USA - 2026 World Cup Champions

[kingb22]

Originally Posted by mikee1186

Did they miss out on Marsch as a potential management upgrade? They certainly missed him, and it may have been an upgrade. He accomplished with Canada what we could not. But either way, while there's plenty of blame to go around, it's time for a management change.

Honestly I think "missing" Marsch is a blessing. His style of play is pretty unusual and it will be hard to implement with such limited training hours as you get on a national team. The heavy press teams work because every guy knows their job and executes flawlessly - one or two people out of place and it can fall apart. His first tournament with Canada they've played incredibly vanilla - maybe he's learned and that will be more his style moving forward but I wouldn't want to bet the 2026 world cup on it.

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by j0shuab

Think this gets it right - if Weah keeps his self-control, we're likely having a very different conversation about this team.

Mckennie, Musah, and Richards had a tough tournament, though Musah didn't play much. The biggest concern for 2026 is CB depth - the gulf in class between Ream and Richards/CCV was very apparent. Richards was incredibly loose with the ball in all 3 games, and CCV looked like an accident waiting to happen.

Yeah the margin for error is slim. But that's football. At some point, the results matter.

Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, Spain, etc...there are no moral victories for those squads. There's no solace in "if only this didn't happen or the ball bounced our way that one time." You're either the champion, or you're disappointed.

We need to raise our standards and stop settling for "getting better."

[mikee1186]

Thought Richards was fine. Ream is fazing out and Richards is the next best option. Honestly I prefer McKenzie and miles to ccv. But yeah it doesn’t look super strong at the moment.

Agreed on Musah for the tourney, and McKennie for the last game at least. Thought he was good the first 2 games, under tough conditions in game 2. Needed more from him last night.

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by kingb22

Honestly I think "missing" Marsch is a blessing. His style of play is pretty unusual and it will be hard to implement with such limited training hours as you get on a national team. The heavy press teams work because every guy knows their job and executes flawlessly - one or two people out of place and it can fall apart. His first tournament with Canada they've played incredibly vanilla - maybe he's learned and that will be more his style moving forward but I wouldn't want to bet the 2026 world cup on it.

Outside of the Argentina game, Canada hasn't been playing well.

[yiguiri2002]

I think most people are stuck on Weah and getting grouped.

Even with Tim and a win/draw against Panama, the team looked like they didn't belong against Uruguay. That's probably a Top 5 team in the world right, definitively Top 10, but that's the point: if they want to go far in 2026, those are the teams they have to compare themselves against.

[YayNJ]

From someone that saw Marsch-ball week in week out, up close and personal, anyone, ANYONE that thinks he's the answer to any problem is smoking crack.

[fadster]

May I interest team USA in Gareth Southgate, (hopefully) available in a couple of weeks

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by j0shuab

Think this gets it right - if Weah keeps his self-control, we're likely having a very different conversation about this team.

Are we, though?

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by j0shuab

Think this gets it right - if Weah keeps his self-control, we're likely having a very different conversation about this team.

Are we, though?

Even if we had advanced, for me the minimum was winning one of the presumed four matches against Columbia/Brazil/Uruguay.

We got destroyed by Colombia, drew somewhat luckily with Brazil, lost to Uruguay, and didn't even get to have that rematch with Colombia or Brazil in the quarterfinals.

And we somehow managed to score only two goals against Bolivia and generate 0.01 first half xG in a must-win match against Uruguay.

And at WC22 we scored only three goals in four matches, one of which was a meaningless miracle flick against Holland.

So at this point it's pretty clear....whatever positives Berhalter brings to the table are vastly outweighed by his lack of tactical acumen, the result of which is that our attack is significantly underperforming.

And that won't be good enough in 2026....

[Gin&Juice]

This is a coach whose mentality is to bunker against Panama and pray for a Bolivia tie rather than to coach for a win. But for the fact that Mexico has been in free fall for the past several years, this team wouldn't have a single notable result other than a 0-0 tie with an uninspired England team. The team is destined to repeat this cycle if that is the approach.

[Gin&Juice]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Are we, though?

Even if we had advanced, for me the minimum was winning one of the presumed four matches against Columbia/Brazil/Uruguay.

We got destroyed by Colombia, drew somewhat luckily with Brazil, lost to Uruguay, and didn't even get to have that rematch with Colombia or Brazil in the quarterfinals.

And we somehow managed to score only two goals against Bolivia and generate 0.01 first half xG in a must-win match against Uruguay.

And at WC22 we scored only three goals in four matches, one of which was a meaningless miracle flick against Holland.

So at this point it's pretty clear....whatever positives Berhalter brings to the table are vastly outweighed by his lack of tactical acumen, the result of which is that our attack is significantly underperforming.

And that won't be good enough in 2026....

Completely agree. I have never seen a team more badly out-coached than the US was against Netherlands.

[j0shuab]

Originally Posted by mfw13

Are we, though?

Yeah, we are. If Weah doesn't swing an arm, we probably go through, and then we're in an elimination game, where we have a chance at a statement win. Something like a tournament like this:

Lose 3-1 to a top 10 team in the world.
Lose 3-0 to a top 10 team in the world.
Beat a middling team 3-0.
Go through because one of the Top 10 teams loses to the middling team 1-0.

In the elimination round, beat the best team in the world 2-0 by bunkering and countering, on a deflected shot and a howler from one of the best center backs in the world, on a day when you're outshot 29-9 (couldn't find the xG on this one).

And that's the 2009 Confederations Cup, one of the best tournaments of all time for the USA. Get hammered in the group, except for one game, then get pretty lucky. Was that a tougher group than this years Copa? Absolutely. Did that team play anyone off the park? Absolutely not.

[Gin&Juice]

If you can't survive a Tim Weah sending off against a team that has qualified for 1 World Cup in its entire history (out of a weak region, no less), you have not improved the quality of the program.

[JWBlue]

Originally Posted by Gin&Juice

Completely agree. I have never seen a team more badly out-coached than the US was against Netherlands.

Can't believe GB survived that game.

There was no excuse for not advancing in the CA on our home soil.

[mikee1186]

News coming next week about the ggg decision. Hoping they move on. Fully expecting they’ll retain him.

[Giroux]

It's over

[LittleJimmies]

Thank God. I was starting to worry that I'd made a mistake by starting this thread. All good, back on track now!

[YayNJ]

It would be hilarious if you ended up with Frank Lampard

[Chrominator]

Just need someone who coaches using strategy and stats, and not feelings...

[YayNJ]

Perhaps you should employ an AI then, because all the top coaches go on their feelings.

Do you think the likes of Alex Fergusson and Ancelotti sit at home on fbref and crunching XG numbers?

The race for the extra half-a-percent is what's removed the soul from football.

[LittleJimmies]

Originally Posted by LittleJimmies

Thank God. I was starting to worry that I'd made a mistake by starting this thread. All good, back on track now!

Like I said, all good, nothing to worry about. Still right on track for winning the 2026 WC!

[Torro]

Im not sure if you guys are serious about the USA winning 26 WC, I would love to see them getting to the playoffs (that would already be a huge achievement), but winning is almost as wild a statement as MLS taking over the NFL by 2026

[mikee1186]

Completely serious. Pulisic is the new Messi. 2026 is the year!!

[Giroux]

Rough performance last night vs Mexico. Lost the 5 match unbeaten streak. You'd hope someone would step up without Pulisic but didn't happen. Oh well, at least showed Pochettino what some of these guys are made of.

[Giroux]

Pulisic is the GOAT American. It isn't close.