Gold Cup 2017: USA - Panama (2nd Viewing)

Reading through the gameday and post-game forums there was a lot of discrepancies between viewers. I especially noticed that, given the reactions, we were obviously expecting a far different outcome than the results on field. That makes sense, because the performances were alarmingly different between Ghana and Panama with a near similar lineup. I'm rewatching the match in 15 minute intervals for six parts unless there is a key sequence happening at the time stamp that requires a different ratio. If anyone wants to post analysis of the match on their second viewing or follow that same time intervals please feel free!

Part One: First 15 Minutes

I always feel like the first 5-10 minutes lasts forever. The teams were definitely finding their feet in the match and USA was in the drivers seat. However, there were some warning signs in the first 15 minutes which foreshadow problems later on in the match. Notes:


- Omar/Besler, as pointed out rightly by Donovan, were playing far too deep and made a large gap to CM and FBs. This is far more important than first viewing for 3 main reasons: it took longer to move the ball around in possession, Dax/Acosta had more ground to cover (or not cover) when the fullbacks went forward, and Panama had a lot of space to counter attack. I don't know if this flaw was on Arena or the Gonzo/Besler pairing.
- Both Villafana/Zusi were playing their part by playing wide as outlets and getting forward as the tactics seemingly required with this formation. Zusi was caught ball watching and had some blatant positional issues.
- Acosta/McCarty had early warning signs with their positioning moving laterally and covering the fullbacks (partly contributed by the CB's). As Panama switched the play on field they were slow to react and allowed Diaz a shot from distance. However, aside from a few passes they both were technically sound to start the match and both had some key passes. Dax with a beauty to the left flank leading to Rowe's shot. Acosta very accurately pings a dangerous ball over the top to Dwyer.
- Bedoya had a moment which sums him up from a fan perspective. He does really well to pressure a midfielder into a mistake, drives the ball forward into the box positively with his head up, and then inexplicably picks the wrong spot or his technique lets him down. Acosta timed a perfect late run coming into the box, but, to be fair to Bedoya, he needs to be screaming and claiming the ball.
- Corona was involved one good passing sequence and otherwise was disconnected from the rest of the midfield at both ends of the field.
- Rowe was proactive on the shot and demonstrated some real good ball control, but slightly suspect on his defensive duties unlike Bedoya.
- Panama's central midfield was bigger and more athletic from the outset.

 

Part Two: 16th through 30th minute

I didn't like the setup of part one. So part two will have time stamps.

- 18th minute has a perfect example of the gap being caused by the Center backs. They are almost trying to draw Panama into opening some passing lanes but they don't bit and there no good outlets. At this point, it's obvious this is a tactical choice that simply isn't working.

What's even more important is the reaction of Dax Acosta 10 - 15 seconds later. Gonzo plays the ball over to Besler who draws both CM's and opposing players. Besler then plays it back to Gonzo and Dax moves to get the ball to early while Acosta is caught way out of position.

Dax, in a double 6, should continue moving towards the space just below the center circle and Acosta should be showing near the edge close to where Dax is. Even is they played it correctly from a positional sense, Corona is practically nowhere in sight to receive the ball a couple seconds later. This is a continuing theme throughout the match and the best way I could describe it.

19th minute - US forces some pressure onto Panama with a couple corners. Dax receives the ball short near the corner of the box and tons of space near the top, but chooses to hit Acosta back who powers a low drive that is put out for another corner. That decision was confusing to me because he did have the opportunity to dribble towards the center and take a shot.

21st minute - Give away from Acosta leads to a counter attack by Panama with numbers but the final ball was poor and Guzan is too experienced not to pick the ball up. Key part of this is how fast Panama was moving as a group on the counter as US shows the first signs of stress.

24th minute - After some good defensive organization by the USA, a ball is cleared well by Bedoya, but Dwyer couldn't control. This leads to the first odd moment by our left flank. The US midfield finds itself over committed defending to the right and Rowe is pinched into the center. Villafana moves to pressure the ball and Rowe is forced to cover.

Now in this instance, I felt Villafana was unfairly criticized by some fans and even Donovan a minute later for bad "1v1" defending. He moves to cover the ball after Rowe hesitates and is caught in a difficult position. Rowe can't help because he tracks a Panama player who notices the problem and runs to the corner. It's hard to call this anything but a breakdown in communication and indecision by Rowe.

26th minute - Dax finds Villafana on the left hand side who then square passes with Corona. Villafana crashes towards goal and cuts the ball back to Rowe who does well to strike the ball with power on the bounce straight at the keeper.

