Preliminary Gold Cup Roster

[CardiacAndre7]

Jordan Morris’ 2015 gold cup goal has kept him on the team for some reason, but unless he actually starts producing at club level there’s no reason for him to be in the guture plans. Arriola should also be a super-sub at best, has no creativity to his game. Not even giving Boyd a 15 minute cameo is shocking. Berhalter proving that this National Team doesn’t need another MLS coach.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

If anything, it should be an indictment of Berhalter, because it's clear that the fellas came to play hard. But the second half adjustments are EXACTLY what a good coach can do.

The worst part is that we could have had the other guy...

Agree, Berhalter has one strategy. Mexico figured it out and adapted. The US did not. The end push was more on the backs of a few players than anything that the coach did.

Of course, he also helped to put together a B-Level roster focused on a star or two and a bunch of mediocre MLS players and hoped to win over a team with A-Level players after overwhelming a bunch of teams with C-level or lower talent (no disrecpect). Thus, when something new was needed from the bench, the bench was bare.

 

[ZooCougar]

Is Berhalter on drugs?

 

[Travelman6]

Zardes is back on the field (for Altidore) is not a confidence booster.

I honestly don't get the Altidore love. I guess if you just watch USMNT fixtures he does alright but overall I really feel he is quite over rated. I think he has bounced around 3 or 4 different teams around Europe over the years and, as a striker no less, scored like 1 goal in 38 matches in England...Yah, not that great. I actually didn't mind that sub, at least added some speed on the pitch I suppose.

Altidore had one of the best chances in the first half, if not the best, really should have put that away.

A-Level players after overwhelming a bunch of teams with C-level or lower talent (no disrecpect). Thus, when something new was needed from the bench, the bench was bare.

After the 7-0 win over Cuba I was not impressed by Mexico at all. USA should have won that. Missed several golden opportunities in the first half and dug their own graves as the game pushed forward to the end.

 

[Jaker]

Same issues rearing their ugly head every season. Lack of a good holding mid, zero depth at pretty much every position, not a lot of quality in the final 3rd.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I’ve lost count of how many passes Bradley has completed to Mexicans.

We need to move on from Bradley. Everything he does is cautious, safe, and unthreatening. He epitomizes the era of soccer that we need to move beyond.

 

[3rdbass]

I’ve lost count of how many passes Bradley has completed to Mexicans.

The midfield of Bradley and McKennie were awful tonight. If Bradley is starting for us when qualifying starts I will be very sad. His and Altidore’s time has passed and Zardes is a joke as a striker for a real competitive team. Can we bring back Dempsey. Lol.

 

[UCFBfan]

This game was ridiculous. It's time to bring in the youth. It was a little tough because of the U20 WC being played close to the Gold Cup. However, Bradley and company that are the old guard need to be removed, now. The youth need to be played now and need to be played going forward. Screw MLS and wake up.

 

[Jaker]

With out a doubt, we need to bring up the youth and look towards 2026. Shelve Bradley and Altidore.

 

[Plebe]

What exactly does Bradley bring to the table, other than costly turnovers in the middle of the field and the foot speed of a slow-moving glacier?

 

[LIuconn]

too upset to put down my thoughts. We kinda knew it was gonna go like this with this coach and this roster and those subs

 

[meyers7]

USA played much better than I thought they would/could. Yea, they still weren't very good, just better than I thought they'd be.

Team/attack is sooo much better with Altidore in there. But yes, he should have buried that chance. Hopefully we can see how Sargent does in that role in the future.

Bradley had a poor game. Morris not much better (would rather have seen Boyd again). McKennie was so-so. Pulisic, best player out there, decent game. I thought Cannon looked pretty good. Long saved USA numerous times. Maybe Long and Brooks in the future.

Surprisingly Steffen didn't have a lot to do. Really needs to work on distribution if he's gonna play in this system though. Ream was ok at what he does. Would really be nice to have LB that could do more than defend though. Luckily Arriola is very industrious. Doesn't have a lot of final product, but will work his @ss off.

Decent 1st half. Should have had a goal or 2. Might have even been able to pull off the upset. But Martino half-time adjustments and that was the game. GB had no answer. But you knew that. We couldn't beat Caracao's pressure, we sure weren't gonna be able to beat Mexico's pressure.

