With games like this – friendlies in the January camp – you have to take everything with a grain of salt. That said, our competitive spirit means we want to win. That clearly didn’t happen. The US was completely outplayed by a novice Serbian squad, containing none of its World Cup contingent. To be fair, many of the US players were either uncapped, teenagers, or both as well. If we’re being honest, the expectations should have been low. Combine inexperience with precious limited practice time, throw in an unmitigated disaster of caretaker manager, and you get what you got today. Defeat. Not all is lost however. There were some moments of brightness, reasons for optimism, and perhaps even glimpses of guys who might play more meaningful roles with the national team in the future.

Before get into it, as per the usual we use a ten point rating system, with half points issued when I can’t make up my mind. In case you were wondering, there are no zeros, though they might have been appropriate for a couple of the guys. Ok, without further ado.

LB Jonathan Gomez – 6.0

One of the few bright spots today. No shortage of energy and effort with this fella. He’s a liability on defense but marauding up the left wing, he constantly had the Serbian defense on its heels. Let down a couple times by a brick-footed first touch, and a couple of others by Cade Cowell (more on him later) choosing poorly in distribution, he could have had more of an impact on the game. Certainly nothing to be ashamed of though.

LCB Jalen Neal – 4.0

What a mixed bag. The LA Galaxy youngster looks absolutely splendid on the ball. Firm, accurate passes. Confident in possession. Positive in his intent. He was fun to watch… parts of him anyway. Now for the bad. If you’re a center back, you can’t be blundering the ball away in the defensive third… which he did twice, once leading directly to a goal. He’s an absolute oil spill on defense at this point. He’s just 19, and may get a bunch of experience in the upcoming MLS season, but let’s get another look at him in two years.

RCB Walker Zimmerman – 3.0

Supposed to be the veteran presence among the youth. Was mostly anonymous, which isn’t always the worst thing for a center back, but he was directly to blame for Serbia’s equalizer, abandoning his post in the wall just as the shot was taken. Failed to keep an organized back line. His partner Neal’s passing was far more positive, not to mention accurate. One to forget for the World Cup veteran.

RB Julian Gressel – 5.0

Hit a beautiful cross right onto the dome of Brandon Vazquez for the US opener. That’s about where the positives end. Got turned inside out too easily on several Serbian attacks on his wing. Generally positioned himself well, but didn’t look at all capable of winning a one on one battle. He’s a marvelous MLS player but the international stage is just too big for him, based solely (and possibly unfairly) on this one performance.

LM Paxton Pomykal – 2.5

The Dallas FC veteran, which sounds funny to say because he’s only 23, doesn’t belong on an international pitch, even in a friendly. Consistently slow to react, second to 50/50 balls, uninventive in possession – what else is there to say? He’s a perfectly adequate MLS player – and maybe some of his rough performance is just not knowing the system – but I can’t imagine him seeing another minute for the USMNT in any scenario. Which probably means Hudson gives him 90 against Colombia.

CM Aidan Morris – 6.5

Another one of the few bright spots for the US. Most people have no idea who he is, mainly because he plays in Columbus. But there’s some real ability here. Absent a traditional holding midfielder – a role generally inhabited by the outstanding Tyler Adams – Morris was left to absorb a lot of those responsibilities. And while he didn’t look great defending, he was a force pushing the ball forward. Distributed nicely as well as intelligently, and had a suberb strike from 22 yards kept out by a very nice save from the Serbian goalkeeper.

RM Alan Sonora – 3.5

Could be even lower but we give marks for effort here. Scuppered several attacking opportunities for the US by being out of position, with a shitty first touch, or simply losing possession. I had hopes for him. Not high ones, necessarily, but considering his club pedigree, a better performance wouldn’t have been a shock. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Another guy who probably shouldn’t be invited back.

LF Cade Cowell – 7.5

Easily the man of the match for the US. Was at the center of about 80% of the US’ attacking threats. Hit the woodwork twice in a span of minutes in the second half, and fired a curling effort narrowly wide in the first. Could have conceivably had a hat trick, was savagely unlucky to not have at least one goal, and ultimately had zero. The future is bright for him though. On the negative side, on multiple occasions he either simply missed an overlapping, surging Gomez on his left or elected to force a pass into a more congested space. He’s marvelously talented, and always open it seems, but you have to also make the right choices. Given time, I would think, he will.

CF Brandon Vazquez – 5.0

Well, he scored a goal on a marvelous header. Other than that, he did jack shit. Also took a goal right off the foot of Julian Gressel as the Serbian defense fumbled their way around a US corner. Hard to get too mad at him for that since a center forward’s job is to be greedy around the net… but he literally did nothing apart from the goal. Maybe he had… what, a dozen touches total? Only one of them good. But hey, a goal is a goal.

RF Alejandro Zendejas – 5.5

It took him a half, but he grew into the game. Got himself out of position a bunch early on, which jacked up the US formation in transition and congested the field. On the plus side, showed some real ambition in the second half. The final product needs some work, and he was unlucky not to win a penalty in the second half (announcer Kyle Martino, a former US international himself, said the referee got the no call correctly, but the slow motion replay showed a clear foul, even if it wasn’t an egregious one). We haven’t seen the last of him.

The Substitutes

Aaron Long – 4.5

Came on for Zimmerman into the heart of the US defense. Let’s just throw it out there. He isn’t good enough. Another guy who isn’t out of place at all in MLS, but put him against quality opposition and he’s a liability. To his credit, he came forward on all set pieces and attacked them well. Just didn’t get anhy results out of it.

Matthew Hoppe – 1.5

Came on for Vazquez. Just useless. From Bundesliga hat trick scorer to… what even is he now? I can’t imagine he’ll last even at Middlesboro.

Kellyn Acosta – 2.0

I had come nearly all the way around on Acosta after initially praying for his banishment from the national squad. From playing brilliantly in World Cup qualifying, to acquitting himself well in somewhat limited time at the big tournament, what wasn’t to like? To start, today. His trademark excellence at set pieces was nowhere to be seen (how the fuck do you smash a cross right into a one man wall?) and from open play he either underhit or overjuiced nearly every one of his passes. Just a sinkhole of a performance form him.

Eryk Williamson – 5.0

Williamson is an interesting one. He’s a hard worker and a tremendous athlete, and immensely popular with Portland Timbers fans. He was unlucky to see a fizzing effort from 20 plus yards go narrowly over, and generally had a more positive impact than negative. The problem with him is, he’s already 25, and the finer points (first touch, passing, etc.) are lacking in his game. He will probably get some more minutes against Colombia, and he earned them, but he’s not one for the future really.

DeJuan Jones – 4.5

Came on for Gressel. He actually looks to be an interesting prospect. Had one unforgiveable turnover in defense and was lucky it didn’t result in a goal. You simply can’t do that as a defender. But showed real gumption getting forward, and fired no less than four dangerous crosses in from the right wing. He’s one we’ll need to see more of, and if the defensive brainfart was the aberration rather than the norm, there’s a future for him. We saw the God awful Shaq Moore get World Cup minutes, after all.

Paul Arriola – 6.0

Did his usual bit. Worked hard. Ran hard. Wasted a glorious opportunity by rolling his shot tamely at the keeper. Also had a much better effort kept out by a brilliant save. And importantly, made all the right runs on attack. They generally didn’t work out because he was relying on the likes of the hapless Matt Hoppe to provide some service to him, but nonetheless, quality showing from the popular and dependable veteran.

