Tyler Adams as captain? Ugh. Only player worse would be Berhalter. https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/50086892/tyler-adams-usa-captain-mauricio-pochettino-world-cup

Other than Trusty over Pierre and Berhalter over anyone,, a nice lineup against Mexico.

oday's USMNT Starting XI vs. Mexico: 24-Diego Kochen, 3-Chris Richards, 4-Tyler Adams (Capt.), 5-Antonee Robinson, 6-Auston Trusty, 7-Gio Reyna, 8-Cavan Sullivan, 14-Sebastian Berhalter, 16-Alex Freeman, 17-Malik Tillman, 19-Julian Hall

At halftime:
1. Since it is a rivalry game, the score is what matters, and it is good.
2. On the other hand, the US is playing poorly. The problem is Poch got the alignment wrong. The three best players on the ball are Tillman, Sullivan, and Reyna. The two guys building out of the back are Adams and Berhalter. They are not good enough to break the press on most plays. I don't have words for how bad Berhalter has been.
3. Usually when Poch gets something wrong, he fixes it. It seems like he will ride with Berhalter and Adams. I can't see keeping the clean sheet.
4. I like Kochen. I think he is our keeper.
5. Our backline is all over 6 feet, all strong, and all athletic. They are hard to break down.
6. On the other hand, the only two Mexican chances have been Robinson blunders. I would like to see Miller.

I am with this. Kochen is our guy. As is Sullivan. Two new starters since the WC during one window is a lot. I have a few other ideas. My player review will be tomorrow, not that anyone cares.

First start for the USMNT against our biggest rival as a 20 year old goalkeeper and he keeps a clean sheet. GK1 for years and years to come 🇺🇸 https://t.co/05tCX5KnR8

— American Ultras Talk (@usmntaut) October 4, 2026

In Las Vegas for Cal-UNLV (less said the better) but watched the US - Mexico (not so) friendly with my buddy at the Mandalay sports book. At this point, while I know the US played poorly in the first half and all three goals were due to El Tri mistakes, the US pounced on all three of those mistakes like killers.

Cavan Sullivan becomes the youngest player to score for the US (stealing the record from fellow 17yo Mathis Albert who got the record on Tuesday) after baiting the Mexican goalie Rangel into a giveaway and then chipping it over him with clinical ease. Rangel also spilled Reyna's cross in the first half (after nice work from Freeman and Sullivan before, I think) which allowed Hall to poach the first US goal. Finally, Malik Tillman aggressively punishes a bad defensive pass from Mexico for the third US goal with Mexico down to ten men after a Mexican player (Chavez) got sent off for a hard foul on Yunus Musuh (who I thought played well after coming in, though more out wide) followed by a 2-handed slap on Berhalter in the ensuing confrontation.

Struggles for US against Mexico's press in the first half, as sluggo said (I think), are in large part because we did not start a playmaker at either holding midfielder spot. Tyler Adams is a defensive ball-winner, not a playmaker, and Berhalter is kind of neither (just a ball striker). Sullivan was quiet in the first half, and so was Hall really other than the goal because they weren't getting the ball from those double pivot middies.

By the way, with three goals in his first three games for the US at age 18, maybe Hall really is our Klose (or Gerd Muller), though Balogun is clearly a better 9, and maybe Pepi is still next (for now). We need to find a position for Ellis behind them somewhere among the front 3 attacking mids/wingers. Disappointed that Ellis did not lay it off to a wide open Albert for the sure goal into an unguarded net in the closing minutes there and a 4-0 lead, and instead just softly rolled it right at the Mexican goalie.

But the US goalie Diego Kochen may actually be the best development from this match. Not that Kochen even played that amazingly. He definitely made a couple mistakes in the first half, but he was better than anyone else has been for the US. And he seems reasonably confident and calm. On Mexico's lone shot on goal, he made a decent save. Not a great save but Kochen wasn't ever put in a position to have to make a great save. At this point, in my opinion, with the US wandering in the goalie desert, the position is Kochen's to lose. Start him against Canada in the last friendly of this cycle, and keep starting him in November for CONCACAF Nation's League and beyond until he shows us that he doesn't deserve it. Because while it feels crazy to say about a 20yo goalie, Kochen seems like the best we have right now. And the moment doesn't seem too big for him.

