Match 50 (R16) - United States v Ghana - Post-Match Thread [R]

Bradley did a fine job imo. He made a few questionable decisions, yes, but what coach in this Cup hasn't? The US's big weakness was backline defense, and I don't care how good Tim Howard is, he can't be left on an island over and over. However the biggest problem that the US faced on defence is that their best defender, and AC Milan player, Gooch Onyewu was just coming off of a long injury, had played almost no matches for his club and had little time with the national team before coming into this Cup. That's a big hole that you're asking alot of also-ran players to fill and it caught up with them. Nothing to be done about that. Ghana had some big shoes to fill as well.

 

yeah that's a big factor the loss of our best central defender Onyewu, who was immense in the confed cup last year was a big loss for us, as was Charlie Davies whose running really gave our offense something else. Unlike Findley, he has international goals and experience to his name. But we can't really play this game considering Ghana were missing Essien.

 

It's important for fans to put things in prespective. The US mission could have ended against Slovenia if it wasn't for major defensive blunder by the whole Slovenian team when they conceded the first goal. As gorgeous as Donovan's goal was, it was really a gift because that play from the start (throw in) was riddled with mental lapses by the Slovenians. BUT, that's a reflection on both coaches. I can only imagine while the Slovenian team was all jiggy in the locker room, Bradley was chewing up his players asses.

I think Bradely is a keeper but he and his staff also need a coaching development program to enhance their knowledge.

 

One of the issues (other than failing to drink coffee before the game started) with our defense was Gooch.

He's a crucial part of our defense, and he was not at 100% physically nor was he in complete synch with his teammates.

But the drop-off from Gooch at full strength to his replacement is pretty huge.

 

In extra time I think it was because our players were gassed and lost the focus to battle through in a more sophisticated way.

It's pretty common when players get tired for them to start playing like that.

(That doesn't explain the first half against Slovenia though.)

 

Agreed 100%.

Gooch's injury highlighted our depth problem, as well.

That being said, remember where we were 16 years ago, or 8 years ago. If we keep developing at this rate, we could be really really good in the next couple of cups. We're definitely on the right path.

2014 might be a really good time for us - Donovan won't be over the hill yet, and the young guys who weren't quite ready this time may be ready to step up.

 

Not everyone.

A couple of people said it multiple times.

Big difference.

 

But at a certain point our consistent flat starts have to be considered his fault.

He needs to change something up to stop that from happening, it's been going on for a while.

 

Golden, golden opportunity wasted by the US to progress maybe as far as the semis considering the favorable draw. This was a very beatable Ghana side. We've seen in this tournament and in previous ones that African nations aren't up to par tactically, they make simple mistakes, they're naive. If you simply limit your mistakes and outsmart them, you beat them. I know Ghana is fast and physical, but I didn't expect them to trouble the US. They managed two goals from penalties in 3 games. This team isn't a threat to score. I think a 'big football nation' like even Uruguay can just show up and simply NOT BEAT THEMSELVES and they will win vs a team like Ghana in this stage of the competition. Call it experience, or swagger, but in a must win situation like Eng-Slovenia and Ger-Ghana did anyone really have any doubts about England and Germany getting done? That is the sign of just a "football nation" (you can argue Italy losing to Slovakia but that happens 1/100) Just showing up and not even having to play your best, but doing enough to win and getting by. Unfortunately this US team is not there yet obviously, the problem is they're farther away than I thought.

That the US talent pool isn't top end there can be doubt, but certainly it should've been enough to match Ghana's. This is where I have to disagree with Suyunjuy, that a foreign coach like Ghana's is, could have perhaps helped the US in this match. When you concede in the first 15 minutes 3 out of 4 times in the World Cup, you're not mentally prepared and that's a coach's job. Not only that, he started tinkering the lineup and ultimately getting it wrong vs Ghana. Felihaber should have started every game, his vision in the midfield is superb! Instead he experimented and got it wrong with Clark twice and even Torres. Edu also should've been a mainstay. Findlay should never have played. Onyewu since not fit, which everyone knew, either shouldn't have been taken or a central defender should've been paired with DeMerit so Bocanegra isn't played out of position. This was a close game and little things like that make the difference. On top of that the US wasn't in the game the first 30 min or so and unfortunately Howard gifted a goal - goalkeeping error. Ghana didn't create one real chance this game, the US beat themselves. When the tactical changes were made the second half and the US got back in it, they dominated but didn't finish them off. Yes Donovan scored from the spot, but he couldn't once again impose himself like a true leader of a team. And I'm not talking this game, the whole tournament. Dempsey was more of the leader and imposed himself more. Felihaber too, which is stunning considering he never started. Altidore had flashes of good things throughout this game and t. he tournament, but obviously isn't the finished product. So the US really beat themselves today - they weren't prepared to start, they gave a soft goal on the first one, then they couldn't go for the kill when they had Ghana on the backfoot in the second half. On top of that, they gifted another goal start of extra time. A goal that you can say came "out of nothing" and showed the limitations of Bocanegra being played out of position.

