US Men's National Team (31 Viewers)

[NewlyRetired]

Hmm, I just realized something.

England can win out (reasonable)
Iran can draw both Wales and US (reasonable)

That leaves the group in an ultra rare (maybe first time ever?) state of having 3 teams on 2 points when the group stage is done. I can't recall any team in the 32 team era advancing with only 2 points. I didn't even realize it was possible.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

If Iran-Wales ends in a draw playing England close becomes really important.

 

[ChiefD]

I think part of the problem is Berghaltereherrt. This bring it down the wings and cross style does not work with this group. Ball after ball banged into the box with literally nobody there to get on the end of it is maddening.

I stand by my long ago assessment that the USA would do much better playing a boot it and kick and run frantic style. With our athletes we can run onto these long balls and then fill those midfield spots with runners following up the long ball. Cut that ball back and just pound the goal with wave after wave of chaos.

Shock and Ball!!!

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

OMG, this is what I was trying to say only like 100x smarter and more reasoned. With charts and stuff.

 

[NewlyRetired]

If Iran-Wales ends in a draw playing England close becomes really important.

Yes, it is very important for the 2 point scenario. But if we hope to win against Iran, an Iran-Wales draw means a free role against England.

It is a very tricky moment for GGG in terms of who he chooses to rest (yellows and knocks).

Does he think it is more important to stay close to England or does he toss the England game and have his best ready for Iran if Iran and Wales draw?

If Wales wins by 2 or more, he has no choice obviously, he must risk it against England to keep it as close as possible.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I think part of the problem is Berghaltereherrt. This bring it down the wings and cross style does not work with this group. Ball after ball banged into the box with literally nobody there to get on the end of it is maddening.

I stand by my long ago assessment that the USA would do much better playing a boot it and kick and run frantic style. With our athletes we can run onto these long balls and then fill those midfield spots with runners following up the long ball. Cut that ball back and just pound the goal with wave after wave of chaos.

Shock and Ball!!!

While I am not a route 1 proponent, I did find myself wondering why we did not try a few more over the top balls to Weah, either directly from Dest or diagonally from Ream. It felt like Weah had an advantage there that we did not exploit enough times.

 

[The Z Machine]

Christian is great and we all love him

No. We don't all think that way.

 

[The Z Machine]

While I am not a route 1 proponent, I did find myself wondering why we did not try a few more over the top balls to Weah, either directly from Dest or diagonally from Ream. It felt like Weah had an advantage there that we did not exploit enough times.

I think Wales was both staying deep as well as allowing balls over the top to Weah early in the game. I don't think they appreciated his speed until he burned them. I think the left back es told to not let Weah in behind him in he second half.

That said, there were absolutely diagonal balls asking to be hit to that space in the second half. Even my 78 year old mother in law saw them. "Why are they playing it back when that guy is open?"

Also, Zimm should get blame for the dumb tackle but otherwise he was good. Ream was good too, but this was the game where you'd expect them to be their best. The ENG team is much more dynamic up top and Iran has a striker that can cause havoc for center backs.

Finally, on that throw in that led to the penalty, Jedi let his man get past him on the throw in. He was in no man's land in the throw, which happened quick, but both he and maybe Acosta? Adams should have done a lot better there to close that off.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I really need to stay off of twitter for my health. How are these guys getting into my time line??

The MLS takes are bad enough but the Pulisic ones are over the top. The guy has a poor half and every one is ready to call him the most over rated player in US history. This stuff hurts to read. Our fan base is just so bad :(

 

[The Z Machine]

Our fan base is just so bad :(

OK, maybe... but what do you think the Argentina fans are saying right now?

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Our fan base is just so bad :(

I think it's probably par for the course TBH. Pulisic deserves some criticism, but is obviously still a really good US player. Blaming Berhalter for the lack of scoring when pretty much every cross, free kick and corner hit the closest guy is the one that's killing me. I mean he put a great team together, picked a great lineup, had them ready to play, and the team created a decent amount right up until the final ball.

 

[The Z Machine]

I just think he’s a complementary piece and should be deployed as such.

I just wish he'd stay higher and wider. Like in a Salah role -- break early, stretch the defense, get into 1 v 1s, play quick combos 2 v 2, cross into the box when there are few defenders, etc. Not being in midfield or on the ball in the center of the field doesn't have to mean 'complementary' exactly.

