Opinions on USMNT out of Copa America

[Anonymous]

I'm European and obviously my football attention is elsewhere at the moment, however, I will say - I find that the USMNT has the same issues they have always had, lack of aggression, lack of teamwork, and generally playing a game that most international teams gave up on over a decade ago.

Generally, I think most of the COPA teams this year aren't playing well, but I enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody cares about international play. College or bust on this board.

hahaha, ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If that’s all you saw, you don’t understand the game.

Care to respond to my actual statement without a pompous redefinition? Do you agree that Uruguay is an athletic and running team or not?

Which team doesn't have athletic players?

USMNT

I agree with this completely. If you think Tyler, Weston and Musah are athletic midfielders, you don't know what athletic means. The centerbacks are even worse (though with Ream, that is a function of age). Uruguay has multiple players head and shoulders above anybody on the US team; they are also more athletic. I don't know what "running" team means at all.

I agree as well. I'm not sure what conditioning program the USMNT is using, but while they are 100% athletes, they don't have the conditioning and footie skills to really compete outside of a group level.

[Anonymous]

US won’t get anywhere kicking those long balls to no one.

[Anonymous]

The women could never get away with losing this much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If that’s all you saw, you don’t understand the game.

Care to respond to my actual statement without a pompous redefinition? Do you agree that Uruguay is an athletic and running team or not?

Which team doesn't have athletic players?

USMNT

I agree with this completely. If you think Tyler, Weston and Musah are athletic midfielders, you don't know what athletic means. The centerbacks are even worse (though with Ream, that is a function of age). Uruguay has multiple players head and shoulders above anybody on the US team; they are also more athletic. I don't know what "running" team means at all.

Name some of history's top rated Midfielders
Think Spain, Holland, Germany, Brazil, Croatia, Argentina....
How many of them were/are more 'athletic' than the USA Midfielders

People like modric are more athletic. The us Mids are not athletic. Have had weight issues. Worse many have had discipline/professionalism issues. Marsh is right.
Berhalter is playing same guys in same formations and getting same results over and over.

USMNT gets outworked by other teams.

LOL .... Little Luca Modric is more athletic than Tyler Adams?

This ignorance has no limits

That aside, athleticism is/has never been listed as top requirement for great Midfielders.
IQ, Vision, Decision Making, Technical Skills all come before

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The unfortunate thing is, for all of the problems with the current US coach, I actually think he had the best squad out there under the circumstances.

You can quibble at the margins, and there were some injury factors, but that is true for every national team after the long club season.

So no, there are not a bunch of less athletic, better soccer players that would have made a difference. Aaronson has more skills than half of the starting lineup, and better soccer IQ than almost any American, but I think a front 3 of Pulisic, Balogun and Weah, with Reyna, plus two of McKennie, Adams and Musah in the midfield, is the best the US can do right now. Reyna is a better fit with that group than Aaronson.

The creativity and vision is not awful, it's just not on par with the top, top level. But there is no easy solution.

There are some exciting young players, but honestly fewer for the US now than many other high/mid-level national teams.

Most likely, the US will work hard and continue to hover as a top 20-30 soccer nation, regardless of coach / player selection. They can have good luck and make the quarterfinals of major tournaments, maybe even higher.

Or they can have bad luck and fail to get out of the group stage, like this Copa. That happens to almost every country. Complete failures like not making the 2018 World Cup will be very rare, especially with the World Cup expansion.

Reyna and Aaronnsen can't even get minutes on their bottom dwelling club teams. There are better players out there.

True, loads of better players, but not Americans. What American player would you slot in ahead of Aaronson and Reyna in a major tournament today?

I would love if there were multiple options to create chances against a team like Uruguay, but I don't know any American I would pick ahead of them.

Jordan morris. Reyna was ineffective opposite Pulisic. That game needed someone on the other side that can take defenders on and be apply pressure. I actually like musah and McKennie in the central mid, but if there no one up top to capitalize in their play they get worn out. Reyna is a nepo baby and in my opinion not very good and doesn’t have a killer instinct or high competitiveness like Pulisic. Get him out do there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The women could never get away with losing this much.

lol the women play most of their games against rec league players and still have problems connecting three passes. Let’s get real the US women do not play modern soccer- slow speed of play, lack of technical skills and a lack of soccer IQ but they can run and wrestle very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what everyone thinks?
My take (I am from Argentina but live in DC) is unchanged. US squads are packed with athletes but few soccer players. Little creativity and vision, but boy are they big and can run like the wind.
I am sure many Americans that focus solely on winning will point at the coach, but my question is: are there real American soccer players that were left out of the squad that have the ability to compete with the Elite national teams?

