We had Bielsa or Martino available during this cycle. I hope the US moves on regardless if they advance.
I don't get attached to coaches, so I don't much care who coaches. I can see why people would criticize the USMNT for possession without a purpose, although, to my eyes, GB and staff are encouraging a more aggressive form of possession play and the players are just inconsistent at delivering.
I think, in some qualifiers like against Mexico, that aggressive attacking possession style was on display. But in some other games, like on Monday, where opponents test the patience of our backs and mids, the players stall out against teams that recover back to defend mostly in their own half. We lack players in the midfield who
consistently demonstrate the kind of creativity to unbalance organized defenses.
IMO, Reyna is the one the guy who can do that consistently while on the ball against good competition, with McKennie capable of doing so, but only inconsistently. The other mids can do it via incisive passing, but again, not super consistently and not so much when on the ball.
To me, the most obviously missing component of the USMNT play, even when they have good games, is the near total lack of small group combination play (wall passes, overlaps, one-twos, takeovers, etc.). Our D was doing some of that to beat high pressure when M Robinson was healthy. But our mids and forwards? Not so much. I don't understand why not because it's just fundamental soccer. It's baffling to me.
Anyway, I think the USMNT is finally close to being able to field a national team deep enough w/talent and skill and international experience to play a quality game of soccer against the best competition in the world. So I hope whomever the US might get to replace GB continues to encourage quality play and creativity versus going backwards to the ugly style of prior USMNT teams which was entirely based on long balls, set pieces, and brutish physical play.