2021 USMNT Thread

[IthacaMatt]

The USMNT’s biggest problem
Right now is Gregg Berhalter.
I know you disagree but it’s what I think and lots of others agree.

Well, we were 1st place in the group coming into this game with Panama.
Costa Rica is a big game, but there are big games every window, aren't there?
Every home game is a "must win".
But in reality, if we keep getting 2 points a game, we will be in, and will be close to winning the group.

 

[Alsacs]

Well, we were 1st place in the group coming into this game with Panama.
Costa Rica is a big game, but there are big games every window, aren't there?
Every home game is a "must win".
But in reality, if we keep getting 2 points a game, we will be in, and will be close to winning the group.

Qualifying for the World Cup should happen.
Actually being doing damage and setting up for hosting in 2026 should be the goals.
Klinsmann was polarizing because he embarrassed Landon Donovan. He had the proper mindset.

US soccer gave this job to Berhalter because of the insiders that are gone now.
This guy is a bad manager. We have done well in spite of him.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Gregg Berhalter’s call to not start the team’s top players Pepi, Adams, Aaronson is just negligence.

WCQ road qualifiers aren’t where you experiment.

Coaching sucks.

People having been asking to see Weah, as opposed to choosing Aaronson (whose game is built on all-out hustle, and isn't sustainable for 270 minutes per window).

Weah didn't play well, but he was a key member of a team that won the title in France last year, so do you think giving him a chance was "negligence", really?

You make a lot of good points, but your hyperbole is off the charts, and you don't seem to understand that this isn't FIFA 2021, you can't play guys every single game.

 

[cusefan88]

Lletget kept passing backwards and killing momentum. De la Torre needed some minutes. He drives forward and can connect passes.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Lletget kept passing backwards and killing momentum. De la Torre needed some minutes. He drives forward and can connect passes.

That would have been a good call for someone who deserves a shot.

 

[LPOrange]

with guys like this covering USMNT, no wonder Gregg doesn't get tough questions in his pressers

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I really don't follow international soccer much as I don't like soccer in general.

But I have a bit of an interest in Canada making it. I am thinking Canada's tie at Jamaica was a pretty bad result for them if they want to make it -- but somebody let me know otherwise.

Good question. This qualifying cycle is structured like no other. Requires adjustments. I will respond to this, and give you my thoughts, when I have some time

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Today against Panama was lethargic. Part of that was down to 7 different guys in the line-up, but this is why we're supposed to have depth. You simply cannot play the same guys 3 games every window without a bunch of them getting hurt.

So, I'm not against what he did with the line-up, but wow, a bunch of guys had sloppy, low energy games. Let's name some names.

Poor game: McKenzie at the back, from the beginning. Not enough energy challenging Panama players in our defensive box. Similarly, Shaq Moore, who has been very good in the past, just was off the pace. He looked slow, sluggish and played way too far off his man. George Bello wasn't bad at the other back, but he didn't offer enough going forward.

I thought Acosta had to play between Zimmerman and McKenzie at the back because McKenzie and keeper Matt Turner was also shakey in distribution. Turner's shot stopping was really good, but why didn't we adjust on those in-swinging corners? They nearly put three of them in!

Zimmerman was a threat at a couple early crosses, but they all faded in energy. It must have been hot and muggy down there.

Tim Weah showed very little. Zardes was poor. Lleget has poor games from time to time. This was one of them. He didn't really manage the game in midfield at all. His passes weren't connecting. Paul Arriola offered nothing, and was rightly hooked early.

I thought Musah was pretty good carrying the ball forward, but he wasn't getting to the second balls. I would have kept him out there instead of Lleget, personally.

I thought the waves of subs were good, although I would have brought the 2nd group on at 60 minutes instead of waiting 75.

Yedlin made a couple mistakes in relief. He's not playing as well as he did a year or two ago.

The team was disjointed. They didn't follow those forward passing patterns that they usually use. Usually players are plug-and-play in this system, but these guys did not get it done tonight; Weah, Arriola, Moore, Zardes, Turner, McKenzie all were lacking tonight. Not enough fight at all.

This is a good post.

In fact, of the three pages of posts, this is the only post, other than JN's question, worth reading and responding to.

