Tonight's game against Mexico highlighted some adjustments that need to be made in how we play in midfield. In the past six months, Bob Bradley has mainly played a system with two deep mids, who line up evenly with each other and have equal responsibilities. The two attacking mids have generally played wider. Some adjustments need to be made with respect to the deep mids. The play of Bradley and Clark showed a certain lack of chemistry. But some of it was due to the fact they have the same responsibilities. It was like watching two dancers who do not know who is supposed to lead. I think a switch a Y formation would solve some of these problems. In the Y, there are still two deep-lying mids playing behind two attacking mids who play wider. But one of the deep-lying mids plays further up. Defensively, this has an important advantage. It is easier for the guy playing deeper to keep track of what his partner is doing. To continue the dancing analogy, the guy playing further up is the lead dancer and the other guy adjusts his positioning and movements based on what the lead is doing. For an illustration of the ideal way of playing this, see Pirlo and Gattuso of Italy. Switching to a Y will not solve the offensive problems shown in this game and other recent ones. I think this will require some personnel shifts. The guy playing up (some people refer to this as a pivot) needs to have better possession and passing skills than Bradley, Clark and Edu. Those three have a skill set that is better suited to the deeper-lying, more defensive mid. The pivot guy needs to be more of a two-way player. We need either Feilhaber or Donovan (preferably Donovan in my opinion) in this spot. I think Danny Szetela has the potential to play this role, but he needs to get his club career untracked first.
To generate offense in the "Empty Bucket" without sending your deep mids forward, you have to send the fullbacks forward all the time. Bob sends neither with regularity (obviously, Moor's cross resulted in one goal ... but that was one cross the entire game) and you see 4-man attacks (two forwards, two wings) going against 7-8 defenders from the opposition. That rarely results in a smoothly functioning offensive football. If Bob is going to insist on 6-2-2, you'll keep seeing this hideous performance in every match.
Well... this means you'll be either be putting Donovan further away from the point of attack, or you'll be sitting Dempsey in favor of another right winger/forward. At this point, I don't think either is an option (and frankly, the deeper Donovan plays centrally, the worse he's always looked, his skill set and mentality just does not favor playing in heavy traffic with bigger bodies all around him. Dempsey does better in such situations.). The better option would be to let Benny grow into that role, but he has to prove himself worthy of it. He's shown a level of sophistication that the rest of the team lacks, but he's not exactly taking the bull by the horns just yet, and the middle is a bit softer when he's in there. You'll also isolate our strong but slowish center backs just a little more frequently. Bob's 442 is ok when Beasley's on (covers for the left back going forward plus a burst of speed that the opposition has to account for) and Cherundolo's on (speed, delivery from out wide, and composure to know when to go and when to stay home). Otherwise, against mid-level opposition, we'll have to steal a goal in set-pieces to score much of the time. Which we do. We won't lose many games, but we'll have to scratch to win. I know something must be done, and this isn't exactly a radical shift. But it will require some guys to do a little proving.
I wouldn't sit Dempsey. He would play right mid. As for the argument that Donovan doesn't play well from a central midfield position, I've heard this cited many times here and would like some examples of games where this happened. I can think of the first half against Ecuador where he played central mid and did quite well. I remember attending the match against Japan and being very impressed by his play from central midfield. Maybe my memory is being a bit selective and there are games where he stunk up the joint from central mid.
Remember Bayer Leverkusen vs Liverpool? Textbook example. Much of his 2006 was really off-kilter as well, as the support man to McBride, taking on a playmaker sort of role and coming back deep for the ball. Of course there, you had his role kind of overlapping with Reyna's, and this was one instance where I was actually with Reyna's detractors (I'd generally been a Reyna supporter) in saying that Reyna really should've been passing the ball to Landon more and letting him attack defenders with it, and control the flow from deeper instead of trying to do Landon's job for him. But still, Landon never played well with a bunch of bodies in his face. He's the best 1v1 guy we've ever had by a good margin, and the most creative in space. Being out wide with freedom to pinch in (as opposed to the more traditional winger role he's played the last two games) is really the best way to use Landon, IMO. The second best way is to let him play the withdrawn forward role when he's got slow central defenders to run at. I'll be interested to see him pair up front with Jozy now, and hopefully an improved EJ later this year or early next... we hope.
oh, i remember...Bayer 04 Leverkusen against Liverpool.. really Textbookexample... Donovan is still your best player! P.S that´s pity Landon left Leverkusen. But I still have been following Donovan news. Yesterday I was watching myself Germany game against Austria. Since I´m so busy with German teams, I often miss USMNT games. German soccer keep me busy. But I`m always glad to hear news of Landon D.
Donovan didn't produce much when Arena played him central midfield. He played centrally in the World Cup though not in deep midfield. Go with: -----------------Altidore----------------- ------------------------------------------- -----------------Dempsey-------------- ---l-mid--------------clark------r-mid---- -------------------edu---------------------- (((((((bltleo!))))))))) That Donovan game against Liverpool was brutal. What are your predictions for Germany in Euro '08?
