Futbol Talk

[JWags85]

Fun first 35 minutes. GGG ball returns for the rest of the game. Still waiting on Berhalter to beat any team of quality…

Picked a perfect starting XI, team showed up strongly…then he got completely out-tactic’d

[panda]

Picked a perfect starting XI, team showed up strongly…then he got completely out-tactic’d

To be completely fair - Dest and richards were horrible. Scally offered very little going forward and the overall play out of the back was pathetic. Not competing for 3/4’s of the game at home against a team who’s struggled mightily the last year is a very bad omen. Berhalter’s track record against teams with a pulse is horrendous and will most likely end in embarrassment with the copa on home soil next year. 

[jesmu84]

To be completely fair - Dest and richards were horrible. Scally offered very little going forward and the overall play out of the back was pathetic. Not competing for 3/4’s of the game at home against a team who’s struggled mightily the last year is a very bad omen. Berhalter’s track record against teams with a pulse is horrendous and will most likely end in embarrassment with the copa on home soil next year.

Does it matter that teams like Germany are bringing on subs that start for teams like Bayern while USMNT is..not?

GGG is 4-4-5 vs top 20 FIFA teams with 3 wins over mex. That ain't gonna get it done if you have aspirations of winning at the highest levels.

GGG has shown he's not significantly able to get more than the sum of his parts.

So, I guess he needs better parts? Or the US needs a drastically better manager? But is there one out there who could take these parts to a top 5-10 team?

[panda]

Does it matter that teams like Germany are bringing on subs that start for teams like Bayern while USMNT is..not?

GGG is 4-4-5 vs top 20 FIFA teams with 3 wins over mex. That ain't gonna get it done if you have aspirations of winning at the highest levels.

GGG has shown he's not significantly able to get more than the sum of his parts.

So, I guess he needs better parts? Or the US needs a drastically better manager? But is there one out there who could take these parts to a top 5-10 team?

Jim Curtin, Tata Martino and Thierry Henry all immediately come to mind. Wonder if Roberto Martinez wouldve been interested. GGG has zero managerial success whatsoever in multiple different settings. It’s not that wild of a jump to say a new manager would improve the quality of play.

Berhalther’s absolute refusal to use a #10 is managerial malpractice. Especially with a 9 like who likes to run off defenders back shoulders and play in tight spaces. We saw how much more fluid the play was with Gio in the first 45 and then it completely evaporated when de la Torre came on and it didn’t look like he knew where he was supposed to play. Jonathan Tah playing on the outside right and we don’t try and exploit that ?! The guy is a statue and they have him playing out wide. That’s where Germany is at now.

Germany was horrible post World Cup. The result should’ve been much different playing at home with our best 11. Most of which are playing important roles for clubs who are top or near top of the respective league tables. The talent gap is not nearly as wide as it may have been in years past.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

GGG is going to be their manger through 2026 unless Copa really blows up on them.

But Thierry Henry? Cmon…

[panda]

GGG is going to be their manger through 2026 unless Copa really blows up on them.

But Thierry Henry? Cmon…

A guy with who would walk in with massive respect from each of the players, as well as a pedigree coaching in the international game? Do your homework

[brewcity77]

We got some good early chances, but most of the meaningful football even in the first 35 was played in our defensive third. Pulisic's goal was nice, but the result seems fair. I guess the hope is that these guys play together enough to gel as a unit in the next 3 years. I mean, probably 8 or 9 spots are already locked down if we're healthy. Just a matter of being as cohesive as those pieces can be.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

A guy with who would walk in with massive respect from each of the players, as well as a pedigree coaching in the international game? Do your homework

He was a disaster at both Monaco and Montréal the two times he was an actual manager.

Tata would be great. But he’s actually a proven guy. Henry? Not so much.

It’s all just a thought exercise anyway. GGG is going nowhere.

[panda]

He was a disaster at both Monaco and Montréal the two times he was an actual manager.

Tata would be great. But he’s actually a proven guy. Henry? Not so much.

It’s all just a thought exercise anyway. GGG is going nowhere.