I'll respond with my thoughts later. I agree with a bunch of what you write. I disagree with some (not much tbh) and want to provide my thoughts as to the "why" on both the points I agree with and those I don't.

I may wait until after the 3rd game as I am hoping that the 3rd game will confirm some of my intuition. I think I am beginning to see the bigger picture. Now, I have to figure out whether I agree with it.

BTW, it was hot and muggy down there. Temps in low 80s. Humidity in high 70s. Made it feel like it was 90+. Absolutely energy sapping.

 

[cusefan88]

I guess here is my take:

I never expected the USA to go through qualifying without a loss. I still don't mind that they lost last night. HOWEVER, they didn't have a shot on target and failed to produce even a sliver of danger. When you are booting balls long that means you have bypassed midfield because they can't do anything.

Zardes is absolute crap. Bad touch, bad awareness. Lletget normally is ok but yesterday was one of his worst games. I understand it's a tough spot for a newbie but after 45mins you needed Busio or De la torre for lletget

 

[Orangezoo]

This is a good post.

In fact, of the three pages of posts, this is the only post, other than JN's question, worth reading and responding to.

I'll respond with my thoughts later. I agree with a bunch of what you write. I disagree with some (not much tbh) and want to provide my thoughts as to the "why" on both the points I agree with and those I don't.

I may wait until after the 3rd game as I am hoping that the 3rd game will confirm some of my intuition. I think I am beginning to see the bigger picture. Now, I have to figure out whether I agree with it.

BTW, it was hot and muggy down there. Temps in low 80s. Humidity in high 70s. Made it feel like it was 90+. Absolutely energy sapping.

Will be curious to see what you think. I thought I was seeing it but last night just doesn't add up for me. Assuming Greg saw something leading up to this game that he thought would come to fruition but didn't.

At minimum it looked to me like the goal was to grab a point and if things worked out in our favor we steal 3.

What also perplexed me, is why we didn't see Hoppe. If your goal is to be more conservative and keep the game between the 18s which it looked to be last night, Hoppe absolutely is a good pick. He is good in traffic, gets back well and is creative. Higher class player too. Weah struggled and to me Hoppe should have been the selection (not class here just in terms of strategy). Now I could be dead wrong here but based on how he was used in the Gold Cup where the strategy was very similar unless my eyes deceive me, he could have had a big impact.

Another thing- ( I was hoping to keep this short but.. oh well)

Neither Bello, Yedlin or Moore got it done and that is a real dissapointment. Robinson and Dest make a huge difference in Concacaf play so far at least and the aforementioned just were not good. Hence back to my comment around Hoppe and getting an emotional player on the pitch who can make something happen.

Overall the vision to get a draw here at the worst much akin to the more conservative approach with the Gold Cup approach backfired. Canada's draw was a big plus for us last night.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I really don't follow international soccer much as I don't like soccer in general.

But I have a bit of an interest in Canada making it. I am thinking Canada's tie at Jamaica was a pretty bad result for them if they want to make it -- but somebody let me know otherwise.

"Bad" in the sense that it's a lost opportunity for a rare 3 points on the road against the team currently at the bottom of the group.

But generally speaking, if you win at home and draw on the road, you are going to qualify.

 

[IthacaMatt]

At minimum it looked to me like the goal was to grab a point and if things worked out in our favor we steal 3.

Totally agree.

What also perplexed me, is why we didn't see Hoppe. If your goal is to be more conservative and keep the game between the 18s which it looked to be last night, Hoppe absolutely is a good pick. He is good in traffic, gets back well and is creative. Higher class player too. Weah struggled and to me Hoppe should have been the selection (not class here just in terms of strategy). Now I could be dead wrong here but based on how he was used in the Gold Cup where the strategy was very similar unless my eyes deceive me, he could have had a big impact.

Hoppe and Aaronson are kind of the same player to me.
But yes, Hoppe could have been the choice over Weah, and in relief instead of Aaronson.

Another thing- ( I was hoping to keep this short but.. oh well)

Neither Bello, Yedlin or Moore got it done and that is a real dissapointment. Robinson and Dest make a huge difference in Concacaf play so far at least and the aforementioned just were not good. Hence back to my comment around Hoppe and getting an emotional player on the pitch who can make something happen.

Yeah, Bello seemed ok getting to the second balls, but he wasn't stellar, either. I think that most of Panama's attack came down their left side.