30th minute - Water Break

First 30 minutes definitely show some subtle tactical flaws to our gameplan and player performance. Mainly the CB's and CM's struggled to adjust once Panama wasn't biting the double sweeper trap. Panama refusing to pressure our CB's forced our CM to go way back and retrieve the ball. In a way I feel bad for Dax and Acosta, because they weren't brutal in the first 30 minutes whatsoever and they were forced to cover a lot of ground in 30 minutes during a 90 degree Tennessee afternoon.

Corona did much better in the second part of the 30 minute period. He started to show for the ball more and we regained some traction. Showing for Villafana on the left flank also led to our second shot on goal.

Our right flank was steady and reliable, but wasn't really productive. There just wasn't a final ball for either of those two players (Zusi/Bedoya).

Villafana and Rowe had some communication issues, but were two of the best players if you think of attacking production as meaning something.

Dwyer was stuck on an island and had some decent hold up play. Unfortunately, Corona is not fast and not a second forward to play with. He really needed a forward partner to be substituted into the match IMO.

Edit: it deleted my photos.

 

Part Three: 30th minute Water Break through HT

33rd minute - Acosta wins a loss ball and knocks it on to Villafana. Villafana passes it to Rowe who then flicks it back as the fullback continues his run. Dwyer recognizes the development and receives the ball from Villafana then leads a pass further forward. Villafana crashes the box with a step over and cuts it inside to Dwyer. Dwyer turns and attempts a shot that is blocked.

35th minute - Gonzalez makes himself a tactical suspect again by playing was to deep and eventually pulling Beslter back with him. This time the CM's aren't coming. Acosta is in the other half of the field past the center circle and Dax is around the hallway line. Besler is forced into a long ball. Pretty much a sign for the rest of the half.

36th minute - A cynical foul on Villafana by a Panama player signals that they are quite tired of tracking 60 yard runs and being beat for pace by him. Should have been a yellow because he player the man...

40th minute - Panama sustain possession for about 3 minutes or so. US does ok retaining shape but give the ball away on a few occasions. They look physically and mentally tired. Fans watching on TV and in audience are probably groaning.

41st minute - Dwyer receives a long pass and does excellent to knock it down. Unfortunately, it's Corona who tries to dribble with pass but just doesn't have the ability to do anything in the open field with pace.

42nd minute - Zusi dribbles into midfield and is bumped off the ball. Pretty much sums up the last 7 minutes.

43rd minute - Corona just can't get back into the game and gives the ball away. He's gone absent after the water break. Definitely signals the need another attacker to play with Dwyer.

46th minute - US pretty much fizzled out. Bedoya tries a long ball to Dwyer and he knocks it down well. Acosta has a strike but it goes wide left.

HT

Each part of the first half seemed to tell a different story. We started out well, but there was a tactical problem that really led to thing beginning to unravel as the half went one. The latter third of the half after the water break was the worst period. We needed a leader on the field and Bedoya gets pretty poor marks for recognizing the problems that were occurring on field. He's pretty vocal on social media, but I'd prefer him to be more vocal on the field and as a leader.

Tactically, as mentioned earlier, the center back play really was detrimental to the performance. The central midfield duo also didn't use the space intelligently to keep them from being run into the ground. We were forced to attack down the flanks which was hit or miss. The Villafana - Rowe partnership was the brightest area of the field in terms of production. They had one communication issue, but were otherwise pretty fun to watch.

I couldn't tell, especially that last third of the half, what Corona was doing at times. Other than a brief period in the middle of the first half, he was pretty much non-existent and by the final third of the half he was walking around next to Dwyer like a forward. The game was a little too stretched to have a player like him in the hole and it was clear Arena needed to make a change quickly to get another forward in play. In a 4-4-2, both forwards can come back to receive the ball and help out. Honestly, I think Arena should have done it at the water break, but Corona was finally getting involved right before which made that adjustment less obvious. You could argue it needed to happen at halftime even, but we'll get a sense for what went on after viewing the second half.

There was a lot of focus on Dax and Acosta. Through the first half, I thought they both were forced into a lot of work because of the prior stated tactical flaw. The amount of space they had to cover forced Dax into physical mismatches against Godoy, but he still started a few productive sequences. Same goes for Acosta, but he also started a few sequences and demonstrated pretty impressive endurance for how involved he was late on.

But the whole team had another half to play...

 

Part Four: HT to 60th minute Panama goal.

47th minute - Panama attacker beats Zusi on the left and sends a dangerous ball to the back post which is poorly covered by Dax. Villafana caught way, way out of position. A little alarming compared to his first half.

49th minute - Villafana pressuring a lot higher up the field forcing a through in. He takes it quickly and Rowe skillfully controls it around two players then passes it to Dwyer creates awesome separation to redirect the ball to the far post. Great goal.

