Pre-match: PBP/Post: 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup; USA vs Senegal

Predicting this has a lot to do with the health/fitness of Glad and CCV

Assuming Zelalem is done but everyone else is good to go, I think Ramos goes with this in a 4-2-3-1

Klinsmann
Glad (RB)
EPB
CCV
Acosta (LB
Adams
Jones
Lennon
Williamson
DLT
Sargent

 

Any injury update on Zelalem?

Hopefully he didn't blow out his knee.

 

I'd play

Marcinkowski
Redding-CCV-Glad-Acosta
EPB
de la Torre-Jones
Lennon
Ebobisse-Sargent

 

I don't think you pull the keeper just yet. If he has another shaky game then you use the third match to play Marcinkowski and stay with him the rest of the event. Too early to bench Klinsmann when his backline isn't sorted and there is confusion about the midfield. Resolve the defense and then you get an accurate view. Also we need to see how good Ecuador really is and that will show against our common opponents. We will get out of the group, the only question is path and place. We need to have clarity on the best XI from THIS group of guys by the time knockouts come around so everyone can have the best chance to showcase. Klinsmann's situation with the leaky midfield and college players around him is not ideal and it would be pretty unfair to judge him on that basis while giving another keeper an ideal situation with a resolved backline and a weaker opponent to come in and showcase.

 

Ramos would have the grounds to do it, but I don't think he will.

 

Tab won't switch keepers, but he should.

Tab also thinks Aaron Herrera is a starting RB. He said he had two starting RB's.

 

And now I know who started a rumor that Adams is the second best prospect after Pulisic.

 

• Doyle reviews opener and looks forward to Senegal
• https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/05/22/armchair-analyst-few-thoughts-us-u-20s-draw-vs-ecuador

 

lol very true.

I know he's young for this team, but Adams really does not impress me. I'm not saying he's a non-prospect or anything like that, but I don't think he's presently that good and I don't think he has a very high ceiling to begin with.

 

Another plausible explanation would be that somebody asked Marsh whether they are totally nuts to let Dax go sothe answer was "That's because we have ..."

 

Coming back to this story, I was trying to come up with a historical parallel, and one that came to mind was USA v England from the 2010 WC: recall Rob Green's disastrous mistake (on Dempsey's shot) that cost England a win in the group opener.

Capello decided to bench Green after that and he didn't see another minute of playing time in that tournament.

 

If our center backs are healthy I'd enjoy seeing 3 in the back. Acosta at LWB with one of Jones, Adams, or Williamson on the right maybe? CCV, EPB, and Glad as the 3 CBs of course. I know it won't happen but it could be a lot of fun. Imagine Sargent, DLT, and Lennon up top in a 3-4-3

 

I'm thinking GZ's injury was a contact injury. He had two hard collisions prior to going down for the last time. One appeared to be a knee to the lower thigh, just above the knee. I had this exact same injury in a game and was able to play for 10 to 15 minutes before the pain was excruciating (they later drained a quart of liquid from my leg and I was fine). The secong was the collision in the box where it looked like he had a lateral injury (side impact and roll) to the ankle and/or knee. That one would be more serious. When he actually went down for the count, it appeared precipitated by forcefully planting his extended injured leg.

Not that it means much, but here is a quote I found that I haven't seen elsewhere:

It appeared like things would decline for the United States after central midfielder Gedion Zelalem sustained a knee injury that eventually forced him out in the thirty-fourth minute.

http://us.blastingnews.com/sports/2...qualizer-rescued-us-for-a-draw-001719659.html

 

Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't w/scheduling, recall 2006 which was a worst case scenario (the Czech's were never the same team after our match with their stud target forward, Koller, missing the rest of the tournament, and Ghana had to win their match w/us to advance-so the only match where our opponent wasn't playing must win was Italy in the middle), we got pretty lucky in 2010, and luckier still in 2014 w/Portugal losing players to red cards and injuries, Ghana not ready, and Germany not needing to win the finale.

For me, getting Saudi Arabia last is HUGE if they get curb stomped by Ecuador thursday, as it will be a flights booked scenario for the most part (technically they could advance with a win, but they're already -2 in GD, and I expect Ecuador to add to that negative GD). I would have preferred Senegal-Ecuador-Saudi Arabia, but getting Saudi Arabia last if there are zero points is the best case scenario for us. We would/should know that while Senegal or Ecuador might be nice last, they also were more likely to need points, so I'm quite happy w/the scheduling.

Did anyone catch all of the Senegal match? I saw the goals (superlative power finishes), but missed the match. Have a bad feeling about that match unless we're healthier in the back.

 

he433 (allows creative wing play and service to break an organized d, while providing cover against their speed):

FW: Sargent
WF: Saucedo, Lennon
Mid: DLT, Jones, Adams
Back: Acosta, Glad, EPB, Williamson
GK: Marcinkowski

Notes:

- Saucedo and DLT are interchangeable. Saucedo sucked in CONCACAF but prior to that he was good, and is arguably having a better season w/ RSL than Lennon.
- Williamson has been inconsistent for the team but plays consistently hard and with physical tools. I think he could handle the switch to rb. He does make plenty of incisive passes. Don't know about his crossing, but it would be more a bonus as long as he could mark against Senegalese speed.
- Need to get creative and go with players + in positions that are far from ideal because of the injuries, lack of releases, and curious selections.
- Who are the remaining alternates and can they still join the team if Zelalem is injured. Don't want it to happen by injury, but could improve the outlook of the team if they could add another actual creative wing option or fb.
- Sargent should be promoted to Colonel if his debut was the norm

 

Going into the game...

