OT: USMNT world cup qualifying thread?

[goonster]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

DT's really look at those details when they are going to take a team

Bielsa is an odd duck. There is no reason to think that what he really wants, deep down, is to stack trophies with a squad of superstars.

I think what he wants is a stable environment, no huge egos, where he can implement his ideas. In purely soccer terms, I could see how the USMNT setup might appeal to him.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by goonster

I think what he wants is a stable environment, no huge egos, where he can implement his ideas. In purely soccer terms, I could see how the USMNT setup might appeal to him.

But US Soccer offers precisely zero of those things.

[ltwtsculler91]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

Bielsa was in italy with the lassio but looks like quit for some reason after a couple of days.

The biggest problem IMO for any international coach or DT or whatever you want to call them is that is pretty easy to burn yourself when you have a team with pretty much 4 good players... 2 are not playing anymore for the team; dempsey, donovan and the only two players that are actually shine in the team, wood and Pulisic...

DT's really look at those details when they are going to take a team, this is not "bad news bears" level of gaming you know. Probably they need somebody that has nothing to lose at all. An unknown.

I don't disagree with that, however I think a "system coach" like Bielsa who plays a unique style can get the most out of players who we may not think of as "good players" right now and is able to put the guys he has in the best position to succeed.

This always seemed to be the biggest weakness for Klinsman, he could never draw up a specific tactical shape or plan to maximize the qualities of the players he had at the moment. Bielsa (and his disciple Sampaoli) have shown they can make the system work with diverse groups of players and different teams who weren't always called "good" before they showed up.

[goonster]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

But US Soccer offers precisely zero of those things.

It's all relative.

Compared to almost any other top job, the USMNT is an oasis of serenity and low expectations.

[kevinvc]

Bruce Arena has been named the Head Coach. My assumption is that they already had most of the details worked out before firing JK.

They are looking for stability and a short learning curve with the current players available. The focus is on qualifying for the WC. I doubt that there is enough talent for the team to get out of the initial group stage. However, the USSF would rather make it to Russia and flame out early than to not make it at all (reasonable IMO).

I don't expect major shakeups in the next couple of years. I think the older players will still get more playing time than many of us want because the team is in a win now mode. This would be disappointing to me since I'd rather start the full tear-down and rebuild since now. Thank guys like Wondolowski, Zusi and Beckerman, but don't use them as anything close to 90 minute regulars. Give Pulisic, Wood, Yedlin, Nagbe and other guys in their mid-20s or younger the lion's share of minutes to evaluate and develop.

Unless they over-perform by a ridiculous margin, I don't think Arena stays on much after 2018. They're probably already exploring options for a long term coach. They will want someone with a specific style and the expectation that they will develop young talent and some semblance of a functioning development program. You know, all the stuff JK was supposed to bring but didn't.

Firing Klinsmann was a necessary step. Hopefully it will provide a kick start to a squad that seemed unmotivated and disinterested for the last few months.

[ultraman6970]

U can have the best system but if you have no players to execute?? what are you going to do?

The other option is that the whole team did not like the german and they sucked at playing just to get him out. But from what I saw in the last game the US team has only two guys that can play soccer, the rest just showed just a festival of zero ball play, they can't even pass the balls with precision, not even try to control a hard pass...

Having that in mind, no matter what bielsa or sampaoli system is. You can't try to win the tour de france with me as a team leader and having the rest of the team coming from my neighborhood.

IMO they need to start scouting players, there must be good players even in the lower divisions, good coaches look all over the place even in second and junior divisions. There must be somebody else to help pulisic and wood man...

[ultraman6970]

Arena... lets see how it goes ;D

[echappist]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

U can have the best system but if you have no players to execute?? what are you going to do?

The other option is that the whole team did not like the german and they sucked at playing just to get him out. But from what I saw in the last game the US team has only two guys that can play soccer, the rest just showed just a festival of zero ball play, they can't even pass the balls with precision, not even try to control a hard pass...

Having that in mind, no matter what bielsa or sampaoli system is. You can't try to win the tour de france with me as a team leader and having the rest of the team coming from my neighborhood.

IMO they need to start scouting players, there must be good players even in the lower divisions, good coaches look all over the place even in second and junior divisions. There must be somebody else to help pulisic and wood man...

as alluded to above, it's not the players. On paper, CR's roster is a lot weaker than that of MNT, but they actually play like a coherent team

[cadence90]

It's not always "see the ball". In this case, Arena IS the ball....

The Brucerang
.
.

[ultraman6970]

IN the patagonia that happens So much wind that you get a boomerang ball sometimes

[Gsinill]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

Arena... lets see how it goes ;D

They should have waited, looks like Ancelotti might be available soon

[wc1934]

Originally Posted by Gsinill

They should have waited, looks like Ancelotti might be available soon

If CA becomes available they must then fire Bruce. But who actually made that foolish decision to take him back in the first place? With all the top notch coaches out there they immediately make him an offer. WHY?

[echappist]

bump

Our forward: injured
Our left back/left midfield: injured
Our right back: injured
Our B2B midfielder: suspended
Our defensive midfielder is old and has lost his touch

Helluva time to be a fan. I have the brandy ready, should this thing turn ugly.

[ultraman6970]

When do they play???? yesterday argentina showed no game at all, which confirm that argentina is the luckiest team ever.

Brazil came back after years IMO.

[echappist]

right now.

Dr. Gulati has no regard for the well being of fans on the east coast apparently. Game would end ~12:30a.m...

ditto for the game at Panama. The start time is way too late