Coach Anthony Hudson – 5.0

In history, and I mean since these things were tracked for coaches, no coach has a more futile record than Hudson. He’s literally never had success as a coach, anywhere he’s coached. That’s fucking impressive, in its own way. So no, keep this man far away from the full time job. That said, not a ton to lambast him over. The formation was fine. He gave minutes to some guys we needed to see. But, as they say, results matter and they lost. Additionally, it would have been nice to see Paxten Aaronson get in the game…and John Tolkin too… and while we’re at it, Emmanuel Sabbi.

Did we get it wrong? Right? Indifferent? Let us know on Twitter @thestainsports. Thanks for reading.

Sadly, and to me, unexpectedly, the USA’s run in the World Cup came to a crushing end today with a 3-1 defeat to The Netherlands. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a big surprise, but with an aging Holland team that had a flu bug raging through its ranks versus a young and athletic USA team, I fully expected the USA to win today. Alas, it didn’t happen.

Before we get into the ratings, here’s what we learned today.

The USA desperately needs a center forward, and there’s nobody currently in the player pool who looks the part. Josh Sargent is ok and works hard, but that’s about it. Jesus Ferreira is what he is, which is great against poor competition and anonymous against any sort of quality. Haji Wright is just a guy, and while he got a goal today, it’s unlikely he knew much about it. Unless you have someone, ideally more than just one, at the 9 who can be a consistent threat, all this possession the US can dominate is pretty meaningless. Tim Weah can play the 9, and probably be servicable, but it’s not his best position by a long stretch. We need to develop a center forward. Period, full stop.

Tyler Adams is human.

This team will never achieve its full potential with Gregg Berhalter as coach. And while the man deserves some credit for getting the team qualified, something his predecessors could not do for 2018, he has a long enough track record at offensive ineptness that expecting change at this point is insanity.

Matt Turner is world class goalie. You can win a World Cup with him.

There’s more, but we’ll get into it in greater detail with the individual ratings, which as always will include a half point scoring system because… reasons.

GK Matt Turner – 7.0

Pretty wild ride for Turner this tourney, but he was mostly excellent. He’s still an adventure with the ball at his feet, and at least once a game (he did it again today) he will have an awful touch or make some wildly unnecessary dribble. But the man can stop shots. He couldn’t have done a thing about any of the three goals scored by The Netherlands today, and made three solid saves to keep his team in it. There’s still a ton of upside with Turner and if Arsenal gives him a chance to play more often, he should be even better in 2026. In international circles the US has been largely known for excellent goalkeeping and there’s no reason to think that should change with Turner now the clear cut number 1.

LB Antonee Robinson – 3.5

Shockingly bad today. He’s still quite the talent and we shouldn’t make any rash judgments on his future on one bad performance. After all, Denzel Dumfries is an extraordinary player, but when the guy you’re essentially in charge of has a hand in all three goals your defense allows, you didn’t do your job. He still tried hard, ran forward and tried to create, which is nice. And his final balls into the box were better than they usually are, but when you’re a defender, you’ll be judged first on your defense, and his was woefully lacking today. Leaving Dumfries entirely alone at the far post for Holland’s third was criminal.

CB Tim Ream – 6.5

Just a brilliant tournament from the veteran Fulham captain. Smart in possession and accurate with his passes, he showed a steadiness in a massive game that was missing from his younger compatriots. His lack of footspeed got exposed a few times on Netherlands long balls into space, but he recovered each time into solid position. You’d like to see him actually get to the ball first, but speed isn’t something you can teach. In any case, if he’s still playing at age 39 when the World Cup comes back around again, it’s not crazy to think he might be one of the center backs for the US.

CB Walker Zimmerman – 6.5

Probably his best game of the tournament. Notably, he played smartly in one on one situations that could result in penalties pretty easily in the case of an unwise challenge. Despite their win, The Netherlands were entirely ineffective on set pieces and that’s largely due to Zim’s dominance in the air.

RB Sergino Dest – 5.0

Holland did little on their left flank and he too made wise decisions in one on one situations. But while he’s usually a menace on the right wing, he offered little in attack. Emblematic of his game was when he had a clear shot on goal from about 22 yards away and it ended up in a throw in. For the Netherlands. It would have taken a remarkable shot to score from that distance, especially with the excellent Andries Noppert in goal, but when you take a shot that’s meant to score… and it ends up being a throw in for the opposite team… dude…

CM Tyler Adams – 2.5

Woof. The captain and fearless leader of this team turned in a performance to forget. Not sure if it was fatigue or what, but Memphis Depay’s opener was from his office, the backbreaking second from Daley Blind was from almost the exact same spot. There’s not much else to say. Both goals were preventable with responsible defense and he wasn’t there to do it.

CM Yunus Musah – 5.0

Rendered mostly ineffective by Holland’s strategic defensive posture, you didn’t hear his name called enough. He didn’t do a ton wrong, but you’d like to see a creative player like him make some adjustments and utilize the spaces he’s given. It didn’t happen today, but he wasn’t awful.

CM Weston McKennie – 5.5

You can copy paste Musah’s summary above. Played a nice ball in to Pulisic on which he should have scored in the third minute but otherwise accomplished little, though not for lack of effort. Exhausted after an hour, was subbed off. Not a knock on him, he came into the tournament short on match fitness and gave it his best.

LF Christian Pulisic – 5.0

Spurned a golden opportunity to open the US accounts in the third minute by firing straight into Noppert’s leg when alone through on goal. You just have to score there, especially when your team doesn’t create much in terms of quality chances. Moreover, he found himself with space to shoot on several occasions, but rolled the ball harmlessly into Noppert’s gloves. It would be unfair to say he was poor, and the effort was once again there, but someone had to provide a spark and it wasn’t him.

RF Tim Weah – 5.0

Utilized space on the right wing well, but time after time was unable to provide a useful ball into the box. Overall there’s grounds for huge optimism for Weah’s future on the USMNT, and he should be everpresent. Today just wasn’t his day, though like most of his teammates, it wasn’t for lack of trying.

CF Jesus Ferreira – 1.5

Did nothing. And I mean nothing. As a Ferreira truther of sorts, I took this personally. Should have some work to do before wearing the US shirt again. Subbed off at half time, which was probably 44 minutes too late.

SUBS

Haji Wright – 5.5

Well, he got a goal, though it was pure luck. Should have had one before after smartly intercepting a back pass, but an abysmal first touch around Noppert put him too far towards the end line and his tame attempt on goal was easily cleared. There may be something there with Wright but for now, he’s a work in progress and if the US was going to advance farther than they did, they need better from the center forward position.

Gio Reyna – 5.0

Came on at halftime for Ferreira. While his paucity of minutes this tournament will be a subject of debate for quite some time, I imagine, he didn’t do a lot with his opportunity. He’s definitely a threat when he’s on the ball, and we saw that today, but the final quality – stop me if you’ve heard this before – was missing. Body language is also an issue. He tends to pout and slouch when the ball gets turned over rather than hustling back. That’s a problem.

Brenden Aaronson – 5.0

Came on for Weah. You’ll never fault the effort. And his rating today is purely on that. He will run relentlessly, and moreover, plug passing lanes on defense with admirable commitment. The problem is, a player of his profile needs to be offensively effective. He just isn’t good enough to beat guys one on one. He won’t run at anyone and try to win a penalty. His passing isn’t good. And that’s what we saw today. He may one day be good enough to be an international midfielder, but we aren’t there yet, and the hype train needs to pull the air brake.

