Copa America 2024 - Group C (USA, URU, PAN, BOL)

[Bringer of Jollity]

Is it really that great of a generation? The Squad is worth 346.7m compared to Uruguay's 480.1m. The expectations are way too high for this team. The reality is, that the squad has a few decent players but would get rocked by any of the big boys or even medium boys (Netherlands last WC). Expectations shouldn't be much higher than Canada's tbh since Canada has better top end players than the US does.

Folks are dazzled by how much of the roster plays in a top 5/top 8 league in Europe, though I think the opportunities, acceptance, and support for such moves are vastly improved for American players compared to 10 or 20 years ago (e.g. it doesn't mean as much as it would suggest).

We only really have 1, maybe 2 guys that are impact players at top squads, and starters that probably wouldn't make the bench of some nations. It should be enough to get by Panama with regularity, but not so much that even Concacaf should be expected to be a regular cakewalk.

 

[red devil]

Terrible look.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807981708190367888

The ref was absolute shit in this game and didn't know what he was doing

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807990324301586777

 

[WTG]

The ref was absolute shit in this game and didn't know what he was doing

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807990324301586777

I love the comments that Pulisic was actually "telling them to get in the circle." As if it didn't come off as him screaming and throwing a tantrum. Regardless of what he's saying, the way he's saying it is completely disrespectful and I completely understand why the ref wouldn't want to shake his hand.

 

[Wedontneedroads]

Regardless of what Pulisic said or gestured, the ref still refused to shake his hand. Really bad look for an impartial official. Check your emotions, shake his hand, and move on. Instead, they both looked like petulant children.

This ref should never see another senior tournament game, but neither should Berhalter.

The refs are far from the reason the US is out of the tournament.

 

[WTG]

Regardless of what Pulisic said or gestured, the ref still refused to shake his hand. Really bad look for an impartial official. Check your emotions, shake his hand, and move on. Instead, they both looked like petulant children.

This ref should never see another senior tournament game, but neither should Berhalter.

The refs are far from the reason the US is out of the tournament.

This isn't a "both sides are bad" scenario, Pulisic is acting like a child and the ref simply refused to shake his hand. If someone yells and makes aggressive gestures at you would you then go and shake someone's hand and even pretend to have respect for each other?

If Pulisic wanted respect he should have acted respectfully.

 

[Wedontneedroads]

This isn't a "both sides are bad" scenario, Pulisic is acting like a child and the ref simply refused to shake his hand. If someone yells and makes aggressive gestures at you would you then go and shake someone's hand and even pretend to have respect for each other?

If Pulisic wanted respect he should have acted respectfully.

This is absolutely a both sides were bad scenario. Why was Pulisic making gestures at the ref in the first place? Because the ref was atrocious.

Nobody is arguing Pulisic acted maturely. The point is the ref acted just as immaturely. How can that ref ever be impartial in a future game with Pulisic if he can’t even shake his hand after a game? Poor form from both of them, but I expect more from officials. Players are always complaining, and that’s not going to change. You can deal with it well as a ref, or you can’t. This ref was completely overwhelmed by this game.

If I was in that scenario I would have absolutely shook his hand and said something simple like “We will both be better next time”. It’s really not that hard.

 

[WTG]

This is absolutely a both sides were bad scenario. Why was Pulisic making gestures at the ref in the first place? Because the ref was atrocious.

Nobody is arguing Pulisic acted maturely. The point is the ref acted just as immaturely. How can that ref ever be impartial in a future game with Pulisic if he can’t even shake his hand after a game? Poor form from both of them, but I expect more from officials. Players are always complaining, and that’s not going to change. You can deal with it well as a ref, or you can’t.

If I was in that scenario I would have absolutely shook his hand and said something simple like “We will both be better next time”. It’s really not that hard.

So Pulisic is justified to act like a child but the ref isn't justified to not shake his hand?

Saying that a refusal to shake someone's hand and aggressively commanding/gesturing/yelling at officials to come to the centre are somehow the same is like saying that shitting in the toilet and shitting on the carpet is the same.

 

[Wedontneedroads]

So Pulisic is justified to act like a child but the ref isn't justified to not shake his hand?

Saying that a refusal to shake someone's hand and aggressively commanding/gesturing/yelling at officials to come to the centre are somehow the same is like saying that shitting in the toilet and shitting on the carpet is the same.

