Karl K
21 Jun 2009, 06:40 PM
Well, whaddya know? Advancing.
Which proves the obvious: tournaments are weird affairs where the unpredictable is always possible and should NEVER be surprising.
Nevertheless, the song remains the same: we're just not that good.
During the 1st half, I took some notes on the mistakes committed by the USA, and, frankly, some of the things we do on the field are shocking in their naivete and ineptness. Basic stuff. Stuff that these players should have learned at U14 to U16. Doing pressure cover properly. Making recovery runs. Positioning behind the ball to receive a square pass. Recognizing how to maintain defensive shape when the opponent has possession in the attacking third.
My notes are below.
Some general comments before that.
The goal was nice and all, but Clint Dempsey is atrocious defensively, at least in this game, and puts his entire side under pressure by brain fart decisions. He does not recover to defensive positions with the alacrity necessary. His steps in on defense, and is victim way too often to the opposition's 1-2 passing and finds himself behind the play. At times, it looks like he dribbles with his head down.
Jay DeMerit works hard. But he too gets dragged out of position. And for such a big guy, his defensive clearing headers are poor.
Charlie Davies is very fast and has skill on the ball, but his runs and on the ball decision making reflect a naivete.
In an around the center circle, we are very sloppy with possession, at times losing the ball and finding ourselves under intense counterattack pressure. We did it against Honduras (where they scored), we did it against Italy(where they scored), and we did it again here against Egypt (where they didn't). We were punished in the first two games, but escaped the consequences here.
My listing of first half mistakes. Times approximate. And this is not necessarily an exhaustive list.
7th minute – three US players following a winger with the ball, in a kind of drifting triangle, leaving space centrally behind, even while NO USA player is close enough to pressure the attacker.
10th minute -- square pass at center circle where player to receive is not behind the ball, as appropriate, but even with the passer, leading inevitably to the ball being given up and Egypt counterattack ensues.
15th minute --Landon fails to shoot because because he expects Jozy to make far post run but instead, Jozy tries to cut inside, creating doubt that leads to the scoring opportunity vanishing
20th minute-- Dempsey ball watching, and his man gets behind him
31st minute – With Spector forward, Dempsey late to his mark which leads to swift Egyptian attack.
31st minute. DeMerit leaves his mark, opening up dangerous space.
33rd minute – ANOTHER Egyptian foray on the attack where 3 USA players are following the man with the ball, with backs turned to the center of the pitch.
36th minute -- Dempsey is nowhere to be found when ball gets played wide to his space in Egypt final third
37th minute -- Dempsey unnecessarily loses ball on the dribble
44th minute – Guzan fails to come out to get ball and allows clearing header to give up possession.
45th minute -- Davies shot is a bad decision—Altidore wide open on the right at the back post. All he had to was square the ball across goal for a sitter.
47th minute -- Dempsey passes to nobody.
.
Which proves the obvious: tournaments are weird affairs where the unpredictable is always possible and should NEVER be surprising.
Nevertheless, the song remains the same: we're just not that good.
During the 1st half, I took some notes on the mistakes committed by the USA, and, frankly, some of the things we do on the field are shocking in their naivete and ineptness. Basic stuff. Stuff that these players should have learned at U14 to U16. Doing pressure cover properly. Making recovery runs. Positioning behind the ball to receive a square pass. Recognizing how to maintain defensive shape when the opponent has possession in the attacking third.
My notes are below.
Some general comments before that.
The goal was nice and all, but Clint Dempsey is atrocious defensively, at least in this game, and puts his entire side under pressure by brain fart decisions. He does not recover to defensive positions with the alacrity necessary. His steps in on defense, and is victim way too often to the opposition's 1-2 passing and finds himself behind the play. At times, it looks like he dribbles with his head down.
Jay DeMerit works hard. But he too gets dragged out of position. And for such a big guy, his defensive clearing headers are poor.
Charlie Davies is very fast and has skill on the ball, but his runs and on the ball decision making reflect a naivete.
In an around the center circle, we are very sloppy with possession, at times losing the ball and finding ourselves under intense counterattack pressure. We did it against Honduras (where they scored), we did it against Italy(where they scored), and we did it again here against Egypt (where they didn't). We were punished in the first two games, but escaped the consequences here.
My listing of first half mistakes. Times approximate. And this is not necessarily an exhaustive list.
7th minute – three US players following a winger with the ball, in a kind of drifting triangle, leaving space centrally behind, even while NO USA player is close enough to pressure the attacker.
10th minute -- square pass at center circle where player to receive is not behind the ball, as appropriate, but even with the passer, leading inevitably to the ball being given up and Egypt counterattack ensues.
15th minute --Landon fails to shoot because because he expects Jozy to make far post run but instead, Jozy tries to cut inside, creating doubt that leads to the scoring opportunity vanishing
20th minute-- Dempsey ball watching, and his man gets behind him
31st minute – With Spector forward, Dempsey late to his mark which leads to swift Egyptian attack.
31st minute. DeMerit leaves his mark, opening up dangerous space.
33rd minute – ANOTHER Egyptian foray on the attack where 3 USA players are following the man with the ball, with backs turned to the center of the pitch.
36th minute -- Dempsey is nowhere to be found when ball gets played wide to his space in Egypt final third
37th minute -- Dempsey unnecessarily loses ball on the dribble
44th minute – Guzan fails to come out to get ball and allows clearing header to give up possession.
45th minute -- Davies shot is a bad decision—Altidore wide open on the right at the back post. All he had to was square the ball across goal for a sitter.
47th minute -- Dempsey passes to nobody.
.