USMNT

[Anonymous]

Tactical preparation requires rehearsal of team movements, clearly defined roles and understanding the principles of play. It is not about gelling as a back four. When Marcelo had to miss a WC game against Mexico, Filipe Luís stepped in without missing a beat. Their entire backline in that game consistent of players that played for four different teams in three different countries on two different continents. They were able to execute on the filed without a need to "gel" together, because coaches did their job preparing them tactically, which involves rehearsing team movements. Here's an example of tactical work on how to build out of the back in training and executing these movements in WC games by Serbian U20 team, which won the U20 WC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEYN2rAfio8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The team needs to "gel" is a classic example of recreational mentality. The teams do not magically gel with the passage of time. Tactical instructions and carefully choreographed team movement are essential. All top coaches in all styles of play do it.

You're kidding, right?
Tactical instruction is incredibly important, but it doesn't magically lead to carefully choreographed team movement. That takes practice and communication among the players.
Sure, pros can gel quicker than rec players, but are you really arguing that a back line that is playing together for the first time should be just as good as a back line that plays together all the time?

It seems to me that neither of you are really arguing what the other is trying to claim you are arguing.

Of course, team chemistry is important, and it takes time to build that, or "gel". All national team coaches face that challenge to some extent, and that challenge is going to be greater during times like the present, well before the next qualifying cycle starts, when the national team really should rotating a lot of different players in and out to give new players opportunities and try to figure out who will fit in best with the group and with the coach's system of play.

But, I think it is also pretty darned clear that the USMNT team players have not received any real tactical instruction for quite some time now. You can see it in how they play, but they also pretty much come right out and say it during interviews. "Go out and make something happen" is pretty much the extent of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The team needs to "gel" is a classic example of recreational mentality. The teams do not magically gel with the passage of time. Tactical instructions and carefully choreographed team movement are essential. All top coaches in all styles of play do it.

You're kidding, right?
Tactical instruction is incredibly important, but it doesn't magically lead to carefully choreographed team movement. That takes practice and communication among the players.
Sure, pros can gel quicker than rec players, but are you really arguing that a back line that is playing together for the first time should be just as good as a back line that plays together all the time?

It seems to me that neither of you are really arguing what the other is trying to claim you are arguing.

Of course, team chemistry is important, and it takes time to build that, or "gel". All national team coaches face that challenge to some extent, and that challenge is going to be greater during times like the present, well before the next qualifying cycle starts, when the national team really should rotating a lot of different players in and out to give new players opportunities and try to figure out who will fit in best with the group and with the coach's system of play.

But, I think it is also pretty darned clear that the USMNT team players have not received any real tactical instruction for quite some time now. You can see it in how they play, but they also pretty much come right out and say it during interviews. "Go out and make something happen" is pretty much the extent of it.

Yep. Need to gel is just a deflection from the main issue, i.e., lack of real coaching. I hope they hire someone competent in November, but so far the signs are not promising (e.g., imposing a requirement that the new head coach live and work in Chicago, which will surely be a turn off for many of the top candidates).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So none of these guys came up through the youth national teams, they’re playing their positions for the first time? Your argument about the husband and wife is cute, but you’re just adding conjecture that’s got nothing to do with what you’re arguing. This is an anonymous board, and you come across as a fool who’s got US soccer’s ballbag firmly lodged in your throat.

And you come across as someone that knows nothing of soccer, or, for that matter, team sports in general.

I know far more than you do bud, but I don’t need to make multiple posts claiming others “must not know anything about soccer, or team sports in general” to prove my point. Enjoy rec

Multiple people are responding to you saying you don't understand team sports, FYI. It's not just one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So none of these guys came up through the youth national teams, they’re playing their positions for the first time? Your argument about the husband and wife is cute, but you’re just adding conjecture that’s got nothing to do with what you’re arguing. This is an anonymous board, and you come across as a fool who’s got US soccer’s ballbag firmly lodged in your throat.

And you come across as someone that knows nothing of soccer, or, for that matter, team sports in general.