It seems as though instead of making a change of personal, Arena wanted to force more aggressive pressure high on the ball. Also, as Corona comes back to receive the ball, Acosta pushes forward up in the attack leaving Dax as the lone player to sit centrally in front of the back line. This seems to have initially paid off with a goal, but early it was clear that this was also risky as Villafana was caught out in the beginning which led to a dangerous Panama chance first. So from what I can see, we went for high risk, high reward approach to start the 2nd half.

54th minute - US still applying pressure and CB's playing much higher near the center circle. More balls are moving forward, but one or two are pretty risky. Zusi crashes the corner and earns a corner.

55th minute - Acosta delivery is poor and cleared out to midfield where Dax is muscled off the ball in transition waving his hand for a foul while trying to recover. The Panama attack leads to the first dangerous opportunity.

Oddly, Rowe is in line with the defense just inside the corner of the box. There is a Panama player out wide and one just outside the corner of the box. Rowe and Acosta are frozen waiting for the player to make a decision, but giving him way too much time on the ball. Villafana is right behind Acosta in support and I have no idea why Acosta doesn't press the ball while Rowe covers wide. I'm guessing there was zero communication and I don't see them talking. The cross is a beauty and lands right Zusi's mark easy at the back post forcing a instinctual save out of Guzan.

Upon the replay from a different angle. Acosta needed the pressure that ball with Villafana communication support. Rowe needed to shift wide to cover the corner, but found himself in awkward position that made it seem like he might step and could have contributed to Acosta hesitating. Second time in the match Rowe looked indecisive creating an odd situation. The result looks like three US player ball watching as a Ronaldo sequel cross pinpoints a player back post.

56th minute - Panama plays a ball over the top to a player who is a actually offside but isn't called. The result is a chance that misses right. Didn't catch that being offside the first time around. However, the no call certainly added to perceived onslaught that was beginning.

57th minute - First sub for Panama. Arroyo comes on for Diaz. I didn't realize Arroyo had 23 caps.

58th minute - Zusi and Corona give the ball away within a few minutes leading to two Panama attacks. At this point it's clear we need a substitution.

60th minute - Critical mistake I missed first time around on the goal. Panama is pushing 4 players in a flat forward line (2 wide, 2 center). Dax McCarty is way out of position right up next to Corona and neither is pressuring the ball. He clearly tells Rowe to cover his position right before hand. This forces Villafana to cover wide for Rowe. Villafana's mark pulls him out of the corner and Rowe's mark crashes the right corner. Rowe tracks him to the end line and slides to block the ball but fails. His mark get the ball into the 6 yard box where Zusi is clueless there is the 4th wide attack crashing and that somehow Guzan blocks by playing big. The resulting spill is poorly played by Zusi/Gonzalez/Acosta. On second viewing Guzan almost saved that as well. Touché, Brad.

I want to elaborate on the critical mistake. It starts with McCarty calling on Rowe to cover and completely disrupting our shape. By Panama forcing a flat 4 man forward line, it had us lining up flat left to right with Villafana - Rowe - Besler - Gonzo - Zusi. None of the players in the flat back defensive line had support. In the resulting attacking move, Villafana's mark moved him out of the play creating a gap for Rowe's mark to crash the end line which created a huge gap to Besler. Besler eventually stepped to the ball but it was way too late. Obviously, the ball watching at the other end didn't help us at all and man, Zusi had a horror inducing beginning to the second half. McCarty should've stayed put and kept two solid lines of four. I don't know if he didn't trust Corona or thought he wasn't doing enough, but it doesn't make any sense to leave the midfield line and opening the opportunity for the Panama attacker to suck Rowe into a flat 5 man back line creating space for a through ball. Maybe a hindsight is 20/20 moment.

That five minute stretch felt like 20 minutes even on second viewing. The high risk, high reward approach got everyone's heart racing. However, I ultimately don't think it was effective and a personal switch would have been the wiser choice. Can't say Bruce didn't experiment though.

 

Part Five: 60th minute goal to 75th minute Zusi fall

61st minute - Our first substitution comes in and it's Mr Agudelo on for Corona. At this point, it's good to see Corona coming off. However, Fox was zooming all over the place and we gave the ball away for a dangerous chance that was identical to the one right at the beginning of the second half. Also, on this sequence Villafana is caught way, way out again. That is getting irritating now, but I'm kind of used to it from Johnson and Yedlin.

The shape looks like a trusty empty bucket now.

63rd minute - We finally win the ball back and retain it. Bedoya passes to Agudelo who wall passes it back to him one time. Bedoya gets stopped but splits two defenders with a pass to Agudelo crashing the box. Agudelo sends a ball low centrally towards the edge of the area where Rowe is positioned and he tries a right footed first time shot that is blocked.

