The United Set-pieces of America

That is very interesting and could explain why we look lost in the final third.

 

It also could explain why we keep winning games with goals off of set pieces.

 

I'm a gringo living in Honduras and I watched the pre and post game on Honduran TV. The game announcers all said that for Honduras to win they had to defend well against set pieces because that is where the US scores alot of goals and is really the only way that the US is dangerous.
The post game interviews with a number of Honduran players all were the same, "we practiced to defend set pieces because we knew that was where the gringos were dangerous and we just didn't do it quite well enough"
So if teams start keying on defending set pieces is that a problem? Or will that give us more openings in the run of play?

 

Or it's (also) bit of a self-flattering claim on the Hondurans' part. We created real chances from the run of play and didn't do a good job finishing. Sure, that partly means we need better finishing. But the chances were there. More chances, certainly, than Honduras generated. (And, really, they didn't generate their goal so much as we handed it to them. Great finish by Costly, mind you, but hardly the result of a superior passing attack.)

 

It's a real good thing if other teams prepare for our set pieces and still can't stop us.

Do we need to score more goals from the run of play? Sure. Will it improve? Hopefully it will as our team starts to settle in on our midfield formations.

 

Or, if we don't get goals off of set pieces, we appear completely lost, like at CR.

 

Actually,we got a goal off a setpiece and still looked lost.

 

The team scores an inordinate amount of goals off of set-pieces. While it's certainly not a bad thing, it's not great either when you consider the lack of goals from open play. This can prove decisive against top quality teams.

 

This point is excellent and has been made a number of times, here, on this thread. In the old days we used to be poor on scoring on set plays and also poor on defending against set pieces. I cannot remember the last time we were scored on from a set piece (I am certain someone else here can ). Believe me, if this is our biggest problem, it is a good one to have.

 

I truly believe our main offensive goal is to get some kind of setpiece.

 

Of note.

Our only set piece goal of the Confed Cup was the PK against Italy...set up by something from the run of play.

Everything else was not scored off a set piece, but rather through beautiful buildups (except the Charlie Davies hustle goal, still technically not off a set piece though).

 

I was wondering when this thread would resurface. Good job.

You think Brazil is upset they scored so many goals off of set pieces?

 

And for those who are counting, that makes seven in a row, all against world class competition.

 

Yeah, I am personally glad our goals have been during the run of play. I've been sick of being the king of set pieces.

 

Any team with out height and athleticism should play for set pieces. It is certainly not a bad strategy to employ.

With that being said, our speed is a great asset as well and the counter attacking with Davies and Donovan has been nice to watch.

 

Which is what I'm most pleased about at the end of this tournament.

If you had told me before the tournament that we would score three against Egypt, two against Spain, and two against Brazil, all in the run of play, I would have told you to shut your lying mouth

This tournament was better than we could have hoped for, and I'm so glad we sent a C team to Copa America...

 

We scored a goal yesterday off of a set piece, granted it was Brazil's set piece.

 

Yes props indeed on that, and on generally good defending during the run of play.

However, he did get beat 2-3 times this tournament on set pieces that resulted in dangerous chances for the opposition, including one that resulted in a goal.