Overwrought BigSoccer Hyperbole:

Aaron Herrera needs immediate replacement - this was the first game in a tournament with a defense that has never played together before. Herrera was no more culpable than Tommy Redding for either goal. Redding had the worst outing of any US player, IMO. At least Herrera almost created a goal when he whipped in a sitter for Adams to sky Wondolowski-style over the bar. I would bench Redding for whichever of Glad or CCV are available.

Klinsmann needs immediate replacement - If not for the gaffe, Klinsmann would have been a possible man of the match.

Willams and Adams underperformed - this was a game that was played on the wings. Equador and the US both tried to funnel play through their wing players. The ball tended to stay on the side of the field that Brooks Lennon was on whether Equador was attacking through Cabezas up their left or the US was attacking through Lennon on their right. We really didn't get to see these guys engage.

Players tend to have performance swings in these tournaments. Players who seemed invisible may find space against another opponent.

What we know:
- Sargeant can receive service from wide and from up the spine
- Derrick Jones provides consistency, glue, and rhythm
- EPB is very consistent and very good
- the defense is relatively disorganized
- Luca de la Torre is capable of greatness (that clutch equalizer was great)

 

For those advocating it, and other than saying "how could it be worse?", why advocate starting CCV and Glad at this point? Neither has played in two months which likely means that neither is anywhere near capable of running with the Senegalese for 90+ minutes.

Is there some place that's even reporting that these guys are healthy enough to be training with the team in full? What am I missing?

 

There have been pictures of them training with the team.

 

Well, the replays don't look good. I don't know if I agree with the poster, but you can see his kneecap slide awfully far out of place here.

@arseblog @arsenalist @gunnerblog @arsenalamerica That's a torn acl for Zelalem. No doubt. Watch left leg below knee. pic.twitter.com/epD0KtAXbr

— Damond Trowbridge (@DTrowbridge74) May 22, 2017

 

That is indeed good news. However, the point still is fitness. 2 months off means neither of these players is 90 minutes fit. Starting either one likely commits you to a substitution from the start of the match. Not a good idea IMHO.

 

Saying a player underperformed isn't hyperbole.

Herrera is far above his level. No number of excuses change that.

After two viewing it's simply clear as day. He is pretty far below the standard at this level.

Redding has been rightfully criticized just as much as Herrera. The difference between the two performances is that Redding's was unexpected.

A lot of people expected more from Redding, I know I did. Can't necessarily say the same about Herrera.

 

I didn't even notice his trailing leg when I watched. I'm not sure I agree with the assessment in the tweet either but it doesn't look good.

 

They are center backs. That's a different equation. Don't need to run much. They are likely 90 minute fit when fit. Pick the one that's fitter and start him next to EPB. One complicates things when they suggest employing a 3-man back-line with the extra running that requires and starting both with questionable fitness is quite a perilous idea. But starting one in a pairing;we should be fine.

Both things can and were true. Herrera and Redding struggled and should probably be replaced. Herrera was getting burned for pace and putting himself out of position in stepping up but not putting sufficient ball pressure, exposing Redding 1 v. 1, who didn't do his job and got taken off the dribble easily. Then Redding was very loose with his passing too. It's a false dilemma. Replace them both. Herrera never looked good enough and Redding was underwhelming in the CONCACAF tourney. Glad, EPB, and Fossey carried the d.

Claiming if not for the gaffe Klinsmann could have legitimately won MOTM is hyperbole. He made 2 saves, one superb one. In the end allowed 3 goals and would have allowed 2 if not for the gaffe, which you can't just exclude. It's the biggest event of the game, bad or good. He also could have been sent off early, leaving the team in peril. That was a bad decision. Not the end of the world if he just allows that goal. He was also a guy who was mediocre at best in the CONCACAF tourney. He won gk of the comp because he was on the winning team, and to the victor go the spoils. But if you watched those games, he let in multiple soft goals, displayed poor hands, and anticipation. Also had a big gaffe vs. Mexico off a corner which should have been punished. They recorded zero shots on goal. He was behind several other viable candidates coming in when it came to performance in college and beyond. Only reasons why I wouldn't be super bothered to see him back out there are Marcinkowski, who Tab hasn't given experience, is the only alternative, and he's the only comp who wast selected.

 

I would be very interested to see if CCV is healthy and given Lennon crossing and Sargent heading ability and DLT ability to control attacking midfield and Jones ability to control defensive midfield if we don't see a 3-5-2 that really looks more like a 5-3-2 with a ton of overlapping fullback play and Lennon played as a wingback.

i think anyone who watched this match realizes the outside backs need support which opens gaps right down the center of the pitch for cutback crosses. Given that Sargent needs 3 shots on goal to score and african teams typically lose the plot when forced to play against an organized defensive structure, I would simply put numbers in a position to counter, create an organized defensive midfield and wait for Senegal to over reach and falter. If we give them too much space to attack, we wont win. Simple as that.