That Pulisic is justified is what you got out of all this? Can’t help you if that’s your level of reading comprehension.

That’s an…interesting analogy…

 

[luiginb]

After all this "greatest generation" talk from US fans I did a little experiment, using fbref and transfermarkt, so this is the closest comparable 11 in world football to what the US started against Uruguay (I couldn't find a comparable for Adams' play as he played very little this year)

Jeremias Conan Ledesma

Rasmus Kristensen
Teden Mengi
Anthony Jung
Neco Williams

Vitaly Janelt
Samuele Ricci
Tyler Adams

Mykhaylo Mudryk
Elye Wahi
Marcus Tavernier

Not that impressive now, is it? US players might be a bit overrated.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

This website has a hard on for the Transfermarkt gimmick. Its hardly a metric to judge a players talent on.

Although I agree the US players are a nothing burger.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

If Berhalter actually cared about the USMNT and not himself, he would have resigned after the game last night.

The team has gone backwards under his guidance.

 

[TLEH]

No, he didn't. Uruguay took a quick free kick. He blew it dead and then a Uruguay player placed it down and then the play continued.

There were multiple angles where this was shown but again, the amateur broadcast didn't understand what was going on or was malicious. Should he have allowed them to take that free kick so quickly? Probably not. But that's different than "letting them play advantage."

Well yes they played it quick but if you watch him hold his hands forward it’s almost like advantage. Either way I’ve never seen someone pull a yellow and then just allow that.

He blew the whistle to stop play for the yellow, which then required a whistle to restart play. He then allows them to take it quick, not from the foul spot, and without a whistle to restart.

I mean no one is sitting here saying they lost because of the ref, it’s just comically bad officiating.

 

[Tryamw]

If we had scored the allowed goal would be a bigger issue. But we didn't so it isn't.
The reffing in this tournament was objectively bad against the US but the US didn't deserve to advance.
Hop this is it for GGG.

 

[robertmac43]

Pulisic threw a tantrum at the ref when he wasn't even close to fouled late in the game - probably the main reason why.

Sure, but then he sucks it up and goes to shake your hand.... Put the game aside and do it.

This video edits it out but he tells the referees to go celebrate with Uruguay. So that’s why.

Oh boy didn't see that. More understandable now.

Watching now - not a great look:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808110556248744268

 

[Brief Candle]

I'd be lying if I didn't say I was pulling for my "cousins" Uruguay, last night. However, I will say this: I am MONUMENTALLY impressed with how well USA played. They dominated last night, and by all rights deserved the win. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them play. Exciting, no long ball bullshit. Proper football.

With that said, I think the system here is the problem, and needs a very drastic shift. Consider this: virtually every member of the Argentine national team would have gone unnoticed here because they couldn't afford to pay for academy football. Not only that, in true American fashion, it's an old boys club in the upper echelon of management.

Berhalter NEEDS to go. They need to hire someone with significant experience at the international level. Someone that can transform the system here from the top down. You have the talent now to do some serious damage. They just need someone to reign that in and give it shape.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Did anyone really believe this though? The top CONCACAF teams are not in the same stratosphere as the top CONMEBOL teams, not close. The bottom tier like Chile and Peru? Sure. Ecuador is like the demarcation point. Columbia and above? LOL no.

Yeah but this Uruguay team isn't all that good. They don't look any better than a team like Serbia. There's no Luis Suarez on this team that could elevate them. The U.S. didn't go out against Brazil or Argentina here.

But if we're entirely honest - the U.S. lost the group against Panama and that's the game that Berhalter should get fired for. At this point that's the sort of game the U.S. - in their self-image - should be able to manage pretty professionally. Instead it turns into a disaster and suddenly you have a must win game against a team that - even if it is no longer close to a Tier 1 side - most definitely has the experience and skill to eke out a result when they need it.

 

[bluesfan94]

If a ref can't handle Pulisic yelling at him and then offering to shake his hand, that ref probably isn't cut out for CONMEBOL matches

 

[Karterthadon]

Yeah but this Uruguay team isn't all that good. They don't look any better than a team like Serbia. There's no Luis Suarez on this team that could elevate them. The U.S. didn't go out against Brazil or Argentina here.

But if we're entirely honest - the U.S. lost the group against Panama and that's the game that Berhalter should get fired for. At this point that's the sort of game the U.S. - in their self-image - should be able to manage pretty professionally. Instead it turns into a disaster and suddenly you have a must win game against a team that - even if it is no longer close to a Tier 1 side - most definitely has the experience and skill to eke out a result when they need it.

