On October 15th, the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team went up to Toronto to face the Canadian Men’s National Soccer Team at BMO Field. Also on October 15th, 2019 the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team lost to the CANMNT 2-0. This was the first lost for the U.S. to Canada since 1985 and the first time we’ve allowed a goal to Canada since 2007. We missed the 2018 World Cup with a loss in 2017 to Trinidad and Tobago, and I hoped that shocking moment would spark something in U.S. men’s soccer, and it has not. We are 0 steps closer to making a World Cup from where we were on that rainy night in Trinidad. Currently we sit 2nd in our group of the CONCACAF Nations League. In order to win this group and make it to the semi-final, we need to beat Canada in Orlando and destroy Cuba in Cuba.

Tactically, we lost this game because of Gregg Burhalter’s system. The U.S. tried to play this possession based, turn and pass to the next man system. The U.S. tried to continuously push up the middle of the field and continuously hit walls of red jerseys. Canada took what we gave them, pressed the living shit out of us, won every god damn ball in the midfield, and then sprayed the ball out wide to Jonathan David and the best player on the field, Alphonso Davies. In order for Burhalter’s mid-block system to work, you have to win the midfield! WE DIDN’T DO THAT! We got out worked, out physically matched, and out managed by Canada. The U.S. were sloppy, uninterested, and lacked any desire to win… exactly liked the scene we saw in Trinidad.

People were blaming Pulisic for an awful game, Sargent being lost, and a slow backline. All those things are true so don’t get me wrong, all those things are true. I don’t blame Pulisic for a bad game however because what more do you want this kid to do? He gets the ball, turns and sees three red jerseys. Nobody next to him for an easy pass. So Pulisic does what he does, runs at the defenders and tries to make magic. Him coming off the field, frustrated, and visibly upset on the bench fucking sucked, it hurt.

We have the talent on this roster that should be able to beat every single team in CONCACAF and I mean every team. But why isn’t this talent winning? I don’t know! Is it Gregg Burhalter? Is it MLS and the lack of development for those “lower level” Americans? Is it everything and everything? Probably the last one. We have a goalkeeper who is starting in the Bundesliga, playing great, but looks lost in a USMNT jersey. We have a midfielder who is starting for Schalke in the Bundesliga and playing well, but seems constantly frustrated when playing for us. We have a wonder kid, who moved to Chelsea and is battling for a role on the squad, who is just as done to paly with the USMNT. We will also probably be losing Sergino Dest because why would he want to play for this?

With a region that is on the rise with more meaningful games and competition we are struggling and even declining. Mexico are top dogs, Honduras has young talent on the rise, Canada is clearly on the rise, and teams like a Curacao are playing very good soccer.

Credit to Canada. I’m done. I’m upset. I’m pissed. Figure this out U.S. Soccer, Burhalter OUT! Bring in the dancing lobsters.