Post-match: Belgium 5, USA 2 Post Match Thread

to be fair to Weah Duku is a world class winger. Puli was definitely a non-factor in this game as was Tillman. Balogun got no service up top. Cardoso and Tessman played pretty well together. while Cardoso looked OK in the first half, when he was substituted the drop off was obvious.

 

This team needs Brenden Aaronson.

 

Can you elaborate?

 

Yes.

This team needs Brenden Aaronson. To start.

 

Why? And in place of whom?

 

My impression live:

Pulisic was ass. Just worthless.

Weah was awful. Could not defend and offered nothing threatening.

Tillman was absent too often. Did he get ‘megged on the second goal? Looked like it.

Turner was bad on the only goal that he had a shot at.

Berhalter’s giveaway led directly to a goal.

Roldan is limited but he actually worked. Johnny, Tessman and Tillman did not.

McKennie was the best player even without the goal.

Agyemang was much more dangerous than Pepi. Or Balogun, but the game had changed at that point.

Poch better assign someone to defend the top of the box toot sweet.

 

I think he could have, but that ball made its way magically thru a bunch of bodies and I think he didn't see it until late.

 

Dest is also not a great defender but a great asset on the attack.

 

In my opinion Freese gets to that ball with his length.

 

They are both listed at 6'3" from what I can tell.

 

Well Freese uses his length better. He has better shot-stopping technique. I think Turner has strong reactions/reflexes but his technique can fail him. No matter the traffic on front of you, you stay low, get your footwork going. You can’t let that ball in.

 

We were overmatched in midfield in the second half. Cardoso came out and we were missing Tyler Adams. Without those two, we have little chance of competing with Belgium.

Am I alone in thinking that Musah could have defended Doku better than anyone we had out there today? Berhalter, Rodan do not have the ability.

 

Defensive spacing was not good. Team shape was all wrong. Formation exposed us badly on the wings and on cutbacks. Players were getting pulled all over the place in the defensive third. Nobody closed quickly enough in dangerous situations. Not enough bite generally. Leadership absent.

On the other hand, team looked dangerous going forward in the first half until Belgium woke up. McKennie and Robinson especially brought what was required in terms of creating chances. Maybe another one or two could have been finished, but no big deal.

It’s easy to overweigh big losses like this but but if you think back to times the US put up 4 or 5 goals in a friendly it didn’t make us world beaters and it didn’t mean the other team sucked. Does anyone think Uruguay is going out in the first round? No. Obviously there’s a lot of work to do but having the pre-WC camp offers a chance to develop the cohesiveness that was lacking vs Belgium.

 

The one time Roldan ended up isolated with Doku he did well.

The issues were the fullbacks and their support.

 

If Weah was gonna spend the whole game drowning with the defensive responsibility of Doku, I almost wonder whey we just didn't put Scally, a far better defender there.

 

Tillman.

 

Aaronson would have been a more complementary choice than Pulisic yesterday . Instead of clogging the middle, he could have given us more high pressing, a greater work rate, and the humility to sacrifice in order to provide Balogun and Tillman with service. There’s something off with Pulisic, almost certainly physical. He may be better coming as a 20 minute sub right now

 

The Goals of the friendly were to get fringe players minutes but you can’t do that by just putting them all on the pitch at once. We also needed to see if we are going to have to rely on certain players or can we do some changes and switches. Some of the things we needed to see were

Can Ream work in a back four- No. He isn’t quick enough to cover a through ball even his reflexes are slow to stick a foot out to block. Formation switch needed.

Can Weah work in back 4 at RB, if Dest is out or injured-no. His potentially is at RWB or winger. Formation switch needed

Who can play the 4 spot if there is no Adams or we sub him. Belgium lived at the top of the box and A lot of balls scored from that pocket should have had some clean up artist if not man marking. Only one was given up while Cardosa was out there and then a few more with Roldan. I thought the back 4 was too deep at times which opened up that space n front of goal. No Roldan- better tactics for marking

not much linkage there in the middle. I think all of the players we had were forward thinking with McKennie, Tillman, Pulisic, Tessman, and Balogun. I like this attack when against a team we are going back and forth with like we did against Belgium. We just have to hit our opportunities. The only thing I didn’t like was a lack of middle ball control. Possession oriented hands. We could get back into Berhalter ball where the attack is through the wings-flanks then through the middle but then that leaves us vulnerable to counters. Because our run up is too frantic at times, A choice 10 and 8 would be best here unless at some point we choose two 8s playing sectors. But we need more middle ball control. If we have to cover then we might as well get an 8 and 10 to build continuity. Which I think we can but it has to be Tillman and McKennie or McKennie and Pulisic, or Pulisic and Tillman. It can’t be all three on the pitch at once. The point of emphasis is that this new style of high-low-middle counter pressing options that most high level clubs have developed need an answer. that answer sometimes is not falling prey to being allowed to get forward so easily without covering our own asses.

If we were playing the way we wanted to play with who we wanted to play with. They would call that film and teams would learn that. This is pickup soccer with trying things. If I’m Poch, I’m thinking structural not tactically now. I’m thinking I know how I’m going to look but how can I do some minor tweaks that might make a difference in the match and then let’s see how this person looks with this person.

to end on a good note, our set pieces look great. If Robinson doesn’t fall asleep there with his strike and actually runs up on it, I think it’s a better chance. Don’t lose sleep over this performance. It was a great opportunity to play against a talented side. Some players flashed and some didn’t.

 

I actually saw it differently and would replace the name Pulisic with Tillman in your post. But yes to your point about Aaronson.

 

I endorse every word

 

As a Leeds supporter, I would say that Aaronsons play is more complimentary than creative, therefore don’t expect the final ball, it’s more like Aaronsons game is the ball leading up to the final ball. Since Leeds switched formations under Farke he’s playing more as a left sided sector 8. He’s good on defensive pressing and seems to defend channels well. Good at transition but on the attacking option side of things, he has his moments but it’s not his game. So not a ten and more of an 8.

If you’re looking for the answer, it isn’t him. But he has value.

 

Doku has pace that Pulisic used to have … where did it go and if it is gone then maybe he should only be a sub again.

Such a disappointing result.

Playing like that we will not get out of the group stage - Wes needs to take charge when Tyler is out.

Tillman needs to sit if he can’t produce for the U.S. - doing it for club only is not good enough.

 

I tend to agree. We have actually done relatively well against great wingers in the past like Diaz and Vini. A big part of that was the work Aaronson did helping our RB, which was Scally IIRC.

The jersey clash made it hard to really feel what was going on away from the ball, and I'm not rewatching this game, but I think Weah needed to get more help from his advanced midfielders like McKennie and Tillman. That's why Aaronson is so valuable imo. He makes the players around him look better.

 

Pulisic is obviously not in great form right now, but I thought he looked healthy and pretty explosive and shifty when he got the chance. The shot he skied was rough, but it was great work to get there, he also beat Belgium's fullbacks around the corner in pretty tight 1 on 1 situations a couple times.

If Pulisic had the time and space Doku got consistently I think our takeaways would be different.

 

I kind of agree, especially on their 4th where thier right back carried the ball 60 yards without pressure and Roldan was our closest guy. Would have liked to see him show more urgency there because that is what he's in there for.

I thought he was good until Berhalter came in though.