USMNT - Greg Berhalter Takes Over

[DeGrozz]

Questions:

Who tucked in with Trapp on Columbus?

How was he able to get away with Trapp playing the 6 at Columbus? Who provided the physical cover?

There's a young brazilian guys, Artur (or Arturo? I don't really remember at the moment) who complimented Trapp very well. They also utilized their speed and skill on the wings significantly more than the US does, with Justin Mearam.

Trapp is 100% a different player with the national team though than with his club. Something is not clicking with him right now with the US and it probably should have already cost him any minutes or call-ups, but coach sees something different, I guess. (Or is just playing favorites...)

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

There's a young brazilian guys, Artur (or Arturo? I don't really remember at the moment) who complimented Trapp very well. They also utilized their speed and skill on the wings significantly more than the US does, with Justin Mearam.

Trapp is 100% a different player with the national team though than with his club. Something is not clicking with him right now with the US and it probably should have already cost him any minutes or call-ups, but coach sees something different, I guess. (Or is just playing favorites...)

It has to be favoritism. I just don’t see it with Trapp and we need a better athlete/distributor in that role. I've been a big Danny Williams fan for a long time but his form dipped this last season with Huddersfield. I just really hope Gregg doesn’t overthink this and mess up the potential of Adams and McKennie controlling the defensive midfield because he wedges Trapp or Bradley into the side.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

It has to be favoritism. I just don’t see it with Trapp and we need a better athlete/distributor in that role. I've been a big Danny Williams fan for a long time but his form dipped this last season with Huddersfield. I just really hope Gregg doesn’t overthink this and mess up the potential of Adams and McKennie controlling the defensive midfield because he wedges Trapp or Bradley into the side.

Yes, but GB clearly wants a deep-laying distributor. Can either McKinnie or Adams be that guy?

 

[Alsacs]

McKinnie is not having his talents used correctly by GB.
McKinnie and Pulisic should have the system tailored around their talents.

I expect Altidore to play 45 against T&T and then be ready for 90 against Panama.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

McKinnie is not having his talents used correctly by GB.
McKinnie and Pulisic should have the system tailored around their talents.

I expect Altidore to play 45 against T&T and then be ready for 90 against Panama.

Really? Please explain what McKinnie's talents are and how GB should be using them and how he is not currently using them.

To me McKinnie is a ball-winner with some play-making capabilities...

 

[Alsacs]

Really? Please explain what McKinnie's talents are and how GB should be using them and how he is not currently using them.

McKinnie was used in Germany in attack, midfield, and even in a 3 person backline.
Against these inferior teams in CONCACAF he should be used to press the ball and be above Michael Bradley to give service to Pulisic and the forwards.
GB has him playing wide on the right and he wasn't able to get good flow.
He had a poor game vs. Guyana and its partially because of how he was used.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

McKinnie was used in Germany in attack, midfield, and even in a 3 person backline.
Against these inferior teams in CONCACAF he should be used to press the ball and be above Michael Bradley to give service to Pulisic and the forwards.
GB has him playing wide on the right and he wasn't able to get good flow.
He had a poor game vs. Guyana and its partially because of how he was used.

I'd love to see a heat map of McKinnie during the Guyana game because, to be honest, I don't recall his playing out wide. I thought GB pushed Lima up wide on the right supporting Boyd. I thought McKinnie played primarily on the right but more tucked in towards the center?

I'm not so sure he gets used any differently if he is paired with Adams.

Where do you think he should play and whom should he be paired with?

I think GB is using Pulisic appropriate by playing him out wide.

 

[cusefan88]

Adams (DM) and McKennie (box-to-box) is the way to go. In reality they should play a 3-man MF with Pulisic and everything should revolve around them.

 

[IthacaMatt]

There's a young brazilian guys, Artur (or Arturo? I don't really remember at the moment) who complimented Trapp very well. They also utilized their speed and skill on the wings significantly more than the US does, with Justin Mearam.

Trapp is 100% a different player with the national team though than with his club. Something is not clicking with him right now with the US and it probably should have already cost him any minutes or call-ups, but coach sees something different, I guess. (Or is just playing favorites...)

