Some of our players cannot compete with Senegal physically. Have to move the ball faster. And for defense, it's better we improve the position and anticipation. Maybe we can watch how Japan will play against this African team.
Armour hasn't been bad. On paper that was the most inexcusable choice beforehand, but he's held his own.
As soon as Senegal's attackers see our guys dribble into traffic in the final third, they immediately break forward for the counter. And usually our guys lose the ball
I think the answer is simple, coaches want results, and generally prefer high floor players to players who have wildly distributed outcomes in terms of performances. They want something more predictable. This is like the "arriola" effect, or "the Arriola line" for lack of a better phrase, where you have Berhalter, Ramos, and Olsen all rating him at a level that's far beyond where he should be rated simply because he's predictable: *he'll get stuck in *he'll work his --- off *he'll miss some easy chances but take them too *he'll never quit and can run all day. The problem is, to me, Arriola is very much a 1996-2000 USMNT kinda player, maybe even 2006 after injuries annihilated so many guys who were seen as future players (O'Brien, Mathis, Convey, Eddie Johnson, Josh Wolff) and as a result guys like Brian Ching, and Ralston and the like saw time, but were quickly ushered out by '07 or '08 at the latest.
But I think that's more a technical side of things, then an athletic side of things, when I watch him, he just rarely puts a foot wrong, rarely has an awful touch, and when you're like that, you play a fluid game. I don't see him blowing by people like a Donovan, a Pulisic, or even since I just mentioned him, a Convey back in the day. He just doesn't have their speed/acceleration, maybe I'm fixated on speed and acceleration to much and not fluidity.
I think the ref has allowed the game to be pretty open, which has been to Senegal's advantage. With a similar referee mentality I could see Senegal giving Japan problems. I don't see them beating the Netherlands.
I think you confuse being a long strider with not being fast. Pulisic is more quick than fast. Donovan was fast. Reyna is as fast, while he doesn't take multiple steps to stride passed you. A lot has been made about his athleticism because his mother was a runner. Got her's and Claudio's genes.
Dobbelarea passes to a guy covered by two greenshirts not to mention his back is to the touch line. Loss of possession
What the hell was Las doing? Good save, but come out of your freaking net. A defender also fell asleep. Gotta be cognizant as the last man.