2058 replies to this topic

[DuffMan]

Go big or go home

[Mashed Potatoes]

The honeymoon period would be fun with Mourinho, and so would the eventually blow up. We can do better, we can also do worse

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Tactically a very good coach and he's not anti American as a lot of Euro coaches are. But he also tends to stick with more experienced players and doesn't like to use young guys. Maybe that wouldn't be an issue for us since they are ALL young guys?

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Don't forget US vs Serbia tonight....kinda late for you east coast guys (10pm) but should see some new young up and comers.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Lady Gaga jokes for the keeper right?

[Mashed Potatoes]

Gotta love a pitch full of young excited talent trying to make their mark. Speed everywhere and no patience or thoughtful decision making so far from either side.

[BSLMikeLowe]

That was uninspiring.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

That was uninspiring.

Mike, in what regards? 

 

For a match like this we saw exactly what I wanted to see. 

1. Cohesive play across the board.

2. Created numerous chances. Cowell hit both posts and also missed one just wide.

3. No loss of control or approach when all the subs were made which is typically a problem.

4. Great exposure for a bunch of young kids. Jalen Neal had a couple of brain farts and gave up the losing goal but fans need to remember that he is 19 and has not even played in a single MLS match yet.

 

Here's some food for thought. Going into the match the starting lineup of the US had amassed 40 caps and 3 international goals. Of those 37 caps and all 3 goals were from Zimmerman. 

 

Overall there were several players who look to have the talent to be able to play at the senior level soon.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Mike, in what regards? 

 

For a match like this we saw exactly what I wanted to see. 

1. Cohesive play across the board.

2. Created numerous chances. Cowell hit both posts and also missed one just wide.

3. No loss of control or approach when all the subs were made which is typically a problem.

4. Great exposure for a bunch of young kids. Jalen Neal had a couple of brain farts and gave up the losing goal but fans need to remember that he is 19 and has not even played in a single MLS match yet.

 

Here's some food for thought. Going into the match the starting lineup of the US had amassed 40 caps and 3 international goals. Of those 37 caps and all 3 goals were from Zimmerman. 

 

Overall there were several players who look to have the talent to be able to play at the senior level soon.

 

There appeared to be a lot of individual talent, but I didn't really see the cohesiveness you mentioned, or the execution. Like Mashed Potatoes said, it looked like a bunch of energetic and athletic kids running around. Maybe some of that was due to not having a permanent coach yet, but against a Serbian side fielding pretty much the same caliber of young, inexperienced players, I thought we'd see a better result.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Mike, remember that this was only a week long camp before the first match. Most of these guys have never played together and in many cases had never even met each other. So you have to temper your expectations on what you think you'd like to see with that in mind. After the first 15 minutes once the midfield figured each other out I thought they did very well.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Mike, remember that this was only a week long camp before the first match. Most of these guys have never played together and in many cases had never even met each other. So you have to temper your expectations on what you think you'd like to see with that in mind. After the first 15 minutes once the midfield figured each other out I thought they did very well.

 

Admittedly I did not start watching until the second half when they started subbing in some of the older guys. The mixture just never looked in sync to me, and they looked completely out of sorts when they gave up that quick goal. They did get a lot of late action on Serbia's side, but Serbia was clearly in defend mode by then.

 

I didn't see it live, but I do have to say that Vasquez's goal, and especially Gressel's cross that set him up, was a thing of beauty. Precisely what was most missing in Qatar.

[DuffMan]

U.S. has been confirmed to host the COPA America tournament in 2024!  Can someone throw Baltimore a bone and get us a game or two please!?

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Couple of random things.

 

1. Don't forget the second friendly of this window is tonight against Colombia.

 

2. The COPA America confirmation is really good news. We expected this but this has come with a twist. CONCACAF will get 6 spots and all 10 CONMEBOL teams will get in. So what this means is that once CONCACAF Nations League is completed this June there will be a second CONCACAF Nations League used to qualify for those 6 spots. Since the US won't have WC qualifying this next cycle one of the concerns was that we wouldn't have enough quality matches to prepare. The problem is you can rarely get friendlies against top teams because their players are busy with their own club seasons and during the few FIFA windows that are already busy with things like Euro Nations League etc. So having an 'extra" Nations League is really really good for the US.

 

3. With both Ernie Stewart and Brian McBride out of the USSF picture its pretty apparent that Berhalter won't be the next head coach. Who is going to be it is a really big question. USSF is using an outside search group to find their new executives who will then find the new head coach. But they said they would like the new coach to be in place by the March Nations league matches. Not sure just how that can happen unless they stick with a US based coach such as Steve Cherundolo. The other (and better option to me) is to keep Anthony Hudson in place through the end of the Euro club seasons when, potentially, some more candidates might become available. Then there is the third option and that is to go after a well known coach who is currently unemployed (Jurgen Lowe for example).

 

Update: Yesterday Cindy Parlow Cone said their goal is to have the permanent USMNT manager in place by the end of the summer. This gives me hope they are looking at some big options. Maybe none of them would want the job but at least I think we are going to look.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Brenden Aaronson's little bro Paxten gets his first cap tonight making the 8th set of brothers to have played for the Nats.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Berhalter did a solid B- job during this transition period, but he's certainly not the best we can do moving forward. Let's get a rockstar in here.

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN: Paxten Aaronson a bright spot as USMNT plays scoreless but entertaining draw vs. Colombia

https://www.espn.com...t-colombia-draw

[BSLMikeLowe]

The Ringer: Who will coach the USMNT next? The job isn't as enticing as you think.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

The Ringer article has some valid points however I could just as easily use those same points as to why the job is appealing. Plus the landscape has changed since that was written.

 

Marsch has been fired. Klopp is in hot water at Liverpool. Guardiola could well be interested, especially if Man C win UCL (nothing left to prove at Man C). 

 

Now here is why the job is appealing:

 

1. Both COPA America 2024 and the WC will be held in the US. The US market is the biggest global stage by far. Also going to have Gold Cups and CONCACAF Nations Leagues. There will be plenty of important matches for a new coach to mold the team and prepared them for 2026.

2. The USMNT is loaded with young talent and in 2026 will be prime to make a deep run, perhaps as deep as a US team has ever gone.

3. The time commitment isn't near the drain that a club position is. For some coaches they are at a point in their careers where this is a very positive thing.

4. The fan base and media are not even in the same universe as demanding as of most of the rest of the world. The coach won't be under near the microscope as say Brazil or heaven forbid England.

 

Going to be interesting to follow this and see who we get.

[DuffMan]

You make some good points and I love that the US appears to be aiming big.  I don't think it would happen, but damn I would love to have Klopp!

 

In regards to Marsch,  I have to ask would he be a good choice?  Yes he has overseas experience, but he hasn't exactly been very successful in Europe

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I think Marsch would be a fine choice. I think his tactics fit our roster well, he knows the players, he's younger so can probably communicate better with them than a lot of older international coaches. 

 

And I think he's a better coach than what Leeds showed. For sure in the end results matter but he did save them from relegation last year and he wasn't given the attacking player they really needed to get better. But Leeds also was very much like the USMNT during their WC qualifying campaign. The metrics really showed that Leeds should have had more results than they did. Their finishing was unlucky just like the US. Again results matter, but don't get down too much on Jesse. I think he's got a shot.