USMNT Vs Ecuador: 3 things we learned – Berhalter remains perfect
1. Berhalter has a plan
This was an international friendly. Winning or losing didn’t matter. And the way that Ecuador played, sitting as deep as possible in an attempt to kill any joy from the game, changed the dynamic of the match completely. Drawing any real conclusions from one, lopsided friendly, therefore, is a little misguiding.
Nevertheless, one thing that should be said is that Gregg Berhalter has a very clear plan of action. Whether the tactical ideas he attempted to implement worked or not isn’t really the point. The fact that he is willing to try new ideas is progress enough for many USMNT fans.
In recent eras, the one overarching problem has been an absence of philosophy and process. Talent may have abounded but there was no clear instruction for the players to execute a cohesive, well-thought-out strategy on the pitch. Both Jurgen Klinsmann and Bruce Arena were culpable. But with Berhalter, it is very different. There is a clear idea.
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Whether the ideas that he has are successful ones or not, we will have to wait and see. A 1-0 win against a bunkering Ecuador in a friendly will not tell us either way. But just the fact that he has a plan is a win for the USMNT, and that, in and of itself, offers hope for the Berhalter era.