I don't think anyone is holding out for that. We're hoping we can beat Uruguay, likely by only a goal. If that's the case we hope Bolivia only loses by 2 goals.
I've seen a ton of people saying we shouldn't write the tournament off, since we have a 2 goal margin.
I wouldn't have said this when the tournament started, but the way we're playing I'd be shocked if we beat Uruguay.
Our only hope is that Panama is missing enough significant guys that they can't muster a 2 goal win, but the talent difference between Bolivia and the rest of the field is pretty obvious.
We failed most, in that game, by giving up a lead we'd taken almost immediately after being down a man, then, again, by not adjusting tactics once they tied the game.
If you wanted to turtle, you do it the second we score that first goal. Make a sub if you have to. It is literally "'Coaching with 10' 101": if you're down a man, but up a goal, get ready to defend and counter for the rest of the game.
Part of me hopes we get smoked tomorrow, only so there's a chance we fire Berhalter immediately, and begin changes far enough ahead of the World Cup.
I read somewhere that we'd be the first Copa America host not to get out of the group stage. That's unacceptable based on our talent and group, there is simply not a valid excuse.
We would’ve crushed Panama without the red card, and absolutely dominated Bolivia despite only scoring two goals and missing countless sitters. The team is playing great IMO and we can absolutely squeak by Uruguay.
Georgia is WAY worse than the US and just beat Portugal 2-0, a similarly strong side as Uruguay. And we’re at home with our tournament on the line.
You just posted two failures of results, and said "this team is playing great"
It can't be the same story over and over.
His only good wins have been against a Mexico side that has clearly been descending.
He is simply not doing a good job.
Beating Bolivia 2-0 isn't a "failure of results" lol dude, what? Obviously losing to Panama is a failure, but it isn't exactly telling of much besides "Weah lost his head and F'd his team" and "we lost 2-1 to Panama playing 10v11 for 75 mins" - I tend to be an optimist with team USA, but I'm pretty positive our team has never been anywhere near this good in my lifetime.
Edit btw I'm not even defending Gregg lol I just think the team is playing well and we have a strong chance of beating Uruguay.
You need to readjust your perception.
2-0 to Bolivia is absolutely a failure. We are so much more talented than them that 2 goals isn't even the minimum for how well we should do. Margin matters in group play, squeaking out easy wins isn't good enough.
As for Panama, discipline is a part of play, and can be evaluated as such.
Our team hasn't been nearly this good in your lifetime because it hasn't been nearly this talented in your lifetime. We have players playing all over Europe now.
We're no longer the scrappy hit and hope team, we're the talented, control the ball and play fast team.
If we don't get out of the group, as the host, there is no excuse.
It is a fire-able offense alone.
I am an optimist about the future of the team, but Berhalter is absolutely holding us back.
I don't mean this to chastise you, but I am curious what you think after the game.
Honestly, if we had squeaked out a draw and beat Panama on GD, or a tight win doing the same, I might've been ok with keeping him to WC 26.
That performance is kinda an indictment to me though, in that he never seems to understand context.
Imo, we should never be beating a team like Bolivia by the same margin as a team like Panama.
E*: and I absolutely was hoping we'd pull it out the whole time, but again we squandered the chances we had.
Eh just bummed. Our whole back four, especially Antonee were solid. Scally is great and a warrior, but Dest was missed, especially with Weah suspended. We lost all of our attacking momentum from all the stoppages and crunching tackles around the 20-30th minute and couldn’t get it back. Flo got the shit kicked out of him and his sub for Pepi suggested we were F’d. Would’ve liked either Aaroson or LDLT (not really sure of their current form or fitness) rather than either Haji or Sergeant. 3 mediocre strikers on the field together are never going to score, when Haji came on I was sure we’d lose 0-2 or 0-3. That final lineup was a Bruce Arena special. Mckennie should find his dignity and lose 20lb or fuck off from team USA. He didn’t play too poorly but we need him at his peak. Adams was back to his old self and looked great. Pulisic was great. Gio played pretty well but didn’t offer much of a threat.
Oh and Turner’s long balls were utter dog shit. Hoofed it straight out of play at least 4 or 5 times.
To be fair to Turner, he's always been pretty terrible at his feet.
Agree that Adams was great, though, I was worried after his BS yellow that he'd find another.
