some unwarranted thoughts from my end

by Costa Rican , the central american Jungle!, Tuesday, July 07, 2026, 10:28 (14 days ago) @ PMan

starting with disagreement on the midfields being equal. They are not. Pulisic is a really good player, but branding and the desire to have an alpha dog for the world cup elevated him to a level that he doenst have. Yes he is one of the better players for the US, but just doesn't belong in the same group at the top of the class. Belgium's #10 (forget his last name) has that wiggle and finesse to be in that group and even him is not there. So going back to the point of midfield being equal is only a mirage.

The point you guys continue to make on the development system is a critical one. When you get to this point in the WC, that extra 0.1 seconds to make a play is not there and it matters. Passes are slightly off, or you have to play it back, because ball control wasn't as fluid as it was during the initial games. Those little things players worked on for years, become muscle memory through their development years. I am not sure how the elite teams in the US manage tactics, individual technique, player position details (press, support, where to move). I know what I saw/experienced when living in the US, didn't address the things above. It is fine before 13 to almost run around the field and figure it out, but once you get to 13 and up, it is vital to address those things. Some of the individual technique does need to be done earlier. The little boy playing with a ball even by himself in the street is the seed that needs to be nurtured, for the player, not for the academy. That seems to be in a different order in the US.

I know it is tough now. The true Olympus in world football is reached by only a few. I think the US has enough passionate fans to will itself into going at least one more echelon into the WC, but it will be because the fundamentals are there, not because the economics of it will it into reality. Talk of winning the WC is too distracting to be allowed into a locker room. You do not hear it from France, Argentina, Spain, and they have the goods for it.

See you in the gold cup.