It’s time for a long, hard look in the mirror for the USMNT — that certainly goes for the players after they were beaten 2-1 by Canada in the 3rd-place game of the CONCACAF Nations League on Sunday, but it also goes for the fans.
USA 1-2 CANADA – Highlights, recap & analysis
This USMNT has told us (a number of times) exactly what they are, so how about let’s finally believe them and take them at their word actions? At this point, if you still find yourself feeling disappointed by their every failure, whose fault is that? Whose (clearly unreasonable) expectations aren’t being met? Who’s the one expecting more from them than they expect of themselves?
Same story as Copa America 2024. Same story as World Cup 2022. Changing the coach didn’t fix any of what ails the USMNT, because they themselves appear to be the problem. No one wants to hear, “Back in my day,” but back in my day, the best players on the USMNT were also the ones that were the toughest, fought the hardest and cared the most. It’ll be a real shame if this group’s greatest accomplishment in the Stars and Stripes shirt is beating up on the worst Mexican national team in recent memory en route to winning three Nations League winner’s medals, while no-showing every major tournament in which they could cement a real legacy.
Anyway, here’s some player ratings…
USMNT player ratings vs Canada — CONCACAF Nations League 3rd-place game
GK Matt Turner – 6: Pochettino probably wanted to go with someone else after the manner in which Turner gave up the winning goal against Panama on Thursday, but Zack Steffen, the presumed no. 2, was ill. At this point, the goalkeeping situation is what it is, and it’s probably best to leave it at that.
RB Joe Scally – 5.5: Came off at halftime, seemingly for a more attack-minded full back in Marlon Fossey. With Alphonso Davies leaving the game just 12 minutes in, Canada posed little threat do the U.S.’s right side.
CB Mark McKenzie – 5.5: Got completely lost when Jonathan David cut inside and fired home the winner in the second half. Much like the goalkeeper position, it’s a bit dire at the moment with so much inconsistency in terms of club and country playing time.
CB Cameron Carter-Vickers – 5.5: Ended up down on one knee after trying to make a play leading up to Canada’s first goal, but he was hardly the only one who made a regrettable decision on that play.
LB Max Arfsten – 5.5: Looked a step slow in his first real international start, but that’s to be expected. Get well soon, Jedi.
MF Tyler Adams – 5: Adams should have made some sort of play on the cross for Canada’s first goal as it was the man he was marking for which it was intended, but he lost his man with his back turned and ended up marking… Christian Pulisic. Nearly compounded one mistake (giving the ball away in midfield) with another one (a near-penalty) after chasing back and making a last-ditch challenge on the ball.
MF Weston McKennie – 5.5: Square peg, round hole. Has proven to only be effective in one particular midfield role, which should henceforth be entrusted to…
MF Diego Luna – 7: Finally, a midfielder with touch, vision and the ability to play the (difficult) pass that he sees. Did incredibly well to control the ball and keep it moving in penalty-area traffic, and picked up a deserved assist for doing so. 21 years old, so let’s pump the brakes a bit, while remaining excited (cautiously).
LW Christian Pulisic – 5.5: Picked up right where he left off against Panama (not a compliment) and very little, if any, impact on the game. Attempted just 12 passes, created zero chances and reportedly waved off a substitution after his number went up on the board so he could take one last free kick. Wore the captain’s armband in an attempt by Pochettino to rouse a response from the team’s best player. Didn’t seem to have the desired effect.
RW Tim Weah – 6: Luna will (rightly) get lots of love for his assist, but Weah played an equally important part in the sequence as he beat his man to the inside and slipped a deft through ball into space to make the whole thing possible. Strangely, he has looked better on the left than the right of late.
CF Patrick Agyemang – 6.5: He’s… totally fine, as a rotational option but clearly not The Answer. There isn’t much trickery or creativity to his game, but he’s big, strong and good on the ball when moving forward in a straight line. A bit lucky that the ball went through the goalkeeper for his goal, but sometimes you have to get lucky.
Read the full article here