Overall the vision to get a draw here at the worst much akin to the more conservative approach with the Gold Cup approach backfired. Canada's draw was a big plus for us last night.

This is my number 1 takeaway is that they went down there playing for the draw. When you do that, you don't have to fire to be playing for the win. You lack the big game atmosphere, and that's probably what I noticed most - we just weren't competing. Part of it was the general mugginess. But part of it was the coaches probably talked to them about a draw being a good result. Their heads just weren't in the game.

 

[Orangezoo]

Totally agree.


Hoppe and Aaronson are kind of the same player to me.
But yes, Hoppe could have been the choice over Weah, and in relief instead of Aaronson.


Yeah, Bello seemed ok getting to the second balls, but he wasn't stellar, either. I think that most of Panama's attack came down their left side.



This is my number 1 takeaway is that they went down there playing for the draw. When you do that, you don't have to fire to be playing for the win. You lack the big game atmosphere, and that's probably what I noticed most - we just weren't competing. Part of it was the general mugginess. But part of it was the coaches probably talked to them about a draw being a good result. Their heads just weren't in the game.

The other thing I don't like is that while CR isn't the CR that was a pest and did well at the WC, this result puts the pressure on to get 3 at home vs one of the best keepers in the world. The letdown of getting a point at home doesn't hurt you as much with a draw at Panama. Now if you struggle and only get a point in this last match you head into the first cycle with Mexico and then another tough road game in hot conditions in Jamaica. 3 pts vs CR is critical.

 

[upperdeck]

seemed like every time they got into good spots they just were awful with the ball and the pass.

 

[crv1728]

This is a good post.

In fact, of the three pages of posts, this is the only post, other than JN's question, worth reading and responding to.

I'll respond with my thoughts later. I agree with a bunch of what you write. I disagree with some (not much tbh) and want to provide my thoughts as to the "why" on both the points I agree with and those I don't.

I may wait until after the 3rd game as I am hoping that the 3rd game will confirm some of my intuition. I think I am beginning to see the bigger picture. Now, I have to figure out whether I agree with it.

BTW, it was hot and muggy down there. Temps in low 80s. Humidity in high 70s. Made it feel like it was 90+. Absolutely energy sapping.

I’ll admit to be a little drunk and also a little pissed at the poor play last night. I came back to see what a few of you with more knowledge have to say. I look forward to reading your opinion as well as DeGrozz’s.

 

[upperdeck]

so sitting at 8.. you need to win vs CR . ELS Hon Pan at home..

thats 20 pts..
then find some ties or an away win..

if you dont win all 4 and win 3 now you have 17 or 18. and it gets dicey..

need to find a way to get at least 1 pt from Mexico and then jam/can/costa find 3 ties or a win.

 

[LPOrange]

 

[LPOrange]

 

[upperdeck]

yup.. happened all night. everytime we got in the spots to make anything happen we botched the ball.

so we play Costa Rica,, Pan vs Can.. Mex vs El Sal

if we win we open up 5 pts on Costa .
mexico wins and we open 6 pts on El sav for 4th place which is the worst we want to end up in all of this.

Pan-can with a win we will be 3-4 up on one of the for 2nd/3rd..

Canada is in the spot where if they dont start winning they will be 3-4 down on 2 teams.

 

[Alsacs]

The comments.


Also if Zardes plays another minute in these games it won’t be good.

 

[cusefan88]

My preferred lineup for CR:
Turner
Dest-M.Robinson-Richards-A.Robinson
Musah-McKennie-Adams
Aaronson-Pepi-Hoppe

 

[LPOrange]

 

[Alsacs]

I honestly don’t understand why we entrusting our best generation of talent to a medicore MLS manager who wasn’t even the best coach in that league.

Oh wait his brother was on the USSF board and SUM had influence still at the time?

 

[orangenauburn]

So we all in agreement once we score 1 tonight, we go turtle mode instead of keeping pressure up

 

[LPOrange]

So we all in agreement once we score 1 tonight, we go turtle mode instead of keeping pressure up

The best way to defend a 1 goal lead is to make it a 2 goal lead. At least control the ball. It's hard for the opponent to score if they don't have the ball.

OTOH, that's not necessarily what GGG will do, or if his lineup will be capable.