I would love to see CP in that role, but we would need either Gio or Aaronson to keep developing to take pressure off of CP to be the creative link from midfield to attack. Musah could develop some of that linkage play but Weston doesn't look the part and Adams certainly isn't going to do that. We would also benefit from a true goalscorer up top, not some guy who's best trait (when facing better competition) is to work hard, run around, and lay off a pass from his chest to the feet of Pulisic.

 

[NewlyRetired]

ok bare with me here. I feel like I am on to something

Adams - Best leader on the team. The best ball hawk on the team, if not the entire history of the team. Solid one on one defender and excellent help defender. His short passing has improved significantly

Musah - Still raw but you can see the talent there. His ability and willingness to progress the ball on the dribble is such a breath of fresh air. I believe some day the offensive side nearer to goal will blossom.

McKennie - Best two way player on the team. When healthy and on his game, he was the best player on the team this cycle. Just a force of nature at times (unfortunately he may not be fully fit for the WC)


I do not believe MMA works as a midfield in a 4-3-3.

And the reason why is the one skill not mentioned above. None of the three have either the vision or the skill to make a good through ball to help unlock a defense. None of them are string pullers. This is not their fault and may fall more on GGG refusing to try anything but a 4-3-3 almost the entire cycle. But IMO you can't have an entire midfield where not a single player can play a clever defense unlocking pass in the offensive half of the field.

I think the team more naturally fits a 4-2-3-1 and I think this is where they will end up next cycle if Gio makes the leap we all expect.

Putting Gio in the middle of the 3 gives the wingers so many more options to play off of and removes the need for Pulisic to drift to the middle of the field. The only time we want Pulisic inside is when he crashes the box (which he has exhibited great timing for in his career).

Pulisic/Weah/Aarsonson can easily share the wings. MMA can easily share the 2 holding mf's. All 6 players can and should be an important part of the 2026 cycle imo.

And yes, we still need a true number 9 to emerge but I am hopeful something may happen next cycle, perhaps even a name we have never mentioned before.


I feel like I am a bit on an island here because I know so many people really liked the idea of MMA but I think it may have subtle flaws.

 

[prefontaine]

Blaming Berhalter for the lack of scoring when pretty much every cross, free kick and corner hit the closest guy is the one that's kind of killing me. I mean he put a great team together, picked a great lineup, had them ready to play, and the team created a decent amount right up until the final ball.

Eh, this isn't the first game we've looked like that. We always play that way. At a certain point running the players out to do the same thing again and again when it clearly isn't their strength is very much on the coach. We had 60% possession but 1 SOG all game and it did not come out of our coached offensive setup.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Blaming Berhalter for the lack of scoring when pretty much every cross, free kick and corner hit the closest guy is the one that's kind of killing me. I mean he put a great team together, picked a great lineup, had them ready to play, and the team created a decent amount right up until the final ball.

Eh, this isn't the first game we've looked like that. We always play that way. At a certain point running the players out to do the same thing again and again when it clearly isn't their strength is very much on the coach. We had 60% possession but 1 SOG all game and it did not come out of our coached offensive setup.

I struggle with this as I can see both points of view.

I am in 100% agreement with Holden that the goal they scored is something right out of GGG's wet dreams, almost exactly as he would draw it up on a white board.

I also refuse to believe GGG was telling Pulisic to not see the open players in the channel and just drive the ball until he lost it (however many times).

But I also do think there is something very much worth exploring about the lack of creativity on the pitch and how the players sometimes look out of ideas. Is that on coach for not playing the right mix of players? I think that is fair.

But also to be fair, it is no coincidence that the best coaches also just seem to happen to have players who are extraordinarily creative on the pitch, solving problems that no coach has any effect on. GGG does not have that luxury but at the same time, I think it is fair to ask whether he has gotten the most out of this group. My answer based on the very choppy nature of the entire cycle would be a no.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Most of you dingbats are old enough to remember when >75% of American sports fans irrationally hated soccer and used to say the dumbest things about the sport.

That number has shrunk to a significantly smaller number (especially for any one under 50), but where did all these dumb people go?

They went to twitter and started giving takes on the USMNT.

Shoot me now!

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

you can't have an entire midfield [in a 4-3-3] where not a single player can play a clever defense unlocking pass in the offensive half of the field

Oh, boy. This is something I've thought about a ton. I used to think Liverpool couldn't win in a 4-3-3 for exactly the same reasons.

But then Liverpool's best seasons had Fabinho (Adams), Wijnaldum (Musah) and Henderson (??) in the midfield for 2500 minutes each.

McKennie isn't the defensive ball hawk that Henderson is, but he's more offensive/attacking minded for sure. And while Henderson's long passing is underrated, he wasn't usually a part of the intricate tic-tac-toe stuff or killer thru balls.

But obviously it worked. And I think it worked for two reasons...

1) the press. Liverpool turned teams over a ton and was murder on the counter. We don't really do that very well. I think that's mostly down to a front three that isn't as good at pressuring out of possession.

2) the forwards were godlike in their ability to connect with each other and open defenses operating with just the two or three of them. Which we also don't do very well. Especially with a true #9 in the middle -- it breaks up two of the the three potential linkages between the front three. RW -- CF, LW -- CF. (We do look fairly dangerous on the over the top stuff though and all of our wingers can beat a defender 1v1.)

So I don't think it's that the midfield couldn't run a 4-3-3 as much as is we don't have a glue player in the middle of the front line and our front three aren't effective enough in the press.

Having said all that, I'm not sure that a formation switch doesn't come with other problems. We may just be who we are for the time being -- a top ~20 team with a lot more depth than we used to have (and hopefully more consistent performances than we're used to seeing as this group matures), but not enough absolute world-level studs to move into the top 8-10.

 

[The Z Machine]

I think it is fair to ask whether he has gotten the most out of this group. My answer based on the very choppy nature of the entire cycle would be a no.

I would agree. He has not gotten the most out of this group, but I think that's a high bar to clear. I do hope the next regime will have more tactical flexibility than GGG.

He got us into WC2022 when that wasn't a given. The team didn't fold against a team of seasoned pros in Wales. There's still a shot at getting out of group which is what most of us wanted from this cycle.

After this cup, I'll thank him for his service, give him handshake and send him on his way regardless of results in Qatar.

 

[prefontaine]

2) the forwards were godlike in their ability to connect with each other and open defenses operating with just the two or three of them. Which we also don't do very well. Especially with a true #9 in the middle -- it breaks up two of the the three potential linkages between the front three. RW -- CF, LW -- CF. (We do look fairly dangerous on the over the top 1v1 stuff though.)

Generally agree with your post but this point I wanted to expand on. Salah and Mane did not check back ever. They put their foot on the gas every time they got the ball and just ran at the defense and took shots. And Firmino isn't a true #9 so I don't think that part is necessary but he works hard and connects everything well as you say.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Oh, boy. This is something I've thought about a ton. I used to think Liverpool couldn't win in a 4-3-3 for exactly the same reasons.

2) the forwards were godlike in their ability to connect with each other and open defenses operating with just the two or three of them.

The is the trump card. Mane and Salah specifically were more than good enough to make up for a "pedestrian" midfield. We are never going to have that level of talent available to us IMO.

 

[The Z Machine]

I feel like I am a bit on an island here because I know so many people really liked the idea of MMA but I think it may have subtle flaws.

I agree with your assessment, but it's still possible for Musah to develop some ability to unlock the D with an incisive pass IMO. He's not yet 20 years old so there's a few years of potential yet to come.

I do think that the MMA midfield is the best we have right now. That might go to a doble pivot in the future to put another creative player in the center of the park, but not today.

 

[The Z Machine]

They put their foot on the gas every time they got the ball and just ran at the defense and took shots

I think that was my number one criticism in the second half. CP and Weah should have been breaking up the field and playing quick 1-2s with whomever was near, be it Sargent or one of Musah or Weston or the other winger if pinched in. There was too much slowing down of the game like they thought they would see out a 1-0 winner.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

The is the trump card. Mane and Salah specifically were more than good enough to make up for a "pedestrian" midfield. We are never going to have that level of talent available to us IMO.

