2022 World Cup

[qdawgg]

I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned Reyna yet…… wish he had started.

 

[Vorony]

Yedlin with the crack back block on the sideline.

I kinda like it.

He’s a bruiser. I love his style of play when we need it.

 

[orangenauburn]

What the heck was that GGG

 

[ForCuseSake]

He’s a bruiser. I love his style of play when we need it.

Walking yellow card but I agree that he’s a good player to have on the squad for CONCACAF meat grinders.

 

[orangenauburn]

Really could have been a 4-4 game

 

[ForCuseSake]

No shame losing to the Dutch.

Not the score anybody wanted but great example of how important organization and execution are at this level.

 

[qdawgg]

Is Reyna like the red headed step child? We don’t see all the video but I don’t see anyone going up to him and he’s standing a little in front of Pulisic. Then later he’s just standing by himself.

 

[orangenauburn]

Is Reyna like the red headed step child? We don’t see all the video but I don’t see anyone going up to him and he’s standing a little in front of Pulisic. Then later he’s just standing by himself.

I'm guessing things behind the scenes and in the locker room may be off putting for some of the guys?

The talent is there, is the headache there too?

 

[qdawgg]

I'm guessing things behind the scenes and in the locker room may be off putting for some of the guys?

The talent is there, is the headache there too?

Yeah I didn’t want to say it but was wondering that. He might be one of those guys that’s good but completely full of himself or locker room issue. Who knows. Didn’t see anyone going up to him or vice versa. Something for sure.

 

[orangenauburn]

Yeah I didn’t want to say it but was wondering that. He might be one of those guys that’s good but completely full of himself or locker room issue. Who knows. Didn’t see anyone going up to him or vice versa. Something for sure.

If you go back after Iran game and England game, he was alone for those games as well in the post game celebration

 

[qdawgg]

If you go back after Iran game and England game, he was alone for those games as well in the post game celebration

I thought I remembered that after at least one of those games. Interesting to see if anything more comes to light in the next week or so.

 

[ForCuseSake]

Would’ve liked to see Pefok and Pepi rather than Jordan Morris or Jesus Ferreira.

Haven’t seen GGG’s response (if he was ever asked) why they weren’t on the squad.

Edit - Might’ve been nice to have a 6’3 striker on the bench to throw out against the Dutch.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Great game plan by Van Gaal. Forcing our center backs to be distributors. And forcing us to try and play through them. They certainly have enough skill on their roster to be able to go toe to toe with us but the approach worked.

This might be the first time ever, in a meaningful game, that a real quality side has purposely sat back, forced the US to attack and looked to counter. England was more 50/50. Requires a different mentality and a different approach. US not quite there yet. To be expected because no US team ever had enough quality to worry a team like the Dutch enough to have them change their approach. Cannot turn the ball over in bad areas and the coordinated press to win it back is lacking. To be fair, CONCACAF teams do not have the same quality to punish those mistakes like the Dutch have shown they are able to. We just don't yet have enough talent across the board to be able to be truly comfortable playing this way. Pulisic, Dest, McKennie, Musah, Weah, Reyna, Adams are. The rest really aren't.

Our mainstays also played a lot of very high pressure minutes. That is very tough, especially mentally, for young players and if you switch off for just an instant, a team like the Dutch will punish you.

Very pleased with what we accomplished in Qatar. Looking forward to seeing our youth mature, hopefully being able to upgrade the talent, skillwise, to give us some additional quality at certain position as well as quality depth. Still too many players on this roster just not able to play at this level (meaning with the top ten, or so, teams in the world).

The transformation of this team, in terms of raw ability, from our last knockout round game 8 years ago and even from four years ago is remarkable.

 

[orangenauburn]

The stuff that will come out of this tournament, will hopefully help us learn and adjust for 2026.

Now on to watch ND rain threes on us, abuse my liver, and then root for the men's soccer team.

 

[IthacaMatt]

More like go back to club coaching.

It’s a really bad idea to have the same coach for two World Cup cycles. But knowing us soccer… Berhalter ball will stick around for the more

All things considered, Berhalter did what he was supposed to do.
1. He created an entire new team out of relative youngsters.
2. They played just as well as the last generation of players who were replaced.
3. They qualified for the World Cup
4. They got out of the Group Stage
5. They got good respect from the world press, especially for the midfield, which is young and dynamic, and could be among the very best in 2026.
6. They play a pressing, progressive game in the modern style. Not much "bunker and counter" from the US. We are good enough to possess the ball for long periods, dangerously, against great teams like England and the Netherlands.

This team is heading the right direction. We need more depth at fullback and at the 9. We need to bring in more quality depth for the defense and midfield. Our wingers are terrific.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The goals given up come back to lazy defending...
1. Adams didn't track back and stay with Memphis.
2. Dest losing his guy on the far side.
3. Robinson tucked in with Weam and not staying with his own player.

