PBP: 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup: USA vs. Colombia, 6/10 3:30 AM EST

I think its worth pointing out that BJ4 is one of the youngest players on the team. 4th youngest after CCV, EPB, and Zelalam? Something like that. He's about a month too old for the NEXT U20 cycle.

He's still got a lot to learn, but he's only 18 at the moment. Maybe we'll think differently about him a year or two from now.

 

What about the second goal against New Zealand? Bradford "I play a foot shorter than my height" Jamieson won a header, flicking it on to Rubin. The keeper got a hand on it, but Hyndman arrived to hammer home the rebound.

 

Not a fan at this point but am starting to see the potential. He's shown a lot of improvement since qualifying and was given to big a role for his development against Ukraine. He showed that he had something to offer in the first two games running off of Rubin or out wide.

 

No idea what Tab will throw out, but I watched the Ukraine over this weekend and would like to hide Moore, Delgado and Allen's uniforms. Moore and Allen are simple replacements with Payne and Rubin. If he isn't going to play Requejo, I'd consider EPB at a more stay at home left back and moving Acosta forward or Sonora and dropping Hyndman deeper. The first two changes make us such a better and more balanced team and the last either strengthens our defense or reduces giveaways and makes it a very attack minded side.

Like most, I haven't been a fan of Delgado in any of these games. He has improved but is still a weakness. He committed too many fouls in our half and gave the ball away too much. I think whatever we give up in athleticism and bite defensively, we make up in maintaining possession with Hyndman in that role. This also prevent Zelalem from having to drop as deep to receive the ball.

After paying attention to EPB in the first half, I can see what @ussoccer97531 has been raving about. He was very good defensively when the play was in front of him, very comfortable on the ball, but struggled a bit when running backwards or we lost shape. He did make a couple of mistakes in the last few mins of the half. First, after Moore committed on his man on the touch line, EPB committed a foul on his man from behind, but play on was called as the player completed the combo and Moore's man was free on the wing with the rest of players of the sequence on the ground. Then in injury time, he lost his man at the top of the box and CCV bailed him out. I think he'd probably be an upgrade defensively to Acosta.

I think this is the best we can do with this group.

-------------Rubin---------------
Jamieson-----------------Ariola
-----Zelalem----Hyndman-----
-------------Acosta---------------
EPB---CCV----Miazga---Payne
-------------Steffen--------------

I think this is the best we can do with this group. The offense is run through GZ, EH, and Rubine, with Ariola and Jamieson using their pace on the wings and dropping into a 4141 defensively. Hopefully Payne can repeat his success he had going forward against New Zealand and Zelalem can drift out left a little more with EPB staying at home.

 

Yes. Arriola and Payne worked very well together. I am a little wary of changing the backline from the lineup that gave us a clean sheet against NZ though.

 

I wonder what EPB says about this formation.

 

That's quite definitive. I'd guess if he was asked wether he like that one or ones with him on the bench, his answer might be different. I wonder what that midfielder who has been playing there has to say about the formation.

2:08....

 

I actually think BJIV was pretty dangerous. He should've had another goal that hit Rubin. I think he can turn into an excellent player considering his age and his physical skills.

 

I think we just played flat against Ukraine. I'm not advocating BJ4 up top alone but I think with someone like Rubin to play off of, he can be very dangerous. He puts himself in good positions. We don't look that bad against Ukraine with a full team.

 

And let's be fair here, BJIV was called for absurd amounts of fouls, while on the flipside he was fouled often and bowled over with no call coming his way.

 

-----------ariola-----Rubin
---------------Jamieson
---Hyndman--Delgado--giddy
--requejo--Miazga---CCV---Acosta

 

I don't think putting Requejo in place of Acosta is much of a downgrade at all, while playing Acosta in place of Delgado would be a big upgrade. Nothing against Delgado but he's not a #6.

The Canouse loss has been quite noticeable, he's excellent at cleaning up loose balls.

 

This is a touch too much in a knockout. Our NZ lineup worked well enough. Knockouts are not the time to be implementing such a dramatic change. Arriola was great on the right with Payne. All this shuffling just to get Requejo the start is too much all due respect.

 

Actually I forgot about Payne who played really well. Dump Requejo. What I actually prefer doing is play a dmid instead of Gideon and bring Gideon on when we see the shape of the game. So,

-----Hyndman---Delgado---Acosta
--Payne--Miazga---CCV-----X

I changed it around cuz I didn't want to deal with all the "what, no Giddy, are you serious, wtf, insane, on drugs, etc."

 

If you closely watch Sonora, he needs to be starting as the CAM vs colombia.

 

I think his style can work against a team who is not the most precise or disciplined and watching Colombia, they are talented but there are cracks we can exploit and physically they will not impose their will on us like a Ukraine did in their third so sure find a way to play Sonora but starting CAM? Idk.

 

The fact that those 4 are our youngest players... Wow

CCV. Kid is the f'in truth.

 

Yup. CCV, EPB, and Zelalem are all eligible for the next U20 cycle. It's possible none of them will play for that U20 team, but its true nonetheless.

That U20 cycle starts in a matter of weeks

 

I only watched Colombia a bit, so I hope those who followed them more will comment... My impression is they are a physical bunch, fond of "agricultural" fouls. (Similar to what their senior team showed in the WC with Zuniga on Neymar.) I didn't see much in the way of creative attacking play, though of course they've got some technical ability. We might have similar problems to those we had against Ukraine, and I hope Ramos finds better solutions this time.

 

You really going to use Ukraine as an example?....we played a really defensive formation and gave BJ no help up top, and hes not a 9 anyway. Hes a winger that can get to the line and send in passes....thats a terrible game to use against him....he played well in an attacking formation in his best position against NZ

 

I'm hoping that was a decision by Tab based on the result he thought he wanted against Ukraine, and not a preview of what he will try against all non-minnow teams in this U20 WC. But with Tab, you never know.

 

I believe we can beat them in the air. They might be a dirty team but they are not giants like Ukraine were. Tab probably took a close look at their roster and watch some highlight tape and film of their matches so far in this event. He came to the conclusion that they would be too fast on the counter and we would a)get into card trouble and b) suffer strain or injury if we tried to press and possess. He made a practical decision to bunker/counter to minimize card and injury risk but it backfired when they scored first, forcing us to loosen up and go forward allowing them to exploit our backup defenders even more. This explains why we did press the first 10 minutes or so before receding into the bunker/counter strategy. He thought it would be more effective if we got an early goal but we didn't manage it so he went with what they thought was the higher probability way of achieving the goals of minimizing yellows, injuries and getting a point.