Over and done, the 2022 cycle is over, all that is left for the USMNT and the Gregg Berhalter era is the World Cup in Qatar. If the final two preparation games are any indication of what could happen in Qatar, then the United States are in a lot of trouble.
Against Japan and Saudi Arabia, two below par World Cup opponents, the USMNT struggled to create chances, take a shot on goal, and more troubling the team could not string 4 to 5 key passes together. A far cry from the build out the back premise Gregg Berhalter has been trying to sell on podcasts, interviews, and post-game press conferences.
A heavily inexperienced side will now have to produce something against Wales in their opening match at the FIFA World Cup to have any hope of qualifying to the round of 16. In four years the USMNT may have found a backbone but never produced a consistent or coherent style of play.
Not all can be put on Gregg Berhalter
While Gregg Berhalter can be blamed for being extremely and at times overly stubborn to his system, a style of play that never appeared in friendlies, Nations League, Gold Cup, or World Cup qualifying, some of the ‘blame’ lies on circumstance.
Gio Reyna (Getty Images)
The coach could never field for 4 games straight his ideal starting XI, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Tim Weah have all missed substantial and critical game time due to injuries. Now Berhalter, who can be blamed for not adapting his team properly, must rely on a sort of click come the World Cup, something that looks improbable.
Playing out of the back will not work at the World Cup
While playing out of the back looks interesting on paper given the talent of the USMNT squad, believing the USMNT can go toe to toe with teams like England, France, Uruguay, or Germany given how they have played over the last three years is naive.
Tyler Adams (Getty Images)
The USMNT, not even in Concacaf, was able to play three games straight where Berhalter’s system was effective. The coach during key World Cup qualifying games was often adjusting mistakes made at the start of the game and while the US grinded out results, a style of play was usually wanting and never fully developed. The best of the Berhalter era were games against Mexico in World Cup qualifying and friendlies against Morocco and Uruguay.
Iran’s bunker and intelligent counter attacking performance against Uruguay will give the USMNT a lot of trouble as the team has struggled greatly to break higher level defenses down.
Never finding answers to key questions
The fact that Berhalter never built his system around a solid striker or go-to striker in three years is completely on the coach and some of the players. The coach cannot be faulted in the dips in form of Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, and Matthew Hoppe who better suited his system.
Ricardo Pepi (Getty Images)
Still Jordan Pefok has had consistent club scoring form for over two years and was hardly used by the coach. To a lesser extent Haji Wright, who seemed to have paired well with Pulisic against Morocco and scores goals for his club was inexplicably not in consideration for these last two round of games and has only 3 caps to his name during the coach’s whole process.
Central defense has been an issue of concern for the team with Walker Zimmerman finding his place, rightfully so, in the starting XI but never finding a proper partner or looking comfortable playing out of the back. Cameron Carter-Vickers, Tim Ream, and Chris Richards look better suited to play alongside the Nashville defender, but the coach has insisted, mostly due to injuries, with Aaron Long who has been poor in the coach’s play out the back system. Mark McKenzie and Erik Palmer-Brown will be understudies or not make the squad at all come final rosters.
Slowing down at the wrong time
The USMNT is hitting a wall at the worst possible moment, prior to the World Cup, an optimistic view of the situation would be to say they are getting their bad performances out of the way before the tournament.
Another is the lifeless approach to the matches when players are playing for their World Cup spots. If Berhalter was able to find conclusions from these matches it would be surprising as not one player covered themselves in glory for the exception of Matt Turner in goal.
Nonetheless most of the team that will go to the World Cup is set in stone, with the biggest question at striker, at this point and after three years’ worth of games, Berhalter will have to rely on his gut against Wales than any body of work during that time.
The saving grace of an acceptable draw
Given the USMNT in three years has seldom played to their best, or maybe this is their best, a favorable draw at the World Cup is the national team’s glimmer of hope. Wales have not won a match in their last five matches and are on a three-game losing streak. Wales is the opponent where the USMNT World Cup chances hinge, a draw or defeat to Wales would be the death nail for the USMNT.
Gareth Bale of Wales (Getty Images)
England have also not won in six matches, but the quality of opponents is different. England have played Italy, Germany with respectable results but were bested by Hungary twice. In their last match the Three Lions drew 3-3 against Germany, much more inspiring heading to the World Cup. Despite their struggles, England should win the group.
Iran is a wildcard, but given their performance against Uruguay, they could take something from England and could realistically play the USMNT qualified for the second round of the tournament. Iran know they are the “whipping” boy of the group and have found a system to counter that with a disciplined and organized backline and a capable striker in Mehdi Taremi.
What the players need to do now
Players above everything else need to stay healthy, seeing Gio Reyna be subbed at the 30-minute mark against Saudi Arabia is worrying and troubling. Being consistent in Europe for the main faces will be key in heading to the World Cup fresh. Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, and McKennie are all struggling to be on the field consistently with their clubs with McKennie being the one best positioned to start week in and week out and seen as a favorite byhis coach.
Weston McKennie (Getty Images)
If Brenden Aaronson continues his great run of form in the Premier League, then it will be hard press to keep the winger/midfielder out of the starting lineup in Qatar if players like Reyna and Weah are bit players for their clubs.
What is an acceptable World Cup for the USMNT?
Christian Pulisic (Getty Images)
If getting to the round of 16 is seen as acceptable, then what Golden Generation of USMNT soccer players are we talking about, if the program is still okay with just getting out of the group?
The stars could align, it is realistically feasible that the USMNT can get to the quarterfinals given Group A has beatable opponents as well. If the program does get to the quarterfinals, then the US Soccer Federation must truly ask themselves if Gregg Berhalter is the right man to lead the program to the 2026 World Cup where the USMNT is expected to make a deep run.
For now, after four years, two continental championships, and grinding out results with a +78-goal differential on paper Gregg Berhalter could claim he has been “successful”. Even though he never delivered on what he promised to make the USMNT fluid and intelligent tactically.
