World Cup 2022 - Qatar

[HaulCitgo]

They also won almost no long balls, second balls first half and the press was shit and caught Japan in possession about once I can remember first half. You have to be able to count on something. They need to commit to the press and win in midfield. They don't have the players to defend or to win on the counter. I'd say just go all in on what you do. Press and possess and get forward outside and hope pulisic/Reyna/arronsen can give you enough goals. Not likely. I'd stick with ferriera up front because he brings the most on the press and live with the lack of goals.

[The Sybian]

I'd stick with ferriera up front because he brings the most on the press and live with the lack of goals.

If you are going with that strategy, put Aaronson up top and get an extra winger (Reyna or Weah) on the field. We have 4 very good wingers and no strikers. Or Weah up top.

[Nonlinear FC]

Want to reiterate/expound: With Musah, you have a world class player that can dribble in the middle of the park. Aaronson is another guy that allows you to play it up the middle of the park from time to time. A decent college side can defend you if all you do is play into the outside back trap.

That really is what it comes down to... If you are that predictable, the only way to break the press is to have higher level talent (Musah, Reyna, Pulisic, McKinnie* and Adams*).

* - Who both showed their limitations yesterday. They need a player that can turn people in the middle of the park. That's not either players strength. They are both basically 6's. Who was supposed to be at the top of that triangle yesterday? Invisible, for the most part.

(Ferriera has shown next to nothing. Just another guy. We need danger up there and he does absolutely nothing to create anything.)

[HaulCitgo]

All correct just holes everywhere based on Japan. they're going to have to help the backs in possession and Adams didn't take responsibility and McKinnie was leaky. Delatorre absent. Better options with musah and weah getting forward but they need to be able to link up deeper and questions all in addition to nothing up top.

[wlu_lax6]

Pepi and Pulisic start tomorrow

[DaveInSeattle]

I've seen coverage of High school football games on Public Access that have a better picture than this...

[Nonlinear FC]

Field is absolute garbage. Not a great way to prep for a WC, frankly. Not blaming anyone, just unfortunate.

So far, I really like the tendency to go forward with balls over the top. That's what they're giving us.

Not a big fan of our backline and ability to play out of the back. They just aren't very good. And they give the all away cheaply. Yedlin seems slightly lost for some reason.

ETA - Not a great sign to see Gio come out in the 30th. Hopefully just precautionary.

[tennbengal]

i hate GGG.

[Nonlinear FC]

It's really fatiguing to watch these lineup decisions.

[tennbengal]

It's really fatiguing to watch these lineup decisions.

he's done a bang-up job at making me really no longer give a shit.

goddamn how I loathe him.

[tennbengal]

today's USMT adjective watching this game:

desultory

[HaulCitgo]

Freed up... 0-0 better than 0-2. Whizz by the post... Bad guys

[HaulCitgo]

Scally start?

[A_B]

I haven't kept up much on who has been playing with whom and where on the pitch, but at the back it seems like we are playing bumblebee soccer with everyone just running at the ball, even if a guy is closed down already and then you have everyone wrong footed with any change in direction. The organization seems way off.

[tennbengal]

Scally start?

lol.

no.

[tennbengal]

I haven't kept up much on who has been playing with whom and where on the pitch, but at the back it seems like we are playing bumblebee soccer with everyone just running at the ball, even if a guy is closed down already and then you have everyone wrong footed with any change in direction. The organization seems way off.

today's second adjective of the day for the USMT was...

haphazard

[tennbengal]

[tennbengal]

[mister d]

[HaulCitgo]

Acosta just said it all... Fuck man

[Nonlinear FC]

They are a very young squad, so their emotions and attitude are going to be a roller coaster. They are looking around, seeing a lot of guys that don't provide much on the field getting game after game, while many talented players don't even get called in.

And the tactics are just flat.

[The Sybian]

It's really fatiguing to watch these lineup decisions.

he's done a bang-up job at making me really no longer give a shit.

goddamn how I loathe him.

Perfect comments. How does he take a group of incredibly exciting players I’ve waited my whole life for, and turn them into a boring, uninspired mush? And against two average teams? I’m just completely at a loss. Two games, and the only positive at all is the goalie. Scally brought some energy, I guess. And digging deep for a positive, can we safely say Zardes is out of the picture?

While I like the long through balls (though I thought there were too many), why are we sending them to Weston and Acosta? Why do we even field a #9 at this point?

[Nonlinear FC]

It's just the slavish fixation on the 4-3-3 formation with the high press that is driving me to "fuck it, whatever" mode as articulated so well by tb.

People were bitching when Pulisic or Pepi or Reyna or whoever tries to break out of the system because they (the fans) don't understand tactics. Hell, I'll even give myself some shit for focusing so much on player selection. It's about the tactics. You aren't going to beat most WC-quality teams with high press as a REPLACEMENT of possession. To keep that possession and to break down bunkered or very well organized teams, you need at least ONE of your top 3 guys to drop down centrally and link up the play.