DeAndre Yedlin – 5.0

Look, it’s not his fault that when in desperate need of a goal, Berhalter replaced the offensively capable Dest with the rugged and defensively inclined Yedlin. Did well recovering on the wing when the US threw resources forward, but as one of those resources, we again saw why he is still without a goal in 80something games as a US international. That’s fine. He’s a perfectly viable defender on the international level. Just not who you needed today.

Jordan Morris – N/A

Wasn’t out there long enough to calculate any rating of meaning. But in the few minutes he got, he ran hard, as he always does. After all he’s been through with injuries, it was nice to see him get a few minutes here and there this tournament. It’s hard to imagine he’ll be on the roster in 2026, but he’s an easy guy to cheer for.

Coach Gregg Berhalter – 4.0

It’s always easy to point fingers after a loss. Scapegoat. Call for heads, etc. Starting Ferreira today was a gamble, and it didn’t pay off. That’s ok, he pulled the sub string at halftime. Here’s the brass tacks. If you blame him for the team’s offensive ineptness at scoring goals, you would be well within your rights. You would also, however, have to give him some credit for their defensive excellence in this tournament. And if not for an uncharacteristically poor game from their excellent captain today, it could have been 1-1 after 90 minutes. But the bottom line is, he just lacks imagination. For Christ’s sake, needing to score, he replaced the offensive minded Dest with the defensive minded Yedlin. This team needs to score goals. And his coaching track record is flush with leading teams that struggle to score. Give him credit for what he got done. He got the team here. He got them through the group stage. But this is as far as they’ll ever get with him at the helm. A change is needed.

Thanks for reading.

The USA overcame a nervy close and brutal mismanagement from Gregg Berhalter after a dominant start to advance out of the group stages in the World Cup. Their reward, a round of 16 battle with a talented, but also beatable Netherlands team. You know, had someone told me before the games began – hell, before the GROUPS were picked – that the US would advance to the knockout stages, I’d have signed on the dotted line. Wouldn’t care how they got there, who they beat, who they lost to, etc. Or after the groups were announced, I wouldn’t care that they drew against Wales, easily the weakest team of the group. Or that they looked like the better team for much of their draw against England, easily the group’s powerhouse. Or that it took a nervy finish against a tough and resilient Iran squad. It’s weird that I care now.

Anyway, I digress. Let’s take a look at our individual performers and (barf) the coach from today’s game. As always, a half point scoring system will be used because I feel like it.

GK Matt Turner – 5.0

I wouldn’t say that Turner made any huge errors, but after two games in which he was solid, authoritative, decisive, a little nuts, and mostly confidence inspiring, he just seemed unsure of himself today. Especially late on, it seemed he could have come for a couple crosses, marshalled his back line more effectively and be more assured of his positioning. Hey, a clean sheet is a clean sheet and he deserves some credit for that, but he will hope for a more commanding performance against the Netherlands.

LB Antonee Robinson – 8.0

This might be his coming out party as one of the world’s best left backs. Fulham, I suspect, will be getting some calls in January. Once again he was a terror all along the left wing, and once again he was virtually unbeatable as a defender. And before you say anything regarding the quality of opponent, Iran is much better than you think they are, and even if they weren’t, then he did what he was supposed to do anyway. As always the caveat with him is that his final ball is poor, and there was nothing today to indicate it wasn’t, hence the 8.0 instead of even better.

CB Tim Ream – 7.0

I’ve seen enough. He’ll be 39 when the 2026 World Cup is hosted in North America and I’m ready to name him to the squad there already. You didn’t hear his name much today, but that was game script rather than anonymity. No mistakes. The right play every time. Held firm in the dying moments. He isn’t the captain here like he is at Fulham, but he’s a veteran leader and he’s acting and playing like it. Another good one from him.

CB Cameron Carter-Vickers – 6.5

A (maybe?) surprise starter ahead of Ream’s normal partner in crime, Walker Zimmerman, CCV didn’t look out of place. I suspect he got the nod over Zimmerman because he’s more of a threat on offense, not any kind of punishment for a shaky cup so far from Zim. Sure enough, he looked threatening on offense, and was good enough on defense. Maybe got lucky not to concede a penalty in stoppage time – not because he committed a foul. He absolutely didn’t. But because the referees were abysmal today and virtually every call of consequence went in favor of Iran. Nothing to be ashamed of from him today.

RB Sergino Dest – 8.5

Another marauding performance on the right wing from the dynamic Dest. Much like his countepart on the opposite wing, Dest was a constant menace against a durable Iranian defense. Also defended better than he generally gets credit for, and crucially assisted on the game’s only goal with an inch perfect headed pass. Also like Robinson, you’d probably sacrifice your firstborn to see his cross delivery improve, but now you’re wanting your cake and to eat it too.

LM Weston McKennie – 6.5

Solid, if unspectacular from him. Not that he was bad by any stretch, but after dominating in the game against England, he was merely… good-ish today. You wonder if fatigue is becoming a factor with him. Match fitness was going to be a question before the games started, and he’s given a tremendous effort. Visibly flagging after an hour, Berhalter correctly subbed him off.

CM Tyler Adams – 8.5

He’s irreplaceable, for his calmness and leadership as much as his play. Asked to be more involved in the offense with today’s formation, he was, and sacrificed zero of his defensive excellence to do so. I’m running out of superlatives for him. He’s simply special.

RM Yunus Musah – 9.0

Ok, son. I see you. Everyone and their mom was gushing about Musah’s play the first two games, to the point of annoyance and tedium. He was indisputably one of the team’s weaker players on the field. Which brings us to today’s man of the match performance. Borderline flawless. Excellent defensively, creative and aggressive offensively, all that was missing was a goal. If he can put in performances like today at age 19, the sky is the limit in 2026. He can be that good, and better.

LF Christian Pulisic – 8.0

He keeps playing like this, I might have to start liking him. Another guy who wasn’t wearing the armband, but led by example. Even had his dick and balls not been smashed on his game-winning goal, it was still a courageous finish with a heavy collision all but certain. After receiving treatment, he gutted out the last few minutes of the first half in hopes of recovering enough to play the second. It wasn’t to be. The dick trauma was understandably too acute for him to continue and he was subbed off to start the second half. Hell of a 45 minutes though from the US’ most recognizable player.

CF Josh Sargent – 6.0

I wish I had better things to say about Sargent. He’s certainly trying hard, and he’s been fine defending from the front on set pieces. He’s just not the sort of greedy, goals by the bushelful center forward this team needs. Nobody on the roster is, to be fair, but still. Never seemed likely to score today, and you just can’t have that from your center forward if you have designs on getting very far. Other than that, he was decent enough.

RF Tim Weah – 7.5

Let’s just get this out of the way. He was onside. This isn’t sour grapes. This isn’t an accusation of cheating, favortism, or gambling by the officials, though let’s be honest, they probably do. At least some of them. But the review technology for offside is fatally flawed. FIFA has fucked with the rule over the years to the point where it’s absurd now. But back to the automated screen, the graphic we were shown was not representative of reality. It was a good goal. If it was even debatable, I would tell you that. It wasn’t. In the live replay we were shown Weah as level at worst with the Iranian defender. Last I will say on it is this. I am in favor of technology helping officials get calls right. Ok? I am. But the technology has to be accurate. And this isn’t. It’s a shitty rule in its current form, and it has shitty technology to help enforce it. Ok, I’m done.

Back to Weah, he was a constant threat. Apart from his goal that should have counted, he could have at least two more with better finishing – the only wart on an otherwise sterling performance.

