Back to the important stuff....

Vlatko should never have been hired in the first place, and probably should have been let go before the cycle.

The USWNT is a shell of it's former self. They won their money in the court of public opinion and woke, but in the process they became lazy and complacent on the field. Other countries passed them by and so they are no longer the best int he world.

Now is probably the time to let go all your aging stars, blow up the team, and rebuild younger. Prior to the start of the Olympics. You have a new coach coming in and it is time to reset anyway. I doubt they will compete at the Olympics next year using the mix they put out at this WC, so start the youth and rebuild.

As for the status of the USWNT I think Mark Twain's famous comment is appropriate: "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." There is not a damn thing wrong with the US Women's program that a few tweaks won't cure, starting with a new coach.

As a quick review, Sweden did not beat us, we beat ourselves. Sweden's GK made exactly ZERO saves in the PK shootout, we just missed, self-inflicted, unforced errors. We out-played Sweden, won the TOP and out-shot them 21-7. That said, I do not think we were going to win a third straight WC. But, the early exit to the 4th ranked team, who themselves went on to earn the bronze, 3rd place, just shows how close things are. To win a WC takes luck...I'll say that again, it takes luck and the US had none of that, sans the Dutch shot off the post, I guess. But we hit the woodwork several times too. It happens. We had 14 players on the roster playing in their very first WC, and unfortunately, they did not get the proper coaching to be prepared.

Spain...well, their story is a remarkable one. But, I will remind you that in 2019 Spain outplayed the US although we escaped with a 2-1 win off of two PKs courtesy of Rapinoe. That was in the Round of 16, and afterwards we ran the murderous row of Top 10 ranked teams: France, England, and The Netherlands, but by far our toughest match, the only one you can say we were lucky to win, was that close one over Spain.

All that to say, I think, no, I know! the USWNT is just fine. They have control of their own destiny and can return to the podium in 2027. They just have to get refocused on getting it done.

USMNT 3 Uzbekistan 0

Match wasn't this easy, we scored two very late goals. Berhalter Era II has begun and it's the same crap as Era I.

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Originally Posted by dawg80

USMNT 3 Uzbekistan 0

Match wasn't this easy, we scored two very late goals. Berhalter Era II has begun and it's the same crap as Era I.

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Berhalter is getting reamed on sports' blogs. It was very obvious that the USMNT sucks again.

US Soccer are idiots for bringing him back for a second cycle. For me it has nothing to do with the Gio stuff either. I didn't have a problem how that was handled by the team. It illustrated a bigger issue with todays mindset and that of the parents. Of course he should have never said anything outside the locker room because off the record only stays off the record if its not going to get clicks.

My problem with him is he plays a very stale style/system of soccer. He is content with 1-nil. We have a current generation of players that are ready for more than that. When Callaghan had the team this summer we played a more open style and honestly our A team dismantled Mexico and Canada for the most part in the Nations League and was scoring multiple goals per game regardless of the opponent. Even the "B" team played more open and was at least scoring every match and more often than not more than 1 goal. It was against CONCACAF opponents but that is our region and domination should start in your home conference anyway.

Our expected goal per game at the WC was .91 and we actually averaged I think it was .68 and he is fine with that. The point I actually went and watched something else was where they cut over to the sideline and Callaghan was talking to Berhalter and gesturing with his hands about how he thought we should be moving/formation/etc.... and Berhalter was shaking his head no the whole time. He doesn't want to listen, he is risk adverse, and we are going to waste not having to qualify on crappy opponents that don't help us develop and we will be the exact same team in 26 we were in 22.

On a side note, that first goal was a thing of beauty! Weston McKennie is the MVP of the USMNT, literally. I mean he IS the most valuable player, the one player we need the most on the field. That first touch in traffic and cool layoff to Weah, who finished with a world-class strike, wow! Good stuff. And then...back into the closest we went hoping to nurture a 4th minute goal into a 1-0 win. Which, had Uzbekistan not taken their foot off the gas, would have been the final, or maybe even 1-1.

