USMNT - Turning Point?

Great article here explaining why this is happening. Berhalter is enamored with his pressing/possession based soccer approach. But the key problems: 1) the players he's selected don't play this system (the MLS is much more direct and those that know his system like Zardes aren't up to the level of international competition) and 2) the team doesn't have enough time to learn all the set pieces since team practice time is limited (unlike say Spanish tiki-taka teams that all grew up playing with each other in the academies, our players are from the a wide range of clubs and training purposes). I'd also add that unlike the Spanish US players don't grow up learning this style of play...I still see most youth teams I've observed in Socal reverting to much more direct soccer once the build-out-line gets removed and that's not going to get fixed without major adjustments by US Soccer (not arguing whether possession soccer is a good thing or not or that US Soccer should make such changes....just that the players don't and won't have the background to execute it given the current tendencies in US youth soccer).

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/10/usmnt-canada-gregg-berhalter
 
jpeter said:
Good insight.

To me several of these players have no business being on the national team. Why we keep giving these players like Bradley, Ream, Yedlin, Zardes, and the like so many chances when they have failed soo many time to perform is nuts. If you been capped so many times yet can't perform why keep calling them back?

How many chances are too many, 10x or more? Hold the players accountable and expand the player pool by at least 2x. Go with the players doing well in the present not some past there prime or non performers. Cut & fill will some players who want it more not some causals like we have now.
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Agreed, though keep Yedlin but play him outside midfield, not on the back line. His speed, and his ability to get to the line and deliver a cross is an asset. His tendency to be caught upfield, or on the wrong side of his attacker, makes him a liability at outside back in the absence of two strong center backs. I do not mind a mix of experience with youth, but that experience should be players still at the top of their games.

The two best field players for the US, who showed the most desire, fight and ability, were products of club, high school and college soccer (Long and Morris). Exactly what kind of player is the USSDA trying to produce? Show me the results. We produced better players 15-25 years ago. They definitely had more heart and will to win back then.
 
Grace T. said:
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/10/usmnt-canada-gregg-berhalter
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Great article, but how do you explain a Canada team, with more MLS players and supposedly less overall talent, and facing the same challenges, being able to build from the back, connect through our midfield, and play some excellent attacking soccer?

Plain and simple -- better coaching and a better team culture.

They talked trash before the game, and lived up to it.

They lost one of their best players in the first 10 minutes in Kaye, and their substitute, with 19 MLS caps to his name over 2 seasons and no senior international experience, played better than any of our midfielders.
 
First the Raptors, then Andreescu beats Serena Williams in the US Open Final, now soccer...we're on a roll :)

Btw, the kid who scored Canada's first goal, Davies, plays for Bayern Munich. 18 years old.

Rematch mid November in Orlando. That game will finally have some meaning.
 
The results at in . The DA has failed. GDA will fail. All needs to be blown up and reset button pushed to include termination of ALL staff. If the new regime feels any of the old staff can contribute then they can be rehired.

We need to take many steps backwards to move forward at this point.
 
Dos Equis said:
Great article, but how do you explain a Canada team, with more MLS players and supposedly less overall talent, and facing the same challenges, being able to build from the back, connect through our midfield, and play some excellent attacking soccer?

Plain and simple -- better coaching and a better team culture.

They talked trash before the game, and lived up to it.

They lost one of their best players in the first 10 minutes in Kaye, and their substitute, with 19 MLS caps to his name over 2 seasons and no senior international experience, played better than any of our midfielders.
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Thank you! California has more people than the entire country of Canada. Yet they can put a quality team together. Quality coaching. But then again Map and I have been saying for years just build the Nat teams out of CA kids with some excellent coaches and we will make some progress. US Soccer is too PC with their east coast bias and geographically inclusive selections. If you want to be geographically pc put teams together from all 4 regions, have them play and then select the best. Oh wait that was ODP and Cal South always spanked everyone. And get some flippin coaches that know what the hell they are doing.
 
