The USMNT has failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup
- Thread starter JGarrettLieb
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This is the outline of the "lost generation" hypothesis from Brian Sciaretta that I linked to earlier. It is getting a lot of traction.
I think a corollary to this is that our development system isn't really all that bad. Remember that the people who are fucking up the national team this cycle were in the development system as it existed 10-15 years ago. The next generation coming along, which is from a more recent system, is doing quite well.
Here’s the crazy thing - Arena’s total shortcomings, and those of the national team, were masked by the brilliance of Pulisic for most of the Hex. Not saying we didn’t look like crap for most games, but that we wouldn’t have even been in a position to only need a tie if we didn’t have a superstar like Pulisic give a shit and score the most goals on the team.
Pulisic: 5 goals (created the PK the Altidore converted so could have had a 6th if given the chance)
Dempsey: 4 goals (3 goals in one game so didn’t really impact the match too often)
Woods: 3 goals
Bradley: 2 goals (did have a wondergoal vs Mexico)
Altidore: 2 goals (both in same match and one being a PK that Pulisic earned). He’s dead weight.
Lletget: 1 goal and then carted to the Emergency Room
That’s it. 9 goals (10 if you count the PK earned) from a budding youth superstar and an aging icon. Woods wasn’t bad with three but he’s sometimes slow to pull the trigger and loses the ball right before his shot. Beyond that, the players didn’t create enough opportunities or take the chances presented and/or the coaches didn’t set the tactics to get the opportunities. I have no idea why the last 20min of the match last night the team wasn’t pumping the ball into the box via high crosses or low hard passes that have the opportunity to create chaos for a defender; instead the buildup was slow and they wanted to pass the ball in for the perfect setup (ala Kreis). Nothing makes any sense other than Pulisic is the only one that played the matches like he truly gave a shit.
Pulisic: 5 goals (created the PK the Altidore converted so could have had a 6th if given the chance)
Dempsey: 4 goals (3 goals in one game so didn’t really impact the match too often)
Woods: 3 goals
Bradley: 2 goals (did have a wondergoal vs Mexico)
Altidore: 2 goals (both in same match and one being a PK that Pulisic earned). He’s dead weight.
Lletget: 1 goal and then carted to the Emergency Room
That’s it. 9 goals (10 if you count the PK earned) from a budding youth superstar and an aging icon. Woods wasn’t bad with three but he’s sometimes slow to pull the trigger and loses the ball right before his shot. Beyond that, the players didn’t create enough opportunities or take the chances presented and/or the coaches didn’t set the tactics to get the opportunities. I have no idea why the last 20min of the match last night the team wasn’t pumping the ball into the box via high crosses or low hard passes that have the opportunity to create chaos for a defender; instead the buildup was slow and they wanted to pass the ball in for the perfect setup (ala Kreis). Nothing makes any sense other than Pulisic is the only one that played the matches like he truly gave a shit.
Here is a longer thought on that point.
Like many, I am thinking a lot this morning about Brian Sciaretta's "Lost Generation" hypothesis. I think there is a corollary to that hypothesis, which is that we don't need to break the whole system; we just need to wait for improvements in development to play out.
As his article points out, the problem is a talent gap, not a talent cliff. There are very talented kids 22 and under who are positioning themselves to take over in the next cycle. And, the group behind that looks promising, with the U17 team doing very well so far at the World Cup.
Further, the article explored a few reasons for why this gap occurred
- the Lost Generation is just one of those things: random chance
- the LG came before the MLS academies and homegrown rules
- the LG came before there were multiple dedicated YMNT coaches
None of these suggest the right answer is completely junking the existing development system, because the talent issue was created before the current system was in place. Further, the kids coming in behind the LG are doing well. That's not to say things can't be improved - they can always be improved. College soccer has to be better, and youth development more broadly has a lot of issues. But, I think it's a good argument against burning the whole thing down and starting over.
Like many, I am thinking a lot this morning about Brian Sciaretta's "Lost Generation" hypothesis. I think there is a corollary to that hypothesis, which is that we don't need to break the whole system; we just need to wait for improvements in development to play out.