SUBS

Brenden Aaronson – 6.0

Came on for the injured Pulisic and made himself a constant nuisance to the Iranians. As Berhalter abandoned any endeavor to get a second goal, Aaronson was in the unfamiliar role of having to almost exclusively defend. It’s not his ideal application but he didn’t look out of place and gave it his usual 100% effort.

Kellyn Acosta – 5.0

Replaced an exhausted McKennie in about the 65th minute. Didn’t do a whole lot wrong, but was in the wrong role for the formation. He’s essentially a not as good Tyler Adams, so you either play two defensive mids when they’re both on – an option – or you’re fucking doing it wrong. Not his fault. Just saying. Not many opportunities for his signature set piece delivery either. Also not his fault.

Walker Zimmerman – 6.5

Replaced Weah late on with Iran attacking for their tournament lives. Another sub that made sense with the game script, but could have turned disastrous due to formational application. Not his fault. In fact, had a crucial block and clearance late on with Iran posing a real threat. Didn’t seem out of place as a sub after starting the first two games.

Haji Wright – 4.5

Came on for Sargent and was almost entirely anonymous. Not all his fault, but he’s just not the caliber of player that plays center forward for a team that’s going to win anything big. I hope I end up being wrong.

Shaq Moore – 1.5

Shaq Moore is a perfectly fine right back in MLS. Especially if the game is low pressure. In a World Cup scenario, he’s simply awful. Came on for Sergino Dest. Made poorly timed runs. Didn’t close down attackers. Needlessly conceded corners. There is absolutely no reason for him, apart from injuries to the first dozen guys who would play a better right back than him, for him to ever see the field again this World Cup.

Coach Gregg Berhalter – 3.5

Wow. Just, wow. How this team has managed to succeed at all inspite of their coach is actually inspiring. If we’re being fair, the decision to start CCV in place of Zimmerman was a good one, and tactically logical and sound. GGG also deserves credit for sticking with the guys that have worked well so far. And that’s where the plaudits end. Yes, it sucked to have Pulisic have to leave injured. But it’s unconscionable for him to abandon all pretense of attacking and just park the bus the entire second half. You want to talk about chicken shit?

Now, while it does make sense late LATE on to bring on guys like Zimmerman and Acosta in place of more attack-minded players like McKennie and Weah, you have to adjust your formations accordingly. Because otherwise you’ll end up with three center backs, two defensive center mids, and two outside fullbacks, and only two of these players (two of the three center backs) will know where they need to be. Simply throwing on another defender in place of an attacker without a plan beyond that isn’t enough.

Lastly, we come to the Shaq Moore debacle. When he was included on the final roster, the incredulous looks were likely accompanied by “well, does it REALLY matter who the 26th guy is? Not like he’ll see the field.” Well, he has now. And no sane man or woman will have seen his appearance against England and thought, “that guy needs to be on the field again.” Yet here we were. Berhalter really looked at Joe Scally, the Borrussia Moenchen Gladbach right back whose sterling performances against Alphonso Davies of all people elevated him to national awareness. And he really looked at the rugged and dependable veteran DeAndre Yedlin, a guy with actual world cup experience. And he thought, “nope, I’m going with Moore!” It’s indefensible.

This team is too talented to be saddled with the brutal ineptness of Berhalter’s in-game management. Once again, yes, the team qualified with him as coach, and ADVANCED with him as coach. But it’s becoming more and more clear that any success this team attains will be in spite of him, not led by him.

Not for the first time today, I hope I’m wrong.

It will be interesting writing this piece while still digesting the US’ 0-0 draw with global soccer powerhouse, England. On one hand, you’d likely have signed in blood on the dotted line if someone told you beforehand the Americans would play England to a draw. On the other, despite England having a possession edge, the US had the better of the scoring opportunities, and generally bossed the midfield. So let’s take a look at how our individual performers did on the pitch, using our standard 1-10 scale with a half-point system to be used arbitrarily at my whim. What???

GK Matt Turner – 7.5

Possibly Turner’s best game in the shirt. Had to be alert to palm Mason Mount’s goalbound effort late in the first half around the post. Was strong and aggressive coming off his line on crosses. And his distribution, still clearly the weakest part of his game, was notably better than it was against Wales. As has seemingly become expected for him, he still had one WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING moment late in the game when he inexplicably began to dribble the ball up the field with English strikers ready to pounce like sharks with blood in the water, but overall he’s become a quite a good goalie.

LB Antonee Robinson – 8.0

England’s dynamic duo of Buyako Saka and Jude Bellingham did virtually nothing on the right side for England. This is largely because Jedi shut them down, no small feat. And he did this while also marauding relentlessly forward on the left wing. Impressively, his pace never slowed, even after 90 minutes. His final ball remains shit, but at least we already knew this, and also know it won’t improve. It doesn’t matter. He went toe to toe with some of the best attackers in the world and came out on top every time. He played like a world-class left back in this one.

CB Tim Ream – 7.0

It still flummoxes me that Ream wasn’t a lock to make the roster. The steady veteran has provided solid defense and on-field leadership for a young US side, and held his own against Harry Kane – much like he holds his own against the Premier League’s best forwards for Fulham every weekend. Allowed Kane to get inside his front shoulder on a late England free kick, but still managed to put off the prolific scorer enough to make him steer his header wide. Another solid performance from the team’s elder statesman.

CB Walker Zimmerman – 4.0

It’s fair to ask at this point if the stage is too big for Zimmerman. After conceding a brutal penalty to cost the team a win against Wales, he turned the ball over in bad spots at least half a dozen times against an English team you probably shouldn’t turn the ball over against in ANY spot. Did well marking on set pieces and was his usual dependable self in the air, but Berhalter has to be considering a change to Cam Carter-Vickers for the Iran match on Tuesday. There’s too much at stake to let Zimmerman just figure it out.

RB Sergino Dest – 7.0

Overall, a good performance from Dest. You can see glimpses of what could make him one of the world’s elite right backs – blinding runs forward into space, 100 yard mad dashes to track back on defense, razor’s edge cuts to turn into the opposition 18 yard box… and then the final product, not unlike his partner on the left Robinson, is lacking. Either he inexplicably doesn’t run at his off-balance defender or sends his cross wayward and harmlessly into oblivion. On defense, he needs to close down more closely. But what he really needs is not to ride the pine for his club team. He’s too good, and needs the experience.

CDM Tyler Adams – 9.0

Man of the match, and it wasn’t particularly close. Didn’t put a single foot wrong, ran endlessly, and looks 100% the part of team captain on the pitch. He’s the very definition of irreplacable. I’m not sure the announcers called Declan Rice’s name a single time today. You could wish he was more of an impact guy on offense, but now you’re just getting greedy.

CM Yunus Musah – 5.5

Musah works about as hard and covers as much ground as anyone on the field – mostly because his first touch is so bad that he’s constantly having to chase the ball down. Am I being harsh on him? He put in a tough-tackling, responsible shift after all. The ceiling for Musah is immense, but in the short term, he has to make quicker decisions. He doesn’t look at all out of place on the field in terms of skill, but he too often hesitates when a window to shoot presents itself, and waits too long to release his outside runners. Should correct itself with experience, but he should see the bench against Iran in favor of Gio Reyna.