 

Without Donovan, the US isn't in the knockout stage. Both of his group goals came at key points in the match. You can say that he hasn't dominated matches, but he was the best passer and scored when he was needed. That's all that you can ask for from a leader.

Obviously the biggest knock on Bradley, which may have been his greatest strength a year earlier in the Gold Cup and qualifyers, was his need to incessantly tinker with roster spots that didn't need to be tinkered with. And sticking with Findley all tournament long was an annoyance that smacked of stubbornness. Mostly he was trying to use him as a poor-man's Charlie Davies and failing time and again. Why bring Buddle all the way here and never use him, or simply stick with Dempsey up front with Altidore. But in 4 or 8 years Altidore will be the USA's best player, of that I'm more sure than ever.

However, ultimately there wasn't anything that the US could do to cover up Gooch's inability to find his form in this tournament. Findley's failed run aside, they did a decent job of covering for Davies' absense and that was mostly Altidore's hustle and work rate. He'll be there in 4 years; I very much think that he regrets the night of debauchery that led to him missing this tournament. This was a very incomplete US team, but then again, the same can be said for Ghana.

Still I think that, as good as Uruguay is, and as beatable as Ghana is, both teams are very happy to be seeing one another. I haven't thought a great deal about Ghana in the group stages, but if they had been as bad as they were then, they would have still lost to the US. They stepped up their game yesterday and deserve some modicum of credit for that, showing the ability to put passes together and carry possession. They're a young team and there is something to be said about emotion being their biggest asset. It's a winnable game for both teams. Yes favor Uruguay, but a win by Ghana would not be a shock.

 

you are so wrong on Ger-Gha.

We made the Germans look very average and just missed a boat load of scoring ops. ATEOTD, that loss was the best loss I've enjoyed as a Ghana football fan. I'd rather face the US than England in the ko phase.

BTW, please stop with labelling football countries as *big* or whatever. This WC is not about big nations, as the current WC will tell you. It's about tactics.

 

As far as the so-called "big teams" technically two of them have kissed it, both from Europe. The other big European sides have struggled as they usually do in cups outside of Europe. At the moment it has to be said that the S. American sides are the most dangerous in this tournament. One will go between Brazil and Chile but that leaves the other 3. Uruguay's big weakness is that they tend to fall into being overly defensive. This may hurt them if they do it for too long and rely on a few moments of brilliance from Forlan or Suarez. That's where Ghana can have a good chance.

 

And this is the dilemma that I took into this match. At some point, someday, the US will win the world cup. It's inevitable. So as a fan of the US, I feel less of a sense of urgency to root for them to win in any particular World Cup bc it's a work in progress for them. That the Cup will one day reach these shores is as inevitable as the closing Pacific Ocean due to the widening Atlantic. But Africa will always be the question mark. At times I feel like sides like Korea and Japan are poised to pass the big African teams who seemed on the mark for growth a decade ago. But one thing ppl do need to realize when they talk about this Ghanain team. They are made up largely of young players from the U-20 team and don't have their two best players. I think alot of ppl seem to keep forgetting this.

 

Watching Howard get beaten twice that easily was difficult. That said the defence didn't help him at all, the second goal was schoolboy from Bocanegra. A solid defender and a predatory striker added to that team, and the USA go deeper in this tournament and without having to scramble goals in injury time. They make plenty of chances but spurn them, I mean look at Altidore and Feilhaber, those were two great opportunities. Altidore's chance was very similar to Asamoah's goal but one had composure and belief and the other didn't.

 

Like I said before, Gooch wasn't really fit for this time around and noone really knows the difference that Davies would have made as the strike partner to Altidore. And Altidore's only 20, so his story isn't written yet. In four years, if the US is at full strength, we'll know the true potential of this side. Outside of a few players the US fielded a roster of first-timers to the Cup. And injuries have been a big story in this one.

 

Pathetic stereotype.
Every one who know anything knows that Ghana is one of the best tactic sides at Cup. And they are not naive. Read specialist articles.

But still they score two world class goals.

Totally wrong analisis. Ghana had better players (talent and technic) as well as better tactics.

