Post-match: USA 1 - 2 Serbia

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by gogorath, Jan 26, 2023.

  1. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    This team was much more fluid in the attack than GGG's US. It's play reminded more of the U20s.
     
  2. Shaster

    Shaster Member+

    Apr 13, 1999
    El Cerrito, CA, USA
    About Single Pivot #6.

    A. Morris is not up to the task. Not fast or quick enough to plug in the holes when Serbs win 2nd balls and start transaction. But even you have Adams who can win 2nd ball and plug the holes, Adams still needs a partner to bring the ball upward. Because Adams is not Konte who can win the ball, moving forwards and make killer thread passes. Or a Casimiro would be better. Of course, Adams is still in development period and wish he reaches that high someday in the future. But for Morris, not up do it, so maybe needs a double pivot to help out, such as Roca in Leeds United. But alas, both two other midfielders are not good as double pivots.
    Of course when we have MMA, we resolve the issues of win 2nd balls and bring ball forwards, but we lost the attacking creativity with that.
     
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  3. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    .A national team does not have the time together, or the flexibility to buy the talent required to grove a system as complex as positional play. Most top level clubs can't manage to successfully implement such a system. Beyond Pep's Man City, Enrique's Spain, and Flick's Bayern (partial) who else runs a positional play scheme? Even Pep's proteges Arteta at Arsenal and Ten Hag at Man U don't run full positional play schemes.

    After 4 years of Berhalter's "The System", it should be obvious that as many including Luci said at the beginning of the GB era, it is not something to try at the international level.

    Serbia's young team look much more fluid and effective on offense that we did and they were running a simple one touch motion scheme.
     
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  4. SoccerFanInIA

    SoccerFanInIA Member

    Sporting KC
    United States
    Oct 28, 2021
    Off topic, but does anyone know where I can watch a full replay without having HBO Max, or am I going to have to cave and get it?
     
  5. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    I'm not sure I can pull any kind of percentages out of my ass. Let me try.

    In terms of the midfield only, and in relation to goal production.
    • Tactical Choices: 35%. Pulisic was our middle of the field playmaker, and I don't include him here. By World Cup time, we were not pushing either Musah or McKennie forward, and the latter is the big reason for the number being so high. The combination of holding McKennie back and the fact that he only had 50 good minutes in him was a big part.
    • Personnel: 45%. I love Musah but he has zero final third game right now. None. Even when he gets forward, he has no idea what to do with it, really. McKennie can finish, but his close in touch and precision game is not good. So he can finish, but the plays he starts are from distance and deep. Adams is not even worth a conversation in terms of scoring.
    • Reps and Cohesion: 10%. I think even with better cohesion ... you aren't getting much out of him.
    I think this changes quite a bit in the direct attack, including fullbacks. Cohesion is a bigger issue there -- players just rarely could find that connecting pass.
     
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  6. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    And you wanted Bielsa. You certainly go back and forth.

    Positional play is more of a philosophy than a specific system, and like half the coaches out there use core elements of it. We certainly weren't trying to run something hyper complex, and there's many a gameplan that uses the basics that doesn't require something massively complex.

    Team cohesion and patterns of play absolutely can be established at a national team level, and plenty of teams do. There's a reason people for a national identity, so you get more plug and play. Our players rarely played together, and people were hurt left and right, in addition, to not being the most precise players ever.

    Serbia did not look more effective or fluid on offense than us. We made two terrible mistakes.
     
  7. Shawn Pug

    Shawn Pug Member

    Mar 18, 2022

    Serbia's Dragan Stojkovic on US: "They try to play in the 433 system, like top team ... they tried to have possession, control the play, but sometimes because of maybe inexperienced players, young players, they also make some mistakes. But this is very, very normal"
     
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  8. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I have advocated for Marsch and Dolo as far as USMNT-lineage and Loew and Carlo Ancelotti as international options. Are you confusing my support for man-marking as part of a high press counter press phase (which Marsch, Klopp, and Pep at Bayern have used) to say I wanted Bielsa?

