Xavi goal vs. US

[obewan]

Since the Spain game and even after the Argentina game, I have seen several posters on BS refer to Xavi's goal against us basically as a thing of beauty that we could do nothing about. This brings me to a couple of questions.

1) Am I the only one who noticed the blown offside trap on Xavi's goal? Our two CBs stepped up when Xavi started to pass the ball and put the other Spanish player in an offside position. Rather than stepping up and continuing to play, Gooch threw his hand up and looked at the ref. Xavi saw this and decided not to pass. Instead, he rounded Gooch before cutting inside of an out of place Hejduk for the goal. I heard neither of the announcers say anything about it, and I have not heard anything mentioned about the goal other than what a great job Xavi did by scoring it. Was it a great strike by Xavi? Yes...but should our defense not have been given an assist on his goal? Please tell me I'm not the only one who saw this.

2) Point one leads me to point two. Does anyone on the planet use the offside trap more than we do? I think there is a time and a place for it, but we use it so much that it becomes predictable. Argentina almost burned us on it several times, had Howard not made a couple of great saves. An offside trap is a gimmicky strategy that has serious consequences when it backfires. If it is used, it should be used with an element of surprise so that the other team is not suspecting it.

Thoughts?

[silverlion]

I think we would be overanalyzing the goal.

For me this is what explains it:

Exhausted defense, that's what happend when you like to sit back.
Bradley had been carded so he couldn't take Xavi down.
Either Adu or another attacking midfielder should had kept an eye on him.
Had Bradley watch a Barcelona game he could've worked on it, Xavi does it in every game.

Little things are the ones that kill, after 18 months on the job Bradley hasn't learn a thing, or maybe we don't have the talent. Wow, that could be an excuse for anything!

[obewan]

To me, the Xavi goal just brings up a larger issue about the offside trap. Do we use it excessively?

[cleansheetbsc]

To me, the Xavi goal just brings up a larger issue about the offside trap. Do we use it excessively?

It does work wonders against a lot of teams (especially of the Central American variety).

[Matrim55]

To me, the Xavi goal just brings up a larger issue about the offside trap. Do we use it excessively?
We gave up 3 goals in 3 games against 3 of the best teams in the world.

No.

[Shibb]

Exhausted defense, that's what happend when you like to sit back.
Bradley had been carded so he couldn't take Xavi down.
Either Adu or another attacking midfielder should had kept an eye on him.


Agree that this was in part caused by a defense that was on it's heels for the whole second half of the match, because when Adu subbed out we ceased putting offensive pressure on the Spanish, freeing them to come forward in droves.

If Bradley is in a good position he doesn't need to tackle there, but point taken.

Adu was subbed at the half for Beasley, maybe you mean Edu, who is not really used as an attacking mid. I don't agree that our attacking mid should be roaming along the top of our box for the most part, or tracking Xavi wherever he goes.

[Red Card]

off side trap = Poland v Germany yesterday. What a disaster with the trap.

Nat teams are all-star teams and they don't have the time and experience together to work the trap efficiently (except if their name is Germany). There will often be screw-ups.

In the case of the US, rarely are all the players together to practice together. This should be factored into game tactics.

[Optimus Prime]

Demerit would not have let Xavi 'round him. Nor do I think Califf would. These two guys have simply bypassed Boca and Gooch. Demerit is also a tougher player than Gooch. And I like Gooch. But evolution has shown that they've been outgrown soccer-wise by Demerit & Califf...just as Dempsey has a faster, more nimble guy in Klejstin outgrow him.

[MarvelousNTx]

Demerit would not have let Xavi 'round him. Nor do I think Califf would. These two guys have simply bypassed Boca and Gooch. Demerit is also a tougher player than Gooch. And I like Gooch. But evolution has shown that they've been outgrown soccer-wise by Demerit & Califf...just as Dempsey has a faster, more nimble guy in Klejstin outgrow him.

Demerit. LOL Does he even have a team right now? Seems like I remember Watford being ready to cut him loose.