Exactly my thoughts. This happens too at all MLS Next and ECNL level. College level too. US won't ever progress unless real ballers are selected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Uruguay . . . I don't know what "running" team means at all.

Really Einstein? "My football, in defense, is very simple: we run all the time." Marcelo Bielsa.

Look, just because you worship Bielsa does nothing to clarify what is obviously a silly statement by both of you. I watched Leeds play in the Bielsa Era. And? It's not exactly how Uruguay played.

Just gotta ask...you do realize Bielsa is the coach of the Uruguay team and you have actually seen them play recently?

Uh yes, I watched all three of their preliminary round matches because they are generally one of my favorite national sides to watch (going back to days of Forlan and early Suarez) and have one of my favorite midfielders in the world, Valverde. They have generally played this way (pressing often with fouls on ball recipients in midfield within two seconds of receipt), though not with the frenzy of Bielsa's Leeds side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The unfortunate thing is, for all of the problems with the current US coach, I actually think he had the best squad out there under the circumstances.

You can quibble at the margins, and there were some injury factors, but that is true for every national team after the long club season.

So no, there are not a bunch of less athletic, better soccer players that would have made a difference. Aaronson has more skills than half of the starting lineup, and better soccer IQ than almost any American, but I think a front 3 of Pulisic, Balogun and Weah, with Reyna, plus two of McKennie, Adams and Musah in the midfield, is the best the US can do right now. Reyna is a better fit with that group than Aaronson.

The creativity and vision is not awful, it's just not on par with the top, top level. But there is no easy solution.

There are some exciting young players, but honestly fewer for the US now than many other high/mid-level national teams.

Most likely, the US will work hard and continue to hover as a top 20-30 soccer nation, regardless of coach / player selection. They can have good luck and make the quarterfinals of major tournaments, maybe even higher.

Or they can have bad luck and fail to get out of the group stage, like this Copa. That happens to almost every country. Complete failures like not making the 2018 World Cup will be very rare, especially with the World Cup expansion.

Reyna and Aaronnsen can't even get minutes on their bottom dwelling club teams. There are better players out there.

True, loads of better players, but not Americans. What American player would you slot in ahead of Aaronson and Reyna in a major tournament today?

I would love if there were multiple options to create chances against a team like Uruguay, but I don't know any American I would pick ahead of them.

Jordan morris. Reyna was ineffective opposite Pulisic. That game needed someone on the other side that can take defenders on and be apply pressure. I actually like musah and McKennie in the central mid, but if there no one up top to capitalize in their play they get worn out. Reyna is a nepo baby and in my opinion not very good and doesn’t have a killer instinct or high competitiveness like Pulisic. Get him out do there.

This is Gregg’s system. Pulisic is a good play but lack decision-making, strength and size. Pulisic has shown he is incapable of being the impact play you think he is. Gio is a good player with defensive weakness but his passing, technical skills and decision making are next level. These two players should complement each other but in Gregg’s system they do not.

This is not about the talent on the field it is the coaching. Gregg is not a good coach and gets out coached almost every game. His system is very prescriptive and as result is easily countered. There are opportunities during the game that are not taken because it is outside of the responsibility of player under his system.

Uruguay was the only team that had talent close to the US. Panama and Bolivia could have been beat by a number of USL teams. The US should have easily beat Panama even a man down. Gregg is beyond his level of competency and will not develop as a coach in the role of a national team coach. Look at the last WC. What happened with Gio was a Tuesday night at a club like PSG or Man City.

[Anonymous]

I'd love to see this US men team playing the US women team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If that’s all you saw, you don’t understand the game.

Care to respond to my actual statement without a pompous redefinition? Do you agree that Uruguay is an athletic and running team or not?

Which team doesn't have athletic players?

USMNT

I agree with this completely. If you think Tyler, Weston and Musah are athletic midfielders, you don't know what athletic means. The centerbacks are even worse (though with Ream, that is a function of age). Uruguay has multiple players head and shoulders above anybody on the US team; they are also more athletic. I don't know what "running" team means at all.

Name some of history's top rated Midfielders
Think Spain, Holland, Germany, Brazil, Croatia, Argentina....
How many of them were/are more 'athletic' than the USA Midfielders

People like modric are more athletic. The us Mids are not athletic. Have had weight issues. Worse many have had discipline/professionalism issues. Marsh is right.
Berhalter is playing same guys in same formations and getting same results over and over.

USMNT gets outworked by other teams.

LOL .... Little Luca Modric is more athletic than Tyler Adams?