    I would take Bielsa over Berhalter in a heartbeat if given that choice, but Bielsa looks like he is going to Everton.
     
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  9. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    serious question, not being cute, why does it seem like everything Cowell does is a solo act and never involves the rest of the team? At the end of the day, he wasn't all that good with the u20's but I see him looking amazing here and there with SJ, U20's, v. Serbia - just not putting it together and bagging goals and celebrating, say? I think many would say Sullivan was better with U20's even as Cowell plays for SJ and Sullivan can't get a game with Philly.

    Maybe Cowell is made for certain formations like 442? I dunno. Sign me Puzzled in Portland
     
  10. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    One neg rep: Pomykal was bailing out Morris all game. He saw the probem we were having and moved to fix it, even as it would have been easier to watch Morris fail and burnish his own star. Pomykal was Tab Ramos' choice for captain of the U20's who beat France. Adjust your radar, please.
     
  11. The Clientele

    The Clientele Member+

    Portland Timbers
    Jun 25, 2005
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I’m in the same camp… was surprised, and disappointed, not to have been able to watch last night. Given all our existing media subscriptions, I couldn’t justify adding another for a single game. That said, HBO has half our games now for the next couple of years, correct?

    Oi.

    I best back to the salt mines to pay for all my pleasures.
     
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  12. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Peacock has it.
     
  13. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Cowell simply may have needed time to adjust to playing inverted.
     
  14. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    Cowell was the game MVP. Unfortunately I've seen similar games from him before, and then nothing. His combination of power and speed is great and always surprising initially, the question is how will he play against teams that are prepared for him? No doubts he will be bought, the rest is unknown.
     
  15. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    so long as he’s more durable than dean ashton, Andy Carroll, Peter crouch types and he can stay healthy he’s a desirable commodity
     
  16. butters59

    butters59 Member+

    Feb 22, 2013
    He better be. He is 9-10 inches shorter than Crouch and weights 30-40 lbl more. Like Mike Tyson versus Manute Ball.
     
  17. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #142 TheHoustonHoyaFan, Jan 26, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2023
    That is exactly how we have looked under Berhalter. He took the best pool we have ever had, poorly selected from it then had the players contemplate philosophy on the field instead of playing soccer. No wonder they often looked slow and robotic.

    The good news from the match vs Serbia, Cowell was not contemplating the philosophy that is GB positional play. He was not attempting a complex read-progression scheme. He got the ball in wide attacking positions and attacked, he got the ball and attacked.

    it is a simple game, select your best players and put them in positions to be successful and let them play to their strengths.
     
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  18. Shaster

    Shaster Member+

    Apr 13, 1999
    El Cerrito, CA, USA
    About Cade Cowell:

    He is the type of player who is well-wanted in Europe game. Individual ability is very much needed as winger or attacker. There is no much chance that you can just wait somewhere then people serve you on a silver plate.
    Whoever underestimate Cade will be surprised.
     
  19. dlokteff

    dlokteff Member+

    Jan 22, 2002
    San Francisco, CA
    SPANISH TV...Though it was TUUUURIBLE quality last night.
     
  20. ifsteve

    ifsteve Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Jul 7, 2013
    MS and ID
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You are puzzled by any player, coach, or tactics that isn't exactly what you think the team should do based on your years of high level playing and coaching.......
     
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  21. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Inconsistency is common among young players. And San Jose have not been a good team.
     
  22. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Agree that Berhalter's teams had been slow and robotic when compared to Wednesday's team and the age-group teams. GGG seemed to struggle with 433 and positional play.
     
  23. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Probably true but it does seem that every time you go down 3-4 years the players seem more skilled.
     
  24. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    I think it's very important to note that this team started 4 U-20s, 5 players with zero callups, Pomykal with only one callup 3 years ago and Zimmerman. They still managed to play a fairly comprehensive 4-3-3. Not bad at all, to my eyes.
     
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  25. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    GGG himself has had a young pool to work with.

    Earnie should've gotten a coach who had experience running the formation and system.
     

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