Gyasi Zardes is really hard to justify on this team, based on his performance at the 9 so far.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Adams (DM) and McKennie (box-to-box) is the way to go. In reality they should play a 3-man MF with Pulisic and everything should revolve around them.

That puts Pulisic in then middle when he prefers to play out wide...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Gyasi Zardes is really hard to justify on this team, based on his performance at the 9 so far.

If we need a prototypical 9, agree.

I would argue, however, that, going into last night's game, Zardes was never intended to be involved in the build-up. he ended up checking in between the lines either on his own or because we were unable to break their pressure and needed a release valve...

if GB think we can break pressure without that release valve then there is room for him as strictly a finisher...

BTW, for the record, there are others that I would choose before Zardes regardless of what GB wants out of his #9...

 

[cusefan88]

That puts Pulisic in then middle when he prefers to play out wide...

I totally agree but the US doesn't have good enough 10's IMO where as on the wing they've got Boyd now (moving soon to Besiktas) and Tim Weah moving to Lille.

 

[IthacaMatt]

If we need a prototypical 9, agree.

I would argue, however, that, going into last night's game, Zardes was never intended to be involved in the build-up. he ended up checking in between the lines either on his own or because we were unable to break their pressure and needed a release valve...

if GB think we can break pressure without that release valve then there is room for him as strictly a finisher...

BTW, for the record, there are others that I would choose before Zardes regardless of what GB wants out of his #9...

Even if he is supposed to be the target man, his first touch is terrible. He's not particularly good at holding up the ball. I'm a Chelsea fan, and Olivier Giroud is about as good as anybody at it.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I totally agree but the US doesn't have good enough 10's IMO where as on the wing they've got Boyd now (moving soon to Besiktas) and Tim Weah moving to Lille.

Yeah, but Berhalter has said that he likes Pulisic inside as a creator. He can drift outside from time to time, but on the US team, he's your most creative player. You can't strand him out on the wing, and you really don't want him to have to defend from end line to end line, either.

When you have a team full of top quality club players, then yes, put him outside where he likes to take people on 1-on-1. But with the US, the need is greater for him starting out inside behind the striker, or alongside him if you're going to try a 3-5-2, which might be our best option.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Yes, but GB clearly wants a deep-laying distributor. Can either McKinnie or Adams be that guy?

I don’t know if there’s a player in the current squad who is that guy. I do think there are athletes to play a successful system with both of them playing in a pressing style to consistently win the ball back. I’m not sure if I’m overly excited about the style Berhalter wants to play and I’m worried about it going forward. 4-2-3-1 is where I think we’d be better off but we’d still need to find a CAM for that.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don’t know if there’s a player in the current squad who is that guy. I do think there are athletes to play a successful system with both of them playing in a pressing style to consistently win the ball back. I’m not sure if I’m overly excited about the style Berhalter wants to play and I’m worried about it going forward. 4-2-3-1 is where I think we’d be better off but we’d still need to find a CAM for that.

McKennie made some very nice passes through the midfield and released a few guys for clear looks at goal.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Even if he is supposed to be the target man, his first touch is terrible. He's not particularly good at holding up the ball. I'm a Chelsea fan, and Olivier Giroud is about as good as anybody at it.

We are saying the same thing - that he is not a prototypical #9 - Giroud being a great example of someone who is...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Yeah, but Berhalter has said that he likes Pulisic inside as a creator. He can drift outside from time to time, but on the US team, he's your most creative player. You can't strand him out on the wing, and you really don't want him to have to defend from end line to end line, either.

When you have a team full of top quality club players, then yes, put him outside where he likes to take people on 1-on-1. But with the US, the need is greater for him starting out inside behind the striker, or alongside him if you're going to try a 3-5-2, which might be our best option.

Not sure I agree with that statement. Berhalter has not really said one way, or the other, where he thinks he is best suited to play or where he thinks he can help the US team the most.

He has alluded to having him play in both spots and wanting him to both come inside and play wide...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

McKennie made some very nice passes through the midfield and released a few guys for clear looks at goal.

