USA 1 (Weah via Pulisic) Wales 1 (Bale penalty) The good: the opening half was some of the best soccer the United States have ever played. It was not hit-and-hope, it was not take-what-the-game-gives-you, nor was it bunker-and-counter. It was “we’re going to take the ball and do what we choose with it, regardless of who you think you are.” And they did it. REALLY well for 45 minutes in the opening game of the World Cup. Bravo. Those of us who have been in the sport in the US since the 1980’s have always wanted to see THAT. The bad: After the initial flourish of energy, the toll of Wales’ increasingly physical play began to manifest. Wales smartly conceded the midfield and all hopes of counter attacks when they made their first sub. Wales then narrowed their game plan to hoisting the ball into the box for their physically superior players. They identified the US’ lack of physicality and turned the game to accentuate their own strengths instead of letting the superior US players continue to run roughshod. This led to a lame penalty and took 2 points from the US. The ugly: The US really had very few poor plays in the game. The Zimmerman foul on Bale was about as ugly as it got, but even that was somewhat banal. Bale is one of the most highly experienced players on the globe. He’s also an absolute physical freak. Zimmerman battled well and was bested on that play. He was outsmarted. Takeaways: - this was a game the US deserved. The US midfield absolutely dominated the game. They let Wales back into the game when they began to lose focus as they tired. - Pulisic and Adams both played extremely well…they were quite obviously the best players on the field. - The Dest-to-Yedlin drop off was steep. One of the most threatening aspects of the US attack was lost when he came off. Dest was beginning to combine cutting in and overlapping and it was causing the Wales defensive shape to collapse. - Tim Ream had a FANTASTIC game. He and Adams are our most in-form players. - Someone, anyone needs to start putting shots on goal.
This one point is all the US really needs to win matches. There are two parts to it: 1 - The actual technique of taking the shot needs work and that work is NOT done at team practices. It is individual repetitive training that eventually might cause our players to get shots on goal. 2 - The choice of when to shoot needs a LOT of work as well. I think a lot of out players do not practice correctly. They actually believe the saying "Practice makes perfect." But that saying is a lie. It is actually "Practice make permanent while it is Perfect Practice that makes perfect." Or to use another's words to say the same thing: " Most players practice until they get it right but great players practice until they never get it wrong." and “In football (soccer) as in watchmaking, talent and elegance mean nothing without rigour and precision.” – Lionel Messi and “You have got to shoot, otherwise you can’t score.” – Johan Cruyff
It also takes courage (or preferably Ibrahimovich-style hubris), oddly enough. I was one of those guys who others got mad at for taking tons of shots, but I also scored a lot. You don’t score a hat trick unless you shoot the ball at least three times, most of them on frame. Culturally we frown upon those selfish, hubris-ridden players. We want the guy who will always make the one-tough lateral pass to the other guy who makes the same pass and on and on in an infinite loop. The guy we need is the guy who wants to put other players on the bad end of highlight reels. Skin your mark and hit it on goal. We need that to be our mantra.
On Friday, Gregg is still going to be Gregg and the same crappy players, will still be on the roster. I'm not optimistic at all.
That was the one thing i noticed that stuck out even when we had complete domination of the game. We were passing or timid when we should have taken a shot, and then shooting when there was a good pass to be made for a better percentage shot. reminds me of Beasley telling Jones in 2014 to shoot that shot next time you have the chance. Well, we know what happened after that. tells me this team is really close to being a major contender but just need the experience.
Im sorry but we watched a different match.. Pulisic did not play well. He fired crosses and set pieces time and again right into the defense. He had zero loft and touch. Im not sure what he was trying to do but it was horrible.
In an entertaining match the USMNT played the best 45 minutes in the Gregg Berhalter era only to give up too much possession to Wales in the second half and have to settle for an unsettling 1-1 draw. https://bolavip.com/en/qatar2022/us...leaves-difficult-questions-20221121-0038.html
Wales packed the box and snuffed a lot of that out, credit to them. They overloaded Pulisic’s side of the defense and hacked the heck out of him, but he was constantly beating his mark. He played extremely well.
Pulisic was good, but did miss plays in the 2nd half. There were a number of times where the US had a clear opportunity on a counter and Pulisic just... didn't pull the trigger. Am on my second rewatch and the second-half decision making is killing me.This pass… did not get hit. pic.twitter.com/4H9IJTLCOg— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) November 22, 2022 If Gio couldn't have gone today, I wouldn't have minded putting Aaronson into Pulisic's spot and moving Pulisic to the RW spot Weah was occupying.
1-1 was a fair result. Had Whales applied any pressure to our backline in the first half we probably lose. Vs. England we will be bunkering on par with the 2014 Belgium game. I don’t think we have the guys who can pull it off though.
we really have to settle for a 1-1 draw against england now and hope for the result against Iran.. thats a tall order.
Zimmerman takes his place in the US WC goat hall of fame alongside Wondo and Rico Clark. Who else am I missing?
Maybe we form a human wall directly in front of our goal? With guys stretched out and in extreme yoga positions it might work.
We will likely lose to England, so Iran only on one point means we could advance on a tie or win over Iran, assuming England beats Whales. If Iran beats Whales, then damn, we need a win against Iran for sure.
We need to beat Iran to advance while keeping the game with England close on goal differential. I see no other way…
My gut tells me Wales is going to beat Iran. It’s going to be close and I don’t subscribe to the idea that Iran is going to implode. No matter what, Iran is going to come into the game with us motivated like it’s the World Cup final.
the decision making is so frustrating.....sooo many wide open lanes and angles not exploited and so many passes mis-timed, etc..... not from a lack of skill but just not being in sync with each other and the game somehow