 

I agree with all of the above. I thought Bradley had made good decisions during the tournament up until the Ghana game. I didn't understand putting Ricardo Clark in there instead of Edu. I didnt understand the fascination with Findley either. Got to hand it to the Ghana coach, he did a terrific job.

 

Howard could have done better on goal #1.

 

Hello my friend, as I`ve been reading your posts, I find them full of wisdom, but sometimes we disagree in some points, but what I like about your posts is that you always have respect to whom you are refering.

What you seem to feel as Uruguay being at times overly defensive is how they usually play, they always are making changes in the tempo of a game, which tends to produce discomfort in the opponent and pisses them off, and while you think that at times you are playing better, actually they are controling you in the move and then its when they kill you. They are a group of players of an extraordinary quality, reason why they play in many teams all over the world, with great results. Uruguay is by no way a one or two man team, and their coach Oscar W. Tabarez, is not a newbie, many teams or national teams wish to have him aboard, since he does his job great. Imho, although with Ghana they`ll have an excellent match, Uruguay is above them. (but this is my opinion, what counts is what will actually happen when they play)

Football history is full of teams that someday will win the WC. This is not a sarcastic comment. There has been teams that due to their results had been candidates to win a WC, but they are still waiting for their moment of truth and some of them, will have to continue waiting for a long time to go or they will never even win it ever. Its a sad thing, but in the WC, as in the "Highlander" TV series slogan say, "there could only be one"......

 

Really? I think it's clear Bradley was the culprit for USA's exit. He forever put the wrong team out in the first half and was scrambling to put the team right in the second. Clark and Findley both had shocking games and should not have started, and it was clear Feilhaber and Edu were key elements for the US midfield to function, so that the should have been there from minute one. At this level you can't have your tactics and shape wrong for 45 minutes and expect not to be punished.

 

I've watched Ghana in the qualifying rounds and they looked to me a great tactical team, but capable of making terrible mistakes. For example, falling back against USA until they got their goal. Neither Ghana or CIV are naive, because they introduced some of the european rigorous tactics. But Ghana has many young players and i denote some inexperience.

No matter what you say, falling back like they did yesterday isn't normal, even if USA were playing better, after dominating most of the first half. I think this has more to do with mental strenght, because many other european teams commit this error.

 

I don't agree that Ghana fell back. The U.S changed their tactics in the 2nd half. They decided to keep possession instead of just directly attacking. That made it harder for Ghana to get the ball and maintain it. The U.S forced them to fall back, but Rajevac made adjustments to stop it.

I do agree that the biggest thing going against Ghana at this point is the lack of experience though.

 

So did Uruguay yesterday. It's not uncommon at all.

 

Poor lineup from Bradley. Why did he put Findley up there,? He should have played Buddle more. I bet Buddle and Donovon would have worked well. Edu should have started

America needs to developed some defenders by next qualifying rounds.

We will be back with a fully healed Charlie Davies

 

This is true, and sure there are factors such as proper coaching, producing world class players who can play at the highest levels in the biggest matches every year. But consider where US football was just 20 years ago and where it is now. Unless you see the progress of the USMNT plateauing for the next 20 years, if the progress of the game continues in this country at the same rate for the next 20 years, coupled with the fact that the US will almost surely host the Cup perhaps 2 more times in that span, I'm certain it will happen.

This isn't naivetee, this is just the fact that if you look at the composition of the USMNT, there are sons of immigrants from Europe, Mexico and Africa. We blend ideas and styles from different areas of the world and make it our own. Naturally, this being the US and a "Western nation" our organization is something that our Federation likely tries to model after most Euro teams, but with our Confederation being composed of mostly Latino nations as well as our team having quite a few latinos, we'll ultimately likely end up adapting a bit of a hybrid latin flair down the line. And our rivalry with Mexico ensures that we'll be well prepared for it when it comes. What has hindered our team in the past was the inability of players in this country to play pro due to the fact that most clubs in Europe would not sign players out of college with no pro experience in their early twenties but now that we have our own league, regardless of what may be thought of it, there is now a professional outlet and a bridge to bigger clubs around the world. Players from the US are just starting to get looks from bigger and bigger clubs, do you expect for that to regress for such any significant period?

Player academies are being started, and players are going to Europe at younger ages for more and more money transfers. Jozy Altidore and Maurice Edu both at 18. Charlie Davies, Stu Holden and Ricardo Clark and the list continues to grow. Gooch Onyewu perhaps getting the biggest coup yet at AC Milan. Granted there will be spells when the progress will retard but that will likely be the exception. Like I said, this is just a country that, if we're thinking long-term, I'm pretty certain, in time, will be able to field a team that will be among the favorites to win the Men's World Cup. The women here have already done it though obviously that has no bearing on the men.