US Soccer Collective scouting profile on Diego Kochen:

https://www.ussoccercollective.com/player-profiles/diego-kochen-player-profile

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

Kochen almost got it picked when he came out sliding to collect, then set it down immediately. Woah, careful, dude!

What was the time of possession differential in the first 30 minutes? 75/25?

concordtom said:

---

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

---

They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

I will say, after Sullivan was gifted the ball, he did hit a great instinctive ball into the net. That was impressive. Plenty of guy don't get that right, including Ellis - was that his name? Oh my god, what a blunder!!!!!

As celebratory as the other goal scorers can be, that dude leaves with his head hanging low. Worse than the Mexican guy who missed early on (twice).

sluggo said:

---

concordtom said:

---

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

---

They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

---

Early on, and for a long time, Mexico connected on everything, and us on nothing.

I remain dismayed!
Those gifted goals do not quell my disgust.

OneKeg said:

---

In Las Vegas for Cal-UNLV (less said the better) but watched the US - Mexico (not so) friendly with my buddy at the Mandalay sports book. At this point, while I know the US played poorly in the first half and all three goals were due to El Tri mistakes, the US pounced on all three of those mistakes like killers.

Cavan Sullivan becomes the youngest player to score for the US (stealing the record from fellow 17yo Mathis Albert who got the record on Tuesday) after baiting the Mexican goalie Rangel into a giveaway and then chipping it over him with clinical ease. Rangel also spilled Reyna's cross in the first half (after nice work from Freeman and Sullivan before, I think) which allowed Hall to poach the first US goal. Finally, Malik Tillman aggressively punishes a bad defensive pass from Mexico for the third US goal with Mexico down to ten men after a Mexican player (Chavez) got sent off for a hard foul on Yunus Musuh (who I thought played well after coming in, though more out wide) followed by a 2-handed slap on Berhalter in the ensuing confrontation.

Struggles for US against Mexico's press in the first half, as sluggo said (I think), are in large part because we did not start a playmaker at either holding midfielder spot. Tyler Adams is a defensive ball-winner, not a playmaker, and Berhalter is kind of neither (just a ball striker). Sullivan was quiet in the first half, and so was Hall really other than the goal because they weren't getting the ball from those double pivot middies.

By the way, with three goals in his first three games for the US at age 18, maybe Hall really is our Klose (or Gerd Muller), though Balogun is clearly a better 9, and maybe Pepi is still next (for now). We need to find a position for Ellis behind them somewhere among the front 3 attacking mids/wingers. Disappointed that Ellis did not lay it off to a wide open Albert for the sure goal into an unguarded net in the closing minutes there and a 4-0 lead, and instead just softly rolled it right at the Mexican goalie.

But the US goalie Diego Kochen may actually be the best development from this match. Not that Kochen even played that amazingly. He definitely made a couple mistakes in the first half, but he was better than anyone else has been for the US. And he seems reasonably confident and calm. On Mexico's lone shot on goal, he made a decent save. Not a great save but Kochen wasn't ever put in a position to have to make a great save. At this point, in my opinion, with the US wandering in the goalie desert, the position is Kochen's to lose. Start him against Canada in the last friendly of this cycle, and keep starting him in November for CONCACAF Nation's League and beyond until he shows us that he doesn't deserve it. Because while it feels crazy to say about a 20yo goalie, Kochen seems like the best we have right now. And the moment doesn't seem too big for him.

