***Official USMNT-WCQ Octagonal Thread***

204,710 Views | 3020 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by cruzdoggie
DeangeloVickers
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Early February match in Minnesota.

Brilliant
gougler08
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KCup17 said:

Did GGG get out coached against CAN or did our players get out performed by the opposition?
Outcoached, their best player was out and they bunkered in and played counter to create much better overall opportunities than us
Mathguy64
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KCup17 said:

Did GGG get out coached against CAN or did our players get out performed by the opposition?


A little of both. GGG overthought his selections in picking Gyazi over Pepi and he got caught with his pants down on subs. We got outplayed and Canada had great tactics including selecting a narrow field that worked against us and for them.
PatAg
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Mathguy64 said:

KCup17 said:

Did GGG get out coached against CAN or did our players get out performed by the opposition?


A little of both. GGG overthought his selections in picking Ferreira over Pepi and he got caught with his pants down on subs. We got outplayed and Canada had great tactics including selecting a narrow field that worked against us and for them.
Played Zardes over Pepi but the sentiment is still the same.
I do think some of the players must be not fully executing what Gregg wants, because I doubt he just wants a sequence of 1v1s and so much dribbling...which then makes you think, if they cant do it why continue to try
carl spacklers hat
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KCup17 said:

Did GGG get out coached against CAN or did our players get out performed by the opposition?
I think he got out coached. I think his starting lineup decision was poor, his tactics didn't work and his in-game management (thinking subs specifically) was lacking.
People think I'm an idiot or something, because all I do is cut lawns for a living.
Mathguy64
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Yeah. I got the games he sat Pepi mixed up.
KCup17
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So other than Pepi as the #9 what changes would you have man in the starting line up?
wangus12
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Not GGG as coach
KCup17
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hahaha touche
theNetSmith
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watke always delivers
fig96
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In yesterday's match it was obvious by halftime that Zardes wasn't the striker we needed in that game, but it took another 25 minutes to sub him out.

I can't grasp that someone who's been coaching at the level Gregg has, even if it's somewhat due to favorable treatment, can't see that if we can.
oh no
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great video explanation
carl spacklers hat
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KCup17 said:

So other than Pepi as the #9 what changes would you have man in the starting line up?
I'm looking at starting Arriola over Aaronson. I like Aaronson but he's young, so starting a WCQ on foreign soil is a step up. Arriola gives you an energetic 55-60 minutes then you lift him for Aaronson. Its kind of the same thought process with Pepi over Zardes. Let those two grind down the defense some and then bring in Aaronson and Zardes the last 30 when the defense has tired.
People think I'm an idiot or something, because all I do is cut lawns for a living.
JJxvi
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I don't think there is a single striker in our pool that is one of our best 11 players besides Christian Pulisic, so maybe he'd be mad at me, because I'd play him there.

I've said this before but what the US needs is one more defensive minded player and free up Robinson and especially Dest from their defensive duties. Out of our three best centerbacks, Zimmerman plays in the middle of a back 5 for club. Brooks plays on the left in a back 3 for club. Richards plays on the right in a back 3 for club.

IMO our best team is three out of Pulisic, Weah, Musah, or Reyna in the attack, supported by Dest and Robinson on the wings, McKennie and Adams in the middle and Brooks, Zimmerman, and Richards.
deadbq03
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KCup17 said:

So other than Pepi as the #9 what changes would you have man in the starting line up?
I partially brought it up in the game thread but it got buried due to other angst (or perhaps because it was so stupid it wasn't worth commenting on)…

Tyler Adams is the least positive 6 I've ever seen. He's amazing at defense and usually quite good at possession, but he contributes nothing when we're trying to score… which is a massive liability when the other team just wants to park the bus. I see this all the time as a Leipzig fan.

His style of play means you have to a) let your FBs run wild on the wings and/or b) be comfortable with a ball-playing CB advancing up into attacking positions and let Adams move to the rear to play almost as a sweeper.

I see it as almost a Catch-22 with this squad. Antonee still sucks at crosses. I wouldn't say Dest is strong there either… he tends to dribble and play almost like an inside forward in the final third. Option B requires talent I don't think we have (but Leipzig did with Upamecano and now with Simikan still do).

And yet, we've also seen time and again, that if he doesn't play, we get owned in midfield.

Catch-22.

So essentially we have one less guy capable of serving up assists when we're in attack, and our 9 is a point of weakness.

I don't know how to change that, but it might start with forcing Adams to move up the pitch. He played RWB a lot under Nagelsmann and he looked pretty good in attack in that role.

IMO we don't necessarily need him to be able to track back to our own third and make crucial stops if we tell Antonee to stay out and play defense (and why not… like I said, he still can't cross the ball). Tell Adams he needs to own the middle and then find a creative way to use him in some kind of underlapping attack through the middle.

