As the U.S. men's national team faces scrutiny in the wake of their disappointing exit from the Copa America, head coach Gregg Berhalter remains steadfast in his belief that he is the right person to lead the squad forward. "Yes," Berhalter responded confidently when questioned about his suitability for the role.
Challenging Group Stage
The U.S. team’s performance was lackluster, managing just one win and finishing third in Group C with three points. Uruguay emerged as the dominant force in the group, securing a perfect nine points, while Panama clinched second place with six points. A crucial 2-1 victory for Panama over the U.S. sealed the American team's fate.
The match against Panama was fraught with challenges. Timothy Weah’s red card in the 18th minute put the U.S. squad at a numerical disadvantage early on. Reflecting on the loss, Berhalter acknowledged the critical moments that defined the game. "Obviously, the loss against Panama really hurt. I think when you talk about being, 80th minute, in a good position to get a draw and get something out of the game, we didn't get it."
He further elaborated on the tactical shortcomings that cost them dearly. "When you look at that moment specifically, there's some issues there. I think in that game in particular, a low block defending, needed to improve in that moment."
Comprehensive Review
In response to the disappointing campaign, the U.S. Soccer Federation has announced plans for a comprehensive review. Berhalter recognizes the importance of such a review in understanding and addressing their shortcomings. "We're going to do a review of the whole tournament and see where we fell short. The margins are so small and there's very little separating any of these teams and you have to treat every game as the same," he stated.
Despite the setback, Berhalter commended his players' efforts and emphasized the need for consistency. "When you see the effort tonight that we put in, it's incredible. The guys did a great job. They worked extremely hard, put in a great effort against a really good team but that needs to be the standard every time we step onto the field."
Defensive Strengths and Offensive Challenges
Berhalter highlighted the team's defensive capabilities, noting their generally superior expected goals in most games. "Defensively, we're a very good team. Most games, we have higher expected goals than the opponent. We create chances, we move the ball well. To me, the whole thing is, you want to keep moving the team forward and I feel like we have."
He also pointed out the improvements in the squad's depth and the need for continued progress. "You think about the depth of the squad, the number of players that have played in games, so there's certainly improvement and we need to keep going. In my opinion, it's not something you say, 'Okay, this program's doomed.' It's not the case at all. It was a poor performance, we didn't get the results we expected and we need to get better."
Leadership Under Scrutiny
With Berhalter in his fifth year as head coach, the pressure is mounting for tangible progress. The Copa America roster boasted a significant number of players who competed in the 2022 World Cup, underscoring the team's potential. Nevertheless, the presence of three players aged 30 and older hints at an underlying challenge in balancing experience and youth development.
As the review process unfolds, Berhalter’s future with the team remains uncertain, a sentiment he appeared to acknowledge. "That's not up to me," he remarked when asked about his continuing role.
Whether Berhalter remains at the helm or not, it is clear that significant introspection and strategy refinement are necessary for the U.S. men’s national team to realize their full potential on the international stage.