USMNT

Moneyball: An Explanation for 2019

Published

6 years ago

January 31, 2020

Patrick Keeler

There were several persistent issues fans and pundits had with Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT in 2019, beyond results.

Four of the biggest were:

The continued presence on rosters of mid-20s players, from MLS, that were given minutes no matter how they performed for the USMNT or in MLS.
The almost Puritanical need to “Play Out of the Back”, no matter the game state or opposition defense.
A passive mid-block defense that allowed opponents easy entry into our third of the field.
Substitutions that made no sense in competitive games.

There are two theories among fans and analysts who try and analyze the situation, beyond, “Gregg is an idiot who was only hired because he is brothers with the CEO to be.” Whether there is any truth to that statement is counteracted by the idea that nobody could be that big an idiot. Some will disagree of course.

Both theories start from the idea that Gregg, from the day he was hired, had a set system that he wanted to play. That he would find players that fit the system, rather than devise a system that fit the players he had.

The first theory is that Gregg wanted to only rely on data and “player profiles” based on data collected by services like Opta. This tries to explain the #1 complaint by pointing out that most of our talent in Europe is very young, few have first team minutes in large quantities, so there is no Opta data. That since Gregg was only selecting players he could get data on, they mostly were mid-twenties players in MLS who had mountains of data available. Players with good amounts of data could be added, like Pulisic, Brooks, Ream. But players like Richie Ledezma could not.

This theory kind of hits the snag at the exclusion of plenty of players with lots of first team minutes like Antonee Robinson, Duane Holmes, Julian Green, Fabian Johnson, etc. It also doesn’t address #2, 3, 4 in any way other than, Gregg is “naïve”.

My theory, based on things discussed by media members with insider access, is that 2019 was an experiment in a “Moneyball” approach. This is a popular sporting concept in the USA and increasingly around the world. It is looking for incremental competitive advantages using statistical analysis to offset competitive disadvantages in talent disparity. The famous example is how the Oakland A’s used the statistical work of Bill James to build a team on par with the Yankees and Red Sox on 1/50^th the budget.

The idea Gregg, and Earnie Stewart, had and possibly still have, is that the MLS season is very different from the European and South American seasons. The long winter break allows for a long national team training camp in January (Camp Cupcake). Brazil, Germany, France, etc. do not have this opportunity for a long, like a club pre-season, camp. That the extra time could be used to teach a complicated, Pep Guardiola-esque, positional offense that would allow the USMNT, with less talent, to compete with the previous mentioned teams; who can’t run sophisticated offenses because the short windows national teams have together.

Data was used to pick the original January pool. They were drilled in the new system. The idea was that these players would then be able to carry that knowledge forward and help train additional players. New players would be brought in a few at a time until they got up to speed then more could be integrated. This is why the rosters throughout the year featured so many players from January camp (Cupcakers). This is why only the top players in Europe were initially brought in in small numbers. In June, longer camps were held and more non-MLS players were brought in. But when the Gold Cup roster was announced, in the end, it contained 14 Cupcakers out of 23 players. This roughly 2/3rds ratio of Cupcakers to non-Cupcakers was very consistent throughout 2019.

There is no way to teach a possession based positional read and react offense (The System) without playing it. This is why all year, until the final Canada game, the USA played out of the back almost exclusively. Even in the Friendly against Mexico, with Mexico probably figuring out this entire plan and that the USA was not going to go over the top, against 7 and 8 men presses, they played in to the pressure.

But how does this explain why the USMNT played a passive mid-block defense that made teams like Curacao and Canada look like Spain? The defense was deployed by Gregg not to win games or even to win the ball. It was designed to create goal kicks for the USA. The more goal kicks, the more opportunities to play out from the back and practice The System. Since the most limited thing a national team has is minutes of game time, every minute was maximized as a training exercise.