TLDR: I don't know what I'm talking about but I'm going to lament and throw up wacky ideas. Thanks for hearing me out.
JJxvi
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If Pepi or another striker gets too good to leave out, you can always do a Tuchel and put them in for Robinson with Pulisic at wingback.
deadbq03
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JJxvi said:

I don't think there is a single striker in our pool that is one of our best 11 players besides Christian Pulisic, so maybe he'd be mad at me, because I'd play him there.

I've said this before but what the US needs is one more defensive minded player and free up Robinson and especially Dest from their defensive duties. Out of our three best centerbacks, Zimmerman plays in the middle of a back 5 for club. Brooks plays on the left in a back 3 for club. Richards plays on the right in a back 3 for club.

IMO our best team is three out of Pulisic, Weah, Musah, or Reyna in the attack, supported by Dest and Robinson on the wings, McKennie and Adams in the middle and Brooks, Zimmerman, and Richards.
I'm with you 100%. Play Pulisic as a false 9 … especially once we get Reyna back.

And I love a back 3. I know I'll take flack for this, but I think Sands is viable depth in a back 3 (just never ever again in midfield).
PatAg
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/gregg-berhalter-s-system-positional-play-why-canada-are-better-than-the-usmnt-ri

I don't agree with Doyle all the time, but he often at least has a sound supporting argument for his analysis. Some interesting points in the article.
carl spacklers hat
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I get your point. The forwards GGG has in for this round of matches consist of Arriola, Zardes, Pulisic, Aaronson, Morris, Pepi , Weah (forgot to add as he was not available for the Canada match) and Ferreira. I know Dike is injured so he isn't an option. Why no Sargent or Pefok? Not available?
People think I'm an idiot or something, because all I do is cut lawns for a living.
jeffk
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It's definitely a C22… with Adams, we have a pretty stout defense that's probably tops in the region. Take him out to get more offensive-minded and those CBs are going to look a whole lot shakier.

And honestly, we get the outside backs involved offensively plenty… they're just not the best at crossing and we haven't had anyone centrally for them to target. So I'd prefer to keep a back four, encourage Adams to progress the ball more, move CP to the right so he'll stop dribbling at right angles into the middle of the field, play Pepi until he can't go any more, and be thankful we have Weah back.
deadbq03
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PatAg said:

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/gregg-berhalter-s-system-positional-play-why-canada-are-better-than-the-usmnt-ri

I don't agree with Doyle all the time, but he often at least has a sound supporting argument for his analysis. Some interesting points in the article.
That is an insightful read, thanks for sharing.
jeffk
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He's a good follow on Twitter too if you're so inclined.
KCup17
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I tend to agree with your thoughts. I will say though that with Jedi and Dest getting up the field so much it is good to have Adams as the rangey 6 who can cover for both. But I tend to agree with his limitations in attack. I think we needed to inject someone like Luca de la Torre who can bring the ball up the field and break lines at pace.
fig96
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JJxvi said:

If Pepi or another striker gets too good to leave out, you can always do a Tuchel and put them in for Robinson with Pulisic at wingback.
We could honestly do worse things than Pulisic and Dest at wingback…
JJxvi
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fig96 said:

JJxvi said:

If Pepi or another striker gets too good to leave out, you can always do a Tuchel and put them in for Robinson with Pulisic at wingback.
We could honestly do worse things than Pulisic and Dest at wingback…
Could? Or are currently repeatedly doing them?
jeffk
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PatAg
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jeffk said:


So you could just slot Acosta in for Adams...or you could go bold and slide McKennie back and bring on Luca De La Torre for more attacking on field.
jeffk
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Let's get really crazy and play CP centrally.
PatAg
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This team needs to come out with the mindset that we are putting up 4-5 goals on Wednesday. No mercy
Rudyjax
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PatAg said:

This team needs to come out with the mindset that we are putting up 4-5 goals on Wednesday. No mercy


Can't focus on scoring when you have 100s of thing you're responsible for.
wangus12
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jeffk said:

Let's get really crazy and play CP centrally.


Let's get real crazy and bench him
JW
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I still can't believe Minnesota in February. So dumb.
Pahdz
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JW said:

I still can't believe Minnesota in February. So dumb.


I'm still stoked to be at the game Wednesday, but what does suck is it's an incredible soccer venue and we have oh the best summers in the country and this will probably end up being such black eye we may not see another match for some time.

Or the crowd shows out and we win 4-0 and become the new Columbus
fig96
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JJxvi said:

fig96 said:

JJxvi said:

If Pepi or another striker gets too good to leave out, you can always do a Tuchel and put them in for Robinson with Pulisic at wingback.
We could honestly do worse things than Pulisic and Dest at wingback…
Could? Or are currently repeatedly doing them?
I mean, you could probably argue this would improve our attack vs it's current state.
PatAg
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Apparently a real chance they may move the venue
 
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