As I've said a couple of times the last few days, that type of movement (a forward or winger however you label a topline-positioned player) is almost non-existent, and it results in a lot of running around after the ball after losing possession to no real end. I'm sure this has something to do with Pulisic being pissed. He knows these tactics aren't working.

[HaulCitgo]

Not good enough not deep enough.

[Pruitt3]

[brian]

He's awesome.

[The Sybian]

It's just the slavish fixation on the 4-3-3 formation with the high press that is driving me to "fuck it, whatever" mode as articulated so well by tb.

People were bitching when Pulisic or Pepi or Reyna or whoever tries to break out of the system because they (the fans) don't understand tactics. Hell, I'll even give myself some shit for focusing so much on player selection. It's about the tactics. You aren't going to beat most WC-quality teams with high press as a REPLACEMENT of possession. To keep that possession and to break down bunkered or very well organized teams, you need at least ONE of your top 3 guys to drop down centrally and link up the play.

As I've said a couple of times the last few days, that type of movement (a forward or winger however you label a topline-positioned player) is almost non-existent, and it results in a lot of running around after the ball after losing possession to no real end. I'm sure this has something to do with Pulisic being pissed. He knows these tactics aren't working.

If the best we had was guys like Arriola and Jordan Morris, this tactic might be a good idea, as they don't have the skill to play a creative, possession game, and their strengths include pressing. We have Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, McKennie, Mussah..., why are we not playing to the strengths of our best players? Berhalter's system is geared towards the attacking players of the 90s and 00s, while his tactic for the defenders is geared towards a world class back 4 that play together year in year out. WTF is he thinking? Is he just too stubborn to change is ideas, too oblivious to see it doesn't work, or too stupid to change the strategy?

[The Sybian]

Now do a speech for the US against England!

[Nonlinear FC]

It's just the slavish fixation on the 4-3-3 formation with the high press that is driving me to "fuck it, whatever" mode as articulated so well by tb.

People were bitching when Pulisic or Pepi or Reyna or whoever tries to break out of the system because they (the fans) don't understand tactics. Hell, I'll even give myself some shit for focusing so much on player selection. It's about the tactics. You aren't going to beat most WC-quality teams with high press as a REPLACEMENT of possession. To keep that possession and to break down bunkered or very well organized teams, you need at least ONE of your top 3 guys to drop down centrally and link up the play.

As I've said a couple of times the last few days, that type of movement (a forward or winger however you label a topline-positioned player) is almost non-existent, and it results in a lot of running around after the ball after losing possession to no real end. I'm sure this has something to do with Pulisic being pissed. He knows these tactics aren't working.

If the best we had was guys like Arriola and Jordan Morris, this tactic might be a good idea, as they don't have the skill to play a creative, possession game, and their strengths include pressing. We have Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, McKennie, Mussah..., why are we not playing to the strengths of our best players? Berhalter's system is geared towards the attacking players of the 90s and 00s, while his tactic for the defenders is geared towards a world class back 4 that play together year in year out. WTF is he thinking? Is he just too stubborn to change is ideas, too oblivious to see it doesn't work, or too stupid to change the strategy?

In the grand scheme, he has changed his overall approach 2 or 3 times. He initially was trying to play a possession game out of the back, with an organized, block style defensive posture. This got roasted, particularly an early lopsided loss to MEX (if I recall correctly). He then went to an almost all out press, man-to-man style defense that was meant to use our athletic advantage to pop open the opposition with quick counters.

He has now landed on this hybrid. A press that is meant to spark the offense, but also a team capable of building out of the back. The issues:

1) Our center backs, in particular this duo of Long and Zimmerman, are not capable of starting/leading this build-up.
2) We are not putting enough midfielders/forwards in play during the build-up,
3) Which allows the opposition to wheel-trap us the millisecond the ball comes off the outside back to the central or flanking midfielder.

As painful as it was, I went back and watched a few minutes against Japan, who pressed. They just had us beat from a straight numbers advantage.

And our play was almost exclusively Turner--Zimmerman--Long--Turner--Long--Outside Back-->MidfielderxxxTrapbyJapan--> turnover.

[Nonlinear FC]

One additional point: Soccer is a lot like (american) football, particularly in the run game. You want to put a hat on a hat in football, allowing your skill guy to beat an LB, CB or Safety one-v-one in space, with an opportunity to pop a large chunk play.

Soccer isn't all that different. If the opposition forces you to dribble two guys to get past that line of D, you are starting in the hole. You ask any of our skilled midfielders to beat one guy? I'm taking that bet on Brendan, Weah, Gio, CP, Musah and McKinnie to beat a defender one-v-one and thank you very much.

But when you watch the team, they aren't doing that. They are trying to pass their way through a brick wall, down numbers, and they just aren't able to do it. Set up for failure.

[wlu_lax6]

Turner is starting against Wales right?

[Nonlinear FC]

Turner is starting against Wales right?

Unless he gets hurt, I don't see another reasonable scenario. He's, at a minimum, going to see time in Europa League and whatever Cup matches are on the sked **goes and looks at sked**, which looks like 6 matches over the next 6 weeks or so.

