Copa América

[History Geek]

Other than Pulisic, Ream, Jedi, Musah and a few others I can’t stand these players.

They are more talented than their predecessors but less tough.

They are called a golden generation but they haven’t accomplished anything.

Players before were less talented buh they had grit.

McKennie is probably partying at the Plaza in KC right at this minute.

I’d add Balogun to the “good” list. Otherwise, Amen.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I know we all dislike the MLS Lackey aspect of the USMNT and Gregg and Arena both as products of it, but I can't help but notice that this roster had only three MLS players. Previous rosters, with more MLS guys, showed a lot more heart, grit and performed better.

The passing is atrocious. The ability to cleanly receive balls is atrocious. Balls bouncing off guys' feet, balls delivered to nobody or to the other team. I still think one problem is that we don't have a style or identity. So we have guys playing in England, Spain, Germany, Holland, France and Italy, and when they come to the team they seem misaligned. Unable to get used to playing with each other. I feel like the MLS guys didn't really have that problem. Less talented, more cohesive. Even guys like Dempsey who played MLS but then left.

I'm not saying we need to go back to the MLS well for players, but we have to capture the ability to get everyone on the same page.

 

[meyers7]

I know we all dislike the MLS Lackey aspect of the USMNT and Gregg and Arena both as products of it, but I can't help but notice that this roster had only three MLS players. Previous rosters, with more MLS guys, showed a lot more heart, grit and performed better.

The passing is atrocious. The ability to cleanly receive balls is atrocious. Balls bouncing off guys' feet, balls delivered to nobody or to the other team. I still think one problem is that we don't have a style or identity. So we have guys playing in England, Spain, Germany, Holland, France and Italy, and when they come to the team they seem misaligned. Unable to get used to playing with each other. I feel like the MLS guys didn't really have that problem. Less talented, more cohesive. Even guys like Dempsey who played MLS but then left.

I'm not saying we need to go back to the MLS well for players, but we have to capture the ability to get everyone on the same page.

And that, is really the specific job of a NT coach. Something GGG does not seem capable of doing.

 

[KryHavok]

They are more talented than their predecessors but less tough.

They are called a golden generation but they haven’t accomplished anything.

Players before were less talented bu[t] they had grit.

These three statements are the epitome of what's wrong with the national team. Spot on @ZooCougar!

I feel that we're being hoodwinked by the presumed "talent", yet the results on the field aren't translating. Same to be said for Belgium's "golden generation" for the past umpteenth tourneys that hasn't accomplished anything. Go out and win the games you should win, or if you don't win, go out to play your @$$ off. I didn't see that in last night's game. Header over here, header over there...dammit, make a connecting pass and take a shoot on goal! The 90's men national team played with more pride than this "star" rendition. To not even make out of the group stage on home soil while not being a "group of death"...

 

[Waquoit]

As horrible as Greggg is, he's only a symptom. The entire USSF needs to be fumigated and that's not going to happen.

 

[ZooCougar]

Doesn't matter. Marsch has an attitude, and the USSF pissed him off. He's not coming back before 2026. He'd turn them down, now, just for spite.

You think he is still pissed about Bradley?

 

[Kolumbo]

Our players don't seem to be able to string together enough good passes to create scoring opportunities, or they do it too slowly. One or two passes and then maybe a shot which has little chance to finding the net.

Looking back on this play at 8:30 of the video, open net, McKennie probably should have fired a shot on net. Even both Pepi and Pulisic take 2 touches each rather than quick 1 touches. Pulisic first touch allowed 2 defenders to get in better position.

 

[LIuconn]

@HuskyHawk do you watch MLS? The best players in MLS are foreign born. We rolled out Jesus Ferreira, Paul Arriola and Gyasi Zardes in the NT and look what happened. And to your point about Dempsey starting in MLS (then returning when he was cooked), Reyna, Adams, McKennie, Turner, Ream all started in MLS before going overseas. So not sure your point there? Also, MLS doesn't make it easy for kids to go to Europe, that's why many are opting to go USL or even college for a year before heading to Europe.

The core of this NT has played together since youth national teams. Having guys in multiple leagues is a good thing.
England is only seeing the benefits of that now with a guy in Spain and a guy in Germany. Guess who scored their 2 goals last game? Not saying there's a direct correlation but it helps to have talent dispersed, IMO. Look up where France, Germany, Argentina, Brazil etc players play club ball. It's all over!

You said our problem is a lack of identity. To me our identity is that we don't create chances and can't score goals. GGG has been in the position for 6 years. He got fired from a junk Swedish club for, get this, not generating offense.

Our problem is that we don't have 'the guy' at any club - MLS or abroad. We have bit players all over at nice logos. Add to that a coach who would rather tell his team Bolivia tied the game right before we concede a goal than to worry about his own results.

 

[LIuconn]

If McKennie doesn't see a USMNT game for a long time I'd be fine with that. I'm sure he polished off 10 Whataburgers post game

 

[meyers7]

You think he is still pissed about Bradley?

From what I heard it was about this last round of "interviewing to replace GGG". Or lack thereof. I don't think he thinks the USSF treated him very well.

 

[ZooCougar]

From what I heard it was about this last round of "interviewing to replace GGG". Or lack thereof. I don't think he thinks the USSF treated him very well.

Marsch and Jim Curtin are the best American managers.

But according to the Athletic there are only two jobs Jurgen Klopp will consider.

One is obviously Germany and the other is USA.

Federation needs to make this happen.

 

[ZooCougar]

 

[LIuconn]

Anyway, the only way to fix US Soccer is to have kids only play futsal until they're 14

 

[ZooCougar]

Anyway, the only way to fix US Soccer is to have kids only play futsal until they're 14

The pay to play system is broken. Playing high level organized soccer is another day care bill.

