Get Gyasi Zardes off my national team

The US Men’s National Team lost on Sunday to Canada in humiliating 2–0 fashion, prompting fears that the team may once again miss out on qualifying for this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Though the team maintained its second place position in the CONCACAF qualifying standings, it is entering its toughest string of games, with road games at Mexico and Costa Rica in the next window. Nonetheless, US coach Gregg Berhalter praised the team’s performance, claiming the team performed well but was unlucky with the final result.

It’s a frankly delusional take to anyone who actually watched the game.

Besides the poorly handled goal kick by soon-to-be Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner that led to Canada’s first goal, the US attack was lifeless. US center forward Gyasi Zardes again looked feckless upfront, often failing to control simple passes to his feet, or miskicking simple passes to teammates.

Berhalter again was non-plussed. Explaining that the 3rd year coach started Zardes because he thought the game would be very physical and the coach praised the forward’s play.

Again, I don’t know which game Berhalter watched out there.

I’ve never really been a fan of Zardes, going back to his days playing for Juergen Klinsmann. He’s big and fast, and can finish off well placed crosses or find rebounds to bury in the net, but he’s a net negative in a possession-oriented team like the US has spent decades building. It’s difficult to build from the back and provide quality service into the box without effective hold up play from your center forward, and Zardes has never proven himself capable of doing that at the international level.

I don’t know why Zardes keeps getting called into these rosters when the US has other options in its player pool who can provide quality hold up play and also finish off service into the box.

It wasn’t until Zardes was taken off the pitch in the 69th minute that the US attack started consistently getting opportunities at goal. But alas, it was too little, too late.

Please somebody, get Gyasi Zardes off my national team.