US Soccer Collective scouting profile on Diego Kochen:

https://www.ussoccercollective.com/player-profiles/diego-kochen-player-profile

---

I agree 100% with what you wrote, and I was even going to post the Kochen scouting report, so nothing to add but my player reviews:
Kochen: Even if there was nothing else his cat quickness rules the day. Only got one hard shot,, but I think it was right at him, not sure, did not watch the replay. He is our keeper. I am convinced.
Robinson: Made two significant blunders that led to Mexican chances, of which there were few. But also made a bunch of smart plays and mostly played good defense. We know who he is.
Trusty: Made a key clearance after the first Robinson blunder to save a goal. Like Pierre does good things that are barely noticed because he is so big and athletic. I read somewhere he had a bad game, I missed it, I barely noticed him.
Richards: Seemed solid. Had what looked like an easy header off a Reyna set piece and did not even make an attempt. I think he lost the ball somehow.
Freeman: His dribbling in the defensive two thirds of the field is a weapon. I remember one blunder but I think he is the first name on our starting 11. I noticed the Mexican press worked much better to Robinson's side than Freeman's side, which is because Freeman can dribble.
Adams: Was fine by his standards. Kept it simple. Is so overrated.
Berhalter: You need someone who can play not simple next to Adams to break the press. He was just playing 50/50 balls forward because he can't dribble or pass. A nightmare of a player. Also, could have had three yellow cards instead of one because he is always a step behind defensively.
Tillman: Consistently dangerous somewhat out of position at wing. Tillman was a serious part of Bayern's plans before he got hurt, which is also why he is not playing for Germany. He is healthy now, and we are so lucky to have him.
Reyna: This hurts me but he was not good. Of all things his touch let him down. I think he was probably tired after playing so much. He did make a nice play to set up the first goal, but he was generally not himself.
Sullivan: He can't pass to himself. So he decided to be the best defensive player on the pitch. The way he hit that chip after the steal was so beautiful. Just perfect. The best thing about him is his mentality, which is like Michael Jordan or Tom Brady. The bigger the moment, the more he wants to be in the center of it.
Hall: Basically invisible other than being in the right place on the goal. Let's not lose our minds.
Ellis: Had a play where he received the ball with his back to the goal. He made a touch forward and then back heeled it past the defender (maybe it was a nutmeg). Historically, maybe Clint Dempsey could do that, no one else, and not as smoothly. Hot take: he will be our starting striker in 2030, not Balogun. He is crazy good.
Musah: Really good on the ball, but he is not a winger, does not know what to do in the offensive third. But he could play Berhalter's position, dammit.
No one else played enough to matter. Two more things:
1. I sports hate Rafa Marquez. That is different than real hate.
2. My second favorite moment of the game was when Reyna called Berhalter off the free kick. Step back, son. Reyna hit a perfect ball that Richards should have knocked in but somehow did not see. There are levels.

concordtom said:

---

sluggo said:

---

concordtom said:

---

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

---

They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

---

Early on, and for a long time, Mexico connected on everything, and us on nothing.

I remain dismayed!
Those gifted goals do not quell my disgust.

---

I am half with you. I think your interpretation is correct, but we move Reyna or Tillman to Berhalter's position in a real match and everything will be fine. Some day we will play Mexico off the field, but we need everyone.

TIME OF POSSESSION
Period USA - Mexico
First half 39% - 61%
Second half 61% - 39%
Full match 49% - 51%


territorial statistics:
First-half entries into the attacking third: Mexico 26, USA 11.
Second-half entries: USA 33, Mexico 12.
USA generated 6 of its 8 shots after halftime.
Mexico managed just 2 second-half shots.

One important qualification: Mexico's red card at 67 minutes contributed to the late-game imbalance. The USA's shift in control was already evident before the dismissal, however.

Connected passing statistics

Passing statistic USA Mexico
Total attempted passes 426 - 440
Completed passes 355 - 369
Pass completion 83.3% - 83.9%
Completed passes, second half 218 - 119

First-half passing statistics:
Statistic USA - Mexico
Passes attempted 181 - 288
Completed passes 137 - 250
Incomplete passes 44 - 38
Completion rate 75.7% - 86.8%
Passing advantage 107 fewer - 107 more

This is what an expert said. Kind of similar to yours truly.

Just finished watching the game. It was more about the results over the performance and Mexico's blunders.

First off, good to get back to beating Mexico. It's been too long and great to give these kids a taste of that.