Overall, USA much better than I thought they'd be this tourney. Didn't expect them to get to the final and sure didn't expect them to be able to play with Mexico for much of the game.

 

[businesslawyer]

This is false. He is widely considered a top 5 MLS keeper

Because of the rankings of the Jamaican national team with FIFA, it is not easy to bring Jamaicans into England at the moment to play. There have been reports that teams have had interest in both Blake and Kemar Lawrence, the Red Bull's left back, but can't get the players eligible.

 

[Palatine]

In the first half we didn't try to play though Mexico's pressure. We went long to create chaos in the Mexican back line and it worked. We had chances. In the second half we tried to play through Mexican pressure and it wasn't pretty.

Altidore is a physical presence who can carve out territory and hold the ball. He is able passer who seems to know where his teammates are. Those are legit skills. He is not a elite finisher. He should have backed by Sargent so we can find out what we have and develop players for the future. Zardes couldn't get it done as the competition improved.

Adams, Weah, Sargent and a few other youngsters should keep this team improving over time.

 

[Excalibur]

In the first half we didn't try to play though Mexico's pressure. We went long to create chaos in the Mexican back line and it worked. We had chances. In the second half we tried to play through Mexican pressure and it wasn't pretty.

Altidore is a physical presence who can carve out territory and hold the ball. He is able passer who seems to know where his teammates are. Those are legit skills. He is not a elite finisher. He should have backed by Sargent so we can find out what we have and develop players for the future. Zardes couldn't get it done as the competition improved.

Adams, Weah, Sargent and a few other youngsters should keep this team improving over time.

Weah and Sargent should have been on the roster . . .

 

[ZooCougar]

We need better fullbacks. Cannon is encouraging. Left Back is still horrendous.

I have little hope that Berhalter will be disposed off. We won the last Gold Cup and still failed to qualify. We’re one Pulisic injury away from not participating in the next World Cup. And even still.

This team is nowhere near as good as people think. We played literally every game at home. When we go on the road and play in Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico etc. this team won’t look like much.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

What exactly does Bradley bring to the table, other than costly turnovers in the middle of the field and the foot speed of a slow-moving glacier?

Strange, my teammates say the same about me speed-wise, though its more of a joke as they know I am playing on a pair of busted ACL's. Of course, I play on a local O-40 men's soccer team and not the USMNT where the greatest pressure is making sure to buy the next round when it's my turn at the pub after the game and to avoid going to the Doc's as we all have to work the next day.

 

[Plebe]

Strange, my teammates say the same about me speed-wise, though its more of a joke as they know I am playing on a pair of busted ACL's. Of course, I play on a local O-40 men's soccer team and not the USMNT where the greatest pressure is making sure to buy the next round when it's my turn at the pub after the game and to avoid going to the Doc's as we all have to work the next day.

Can you and your O-40 teammates make Bradley an offer that he can't refuse? That sounds like the perfect level for him.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What exactly does Bradley bring to the table, other than costly turnovers in the middle of the field and the foot speed of a slow-moving glacier?

This is why he usually only passes backwards.

 

[Excalibur]

We need better fullbacks. Cannon is encouraging. Left Back is still horrendous.

I have little hope that Berhalter will be disposed off. We won the last Gold Cup and still failed to qualify. We’re one Pulisic injury away from not participating in the next World Cup. And even still.

This team is nowhere near as good as people think. We played literally every game at home. When we go on the road and play in Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico etc. this team won’t look like much.

The player pool is as thin as it has been in my memory. There look to be some talented young players (most of whom weren't on the roster), but how many guys do we have in the pool that are actually in their primes (or will be during the next qualifying cycle) that belong on the field against even B-level squads like Mexico? Brooks and Wood (both hurt), Pulisic (based on talent not age), McKennie (same), Steffan, Miazga . . . ? . . . .

Adams just turned 20, Cannon showed promise but is similarly young, Arriola doesn't offer much, Altidore can contribute but will be on the wrong side of 30, and we still don't know what we have in Holmes or Boyd.

 

[Chuck]

I honestly don't get the Altidore love. I guess if you just watch USMNT fixtures he does alright but overall I really feel he is quite over rated. I think he has bounced around 3 or 4 different teams around Europe over the years and, as a striker no less, scored like 1 goal in 38 matches in England...Yah, not that great. I actually didn't mind that sub, at least added some speed on the pitch I suppose.