Soccer is for more affluent kids. Football and Basketball is more accessible to kids because it’s not as costly and communities have invested in the structure. the nature of soccer is such that you have to play 9 months a year to keep improving.

Until we have a positive soccer culture our ceiling will be stuck. Granted we are good enough to expect to qualify for every WC and advance. But we could be so much better.

 

[Palatine]

This was a total disaster!

Berhalter's teams have stunk in the final third for his entire tenure. And his set pieces .... junk. Not to mention that the team has become even more undisciplined since his return.

 

[ZooCougar]

This was a total disaster!

Berhalter's teams have stunk in the final third for his entire tenure. And his set pieces .... junk. Not to mention that the team has become even more undisciplined since his return.

A man of whales likened Berhalter to Diaco. Actually worse than Diaco.

 

[Kolumbo]

Another play where Wright takes a touch and then shoots giving 2 defenders time to converge on him. He had Pepi wide open to the right. The best players will either fire a shot directly or take several touches to fake the defense and get a better look, or pass.

 

[Kolumbo]

The pay to play system is broken. Playing high level organized soccer is another day care bill.

Soccer is for more affluent kids. Football and Basketball is more accessible to kids because it’s not as costly and communities have invested in the structure. the nature of soccer is such that you have to play 9 months a year to keep improving.

Until we have a positive soccer culture our ceiling will be stuck. Granted we are good enough to expect to qualify for every WC and advance. But we could be so much better.

Crazy but true. Meanwhile Brazil and Argentina produce some of the best players in the world. Soccer should be the least expensive sport for kids to play. It actually is but they don't get the best coaching. Kids here play club soccer for the training and rec travel soccer for fun.

I look at Erling Haaland. 6'4" beast. A guy like him could probably excel at any of our main sports but plays soccer for Norway and Manchester City. Not a newsflash but our best athletes don't play soccer. Mbappe could be a running back had he grown up in the US.

 

[Kolumbo]

The pay to play system is broken. Playing high level organized soccer is another day care bill.

Soccer is for more affluent kids. Football and Basketball is more accessible to kids because it’s not as costly and communities have invested in the structure. the nature of soccer is such that you have to play 9 months a year to keep improving.

Until we have a positive soccer culture our ceiling will be stuck. Granted we are good enough to expect to qualify for every WC and advance. But we could be so much better.

I'll also add, I played soccer but I would have much rather played football. Our small town didn't have football and only organized soccer starting around 5th grade. Many moons ago to be sure. Sometimes I think the club aspect is too rigid as opposed to kids playing on their own at a very early age. The club team here, they focus so much on fundamentals and skills and learning the game which is all great and necessary. But they have a very difficult time scoring and lacking creativity.

 

[Tenspro2002]

All Copa fields are small because we're not a serious soccer nation

Our most prominent stadia were designed for football, not futbol.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Crazy but true. Meanwhile Brazil and Argentina produce some of the best players in the world. Soccer should be the least expensive sport for kids to play. It actually is but they don't get the best coaching. Kids here play club soccer for the training and rec travel soccer for fun.

I look at Erling Haaland. 6'4" beast. A guy like him could probably excel at any of our main sports but plays soccer for Norway and Manchester City. Not a newsflash but our best athletes don't play soccer. Mbappe could be a running back had he grown up in the US.

Not quite 20 years ago, when I was working in Westchester, my son (soon to 29) was first playing rec league soccer and there was a training facility that had a sign quoting Johan Cryuff that said something like "I didn't learn football skills playing for the junior national team, I learned playing in the streets". When I was a kid, we played baseball all day, every day during the summer. Most of the best (American) football players and basketball players learn the sport playing pickup games in yards or on pavement courts. I really don't believe there are many kids who get together and start playing soccer without coaches and parents supplying orange slices every fifteen minutes when a break is called.

I have a laundry list of fundamental flaws within the US system of developing a national soccer team, that this sport has the exclusivity it has (which among other things eliminates players becoming dedicated as a path out of poverty) in the dfevelopmental stages is very high on the list.

 

[Excalibur]

Crazy but true. Meanwhile Brazil and Argentina produce some of the best players in the world. Soccer should be the least expensive sport for kids to play. It actually is but they don't get the best coaching. Kids here play club soccer for the training and rec travel soccer for fun.

I look at Erling Haaland. 6'4" beast. A guy like him could probably excel at any of our main sports but plays soccer for Norway and Manchester City. Not a newsflash but our best athletes don't play soccer. Mbappe could be a running back had he grown up in the US.

We have 350 Million people in this country. We have more than enough athletes playing soccer. The system is not designed to develop them, and it's designed that way on purpose.

And speaking of systems, anyone with a functioning brain could see on day one that Berhalter's "system" seemed specifically designed to play to our players' weaknesses.

 

[Kolumbo]

We have 350 Million people in this country. We have more than enough athletes playing soccer. The system is not designed to develop them, and it's designed that way on purpose.

And speaking of systems, anyone with a functioning brain could see on day one that Berhalter's "system" seemed specifically designed to play to our players' weaknesses.

Oh sure, we have more than enough athletes and yes, the system is flawed. My point is that some kids who would be great on the pitch choose to play football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, hockey, etc instead. Just imagine if all those kids playing football in Florida and Texas grew up playing soccer instead. We still may not be the most skilled or creative but we would be the most feared.

Our best athletes probably do not play soccer. I think that's a pretty safe bet.

 

[Waquoit]

But according to the Athletic there are only two jobs Jurgen Klopp will consider.

One is obviously Germany and the other is USA.

Seriously? No brainer!

 

[Waquoit]

Meanwhile Brazil and Argentina produce some of the best players in the world.

What about Uruguay? They just beat us and they have a smaller population then Connecticut.