Big take away is Steffan secured #1. