El Floppo
Footballguy
This.That has a lot to do with Dest on the left I think.
Dest pushed forward without anybody but a CB to provide cover, leaving too much space between them to exploit.
This.That has a lot to do with Dest on the left I think.
Was interesting that Musah filled that void for Cannon to get forward.This.
Dest pushed forward without anybody but a CB to provide cover, leaving too much space between them to exploit.
I agree. I think Musah was the only US sub that had a positive impact. Acosta was ok, everyone else was invisible or worse.So is this a lesson in coaching tactics...GGG losing out at the half? Or is it a personnel issue, with the swiss subs making the difference?
Because outside of a few flurries, it's been all swiss in the second half, and by a lot.
Sieb and Weah have been absent or worse.
Musahs looked decent.
I think it was the Swiss subs. Which would normally be starters.So is this a lesson in coaching tactics...GGG losing out at the half? Or is it a personnel issue, with the swiss subs making the difference?
Because outside of a few flurries, it's been all swiss in the second half, and by a lot.
Sieb and Weah have been absent or worse.
Musahs looked decent.
Which is why the absence of Adams was a big deal. Put Adams and Pulisic in that lineup (take out Yueill and Lletget) and this game looks very different. Plus a little more time playing together.This.
Dest pushed forward without anybody but a CB to provide cover, leaving too much space between them to exploit.
I don't know if I like Aaronson at the 8.Which is why the absence of Adams was a big deal. Put Adams and Pulisic in that lineup (take out Yueill and Lletget) and this game looks very different.
If Adams is out there, things look significantly improved, IMO. Moreso than the addition of anyone else in the lineup, including Pulisic.
I think Yueill is savvy enough to provide that cover.That's where Adams would come in IMO. Or get Musah in the middle to push Weston to provide that cover.
Lets break it all down.The US still needs a 9.
one thing I sense from GGG is a lack of stubbornness. I think he wants to learn and grow so I expect he will pour over this game today and make some changes where needed tactically.I get the impression that it wasn't gameplanned at all by GGG.
Pretty sure you meant Yedlin when talking about RB. I agree.Lets break it all down.
* We are excellent on the wings with Gio/Aaronson/Pulisic. We could use one more quality player. I was hoping it would be Weah. I would have been fine with Morris as the #4 winger but that ship has sailed. I like Nips but he is limited
* 9 is a real problem. Sargent does everything "ok" but score. Dike is REALLY raw but might be interesting in a Concacaf setting. GGG appears to really like Sieb but I don't have enough time watching him play to form an opinion. I am also fine with Zardes getting some time. He has a much better nose for goal than Sargent and his movement is also strong.
* The 8's seem decent in Weston, Lletget and Musah. Like the wingers, it would be nice if one more emerged.
* The 6 after Adams is a real concern (or maybe I should say Adams's back is the real concern.) I am ok with Ascota as an emergency back up but there is not a ton of quality there. Busio may be one of the most important players to watch in the Gold Cup if picked.
* LB is ok with Dest and Robinson. Dest is excellent with the ball but as we have always mentioned, weaker on defense, even when not caught up field.
* RB is fairly deep with Dest, Cannon, Adams and Reynolds. It may be the deepest position on the field in terms of not a large drop off from player to player after you get to the first sub.
* The CB's are interesting. I still like the idea of 3 CB's. Richards appears to be the real deal and I think McKenzie and Miazga are solid enough to give this a shot. It might help give Dest a little more freedom to get forward with out gigantic gaps at the back.
* Keeper feels better. I think Turner is a really solid number 2 and if Horvath can play the way he did today, I would be more than comfortable with him as a #3. We will have to watch Turner closely as well during the Gold Cup because he has so little international experience.
yes on Yedlin. I fixed that mistake.Pretty sure you meant Yedlin when talking about RB. I agree.
You left off Brooks when talking about CB. Put his name in instead of Miazga and I agree.
Agree on Busio. I will be paying much more attention to him.
I'm still ok with Sargent. But I agree it would be nice if we have someone really emerge at the 9.
One of the reasons I am very optimistic with what we saw today.Brian Sciaretta
@BrianSciaretta
Berhalter said Brenden Aaronson’s work rate is “relentless.” Says it’s still too early to tell on Adams availability. There will be a medical update tomorrow
I was hard on him pre pandemic, but he has evolved his tactics better than I expectedone thing I sense from GGG is a lack of stubbornness. I think he wants to learn and grow so I expect he will pour over this game today and make some changes where needed tactically.
This all seems true.I was hard on him pre pandemic, but he has evolved his tactics better than I expectedone thing I sense from GGG is a lack of stubbornness. I think he wants to learn and grow so I expect he will pour over this game today and make some changes where needed tactically.
Losing Long and his speed/experience hurts for this...as much as I like that group of CBs.Lets break it all down.
* We are excellent on the wings with Gio/Aaronson/Pulisic. We could use one more quality player. I was hoping it would be Weah. I would have been fine with Morris as the #4 winger but that ship has sailed. I like Nips but he is limited
* 9 is a real problem. Sargent does everything "ok" but score. Dike is REALLY raw but might be interesting in a Concacaf setting. GGG appears to really like Sieb but I don't have enough time watching him play to form an opinion. I am also fine with Zardes getting some time. He has a much better nose for goal than Sargent and his movement is also strong.
* The 8's seem decent in Weston, Lletget and Musah. Like the wingers, it would be nice if one more emerged.
* The 6 after Adams is a real concern (or maybe I should say Adams's back is the real concern.) I am ok with Ascota as an emergency back up but there is not a ton of quality there. Busio may be one of the most important players to watch in the Gold Cup if picked.
* LB is ok with Dest and Robinson. Dest is excellent with the ball but as we have always mentioned, weaker on defense, even when not caught up field.
* RB is fairly deep with Dest, Cannon, Yedlin and Reynolds. It may be the deepest position on the field in terms of not a large drop off from player to player after you get to the first sub.
* The CB's are interesting. I still like the idea of 3 CB's with Brooks leading the charge. Richards appears to be the real deal and I think McKenzie and Miazga are solid enough to give this a shot. It might help give Dest a little more freedom to get forward with out gigantic gaps at the back.
* Keeper feels better. I think Turner is a really solid number 2 and if Horvath can play the way he did today, I would be more than comfortable with him as a #3. We will have to watch Turner closely as well during the Gold Cup because he has so little international experience.
Agree with every bit of this.Didn't get to watch live, but just finished on replay....
Thoughts....
Dest is likely our second best attacking threat at this point behind Pulisic, however, we're going to get destroyed on the counter by a more clinical side if he keeps bombing forward like that. I think GGG is going to need to switch to a back 3 to take advantage best talents of our best players.
Switzerland is good, but not great. This is a very similarly skilled team to Mexico and was a good test. I thought we should've had a 2-3 goal lead in the first half, but oof..... that second half was rough.
I like Lletget more than some others, but he can't be a starter for this team. His inclusion pushed McKennie back into more of a defensive role. The same McKennie whose been playing as an AMC for Juventus, one of the best teams in the world. It's a mistake to push McKennie back in favor of pushing Lletget forward. Musah as the other 8 would allow McKennie to get forward more and would keep our shape more structured.
Horvath(or Whorebath... classic) was good. He's easily #3 and could be #2 if Turner has a bad Gold Cup. I hope he finds steady work next year, because he has too much potential to sit on the sidelines again.
Aaronson belongs in this group. I think he'll end up as a super sub, but that excites me a lot. His aggression and pressing, especially if we are chasing a goal will be immense.
This team is YOUNG. It's so obvious with some of the mistakes they make, but they are very very green. I'm excited to watch the next 4-5 years with this group as they grow in soccer smarts together. We're seeing the floor of this team right now and it's not bad. The ceiling..... wow, can't wait.
I assume because there were only 6 subs so 4 field players had to go 90, and Weston was a second half sub in his most recent game, which was a full week ago.So with GGG watching/balancing minutes, why did Swag go the full 90?
So he's banking on getting Swag out early in a game that matters so that he can play him full time in a game that doesn't? Seems to me he should have reversed his thinking there. Even if Honduras is a slam dunk win, you can't bank on that, especially since it's CONCACAF. Pulling Swag in the 2nd half today wouldn't have changed the outcome once Ream replaced Brooks, so to me the prudent move would have been to pull him to conserve his strength.I assume because there were only 6 subs so 4 field players had to go 90, and Weston was a second half sub in his most recent game, which was a full week ago.
I bet the hope is that things go well against Honduras and both Weston and Dest can sub out in second half.
I have no idea what he is banking on. That was just my guess. One thing GGG has going for him is that he is ultra, maybe even over, prepared so I assume he and his team worked through numerous scenarios regarding the minutes.So he's banking on getting Swag out early in a game that matters so that he can play him full time in a game that doesn't?
I hope they don't abandoned the high pressing completely. I feel like there are going to be a whole bunch of games in qualifying that it will work very well in. It obviously works less the better the competition is.=================================
Berhalter on when he'll 100% see what he wants from this group/generation:
"When you see the potential this group has, & how they can come here without fear and take the game to Switzerland, it says a lot about this generation of players - It's exciting...
.. and part of my job is finding the balance between high pressing & stability, and we didn't always have that today & I'll take responsibility for that. But other than that, these guys are ready to go and ready to play - it's a really good group"
I think we have the speed; it's the fact that the Swiss--not the Germans, not the French, not the Spanish, the SWISS--played 3D chess with us while we're trying to master tic-tac-toe that worries me. As for speed, I think we have the speed, but it hasn't been all put together on the the field together yet.Obviously just a friendly today, but it certainly seems like the big issue with this group is staring us in the face.
The fullbacks are bad on defense and the center backs aren't fast enough to make up for it. And I dont see that fixing itself in the next year. (Dest may eventually get better with enough high level reps, but right now, he's a major problem on D) I think we need to address it now and not 4 months from now after they've dropped points in qualifying. Maybe Adams comes back and the problem fixes itself, but I'd be surprised. (and at this point, he's hurt too often to be relied on)
IMO, its time for 3 at the back. I dont know enough to work out the best formation (would it be a 3-5-2 with Pulisic as the 2nd forward?) but I think it has to be done
Steffen
Richards Miazga Brooks
Dest Adams Robinson
Weston Gio
Sarge CP
I don't think people are giving the Swiss enough credit. They have an almost identical ranking to Germany, as one of the teams you mentioned.I think we have the speed; it's the fact that the Swiss--not the Germans, not the French, not the Spanish, the SWISS--played 3D chess with us while we're trying to master tic-tac-toe that worries me.
This. And that was without Pulisic and Adams. Away in Switzerland. In their first game since meeting together for camp. And Yueill starting. And we only lost 2-1. And gave up a goal right after multiple subs.I don't think people are giving the Swiss enough credit. They have an almost identical ranking to Germany, as one of the teams you mentioned.
The Swiss team is loaded with in their prime Bundesliga and Ligue One players.
The Swiss teams experience is where want ours to be in 2026. We just can't compete on that level, yet.
But if you were to match our best U23's with Switzerlands U23's, I think we win that game handily.
And to be fair to the US, while the second half was horrible, everyone seems to agree the US was clearly the better side in the first half. They dominated that half for at least 30 minutes. We have never kept that much possession in any half of any game played in Europe against a top 15 level team from my memory. Not even close.
I wasn't meaning to denigrate the Swiss but rather just point out that they're not at the same level per se as the usual suspects yet still they were able to basically toy with us as far as getting a result is concerned, and in fact, I think that they were emblematic of the degree of obstacles we still need to overcome in order to be considered on that tier of world soccer, which considering our resources and pool of talent, we have a fair shot of reaching eventually. Maybe it's just too early in the going, which I'm willing to concede if we're on the right track, but there are still definitely hurdles we must overcome.I don't think people are giving the Swiss enough credit. They have an almost identical ranking to Germany, as one of the teams you mentioned.
The Swiss team is loaded with in their prime Bundesliga and Ligue One players.
The Swiss teams experience is where want ours to be in 2026. We just can't compete on that level, yet.
But if you were to match our best U23's with Switzerlands U23's, I think we win that game handily.
I can absolutely live with this, and it's what I was trying to agitate for after wet and bumpy. I believe in growing pains as long as we're moving in the right direction. What I DON'T want is a bare cupboard in 2026 like there was in 2010, or at least not the willingness to incorporate the next generation while the current one was in/at the end of its prime.I believe there is one thing that is very important for many to realize. There are VERY good reasons international teams average ages are in the mid to late 20's.
No team as young as the US has ever done anything of note on the international stage.
The US program put us in this predicament and now we must live with the growing pains.
We are completely ### backwards right now as a program. Almost all, if not all, good National teams have a majority of experienced players who they then mix in a few top young players. We have a vast majority of young players where we mix in a few competent vets.
This will all fix itself naturally by 2026 IMO but this is the penalty for going a solid 5-7 years where talent did not develop.
I can see your point on general friendlies but that is not what these are. This entire week is being used to simulate World Cup qualifying with the three game windows. I don't think this is the right time to just be experimenting at will.I can absolutely live with this, and it's what I was trying to agitate for after wet and bumpy. I believe in growing pains as long as we're moving in the right direction. What I DON'T want is a bare cupboard in 2026 like there was in 2010, or at least not the willingness to incorporate the next generation while the current one was in/at the end of its prime.
This is why I see these friendlies so differently than GGG seems to. I couldn't give less of a rat's ### about results in friendlies IF it moves the program forward; I'd rather we lost 5-0 today but get a ton of info to build on than lose 2-1 because the coach didn't push the right buttons. I think that in friendlies, it's better to be the underdog and try anything and everything, take notes on what did and didn't work and build on that, as opposed to to losing a close one but not come away understanding what the real difference between us and our opponent really is and how to close that gap. While we want to pat ourselves on the backs for hanging so close to the Swiss, I want to know how to have the instinct to draw a hand ball call for a PK and take a corner that involves heading the corner that leads to a point blank open header because the defense wasn't expecting it, like we saw today.
I would agree. We're getting there with the on field skills and play, but still naive tactically.Yeah, I'm certainly not knocking Switzerland.
I just see some red flags here with the defense. I think its an opening that Mexico can REALLY exploit.
This has been one of his strengths straight along and why he was the every game starter for WB, at least according to his coach... So I'm still confused or disagreeing with you about this. Unless you're talking that explosive first step...? (Which isn't something he can learn, imo)he could just find that extra gear to make him more effective pressing, he'd make a lot more sense to be the #1 striker.
I feel almost like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, since I really do like what Sargent brings to the team; I just feel like, at least with the type of high press that GGG wants to use, Sarge is just a mite slower than we need him to be. Before he was subbed out yesterday, his pressing seemed to be more chasing after the ball after it had been passed out of his zone. Maybe that's all he's supposed to do, but the Swiss were so experienced that they seemed to know our press was coming before we did. In the friendly when Soto and Sieb played, they seemed more able to disrupt when they pressed, though maybe that was more a factor of the opponent.This has been one of his strengths straight along and why he was the every game starter for WB, at least according to his coach... So I'm still confused or disagreeing with you about this. Unless you're talking that explosive first step...? (Which isn't something he can learn, imo)
This was already addressed, but that seems foolhardy if it's GGGs thinking.I assume because there were only 6 subs so 4 field players had to go 90, and Weston was a second half sub in his most recent game, which was a full week ago.
I bet the hope is that things go well against Honduras and both Weston and Dest can sub out in second half.
I feel like the main thing the swiss excelled at was knowing to quickly play the space behind the fbs after they had pushed forward....and it seemed like a clear post half-time change. That tells me it was more coaching/tactical than on the field speed of mind (although to their credit, the swiss players orchestrated it well). This is what I was getting at wondering about GGGs ability to adjust on the fly.I think we have the speed; it's the fact that the Swiss--not the Germans, not the French, not the Spanish, the SWISS--played 3D chess with us while we're trying to master tic-tac-toe that worries me. As for speed, I think we have the speed, but it hasn't been all put together on the the field together yet.
I think we all agree his top end quickness and acceleration isn't a strength.I feel almost like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, since I really do like what Sargent brings to the team; I just feel like, at least with the type of high press that GGG wants to use, Sarge is just a mite slower than we need him to be. Before he was subbed out yesterday, his pressing seemed to be more chasing after the ball after it had been passed out of his zone. Maybe that's all he's supposed to do, but the Swiss were so experienced that they seemed to know our press was coming before we did. In the friendly when Soto and Sieb played, they seemed more able to disrupt when they pressed, though maybe that was more a factor of the opponent.
I also noticed at the beginning of the second half, Swag was in Sarge's spot for the high press, and he seemed to be more of a disruptive influence, which is part of what made me think Sarge's foot speed is still lacking for what GGG wants to do with the high press.
Again, full credit to Sargent for his work rate and doing all the dirty work. That's the kind of effort that needs to be held up as an example for the rest of the team to follow. Maybe it just needs to happen that when they press high when he's out there, he drops back and Swag or Weah or Musah or CP moves into that spot in the press. It could be our version of Total Football.
GGG said in the press conference after that he takes responsibility for not making the correct changes after the large amount of subs the Swiss made at half time in terms of pressing.Imo, that's a coaching thing more than a soccer iq thing.
I don't think people are giving the Swiss enough credit. They have an almost identical ranking to Germany, as one of the teams you mentioned.
The Swiss team is loaded with in their prime Bundesliga and Ligue One players.
The Swiss teams experience is where we want ours to be in 2026. We just can't compete on that level, yet.
But if you were to match our best U23's with Switzerlands U23's, I think we win that game handily.
And to be fair to the US, while the second half was horrible, everyone seems to agree the US was clearly the better side in the first half. They dominated that half for at least 30 minutes. We have never kept that much possession in any half of any game played in Europe against a top 15 level team from my memory. Not even close.
I alluded to this yesterday. We looked technically as competent compare to the Swiss but they dominated us in determination, strength, and speed. It was the opposite of years pastThis. And that was without Pulisic and Adams. Away in Switzerland. In their first game since meeting together for camp. And Yueill starting. And we only lost 2-1. And gave up a goal right after multiple subs.
The team isn't perfect, but with an average age of 23 and playing against the 13th ranked team in the world at home with experience playing together, I come away feeling pretty good about where we are and where we can be very soon. We've never really been able to hang against top teams like that from a technical standpoint. It's always been physical and determination and hoping to defend and counter. Today was anything but that.
Enjoy the ride, fellas.
I'm still pretty new to the game, so all of it is 3D chess to me, especially on plays like the corner that was headed to a teammate who had a point blank open shot, or the 2 breakaways Embolo had where he had Brooks isolated.I guess I wasn't seeing much 3-d chess out there relative to the US. I saw a clear tactical switch at half time that the swiss players took advantage of, and the US didn't seem to have an answer for. Imo, that's a coaching thing more than a soccer iq thing.
In a lot of ways, Sargent seems like the prototypical striker and he just needs to develop more physicality. I think that where his technical skills are now, it's time to put more time in at the weight room, and in the mean time, I think we'll have to develop some sort of hybrid approach for when he's out there. Not ideal, but the way he's risen to every challenge so far, I think at least he will be up to the task and retain his value to our A squad.I think we all agree his top end quickness and acceleration isn't a strength.
One thing I noticed last night- we need that player to be able to show for the ball, getting to the space, winning and holding the ball with his back to goal- relieves pressure for his team when it's on the backfoot and allows them to set up and get numbers forward to attack when on the front. Sarge was routinely beaten to the space and ball, and then not winning, holding enough or drawing enough fouls when he did (something he usually does well). It felt like swag and even the slighter Aaronson were doing more of that...which goes toward that explosiveness. They've got it more than sarge.
We love to make fun of Zardes in this thread, mostly out of bizzaro love, but he definitely deserves his chance. It is not like any other player has grabbed a hold of this spot.And the flip side of that is that I'd love to see what Zardes can do in this setup, given that he's arguably a more physical player and probably a step or two faster.
Maybe GGG wanted to see the other options and didn’t want to pull Zardes away from his club to only play part time.We love to make fun of Zardes in this thread, mostly out of bizzaro love, but he definitely deserves his chance. It is not like any other player has grabbed a hold of this spot.
I am hopeful that Zardes will be the starting striker in the Gold Cup and will have an opportunity to impress.