Post by rifle on Nov 12, 2016 8:49:02 GMT -5
So many story lines.. Was it Groundhog day?
What I saw:
No two players on US team seem capable of pressing as a unit. Just random individual work. A team cannot succeed on players operating independent of one another (regardless of their individual physical abilities).. We were so easy to play through, for a team that recognizes the benefit of moving without the ball. Every player on MX was constantly shifting and working for tactical advantage.
I was impressed the MX back line pinged the ball around very sharply, accurately. Put it on the best side of the man receiving the ball, in stride. Evidence of this is the men in white shirts chasing all night, expending energy. Tactics have to include defense and we have none.
[It almost looks like our manager is a striker or something.]
US team did the opposite when the back line had the ball. When you switch the field, having to wait for a soft pass, or having to back track back for it, totally spoils the point of switching the field. Then, when the MF connections aren't moving to create space, there is nothing. You're wasting energy, about to lose the ball: basically better off dribbling 1v5 - it'll make just as many (lucky) quality chances as we scrounged up last night. When the ball is switched slowly against an organized pressing team, and your MF stands still, you bang the ball forward and hope. That's why Omar passed the ball to MX all night.
Pulisic is on another level, but MX abused him physically and it worked. I was really hoping he would pull us up a notch, but one man cannot. I'd love to hear his honest assessment of his team.
Remember when Michael Bradley was good? Newsflash: a CM can't be invisible. His post game comments sound like JK tactical plan is a not so clear. That's been pretty evident every time they play.
And finally, sucks for Timmy Howard.
What I saw:
No two players on US team seem capable of pressing as a unit. Just random individual work. A team cannot succeed on players operating independent of one another (regardless of their individual physical abilities).. We were so easy to play through, for a team that recognizes the benefit of moving without the ball. Every player on MX was constantly shifting and working for tactical advantage.
I was impressed the MX back line pinged the ball around very sharply, accurately. Put it on the best side of the man receiving the ball, in stride. Evidence of this is the men in white shirts chasing all night, expending energy. Tactics have to include defense and we have none.
[It almost looks like our manager is a striker or something.]
US team did the opposite when the back line had the ball. When you switch the field, having to wait for a soft pass, or having to back track back for it, totally spoils the point of switching the field. Then, when the MF connections aren't moving to create space, there is nothing. You're wasting energy, about to lose the ball: basically better off dribbling 1v5 - it'll make just as many (lucky) quality chances as we scrounged up last night. When the ball is switched slowly against an organized pressing team, and your MF stands still, you bang the ball forward and hope. That's why Omar passed the ball to MX all night.
Pulisic is on another level, but MX abused him physically and it worked. I was really hoping he would pull us up a notch, but one man cannot. I'd love to hear his honest assessment of his team.
Remember when Michael Bradley was good? Newsflash: a CM can't be invisible. His post game comments sound like JK tactical plan is a not so clear. That's been pretty evident every time they play.
And finally, sucks for Timmy Howard.