Those 3 guys played nearly every minute of 3 games in 10 days. If we had some depth at the fullback spot, we would be a better team for it. Our starters are good, and they are young, but we still need a few more guys of similar quality on the roster.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yeah I didn’t want to say it but was wondering that. He might be one of those guys that’s good but completely full of himself or locker room issue. Who knows. Didn’t see anyone going up to him or vice versa. Something for sure.

Same thing last game, too. Except this time he played for the entire second half, so it wasn't about him being left out.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

The D was awful. Lucky to only concede 3. The set pieces all tournament were pathetic. it looked like we had no plan. When you cannot score goals, you need to be better here. I thought Aaronson dribbled way too much. That won't work at this level.

Looking forward I hope Zimmerman is off the team. Ideally we would have a striker and be able to play a 4-3-3 but there isn't one in the pipe. I think we need to go more offensive with a 4-2-3-1. That gives us a second option in the middle. The issue is one of Musah or McKennie have to sit. But at the same time they are fresh.

This is a step in the right direction but it is still behind where we were. It is like praising the 2021 team for going 5-7 after 1-10. For all the investment we have put into soccer we should be the clear #1 team in CONCACAF. Until then we cannot hope for a real World Cup run.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I'm guessing things behind the scenes and in the locker room may be off putting for some of the guys?

The talent is there, is the headache there too?

I think having his father and Eric Wynalda bitching in the press about Gio's lack of opportunities did not go down well. This isn't Biddy Ball where the parents should be bitching to the coaches that "My Kid should play!".

 

[jordville]

Those 3 guys played nearly every minute of 3 games in 10 days. If we had some depth at the fullback spot, we would be a better team for it. Our starters are good, and they are young, but we still need a few more guys of similar quality on the roster.

Agreed that they played a lot of minutes. But let's not excuse poor defending. Also, we don't really have quality depth at any position though... unlike the soccer world powers.

It all comes back to the Wales match. If we don't give up that penalty and win that match... then we don't have to make Iran such a difficult one... and hence, rest some players going into the knockouts.

 

[IthacaMatt]

The D was awful. Lucky to only concede 3. The set pieces all tournament were pathetic. it looked like we had no plan. When you cannot score goals, you need to be better here. I thought Aaronson dribbled way too much. That won't work at this level.

Looking forward I hope Zimmerman is off the team. Ideally we would have a striker and be able to play a 4-3-3 but there isn't one in the pipe. I think we need to go more offensive with a 4-2-3-1. That gives us a second option in the middle. The issue is one of Musah or McKennie have to sit. But at the same time they are fresh.

This is a step in the right direction but it is still behind where we were. It is like praising the 2021 team for going 5-7 after 1-10. For all the investment we have put into soccer we should be the clear #1 team in CONCACAF. Until then we cannot hope for a real World Cup run.

I think Zimmerman is very good v. CONCACAF, but not good enough for World Cup opponents. Ream was terrific for somebody that Berhalter chose to ignore for his first 3 years. I think Miles Robinson will be one of our central defenders going forward. We need someone quicker to partner him, someone confident playing with the ball at their feet.

If we played 4-2-3-1, we could still play Musah and Adams as the double pivot, with Musah being the one to carry the ball forward. McKennie or Aaronson could play forward in the number 10 position, but I would put Reyna there, with Pulisic and Weah on the wings, and a shiny new number 9.

 

[crv1728]

Watching Reyna just confirms how ridiculous it is he hasn’t played till now.

The fact that Morris subbed in during Wales match instead of Reyna is amazing to me. Hard to imagine that Gregg can’t see the quality difference.

 

[Orangezoo]

The goals given up come back to lazy defending...
1. Adams didn't track back and stay with Memphis.
2. Dest losing his guy on the far side.
3. Robinson tucked in with Weam and not staying with his own player.

It's a lot of what you see with the German team of late. Some Klinnsman era issues persisting.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think Zimmerman is very good v. CONCACAF, but not good enough for World Cup opponents. Ream was terrific for somebody that Berhalter chose to ignore for his first 3 years. I think Miles Robinson will be one of our central defenders going forward. We need someone quicker to partner him, someone confident playing with the ball at their feet.

If we played 4-2-3-1, we could still play Musah and Adams as the double pivot, with Musah being the one to carry the ball forward. McKennie or Aaronson could play forward in the number 10 position, but I would put Reyna there, with Pulisic and Weah on the wings, and a shiny new number 9.

Losing Robinson to injury was massive. Especially on set pieces.

 

[Orangezoo]

The fact that Morris subbed in during Wales match instead of Reyna is amazing to me. Hard to imagine that Gregg can’t see the quality difference.

So I don't think Reyna is 100 pct. I watched him labor at times. He was good in small segments with his vision but looked very sluggish.