Down by a goal in the Gold Cup Final, Gregg substituted on Roldan for Morris, Zardes for Altidore, and Lovitz for Ream. The last one is really perplexing because Lovitz is not only not a goal threat, but is not even good. This one is discussed a lot because it is so questionable. But all three are Cupcakers subbing in for non-Cupcakers. Gregg must have felt a better execution of The System would lead to a goal or viewed the Gold Cup Final as another training exercise like all the previous games.

Following the second Mexico loss and the loss in Canada, pressure mounted. Against Canada in Orlando, some things changed. The roster was still heavily infested with Cupcakers, but only 4 ended up playing. The USMNT played goal kicks short, but never passed back to the goal keeper like previously. If another short pass was not on, the ball was hit long to a forward. Contrast that with the Mexico friendly where passing back was used to keep possession at all costs; frequently ending up at the feet of a center back on the goal line or in Steffan’s 6 yard box. The USMNT did not sit in a passive mid-block, but instead used a form of high press that led to turnovers and transition goals. The subs were mostly defense for offense which made sense with a multi-goal lead.

I believe several flaws in the “moneyball” approach became apparent:

The Cupcakers that were relied upon were simply not good enough
The reliance on a core Group, doesn’t allow for new or in form players to be integrated quickly or at all.
Most of the young talent breaking through last year and in the upcoming years, will be in Europe and will not be able to attend Camp Cupcake.
The team did not look comfortable executing The System at any point and that is either because Gregg could not teach it, the players could not execute it, or even with the large amount of Cupcakers the European players couldn’t learn it, or the European players could execute it but the MLS players couldn’t keep up.

We don’t know if it has been abandoned and we don’t know if Gregg thinks it was a failure at all. We probably will not know until March at the earliest, maybe not until the CONCACAF National League Final or even World Cup Qualifying in August.

USMNT

Launching Caring Excellence in Northern Kentucky

Published

2 months ago

July 21, 2025

Marcus O'Malley

Caring for Villa Hills, Fort Thomas, Union, Florence, Crestview Hills and Northern Kentucky

Over the past few years, I’ve written here at Chasing A Cup about family, faith, leadership, and walking through life with intention. Some of you have been reading since the early days. Some of you prayed for my family. Some of you even rolled up your sleeves and gave blood — blood that was meant for my mom and others like her in their time of need.

I’ll never forget that.

Three years ago, my mom passed away. It was a season of heartbreak, but also one of clarity. As I stood beside my family — and as I supported others in our community grieving their own parents — I came to understand how deeply care matters. Not just in hospitals or emergencies, but in the everyday: the quiet, complicated, deeply human moments that make up the final chapters of someone’s life.

That realization stayed with me. And over time, it changed the direction of my work.

For most of my career, I worked in product management — building teams, delivering systems, and leading with structure and strategy. I still believe in all of that. But I also wanted to build something more personal. Something rooted not just in outcomes, but in presence and compassion.

That’s why Sarah and I decided to open a Caring Excellence office in Northern Kentucky.

Caring Excellence has been serving families across Kentucky for over 13 years. It’s a family-owned, fully licensed home care agency that specializes in non-medical, in-home support for seniors and adults — help with daily living, memory care, companionship, and more. And now, we’re proud to bring that same level of compassionate, character-driven care to Florence and the surrounding region.

Our new Northern Kentucky office serves families in places like Villa Hills, Union, Fort Thomas, Crestview Hills, and Florence — communities filled with multi-generational households, strong family ties, and seniors who deserve to age with dignity.

At Caring Excellence, we focus on people first. We don’t just fill schedules — we carefully match caregivers to clients based on personality, needs, and values. Sarah leads our caregiver hiring, drawing from her years of experience as both a caregiver and healthcare professional. She looks not just for skill, but for heart — people of integrity, empathy, and real compassion.

As for me, I now use my business background to support the team behind the scenes — building systems, developing processes, and making sure our caregivers have the tools and training they need to serve others well.

This new venture is deeply personal. It’s also missional. It’s about stepping into people’s lives when they need support most and offering something simple, but powerful: peace of mind.

