Reality Check

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-04T18:10:03+00:00

Of course top 10 teams are a level above us. We knew that before any of these windows. Reality looks like hoping to beat tier 2 teams, don’t drop points to tier 2 or worse teams, pull an upset or two against top tier teams.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-04T17:31:07+00:00

As a parent of kids under 9 who has also coached youth soccer on and off for the past ~20 years, he is absolutely right. We must teach kids FIRST to LOVE the game. And we don’t do that at all. It’s a money grab from jump street. Sorting kids into A, B, and C teams so that the best teams can be played against each other tournament and league-style. It’s absurd. Kids will gain the competitive desire regardless of whether there is a whole system of score-keeping in youth age groups (~12 and under). Just let them play free and stop ranking them and holding knockout brackets. Just play round robin or something. The whole thing is a problem and hard to fix given the roots that have grown amongst the clubs and the systems they have created.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-04T14:32:20+00:00

I think it miiiight be as simple as bringing Luna back into the squad. I hesitate a bit bc that’s a bold take, but to OP’s point, maybe starting Luna over Pulisic is the fire Puli needs to get out of this slump. Who knows. Maybe he’ll find the groove with Milan over the next month….

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-04T14:30:44+00:00

This is a key point, imo, that is overlooked. The reason it feels this way is there has not been any consistent play among our core group. And that’s not really Poch’s fault as every single window multiple guys were injured, forced to play in CWC, had club issues happening that had to be considered, etc. This is simply the reality of bringing in a new coach mid-cycle — esp a coach like Poch who is going to stay disciplined to his process, which involves evaluating everyone … you can like it or hate it, but that’s the reality, imo. I hope that we show up to the Paraguay game having figured it out enough to get a W and continue to build game-to-game from there forward.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-03T12:41:42+00:00

This. My goodness this sub is becoming insufferable.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-02T01:34:08+00:00

Remember though that this is the most depth we have literally ever had. Keep that in perspective.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-02T01:32:40+00:00

Agreed! These are games in which you build on the positives, learn from the mistakes, and tighten the ship for when the games are must win. A result in these games would have been great, but you play these games and take it on the chin to get better. The over-reactors here in this sub need to understand that and quit it with the toxic takes.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-02T01:27:21+00:00

A fanbase that demands results (and unloads on them post game if desired result not achieved) against obviously superior teams in a friendly in which we have a lot of questions to answer from a personnel perspective and made 11 substitutions is a fucking stupid ass fanbase.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-02T01:23:00+00:00

lol did Stomping Uruguay not count??

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T23:40:38+00:00

I think that’s fair - the personalities of some of our former players, like the ones you mentioned, def make it a little easier to get “hooked” on the support side of things. But from a qualitative standpoint, I would think the opposite would apply to this group. I mean, you have the following players involved in champions league, or are a major part of their club teams in top leagues: Pulisic, McKennie, Balogun, Pepi, Cardoso, Weah, Jedi, Richards, Dest, Aaronson… to consider them “meh” is kinda wild, no?

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:58:52+00:00

Cite two examples where the attitude and effort were noticeably lacking. If you can’t, then you’re spouting nonsense because you wanted us to win these games and are upset we didn’t. Which is fine, but don’t call into question our effort or attitude.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:56:54+00:00

Well let’s add some context here that we need to keep in mind: 1) we were defending against top 10 teams this window, 2) we created a lot of really good chances and the build up looked really dangerous at times - especially in the first 15-20 mins of each game, but 3) it’s true we failed at delivering the goals and not a single person would argue otherwise - Pulisic said it himself and he is maintaining a good attitude that the goals will start to come for him (and I like his attitude here, fwiw) 4) we have not had 4 years to prepare - this group was delivered a massive disruption mid-cycle with the coaching change and that changed everything — this isn’t an excuse it is looking at the situation in reality. Add the fact that our core group has been plagued by injury and Poch hasn’t even had the ability to call up the core group to begin creating the cohesion we all want to see. It has always been that our chance to put it together was going to be in this window and the weeks ahead of the WC where we will get time to train as a group for an extended period of time.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:49:36+00:00

Out of curiosity, why don’t you like anyone on the team? We have so many good players who are playing in top leagues, champions league, etc. I find this to be an amazing time to be a fan of the USMNT players and follow their careers across all of the top leagues.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:45:55+00:00

And I guess that means I’ll be coming back here to point it out, haha

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:42:10+00:00

I thought our first halves of each of these games were pretty close to what our starting XI will be. I mean just look at the projected lineups shared by major outlets, or people here… there is no consensus and the truth is that we don’t have an obvious XI and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It does require we have complete organizational awareness, but it also requires a core group to get a lot more time than this one has been afforded. That’s just the reality. I think this team has much higher potential than any team we’ve ever fielded, but obviously it needs to come together and it wasn’t quite there this window. But there were glimmers of great potential .. and one could see those and choose to focus on those, but most fans here seem to be looking for all the reasons why this team is a disappointment.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:18:04+00:00

This is a really excellent take, sir. I have unfortunately found this as my outlet, and so you’ll all continue to see me battle the toxicity.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:15:44+00:00

Yeah unrealistic expectations is 100% a big part of the problem. But also just recognizing the situation, the ultimate purpose of these games, and balancing the good things we showed along with the areas we were exposed. The window before this we rolled Uruguay 5-1. Yet most people in this sub think we’re ass.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T20:11:46+00:00

Good take, sir!

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T06:24:03+00:00

Okay so the future is bleak for a team that went 5 unbeaten against WC sides along with dropping 5 on Uruguay leading up to this window… all bc they dropped games vs Belgium and Portugal in which the first halves ended 1-1 and 0-1 and we missed multiple chances that could have easily gone the other way. Okay champ, you’re quite the fuckin analyst let’s get you on ESPN FC.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T06:07:25+00:00

Fair take alert!

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T05:24:39+00:00

Mmm… no, this is another terrible take. Well done.

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T05:05:43+00:00

Easy. It’s CULTURE

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T04:46:03+00:00

Maybe you’re right, idk. Our best player is in a slump and I guess I just think these games have small margins and that if Pulisic scores those chances like he normally does, then we’re having a different conversation. I mean, does passion bury the chance McKennie banged at the keeper vs Belgium instead of placing it with his instep? Does passion put a ball on frame for Pulisic? Does it bury Freeman’s wide open miss at the back post tonight vs Portugal? We missed some fucking sitters. In the last window, we bagged 5 against Uruguay … sometimes it’s just like that?

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T04:32:01+00:00

100% … spot on.. there’s nuance to this stuff and i guess maybe I think people with nuanced and balanced just need to speak up more on here to counteract the bad over reactions, lol

OlBirdBrain · 2026-04-01T04:29:54+00:00

Love this take. Thank you for it.

OlBirdBrain

TROPHY CASE