But we don't have to be as good as Liverpool to be a lot better. If we played Pulisic and Weah or Aaronson high and wide (not Reyna) and played the same way with someone like Ferreira (or Pulisic!) in the middle we'd be a lite version, but still similar. And I think it'd fit who we really are a little better.

Again, I'm not trying to let Berhalter completely off the hook or anything. But the team had a lot of opportunities v Wales and just plain squandered them by not being as good as they really are in that moment. They are still very young. [/broken record alert]

 

[NewlyRetired]

I feel like I am a bit on an island here because I know so many people really liked the idea of MMA but I think it may have subtle flaws.

I agree with your assessment, but it's still possible for Musah to develop some ability to unlock the D with an incisive pass IMO. He's not yet 20 years old so there's a few years of potential yet to come.

I hope so as he is still my favorite player.

I do have a bias (which goes back to another sport and player in Larry Bird). Bird believed that court vision was god given. It was not something you could work on, or develop into a high level talent. You either had it or you didn't.

I think soccer is the same way. You can always see the young players who understand where and how to weigh a pass and the vision of where to place it. You can see it in players as young as 12 years old. I don't remember too many situations where a 20 year old who did not display this talent already, would suddenly develop it.

To be clear though, I am referring to a high level talent in this skill. I am quite confident that Weston and Musah will be able to do it on occasions.

 

[prefontaine]

I am in 100% agreement with Holden that the goal they scored is something right out of GGG's wet dreams, almost exactly as he would draw it up on a white board.

I think my frustration isn't that counter was successful. It was that we rarely try to do that and what we do try to do 90% of the game is ineffective. So let's do less of that. And the counters and quick direct game is almost always how we score. So let's try more of that.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I am in 100% agreement with Holden that the goal they scored is something right out of GGG's wet dreams, almost exactly as he would draw it up on a white board.

I think my frustration isn't that counter was successful. It was that we rarely try to do that and what we do try to do 90% of the game is ineffective. So let's do less of that. And the counters and quick direct game is almost always how we score. So let's try more of that.

"That is Jesse Marsch's music I hear!!"

 

[NewlyRetired]

This is either very encouraging or very depressing depending on your glass half empty or half full approach.

This is a compilation of the US in transition during the second half. Look at all the space and opportunity! And not a single goal scoring chance was created :(

https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1595215337280229379?s=20&t=w7ViiCXcIc5wykl-6wAerg

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Watching the vid confirms things for me. The players were absolutely set up in a good way and had a chance to perform over and over again. We should have had several decent scoring chances off those possessions.

Berhalter should get credit for that IMO. The players just didn't capitalize on the opportunities.

 

[NewlyRetired]

This is either very encouraging or very depressing depending on your glass half empty or half full approach.

This is a compilation of the US in transition during the second half. Look at all the space and opportunity! And not a single goal scoring chance was created :(

https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1595215337280229379?s=20&t=w7ViiCXcIc5wykl-6wAerg

play 1: Decent ball that pulled Musah slightly wider than maybe needed and results in just one of a ton of crosses that was blocked before it got any where near a US player
play 2: Great ball recovery and transition start. Worst play of the game for Pulisic
play 3: Fantastic vision and pass from Pulisic (just beautiful stuff). Musah does well to get in deep. Ball needed to be cut back hard to top of box. Musah was not aware of his options and again plays it right to the Wales defender. You can't ask to get any deeper than this on a transition.
play 4: Not sure what Pulisic did not see here. He could have given Sargent a 1 on 1 chance if he released the ball at the 42 second mark
play 5: Not much here. Dest just played his teammate into pressure
play 6: This was a very nice quick build up. I liked Weah's idea of an early ball. He could have chosen to attack space in front of him but I won't quibble here
play 7: We already talked abou this one. You won't get a bigger channel to Weah again all tournament. Again, Pulisic's vision let him down here.
play 8: This one is all on Aaronson. I like to think his teammates were screaming man on at him but even without that he has to release that sooner. Weah was in full stride
play 9: I don't know what to say about this one. I can't figure out if it was a poor cross, or Aaronson mistimed his jump or what the hell happened. Yet another play deep in box with out a shot on goal
play 10: Two mistakes here. I know the instinct here is to reward the lung busting run by Jedi but Pulisic should have seen the defender already leaning. A simple fake to Jedi and Pulisic could have cut in for a clear shot at the top of the box. Jedi's incredible run also likely caused his poor pass at the end.
play 11: Just another cross that does nothing


Honestly as a coach, you probably hope to have 5 of these in an entire competitive game. To have 11 of these in a SINGLE HALF and not have a single shot on goal is mind blowing.