I thought Cavan and Malik had the most little moments of…

— Marcus Chairez | US/SC (@USSoccerColl) October 4, 2026

Interesting.
He writes:

I don't think you can play Berhalter and Adams together against a good high pressing, possession based team. Neither are ball secure enough and can buy enough time to beat a press. You need to drop Tillman to the pivot or play Musah next to Adams.


So he likes Musah, but Musah didn't even make the WC squad.

I had been very high on Musah. And then thought it interesting when Pochettino moved him into an attacking role - because Musah has the skill and athleticism to dribble past players.

But Musah's instinct is not kill going forward, but hang back. And I figured that's why Coach left him home.

It all made me wonder about Musah's standing with the side. And there he was last night.

Thoughts?

concordtom said:

---

sluggo said:

---

concordtom said:

---

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

---

They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

---

Early on, and for a long time, Mexico connected on everything, and us on nothing.

I remain dismayed!
Those gifted goals do not quell my disgust.

---

Mexico has been and remains the world's greatest underachiever in soccer, they just can't get it together, something about their soccer culture. Soccer has always been the #1 sport there, by a very wide distance, 130M+ population, yet their team can't match Uruguay, a country with 3M people.

concordtom said:

---

Interesting.
He writes:

I don't think you can play Berhalter and Adams together against a good high pressing, possession based team. Neither are ball secure enough and can buy enough time to beat a press. You need to drop Tillman to the pivot or play Musah next to Adams.

So he likes Musah, but Musah didn't even make the WC squad.

I had been very high on Musah. And then thought it interesting when Pochettino moved him into an attacking role - because Musah has the skill and athleticism to dribble past players.

But Musah's instinct is not kill going forward, but hang back. And I figured that's why Coach left him home.

It all made me wonder about Musah's standing with the side. And there he was last night.

Thoughts?

---

My take:

Yunus Musah, like Christian Pulisic, skipped the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, in which the US lost in the championship final to Mexico 2-1. I don't think Pochettino and staff have forgotten that, for either player. I can just imagine the look on a bunch of Argentinian coaches' faces as they try to even wrap their head around the mindset that would cause a healthy, eligible player to skip a competitive tournament for their country. Would never happen for an Argentinian, or pretty much for any other good soccer nation.

Now Musah had a better excuse than Pulisic. Musah's child had just been born, whereas Pulisic seemingly just wanted to rest. Of course, Pulisic is/was a top-5 player for the US and knew that skipping the tournament would not jeopardize his spot for the 2026 WC. I think Musah should be on the US roster, but he is closer to being a borderline roster-add. So Musah was left off the 2026 World Cup roster despite being healthy. And he is a more borderline guy on the current roster.

Musah is (still) healthy and playing well for his club, AC Milan in Serie A, ironically the same club that Pulisic plays for (just returned very recently after missing time since the WC due to injury). I do agree, he would pair better with Tyler Adams in the "double pivot" (2-man defensive midfield). Adams is playing a "6," or a defensive focused ball-winner who supports the back line. But Adams does not play or pass the ball that incisively. It's nice to have both a "6" and an "8" (see below) who can do that, but Adams ain't it at the "6".

Now the other defensive midfield position is called the "8", or "box-to-box midfielder" who supports the 6 and also plays D, but has the skill and vision to turn and initiate the offense to the frontline either by passing or dribbling. Problem is that Sebastian Berhalter is neither a ball-winner nor ball-passer or dribbler, nor that good on defense (mostly a ball-striker and and attitude guy).

Musah is interesting here, to me. Musah is not as good defensively as Adams, though his quickness alone makes him better than Berhalter at D. He is certainly better on the ball than either Adams or Berhalter, though his strength is really his turning and dribbling. Musah's vision and passing, while probably better than Berhalter and Adams, is nothing special, in my opinion.

So I think Musah can play the "8" next to Adams, though he is not an ideal "8". The contention here is that he is better than Berhalter, and I agree, though there is a trade-off in that Berhalter is good at set pieces (but then, so are Reyna and Tillman). As sluggo and the expert opinion implied, the best US lineup may involve sliding Malik Tillman from offensive midfield back to the "8", and that works well with Tyler Adams at the "6". This is what Poch did at the World Cup. I would argue that Weston McKennie, once he is back on the US roster (just returned from injury, like Pulisic) could also be slid back to the "8." Doing this "slide-back" has an opportunity cost, of course, as both Tillman and Mckennie (once he's back) are key offensive players.