Where did Donovan play during WCQ last cycle when Reyna was taking time off? I honestly don't recall all the matches, but didn't Donovan play center mid in at least several of them?
Partially a function of the personnel he used in this game. We know that Dolo, Bornstein, and Wynne all get forward on a regular basis (we criticize them often enough on big soccer for being out of position on counterattacks) and that Spector and Simek will get forward more often than Moor and Corrales did last night. However, given the lineup he used last night, he probably should have changed the way his midfield played to make up for the fact that his outside backs weren't going to get forward very often.
Yes to the above. Here's the basic alignment of the "full-court" offensive set out of a "EB", as it's played on the "continent". Assuming the ball is on the left. ---------Striker---------Striker--------... @16 yard line -----Wing----------------------Wing-- ... @ 25 yards Fullback---Deep Mid------------------- .... @35 yards ---------------- Deep Mid-----Fullback- ... @45 yards ----------Central D------Central D ---- .... @ 60 yards (midfield) The system is designed to give each player two outlets. Left wing will usually pinch in to allow the fullback to overlap. The closest deep mid will give both the fullback and winger a central outlet. The closest striker will usually be open to its own winger. The other striker will often pop up inside the "weak side" wing. The switch of direction can be carried via a deep mid with two passes flanker/fullback-to-deep mid-to- the weak side wing/fullback or with one pass, depending on how tight the defense is marking. Bob plays it like this : -----------------Striker------------------ @16 ----------Striker------------------------- @25 Wing------------------------------Wing---@35 ------------Deep mid----Deep Mid--------- @45 Fullback----Central D----Central D---Fullback @60 This leaves both forwards and both wingers isolated against multiple marking because the defense will double team the ball and the only outlets will be long or backwards. So, it basically plays like 6-2-2. I will note that the US got a Gooch throw-in when Corrales went forward and a cross when Moor did. But those were fairly isolated events.
Just a cursory glance at the lineups tells us that we win games with Landon paired with a single-dmid. PS: I honestly don't give a ******** about the BL/Liverpool game. Donovan has a history of being able to defeat CONCACAF opponents as the central focus of our team. Bradley, like Arena, is screwing up with the twin deep mid formation that sacrifices our strengths for no good reason.
Thanks for looking that up. I don't mind people mentioning the Liverpool game, but it needs to be given equal weight with each of the matches where he played central mid and did well. Are we going to evaluate every player's suitability for a particular role based upon his one or two worst performances when called upon to play that role? Sometimes the logic around here defies belief.
.....Donovan has a history of being able to defeat CONCACAF opponents as the central focus of our team. Bradley, like Arena, is screwing up with the twin deep mid formation that sacrifices our strengths for no good reason.... Amen. The system needs do be adjusted, radically, not just tinkering Jozy, Donovan, Dempsey, Beasley , Freddy, Benny 5 of the 6 above should be out there at the same time at all times with 1 destroyer behind them (Clark/Edu/Bradly)-whoever is in form. That's the only way we can get out of the group stage in SA , assuming we get there BB can't see this. Some of you want to wait and see if he can make adjustments. I don't see him changing. Wenger or the the "special one" or Cappelo in 10 minutes would figure out the USA needs to go with a 4-1-4-1 or 4-5-1 to succeed , given the personnel. I am getting very alarmed with the situation under Bradley.
That Liverpool game was how many years ago? Early 2005. Donovan has matured and improved his overall game since then. I think it's worth a try. This empty bucket crap ain't getting it done.
Most talent in attack I can forsee: ---------------------------Altidore----------------------------------------- -----------------------------Deuce---------------------------------------- Beasley------------------------------------------------------------Donovan -----------------------------Adu------------------------------------------- -----------------------------Bradley---------------------------------------- I was going to have Adu and Dempsey switched but I really liked the way Dempsey combined with Altidore last night. Adu did show in the U-20 WC that he has the ability to be that pesky sort of defender in the attacking half of the field. Made some defensive plays that we saw from Donovan against Sweden and Mexico. (more Sweden) This would mean our otisde backs migth saty at home more against better opposition. (Pearce and Dolo) But if this group were allowed to develop some cohesion through the next couple years, we could be prety scary come WC2010. Also would need to include guys like Feilhaber, Edu, Clark, Convey, Spector, Simek, Parkhurst. Now I'm getting off track, sorry.
I never knew Sandon was Mike Lapper's nic.... What,our midfield setup? I would have tabbed Bradley as the back dmid last year but his season at Herrenveen has been played as the "up" mid with license to attack.The difference from a pivot is that Mike actually goes forward more than a pure holding mid would.
well your titel Y...is a bit "mystery"..it can be about anything..and if someone mention Donovan it can be also sexual despite I´m currently more enthusiastic about blonde engel Klinsi