 

[encaitar]

This is either very encouraging or very depressing depending on your glass half empty or half full approach.

This is a compilation of the US in transition during the second half. Look at all the space and opportunity! And not a single goal scoring chance was created :(

https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1595215337280229379?s=20&t=w7ViiCXcIc5wykl-6wAerg

play 8: This one is all on Aaronson. I like to think his teammates were screaming man on at him but even without that he has to release that sooner. Weah was in full stride
play 9: I don't know what to say about this one. I can't figure out if it was a poor cross, or Aaronson mistimed his jump or what the hell happened. Yet another play deep in box with out a shot on goal

These were our two best chances of the second half.

Play 8 we had a 4 on 3 and I can't see how we don't get a shot if Weah is given the ball early enough. If he makes a play we could have a high percentage shot.

Play 9 I remember from the game. It was an inch perfect cross that should've been put away. Aaronson didn't jump early enough for whatever reason... Don't know if he felt Weah on his right and thought Weah was gonna take it or what, but that should've been a big chance and with a decent header would've gone in.

I think the system was set up well. We had the opportunities, but we just don't have the final ball on most of these and that's why we're a top 20 team instead of a top 10 team in the world.

 

[BassNBrew]

Remember when Dest use to be able to dribble around everyone and played like a winger albeit while making defensive mistakes on occasion? What happened to that guy?

 

[BassNBrew]

you can't have an entire midfield [in a 4-3-3] where not a single player can play a clever defense unlocking pass in the offensive half of the field

1) the press. Liverpool turned teams over a ton and was murder on the counter. We don't really do that very well. I think that's mostly down to a front three that isn't as good at pressuring out of possession.

We had a decent press with Zardes on the field. Playing Sargent kills any chance to pressure. Watch him closely and he always finds the spot equal distance between 2-3 defenders trying to play the ball out. I still think Sargent would make a solid defensive back. To me he's the epitome of the biggest, fastest at the age of 12 getting shoved up front to win games and then always producing just enough that the coach never says put the tall kid in the back. I've seen it first hand. It's hard as a coach to eat L's sticking your best scoring threat on defense because that would be their best professional position.

 

[AAABatteries]

I really need to stay off of twitter for my health. How are these guys getting into my time line??

The MLS takes are bad enough but the Pulisic ones are over the top. The guy has a poor half and every one is ready to call him the most over rated player in US history. This stuff hurts to read. Our fan base is just so bad :(

Don’t read random Twitter people - WALA

 

[AAABatteries]

I have to wonder if the halves were reversed if folks would have a different view of the Wales result. I know that’s kind of silly but there’s a lot of good that happened in that first half. Both teams missed a great chance with headers and then we give up a stupid penalty. Sure, we want to be a top-10 team but we just aren’t yet. Wales is a good side.

I think the game boiled down to 3 things: 1: creating more scoring chances - which we all know has been a problem. 2. Youth - we didn’t panic but we definitely were not completely calm during the 2nd half - a little more composure and one of those plays Andy dissected maybe results in a goal. 3. A naive and stupid challenge in the box.

 

[NewlyRetired]

oh wow, great point I just read else where.

We were all so bummed how average the US looked in their last two friendlies.

Those were against Saudi Arabia and Japan

 

[dnurk]

oh wow, great point I just read else where.

We were all so bummed how average the US looked in their last two friendlies.

Those were against Saudi Arabia and Japan

Got to think that positively impacts the USMNT belief (like actually really believing) they can get a result vs ENG

 

[RCon]

oh wow, great point I just read else where.

We were all so bummed how average the US looked in their last two friendlies.

Those were against Saudi Arabia and Japan

While true, the SA game seemed to be an aberration, in that Argentina dominated and just didn't convert. Japan / Germany seemed reasonably even to me.