Another holding middie who is just returning form injury, Johnny Cardoso at Atletico Madrid, whose injury was longer term and kept him out of the World Cup, could also be tried there though Cardoso may be more of a "6" himself, just a better passer than Adams.

And longer term, we have a couple young holding middies, silky-smooth, technically sound 17yo Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York) and speedy, athletic 21yo Brooklyn Raines (New England Revolution), who are both in the roster this camp. Mehmeti is thought to have the highest upside, though Raines is intriguing. Those two, plus Musah and Cardoso hopefully make it so we never need to have mediocre guys like Aidan Morris on the roster at this position again, and I think sluggo would say the same for Sebastian Berhalter, and he may be right, though I have a feeling Berhalter is a sentimental favorite of Poch's due to his commitment and attitude. To sluggo, I'll say, at least Christian Roldan is gone!

But the main thing is that Pochettino will have some options at holding mid for the competitive matches coming up, starting with CONCACAF Nation's League in November, and on into 2027. It's hard to complain too much about his choices for this camp and four friendlies - given that he has played a ton of the youngsters, just as sluggo and I and many others wanted him to. There have been a couple head-scratchers, like the objectively terrible Miles Robinson at center back (not to be confused with veteran left back Antonee Robinson with the bleached hair). Overall, I am ok trusting Pochettino here. Not like I have a choice anyway!

I have not yet had a chance to re-watch the US-Mexico match, so I won't comment further on the content sluggo provided above until I do that.

Cal88 said:

---

concordtom said:

---

sluggo said:

---

concordtom said:

---

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

---

They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

---

Early on, and for a long time, Mexico connected on everything, and us on nothing.

I remain dismayed!
Those gifted goals do not quell my disgust.

---

Mexico has been and remains the world's greatest underachiever in soccer, they just can't get it together, something about their soccer culture. Soccer has always been the #1 sport there, by a very wide distance, 130M+ population, yet their team can't match Uruguay, a country with 3M people.

---

Is some of this because they keep all their best players at home so they don't get the same exposure at the top leagues in Europe?

sycasey said:

---

Cal88 said:

---

concordtom said:

---

sluggo said:

---

concordtom said:

---

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

---

They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

---

Early on, and for a long time, Mexico connected on everything, and us on nothing.

I remain dismayed!
Those gifted goals do not quell my disgust.

---

Mexico has been and remains the world's greatest underachiever in soccer, they just can't get it together, something about their soccer culture. Soccer has always been the #1 sport there, by a very wide distance, 130M+ population, yet their team can't match Uruguay, a country with 3M people.

---

Is some of this because they keep all their best players at home so they don't get the same exposure at the top leagues in Europe?

---

Ironically enough, the quality and depth of Brazil's national team has gone down because they haven't been able to hold on to their best players at home. So their jogo bonito style has been diluted, and what has been the greatest soccer culture in the world has faded a bit.

Mexico has a handful of players in Europe, but none are on the rosters of the super clubs. If they had top flight talent, they would have ended up there. Looking at their national roster, there is only one young talent, 21yo Obed Vargas, who kind of qualifies having just signed with Atletico Madrid. Funnily enough he is a dual citizen who has come out from the Seattle Sounders club and played with the US U20 and U23 teams then chose to play for Mexico. I bet our resident US youth movement analysts here know about him.

Cal88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

Cal88 said:

---

concordtom said:

---

sluggo said:

---

concordtom said:

---

What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

---

They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

---

Early on, and for a long time, Mexico connected on everything, and us on nothing.

I remain dismayed!
Those gifted goals do not quell my disgust.

---

Mexico has been and remains the world's greatest underachiever in soccer, they just can't get it together, something about their soccer culture. Soccer has always been the #1 sport there, by a very wide distance, 130M+ population, yet their team can't match Uruguay, a country with 3M people.