We’re not moving to Florence, but we’re fully committed to this region. We’re investing in it — by hiring local caregivers, building relationships with local providers, and offering families home care in Northern Kentucky a trusted option for high-quality home care.

To those of you who’ve been on this journey with me — through writing, through prayer, through donating blood when we needed it most — thank you. I hope this new chapter reflects what we’ve always believed in here: that service matters, character counts, and small acts of care can ripple further than we think.

If you know someone in Northern Kentucky who needs support — in Union, Villa Hills, Crestview Hills, Fort Thomas, or Florence — we’d be honored to walk alongside them.

Thanks for reading, and for being part of the story.

—Marcus

Learn More
To learn more about Caring Excellence and our in-home care services for Northern Kentucky families, visit:
https://caringexcellenceathome.com/northern-kentucky-office

USMNT

Concacaf Gold Cup is becoming tarnished

Published

3 months ago

June 14, 2025

Thomas Deschaine

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

Not long ago, winning your confederation’s tournament earned a spot in the FIFA Confederations Cup, a prestigious competition held in the World Cup host nation the summer before the world’s biggest tournament.

The tournament featured the champions of all six confederations (AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA), along with the reigning FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, rounding out the field to eight teams. The tournament was last played in 2017.

The Concacaf Gold Cup is a semi-cycle tournament played in the first and third years of the cycle. The CAF Africa Cup of Nations is the only other confederation that plays two tournaments a cycle, and in many circles, the frequency of the Concacaf Gold Cup and the addition of the Concacaf Nations League has made the Gold Cup a throwaway tournament for the USMNT, as it’s been six years since the so called A list player pool has played in the event.

It raises the question for FIFA and Concacaf: should the Gold Cup be played once a cycle, and should FIFA consider bringing back the Confederations Cup?

The USMNT won the inaugural Gold Cup in 1991 and has claimed seven of the 17 editions since. Only two other CONCACAF nations Mexico (9) and Canada (1)—have lifted the trophy, and both are contenders in this edition.

The USMNT has a strong track record at the Gold Cup, finishing first in their group every year except 2011. They’ve reached 12 finals, with a record of 69 wins, 12 draws, and 9 losses, scoring 189 goals and conceding just 60

Gold Cup Player Stats

Across 17 editions of the Gold Cup, the USMNT has netted 189 goals, conceded just 60, and recorded 50 clean sheets. Here’s a look at the players who made it happen, those who found the back of the net, and those who kept it out.

Goals

18-Landon Donovan
13-Clint Dempsey
9-Eric Wynalda
8-Brian McBride
7-Jesus Ferreira

Assists

16-Landon Donovan
7-Michael Bradley
6-DaMarcus Beasley
6-Alejandro Bedoya
6-Eric Wynalda
5-Clint Dempsey

Wins

17-Kasey Keller
11-Tim Howard
8-Tony Meola
7-Matt Turner

Shutouts

14-Kasey Keller
8-Tim Howard
6-Tony Meola
6-Matt Turner

Captain

10-Michael Bradley
10-Kasey Keller
9-Carlos Bocanegra
8-Tony Meola
7-Claudio Reyna

Gold Cup Manager Stats

Over the past 34 years, the USMNT has reached 12 of the 17 Gold Cup finals under the leadership of seven different managers. Here’s a look at how each of them performed.

Matches Coached

25-Bruce Arena
18-Bob Bradley
12-Gregg Berhalter
12-Jurgen Klinsmann
10-Bora Milutinovic
8-Steve Sampson
5-B.J. Callaghan

Matches Won

19-Bruce Arena – GF-52-, GA-14
14-Bob Bradley – GF-34, GA-17
11-Gregg Berhalter – GF-26, GA-3
9-Jurgen Klinsmann – GF-32, GA-9
8-Bora Milutinovic – GF-15, GA-8
6-Steve Sampson – GF-14, GA-5
2-B.J. Callaghan – GF-16, GA-4

Gold Cup Trophies

3-Bruce Arena
1-Gregg Berhalter
1-Bob Bradley
1-Jurgen Klinsmann
1-Bora Milutinovic

Conclusion

In the future, U.S. Soccer and the USMNT should clearly communicate roster expectations for the Gold Cup, especially if a full A-list squad is not planned. Transparency on this front is essential, as it directly affects fan interest and attendance.