 

[B Maverick]

Is something like the "Var"-able? People are wondering if the Wales player picked up the ball before it went out of bounds which lead to the PK.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FiIFI_KXkAAwMhE?format=jpg&name=small

I think it would be, depending on how far back they are allowed to go to find a foul. I am guessing it may not have been obvious enough or close enough to the goal for it to be checked?

I don't think any US player or coach thought to ask. They probably lost all focus when the awful pk happened.

Oh right it was a PK. Then no it isn't reviewable. Whether its a PK or not is, but they can not go back and check to see before that. It's like when a team scores on a corner that should have been a goal kick.

While that's technically correct, the Tunisia-Denmark ref today went back and awarded Tunisia a free kick for a foul the ref saw when he was called over to look for possible Tunisia handball in the box today which overrode a Denmark corner.

I would be curious as to their rationale for this? They can not give a foul in this situation. They can only review for a PK or red, not a general foul in the middle of the park. Oh, unless it was a PK but the foul negated giving one?

I really need to stay off of twitter for my health. How are these guys getting into my time line??

The MLS takes are bad enough but the Pulisic ones are over the top. The guy has a poor half and every one is ready to call him the most over rated player in US history. This stuff hurts to read. Our fan base is just so bad :(

No that's LD

 

[NewlyRetired]

Jeff Carlisle

@JeffreyCarlisle

USMNT spokesperson says, "As they were for the first match" all players are available for selection.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Half-spaces player scores for US v Wales.

 

[Sammy3469]

This is either very encouraging or very depressing depending on your glass half empty or half full approach.

This is a compilation of the US in transition during the second half. Look at all the space and opportunity! And not a single goal scoring chance was created :(

https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1595215337280229379?s=20&t=w7ViiCXcIc5wykl-6wAerg

play 1: Decent ball that pulled Musah slightly wider than maybe needed and results in just one of a ton of crosses that was blocked before it got any where near a US player
play 2: Great ball recovery and transition start. Worst play of the game for Pulisic
play 3: Fantastic vision and pass from Pulisic (just beautiful stuff). Musah does well to get in deep. Ball needed to be cut back hard to top of box. Musah was not aware of his options and again plays it right to the Wales defender. You can't ask to get any deeper than this on a transition.
play 4: Not sure what Pulisic did not see here. He could have given Sargent a 1 on 1 chance if he released the ball at the 42 second mark
play 5: Not much here. Dest just played his teammate into pressure
play 6: This was a very nice quick build up. I liked Weah's idea of an early ball. He could have chosen to attack space in front of him but I won't quibble here
play 7: We already talked abou this one. You won't get a bigger channel to Weah again all tournament. Again, Pulisic's vision let him down here.
play 8: This one is all on Aaronson. I like to think his teammates were screaming man on at him but even without that he has to release that sooner. Weah was in full stride
play 9: I don't know what to say about this one. I can't figure out if it was a poor cross, or Aaronson mistimed his jump or what the hell happened. Yet another play deep in box with out a shot on goal
play 10: Two mistakes here. I know the instinct here is to reward the lung busting run by Jedi but Pulisic should have seen the defender already leaning. A simple fake to Jedi and Pulisic could have cut in for a clear shot at the top of the box. Jedi's incredible run also likely caused his poor pass at the end.
play 11: Just another cross that does nothing


Honestly as a coach, you probably hope to have 5 of these in an entire competitive game. To have 11 of these in a SINGLE HALF and not have a single shot on goal is mind blowing.

I'm sorry, but in every one of these clips except maybe one the runners are either making bad runs to the outside of the defender or were positioned such that making the inside run isn't there (contrast to the goal where Weah cuts to the inside of the OB). Yeah we need to execute better, but the formation/structure isn't there when do get into transition to exploit the advantage. We repeatedly let the backline neutralize all the good angles and space.

 

[dnurk]

Half-spaces player scores for US v Wales.

Acosta Yedlin and Morris a combined minus 2….whodathunkit?

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Acosta Yedlin and Morris a combined minus 2….whodathunkit?

Acosta has had some really good games for the US. Morris I don't get at all -- Galaxy Brain IMO.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Half-spaces player scores for US v Wales.

I usually agree with these but man something is either broken in his methodology or he has some bias because not recognizing that Acosta saved the US's entire WC with his quick thinking seems a mistake.

