Saudi Arabia 0-0 USMNT: A Retrospective
Confidence at an all time low in the 2022 World Cup cycle
Doom and gloom may feel natural to anyone watching these last few performances from the US. Gregg Berhalter has seemingly lead this team in a wide circle back around to where they started. The World Cup is on the horizon and while the USMNT qualified, the confidence within camp seems to be at an all time low. The system isn’t defined, players aren’t fighting for the crest, and there are still way too many questions left unanswered before the first match against Wales.
The good news is… These were friendlies that have no impact on our World Cup result, we were missing a multitude of important starters, and Wales and England aren’t in great form themselves. That’s likely where the good news ends, and the endless stream of horrifying news begins.
Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Gio Reyna have STILL never played a single minute together on the pitch. It’s not all on the coach… but a lot of it is.
What went well?
Plan B
The first ten minutes saw the USMNT with impactful possession. Walker Zimmerman was spraying balls and switching fields effectively. This opened up dangerous space for Sergino Dest, Deandre Yedlin, and Weston McKennie to run into. This was what I would have considered “plan B” for the US but didn’t see it employed in the match against Japan. It seemed like we wanted to prove to ourselves we could do it, and made that
“plan A” for the match against Saudi Arabia. We now know we can make it work, but we don’t really know if we can ever switch in the middle of a game after starting with a possession mindset.
Joe Scally
Joe Scally is likely the only field player who saw minutes this camp who I think rose his stock with the squad. Literally everyone else not named Matt Turner either stayed stagnant or dropped in the depth chart for me. Joe Scally got thirty minutes to show his worth and he did exactly that. Immediately making an impact, drawing fouls, defending with tenacity are all things Scally does well for his Bundesliga club and excelled at in this match for the US. He has what it takes to backup the RB/LB spot at the World Cup.
What went wrong?
Injuries
Gio Reyna limped off in the 30th minute with a left leg muscle strain. Early indications are that it was precautionary and not serious. But come one… Gio Reyna cannot catch a break! The USMNT can’t catch a break either with the injury bug. With Jedi, Musah, Weah and Richards out with injury already we need to spend the next few weeks getting healthy.
No marked improvement
Berhalter’s system still lacked continuity and urgency. Ricardo Pepi was chosen as the striker today but only got 13 touches on the ball. The US squad started to whip in crosses into the box but their most dangerous aerial threat was sat on the bench in Josh Sargent. It was painfully obvious the players had very little interest in attacking the game and that in itself is painful as a fan.
I do blame Gregg but I also blame the players. To me it’s a team that wants to win and likes playing with each other but doesn’t necessarily believe in the right way to get there. That’s a problem with leadership.
Player selection
Again we saw an above-average MLS player Aaron Long start over a Ligue 1 defender and the highest rated defender in the Belgian league Mark McKenzie. Ricardo Pepi who has 1 goal in the last 12 months started over Josh Sargent. Players that could have helped us find solutions like Jordan Pefok, Tim Ream, and John Brooks were not on the roster. I hope for Pefok and Ream’s sake they continue their good form and make it a difficult decision come November.
A look ahead
These games can cause a lot of angst and anxiety. These matches can provide a pessimism that is unmatched by any other sporting team I support. But you have a World Cup to look forward to! Please try to remember it is fun to cheer on your national team, it is fun to watch the upsets of the tournament, and it is fun to follow the world’s greatest event. Try to enjoy the moment that the World Cup brings.
If you want to hear my thoughts immediately after the match you can catch the recording of the livestream here:
I count myself fortunate that I wasn't able to watch the match today. I would have felt like I wasted my time. Luckily, I've got good analysis on this newsletter and on your YouTube channel. Keep up the good work, Jake!