Uruguay have 5 players who are leaps and bound better than anything the USA have on their roster.

That said, Panama is indeed where things went south and this is mostly on Weah who got himself sent off in very stupid fashion. They beat a trash team they were supposed to beat and lost to a team they were probably never beating.

But Berhalter should definitely get shit-canned, not making it pass the group stages of a tournament that you're hosting, there's no way you a coach should survive that.

 

[sabremike]

If a ref can't handle Pulisic yelling at him and then offering to shake his hand, that ref probably isn't cut out for CONMEBOL matches

You know what that referee reminded me of: that episode of Father Ted where Dougal is put in charge of running a mass with predictable results.

 

[al secord]

After all this "greatest generation" talk from US fans I did a little experiment, using fbref and transfermarkt, so this is the closest comparable 11 in world football to what the US started against Uruguay (I couldn't find a comparable for Adams' play as he played very little this year)

Jeremias Conan Ledesma

Rasmus Kristensen
Teden Mengi
Anthony Jung
Neco Williams

Vitaly Janelt
Samuele Ricci
Tyler Adams

Mykhaylo Mudryk
Elye Wahi
Marcus Tavernier

Not that impressive now, is it? US players might be a bit overrated.

Janelt is a world beater.

 

[robertmac43]

They dominated last night, and by all rights deserved the win. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them play. Exciting, no long ball bullshit. Proper football.

Dominated? They had 3 shots on target and didn't look threatening until a last gasp attack in the 87th minute. I saw that game as even with maybe a slight edge to Uruguay.

 

[Power Man]

People are gonna blame the coach even though the team isn’t just gold enough lol

 

[Ben Grimm]

USMNT’s Copa América flop should cost Gregg Berhalter his job. Will it?

U.S. Soccer surely must hold Berhalter accountable for the program’s stagnation. And even if the stagnation isn’t entirely Berhalter’s fault, it now seems clear that replacing him would raise the USMNT’s ceiling ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[TLEH]

Uruguay is actually pretty good. Araujo, Valverde, Nunez are leaps and bounds better than any player we have. Ugarte, Bentancur, de la Cruz, Arrascaeta..these are really solid players as well. They may not have great depth but they definitely have a better team than the US. This was essentially a nothing game for them and they didn't really give up much. I thought the US was definitely the better team in the first half but the second half did literally nothing.

Obviously as others have said, the Panama game was where this went south and that shouldn't be a loss, even with Weah being selfish and taking a red.

 

[Brief Candle]

Dominated? They had 3 shots on target and didn't look threatening until a last gasp attack in the 87th minute. I saw that game as even with maybe a slight edge to Uruguay.

I don't agree. They pressed the play. What I kept saying last night was that they lacked better decision making in the final third. Maybe I'm being too generous. I dunno. I AM extremely impressed with the progression here, though. A long way to go still to be a major world threat, but they are headed in the right direction. I was extremely underwhelmed with Uruguay last night, and to be honest, expected a lot more from them.

Uruguay is actually pretty good. Araujo, Valverde, Nunez are leaps and bounds better than any player we have. Ugarte, Bentancur, de la Cruz, Arrascaeta..these are really solid players as well. They may not have great depth but they definitely have a better team than the US. This was essentially a nothing game for them and they didn't really give up much. I thought the US was definitely the better team in the first half but the second half did literally nothing.

Obviously as others have said, the Panama game was where this went south and that shouldn't be a loss, even with Weah being selfish and taking a red.

Weah bot being there hurt them big time. I think if he was on the pitch, we'd have maybe have had a different game on our hands. What a stupid way to miss a game.

Uruguay is actually pretty good. Araujo, Valverde, Nunez are leaps and bounds better than any player we have. Ugarte, Bentancur, de la Cruz, Arrascaeta..these are really solid players as well. They may not have great depth but they definitely have a better team than the US. This was essentially a nothing game for them and they didn't really give up much. I thought the US was definitely the better team in the first half but the second half did literally nothing.

Obviously as others have said, the Panama game was where this went south and that shouldn't be a loss, even with Weah being selfish and taking a red.

De La Cruz is my favorite out of the bunch for what should be fairly obvious reason (my picture on here). Nunez is gnarly. It's a damn good squad.