I like the talent but not the manager.
Anyone else take off work tomorrow to head to a bar or just me?
Anyone else take off work tomorrow to head to a bar or just me?
USMNT | World Cup Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Sir Matt
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Golden generation.
This is one of the few teams at the WC that I know f all about. Is the team talented or ? I don’t know what to expect from the US but will watch tomorrow
Really surprised Zach Steffen wasn't on the plane. Not even as the 3rd string keeper?
I think this WC is a bit too soon for this team's cycle. I think things are perfectly set up for 2026.
Finish second in the group. Exit at last 16, is my prediction.
I think this WC is a bit too soon for this team's cycle. I think things are perfectly set up for 2026.
Finish second in the group. Exit at last 16, is my prediction.
The US is probably the second most talented team in the group. Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Tyler Adams, Brendan Aaronsen, Sergino Dest, and Antonee Robinson are all quite good and play for good teams (Chelsea, Dortmund, Juventus, Valencia, Leeds, Milan, and Fulham). The weakness of the squad is at center forward and central defense.
The manager is Gregg Berhalter, who sucks unless the US is playing Mexico.
It's a bit weird. I don't really rate Steffen as the best US goalkeeper, but he's generally been seen as the top 1/2. I assume his injury and the desire to avoid any questions about who's the starter explain his absence. Sean Johnson doesn't really make sense though. He's barely played for the US recently.
I think this team will make the round of 16 and I think this World Cup will springboard this team to a quarter final or semi final finish in 2026. That’s my crazy prediction.
Huge match against Wales need to win it
I feel like the time to hype the US team was like two years ago and by now it has passed a bit. E.g.
Pepi being a massive failure at Augsburg.
Matthew Hoppe - Whatever happened to the bet someone made about him?
Weah is apparently playing right back these days?
Reyna gets injured every time he joins the NT and it's obviously affecting his development.
Pulisic seems to be playing less and less for Chelsea.
Dest was binned by Barca.
Central defense is Long and Zimmermann? Two MLS players, who will be at retirement age by the next WC?!
Still, they should be able to compete with Wales and Iran, so ro16 this time around isn't unrealistic.
We are a schizophrenic team. I don’t have any faith in Berhalter’s organization of this team or tactics. I think we are focused on pure athleticism, and that might work against the concacaf opponents we tune up with, but we are going to get found out by the first decent team. I think we’ll get 2nd in this group and then get shelled. Oh well. At least we qualified, and this young team should be in a better position at the next Cup.
Apparently Pulisic is the Lebron of football, what could go wrong.
The LeBron James of soccer they say
Of course they do, of course..
Rethinking my prior statements... I think someone, probably two or three someones, can find the net against this Iran side. The Nats will need something from today. A draw would be alright but get the win and see what happens on Friday, then go into last group match against Iran knowing a win and you're through. Netherlands would crush them in the knockout round barring the keeper putting on a Friedel/Howard/Keller big match performance.
I'm still concerned about the back line.
I'm still concerned about the back line.
Typical Berhalter game
Revving up this discussion at FT, am obviously disappointed with the result, definitely feel like this is a cycle too soon for this side but think they will be better for the experience. Played some beautiful stuff at times though. Best thing to do would be to absorb some pressure against England and try and hit them on the counter but hard to see us getting anything out of that game. Then again it's England so you never know...
Great young team. With the handful of u21s coming through you guys should be a force in 4 years time.
I've been on the fence about Berhalter from the beginning. I'm about to come down off it now, though. I don't care if we make it out of the group, we need a new manager as soon as this thing is over.
It's a good first 11 but ran out of gas and depth obviously isn't there when changes are needed.
Obviously need a better coach to make a real go of 2026.
Obviously need a better coach to make a real go of 2026.
have a shit manager, expect a shit result.
Ya I agree, the trend lines are only going in one direction when it comes to talent development. To be fair, much of the credit has to go to European clubs in investing time and money in the US along with the "soccer" establishment implementing a European style model with the academy system and an emphasis on possession-based play.
I have no idea about previous performances but that second half was badly mis managed. Clearly on top and should have gone for the jugular.
Let’s this win slip away.
- USA have no goals in this team and really lack a striker
- Tyler adams was everywhere
- where was Reyna ?
- Dest was very poor
- USA have no goals in this team and really lack a striker
- Tyler adams was everywhere
- where was Reyna ?
- Dest was very poor
Taking Musah and to a lesser extent McKennie didn't help but ultimately Zimmerman cannot dive in like he did, was a huge mistake. Sometimes you have to grind 1-0 victories and that's exactly what I wouldn't expect such a young side to be good at unfortunately.
