So many things I like about Arriola, his fight being one of the biggest. I just wish he could produce more end product.
An unlikely enforcer, it would seem. You have to love Arriola's energy! Does Wes have a retaliatory streak in him a la JJ? Just trying to imagine who else might step up like that.
People are very influenced by what the broadcasters say. This is very dangerous as a guy like Darke will form an opinion on a player in the first 2 minutes and repeat it all game. Twellman kept saying it was a bunker. But even if they didn't intend to, they fell into it easy. They were missing their best player who plays striker. Also, after down a goal, they showed zero urgency. Which reinforced the idea they didn't come to play.
He probably does. I looked to see if his heavy challenge, that he got hurt on, was retaliation. If it was, it was for something much earlier. But we don't want are most important players having to do that too. It is perfect for Arriola to clean a guy out. Would it even occur to Morris? Ream? Adams is a master of the call back foul and he usually gets away with it; baby face and all. Altidore is terrible at it and usually gets suspended without actually doing much (if you are going to throw a stupid elbow, throw and elbow!). Trapp is not afraid to clean a player out. Bradley, as we saw, won't do it. Maybe, older less important not starting, Bradley will think back to his younger days and do it in the Gold Cup.
I assume that you know that a team can bunker from a low block or from a medium block? Look at this clip from 2 minutes into the 2nd half. None of their midfielders made any attempt to join in the attack on the Trapp turnover. That is a bunker with 3 DMs. They never had any intention of mounting an attack with more than 2 or 3. When the ref is beating your CM up-field on a counter you are not interested in attacking. Ecuador is getting ready for Copa just like we are preparing for Gold Cup. Ecuador's only hope in Copa is to bunker and pray, that is why they hired Gomez who previously coached Panama.
They were possessing early and trying to get forward. How do yotu guys create those gif? If created a confrontation line at the half way line of early on — those two things are not bunkering
The answer could be that we forced them back and then they were kind of happy to just do that. Houston is right, that is not a counter attack. The midfielders don't even walk forward. Kind of weird that Panama did the same. Hoping Chile at least try to win. I don't know if GB can get the optimum amount of info out of a game where they other teams don't try.
Yes, 2 minutes into the second half, ie 47 minutes into the game, and long after they realized they got killed in the first half (they were lucky to not be down by a goal or two).
When we looked at their lineup and shape before the start of the match their intent was very clear. They were not going to try to play. The fact that we could only manage 2 shots on goal should be the more concerning issue for a system that is designed to "use the ball to unbalance the opponent and create scoring chances".
This is true to. They were missing their best forward and starting a defensive midfield. They certainly were not trying to press high or bring much intensity. I do think they were planning to use the wings to get forward. But certainly, Trapp, Adams, Brooks, Long, Ream all had plenty of time and space to do whatever. Was not a test of the back 5 in anyway really.
Yeah, the defense actually held up as well as needed, hard to say how much was needed. It was the attack that was pretty horrid against Ecuador. And man, look at the players in the front three and it's not hard to expect the attack to be less than exciting. Arriolo is determined and hard working but can't shoot or make a final pass, but at least he moved well and attacked with some determination. Morris was afraid to take anyone on, Zardes was Zardes. If the same guys are rolled out against Chile, the only way this group scores is if Pulisic comes through from midfield with a bit of magic as far as I can see. I'm actually hoping the loss of McKennie means he gets replaced with a player who will sit a bit deeper and let Pulisic have more space in the center to work.
As I posted in the other thread a more important question is our anemic offense that only created 2 shots on goal.
Morris pulisic and Mckennie were all new to the system. They had two days to prepare and Ecuador bunkered after getting cut up a bit early.
The system is designed to get tap ins for the forward. That forward has pretty much been Zardes and he has missed at least 5 such opportunities within 6 yards of goal. Ramirez played a bit and scored one tap in. The other way it is suppose to score is pull backs from the endline by the winger to the CMs. We have one of those (Djorde from Baird), but mostly the wingers that have played are mostly incapable of getting to the endline 1 v 1. Lewis to Lletget is of this type but probably more down to poor marking by CR. The other part of the equation is set pieces, we have one from a set piece scramble. So, I think the system is ok. Just Zardes has been terrible with finishing and most of the wingers have not been able to get past their defender. Luckily, there are upgrades to these players.
Well Man U, Barca, Juve, Bayern, Madrid, ... will adopt this system right away. I am sure they would all like to get tap ins for the forward. We have a team that generated only 2 shots on goal against a weak opponent. We are playing a system that our coach explicitly says is designed to generate scoring chances. Is it not worth discussing why we only generated 2 shots on goal? This is not directed at you but it seems that every discussion point leads back to somebody explaining this magical system. It is in fact not rocket science or even new. Trust me I get it.
If Berhalter is using a formation that does not include Pulisic as a starter, he is using the wrong formation, or CP is injured.
I would agree that Ramirez would be the better finisher to the balls he gets to. The question is if he has the work rate to play striker the way Berhalter wants. I understand the downside of Zardes but he does a ton of work (unrewarded runs, pressing, etc) that ties up the CB’s and has a knack of reaching balls that others might not. Maybe Ramirez starts this match. Will be interesting to see.
Panama just tied Brazil in a friendly, leading for most of the game. It is hard to imagine the USMNT doing the same. And Panama is usually taken for granted as a CONCACAF opponent on these boards. Consider Chile in the same way as if we were playing a friendly against Brazil.
Zimmerman is my candidate for USMNT enforcer. When he gets mad, he has that Terminator look that makes the other team understand he means business.