Inherited a disaster at Monaco and wasn’t given enough time. Montreal sold their two best players in pre season, didn’t replace them and he made the playoffs despite it. Top assistant with Roberto Martinez with belgium with the players backing.

[panda]

We got some good early chances, but most of the meaningful football even in the first 35 was played in our defensive third. Pulisic's goal was nice, but the result seems fair. I guess the hope is that these guys play together enough to gel as a unit in the next 3 years. I mean, probably 8 or 9 spots are already locked down if we're healthy. Just a matter of being as cohesive as those pieces can be.

I was ready to give the manager credit after the start. Looked like the genuinely had a plan of drawing Germany in and crushing them on the counter. However the play out of the back quickly went downhill and we got rid of a number 10 at halftime…(not that Gio would’ve kept playing, but ldlt clearly didn’t have any true direction in the second half)

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Inherited a disaster at Monaco and wasn’t given enough time. Montreal sold their two best players in pre season, didn’t replace them and he made the playoffs despite it. Top assistant with Roberto Martinez with belgium with the players backing.

Ahh…. 

I guess if you’re going to come up with excuses for poor performance, YOU could be manager right?

“Do your homework.”  😂😂😂😂

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

“Hey this guy who went 15-9-27 as manager would be great for USMNT” said one guy

Everyone else:  😬😬😬

[JWags85]

Inherited a disaster at Monaco and wasn’t given enough time. Montreal sold their two best players in pre season, didn’t replace them and he made the playoffs despite it. Top assistant with Roberto Martinez with belgium with the players backing.

I still don’t think he has the pedigree as a manager to justify it.  That being said, he has a huge opportunity now with the French U-21s and the Olympics to show something.

Curtin doesn’t excite me, but he’s a damn good MLS manager and his managerial resume crushes GGG.

My reach, though he likely wouldn’t be interested, would be Pellegrino Matarazzo

[panda]

“Hey this guy who went 15-9-27 as manager would be great for USMNT” said one guy

Everyone else:  😬😬😬

Context matters unless you’re debatingn with a guy who’s main outlet of comprehension is googling as he goes.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Context matters unless you’re debatingn with a guy who’s main outlet of comprehension is googling as he goes.

Actually I’m just parroting what Homer told me at a Tosa fish fry last night.  A friend of mine who works for US soccer told me the same thing.

[panda]

Actually I’m just parroting what Homer told me at a Tosa fish fry last night.  A friend of mine who works for US soccer told me the same thing.

So clearly out of your depths here that you resort back to an argument you think you won but cowardly wouldn’t even make an honest attempt to confirm what you believe to be fact.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

So clearly out of your depths here that you resort back to an argument you think you won but cowardly wouldn’t even make an honest attempt to confirm what you believe to be fact.

Message me coward!

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Anyway, you were laughably wrong then. Just like now.

At least you’re consistent.

[panda]

Anyway, you were laughably wrong then. Just like now.

At least you’re consistent.

No I’m not. Henry took over his boyhood club a 1/4 of the way through the season after the previous manager left a dumpster fire. They didn’t even give him a full year and nowhere near sufficient resources in the Jan transfer window after starting with the deck stacked completely against him. Set up for failure and I doubt he takes the job if it’s anyone but his boyhood club. I already explained his mls stint. Context matters unless you want to be an argumentative pric*

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

No I’m not. Henry took over his boyhood club a 1/4 of the way through the season after the previous manager left a dumpster fire. They didn’t even give him a full year and nowhere near sufficient resources in the Jan transfer window after starting with the deck stacked completely against him. Set up for failure and I doubt he takes the job if it’s anyone but his boyhood club. I already explained his mls stint. Context matters unless you want to be an argumentative pric*

You should message me a third time to show how much I own you.

[panda]

You should message me a third time to show how much I own you.

You asked me to message you and I did…..

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

You asked me to message you and I did…..

…I own you.

As I said…

[panda]

As I said…

“I’m right!” Why ? “Because I am!”

You sound like a three year old

[JWags85]

Henry did a terrible job at Monaco. He also was put in a pretty much impossible/unwinnable situation.  Both can be true…

Monaco was a disaster.  They fired Jardim after winning Ligue 1 and finishing 2nd the previous 2 years.  Then sacking Henry after literally 3 months, they brought Jardim BACK.  Then got rid of him again the following fall.  Dysfunction Junction.