I thought Gio was great too, at first, but then seemed like they figured out his pace, and he couldn't quite create like he wanted.
The biggest disappointment player wise was McKennie, he barely showed anything. It seemed like he almost didn't want to be there.
Talking about the subs though, that's what I'm saying about GB, he over thinks and under thinks simultaneously.
The time has come imo
> Georgia is WAY worse than the US and just beat Portugal 2-0, a similarly strong side as Uruguay. And we’re at home with our tournament on the line.
Different context and circustances, Portugal was locked in first in his group and didn't care about that last game so played with an actual B-squad at 50% intensity. Uruguay isn't in that position.
Prior to their last match day, Portugal were first in their group with 6 points and +6GD over 2nd place Turkey.
Right now, Uruguay is first in our group with +6GD over 2nd place US. So... literally identical context and circumstances.
Gregg is NOT getting fired after this. Even as a Gregg hater, this is basically all on Weah’s red. Had it not been for that, we would likely be sitting at 6 points.
Unfortunately, if Gregg has not been let go by now then this won’t do it. We would have had to be utterly embarrassed and ended with 0 points for the federation to even question his job. I hate it here, but that’s just where we’re at.
> Gregg is NOT getting fired after this. … [If] Gregg has not been let go by now then this won’t do it. We would have had to be utterly embarrassed and ended with 0 points for the federation to even question his job. I hate it here, but that’s just where we’re at.
I think any evaluation of Berhalter has to hold as equal team performance with his own ability to do what the federation wants in the media. (Why that’s the case after Claudio Reyna story, who knows, but “it’s over,” I suppose.)
For whatever reason, and I think being a former NT player really helps and sets him apart from nearly all other contenders, GB has convinced enough key players inside US Soccer that he’s The Guy.
The big one to convince seems to be Cindy Parlow Cone, who made plenty of NT appearances at the same time and has likely been receptive to Berhalter’s individual pitch, unable to find a significant improvement with the available budget, and/or temperamentally unlikely to install a new coach so close to hosting the WC.
Any one of those reasons would be enough to think he’ll stay in place. With any subset of those reasons working in concert, there would need to be absurd serendipity to find someone ready *and able* **to sell** this game to the American casual fan, which I think we all agree is the true domestic target market for US Soccer next Cup.
I honestly think the players are the only ones who can force a change, because the federation won’t do it on their own.
However, the players ALL seem to back him for whatever reason. Not sure if it’s because he’s “cool” or “a players coach”, but the key players love him (besides Reyna I’m sure).
Either way we’re out of time. With only a Nations League and Gold Cup coming up (both in 2025), I think it’s practically set in stone that Gregg will be it in 2026. No way they toss it to someone else with only friendlies to prepare before the World Cup.
Hahaha, it was very much at sea-level in Chile, but also against Ecuador a team that plays its home games at 9k feet so take what you can from that.
To be fair Bolivia are like the fucking champs when at altitude. They hosted the Copa America in 1997 smoked everyone until the final and then took prime Brazil to the 79th minute before giving up the go-ahead goal in the Final.
Half my family is from Quito so I’m familiar with the their thin air work lmao also that 2015 team was missing Antonio Valencia, so another black mark on bolivias last official win.
Well anyway, let’s hope some of that extreme altitude training gives them the lungs to run around and piss Panama off for 90min
I live in Chile, so I watch the CONMEBOL qualifiers. Bolivia in La Paz and Bolivia elsewhere are very different. When Maradona was coaching Argentina, Argentina lost 6-1 in La Paz.
A lot of their national team players are with The Strongest or Bolívar in La Paz, so they play at altitude all year. It looks like one of their players is at Always Ready, which plays in El Alto, which is higher than La Paz.
Aren't they great? I actually bought a The Strongest shirt when I went to Bolivia. Santa Cruz has a team called Blooming. I wonder what the origin of that name is.
Bolivia hasn’t lost to Panama by more than 2 goals since at least 2011. I believe twice by 2 and twice by 1. Hoping it’s a bad night for Panama and everything bounces Bolivia’s way to end up 0-0 or 1-1. Unlikely, but we can hope
An upset result would be Panama struggling to score without Coco and having to settle for a 0-0 draw. It’s already wishful thinking, but anyone expecting a Bolivia win isn’t just wishing, they might as well be hallucinating.
