US v The Netherlands

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zcUs5X9glCc


Obviously health is a factor in the lineup, I’m guessing Sargent will start if he can go, but please NO HAJI. He got the call because he’s part of the core group, but it’s time for Ferreira to run thru and behind the giant CB combo of the Dutch. Hard to believe Gio has played 10 min or so, he has to get in the pitch period.

I’m guilty of forgetting GB was a defender, and 1-0 is a fun scoreline for him. However, if we are fortunate to score first and he thinks we can bunker in against a superior opponent (mixed results against inferior ones) he’s delusional.

 

Netherlands are certainly beatable, but the US have to figure out the scoring woes. Sure wish we had a Cody Gakpo (9 goals and 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie matches this season).

 

There’s got to be something going on with Gio, right? The fact that he’s not playing and that Gregg won’t even talk about it?

Is it possible he was being held back for the knockout stage? Doubtful, but my heart can hope.

Otherwise, we’re seriously due an explanation as to why he’s not out there.

Regardless, this is the match we’ve all been waiting for. Can this group actually compete on the world’s stage? I have my doubts. But it’s hard to not let a little patriotic optimism sneak in. Ultimately, I think we acquit ourselves well, but come up just a little short.

 

This is the most I’ve seen about it. Apparently Berhalter sees him as a super sub that is only needed when chasing goals.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-...retty-good-for-netherlands-us-coach-berhalter

Berhalter was also asked about the role of Giovanni Reyna, who has been on the field for only seven minutes during the tournament.

"If you look at how the games have unfolded, we've had the lead and have to hold on to the lead later in games," he said.

"The only game that we didn't have that scenario, we actually put him in to help get the victory. So it's just how we can use him in the most effective way.

"[He's a] really talented player, and we're looking for the right moment, but he can no doubt help this team."​

 

Just over five minutes into this match I said to my son, "The Netherlands seem totally unconcerned about out ability to attack. They are just waiting to break and score." And then that's what happened. We were just totally outmatched by the Dutch.

I think Berhalter made some bad choices by not starting Carter-Vickers and Reyna. The US might not have won, but I think they would have been far more competitive. Berhalter achieved the expected result for this team in the World Cup, but I don't think he got the best out of the squad and I really hope they find someone else to lead the team.

 

I was certainly disappointed we were not more competitive against a less than spectacular Dutch side but happy our young team did what many thought they would not do, advance from the group stage. Still, I think they could have reasonably been expected to have been more competitive. At the end of a long eight years, it was tough to come to this point so offensively challenged. Sometimes one or two guys get hot at the right time, but not this time. We simply had too many midfielders and not enough strikers. I find little consolation that we’re well positioned for the next go around here in 2026. Four years is a long time in athletics.
I concur with the opinions on Reyna. He seemed to have more offensive spark and talent than anyone else on the squad. His sparse use must be scrutinized further by Berhalter’s bosses, among many other decisions. We don’t have the depth and breadth of talent to play any system we like. Any USMNT coach has to know that from the start. I think Berhalter got the roster mostly right but the tactics and adjustments…whew. Yet we still overcame them, and our weaknesses to make a decent run. The next step has to be getting past the first round of the knockout stage. The first step toward that is deciding if Berhalter is the guy who can get us there. It’s too early to determine that right now, but soon. All in all, a respectable showing by an almost all new bunch of kids, but I just wish we had been more competitive at the end. The bottom line:
three goals in four games ain’t gonna cut it. But, still a better tournament than many of us thought for our kids only a few months ago.

 

The USMNT has been stuck in this weird vortex for 20(!) years where anything but the QFs is viewed as a disappointment. When, actually, just getting out of a group is an accomplishment because of the very inequitable (read: luck) draw and bracket format. Losing in the round of 16 to the Dutch is not anything to be disappointed about.

The means may have been frustrating but going into Saturday I felt if the USMNT would advance they'd have to have the game of their lives and the Dutch play like vintage Dutch teams ie under-perform wildly. Instead, due to the tactical setup LvG employed, the Dutch did exactly what they needed to (never getting into high gear, but also never really having to absorb long bouts of pressure), whereas the USMNT played like a team that had its 4th game in 12 days with practically the same lineup while logging the "most area covered" or something similar statistic the entire tournament. I havent seen Ream with that much time on the ball since Parker was managing us in the Championship, which is what happens when there are no open lanes on the wings or outlets deeper in their half.

Overall it wasn't a terrible tournament, the mission was accomplished; but also, not that particularly memorable one?

 

What Don (and Micahman) said!
And that's exactly how it turned out. I wasn't disappointed
We played to our level