I know far more than you do bud, but I don’t need to make multiple posts claiming others “must not know anything about soccer, or team sports in general” to prove my point. Enjoy rec

Multiple people are responding to you saying you don't understand team sports, FYI. It's not just one.

And multiple people are responding agreeing that the USMNT coaching is subpar. Only someone is trying to make it out to be some husband and wife BS because they just can’t accept someone would disagree with them. If you claim someone doesn’t understand the sport even though they’re offering a valid argument, you just come across as an idiot.

[Anonymous]

DP here. Nobody cares about your opinion as to whether a particular poster understands "team sports." This discussion is about USMNT and people can disagree and be respectful to each other. You need to grow up.

[Anonymous]

To set the record straight here, this started when the poster who doesn't understand team sports attacked someone for making the excellent point that the back line hadn't played together much and that may have led to some of the breakdowns against Colombia.

Then, he got into an argument denying that players needed to play with one another for some time to get to know the other players. He insisted that tactical direction was the only thing needed and since they were "pros" they didn't need any time to gel.

Finally, he has been trashing other posters knowledge all along. Read the posts again, replete with "Rec" references. You coming on in his defense in a one-sided suggests that you are either the "wife" or a sock puppet, which doesn't surprise me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you claim someone doesn’t understand the sport even though they’re offering a valid argument, you just come across as an idiot.

Yes, I couldn't agree more with you on this. Note, those who are making the argument on giving the players time to gel were not arguing for/against points on tactics or coaching. Only one person in the discussion was making arguments against a valid argument, that would be the individual who disagrees that players need time to gel to play their best with one another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you claim someone doesn’t understand the sport even though they’re offering a valid argument, you just come across as an idiot.

Yes, I couldn't agree more with you on this. Note, those who are making the argument on giving the players time to gel were not arguing for/against points on tactics or coaching. Only one person in the discussion was making arguments against a valid argument, that would be the individual who disagrees that players need time to gel to play their best with one another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you claim someone doesn’t understand the sport even though they’re offering a valid argument, you just come across as an idiot.

Yes, I couldn't agree more with you on this. Note, those who are making the argument on giving the players time to gel were not arguing for/against points on tactics or coaching. Only one person in the discussion was making arguments against a valid argument, that would be the individual who disagrees that players need time to gel to play their best with one another.

No one disagreed with that at any moment. The USMNT coaching being subpar on a tactical level was the only argument that was made. Reading comprehension is important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you claim someone doesn’t understand the sport even though they’re offering a valid argument, you just come across as an idiot.

Yes, I couldn't agree more with you on this. Note, those who are making the argument on giving the players time to gel were not arguing for/against points on tactics or coaching. Only one person in the discussion was making arguments against a valid argument, that would be the individual who disagrees that players need time to gel to play their best with one another.

No one disagreed with that at any moment. The USMNT coaching being subpar on a tactical level was the only argument that was made. Reading comprehension is important.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Sargent
Weah-McKennie-Pulisic
Adams
Sweat - Carter Vickers - Miazga - Yedlin

Now that's what I want to see. They're all kids, but I bet that even right now they'd be better than the line-up from the last round of qualifiers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Sargent
Weah-McKennie-Pulisic
Adams
Sweat - Carter Vickers - Miazga - Yedlin

Now that's what I want to see. They're all kids, but I bet that even right now they'd be better than the line-up from the last round of qualifiers.

Haven't decided on the 10th yet.
Steffan in goal most likely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Sargent
Weah-McKennie-Pulisic
Adams
Sweat - Carter Vickers - Miazga - Yedlin

Now that's what I want to see. They're all kids, but I bet that even right now they'd be better than the line-up from the last round of qualifiers.

Haven't decided on the 10th yet.
Steffan in goal most likely.

Too soon to say Sweat, although he seems to have promise.
For now, I'd add either Trapp if you want to go defensive, or Wood up top with Sargent if you want to be more aggressive.

[Anonymous]

If Mexico gets Tata Martino and we end up with someone like Gregg Berhalter, would you be upset?