The ball is cleared but our defensive line is pushing the half field line and applying pressure. Agudelo finds himself on the ball again towards the end line but his resulting cross is way off the mark. Surprised Villafana wasn't there... He seems to be when we are transitioning the other way.

65th minute - Dax with a killer ball to Acosta who heel flicks it to Bedoya. Bedoya one times it to Agudelo who is well marked. The ball is coughed out to Bedoya to mindlessly tries a shot into five Panama players. Panama attacks in transition and its poked away by a recovering Acosta to Besler. Besler misplaces his pass, but immediately gets it back off a very physical shoulder to shoulder. Besler gets fired up.

66th minute - Poor all around play from Bedoya. He attempts to switch the field and it goes out of bounds then seemingly gets mad at Villafana for not being taller. Not a good look captain.

67th minute - US throw into McCarty who dribbles aggressively towards the box and lays it off to Rowe. Rowe with a clever cross/pass to the other side of the box where Bedoya is open. Bedoya then inexplicably forces a shot low off a Panama player. Second time he blasts it off a wall of white shirts instead of keeping possession around the area, SMH. Ball is deflected out of the box and somehow Bedoya gets it again and long passes it straight to the keeper, SMH again.

Bedoya looks much worse upon second viewing and he was captain.

68th minute - Rowe looked like he hyperextended his left leg after going for the Bedoya long ball. That's going to hurt. Second substitution Zardes on for Rowe.

70th minute - Zusi finds Agudelo who turns and sends Bedoya down the line. Bedoya decides to keep possession finally and gives it back to Agudelo. Agudelo can't go anywhere with it and give it back to Zusi who squares to Dax. Dax gets Zusi syndrome from the first half and turns inside then sits there until he's fouled. Not sure what he was doing there.

75th minute - A US attack leads to nothing. Zusi falls over transitioning back to defense.

Game at this point feels like it's past the climax. Our substitutions turned the flow of the game to our favor and we regained control after a dismal 10 minute period. However, the attack is still pretty impotent and there is a like of cohesion in the final third. Bedoya appeared to be more frustrated than anyone trying to force shots and getting on teammates for his own missed passes. Dax really doesn't have a ton to offer in the final third for all of his experience. Acosta combined well for a few minutes after Agudelo got on, but the play is going by him as the second half wears on. One, ideally two, of the central midfielders needs to pull some strings. Dwyer actually has gone missing completely since Agudelo came on which is alarming to me. Zero chemistry there so far.

 

Part Six: 75th minute Zusi fall to FT

76th minute - Dax receives the ball in central midfield and completely gets his pocket picked. Second time in 10 minutes. Looks like he get a little fired up that no one said anything to him...

77th minute - Acosta finds Zardes on the left in transition with a good weighted pass. Zardes plays it up to Dwyer who is fouled immediately. First appearance for Dwyer in awhile proceeded by a few moments where he's pressuring aggressively.

82nd minute - Bedoya does well to touch the ball around a player then dribbles into the box and goes down. Even live the second time it looks like a penalty from the match view. However, upon closer inspection it is definitely shoulder to shoulder.

85th minute - Bedoya comes off limping and Morris is on. There are a few fans booing. Not sure if they are booing the penalty decision or Bedoya.

88th minute - Morris does well to control a difficult long ball with his head and gets it down towards the end line. He then brick foots a left footed cross over the box towards the opposite sideline. Agudelo gets to the ball and demo's some sweet control to get around the defender. Zusi finds him self with the ball and sends in a cross that's cleared.

89th minute - Panama player rolls his ankle dribbling by himself

FT - Last 15 minutes felt like a scrimmage... Sloppy all around.


These were my first viewing ranks:

MOTM: Brad Guzan. He's a player that appears to be affected quite a bit by his environment. Fortunately, with the USA he turns it on more often than not.

Positive: Dwyer, Rowe, Villafana, Besler

Neutral: Bedoya (captain of just good enough), Zusi, Gonzo, Zardes, Agudelo, Morris

Negative: McCarty, Acosta, Corona, Arena

Second view, I would change some things around:

MOTM: Guzan

Positive: Dwyer, Rowe, Besler, Agudelo

Neutral: Acosta, Villafana, Zardes, Morris, Gonzalez, Arena

Negative: McCarty, Corona, Zusi

Shame: Bedoya


I'll probably make a more nuanced post talking about each player and an overall summary or something, but I've already stayed up way too late! I took a bunch of screen shots that wouldn't stick otherwise the parts would have been epic. Guess we'll have to settle with this for now.

 

Yeah, it wasn't really a game that developed in his favor. You could tell he knew it too by his body language. One problem is that you'd like him to be a little more versatile when the game doesn't play to his strengths, but he looked limited linking up Dwyer in transition.