His pass sprung Arriola for our first goal which, btw, came from the left flank...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I’m not sure if I’m overly excited about the style Berhalter wants to play and I’m worried about it going forward. 4-2-3-1 is where I think we’d be better off but we’d still need to find a CAM for that.

I don't think that Berhalter knows what style he wants to play yet. Why do you think that you do? What is that style?

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I don’t know if there’s a player in the current squad who is that guy. I do think there are athletes to play a successful system with both of them playing in a pressing style to consistently win the ball back. I’m not sure if I’m overly excited about the style Berhalter wants to play and I’m worried about it going forward. 4-2-3-1 is where I think we’d be better off but we’d still need to find a CAM for that.

Actually Will Trapp is that guy but you need to pair him with somebody who can "protect" him - much like Gattuso covered for Pirlo in 2006...you also need center backs who can initiate if the other team presses up on him - which Guyana did on Bradley.

The question is whether Will Trapp can be that guy at the intl level. So far, the results say "no" but Berhalter has to figure out whether there is some combination of other players that will allow Trapp to do what he does best.

In 2006, Lippi surrounded Pirlo with 3 hard-working , ball-winning midfielders in Camoranesi, Perrotta and, espeically, Gattuso...they did the dirty work of ball-winning and defending so that Pirlo could do what he does best.

I am intrigued by GB. It is clear that he is a student of the game and I am very interested to see how he tweaks things going forward...

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

I don't think that Berhalter knows what style he wants to play yet. Why do you think that you do? What is that style?

Just based on watching some of these early friendlies I think you’re right and I may be overreacting. The back 3 experiment with wing backs was a harmless disaster in a friendly but we definitely don’t have the wing defenders to pull that off. I hope he doesn’t outsmart himself and continue to force Adams to play the hybrid RB/CDM role. He’s a true box to box midfielder so forcing him to drop into the RB position when we transition back defensively really limits his creativity. I also don’t necessarily think RB is our biggest problem with Yedlin able to play that role and Cannon coming through the ranks as well.

At the end of the day the Gold Cup doesn’t really matter and none of these friendlies matter. I’m probably just biased because Berhalter wasn’t the coach I wanted and so far we’ve looked incredibly passive under him. I know the guys are still learning and these things don’t happen overnight but I was hoping to be more optimistic at this stage.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Not sure I agree with that statement. Berhalter has not really said one way, or the other, where he thinks he is best suited to play or where he thinks he can help the US team the most.

He has alluded to having him play in both spots and wanting him to both come inside and play wide...

I thought I saw somebody write that; perhaps it wasn't a quote from Berhalter, but that's what I think probably works best for the team and the player. It's the "Hazard Role", and applies to a number of elite players, like Antoine Griezmann or Mesut Ozil. They can play centrally, but have the freedom to move out to the wings, making it more unpredictable for defenders to track their movement.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I don't think that Berhalter knows what style he wants to play yet. Why do you think that you do? What is that style?

Well, he has been coaching for six months now, and we've seen them half a dozen times. I think we have a pretty good idea of what Berhalter wants to do.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Well, he has been coaching for six months now, and we've seen them half a dozen times. I think we have a pretty good idea of what Berhalter wants to do.

Really?

How many times did the same back four start in one of the 6 friendlies that started vs Guyana?

Answer. Zero

How many times did the same midfield start in one of the 6 friendlies that started against Guyana?

Answer. Zero

How many times did the same attack start in one of the 6 friendlies that started against Guyana?

Answer. Once (and that was back in March vs Chile)

In fact, the largest number of starters in a friendly that overlapped with the starting eleven in the Guyana game was the Venezuela game with 7 (6 field players). That is a lot of changes. Almost half the field line-up.

In the Jamaica game it was three (2 field players). That was a game 13 days before the start of the Gold Cup.

How can you have any idea what he wants to do when it is clear he is still trying to figure out who his best eleven are?

You cannot know what you want to do until you know who your personnel are.

If you have determined what you want to do before you choose your players, you are a lousy coach.

This is clearly the experimentation phase.

If you are so convinced that you know what he wants to do with his starting eleven, formation and tactics, please explain it to me because, frankly, I have no idea.