 

[NewlyRetired]

CR getting taken to school by a team probably not as good as England is not making me feel very comfortable

 

[NewlyRetired]

This is either very encouraging or very depressing depending on your glass half empty or half full approach.

This is a compilation of the US in transition during the second half. Look at all the space and opportunity! And not a single goal scoring chance was created :(

https://twitter.com/USMNTZ/status/1595215337280229379?s=20&t=w7ViiCXcIc5wykl-6wAerg

play 1: Decent ball that pulled Musah slightly wider than maybe needed and results in just one of a ton of crosses that was blocked before it got any where near a US player
play 2: Great ball recovery and transition start. Worst play of the game for Pulisic
play 3: Fantastic vision and pass from Pulisic (just beautiful stuff). Musah does well to get in deep. Ball needed to be cut back hard to top of box. Musah was not aware of his options and again plays it right to the Wales defender. You can't ask to get any deeper than this on a transition.
play 4: Not sure what Pulisic did not see here. He could have given Sargent a 1 on 1 chance if he released the ball at the 42 second mark
play 5: Not much here. Dest just played his teammate into pressure
play 6: This was a very nice quick build up. I liked Weah's idea of an early ball. He could have chosen to attack space in front of him but I won't quibble here
play 7: We already talked abou this one. You won't get a bigger channel to Weah again all tournament. Again, Pulisic's vision let him down here.
play 8: This one is all on Aaronson. I like to think his teammates were screaming man on at him but even without that he has to release that sooner. Weah was in full stride
play 9: I don't know what to say about this one. I can't figure out if it was a poor cross, or Aaronson mistimed his jump or what the hell happened. Yet another play deep in box with out a shot on goal
play 10: Two mistakes here. I know the instinct here is to reward the lung busting run by Jedi but Pulisic should have seen the defender already leaning. A simple fake to Jedi and Pulisic could have cut in for a clear shot at the top of the box. Jedi's incredible run also likely caused his poor pass at the end.
play 11: Just another cross that does nothing


Honestly as a coach, you probably hope to have 5 of these in an entire competitive game. To have 11 of these in a SINGLE HALF and not have a single shot on goal is mind blowing.

I'm sorry, but in every one of these clips except maybe one the runners are either making bad runs to the outside of the defender or were positioned such that making the inside run isn't there (contrast to the goal where Weah cuts to the inside of the OB). Yeah we need to execute better, but the formation/structure isn't there when do get into transition to exploit the advantage. We repeatedly let the backline neutralize all the good angles and space.

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 are all 100% on the players IMO. Just poor decisions in every case. The rest (outside of 6) are all debatable in what went wrong in many different areas. I don't actually think anything went specifically "wrong" with 6. As mentioned above maybe he could have attacked the space in front of him but it is no where near as bad as all the rest.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Acosta Yedlin and Morris a combined minus 2….whodathunkit?

Acosta has had some really good games for the US. Morris I don't get at all -- Galaxy Brain IMO.

Morris was my biggest disappointment in selection. I even understood Roldan more than Morris.

I appreciate the "profile" argument but I would always prefer the better player be chosen. Nips contributed the entire cycle and got tossed aside at the very end just because Morris is considered a "bigger" player.

I guess I could almost understand this if Morris was a physical aberration, like that monster Wales subbed in, but in reality, he is just another guy physically.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So by the time I wake up at 7:00 on Friday, we will likely know our fate in terms of how to best approach the England game. I hope Iran can do us a favor. A 2-3 goal loss to Wales and I think we are in DEEP trouble before we even play the second game.

 

[BassNBrew]

So by the time I wake up at 7:00 on Friday, we will likely know our fate in terms of how to best approach the England game. I hope Iran can do us a favor. A 2-3 goal loss to Wales and I think we are in DEEP trouble before we even play the second game.

So while we are talking theories of England colluding with Wales, would an already eliminated Iran lay down in protest of how the gov't treats women?

 

[NewlyRetired]

Looks like our friends from down south are at it again :(

====================



Cesar Hernandez

@cesarhfutbol

FIFA have "opened proceedings against the Mexican Football Association due to chants by Mexican supporters during the Mexico v. Poland FIFA World Cup match played on 22 November"