This ignorance has no limits

That aside, athleticism is/has never been listed as top requirement for great Midfielders.
IQ, Vision, Decision Making, Technical Skills all come before

Yes Luca Modric is more athletic than all three US starters, at least when he was 30-35. And little Leo Messi was one of the best athletes in his prime with respect to both speed and balance. Height is not athleticism. Those other qualities are essential and more important, and unfortunately we are lacking there as well, at least relative to top flight national sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The unfortunate thing is, for all of the problems with the current US coach, I actually think he had the best squad out there under the circumstances.

You can quibble at the margins, and there were some injury factors, but that is true for every national team after the long club season.

So no, there are not a bunch of less athletic, better soccer players that would have made a difference. Aaronson has more skills than half of the starting lineup, and better soccer IQ than almost any American, but I think a front 3 of Pulisic, Balogun and Weah, with Reyna, plus two of McKennie, Adams and Musah in the midfield, is the best the US can do right now. Reyna is a better fit with that group than Aaronson.

The creativity and vision is not awful, it's just not on par with the top, top level. But there is no easy solution.

There are some exciting young players, but honestly fewer for the US now than many other high/mid-level national teams.

Most likely, the US will work hard and continue to hover as a top 20-30 soccer nation, regardless of coach / player selection. They can have good luck and make the quarterfinals of major tournaments, maybe even higher.

Or they can have bad luck and fail to get out of the group stage, like this Copa. That happens to almost every country. Complete failures like not making the 2018 World Cup will be very rare, especially with the World Cup expansion.

Reyna and Aaronnsen can't even get minutes on their bottom dwelling club teams. There are better players out there.

True, loads of better players, but not Americans. What American player would you slot in ahead of Aaronson and Reyna in a major tournament today?

I would love if there were multiple options to create chances against a team like Uruguay, but I don't know any American I would pick ahead of them.

Jordan morris. Reyna was ineffective opposite Pulisic. That game needed someone on the other side that can take defenders on and be apply pressure. I actually like musah and McKennie in the central mid, but if there no one up top to capitalize in their play they get worn out. Reyna is a nepo baby and in my opinion not very good and doesn’t have a killer instinct or high competitiveness like Pulisic. Get him out do there.

This is Gregg’s system. Pulisic is a good play but lack decision-making, strength and size. Pulisic has shown he is incapable of being the impact play you think he is. Gio is a good player with defensive weakness but his passing, technical skills and decision making are next level. These two players should complement each other but in Gregg’s system they do not.

This is not about the talent on the field it is the coaching. Gregg is not a good coach and gets out coached almost every game. His system is very prescriptive and as result is easily countered. There are opportunities during the game that are not taken because it is outside of the responsibility of player under his system.

Uruguay was the only team that had talent close to the US. Panama and Bolivia could have been beat by a number of USL teams. The US should have easily beat Panama even a man down. Gregg is beyond his level of competency and will not develop as a coach in the role of a national team coach. Look at the last WC. What happened with Gio was a Tuesday night at a club like PSG or Man City.

Hahahahaha
I guess Pulisic's parents must be paying for him to play professionally on major clubs in Europe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If that’s all you saw, you don’t understand the game.

Care to respond to my actual statement without a pompous redefinition? Do you agree that Uruguay is an athletic and running team or not?

Which team doesn't have athletic players?

USMNT

I agree with this completely. If you think Tyler, Weston and Musah are athletic midfielders, you don't know what athletic means. The centerbacks are even worse (though with Ream, that is a function of age). Uruguay has multiple players head and shoulders above anybody on the US team; they are also more athletic. I don't know what "running" team means at all.

Name some of history's top rated Midfielders
Think Spain, Holland, Germany, Brazil, Croatia, Argentina....
How many of them were/are more 'athletic' than the USA Midfielders

People like modric are more athletic. The us Mids are not athletic. Have had weight issues. Worse many have had discipline/professionalism issues. Marsh is right.
Berhalter is playing same guys in same formations and getting same results over and over.

USMNT gets outworked by other teams.

LOL .... Little Luca Modric is more athletic than Tyler Adams?

This ignorance has no limits

That aside, athleticism is/has never been listed as top requirement for great Midfielders.
IQ, Vision, Decision Making, Technical Skills all come before

Yes Luca Modric is more athletic than all three US starters, at least when he was 30-35. And little Leo Messi was one of the best athletes in his prime with respect to both speed and balance. Height is not athleticism. Those other qualities are essential and more important, and unfortunately we are lacking there as well, at least relative to top flight national sides.

Where are the US Midfielders playing their club ball?

If we are to listen to the DCUM expertise on how low level they all are, how are they fooling coaches, GM's and owners of these division 1 clubs in Europe?