Matt Turner was his usual solid self, keeping the clean sheet, even though Ream tried his best to earn an assist for the other side. He tried several times, actually. Tim Ream is a better player than that; don't know what his problem was the other day. Oh, heard Matt Turner is leaving the national team, at least for a spell. Big loss.

Berhalter is a disaster.

The strike was great, the pass was great, I agree! Turner is going to be out and only playing club for a while because they are expecting their second child any day now. That's the reason I heard a couple of days ago. Ream had a bad night, everyone gets those now and again. You how they happen against the Uzbekistan's of the world and not the English or French etc.

The worst player on the field to me was Tanner Tessman. I know he hasn't really gotten any looks in the last couple of years, but he gave the ball away almost every time he touched it.

The best on the ball player we have right now is Gio, but with Berhalter being in charge and Gio apparently being made out of glass, I think that will be a what could have been story. His dad ran the midfield like no other for the US and he has the same skill, but unlike his dad he cant take a hit etc.

Versus Oman tonight. Expect to see more of the same.

yep. USMNT administration must attend the same workshops on leadership that Tech does :(

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Originally Posted by dawg80

Versus Oman tonight. Expect to see more of the same.

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US 4 Oman 0

A tad better? Ah, maybe, insomuch as the energy was better tonight and for the full 90 minutes. Ricardo Pepi is emerging as one of our better strikers and should get a start...vs. Germany October 14 would be a great opportunity to show what he's got.

Mexico 3 Uzbekistan 3

El Tri has issues too.


USSF Sporting Director Matt Crocker, in charge of hiring/firing coaches, sung the praises of Berhalter last night, and Crocker is primarily in charge of hiring the next USWNT coach. We will never win another World Cup :(

Pepi has definitely gained confidence once he regained his scoring touch in Europe. I would like to see him produce against the better teams, but he is showing why he deserves the start for sure. Energy was better, but that 2nd goal against teams of this caliber needs to be coming in the first half consistently... not because their legs are dead after the 80th minute.

No doubt about Mexico they are struggling. I also think Canada will come back to their normal selves before this next Cup. I mean they peaked in qualifying and then sucked in Qatar.

I think the whole BS about them having to hire the sporting director before addressing the USMNT spot was to have a scapegoat if putting Berhalter back in charge blows up in their face. I firmly believe they were going back to Berhalter out of fear of legal action on his part that would have impacted several levels of US Soccer. I don't think Crocker really got to search etc.. so he is stuck supporting Berhalter for now.

Where I will pass judgement on Crocker is his USWNT hire. It needs to be someone respected from outside the US system that will come in and not be tied down to the popularity and politics in the current group. Someone that simply plays the best 11 and fills the roster with the most talented and in form ladies at the time.

USWNT 3 South Africa 0

Played a little better. First match for the women's team since the disaster at the World Cup. South Africa (RSA) had 19 of their players from their WC team which reached the Round of 16, so they are a good side. This was Julie Ertz's farewell game; she played only 35 minutes and then exited the field for the final time. Ertz will be missed; she has been the best holding midfielder in the world the past decade and I just don't see anyone currently in the pool of players who comes close to replacing her. The obvious choice right now is Andi Sullivan, and while she is pretty good, she is nowhere near the player Ertz has been.

Sunday also vs. RSA will be Megan Rapinoe's farewell match in Chicago.

USWNT 2 RSA 0

Mission accomplished sending Rapinoe off on a winning note. Off the field...well, no comment...on the field, Rapinoe is one of the very best to ever play the game.

Looking to the future, lots of young talent to build on.

On to the Men's team...

vs. Germany on October 14.

Berhalter met with Geo Reyna and the federation released a statement saying it was a "productive meeting." What is this, Romper Room?! I say BS to both Reyna and Berhalter. Both are acting like spoiled kids called into the principle's office after a squabble on the schoolyard. GROW UP!