6/7, USA v Guatemala -- the midfielders {R}

[lmorin]

Discuss

[bostonf4lyf]

was not impressed with feilhaber. he could not pull off any creative passes.
bradley was a little better, he plays smart but he lost possession too often. donovan was the best player on the field and was dangerous. beasley was also dangerous and quick, had some good combinations, but only when he is in open space. there were a lot of times when he would come back into a tight situation and get outmuscled or could not find his way out of space.

[Peretz48]

I know a lot of BS posters are dissatisfied with Benny & Michael's play, but this is exactly what they need to develop- meaningful games and tough sledding. They'll learn from this. I am very impressed with Bradley. Sure, he made his share of mistakes, but if you get to watch a replay of this game pay attention to his body language and his movement off the ball. This kid plays with tremendous confidence and a maturity beyond his years. He's by no means a finished product, but I see very nice things with him down the road. Benny seemed to have some nervousness at times, and his tackling still seems tentative. Not a great performance by any means, but let's see if he matures in the next year.

[mdfc]

If feilhaber is going to play so deep as a holding mid, he is going to have to be able to pass better from that position
Bradley was a non-factor - some of you folks who tape and re-watch the game are going to have to chime in, but it almost seemed like weplayed both center mids in a holding role to allow LD and DMB to get forward - I don't remember either center mid around the box in open play and all of our meaningful attacks came from the wings
Beasley was improved and played a solid game, needs to play better the closer he gets to goal...tried to pass the ball into the net on that mad scramble in the 1st half instead of picking a corner and ripping it in there
Donovan showed his quality for decent stretch in the game, but couldn't do anything to turn momentum when the Guats grew in confidence late on

oh yeah, and Max Bretos thinks it's cool that Bradley looks up before receiving a pass, so he's got that going for him too

[ScottyB10]

I thought Bradley played ok, but we have to remember that they've actually been playing against soccer players the past 9 months, not wrestlers who like to use their feet as weapons

[sch2383]

I thought they did OK. They both seemed to be thinking too much or too slow, but there is a lot of promise in this pairing.

[bostonf4lyf]

I know a lot of BS posters are dissatisfied with Benny & Michael's play, but this is exactly what they need to develop- meaningful games and tough sledding. They'll learn from this. I am very impressed with Bradley. Sure, he made his share of mistakes, but if you get to watch a replay of this game pay attention to his body language and his movement off the ball. This kid plays with tremendous confidence and a maturity beyond his years. He's by no means a finished product, but I see very nice things with him down the road. Benny seemed to have some nervousness at times, and his tackling still seems tentative. Not a great performance by any means, but let's see if he matures in the next year.

i agree that this game was good for benny and michael's development. one play that stood out for me was after boca's yellow card when michael pointed to his head to tell boca to play smarter. he has so much confidence for a 19 year old. he will be a leader on this team in the future

[pwip]

What did you want to MB to do? He played a heck of a destroying midfielder. made solid passes. Just tireless

[FakeFlopper]

This is Benny and Bradley's 2nd game against Guatemala and I think they've actually played worse. I think they'll be good one day, but 90min starters right now? I know they aren't finished products, but this isn't a tryout, this is a ticket for our team to gel and go to the confederations cup and play more meaningful games. I don't think Benny or Bradley should be on the field at the same time, and I think Benny edges out Bradley by a nose at this point. I think Clark has done more in the few games I've seen him play to justify him starting over either of them plus the fact that he's got a cannon from 30+. I hope Clarke plays against T&T.

Donovan was our most consistent player. Should be playing closer to goal on days like tonight because Dempsey can score those goal and the one against China when playing in the mid-field and what did Donovan do the last few friendlies that got him moved to RM? Score goals in bunches?

Beasley, he's coming back. His composure was really a good sight to see. Didn't panic. He has some bad touches, but nothing as bad as the run-up to the WC a year ago.

Ralston looked good, and that's pretty much what you expect from him as RM when he's playing solid and making good decision.

[olephill2]

Both Feilhaber and Bradley played ok--Bradley was the better of the two tonight. I noticed that neither really got forward at all much tonight, which really means we were playing with SFS's preferred term, the "empty bucket" or the 4-2-2-2 as I prefer to call it. And considering how much Dempsey tracked back, he was almost playing a CAM role, which means you could interpret our line-up as a 4-5-1. This, in my opinion, was WAY TOO CONSERVATIVE for Bob Bradley given that we are at home against Guatemala. M.Bradley & Feilhaber will learn from this game, but we definitely missed a Claudio Reyna in the middle of the park.