As I said before, I don’t think Henry has the pedigree yet to manage the USMNT, but I don’t really hold Monaco much against him

[mug644]

I did go today, and it was energetic and insightful. Here's the summary I shared with my brother, like me a long time soccer player and fan...

"First, it was fun, fun. Definitely the highest level football I’ve ever seen live. Exciting to see Pulisic, Balogun, McKennie et al, plus German stars like Hummels, Budinger, Haevert, Goudagan and even Muellers came on at the end. I had a good seat and the crowd was enjoying it.

The reality is that the German team, even in a degree of disarray at the moment with a new coach and a changing of the guard of generations, is notably better than the US, unless we are totally on the top of our game. And we weren’t. (I think such a missing link is Tyler Adams.) We had decent energy and ambition, but didn’t have patience and skills, crucial needs against top European teams; remember what the Dutch did in our R16 game at the World Cup? They just waited until we strung ourselves too thin and then attacked. Similar today.

The German defense was simply solid and didn’t give space. Even our runs to open balls were generally shut down. Christian’s goal was impressive, and it was evident in the minutes before it that he was angry that he wasn’t awarded a penalty kick. Chatting with a couple of guys at halftime, we all agreed that on the no-call, he had a poor first touch than played for the penalty. Yes, maybe the goalie got him, but (without seeing it again yet) it seemed like a decent no-call. Tim Weah is so f***ing fast. He attacks whenever he has space and is face up. If his crossing improves and we can consistently get guys in the middle when he is streaking down the right wing, look out. Balogun didn’t show too much, but it’s clear that he is a threat. He moves to the ball so well, and our players need to get used to him, and get him the damn ball. Gio is skilled, and is a cry baby. Not so evident during his (first and only) half, except for his impetuousness grabbing a guy’s shirt twice just at the end of the half. I think he knew he wouldn’t be back in the second half and so acted up. He deserved a yellow card. But, I watched him during warm ups. He was the only, the only, guy who threw his arms up and sulked away if he didn’t hit his mark when practicing shots. From my ignorant point of view, he still has a lot of maturing to do. (Christian, I think, used to be that way, but has grown.)

Our defense was adequate at the outset, but vulnerable. Once Germany realized they could just push up the center, then use the wings if necessary, we were basically torn apart. Tim Ream is steady and solid, but slow. I wasn’t a fan of Chris Richards, but Cameron Carter-Vickers didn’t do much better as his sub. I tend to be more comfortable with Miles Robinson and/or Walter Zimmerman as center backs. Still, it’s nice to have options. I love Sergino Dest’s energy and skills, but question his decision-making sometimes. Yet, I always want him on the pitch. I hope that Joe Scally is only seen as a second stringer at this point. So unremarkable, and nothing compared to Jedi Robinson, who’s still out injured. And Matt Turner still struggles with balls at his feet. Germany was smart to press high, and it made the defense anxious to get the ball up the field.

The midfield is the toughest, and especially so for Berhalter as he figures out how to deal with Gio amongst a quality set of midfielders and wings. I dig Yunus Musah in so many ways—his casualness, his passing, his footwork, his passing—but I feel like he didn’t do much today. (The guys I was chatting with at halftime disagreed with me.) I think his attacking skill is most important, and he needs to know that someone such as Tyler Adams is playing defensive midfield to help cover for him. McKennie, such a charismatic guy to watch, doesn’t offer that support to Musah. Today’s starting midfield of Musah, Gio and McKennie are too forward-looking too often, which I think led to Germany being able to come right into the heart of our defense. And, they weren’t consistently able to support the defense in starting an attack from our own third.

I continue to know that the future can be bright, and I remain concerned that we don’t (and maybe never will) have the ability and players to put it all together. I know folks want to put that on Berhalter, and I won’t argue that. Still, he’s the horse we’re riding now, and the players need to find their way in his system. That said, with players like Balogun and Gio, GGG needs to be willing to change his system (he did change the formation in the first half with Gio, and without Adams)."