As his article points out, the problem is a talent gap, not a talent cliff. There are very talented kids 22 and under who are positioning themselves to take over in the next cycle. And, the group behind that looks promising, with the U17 team doing very well so far at the World Cup.
Further, the article explored a few reasons for why this gap occurred
- the Lost Generation is just one of those things: random chance
- the LG came before the MLS academies and homegrown rules
- the LG came before there were multiple dedicated YMNT coaches
None of these suggest the right answer is completely junking the existing development system, because the talent issue was created before the current system was in place. Further, the kids coming in behind the LG are doing well. That's not to say things can't be improved - they can always be improved. College soccer has to be better, and youth development more broadly has a lot of issues. But, I think it's a good argument against burning the whole thing down and starting over.
I think MLS coaches need to blood their promising youth far more often than they do rather than sticking with journeymen Americans. PV alone did a huge disservice by benching Mix last year and Lewis this year with no explanation. It effectively killed Mix’s NT career since he wasn’t getting any playing time and Lewis was a u20 player before not getting any minutes here and who knows where he stands now with the u23 pool. That’s just NYCFC - I’m sure there are other promising US youth not getting minutes on other teams because the coaches are banking on the experience of a journeyman over the talent of the youth. Results matter and they can be had with inexperienced kids - the Trinidad & Tobago coach demonstrated that last night.
there aren't too many better choices to be completely honest. cant think of many off the top of my head
I’m not sure he’d want to do the CONCACAF dance. And if the team can’t get turned around fairly quickly (would he have a full 4 years or would he have to produce in a year/two?) would he want to damage his resume since he’s a rising club commodity?
dannd23
Registered
Good point and question. Probably not to be honest, unless he prefers the international game. I think he'd do wonders for us from a development standpoint. Big name for the duel nats. MLS familiar, but won't show bias towards it like Bruce did. That is pretty much my criteria for next coach: non-American, MLS familiar. Tata Martino would be another option.
I’d take Tata immediately. His players fcking bleed for Atlanta every single game.
I would bet we see Tab Ramos as interim coach until the world cup ends. Then the US will look for a real coach in earnest after the tournament is over.
Wonder if they'll announce any friendlies for the November window and if the US will play an entirely new roster. The other thing would be to give the old guys their curtain calls before we gut this team.
dannd23
Registered
Why do they deserve curtain calls? This last cycle was a curtain call.
Do agree though that Ramos will be interim coach
I don’t want to give anybody associated with this Hex a curtain call if they are being put out to pasture. They effectively had it last night, versus Costa Rica, and Honduras.
Kangaroo Jack
Registered
Twellman went on another great rant this morning
http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=20988186
http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=20988186
Not saying they deserve anything. They had their shot.
It's amazing to me that we have 3 GKs on the roster over 33 years old, with two being 38. Tim fucking Howard, who is out of shape, getting scored on at will with Colorado, over just about every other GK in the system? No Melia, Horvath, Johnson, Hamid? I'd take Robles in a heartbeat over Howard right now. There's some serious favoritism/bias within this player pool that's completely stopped a ton of competition and therefore progression within the team.
That said, there are some fine examples of experience that Bruce neglected. More often than not, Geoff Cameron, regardless of USMNT form, is playing and starting in one of the best leagues in the world, playing against the best players, and still can't get a start over Matt Besler?
At least we're blooding Wood, Pulisic, Arriola, Yedlin, Nagbe, Villafana, who will be part of the core until the next WC, but I find it hard to believe we can't find anymore more talented and athletic than Omar or Bradley or Dempsey, et al.
That said, there are some fine examples of experience that Bruce neglected. More often than not, Geoff Cameron, regardless of USMNT form, is playing and starting in one of the best leagues in the world, playing against the best players, and still can't get a start over Matt Besler?
At least we're blooding Wood, Pulisic, Arriola, Yedlin, Nagbe, Villafana, who will be part of the core until the next WC, but I find it hard to believe we can't find anymore more talented and athletic than Omar or Bradley or Dempsey, et al.
I will be so pissed off if they decide pro/rel is their answer.