---

Is some of this because they keep all their best players at home so they don't get the same exposure at the top leagues in Europe?

---

Ironically enough, the quality and depth of Brazil's national team has gone down because they haven't been able to hold on to their best players at home. So their jogo bonito style has been diluted, and what has been the greatest soccer culture in the world has faded a bit.

Mexico has a handful of players in Europe, but none are on the rosters of the super clubs. If they had top flight talent, they would have ended up there. Looking at their national roster, there is only one young talent, 21yo Obed Vargas, who kind of qualifies having just signed with Atletico Madrid. Funnily enough he is a dual citizen who has come out from the Seattle Sounders club and played with the US U20 and U23 teams then chose to play for Mexico. I bet our resident US youth movement analysts here know about him.

---

I know about Vargas. He played for our U20s when he was 16. I think he is a rare player from Alaska. He is a good player, I was sorry when he left. I am not sure he moves the needle.

< whoa, soccer thread.. backs slooowly out of the room >

concordtom said:

---

Interesting.
He writes:

I don't think you can play Berhalter and Adams together against a good high pressing, possession based team. Neither are ball secure enough and can buy enough time to beat a press. You need to drop Tillman to the pivot or play Musah next to Adams.


So he likes Musah, but Musah didn't even make the WC squad.

I had been very high on Musah. And then thought it interesting when Pochettino moved him into an attacking role - because Musah has the skill and athleticism to dribble past players.

But Musah's instinct is not kill going forward, but hang back. And I figured that's why Coach left him home.

It all made me wonder about Musah's standing with the side. And there he was last night.

Thoughts?

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I wrote the same thing. I was just using an excuse to echo myself.

Musah was on a downswing as the WC approached. He was sitting on the bench in Milan. With Poch he struggled to find a position. But like Reyna, he is only 23, and he is making a comeback for club and country.

Even at his worst, Musah should have gotten Berhalter's minutes at the last WC.

If you're going to include 21yo Obed Vargas as a "young" Mexican prospect, you have to first mention Gilberto Mora, who I think is significantly better than Vargas and more than 3 years younger (still 17, turning 18 soon). Mora will likely be at a major European club soon after he is 18. Mora was out with injury for Saturday's match.

But yeah, like I was saying, if you were to list the top 8 or so teenage prospects between the US and Mexico, Mora would be the only Mexican on the list, and the other 7 would be Americans. I might even put Mora first on that list (sluggo definitely would not), but the US has good numbers coming through and Mexico do not.

Another good, short (3 min) video from the 11 Yanks Youtube Channel The first part focuses on Cavan Sullivan and the second on Diego Kochen, both young players (Sullivan just turned 17, Kochen is 20, but goalies mature later) who played a major role in the win against Mexico.

The focus is NOT on the glamor plays - Sullivan's goal, Kochen's save. It is on a couple less prominent, but still significant, moments for each player that showcase their play style and quality.

Should be a good game against Canada Tuesday night 5pm PST in Minneapolis, Canadian striker Jonathan David is in good form. Canada will be without its best player though, Bayern defender Alphonso Davies is on his honeymoon break.

smh said:

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< whoa, soccer thread.. backs slooowly out of the room >

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Cal88 said:

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Should be a good game against Canada Tuesday night 5pm PST in Minneapolis, Canadian striker Jonathan David is in good form. Canada will be without its best player though, Bayern defender Alphonso Davies is on his honeymoon break.

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Agree - it should be a good game. I think Canada's speed will be a real challenge for the US, who I think will likely play a rotated side with plenty of youngsters (but not necessarily the same ones). I could definitely see Canada winning, though I could see a draw or a US win too.

As for missing players - Mexico was missing the aforementioned teen phenom Gilberto Mora, along with their 35yo striker Raul Jimenez, 29yo Julian Quinones and 29yo center back Cesar Montes. But then, the US was missing arguably 3 of their best 5 players in Folarin Balogun, Weston Mckennie and Christian Pulisic, all of whom are younger than Quinones and Montes, let alone Jimenez. Same with US holding middie Johnny Cardoso, also missing.

