US Soccer/2019 Gold Cup/Road to Qatar 2022

[Acymetric]

What a goal!

[mph]

Outstanding sequence started and finished by Aaronson!

[Skydog]

Go USA!!!

[Acymetric]

Whelp.

[mph]

Ugh. Davies has too much speed for Yedlin.

[Skydog]

fxxx

[OldPhiKap]

Giveth, taketh away….

[Acymetric]

Can't believe we only got 3 added minutes.

[OldPhiKap]

Disappointing draw.

[mph]

Disappointing draw.

Yes it was. We could have benefited from a couple of earlier substitutions. There were a lot of tired legs on the field and Canada controlled the game from Aaronson’s goal to the 80 minute mark.

[jafarr1]

Disappointing doesn’t begin to cover it. Between McKennie (who couldn’t be bothered to hold to the team COVID protocol for two weeks), Adams (who otherwise had a pretty good game but chose to truck a guy behind a play where we had a breakaway, killing that play), and really a tepid performance from everyone else across the board, there really isn’t a reason to believe that we won’t see the same story play out this qualifying this cycle. Yes, Pulisic was recovering from COVID, and yes, Reyna was out and we lost Dest partway through, but right now this team is just way too easy to defend and doesn’t seem to play with any kind of purpose. There isn’t any kind of quick fix for either of those.

[bird]

I feel pretty good about Aaronson - the effort was there and it put him in the position on both ends of the lone score.

Dest played better and showed sparks, until he went out with his ankle injury.

Pulisic also showed sparks particularly in one v. one, giving the attack a whole different dimension at times.

But teammates would fail to find Pulisic for obvious passes, Pulisic would waive his hands in the air, and eventually he did what stranded strikers tend to do, drop deeper with back to goal to try to get touches. That is a bad sign. Bad teamwork.

Also really didn't like how Canada would turn the corner on offense through speed and strength. We have 300 million in America; can't we ever find a top-notch back line? It is our national character to be good in the back it would seem to me.

Basically, these are talented folks who are learning the hard way. By the time they figure it out themselves, it may be too late.

Last time around we had old legs and lack of energy and determination (softness) overall. The problems this time are different. A degree of bad luck, and not knowing how to be as talented at teamwork as they are with individual skills and athleticism.

[mph]

McKennie has been sent back to Italy and will not be available for Honduras. He violated team COVID protocol. It sucks to lose an important player for something that was 100% avoidable—especially after he was already disciplined for a party at Juventes. In other news, the ankle injury from last night will keep Dest out against Honduras, leaving us without Reyna, McKennie, and Dest. Not great for a team already struggling to create quality chances against teams packing it in and looking to counter.

[OldPhiKap]

McKennie has been sent back to Italy and will not be available for Honduras. He violated team COVID protocol. It sucks to lose an important player for something that was 100% avoidable—especially after he was already disciplined for a party at Juventes.

The “McKennie for Cam Newton” trade rumors are flying.

[YmoBeThere]

It sucks to lose an important player for something that was 100% avoidable—especially after he was already disciplined for a party at Juventes.

I will quibble with the idea that we lost him. His actions were much him choosing to opt out. So, he wasn't really available to us.

[mph]

I will quibble with the idea that we lost him. His actions were much him choosing to opt out. So, he wasn't really available to us.

No quibble here. If it wasn’t clear from my original post, I agree.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I feel pretty good about Aaronson - the effort was there and it put him in the position on both ends of the lone score.

Dest played better and showed sparks, until he went out with his ankle injury.

Pulisic also showed sparks particularly in one v. one, giving the attack a whole different dimension at times.

But teammates would fail to find Pulisic for obvious passes, Pulisic would waive his hands in the air, and eventually he did what stranded strikers tend to do, drop deeper with back to goal to try to get touches. That is a bad sign. Bad teamwork.

Also really didn't like how Canada would turn the corner on offense through speed and strength. We have 300 million in America; can't we ever find a top-notch back line? It is our national character to be good in the back it would seem to me.

Basically, these are talented folks who are learning the hard way. By the time they figure it out themselves, it may be too late.

Last time around we had old legs and lack of energy and determination (softness) overall. The problems this time are different. A degree of bad luck, and not knowing how to be as talented at teamwork as they are with individual skills and athleticism.

The US has talent. This is, by far, the most talented team the USMNT has ever had. But there are a bunch of issues. In no particular order:

1. Familiarity. These guys just haven't played with one another. Even though they are all in the same age range (21-28), they have developed through different avenues: MLS, European dev leagues, college, etc. They haven't played with each other that much. Compare that with most European and South American teams who have had exposure to one another since they were toddlers. It's a huge issue, and one that can only be solved through continuous international matches.

2. Defense. The US defense is usually competent. This one, not so much. Brooks is solid, but that's about it. I love Dest. He's a Dutchman who grow up in Holland his whole life and is a phenomenal offensive talent, but he's worse than mediocre on defense. The back four, as a unit, isn't very good.

3. Midfielders galore. If there is one area where the US has options, it's the midfield. Reyna, McKennie, Adams, Aaronson, potentially Pulisic...the best US players are defensive or attacking midfielders. And that's a problem because...