DaMarcus Beasley was our best attacking player in the 1st half. He didn't get very involved in the 2nd, but I still give him a solid grade because he was completely denied the space or really the service on through balls in the 2nd half.

Landon Donovan played pretty well. His freekicks in the first half were erratic as usual, but he was pretty active. I still prefer to see him in a more central role, however. His crosses during the run of play were good though.

[obewan]

Guatemala is just one of those teams we struggle against. Most of our games against Guatemala seem like 1:0 or 0:0 affairs. Mexico and Costa Rica are both better teams than Guatemala, and one could argue that Jamaica, T&T (when not under player dispute), Honduras and Panama are at least as good, if not better than Guatemala.

You expect tight games against Mexico or sometimes Costa Rica, but when you play the other teams, you usually expect an easy win. Guatemala, for whatever reason, just gives us fits. I'm not happy with the way we played, but I'm not feeling all gloom and doom just yet, either.

Even though we toted out the 4-4-2, we reverted more into a 4-2-2-2 after the goal. Donovan and Beasley were given free reign to pinch into the middle or play out wide. When they stayed out, Benny and Mike moved up to provide support. When Beasley and Donovan moved into the middle, our backs came forward and Benny and Mike dropped back. While neither of them did anything noticeably great, I thought they each played OK. Donovan was invisible for about 20 minutes, then had a decent game. Even had a few OK corners. Beasley's looking more like his old self. Ralston did what was asked of him. We could've been better, but we were OK in the midfield.

[sidefootsitter]

Both Feilhaber and Bradley played ok--Bradley was the better of the two tonight. I noticed that neither really got forward at all much tonight, which really means we were playing with SFS's preferred term, the "empty bucket" or the 4-2-2-2 as I prefer to call it... They were playing 4-3-3 tonight

Beasley----------Twellman--------Donovan

-----------------Dempsey-----------------

--------Bradley-------------Feilhaber-------

Donovan dropped a bit too deep in that formation but Dempsey stayed up more.

I would have gone with the Diamond. There was no need for two deep mids tonight. It's not like the Guats were attacking or anything.

I would not have moved Donovan that far away from goal.

I would have moved Benny in front of Mike.

It was a pretty bewildering line-up, considering the opposition.

Guatemala is just one of those teams we struggle against. Most of our games against Guatemala seem like 1:0 or 0:0 affairs... Except when Bruce went Diamond against them in Birmingham and kicked the living daylights out of them.

Had it not been for Ching's poor finishing that night, it would have been a route.

[IndividualEleven]

Would have preferred an attacking lineup of:



-------------------------EJ-------------------------
-------------Beez------------------------------------
------------------------LD-------------------------
------------Bradley---------------Deuce-------------
-----------------------Benny-----------------------


with LD sitting in the hole as a nominal midfielder.

[sidefootsitter]

You needed two target strikers tonight.

That would have kept five Guat defenders around the box and allowed plenty of room for flank play. Twellman himself will never attract that much attention from the defense.

Personally, I would have had Donovan in the middle or at least had an option of flipping him and Dempsey. But Bob was too scared of what happened the last time he played Guatemala and moved Landon outside.

But H.D. Gomez didn't use quite the same tactics tonight that he did in Dallas in March. Bob never adjusted to the Guat changes.

[RalleeMonkey]

Both Feilhaber and Bradley played ok--Bradley was the better of the two tonight. I noticed that neither really got forward at all much tonight, which really means we were playing with SFS's preferred term, the "empty bucket" or the 4-2-2-2 as I prefer to call it. And considering how much Dempsey tracked back, he was almost playing a CAM role, which means you could interpret our line-up as a 4-5-1. This, in my opinion, was WAY TOO CONSERVATIVE for Bob Bradley given that we are at home against Guatemala. M.Bradley & Feilhaber will learn from this game, but we definitely missed a Claudio Reyna in the middle of the park.
.

