Yep. Basically our chances amounted to Mendez sending kicks over the bar or PKs at the keeper. That said, we still show an xG diff of about a 1/2 goal better than the outcome. More than all of that difference really comes from the PK miss though. From open play Qatar actual bested us, which feels right, and sad. Good thing is that this shows Qatar with one good chance and then zilch. It felt like they were a bit more dangerous than that, but overall we weren't threatened. Their plot actually is kinda funny the GK and 2 CBs deep, and everyone else in a line at midfield. It looks like once the approached us, they ran out of ideas, so credit to our defense anyway. Our shape looks ok except for the obvious and predictable lack of connection between the very forward Konrad and the deep McKenzie. Also Soto trying to play hold up striker, but never got the ball to anybody, and Mendez is a playmaker who didn't make any plays. So, all we, got, say it with me Alexi, "Set Pieces".
I think we are going to see in the next game the gaffes Ramos made in selecting his roster. I don't think Durkin has had a great tournament, but I don't think we have a viable back up on this roster. Cerrillo has done well to put himself in discussion to make this team and he snuck onto it, but I think its up for debate how good he actually is. Receiving playing time in MLS does not mean you are a good player. Besides the question if Cerrillo is good enough (something that I don't think we know yet), playing a lone #6 role is a very hard job for any defensive midfielder. It can make any #6 look bad, especially one like Cerrillo who is not well-suited for the role that Ramos has had Durkin playing where he sits in front of the back four putting out defensive fires with almost no help from the other CM's, and is tasked with the buildup. Cerrillo is not good enough to replicate the second part, and we still don't know whether he can do the first part. I think it would be a lot smarter to try to play Servania alongside Cerrillo with one #10 ahead of those two. It's not a formation we've seen much of from Ramos recently. I think Sands could've played the Durkin role well, and been a good alternative there to Durkin. Cerrillo is a different type of defensive midfielder, and its not even clear that he's good enough for this roster. I don't think that was a smart selection there by Ramos to pick Cerrillo and leave off Sands. If Cerrillo was to make this team, his role should have been as a defensive replacement late in games and potentially a starter in a two man CM. If you want to play with a lone 6, you needed a better Durkin back up than Cerrillo.
Watching Mali and France right now. It’s 1-1 at halftime. Tbh, I think we’d rather play France than Mali. Mali is big, physical, and incredibly aggressive. France is smaller, technical, and more of a finesse team. Both teams are prone to careless mistakes and would be similar to the US in that regard, but I think Mali would toss us around. They are getting called for a ton of fouls, but from what I’ve seen, refs haven’t been eager to give second yellows in this tournament.
Thats one interpretation, but could it be that Gonzalez is the one misusing players? I'm no big Ramos fan, but I'm far from convinced that he's a worse coach than Gonzalez. I think we all like that Gonzalez is using young players more than Pareja did, but I think its still up for debate if he knows what he's doing with coaching these players, and if he can achieve results coaching FC Dallas. I have not seen many positive reviews of the work he did with the FC Dallas youth teams, and I was very unimpressed, as well.
This is my biggest concern with the team, as well. I don't see much end product in this team. If you consider all the attacking mids, none have done particularly well with end-product coming into this tournament. Pomykal lacked end-product this season with FC Dallas. de la Fuente has lacked end-product this season with Barcelona. Ledezma has played a few games, so form is a question, even if he was able to produce end product. Llanez hasn't played any competitive games this season, so form is a question, even if he was able to produce end product. Mendez did a good job of producing end product in qualifying, but this is a much higher level of competition and he hasn't produced much since joining Freiburg, although part of that is due to playing a slightly deeper role in some games. There's a lack of players that produce end product in this team. Soto produces goals. Weah also does have a good history of producing end product, but there are obviously big issues with his play from the run of play.
We may give France a decent resistance, but I don't see us surviving it, sorry. The speed of their wingers is just too much, they made the Malians look slow.
The biggest difference I see is they work together and move the ball up the field whereas we look like we have 11 guys who have never played together before. But they have the same amount of problems finishing as we do from what I’ve seen. They have 6 goals this tournament, we have 4. They had a penalty gifted to them in this game on some bad luck for the Mali CB and they converted, whereas Mendez missed one yesterday. I think we have a chance because I don’t think this France team is unbeatable, but yeah I definitely think they are favored over us and are playing better. I bet the house on Venezuela when we played them in the quarterfinals 2 years ago so I’d like to think I’m realistic about our chances.
The Argentina-Mali in the R16 is going to be epic. Basically the #2 vs. the #3 teams in the tournament.
I wish I had seen Mali play before this because they looked really good in the first half but looked completely exhausted in the second. I still think people are sleeping on how good Ukraine is. I think they have as much of a chance as anyone.
Panama must be doing something right, they're looking better and better at every level. BTW their coaching staff for this one is from Argentina, not Colombia (most of the coaches leading the Panamanian Soccer Revolution are Colombians). Of course at this level things are a bit unpredictable, being a bunch of kids still ruled by hormones and all, but it's a shame we have to play the favorites so soon. Ah well.
Can we take the purported analytics back to baseball and the NFL where it belongs? Or does PFF need another BS gig?
Watching the game yesterday reminded my why I stopped watching youth tournaments. I having been hearing about how the U20 team will help the senior team. Well, it was one game, but I didn't see anyone who is going be helping in the next couple of years. Coaching and strategy may be the problem, but I still the majority of the players who rely on athleticism and don't have the good "soccer" brains. Did the US even have a midfield? No movement, no one showing for the ball and we appeared slower that Qatar.
what kills me is the off-the-ball movement.. the next line of players behind the one with the ball only reacts AFTER the action has played out. If there is a deflection or cross or ANYTHING that might have connected to them ...they only move after they are aware of it and rarely in anticipation of it. The team must have been at least 60 yards from striker to backline at all times. I think it must be coaching....telling defenders and mids to not join in and be defense first at all times.....of course if you don't allow your back 7 to join in the attack you ar going to struggle to create anything. And people wanna harp on KDLF not making it happen....he's crossing to NO ONE!. Every time there is a loose ball or deflection...you expect a US player to get to....he's always 3 steps slow....and doesn't get there....all down to approach (and likely coaching).
This has driven me crazy about American players forever. It seems like such an easy and important thing to coach but it seems like no one ever does.
I don’t really understand the criticism of KDLF. He’s beaten his man to the end line and made fantastic crosses every single game only to have Soto, Weah, and Mendez all standing about the same spot at the top of the 18 and watching the ball roll through the box. After the first time, Tab shouldn’t even have to tell them to move when KDLF tries to beat his man. But after the second time, how does he not practice it and work on getting players in front of the goal? His teams are always consistently horrible at moving off the ball.
I get it, but we never use that as an excuse for ourselves, so why is it an acceptable one because it’s someone else? Shouldn’t Argentina have enough talent to at least play this game tight? We rested 3 players against Qatar who started the first 2 games, including our most effective player of the tournament, and we aren’t using that as an excuse.
The South Americans are the ones that go into this the most handicapped, since the Euro clubs won't release any of the ones already playing for club. So there is a clear lack of depth. They have to make do with the locals. Also, I suspect Argentina is making sure the UEFA Champs (Portugal) don't make the next round.