The evening began with 60,000 empty seats and ended with a bad drought.
He was supposed to support the World Cup; Rather, it was without life and “pay”.
It began with hope that these final matches of the Concacaf Nations League will give energy to a nation of football; He serves as an important step for his national team under coach Mauricio Pochettino. But the American fans took it difficult for the Sophie Stadium, and the American players 1-0 in Panama.
Defenders Chris Richards said he was “disputable.
“Of course disappointment”, according to the striker of the star Christian Polisic.
“It’s not in a hurry,” the goalkeeper said. Pochettino agreed and actually pointed out that Panama’s dramatic goal in the 94th minute was “a clear example. Polisic played a loose head bus. The middle players lost 50-50. The defenders slowly recovered.
“Organization? Well, do you dominate? Yes – 4-V-2 in the middle of the pitch,” Pochettino said. “But we lose the ball. We weren’t aggressive in the Duel. We’ll lose the Duel, then we admit it.
He was dissatisfied with the lack of “war”. Lack of density, hungry may be. “We didn’t compete as they were the way the game asked,” Pochettino said. why?
Why wasn’t “no urgent” at the beginning of a year before a year before the World Cup?
Why, with six training camps to go to once in a generation of “changing football in the United States forever” and with a regional trophy in danger, so without interest, cautious and inspiration?
Although none of them say it, the climate of the turmoil was certainly related to it. These are the players who are in front of 60,000 by 60,000 in Milan and Mönchengladbach, in Crystal Palace and Juventus, in front of the fans. Monitoring About their clubs. On Thursday, they walked on the stadium that would open the World Cup next summer, and looked around, and saw … one of them individually, not fully full. part In American fans Diehard. Several thousands of viewers have been scattered over the brilliant and future ground; They were difficult to make no sound.
The chairs around him were empty because, well, it was 4 pm on Thursday. The players pointed out that; None of them blamed the fans who were not guilty.
But they were empty because the American people, at least for now, are enthusiastic about USMNT.
There are tens of millions of football fans in the United States; But their interests are diverse. And they have been bombed by an endless international game that fades together. “There are many things that football is played. Fans can’t do all that, month after month, year after year, again and again.
And most of them are priced. Tickets, whether sold by American football or Concacaf, are often ugly. Only next summer they will get more ugly.
The World Cup stadiums are likely to be full, but it may be full of ordinary fans who can walk, not USMNT. Supporters. There is no “promotion of host country”, a wave of enthusiasm that the American players can ride deep into the tournament, an audio atmosphere of red, white and blue.
So, like the former US star Clint Dempsey, on Paramonet+ in the first half, “You have to make your energy sometimes.
“When the masses are not a complete mass, you have to find your motivation.
“You have to go out and prove that they must be the main show,” Dempsey told the current team on Thursday evening.
And they didn’t.
Central player Tyler Adams admits that midfielder Tyler Adams admitted that we were as needed as much as we needed.
So, again: Why?
There were other prepared excuses. There was a multi-legged journey in Europe, and a quick turn, and a Jet Lag. There was a excess of these games against the same old competitors, with more attractive games in the horizon.
But the other three teams that played here Thursday night found the fire.
Goalkeeper Sicilio Waterman says the Panamanians have fought to “broke their hearts to the country,” as Sicilio Waterman was the goalkeeper.
Mexico always does that.
Canada, even in a 2-0 defeat in the second, equal the Tri‘s densed, and also a fight with a bigger image in the brain. “Our country is under threat, it is under attack,” said Defenders Alistair Johnston at the meeting. Neither Johnston nor Canadian coach Jesse Marsh has distanced themselves from the political framework.
The American players have distanced themselves from the broader situation in the country.
And on Thursday, well, they looked like they had little to fight.
They weren’t the first time they played without the necessary affection. What makes him worrying about this passion, of all kinds, one of the first things that Pochettino, since he took care of the US in September, has tried to plant it. “He’s revealing to us, ‘Hey, football has nothing to do with beauty,” McCain said Wednesday. “Also-balance, your desire, the ugliness you can put into the game in the same way.
This is, the first game of the club under Pochettino, it would have been a great time to show it. “It was a complete opportunity to start rebuilding that mentality now,” Adams said.
Instead, they survived the ball neutral. They moved without purpose. Pochettino said he had tactical problems, yes, but “we can’t accuse tactics, strategy, the game’s plan. “You need aggression,” he said with the cannon and without the ball. “If you don’t have aggression, it’s impossible,” Ronaldo said. Because the opponent only knows that we are playing according to (friends). You’re playing safely, you’re not in danger. If you want to play football, you have to risk.”
And it ended with another indirect diagnosis. “Well, we are Americans, but you can’t climb your shirt,” Pochettino told reporters. “You have to show. You have to come here, be better, and suffer, and win the Duel, and do a lot of work. If not, it will not be enough.