4. The US forwards are terrible. Who is Siebatcheu? Sargeant scored 7 goals across 35 games last season. As a result, the US has to put attacking midfielders into the offense, especially Reyna and Pulisic. Both of these players are better as attacking midfielders, as they often play with Dortmund and Chelsea, respectively (okay, Pulisic is a winger but I like him right behind the striker). These really good players playing out of position isn't good for the US. Either change the formation or put your best players in their natural positions.

[CDu]

The US has talent. This is, by far, the most talented team the USMNT has ever had. But there are a bunch of issues. In no particular order:

1. Familiarity. These guys just haven't played with one another. Even though they are all in the same age range (21-28), they have developed through different avenues: MLS, European dev leagues, college, etc. They haven't played with each other that much. Compare that with most European and South American teams who have had exposure to one another since they were toddlers. It's a huge issue, and one that can only be solved through continuous international matches.

2. Defense. The US defense is usually competent. This one, not so much. Brooks is solid, but that's about it. I love Dest. He's a Dutchman who grow up in Holland his whole life and is a phenomenal offensive talent, but he's worse than mediocre on defense. The back four, as a unit, isn't very good.

3. Midfielders galore. If there is one area where the US has options, it's the midfield. Reyna, McKennie, Adams, Aaronson, potentially Pulisic...the best US players are defensive or attacking midfielders. And that's a problem because...

4. The US forwards are terrible. Who is Siebatcheu? Sargeant scored 7 goals across 35 games last season. As a result, the US has to put attacking midfielders into the offense, especially Reyna and Pulisic. Both of these players are better as attacking midfielders, as they often play with Dortmund and Chelsea, respectively (okay, Pulisic is a winger but I like him right behind the striker). These really good players playing out of position isn't good for the US. Either change the formation or put your best players in their natural positions.

I actually like Pulisic on the left wing more. It allows him to really use his pace and cut in on his right. But even if he might be better behind the striker - a debatable point - it certainly isn’t a problem to have him on the wing. And Reyna is great at either the 10 spot or the wing, and plays both spots for Dortmund. I don’t see that as a problem to have him there either. His hamstring injury is a bigger problem, as he missed the Canada match. I think the formation might be an issue, with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 being preferable to the 4-3-3. But since it is a 4-3-3, realistically Pulisic and Reyna have plenty of leeway to venture in behind the striker.

As for striker, yeah, injuries have made an already light position more problematic. No Dike, Zardes, and Altidore (not that these guys are great, but they are better than Sargent and Pefok right now) forced Sargent and Pefok on. That isn’t ideal.

As for the defense, I don’t see a huge problem there. They gave up a goal to Canada when Davies (one of the fastest wings in the world and a mainstay for Bayern) beat Yedlin. No shame there, but otherwise the defense has been fine. No other goals allowed. Good keeper, good central defense, and good defensive mid in Adams.

[OldPhiKap]

I also like Miles Robinson on that back line, early gaffe against Canada notwithstanding.

Our problem is at the top of the formation it seems to me.

[Skydog]

The US has talent. This is, by far, the most talented team the USMNT has ever had. But there are a bunch of issues. In no particular order:

1. Familiarity. These guys just haven't played with one another. Even though they are all in the same age range (21-28), they have developed through different avenues: MLS, European dev leagues, college, etc. They haven't played with each other that much. Compare that with most European and South American teams who have had exposure to one another since they were toddlers. It's a huge issue, and one that can only be solved through continuous international matches.

2. Defense. The US defense is usually competent. This one, not so much. Brooks is solid, but that's about it. I love Dest. He's a Dutchman who grow up in Holland his whole life and is a phenomenal offensive talent, but he's worse than mediocre on defense. The back four, as a unit, isn't very good.

3. Midfielders galore. If there is one area where the US has options, it's the midfield. Reyna, McKennie, Adams, Aaronson, potentially Pulisic...the best US players are defensive or attacking midfielders. And that's a problem because...

4. The US forwards are terrible. Who is Siebatcheu? Sargeant scored 7 goals across 35 games last season. As a result, the US has to put attacking midfielders into the offense, especially Reyna and Pulisic. Both of these players are better as attacking midfielders, as they often play with Dortmund and Chelsea, respectively (okay, Pulisic is a winger but I like him right behind the striker). These really good players playing out of position isn't good for the US. Either change the formation or put your best players in their natural positions.

We also lack athleticism in general. No players as fast as Donovan or Beasley, no players up front who would win a physical battle (whatever you thought of their play Altidore, Dempsey, McBride, Zardes, Buddle, etc were all 6’1”’ish and muscular to boot). And in the back - well Brooks at least looks like a proper cb - but Dest? Our best matchup with Davies is a munchkin? The fact that Davies didn’t score vs Dest was pure luck because Davies ran over, past and through him repeatedly.

In this must-win qualifier to my knowledge we fielded only one standout athlete- Pulisic has world class first step acceleration. But otherwise he is small, easily knocked off the ball and lacks true breakaway open field foot speed. Give him a bit more size, strength and Donovanesque dribbling speed and he would be unstoppable, even at the international level.

So Brooks, Pulisic and a bunch of guys you probably wouldn’t pick for your side in a bar fight. Where are our athletes? I guess one of them is in Italy partying his butt off. But where are the rest?