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State after 2 matches

Posted on 9/6/21 at 9:00 am
Posted by Girth Donor
Member since Apr 2011
4174 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 9:00 am
This is my 7th WCQ cycle that I've been able to watch. I've seen Tab Ramos hit a rocket in Portland to beat a good Costa Rica team, Beerholder being called for a phantom handball in Estadio Saprissa to lose to CR, our first tie in the Azteca in qualifying, etc.

One thing is obvious with the US team this cycle.........poor tactics. You can say player x, y and z are hurt and we are not at full strength. That shite is nothing but excuses. We have faced 2 teams with less talent than we have injuries or not. Gregg has done some good things with the program but his substitutions and tactics are so poor. 71% possession; who cares. We are so poor in creating chances in open play. We knock the ball around the back with great precision, woooooooooo! Everything is ball to feet with no runs over the top or into the channels. The opponent doesn't have to worry about getting beat over the top so they can squeeze the play and congest the midfield. If you want to play this possession style, your team better play ultra quick to beat a team that doesn't worry about getting beat over the top. This team does not play direct and the results show. With the pace we have on the wings, a direct style would cause havoc for fullbacks.

On Canada's goal, why are we playing with such a high line leading 1:0 and the best player on the pitch is also one of the fastest players in the world. It was obvious after the goal that Davies was playing on the edge of the line trying to beat the trap. No awareness from Gregg to drop the line, create 2 v 1 in defending the wings and play on the counter. Amateur shite from Gregg.

Yes, some players have not played up to their potential but they are up against the 8 ball with the style we play. When you watch ES, you can see what they are trying to do. They play a very cohesive quick counterattacking style that every player on the pitch knows their responsibility. Canada, not as well managed but they know how to get their best players in positions to hurt the opponent. The US, knock the ball around with no penetration and hope for someone to create a bit of magic or grab a goal from a set piece. Coaching matters people, I don't care how talented you are.

Playing in Honduras is very tough. We've won there before but with this coaching staff I don't see it happening. 2 or 3 points from 3 games would be a fireable offense for me. I'm sorry but this team with better coaching would not be in this position. Gregg better start thinking about plan B because plan A is shite.
This post was edited on 9/6/21 at 8:00 pm
Posted by Broski
Member since Jun 2011
78855 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 10:30 am to
quote:

State after 2 matches



Have to win at Honduras... nothing wrong with 5 points in a window. But that's a tall ask.

3 or 2 points though and you may have to atleast think of making a change. Not sure how feasible that is though because if you do fire Gregg, it's because you already have someone in mind and vetted them. I doubt that's happened because the USSF probably assumed everything was good with Gregg after this summer.

When we fired Jurgen, it was actually the perfect time to make a switch if we were to do it, because there was like three months between WCQ windows. Hell, Bruce was able to have a January Camp before his first WCQ matches. We don't have that luxury this cycle with WCQ windows in October, November, January, March and April.

So unless Bob Bradley is cool with bailing on LAFC for another run, there really is no candidate that can come in and hit the ground running. Also this shouldn't be a decider for a coach's job, but there's a chance we could lose Musah if Gregg goes.

As much as these first two matches sucked, I think we have to stick it out with Gregg this cycle for better or for worse. I still think we're going to qualify, but it's just annoying that we're already leaving ourselves little room for error.
Posted by RockChalkTiger
A Little Bit South of Saskatoon
Member since May 2009
11005 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 10:41 am to
Greggg’s best quality was always who he was related to. I never believed the best possible candidate just happened to be related to a senior US official, but soccer and corruption seem to go hand in hand.
That said, I think the best we can hope for is to qualify, get a weak draw, somehow get out of the group, and do enough to convince a serious coach that we are worth investing a couple of years in for 2026. Greggg hasn’t been dealt a grand hand so far, but he’s kept all his twos and discarded all his aces.
Posted by cwil177
Baton Rouge
Member since Jun 2011
29549 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 11:15 am to
The movement is atrocious and as a result so is our chance creation. I appreciate what he’s done on the player motivation/recruitment side, and I love our defensive organization (we really don’t give up many clear chances). That said, if the offensive side doesn’t get fixed soon we are in trouble.
Posted by Girth Donor
Member since Apr 2011
4174 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 11:24 am to
This isn't something new. In the Swedish 2nd division

Hammarby fire Gregg Berhalter as manager, citing team's lack of offense
Posted by cwil177
Baton Rouge
Member since Jun 2011
29549 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 11:35 am to
Hopefully he’s studied some offensive sequences in the past 8 years
Posted by crazy4lsu
Member since May 2005
39157 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 12:10 pm to
Managers generally don't change. He has his methods, and it is relatively rare, given the ego of professional players and managers, that they would try to change their methods. He probably believes that improving offensive play is a matter of belief, or something intrinsic. I do like the fight of the US team, but at least under Bradley, there was an understanding of how we should attack. The problem with being the US coach is being in CONCACAF and trying to compete with the big teams. In those CONCACAF games (outside of a few, mainly against Mexico), you need possession ability and the ability to break down teams in the low-block. When playing against other international teams, the US needs to play the low-block. That poses a conundrum for coaches who aren't tactically astute, as the need for fluency in two differing styles makes the US a unique job.