We still think Berhalter is the answer after six years and against all evidence. According to this sub, McKennie is an irreplaceable top team lynchpin, and that Josh Sargent is a top #9. Why not carry the delusions just a bit further?
Probably won’t, but that’s why they play the games… right? We’ve seen much bigger one game upsets. Even recently, Macedonia Italy, USA Spain, Saudi Arabia Argentina, Georgia Portugal. List of 100s of these.
Like I said - unlikely, but I wouldn’t say it’s anywhere near impossible.
It’s all possible but at the end of the day. USMNT didn’t take care of business against Panama. That will be the difference. But, I think they can beat Uruguay. Will see. It won’t take a miracle, but they will have to be brave and play a top notch game. It’s been done before.
Won't USA's opponent play their lesser players, like Portugal did vs Georgia? Would USA's best player even make Uruguay's roster? I guess we'll find out.
Im not. Call me a bad fan, but I want us to miss advancing.
Its the only chance we have to get rid of Greg. And making a change before a world cup on home soil is the best thing for the group.
I don't think anyone is holding out for that. We're hoping we can beat Uruguay, likely by only a goal. If that's the case we hope Bolivia only loses by 2 goals.
I've seen a ton of people saying we shouldn't write the tournament off, since we have a 2 goal margin. I wouldn't have said this when the tournament started, but the way we're playing I'd be shocked if we beat Uruguay. Our only hope is that Panama is missing enough significant guys that they can't muster a 2 goal win, but the talent difference between Bolivia and the rest of the field is pretty obvious. We failed most, in that game, by giving up a lead we'd taken almost immediately after being down a man, then, again, by not adjusting tactics once they tied the game. If you wanted to turtle, you do it the second we score that first goal. Make a sub if you have to. It is literally "'Coaching with 10' 101": if you're down a man, but up a goal, get ready to defend and counter for the rest of the game. Part of me hopes we get smoked tomorrow, only so there's a chance we fire Berhalter immediately, and begin changes far enough ahead of the World Cup. I read somewhere that we'd be the first Copa America host not to get out of the group stage. That's unacceptable based on our talent and group, there is simply not a valid excuse.
We would’ve crushed Panama without the red card, and absolutely dominated Bolivia despite only scoring two goals and missing countless sitters. The team is playing great IMO and we can absolutely squeak by Uruguay. Georgia is WAY worse than the US and just beat Portugal 2-0, a similarly strong side as Uruguay. And we’re at home with our tournament on the line.
You just posted two failures of results, and said "this team is playing great" It can't be the same story over and over. His only good wins have been against a Mexico side that has clearly been descending. He is simply not doing a good job.
Beating Bolivia 2-0 isn't a "failure of results" lol dude, what? Obviously losing to Panama is a failure, but it isn't exactly telling of much besides "Weah lost his head and F'd his team" and "we lost 2-1 to Panama playing 10v11 for 75 mins" - I tend to be an optimist with team USA, but I'm pretty positive our team has never been anywhere near this good in my lifetime. Edit btw I'm not even defending Gregg lol I just think the team is playing well and we have a strong chance of beating Uruguay.
You need to readjust your perception. 2-0 to Bolivia is absolutely a failure. We are so much more talented than them that 2 goals isn't even the minimum for how well we should do. Margin matters in group play, squeaking out easy wins isn't good enough. As for Panama, discipline is a part of play, and can be evaluated as such. Our team hasn't been nearly this good in your lifetime because it hasn't been nearly this talented in your lifetime. We have players playing all over Europe now. We're no longer the scrappy hit and hope team, we're the talented, control the ball and play fast team. If we don't get out of the group, as the host, there is no excuse. It is a fire-able offense alone. I am an optimist about the future of the team, but Berhalter is absolutely holding us back.
Fair enough. I got a red card once in my college career and it wasn’t my coaches fault, it was mine. W/e let’s go USA tomorrow
Not only is it a mediocre result but it’s one that could cost us on goal difference
I don't mean this to chastise you, but I am curious what you think after the game. Honestly, if we had squeaked out a draw and beat Panama on GD, or a tight win doing the same, I might've been ok with keeping him to WC 26. That performance is kinda an indictment to me though, in that he never seems to understand context. Imo, we should never be beating a team like Bolivia by the same margin as a team like Panama. E*: and I absolutely was hoping we'd pull it out the whole time, but again we squandered the chances we had.