Just the same as what has been before. Baffling choices from Greg that sometimes the players overcome and other times they do not.
I was very impressed with the US in the 1st half. Didn't create enough chances for the dominance, but it was a good performance.
Second half was very poor. I don't know if that was a deliberate tactic to sit on the lead. Or a failure to react to Wales' tactical switch bringing Moore on. Or if it was just fatigue as the game wore on. But it was certainly two very contrasting halves.
Disappointing to see you miss out on an important win after such a good first half. But a draw a fair result over the 90 minutes.
Second half was very poor. I don't know if that was a deliberate tactic to sit on the lead. Or a failure to react to Wales' tactical switch bringing Moore on. Or if it was just fatigue as the game wore on. But it was certainly two very contrasting halves.
Disappointing to see you miss out on an important win after such a good first half. But a draw a fair result over the 90 minutes.
What was really baffling is no Gio Reyna. That lad can change a match with his feel for the game, brilliant talent. The type of player you want on the field when it's stretched to pick the right final pass.
Probably fitness issues?
I've been following USMNT since 2002. That first half from tonight is one of the better halves of football I've seen us put together in terms of the quality of passing, movement, and control. Like previous generations, this team has speed and power, but now seems to have the ability to string a few passes together. The technical level has definitely improved. I still think it'll be a struggle to qualify out of the group (it's 50/50 for second place between us and Wales). We lack a true number 9 and our center backs are dog crap. Frustrating to lack talent in these key positions as the rest of the team is very good. I do think in 4 years they can do something though, conditional on them identifying talent through the backbone of the team and maybe upgrading on the coach.
You got an exciting team. Looking forward to the coming games.
As a Welshman I thought you were dominant first half we were lucky to still be in it. Things changed and I think a draw is about right in the end.
Your future is bright though the next World Cup you could quite possibly go last 8 and then who knows.
Your future is bright though the next World Cup you could quite possibly go last 8 and then who knows.
Quite an interesting comment!
As mentioned above US has many players that play or have recently played for major CL clubs and plenty of premier league starters.
Just looking at tomorrow's games and I wouldn't be able to name more than probably two players from the Tunisia squad (Khazri still got called up yeah....
) Australia have a whole bunch of randoms nowadays so probably about 4-5 from them, not a clue on anyone from Saudi and even Mexico I haven't kept track of their selection over last 2-3 years. Half expecting them to still line up with Ochoa in goal, Rafa Marquez as CB, Guardado flying up and down the wing and Hector Herrera anchoring midfield but I assume their playing pool has been altered slightly.Didn't watch the game, but I was impressed by the US squad. I think player for player the USA is definitely superior to this Wales side, with the likes of Bale, Allen and Ramsey having come to the end of their careers, and Ashley Williams already gone. The 2016 Welsh side is the best I've seen, the current incarnation have got a lot of heart but don't quite match the ability of the Euros side.
There's a lot of young talent in your side, I can see the manager getting some grief in here and other threads, has he been holding the team back?
There's a lot of young talent in your side, I can see the manager getting some grief in here and other threads, has he been holding the team back?
I mean, outside of Marquez, that's exactly what their lineup is going to be, isn't it?Quite an interesting comment!
As mentioned above US has many players that play or have recently played for major CL clubs and plenty of premier league starters.
Just looking at tomorrow's games and I wouldn't be able to name more than probably two players from the Tunisia squad (Khazri still got called up yeah....
Yeah just had a look at their squad, actually thought Ochoa was in his early 40s now rather than youthful 37. Guardado is also someone who's been around for a very long time so you lose track of ages sometimes.
Gutwrenching result after how positive we were in the first half. This was the match we needed 3 points from.
We are gonna get rinsed by England, I have no doubt about that.
Need to hope that Wales and Iran draw now.
We are gonna get rinsed by England, I have no doubt about that.
Need to hope that Wales and Iran draw now.
Gregg Berhalter is an anchor on this team. The offensive display today is typical of his entire reign as USMNT, unless the US is playing Mexico. The US lacks a quality center forward, but Berhalter's system fails to put the players we have in places to succeed. I can only hope Gio Reyna is ready for Friday.
Berhalter is trash.
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Berhalter is trash.
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Devil's advocate but thought that Berhalter's system wasn't the issue today, our press was organized, effective and players were always positioned in dangerous areas to receive a pass, the issue were the substitutions.
So... Did he not take the system into account when making the subs, or did he not adjust the system to the subs? Either way, he made the decisions.