Identity. What is your identity? What is your favorite team’s identity? Well, if you’re a US Men’s National Team fan, there is none.
Identity takes many forms in international soccer. Look no further than Spain’s golden generation from 2008-2012. They won three straight tournaments and played beautiful tiki-taka soccer. A possession style that fit the players they had. There is also a team like Georgia, who made it out of their Euro 2024 group playing counter-attacking soccer. Georgia was hard to break down and was lightning-quick going forward.
Both Georgia and 2010-era Spain are examples of teams that know who they are. However, maybe more importantly, fans and media know who they are and could describe how they play if asked. The US team doesn’t have this. I couldn’t describe how they play to someone.
In a must-win game against Uruguay, the US managed three shots on goal. We got worked.
This Copa America tournament was supposed to be a step forward for our team. Instead, it was a massive step back. Not only should there be a gigantic spotlight on our manager, whose name I will not type out of disgust for his performance, but also the players. Both the players and manager haven’t progressed since 2022.
The US Soccer Federation announced that they would be conducting a ‘comprehensive review,’ after last night’s result. I have no faith in the federation. Nor can they trick anyone into thinking they’re the right ones to make the decisions. However, I have decided to conduct a “thorough inspection,” of US soccer.
The Manager
He’s got to go. The end. Oh wait, was last night not enough evidence to convince you? Maybe the tragedy of an offside call was enough to make you think that if we could’ve got a draw against Uruguay things would’ve been better.
Um, yea, I have that Uruguay goal as being close to 1 foot offside. #CopaAmerica #USMNT pic.twitter.com/Bwwl1u5Sj7
— SoccerPhotogrammetry, A Nice Gentleman & nerd (@OffsideModeling) July 2, 2024
Well, here’s some damn evidence. Under this current manager (still not saying his name), this team scored five goals in six group games between the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America. For someone hailed as a manager who has an “attacking style,” that’s not much of an attacking style.
Since the World Cup loss to the Netherlands in December 2022, the US lost to Trinidad and Tobago and Panama. So much for progression.
The manager constantly preaches that the group has an incredible “togetherness.” This seems to be a common thread for both players and the manager. They will always preach this after a loss. What is that worth? Why does the manager continue to talk up how much this team likes each other? This is most likely a built-in excuse for every time something goes wrong. That’s pathetic.
Bad Tactics
A midfield of Musah–McKennie–Adams is an incredibly athletic force. Not an incredibly talented passing one. There are two strategies when an international manager takes over. Either he or she can tailor a specific approach that fits the rosters’ strengths and weaknesses. Or the manager can try and fit their style onto the roster. This manager has tried to fit a possession-based system into this roster. It doesn’t fit this roster. They don’t play any other formation other than 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. The manager also hasn’t tried to drastically change the starting eleven either.
Plain and simple, the manager (still I refuse to use his name) has failed to grow this team. However, through sorcery, magic, or some kind of witchcraft, he’s fully convinced the players he’s the right man for the job.
The Players
Put simply, on Monday night, the group of players out on that field in Kansas City let down every American. Those players have been given every opportunity to succeed from going over to Europe to receive better coaching, to being hailed as a “golden generation.” Yet, despite all this praise, they’ve let us down. Their delusion of thinking that this manager was the right guy to lead us forward shouldn’t be overlooked. Along with how we as fans have celebrated these players playing in Europe despite some not doing the “playing” part. Sitting on the bench in some European countries isn’t developing.
Fox Soccer edited this video showing Pulisic gesturing to the refs to go celebrate with the Uruguay team but cut off the beginning because they clearly are feeding off the angry sentiment 💀 pic.twitter.com/Y2p3KRBBpc
— erick 🇲🇽🇦🇷 (@AlexisVegaGOAT) July 2, 2024
The fans have coined this generation of players “golden generation”. If anything, this generation is bronze. Few of these players bar Pulisic or Antonee Robinson have reached the heights we expected. The Guardian does a top 100 footballers of the year. No US player has been featured on it in the last three seasons.
If the US ever got one of those incredible players, we could build its team and identity around them. Like Norway does with Erling Haaland or Poland around Robert Lewandowski.
There also have been really poor choices in the clubs these players have chosen. Most notably Gio Reyna went on loan to Nottingham Forest in January and played 235 Premier League minutes in five months. If I could advise this bronze generation, it’d be that maybe they should prioritize gametime over money. And fire Jorge Mendes if he’s your agent.
Glass Half-Full
The one positive US Soccer fans can take from this is this: This tournament will be fuel for every single one of the players on this roster. The deserved criticism they receive will drive them to be the best versions of themselves for their club teams over the next two years. In the words of a motivational YouTube video I click on sometimes, “My greatest moments didn’t come from my greatest moments, they came from my greatest defeats.”
Conclusion
Fire the manager. He should be fired, like every other employee in the workforce, on merit. This guy didn’t do a good enough job over the last 18 months to improve these players when they came together as a team. He deserves credit (I cannot believe I’m doing this) for switching dual-nationals such as Sergino Dest, Yunus Musah, and Folarin Balogun.
If the US does move on from their manager, they need to target someone with a plan. Whatever that plan is, it also needs to fit this roster. I don’t care if the players like this person or their identity, as long as it fits them. Anyone who has a plan for an identity for the next two years is better than what we have.
Now, I should apologize. Sorry for reading this far to find out what I believe will happen. The US will conduct this sham review and lead itself back to the conclusion that this manager is the right man to lead the US into the World Cup. Nothing will change because the guy who rehired the current manager in charge in 2023, Matt Crocker, is making this decision again. It’s frustrating being a US soccer fan at this point because there is little hope for a better future.
If you enjoyed, “The USMNT Doesn’t Have An Identity” please check out Belly Up Sports for more great content! Follow me on Twitter/X @nikgable37
Featured Image: Getty Images/Doug Zimmerman-ISI Photos