So... I don't think missing players is an excuse for any of these teams, Canada, Mexico or the US.

How do we have enough of an international break window to have 4 games??

Used to be 2 games in a week

concordtom said:

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How do we have enough of an international break window to have 4 games??

Used to be 2 games in a week

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Two week break, maybe because of the WC. I can't remember such a long break before.

It's because there has been a break in Europe with the Nations League action.

Cal88 said:

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Should be a good game against Canada Tuesday night 5pm PST in Minneapolis, Canadian striker Jonathan David is in good form. Canada will be without its best player though, Bayern defender Alphonso Davies is on his honeymoon break.

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The US played its first team against Mexico, I expect the second team against Canada. Similar to how they played their first team against Peru, their second against Chile. Should be a good chance to see Pierre and Ellis, and maybe Sullivan can get an extra start because he plays in MLS. I also hope to see Kochen, but I expect Freese. Anyone else would be both meaningful and disappointing.

Cal88 said:

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concordtom said:

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sluggo said:

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concordtom said:

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What a joke of a game.
This is why soccer is kinda stupid.

Mexico was totally dominating us in every facet of the game.
But they missed two chances, then their keeper makes two errors, and that's it.

Cap it off with a silly skirmish and a fake fall by Berhalter (very Latino of him, btw), then the lamest of lame back pass plays for a 3rd.

Best play of the game was Tillman's back/side heel to Gio for goal #1.

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They dominated the first half, not the second. In all sports better athletes start to dominate as the game gets deeper in, and we have better athletes. The announcer mentioned they switched formations to three in the back, but I am not sure what they were playing before, I was focused on us. We were playing a 4-4-2 in defense and a 4-2-3-1 on offense. We usually are asymmetric with. Robinson going forward more from the left than Freeman from the right, but no so much yesterday as we had trouble connecting the dots.

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Early on, and for a long time, Mexico connected on everything, and us on nothing.

I remain dismayed!
Those gifted goals do not quell my disgust.

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Mexico has been and remains the world's greatest underachiever in soccer, they just can't get it together, something about their soccer culture. Soccer has always been the #1 sport there, by a very wide distance, 130M+ population, yet their team can't match Uruguay, a country with 3M people.

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Lots of theory on Mexico's lack of success:
1. Players are less likely to play at the highest level, that is in Europe. I don't know if that is based on pay, restrictive contracts, or culture.
2. Their clubs don't seem great at developing players. There are lots of good players, but the best Mexican player of my watching lifetime might be Raul Jimenez, who is very good but not amazing.
3. They play a spring through fall season like MLS (that MLS is going away from). Because it is so hot in Mexico, they are not used to playing fast like the best teams do.
4. Demographically, they are not the biggest or the fastest athletes. Neither are parts of South America like Uruguay that have been traditionally better than them, but those teams play like their life depends on it, because maybe it did/does, Mexico does not.
5. I have a theory that there is too much pressure on them, which is one explanation that I have as to why England never wins anything.

I do know that the US used to steal American-Mexicans from Mexico for its teams. In the last ten years Mexico steals Mexican-Americans for its teams. Some Mexican youth teams lately have had multiple players that were developed in the US. In the class of 2010, Mexico has gotten Kimbrough, a striker from Sacramento. They are fighting over Ruffin and some other players. Truthfully, Mexico needs them way more than we do.

At the senior level, they have taken Brian Gutierrez and Richie Ledezma. We did not want either, though I think we should have wanted Ledezma, who could have been a backup outside defender better than some we have had. We did want Obed Vargas, who I like a lot, but we will be fine without him. We sort of wanted Julian Araujo, but I think we are better without him. There was a big fight for Ricardo Pepi that we won, but then he did not develop.

It is a good video. It came in my youtube feed and I watched it before you posted it.

sluggo said:

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concordtom said:

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How do we have enough of an international break window to have 4 games??

Used to be 2 games in a week

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Two week break, maybe because of the WC. I can't remember such a long break before.

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I believe they have combined what used to be two separate shorter breaks.

I like it, especially as a fan of a US team looking to integrate new players. Allows time to build cohesion.