LM Christian Pulisic – 7.5

One of his better performances in recent memory. I’m usually hard on him, mainly because he generally leaves me severely wanting with his shifts, but he was good today. Rattled the crossbar on a superb shot that beat Cal Pickford cleanly, uncharacteristically delivered at least half a dozen well struck corner kicks into the England box, and most impressively of all, defended expertly. When you think Pulisic, you never think “where would we be without his defense,” but he constantly blew up English passing lanes today and was a big reason they rarely threatened the US goal. Now if he could just stop waiting so damn long to release his runners. Pass the damn ball already, son…

RM Weston McKennie – 7.5

Rare is the player who blends physicality, athleticism, and skill like McKennie. One of the few players on the US side who can single-handly take over a game. And he had moments of doing just that. He gets dinged today for larruping a golden chance from 12 yards well over the goal in the first half, and failing to get on the end of any crosses/set pieces – an area in which he usually excels.

FW Haji Wright – 5.5

Can’t fault the work rate and the willingness to defend from the front, but apart from a couple of nice hold up plays, he was too often a non-factor, something that can be said about the USMNT center forwards as a whole fairly consistently. Could have done better than ten feet off frame with a first half headed borderline opportunity. Should probably start the Iran game on the pine in favor of the more creative Diego Ferreira.

FW Tim Weah – 6.0

Look, he wasn’t bad by any stretch. Had the one good cross that McKennie wasted, and spent a lot of time in possession on the right side, but rarely did that turn into anything. Some of this wouldn’t be his fault necessarily, but still. He also, like most attacking players on the USMNT, needs to run at defenders more. He has plenty of skill to beat guys one on one, and potentially win penalties, but he tends to wait too long for things to develop.

SUBS

Brenden Aaronson – 5.0

Ran hard, as usual, to destinations unknown. Made a nice interception to thwart an English attack late on. It’s fun to think about what he could do if he refined his offensive skillset a little bit but at this stage of his career, he’s probably a defensive sub. Since he won’t use his speed to run at defenders, you can take advantage of the fact that he treats his defense as required rather than optional.

Shaq Moore – 2.0

Came on for Dest and was appalling. Turnovers, reckless fouls, hesitation in a moment of opportunity. He’s just not an international quality player on any level. If he sees the field again this tournament when better options like Joe Scally are available, it will be dereliction of duty by Berhalter.

Josh Sargent – N/A

Came on late for Wright and I’m not sure he touched the ball. It won’t have been for lack of trying but there’s just nothing to base a rating on.

Gio Reyna – 5.0

Only got maybe 7 minutes, but looked tidy in possession. Combined with Pulisic to inexplicably let the clock run out at the end of the game instead of launching a hail mary cross into the box to try and find a last gasp winner.

COACH Gregg Berhalter – 5.0

Deserves credit for tweaking his formation after the Wales game, and giving Wright a start in a matchup that suited his strengths, even if it didn’t pan out in a goal. There remain two huge areas of concern with Beharlter. He hasn’t demonstrated the tactical awareness to counter any adjustments his opposing number makes, and he remains just brutally inept with his subs bench. Apart from Moore, who shouldn’t be in the 26 to begin with, you can’t quibble too much with the guys he sent on. But he simply waits way too long. And giving Reyna only 7 minutes at the very end of a winnable game after giving 0 minutes at the end of anothery very winnable game is borderline felonious. He must be better.

The U.S. will likely feel like they let an opportunity slip through their collective grasps today, letting Wales convert a late equalizer in a game the United States mostly controlled. As with all things, there are good and bad. Let’s take a look at how our individual performers rated on a scale of 1-10, with half points used when I can’t make up my damn mind.

GK Matt Turner – 5.5

Turner certainly isn’t to blame for the draw instead of the win. You got what you’d pretty much expect from him. Solid with his hands, unsure with his feet. Was alert to tip a goal-bound header over the bar as Wales pushed for an equalizer. He also guessed rigth on Gareth Bale’s equalizing spot kick, and while a lot has to go right for a goalie to save a penalty, Turner will correctly feel like he could have blocked it. Also forced Kellyn Acosta into taking a yellow to prevent Bale from attempting a second from just inside midfield after he charged wildly out of his goal to attempt a headed clearance which… didn’t clear very far.

LB Antonee Robinson – 6.0

As he usually does, Jedi marauded relentlessly up the left wing, and as he usually does, provided piss poor delivery on the final ball into the box. He tracked back well on defense and was rarely if at all beaten by his man. Were he a better passer, he could easily have had a massive impact. As it is, he’s not, and you get what you get. A committed and solid effort with wonders of what could have been.

CB Walker Zimmerman – 3.5

One play does not in itself often define a game. Unless, of course, that one play is a reckless and unnecessary challenge from behind on a player with little to no chance of scoring that turns what should be a win into a nervy draw. Apart from this one play, in which he was lucky to avoid a yellow card as insult to injury, Zimmerman was his usual solid self. You just can’t recklessly give up penalties like that.

CB Tim Ream – 8.5

Hardly put a foot wrong all game. Astute in positioning, decisive but smart on the tackle, and accurate with his distribution, you really got to see why fans of the USMNT were clamoring for him to be selected by Gregg Berhalter. Now that he has been, and put in a sterling performance in the first game, you can expect him to be ever-present barring injury.

RB Sergino Dest – 6.0

Wasn’t as much of his usual threatening self on the right wing, and took a stupid early yellow card that could have proven disastrous to the US, he was nonetheless solid, and worked hard. Had a decent look at goal from about 22 yards early on in the game, but larruped it about 15 feet over the goal into Row Z. You know what they say about defenders and finishing…

CDM Tyler Adams – 7.5

Made a number of well-timed and important tackles, especially in the second half as Wales pressed for an equalizer. Adams is quietly skillful and a good passer, but if one can take issue with an otherwise excellent performance, he invariably elects to play the safe pass rather than attempt a through-ball onto the feet of a streaking attacker.

CM Weston McKennie – 5.0

Maybe this is harsh, but the usually dynamic McKennie had little impact on the game. Granted, the set piece service from the US was abysmal as usual, so we didn’t get to see him contend for much in the air, where he’s usually outstanding. Like his teammate Dest, took a brutally unnecessary yellow card on a cynical tackle from behind early in the game that may have impacted his aggression throughout.

CM Yunus Musah – 6.0

The youngster started slowly with some brick-footed first touches, but ultimately grew into the game well enough. Ended up being in some good spots on the attack, but because nobody on this team wants to try the aggressive pass, wasn’t utilized enough. Also tracked back well on defense, and there’s always something to be said for that level of commitment, especially from a teenager.

LAM Christian Pulisic – 5.5

His brilliantly weighted through-ball to Weah led directly the US goal. It was an outstanding pass. Other than that, he spent lots of time in possession, even more time than that complaining to the referee, and delivered shitty corner kicks that are unfit for the World stage. If one play summed up why he remains one of the most frustrating figures in US soccer, it’s this one: The US was on the counter after a pressing Wales side turned it over, still up 1-0. Josh Sargent made a 100 yard run at full bore into acres of space where any pass in his vicinity gives him a great chance to salt the game away. Inexplicably, Pulisic slammed on the brakes, veered back toward his own side of the field, and played a pass back to one of the US defenders. Chance gone.

RAM Tim Weah – 8.0

His outside of the boot finish off Pulisic’s through-ball required so much more skill than any casual observer would note. It was a brilliant finish. Weah consistently caused problems for the Welsh defense, and was one of the few US players who would deliver anything resembling a useful cross. Also defended responsibly and intelligently. If you could quibble about one thing, a man with his skill needs to run at defenders in the box. He’s always a threat to draw a penalty kick, but that only works if you… well, try.