Club News

From Louisville to Lisbon: Joshua Wynder’s Journey with S.L. Benfica

Published

3 months ago

June 13, 2025

Zach McCabe

The current state of the USMNT has been at an all-time low since Couva in 2017. One of the positions in dire situation is Center Back. Tim Ream will be 38 by the time of the 2026 World Cup. Chris Richards has too many highs and lows and has not shown his club form with the US. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty have yet to perform for the national team. Miles Robinson, despite what many MLS fans want to believe, is not good enough and makes too many errors, like the second Turkish goal on June 7^th, 2025. Walker Zimmerman has one World Cup left in him and he has a history of making critical errors as well, like the penalty against Gareth Bale in the 2022 World Cup. Lastly, Mark McKenzie has improved his game since his move to Toulouse, but he is lacking the deserved opportunities and a good partnership.

Our U20 CBs will need to be called up sooner rather than later, either before or immediately after the 2026 World Cup. The top 3 prospects by fans and analysts are Noahkai Banks, Matai Akinmboni, and Joshua Wynder. Of the three, Joshua Wynder is the oldest at 20 years old and is part of a club that is world-renowned for their development, S.L. Benfica.

How did Wynder manage to accomplish such a move from Louisville City in the USL Championship to Benfica? To summarize, Wynder had a breakout season for Lou City at 17 years old in 2022, so much so that he was included in the US U20 World Cup team in 2023.

LOUvOKC.Photographer: EM Dash Photography

Wynder secured a spot to go on trial at Benfica and passed. On June 8^th, 2023, Benfica officially acquired Joshua Wynder from Lou City for a record-breaking $1.2 million transfer fee, which still stands today.

Louisville City FC, LOUvPIT.Photographer: EM Dash Photography

Benfica registered Wynder with the second team for the 2023/2024 season, who participate in Liga Portugal 2. Due to Portuguese rules (players play in the youth system until they are 19 years old), he spent the season with Benfica’s UEFA Youth League team and U23 team and only received 21 minutes with the B team until a season-ending injury. What began as a promising start, with the support of the fans, was cut short after just six matches. The following season went according to plan for Wynder. Wynder became a consistent starter for the B team where he started in 29 matches and appeared in a total of 31 matches. He also scored four goals, all headers from corners.

His success with the B team made him a fan-favorite and several calls to be called up to the first team by fans on social media. That day came on April 9^th, 2025, when he made the team sheet for Benfica’s Taça de Portugal Semi-Final match against FC Tirsense. Wynder made his first team debut when he was subbed in at the 76th minute mark of that match. He made a following appearance on the bench for the first team in their second leg match against FC Tirsense.

As early as November 27, 2024, it was reported by Glorioso 1904 that Joshua Wynder had gained the attention of the Benfica manager, Bruno Lage. The report further said that Wynder was becoming an option for the next season’s first team. A similar report surfaced on March 25, 2025, by Record, in Portugal, that Wynder is on track to be with the first team for the 2025/2026 season. That day may be coming sooner rather than later. Joshua Wynder will be joining Benfica on their 2025 Club World Cup campaign. This will be a true test for him to prove to Bruno Lage that he is ready to be part of the first team for the upcoming 2025/2026 Liga Portugal and UEFA Champions League season. If he is given serious minutes with the first team and performs, Joshua Wynder needs to be considered for the 2026 World Cup or immediately following the World Cup.

Benfica is in Group C of the Club World Cup with Auckland City, Bayern München, and Boca Juniors. Their first match is against Boca Juniors, 33-time Argentine champions, on June 16^th. Game two is on June 20^th against 10-time New Zealander champions, Auckland City FC. Lastly, their 3^rd group stage match is against the 6-time UEFA Champions League winners, Bayern München, on June 24^th.