If worse comes to worse, the reality is that we have good wing players, good enough wing-backs, and tall, generally strong strikers. If nothing else, peppering the ball into the box isn't a bad strategy, if we aren't going to do anything advanced.
Posted by cwil177
Baton Rouge
Member since Jun 2011
29549 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 12:22 pm to
This Reddit post summed up my thoughts exactly. LINK
We suck at breaking down a low block because we are hesitant to put in crosses for some reason and we have no one to link the defense to the offense/play incisive passes. Gregg started us out in a 4-4-2 in 2019 and when that failed he changed up tactics and the team had a fantastic run, so I’m cautiously optimistic he will realize what we are doing now against these bunkering teams isn’t working and change things up.
Posted by RockChalkTiger
A Little Bit South of Saskatoon
Member since May 2009
11005 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 1:16 pm to
I think 12 points is the bar after the next window (JAM, @PAM, CRC). If you’re not there, then you pull the trigger. Obviously, a draw Wednesday means you have to sweep those. A loss makes it impossible. So, yeah, maybe he should be coaching for his job Wednesday!
Posted by S
RIP Wayde
Member since Jan 2007
168472 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 1:23 pm to
We gotta hire the Denmark guy after he’s done there
Posted by crazy4lsu
Member since May 2005
39157 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 2:43 pm to
quote:

We gotta hire the Denmark guy after he’s done there



Yeah he’s incredible.
Posted by crazy4lsu
Member since May 2005
39157 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 2:52 pm to
Good wide play is the cornerstone of international football. You don’t have time to work on intricate passing patterns, generally. What Greg needs to understand is even if we play the ball in early and lose it, winning the second ball or later contested balls also should favor us. Playing the game in the air isn’t pretty but it accentuates our athletic advantage. And focusing on crossing also can be useful when playing against bigger teams, where we might still have a physical advantage.
Posted by lynxcat
Member since Jan 2008
24986 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 4:54 pm to
Simple question but how much rests with the manager versus the players? I’ve always been amazed at how the manager seems to take even more of the blame in soccer than almost any other sport.

It seems like GB is responsible for player selection and shape of the team…but the players themselves have to actually execute regardless.
Posted by Broski
Member since Jun 2011
78855 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 5:02 pm to
I think that’s particularly with US Soccer because we have a lot of fans who just assume because we have a bunch of players in Europe, we should be crushing everyone we face now. Also, everyone hated the Gregg hire to begin with so the torches were already lit.

Players definitely deserve some of the blame. Take McKennie for example. That’s 100% on him but we had people shitting on Gregg for making the decision when it was announced.

I think El Salvador, the blame is more on the players coming into that match incredibly naive about what a road CONCACAF match entails.

I think last night, more of the blame was on Gregg for getting the tactics completely wrong, with a slight nod to McKennie for being a dumbass.
This post was edited on 9/6/21 at 5:07 pm
Posted by OldmanBeasley
Charlotte
Member since Jun 2014
10898 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 5:52 pm to
It’s all good Greg called in Yueill
Posted by OleVaught14
Member since Jun 2019
10005 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 5:58 pm to
quote:

I think El Salvador, the blame is more on the players coming into that match incredibly naive about what a road CONCACAF match entails.


I agree. But that's also on the coaches for a lack of preparation. And on our federation for not getting them that experience. Why not play a friendly in Honduras earlier this summer instead of playing Wales.
Posted by Broski
Member since Jun 2011
78855 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 8:39 pm to
quote:

Why not play a friendly in Honduras earlier this summer instead of playing Wales.



Not that we would've played a friendly there because we always play friendlies at home or in Europe for money reasons, but we straight up couldn't play friendlies in any shitty CONCACAF nation because of COVID. Remember we played Jamaica in fricking Austria.

With that said, playing a friendly in Honduras wouldn't have prepared our players for anything. That's how different and more intense World Cup qualifiers are.

Yeah, you can blame the coaches I guess, but I don't doubt Gregg was not telling them everything about what it would be like considering his own playing experiences, but words only go so far.

Hell Adams said it himself after the El Salvador match that he couldn't believe it.
Posted by lynxcat
Member since Jan 2008
24986 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 11:27 pm to
Link? Interested to hear their 1st hand POV.
Posted by Broski
Member since Jun 2011
78855 posts
Posted on 9/6/21 at 11:28 pm to
Posted by SirWinston
PNW
Member since Jul 2014
100177 posts
Posted on 9/7/21 at 12:27 am to
Cracker of a thread, mate - I celebrate your entire post
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