Berhalter is reported to operate alongside Andres Cubas in a double pivot, but his role seems much broader than that label suggests.
That all-around profile is what gives the system shape. A team can carry a deep midfielder who only screens, or an attacking midfielder who only creates. Berhalter appears to give Vancouver pieces of both jobs in one player.
The strongest argument for Berhalter is not stylistic. It is output. One report says he has delivered six goals and seven assists this season, along with a strong volume of key passes. Those are striking returns for a player starting from deeper zones rather than living around the penalty area.
The same update says he posted 83 touches and completed 91% of his passes against San Diego, numbers that fit the broader picture: heavy involvement, secure distribution, and real attacking influence. Add set-piece quality, and Vancouver get another source of chance creation without needing to alter their structure.
Berhalter’s development may be the most important part of the story. He was once viewed more as a useful squad player than a midfield reference point. Now, reports suggest he has become one of the league’s most effective all-around midfielders, and that progress has reportedly carried into the United States setup as well.
If Vancouver are going to stay among the Western Conference pace-setters, Berhalter’s role will remain central. The next question is whether this level can hold through the biggest matches, when midfield control usually decides everything.