[Marko72]

Frankly, having seen it only once (and the multiple times they played the replay on TV), I'd sum that goal up as A) a rather tired midfield that didn't cover Xavi adequately... and Bradley was carrying a card so he couldn't really foul him, B) a beleaguered defense that was bound to crack, this time due to a great fake that took both Onyewu and Boca out of the picture and left Hejduk to chase, and C) a great individual piece of dribbling/finishing skill by one of Barcelona's greats.

Preventable? Yeah, but more than anything, it was a great play by Xavi. Secondly, it's the product of a moment's lost concentration... and keeping concentration under 45+ minutes of out-and-out Spanish attack is never easy.

[Prime Time]

No midfield to hold to the ball meant tired players chasing around the Spaniards in order to defend. Xavi took advantage of some tired legs and made a hell of a play. Great goal and solo effort by Xavi.

That's pretty much it.

[Marko72]

No midfield to hold to the ball meant tired players chasing around the Spaniards in order to defend. Xavi took advantage of some tired legs and made a hell of a play. Great goal and solo effort by Xavi.

That's pretty much it.

This is the slightly simplified version of what I was saying... and in the end, I agree that the simplified version pretty much says it. It doesn't require a lot of analysis.

[NGV]

Since the Spain game and even after the Argentina game, I have seen several posters on BS refer to Xavi's goal against us basically as a thing of beauty that we could do nothing about. This brings me to a couple of questions.

1) Am I the only one who noticed the blown offside trap on Xavi's goal? Our two CBs stepped up when Xavi started to pass the ball and put the other Spanish player in an offside position.
There was no offside trap on the goal - the CB's were stepping up to challenge Xavi because he was free with the ball in a dangerous spot.

[obewan]

To address a couple of things - three goals allowed in three games against high caliber competition is nothing to hang your head about. In all fairness, we probably should have given up more than three goals. We also should have scored more than zero.

Second, watching it, my first instinct was that it was an offside trap. Having gone back and reviewed it, I'm still not convinced it wasn't. However, it could be possible both Gooch and Los could've been stepping up to challenge Xavi and just happened to put the Spanish player in an offside position. If this were the case, though, it makes Gooch's defending even more horrendous than misplaying an offside trap. He overcommits to the inside even though Los is there. Great recognition by Xavi, though to see the opportunity and take the chance.

[NGV]

Second, watching it, my first instinct was that it was an offside trap. Having gone back and reviewed it, I'm still not convinced it wasn't. However, it could be possible both Gooch and Los could've been stepping up to challenge Xavi and just happened to put the Spanish player in an offside position.
There was no offside trap - basic defensive principles, the first defender contains or challenges the ball carrier. Because the situation required an instant reaction with no communication, both Bocanegra and Onyewu had to react as first defender, which is why they ended up colliding.

[Untroubled by Reason]

Demerit. LOL Does he even have a team right now? Seems like I remember Watford being ready to cut him loose.
You might want to check Yanks Abroad more frequently, since he's been Watford's captain since Jan 2007... :rolleyes:

[obewan]

There was no offside trap - basic defensive principles, the first defender contains or challenges the ball carrier. Because the situation required an instant reaction with no communication, both Bocanegra and Onyewu had to react as first defender, which is why they ended up colliding.

I understand challenging the ball. But you're telling me they didn't see each other? I still contend they were trying the offside trap and found the ball in their lap.

[arkjayback]

The US using the offside trap excessively? Hah. The USMNT does not use it near as much as other international squads do.

[blackjack]

Watch the Xavi goal again. Yes, the offside trap was blown. But what's more important is that one player beat our DM, CB, other CB, and RB with four touches. That's just sh*t marking and sh*t tackilng. Our defensive training is nowhere near up to quality.

[oldguyfc]

Watch the Xavi goal again. Yes, the offside trap was blown. But what's more important is that one player beat our DM, CB, other CB, and RB with four touches. That's just sh*t marking and sh*t tackilng. Our defensive training is nowhere near up to quality.

The biggest problem with that goal was that Xavi was allowed to receive the ball in that position in the first place. He's standing in space for a reason, one of the two central defenders either has to step forward in anticipation, or the D-Mid has to front him toward the ball.