 2022. There was no great American soccer coach looking to take his home country to a World Cup. We were missing a full cycle of talent and none of our young stars had really broken out or committed to the US yet (with the exception of Brooks and Puli). This was a ridiculously unattractive job. (edit: I should also add, the USSF was only ever going one way anyway)

All of the sudden though, there is a little bit of a buzz about the talent that the US is putting together.

We're obviously no where near where we need to be talent-wise to win a World Cup, but I think we could at least be seen as a lower-stress, potentially extremely fun coaching opportunity with the roster we have. That may attract the right coach who needs a break from the grind of the European game.

I am not a fan of Berhalter... who looks at Tyler Adams and sees a rb? Also his loyalty to MLS players seems misguided. Some of his losses in the nations cup are inexcusable.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don't love, don't hate Berhalter. I think he has the opportunity to be okay for us.

1.5 years ago though, we had none of the attributes to get an excellent national team coach. We weren't throwing China-like money at a legend. We weren't a WC contender and at the time looked like we could struggle qualifying in 2022. There was no great American soccer coach looking to take his home country to a World Cup. We were missing a full cycle of talent and none of our young stars had really broken out or committed to the US yet (with the exception of Brooks and Puli). This was a ridiculously unattractive job. (edit: I should also add, the USSF was only ever going one way anyway)

All of the sudden though, there is a little bit of a buzz about the talent that the US is putting together.

We're obviously no where near where we need to be talent-wise to win a World Cup, but I think we could at least be seen as a lower-stress, potentially extremely fun coaching opportunity with the roster we have. That may attract the right coach who needs a break from the grind of the European game.

What European coaches would you like to see as candidates?

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

What European coaches would you like to see as candidates?

I know David Wagner flamed out at Schalke (far from his fault that club is broken) but his work at Huddersfield was incredible and he’s a dual-national with American ties.

 

[DeGrozz]

What European coaches would you like to see as candidates?

Of people who fit the bill of what I described -- near retirement aged, may very well be looking for one last lower pressure gig before hanging them up? Marcelo Biesla.

Take a gamble -- we'll be fringe top-10 or top-15 in the world. I wouldn't go for a safer hire -- I'd go with someone who would get extremely creative in his approach and give us a shot to catch lightning in a bottle.

 

[upperdeck]

So some interesting games this week. The U23 needs to win this weekend so how much do they put into the Mexico match to try and get the top seed?

The other US team play jamica thursday as i preps for the Gold Cup

 

[IthacaMatt]

I know David Wagner flamed out at Schalke (far from his fault that club is broken) but his work at Huddersfield was incredible and he’s a dual-national with American ties.

Not really familiar with his work. I'll have to look him up. Thanks.

 

[DeGrozz]

I know David Wagner flamed out at Schalke (far from his fault that club is broken) but his work at Huddersfield was incredible and he’s a dual-national with American ties.

Did anyone actually watch him at Huddersfield though? I feel like Wagner was hyped (in USMNT circles, at least) because of his ties to America but turned out to be a bust when his team stopped spending to get promoted.

My personal interpretation of his story was that he got his start at Dortmund because he was Klopps' boy in their playing days, he turned that into a championship job where his ownership spent enough to make the EPL, but once the gravy train stopped, he was exposed in the EPL and then the BLiga.

To be completely transparent though, I always read the tea leaves that way, but didn't really invest in following his career.

I'd love it to hear your thoughts if you followed him closely.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Did anyone actually watch him at Huddersfield though? I feel like Wagner was hyped (in USMNT circles, at least) because of his ties to America but turned out to be a bust when his team stopped spending to get promoted.

My personal interpretation of his story was that he got his start at Dortmund because he was Klopps' boy in their playing days, he turned that into a championship job where his ownership spent enough to make the EPL, but once the gravy train stopped, he was exposed in the EPL and then the BLiga.

To be completely transparent though, I always read the tea leaves that way, but didn't really invest in following his career.

I'd love it to hear your thoughts if you followed him closely.

I can’t say I followed him overly closely but I oddly follow the lower leagues in England closely because of the random League One team I support. He always had a well drilled style that wasn’t overly complicated and that’s why a lot of people have thought he’d make a good national team manager. He could be a bit too defensively oriented but that style could suit us because I still worry every time a team goes forward against us.

His time at Schalke was a complete disaster but they also undermined him at every turn. It’s unbelievable to see a club like that on the verge of going down. When you don’t spend it’s really hard to be successful in any of Europe’s top leagues and he went from a bad situation at Huddersfield to a worse one in Germany. I’d love to see the USMNT be more successful defensively and think Wagner’s style suits that. In thinking about the youth we have though, he might not actually be the best fit given our athleticism and potential. I’m far from sold on Berhalter but this is a really long-winded way of saying I don’t know who the best leader is for us right now.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I can’t say I followed him overly closely but I oddly follow the lower leagues in England closely because of the random League One team I support. He always had a well drilled style that wasn’t overly complicated and that’s why a lot of people have thought he’d make a good national team manager. He could be a bit too defensively oriented but that style could suit us because I still worry every time a team goes forward against us.

His time at Schalke was a complete disaster but they also undermined him at every turn. It’s unbelievable to see a club like that on the verge of going down. When you don’t spend it’s really hard to be successful in any of Europe’s top leagues and he went from a bad situation at Huddersfield to a worse one in Germany. I’d love to see the USMNT be more successful defensively and think Wagner’s style suits that. In thinking about the youth we have though, he might not actually be the best fit given our athleticism and potential. I’m far from sold on Berhalter but this is a really long-winded way of saying I don’t know who the best leader is for us right now.

If we get to fantasize about our next coach for just a moment, I hope we get an Italian coach next. Italian coaches are the most astute tactically. How many Italian coaches have come to the Premier League and won the title in the last 10 - 15 years? Several have been successful.