The US had more space to operate when they were down a man against Bosnia than they did at any point tonight. I’m very much a soccer novice but the skill and talent once you get into the FIFA top 10 is clearly another level.
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Per the FIFA rankings (unofficial), Australia was the best team we beat, ranked 28th. Belgium is ranked 8th, and we had already lost 5-2 to them at home. Then we have what happened yesterday and the deck was stacked against us, not only for the unnecessary noise it brought, but the extra motivation it brought to a Belgium team that probably already had a bunker mentality. Did you see that celebration after the 4th goal, yup…
It was fun, but we’re in the same spot as we’ve always been.
Indeed. But…I do think we are making progress.
My pet theory is that missing the tournament in 2018 set us back at least 20 years.
Team did not show up. The coach kind of said that after the match. They got destroyed last night. Match was not as close the final 4-1 score
I think one of our Dempsey/Donovan teams would have dog walked last nights team. I’d be curious to hear from a. Soccer expert how far we’ve come as a national program in the last decade or two
75 minutes into the match…One shot on goal.
Three players made no effort whatsoever to clear a ball in the box which led to a Belgian goal.
Pulisic was “terrible,” losing possession of the ball 11 times. Balogun was neutralized.
Freese froze.
But one thing has not changed.
USA! USA! USA!
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Yes…But I would not judge the progress on only this game. Small steps, but directional.
Not a soccer guy but I probably agree not better than those teams but probably better than the last 10 years of teams
We are too small in my opinion
We did get “bumped “ off the ball often. Really could use more heft at some places as we did not have speed nor skill to match up. They were/are just better than us.
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I think he’s WAY over-rated.
Not a soccer fan but I watched most of this game. Our defense looked like ass.
I think the right changes were made a half and we were really playing well. Then that freese blunder completely zapped all momentum and ended the game for the USA
Nationally wise, we’re going in the right direction, we just have decades to make up.
Until an athlete (or multiple athletes) like Lebron James chooses soccer over basketball, football, or baseball, the USA will never be a consistently elite team on the world stage.
Nah.
The youth system needs fixing, but not to bring in size. The best player in history is 5’7.
The problem remains getting players with skill on the ball and the vision to see more than 10 feet in front of them.
I am sure you know way more than me but it seemed to me that our corner kicks were completely ineffective because we have short guys. Also it is ok to have some small guys but they cant all be small. And small is different than short. Our guys get pushed off the ball so easily
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The issue we have is defense. Our attack is pretty close to top level, defense not so much, you need bigger physical guys and in America anyone above 6 foot is going to baseball football or basketball not soccer
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The current group is more talented than the teams of old, but those teams would play above their talent level and the current guys do not.
Pulisic has started 7 World Cup games and asked to leave early in 3 of them. The team clearly got better when Pulisic checked out with a stubbed toe and got replaced by the far less talented Berhalter who was playing like his hair was on fire. Pulisic then gave an interview after the game where he said he was happy to be able to rest before his club season.
Pulisic is not the lone offender. Our guys are spoiled, entitled, don’t really care, and, despite being more talented than previous editions, are nowhere near talented enough to win on talent alone.
Another big issue is that we also used to have elite goalkeeping to help paper over holes, but the current goalie situation is a disaster, which means every mistake gets punished.
The 2009 Confederations Cup team would work these guys.
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