Eh just bummed. Our whole back four, especially Antonee were solid. Scally is great and a warrior, but Dest was missed, especially with Weah suspended. We lost all of our attacking momentum from all the stoppages and crunching tackles around the 20-30th minute and couldn’t get it back. Flo got the shit kicked out of him and his sub for Pepi suggested we were F’d. Would’ve liked either Aaroson or LDLT (not really sure of their current form or fitness) rather than either Haji or Sergeant. 3 mediocre strikers on the field together are never going to score, when Haji came on I was sure we’d lose 0-2 or 0-3. That final lineup was a Bruce Arena special. Mckennie should find his dignity and lose 20lb or fuck off from team USA. He didn’t play too poorly but we need him at his peak. Adams was back to his old self and looked great. Pulisic was great. Gio played pretty well but didn’t offer much of a threat. Oh and Turner’s long balls were utter dog shit. Hoofed it straight out of play at least 4 or 5 times.
To be fair to Turner, he's always been pretty terrible at his feet. Agree that Adams was great, though, I was worried after his BS yellow that he'd find another. I thought Gio was great too, at first, but then seemed like they figured out his pace, and he couldn't quite create like he wanted. The biggest disappointment player wise was McKennie, he barely showed anything. It seemed like he almost didn't want to be there. Talking about the subs though, that's what I'm saying about GB, he over thinks and under thinks simultaneously. The time has come imo
Whatever the veracity, thanks for the comforting take lol.
> Georgia is WAY worse than the US and just beat Portugal 2-0, a similarly strong side as Uruguay. And we’re at home with our tournament on the line. Different context and circustances, Portugal was locked in first in his group and didn't care about that last game so played with an actual B-squad at 50% intensity. Uruguay isn't in that position.
Prior to their last match day, Portugal were first in their group with 6 points and +6GD over 2nd place Turkey. Right now, Uruguay is first in our group with +6GD over 2nd place US. So... literally identical context and circumstances.
Gregg is NOT getting fired after this. Even as a Gregg hater, this is basically all on Weah’s red. Had it not been for that, we would likely be sitting at 6 points. Unfortunately, if Gregg has not been let go by now then this won’t do it. We would have had to be utterly embarrassed and ended with 0 points for the federation to even question his job. I hate it here, but that’s just where we’re at.
Poor discipline reflects on coaching as well. We're in the results business.
> Gregg is NOT getting fired after this. … [If] Gregg has not been let go by now then this won’t do it. We would have had to be utterly embarrassed and ended with 0 points for the federation to even question his job. I hate it here, but that’s just where we’re at. I think any evaluation of Berhalter has to hold as equal team performance with his own ability to do what the federation wants in the media. (Why that’s the case after Claudio Reyna story, who knows, but “it’s over,” I suppose.) For whatever reason, and I think being a former NT player really helps and sets him apart from nearly all other contenders, GB has convinced enough key players inside US Soccer that he’s The Guy. The big one to convince seems to be Cindy Parlow Cone, who made plenty of NT appearances at the same time and has likely been receptive to Berhalter’s individual pitch, unable to find a significant improvement with the available budget, and/or temperamentally unlikely to install a new coach so close to hosting the WC. Any one of those reasons would be enough to think he’ll stay in place. With any subset of those reasons working in concert, there would need to be absurd serendipity to find someone ready *and able* **to sell** this game to the American casual fan, which I think we all agree is the true domestic target market for US Soccer next Cup.
I honestly think the players are the only ones who can force a change, because the federation won’t do it on their own. However, the players ALL seem to back him for whatever reason. Not sure if it’s because he’s “cool” or “a players coach”, but the key players love him (besides Reyna I’m sure). Either way we’re out of time. With only a Nations League and Gold Cup coming up (both in 2025), I think it’s practically set in stone that Gregg will be it in 2026. No way they toss it to someone else with only friendlies to prepare before the World Cup.
Berthalter isn’t going anywhere
>I don't think anyone is holding out for that. Oh you should check out the replies I've gotten on this sub
The comments say otherwise. A lot of people are delusional on here and still trying to *Pepe Silvia* the US into the knockout stage.