Just to elaborate on your thoughts. As I said in another thread, we played the same formation that we played in the last WC. TT was McB. Beaz was Beaz. BB&BF were the two d-mids. And, here's the big shake up . . . . Donovan and Dempsey switched roles. Donovan played RM & Dempsey played the tweener CAM/withdrawn forward role.

To me, it's hard to blame BB&BF for staying back so much. My guess is that was their marching orders. They were paid to be destroyers & that's what they did.

[olephill2]

Just to elaborate on your thoughts. As I said in another thread, we played the same formation that we played in the last WC. TT was McB. Beaz was Beaz. BB&BF were the two d-mids. And, here's the big shake up . . . . Donovan and Dempsey switched roles. Donovan played RM & Dempsey played the tweener CAM/withdrawn forward role.

To me, it's hard to blame BB&BF for staying back so much. My guess is that was their marching orders. They were paid to be destroyers & that's what they did.
You're exactly right. It was, for the most part, the same 4-2-3-1 (or 4-4-1-1) formation that was used in the World Cup. Wayyy too conservative in my opinion considering the opposition here (Guatemala). Here would have been my preferred formation:

------------------Johnson-------------Twellman------------------

------------------------------Donovan---------------------------
Beasley--------------------------Feilhaber---------------Dempsey
------------------------Bradley/Clark-----------------------------

-------------Bocanegra------Onyewu------DeMerit----------------
----------------------------HOWARD-----------------------------

That's a 3-5-2. Frankie Hejduk played really well tonight, but the reason I chose DeMerit for the backline is because generally in a 3-man backline you want size. Also in this formation, Feilhaber and Bradley/Clark play as the two center mids, but Bradley/Clark plays the deeper role as the defensive mid, and Feilhaber pushes a little more forward as the lead distributor. Donovan is in his free flowing attacking midfield role, and Johnson and Twellman are up top, which is a striking combination I think can work well in the Gold Cup because Twellman can hold up the ball and link with the mids, while Johnson can run into space and have through balls sent for him.

We are a good enough team that we should be able to come out in a 3-5-2 against Guatemala (or any CONCACAF side short of Mexico) and do well. This formation is more attacking than what Bob Bradley did tonight, but still should provide enough defensive cover against the likes of a Guatemala/El Salv/T&T.


I still don't know where SideFootSitter gets the idea that we were in a 4-3-3 tonight.

[Cannons]

I had a lot of problems with the midfield

Benny and Bradley - ARE NOT THE BEST WE CAN DO. They struggled when under pressure. Bradley did nothing most of the game and settled for back passing or safe, obvious passes the rest of the time. These two were so bad that the defense started going over the top since they couldn't/wouldnt attack.

Dempsey - loose cannon. WHere was he playing anyway?

Beasley - good effort but too many bad crosses or give aways. Did just enough to get the next start.

Ralston - not fancy but did calm the game down and put some order into the attack. Speed for him was NOT a factor.

[cc-atl]

I thought the midfield played pretty well. We all knew it was going to be hard to look good against Guatemala. With that being said I thought we controlled the ball pretty well. Benny struggled a little bit. I thought Bradley played a pretty smart and tough game. Landon played well and Beasley was dangerous but typical Beasley in that he had a few terrible touches and was pushed off the ball too easily at times.

I think I like the move to put Landon out wide. He was dangerous with his crosses which is something we never see from Dempsey and ran at defenders well.

Unfortunately that left a hole in the attacking mid spot because Benny and Bradley played deep most of the game.

[lmorin]

Wow, I am surprised by many of the above comments. I thought the midfield was the most consistent part of the team and quite good. Nobody was perfect, including LD and DmB. But to say that Bradley did nothing most of the game? Well, I certainly didn't see that. He was quite good, actually. And, frankly, despite the fact that I have not been a proponent of Feilhaber, I thought he did well most of the time. Most importantly, he didn't hold the ball too long and get stripped. Remember, this was a game that counted! Not a friendly. Both Beas and LD did well on the flanks Beas had a much tougher job, in my opinion, because I thought Bornstein was horrendous and hugely interfered with the flow of Beasley's game.

[bobo81]

I thought LD disappeared throughout the game. He seemed to look "shook" when receieving those fouls. All I kept thinking was "for sure he won't go to Copa America now" lol :D I wish he would be the true inspring leader by trying to take over and do something. He just seemed to pass the ball and let the others panic over passes. I don't know maybe I should watch it a second time...