F Josh Sargent – 6.0

His early well-taken header bashed against the post, otherwise his score could be quite higher. It was also his well-played hold up that led to Pulisic’s through-ball on Weah’s goal. Unfortunately, the rest of his game came down to making runs that either his teammates didn’t feel like trying to pick him out on, or watching as a dozen set piece attempts got nowhere near him in the box. Hard to mark a guy off when he did little wrong, but you either get the ball or you don’t. He didn’t.

SUBS

Brenden Aaronson – 5.0

Came on for an exhausted McKennie and did his usual bit of running hard with no real destination in mind. Also whiffed on a wide open header – and I mean, there wasn’t anyone on the Wales defense closer to him than I am to you right now – and he missed it all together. Could have been the match winner. To give him credit, he hustled back on defense, and did his part to make sure Wales didn’t have any good looks at a potential winner.

DeAndre Yedlin – 5.0

Came on for Dest, and while I have no qualms with the rugged veteran’s inclusion in the squad, he’s not the guy you bring on when you’re still chasing a win. He did get forward and attempt a few crosses, but with an open look at goal from about 20 yards, he elected to float one far post that eluded everyone and ended up in a harmless goal kick. It’s not his fault he was the wrong guy brought in, but it is what it is.

Kellyn Acosta – 6.0

Calm and composed after he came on for Musah. Musah had been out of gas for a minute already so his arrival was overdue. Exactly as you would expect from him, he was responsible defensively, solid in possession, and made a brilliant tactical foul on Gareth Bale to prevent him from attempting a long range winner into the gaping US net, vacated by Matt Turner’s moment of madness. For some reason, he allowed Pulisic to take a late corner kick despite being by miles the best the US have in that department, and Pulisic being among the worst. Half point penalty for that, even if it wasn’t his decision. Hey, nobody said this would be fair.

Haji Wright – 6.0

Replaced the hard-working Sargent, and immediately made a nuisance of himself in the Wales box. Never got any real clean looks on goal, but it isn’t hard to see that he’s in good form for his club, and maybe should be in consideration for an earlier arrival from the subs bench than he got.

Jordan Morris – 6.0

A sentimental favorite, Morris made his World Cup maiden appearance late on, replacing Weah. Won possession a couple of times on the right wing, and tried to be positive with his play. Another for whom it could be argued his introduction came a few minutes too late. Now, on the flip side, Morris is no Gio Reyna. And when Morris was introduced as the fifth and final US sub, it cemented that Reyna, who is probably the US’ most dangerous player, wouldn’t see the field. Maybe he picked up a knock, in which case this is understandable. But barring that, it’s massive tactical blunder from Berhalter.

COACH Gregg Berhalter – 3.5

It’s not Berhalter’s fault that Zimmerman made an awful tackle to concede the penalty. It’s also not his fault that the majority of the referee’s decisions went against the US. He also started a very solid group of 11, including Tim Ream, acknowledging what we all have known for the last six months – omitting the Fulham captain would be a criminal error. But, the decision to park the bus in the second half instead of chasing a second goal was inexplicable. Waited too long to sub off tired US legs, and when he finally did, it amounted to a concession that the US would gladly take a draw. The man got this team qualified, which is more than what can be said for his predecessor, but this is the most talented team the US has ever sent to a major tournament. Failure to escape the group stages will be a fireable offense, and after today’s second half shit show, it’s hard to see this team doing enough against England to make the Iran match matter.

It’s a burning question. We probably know the answer to who will start for the U.S. Coach Gregg Berhalter surely has his favorites, his doghouse residents, and a shitty system he’s married to that is a lousy match for the skillsets of his player pool. But if the choice was made on things like merit, form, common sense and win probability added, that lineup would look different and everyone knows it. So who would they be?

First, some housekeeping. Why Berhalter doesn’t do this is beyond me but in order to maximize the output of what’s available, you have to play a formation that is a modified 5-3-1-1 or 5-3-2, with two wing backs making up 40% of the defense, with the remaining 60% comprised of three center-backs. More on this in a moment.

GK: Ethan Horvath, Luton Town

Berhalter seems committed to Matt Turner, who barely plays at Arsenal, and when healthy, Zack Steffen. Steffen is a decent keeper, but blunder-prone which you simply can’t have on the big stage. Turner is an ok shot-stopper but has poor hand position and is consistently late to set his feet. Horvath is unspectacular, and while he may not steal any games for you, he certainly won’t give them away either.

Also in consideration: No one. The goalie pool is shallow. Sean Johnson is ok, Gaga Slonina has promise but is barely 18. It’s Horvath or bust.

LCB: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic

We’re assuming a return to health for CCV here, but he was clearly the best defender in Scotland last year, and is a set it and forget it central defender. As well-rounded as defenders come, he’s a must start if fit.

CB: Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC

Everpresent in the center of the U.S. defense, he’s the glue that holds the back line together. Formidable in the air and cerebral on the turf, he’s a throwback to the big center backs of old.

RCB: Tim Ream, Fulham

Now, this won’t happen, but it should. Yes, he’s old, but that hasn’t stopped him from being virtually ever-present for Fulham this season in the Premier League. You may or may not have noticed, but the steady veteran’s consistent performances have been a huge contributor to Fulham’s surprisingly solid start to the season.

Other Options: Chris Robinson is just about International quality. But the drop off to Erik Palmer Brown is steep. Precipitously steep. Best to run with these three as far as they’ll take you.

LWB: Jedi Robinson, Fulham

Playing three center backs can really allow the U.S. to take full advantage of Robinson’s attacking prowess. His speed and recovery make him an adequate defender but the U.S. is at its most threatening when he and (spoiler alert) Sergino Dest are marauding up their respective wings. Robinson’s final ball is abysmal, but he still causes all kinds of havoc.

RWB: Sergino Dest, AC Milan

He needs to get healthy, and he needs to get game time, but hes a dynamic threat on the wing. Like Jedi on the other wing, playing three center backs allows Dest to attack more freely, and he’s always a threat when running with the ball at his feet.

Other Options: None, really. Joe Scally is a nice talent, and DeAndre Yedlin a dependable veteran on a very young team, but neither move the attack on either wing like Jedi and Dest.

DCM: Tyler Adams, Leeds

His start in the EPL has been inauspicious but he’s a no nonsense, tough tackling stud in holding midfield. If he recaptures his Bundesliga form, he’s as good of a player as the U.S. have. If healthy, or not on yellow card accumulation suspension, he’s a fixture.

LCM: Christian Pulisic, Chelsea

The USMNT’s most recognizable star is a polarizing figure in soccer circles, but he’s a one-of-a-kind in the U.S. player pool. He disappears for long stretches on occasion but he’s never much more than an opportunity away from a big goal.

RCM: Tim Weah, Lille

Weah is a tough player to describe. He’s skillful and dynamic, but what you really need him for is his explosiveness. Capable of putting the defense consistently on its heels, he’s a threat to score for a team that doesn’t have a ton of pure scoring threats.

Other Options: Luca De La Torre and Yunus Musah are both talented centrally oriented midfielders but are probably best left on the subs bench if all other options are fit.

AM: Gio Reyna, Borussia Dortmund

We’re not just assuming health here, we’re praying for it. Fit, he’s the team’s best player. Nobody knows it because he’s spent so much time injured but the kid is a damn magician with the ball. The finishing product could be better but he draws so much attention in the attack, he’s an assist waiting to happen. His presence might make the difference between a group stage exit and a round of 16 appearance.