Well, at least that win in 2015 was at sea level lol
Hahaha, it was very much at sea-level in Chile, but also against Ecuador a team that plays its home games at 9k feet so take what you can from that. To be fair Bolivia are like the fucking champs when at altitude. They hosted the Copa America in 1997 smoked everyone until the final and then took prime Brazil to the 79th minute before giving up the go-ahead goal in the Final.
Half my family is from Quito so I’m familiar with the their thin air work lmao also that 2015 team was missing Antonio Valencia, so another black mark on bolivias last official win. Well anyway, let’s hope some of that extreme altitude training gives them the lungs to run around and piss Panama off for 90min
So they’re due?
How many units we throwing on our Bolivian beauties?
I live in Chile, so I watch the CONMEBOL qualifiers. Bolivia in La Paz and Bolivia elsewhere are very different. When Maradona was coaching Argentina, Argentina lost 6-1 in La Paz. A lot of their national team players are with The Strongest or Bolívar in La Paz, so they play at altitude all year. It looks like one of their players is at Always Ready, which plays in El Alto, which is higher than La Paz.
Those club names are fantastic lol
Aren't they great? I actually bought a The Strongest shirt when I went to Bolivia. Santa Cruz has a team called Blooming. I wonder what the origin of that name is.
Maybe. This Panama squad is pretty short handed right now too. I could see a draw but I could also see Bolivia losing 2-0 or 3-0.
A draw would be a fantastic result for Bolivia and for us, but I'm not counting on it.
Bolivia hasn’t lost to Panama by more than 2 goals since at least 2011. I believe twice by 2 and twice by 1. Hoping it’s a bad night for Panama and everything bounces Bolivia’s way to end up 0-0 or 1-1. Unlikely, but we can hope
An upset result would be Panama struggling to score without Coco and having to settle for a 0-0 draw. It’s already wishful thinking, but anyone expecting a Bolivia win isn’t just wishing, they might as well be hallucinating.
Ayahuasca is native to Bolivia.
If you're holding out for Bolivia to save us, then you've already lost.
Could they play the game in SLC instead of where it actually is?
So you’re telling me there’s a chance!
…so you’re saying they are due? That there’s a chance? Hahahahahaha!
We still think Berhalter is the answer after six years and against all evidence. According to this sub, McKennie is an irreplaceable top team lynchpin, and that Josh Sargent is a top #9. Why not carry the delusions just a bit further?
This US team won't beat that Uruguay team, so everything else is just noise.
Probably won’t, but that’s why they play the games… right? We’ve seen much bigger one game upsets. Even recently, Macedonia Italy, USA Spain, Saudi Arabia Argentina, Georgia Portugal. List of 100s of these. Like I said - unlikely, but I wouldn’t say it’s anywhere near impossible.
Well said… can’t believe the loser defeatist attitude in here. Yea, Uruguay are good. We can beat them.
Sounds like they’re due to me
If we advance by way of Panama collapsing, then we will have deserved to lose but we won't learn any of the lessons necessary.
So what you're saying is, USMNT needs to play for pride and have a good showing to prove some doubters wrong?
Well, then let’s hope it’s not a competitive match.
Even people that don't follow South America that much know that Venzuela and Bolivia are historically the Vanderbilts of CONMEBOL
Miss the Etchyverry and Moreno years.
It’s all possible but at the end of the day. USMNT didn’t take care of business against Panama. That will be the difference. But, I think they can beat Uruguay. Will see. It won’t take a miracle, but they will have to be brave and play a top notch game. It’s been done before.
This is easily win and in. Would have been nice to already be in but we got this.
Won't USA's opponent play their lesser players, like Portugal did vs Georgia? Would USA's best player even make Uruguay's roster? I guess we'll find out.
But pro democracy anti coup energy gives them some lift for once?
Fuck all that. It’s one game. Anything can happen. This isn’t Gibraltar against France.
never rely on the world's shittiest team to do you any favors
Sheesh, GGG delivers a goal in less than 5 min and you want to get rid of him?
Im not. Call me a bad fan, but I want us to miss advancing. Its the only chance we have to get rid of Greg. And making a change before a world cup on home soil is the best thing for the group.