Perhaps two squads that are coached in two different philosophies:

1) the big fast kids that play direct
And
2) the quick, high soccer IQ ones that play possession.


If Iceland can field a good team w a population of 500k, this could work with 400 million people in the USA.
 
Son, go play soccer. I don't care that...

The national team sucks and has no role models.

The professional league pays jack.

The college game will slowly be eliminated because schools will not be able to afford it with the new $$ laws.

You will have to move to Europe as a child if you are any good and have any interest in a soccer "future".

The DA requires you to practice 4x/week and prevents you from playing any other high school sports

What else am I missing?
 
eastbaysoccer said:
Perhaps two squads that are coached in two different philosophies:

1) the big fast kids that play direct
And
2) the quick, high soccer IQ ones that play possession.


If Iceland can field a good team w a population of 500k, this could work with 400 million people in the USA.
Click to expand...
eastbaysoccer said:
The results at in . The DA has failed. GDA will fail. All needs to be blown up and reset button pushed to include termination of ALL staff. If the new regime feels any of the old staff can contribute then they can be rehired.

We need to take many steps backwards to move forward at this point.
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Grant Wahl

✔ @GrantWahl

"The man who will make the decision on Gregg Berhalter’s future as USMNT coach (Earnie Stewart) is very likely to soon report to ... Jay Berhalter, Gregg’s brother."

It's not what you know or how you play soccer in America, it's pay to play and rubbing elbows contest :) Why has MB been CM for so long? We have so many good soccer players being told DA or else. Look at the leadership at the top of US Soccer. Look at the leadership at all the Big DA Clubs. Look at the Leadership of the coaches. Look at parents behavior. This is the most divisive sport in America. We talk about TEAM, ya right....
 
This writer says Berhalter is trying to implement a system more like American football where you have plays and passes mapped out ahead of time. The reason the players looked so unsure and hesitant is because they do not know his system and are never going to have enough time to learn the “plays”. So when they play they revert to tendencies that Mexico and now Canada can foresee. Here is the article in case anyone is interested: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/so...ail-as-the-head-coach-of-the-usmnt/ar-AAISg2Y
 
soccerobserver said:
This writer says Berhalter is trying to implement a system more like American football where you have plays and passes mapped out ahead of time. The reason the players looked so unsure and hesitant is because they do not know his system and are never going to have enough time to learn the “plays”. So when they play they revert to tendencies that Mexico and now Canada can foresee. Here is the article in case anyone is interested: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/so...ail-as-the-head-coach-of-the-usmnt/ar-AAISg2Y
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Berhalter is talking out of both sides, one minute he says we (MNT) don't develop players the clubs do yet he's banking on his system they don't teach.

He doesn't have a real system or style because he's depending on players to "learn" on the fly some ideas he has but few real understand or buy into. Can anyone including him tell us what his system, identity, or style of play really is for the USA?
 
soccerobserver said:
This writer says Berhalter is trying to implement a system more like American football where you have plays and passes mapped out ahead of time. The reason the players looked so unsure and hesitant is because they do not know his system and are never going to have enough time to learn the “plays”. So when they play they revert to tendencies that Mexico and now Canada can foresee. Here is the article in case anyone is interested: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/so...ail-as-the-head-coach-of-the-usmnt/ar-AAISg2Y
Click to expand...
This is like all the TC drills and all the videos you see of kids all by themselves looking like Pele. No crazy ass defenders attacking with Speed, Strength, Skill, Tactical and Developmental and intense IQ coming at you with a "ardiente deseo de ganar" A great place to start with the blowing up and then the re-build is to hire some Latinos up at the top and maybe look at hiring a really good Latino coach :) The girls have made a huge gamble going Euro model. Now No HS Sports, 100% allegiance to everything DA and no outside distractions for teenage girls if you know what I mean.
 
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