US coach Berhalter wants a "high-pressing" soccer team

2020-11-06 02:05:55 GMT2020-11-06 10:05:55(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- US men's soccer team head coach Gregg Berhalter said on Thursday that he hopes to have an aggressive team that could "put the opponents on their heels".

"I'd like our team to be nice and compact when we're pressing. Offensively, we have a lot of skilled players," said Berhalter, who took the helm at the team two years ago.

"You look at our outside backs, a tremendous amount of skill, when you think about our talented midfielders and wingers. I think we should be able to be very aggressively, getting behind the opponent. We can really put the opponents on their heels.

"I also want to see us be very aggressive on the defensive side of the ball, a high-pressing team. We think we have enough speed in the back to cover up for, or to be able to play a higher line," he added.

The US men's team failed to make the 2018 World Cup held in Russia, but recent years saw a rising wave of talent headed by the likes of Chelsea's Christian Pulisic, Barcelona's Sergino Dest, Juventus' Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna of Dortmund.

"It gives you a lot of optimism when you see some of these players," said Berhalter. "How they've been performing at such a young age, how it would be great for us to get our hands on them, be able to work with them and start forming the team."

The US team will play friendlies against Wales and Panama on Nov. 12 and Nov. 16 apiece, the first matches since the COVID-19 halted play in March.

Awaiting Berhalter and his US team next year will be the World Cup and Olympic qualifying, the Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations League competitions. Enditem

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