Meanwhile, Steffen just got back into the 'boro lineup last week and has looked pretty shaky prior to his injury.

I like Horvath and he's playing regularly at Luton Town. Unlike with Steffen, I have no real sense of how he's actually doing, but at least he's not sitting at this point.

Then you have the slew of "pretty good" MLS keepers, none of which really have been battle tested like the other 3 at the int'l level (never forget Horvath playing out of his mind last summer).

=-=-=-=-=

I hate to be repetitive, but to add to me post earlier today... While you don't expect to have to RELY on your keeper to maintain possession and play out of the back, you also don't want them to be a liability. Turner has gotten a little better, but he's still got the lowest level of skill with his feet of the MNT corps. Just compounds the issues we're having with Zimm and Long.

[Pruitt3]

[sancarlos]

[govmentchedda]

Really wish I had the restraint to just sit this WC out as a fan. It's not like the US are going to be any good.

[HaulCitgo]

Pretty amazing how expectations have turned over the past three months. And I think theyre right. I say it depends on McKennie and Reyna. If those two play their best us will be fine. If not no chance. Seems like you know what you've got elsewhere and that assumes good stuff out of musah and weah. Mostly what you've got at cb isn't good enough. But could be overcome if McKennie can impact both ends and dominate in the air and Reyna does Reyna stuff and scores 3 times then maybe not so reliant on connections in their end and can grind out a couple second halves and wind up in knockouts. Hard to conceive of much beyond that.

[HaulCitgo]

Goalie sitting. Ummm a disaster would be disappointing but not unexpected. Adams too?

[DSafetyGuy]

[Nonlinear FC]

Pretty amazing how expectations have turned over the past three months. And I think theyre right. I say it depends on McKennie and Reyna. If those two play their best us will be fine. If not no chance. Seems like you know what you've got elsewhere and that assumes good stuff out of musah and weah. Mostly what you've got at cb isn't good enough. But could be overcome if McKennie can impact both ends and dominate in the air and Reyna does Reyna stuff and scores 3 times then maybe not so reliant on connections in their end and can grind out a couple second halves and wind up in knockouts. Hard to conceive of much beyond that.

I don't necessarily disagree... I'd add or tweak this to say that Musah is a lot more important to this team than most people realize. I talked about it before... The US is INCREDIBLY predictable when they can't mix things up and start the attack centrally. McKinnie is not consistent at doing this and Adams just isn't built to do it at all.

Aaronson and Musah can link up in the middle, while Reyna and Pulisic (who is still very important to this team) are just more comfortable either starting out wide, or making crossing runs behind/in support of a striker higher up the field. They are not good in the middle of the park.

It's just incredibly frustrating to have (easily) the most talented squad ever, and we have a coach that is hell bent on muting that talent and running a high press system that relies (for the most part) on chaos. We're better than that. Well, as long as we aren't playing pluggers like Arriola and Ferreria and Acosta.

ETA - Dest is really important because he's the only outside back we have that is talented enough to beat the opposition off the dribble. NONE of our other guys can do that, which is why we are so easily pressed/shutdown in our recent matches. It's super easy to defend, even by sitting back a bit, when the other team can't dribble and perform quick passing in tight spaces out of the back.

[wlu_lax6]

Pretty amazing how expectations have turned over the past three months. And I think theyre right. I say it depends on McKennie and Reyna. If those two play their best us will be fine. If not no chance. Seems like you know what you've got elsewhere and that assumes good stuff out of musah and weah. Mostly what you've got at cb isn't good enough. But could be overcome if McKennie can impact both ends and dominate in the air and Reyna does Reyna stuff and scores 3 times then maybe not so reliant on connections in their end and can grind out a couple second halves and wind up in knockouts. Hard to conceive of much beyond that.

I don't necessarily disagree... I'd add or tweak this to say that Musah is a lot more important to this team than most people realize. I talked about it before... The US is INCREDIBLY predictable when they can't mix things up and start the attack centrally. McKinnie is not consistent at doing this and Adams just isn't built to do it at all.

Aaronson and Musah can link up in the middle, while Reyna and Pulisic (who is still very important to this team) are just more comfortable either starting out wide, or making crossing runs behind/in support of a striker higher up the field. They are not good in the middle of the park.

It's just incredibly frustrating to have (easily) the most talented squad ever, and we have a coach that is hell bent on muting that talent and running a high press system that relies (for the most part) on chaos. We're better than that. Well, as long as we aren't playing pluggers like Arriola and Ferreria and Acosta.

ETA - Dest is really important because he's the only outside back we have that is talented enough to beat the opposition off the dribble. NONE of our other guys can do that, which is why we are so easily pressed/shutdown in our recent matches. It's super easy to defend, even by sitting back a bit, when the other team can't dribble and perform quick passing in tight spaces out of the back.

But Dest has been a bit of a liability defending in the last year. Step back since he came out as maybe the best player on the field. Also hope Weah is back in shape next month. He is just a different level of talent.

Lots of Yanks have been finding the net in the last few weeks. Hope that carries forward to Qatar. My expectation is they will cool off in the hot temperature.