Other Options: Brendan Aaronson is a favorite of Berhalter, which of course he is because… never mind. Anyway, I’ve come around a little on Aaronson. I used to scream bloody murder at his inability to keep formation and reckless runs into no man’s land. Now, I appreciate his relentless hustle and willingness to chase even lost causes, even if his finishing is dreadful. If he could learn to run at defenders with the ball at his feet, he’d win a penalty every other game.

ST: Jordan Pefok, Union Berlin

Probably the only true center forward the U.S. has. Pefok is in nice form for the German upstarts, and while he’s prone to blasting sitters into row zed, he’s also a consistent threat to get behind the defense. Scoring for the U.S. will take the whole village, but Pefok is the most in form striker in the pool.

Other Options: Ricardo Pepi is off to a nice start in Groningen, but he’ll have to show it for more than a few games in order to head the pecking order at striker again.

Well, how did we do? Who would you start if the decision was yours? Let us know on Twitter @thestainsports. Thanks for reading.

There’s a quote attributed to Charles Baudelaire, “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”

Well, the MLB Players Association may have once again managed to achieve its equal by convincing the virtual unanimity of baseball fans that the owners are the ones solely to blame for the lockout. Then again, your average MLB fan is an easy mark. We do, after all, cheer for the players to perform on the field, not the owners. And when we don’t get that, it must be the evil owners’ collective fault, right?

Now, before you begin to interpret this as some kind of sympathy piece on the plight of the MLB franchise owner, let’s clear a couple of things up. The owners are in fact a greedy bunch. They absolutely want to pay players as little as they have to. But what business owner doesn’t? Why do you think the guy who owns the local pub pays his service staff minimum wage or close to it? Because people will work for it. Same thing with the local MacDonald’s franchise owner. Same thing with the hardware store. Same thing with the insurance company.

Let me tell you a story for context. Years ago, I was working for an insurance company, making about 60 grand a year. I wasn’t sad about it. It was a decent job, I had a decent boss, great friends at the office, a short commute, most things you could want in a job when you’re fairly young with not a ton of responsibilities. Then my decent boss left for greener pastures. Then the creative director of my department did too. I inherited the entirety of his role, but with no bump in title or pay. Ok, I thought. I will prove that I can handle this, and THEN the bumps will come. So I worked my ass off. Then our coordinator, the guy whose sole responsibility was to ship stuff where it needed to go, made so many mistakes that he was eventually stripped of all responsibility. Why wasn’t he fired? Well, he was the NEW boss’s first hire, and the new boss was terrified of looking bad on that, and just about everything else. (He was otherwise a decent fella who treated those who reported to him nicely. And sadly, raises were not approved by him – those went through his boss.) Guess who had to take that job over, while the coordinator’s role was reduced to watching old boxing matches on YouTube, and occasionally representing the department at an event (a role in which, to be fair, he was excellent). You guessed it. Suddenly, my job I enjoyed was wearing on me. The overtime was oppressive, and I admittedly didn’t handle the stress as well as I could have. I once again asked for a raise, and was told I needed to improve certain areas of my performance to justify it, despite consistently excellent annual reviews. Fast forward a couple of years, my wife and I are expecting our first child. I once again ask for a raise, and am told that my request would be reviewed at my annual review. My child is soon born, and my insurance premiums go up by $400 a month. I cut back my overtime so I can actually be a father to my newborn. They hire a new person that reports to me, but gets paid $4500 a year more than I do. At review, it’s held against me that I cut back my overtime. “Questionable dedication to the company” were the words used. Did I mention the creative director that left a while back had a salary of $115,000 a year? So, way too late, which is absolutely my fault, I decide to leave. I will find a new job so my growing family can maintain a roof over its head. So I did. Within a few months, I got an offer for a position with a new company paying approximately $17,000 a year more, with superior insurance benefits for $450 a month LESS than at the current place. For the final time, I went directly to the VP who approved the raises for my department and told him the exact number I needed to earn. He laughed at me and said, “We value your contributions but you have no leverage to ask for that kind of raise. You have a family to support and you have a stable job here. If you want to keep it stable, you should probably be more self-aware of your situation.” So I handed him my letter of resignation. I anticipated his response, maybe not verbatim, but the end result anyway. If I was wrong and he agreed with me, I could always shred it and no one would know. But that isn’t what happened.

Why did I tell you that story? Because nearly everyone has one like it. Nearly everyone has worked somewhere where they are underpaid, taken for granted, underappreciated, pick your adjective and change some of the details, and that is likely YOUR story. Maybe you handled it better than I did. Maybe you realized your situation more quickly than I did. But the majority of people just take it (like I did for far too long) because they fear change, value stability, whatever you want to call it. And these same people are up in arms that owners don’t want to pay guys who make ten million a year, twice that. They are up in arms that the league minimum is hovering around half a million, instead of twice that. Because how is a rookie in his early 20s supposed to survive on only half a million? How can any player in the entirety of baseball claim they are underpaid with a straight face? Yes, I know, some guy who outperforms the average player but earns less than him can technically, and by definition, argue it. But let’s get real.

I digress. Let’s take a look at why virtually all the arguments in favor of the players with this lockout are trash.

There are no small market teams. ALL owners are BILLIONAIRES!

False and true. There are small market teams. It’s an easy calculation of revenue. What do the Kansas City Royals get in revenue annually compared to the Yankees or Dodgers? Fan attendance? Jersey sales? I mean, I could do the research and get you the exact dollar amount, but why bother? We both know the result of that search, Mr. or Mrs. Reader. But are all owners billionaires? Yeah, maybe in terms of net worth. But most owners of MLB franchises are not just owners of those franchises. Their MLB franchise is ONE of their assets – one of their business ventures. And they are under no obligation to run it at a loss. Rich people got rich by running businesses at a profit, and investing wisely. The notion that they should abandon those business principles because some teams are perennially shitty is absurd. They are in this to make money. Just like the shitty owners at your job that could pay you $5 an hour more and not even notice it on their bottom lines, but don’t. Why? Because they don’t have to.

Minor league conditions for players are unlivable!

YES! Great energy there. And the majority of MLB owners really are dog shit for how they approach minor league compensation, housing, nutrition, etc. The problem is, you don’t care about that. There are organizations out there like Advocates for Minor Leaguers fighting the good fight to improve lives for those players. But when you suddenly posit this as an argument against owners, it’s disingenuous because all you care about is your MLB team’s owner ponying up enough money to compete for elite free agents. So kindly save the virtue signaling.

I don’t have a pithy quote for this but this is for the advanced statistics and metrics nerds.

Full disclosure, to a degree I am one of these nerds. But without fail, the loudest advocates for the players are the Moneyball believers that will denigrate your right to fandom if you don’t adopt WRC+ as the be all end all of metrics when it comes to an offensive player’s value. But when suddenly that metric and other ones like it for pitching and what have you become the justification for teams paying rookies the league minimum instead of mediocre veterans tens of millions, where does that leave you? On an island. Without an argument that holds water. Can’t have it both ways, pal.

Owners exploit guys like Wander Franco with below market deals when they could be worth so much more!

Sure. Exploiting them with 200 million dollar contracts. A kid who came from nothing will now, no matter what happens, will be able to provide for his great great great grandchildren is being exploited. No matter if he suffers a horrible career ending injury, he will have 200 million dollars to live off of. Sure, you can make an argument that the Braves got a ridiculous bargain with Ozzie Albies and his 35 million dollar contract. I agree wholeheartedly. But he chose guaranteed generational financial security in the immediate with the potential for hundreds of millions more in free agency while still youngish over gambling on…what? Staying healthy so he could get hundreds of millions a few years earlier? People making $12 an hour at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts are making these arguments. Hashtag perspective and shit.