Altidore had one of the best chances in the first half, if not the best, really should have put that away.

I feel differently about Altidore than Bradley. Neither should be playing for the team if the US is going to be successful, but Bradley is a net-negative, in my opinion, while Jozy at least brings something to the table, including fire. Bradley looks like he's embarrassed to be out there while Jozy is the first to defend Pulisic. He's also a different kind of player than I think our part of the world is used to (size over speed) which is a good change of pace.

So the team would be better off with a more skilled/youthful player, but I don't blame Altidore for being out there and I want someone to take the role from him.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Weah and Sargent should have been on the roster . . .

... and get serious about building for possible WC qualification versus Bierhalter coddling Altidore’s slow departure for a long walk out on the pasture

 

[Plebe]

 

[DarthGrumpy]

In the first half we didn't try to play though Mexico's pressure. We went long to create chaos in the Mexican back line and it worked. We had chances. In the second half we tried to play through Mexican pressure and it wasn't pretty.

Altidore is a physical presence who can carve out territory and hold the ball. He is able passer who seems to know where his teammates are. Those are legit skills. He is not a elite finisher. He should have backed by Sargent so we can find out what we have and develop players for the future. Zardes couldn't get it done as the competition improved.

Cannon was able to use his speed to blast past defenders in the first-half on long switches, which also happens to be one area that Bradley is still good at. But, in the second half, Mexico went with a high-press on the USMNT DB's and I think switched who was marking Cannon. He is not gifted enough to be able to dribble past a defender or two in the defensive half. Pulisic, who has both the speed and technical ability to get by defenders, had to go deep in the second half due to the press to get the ball. Mexico (and Berhalter) pinched him towards the middle of the field and he was simply overwhelmed. Pulisic needs to be on the outside where has the space to roam to create. Berhalter had no answers for this ad

While Bradley is still serviceable from a long-range distribution standpoint, he is slow, worrisome on defense and does not handle the short-passing game well, which is what is needed to break a high pass. Unfortunately, the Gold Cup roster did not really have a viable replacement for him, which is also on Berhalter.

With respect to Altidore, he is good as a holding striker where he can use his strength to create space and win balls and his above average passing to get the ball to the guy with the best shot. You are correct in that he is not a clinical finisher. I would have liked to see him paired with a guy like Bobby Wood or, better yet, Josh Sargent as both of hem can finish. I have no idea outside of foolish club and MLS loyalty while Zardes was even on the team and the same for Morris. I would have replaced them with Sargent and Wood respectively

Taking the current (poorly selected) roster with the two changes noted above (would have loved to have Adams available), I would have gone with a more centrally compact 2-4 (diamond)-4 with Pulisic and Boyd out wide to run and create with Sarget (finish), Altidore (possesion), and Mckennie (creativity & his ability to link with Pulisic) in the middle. I could not do much with the back-line, which actually played better than expcted against Mexico. Bradley is in as the best available long-range distributor on this roster; but, get replaced should a team go to a high-press. That is called an adjustment, Mr. Berhalter.

1) Stiker: Sargent (sub would be Bobby Wood as needed)
2) CF: Altidore (to be replaced an additional defensive midfielder or an additional striker at 75' depending on the score)
3) CAM: McKennie
4) LW: Pulisic
5) RW: Boyd
6) CDM: Bradley (should a team go into a high-press, he would be replaced by Arriola/Roldan/Mihailović ) for better defensive coverage and short-range play)
7) LB: Ream
8) LCB: Long
9) RCB: Miazga
10) RB: Cannon
11) Keeper: Steffen

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Can you and your O-40 teammates make Bradley an offer that he can't refuse? That sounds like the perfect level for him.

No, he's honestly too good for the O-40 team, primairly because we're all slow and few few of us are in shape. He would be fine on the O-30 team, LOL. Plus, he would likley try and take my CDM role on the team. On defense, my job is to clog the middle and, if I agoing to be beat, make sure it is to the outside and not the middle. With the ball, I have a serviceable long-range pass (I take the team's corners) while I am more like a snowplow when I have the ball versus a ballet dancer.