I pay $16 for a beer at the stadium! So my owner can pinch pennies!?

No, asshole. You pay $16 for a beer because Max Scherzer can make $45 million a year. And look, I don’t begrudge Scherzer that money. This is baseball economy, he’s in the top three pitchers of this generation, and he earned it. But let’s be honest. Does Scherzer NEED that money? Is he hurting? What if, hypothetically, there was a salary cap in place, and the max he could make was $20 million a year? The vast majority of Major League Baseball players will serve the highest bidder, regardless. They’ll tell you tales about wanting to win and this and that. But let’s be honest. There are maybe 8 teams that have a chance to win the World Series in 2022. All of them would gladly pay Scherzer $20 million to pitch for them. The Mets have zero chance of winning the World Series. They will struggle to make the playoffs to begin with. Scherzer is a man who is trying to maximize his own personal value. Just like the owners…

I just care about baseball…

No you don’t. Shut the fuck up. You are after Twitter clout, because that one woman you have your creepy eye on will finally give you attention if you virtue signal enough. If what you wanted was baseball on the field, you would advocate for adults on both sides (who make more money in one year than you will in your lifetime) to meet in good faith and reach amicable conclusions.

Hey man, underpaid is underpaid!

No. It isn’t. Teachers are underpaid. Firefighters are underpaid. Grown men playing a child’s game that will make them millionaires, in many cases hundreds of times over, are not underpaid. They work part time. Six months out of the year. And before you hit me with the, “oh it’s a year round thing, they have to stay in shape!” Seriously, shut the fuck up. We ALL need to stay healthy and in shape if we don’t want to die early. It’s working out for an hour a day, a few days a week.

In conclusion…

The owners are greedy bastards. The players are greedy bastards. You make five figures. You’re arguing in favor of making your own parking, ticket, beer and memorabilia prices go up. For the love of God… just stop.

And hey, now that I’ve pissed you off, follow me on Twitter at @thestainsports. I love you! Thanks for reading.

The last time I wrote one of these, I was less than complimentary of most of the squad. There’s no bigger enemy to the USMNT than Mexico, and I have to admit, I was a little worried about whether the young US team would be up to the task and pressure. I was also worried that Greg Berhalter would pull some nonsense. Happy to admit I was wrong. Without further ado, here are today’s player ratings on the standard 1-10 scale, with half points available when I can’t make up my mind.

Coach Greg Berhalter: 7.0

One of the skipper’s best games as the team’s coach. He picked ten of the best 11 available to him to start the match, the only outlier being Brendan Aaronson. He stuck with the young guys later in the game when he usually subs them out after 60 minutes or so. Not subbing Aaronson off sooner was poor, but he did little else wrong.

GK Zack Steffen: 8.0

The Manchester City number 2 is probably my USMNT number 3, behind Ethan Horvath and Matt Turner, but he was excellent today. He made a huge first half save on Herving Lozano to keep the game scoreless, and otherwise got his hands on everything else that got close. He could be more authoritative with his punches on set pieces, but tonight is not the night to quibble.

D DeAndre Yedlin: 7.0

You always worry a little that the rugged wing back is going to do something dumb and get an early yellow card, compromising him for the rest of his time on the pitch. He didn’t offer a ton offensively, but won several key challenges to shut down Mexican attacks. His most important moment was his last ditch hustle challenge on Lozano’s first half opportunity to put him off just enough that maybe he had to rush his attempted finish just a little. Solid display from the veteran.

D Myles Robinson: 6.5

A late red card, the result of a correctly called second yellow after a stupid first yellow early on, marred an otherwise sterling effort by the young Atlanta United center back. You’d like to see more composed distribution from the rear, but he was impeccable in the air tonight.

D Walker Zimmerman: 9.0

One of two candidates for man of the match, he played the best game of his career for the shirt, in what’s probably the biggest game of his career. Steady, intelligent, committed, he was brilliant. If he can do this consistently, he won’t be in Nashville for long.

D Antonee Robinson: 7.5

Always a threat on the left wing, the Fulham defender put in a relentless shift. It wasn’t always sophisticated, but he ran endlessly, tracked back on defense, and it was only subpar final balls that blemished an otherwise excellent shift from Robinson. He’s a deserved mainstay in the US defense.

MF Yunus Musah: 5.5

Not a great showing from the kid. Also not terrible. He, as he usually does, had flashes of individual brilliance, but turned the ball over multiple times in midfield, hammered a quality scoring chance into row Z, took a dive in an attempt to deceive the referee rather than have a shot while in a dangerous position. He’s a headache for opposing defenses, and should continue to start, but he’ll want to be better than he was tonight.

MF Tyler Adams: 8.0

Customary excellence from the captain. Mexico never was able to attain any comfort in midfield possession and it’s largely because Adams didn’t let them. He’s simply a world class holding midfielder. His presence allows the US creative engine to operate. There probably isn’t a more important player to the team.

MF Weston McKennie: 7.5

His second half goal put the game on ice. Ran tirelessly and maybe deserved a better rating. Nearly had a goal earlier if not for a nice reaction save from Memo Ochoa. He was a little bit too easy to dispossess on multiple occasions, and his first touch let him down a few times, so there’s room for growth, but there was far more good than bad today. He’s a star.

F Timothy Weah: 9.0

A star is born, but let’s be honest, we all knew it was in there. Like Zimmerman, this was Weah’s best game for the USMNT. A constant threat on the ball, always looking to create, he has the makings of a superstar. Beat a quality player in Jesus Gallardo one on one to set up Pulisic’s game winner. Was everpresent in tracking back on defense. Berhalter left him in until his legs were ready to fall off, and he earned every second. No amount of praise for his performance tonight would be enough.

F Ricardo Pepi: 5.5

He certainly tried hard, and in true center forward form tried to create shots out of nothing, but it wasn’t there for him tonight. Didn’t do a whole lot wrong, but you need your center forward to be more of a presence, especially against Mexico’s suspect center back duo. Nothing to worry about. Better performances will come. He’s the number 9 whenever he’s fit.

F Brendan Aaronson: 3.0

It’s difficult not to pull for him because of his absurd effort level. He pursues relentlessly, chases lost causes, and gives it every ounce of his being for every second he’s on the field. The problem is he isn’t a good soccer player. He shatters offensive shape with wildly ineffective runs, tries trickery when simplicity would be better, and turns the ball over too much. Way too much. I never thought I would say this, but the US is far better off with Paul Arriola. Neither is international quality, but Arriola is at least a steady veteran who will run to the right places.

The substitutes

Christian Pulisic: 8.0

Came on for the final 25 minutes and scored the winner. There’s such a difference in quality when the oft-injured winger is on the field. Also helped well with composed defending while the US protected their lead late on. He’s world class, and we saw it again tonight. Now do it for 90 instead of 25.

Kellyn Acosta: N/A

Not on the field long enough to get a rating, but that’s a good thing. He’s the worst player in the US squad and shouldn’t be anywhere near it. Committed a stunningly idiotic foul seconds after coming on to help Mexico start an attack.

Chris Richards: N/A

Not on the field long enough to get a rating. Made a couple of solid headed clearances late on. Looked composed for the handful of minutes he played, and that’s a positive departure from the last time we saw him on the field.

Jesus Ferreira: N/A

Not on the field long enough to get a rating. Looked a bit jumpy and nervous. Lashed a late chance narrowly wide. But the commitment was there.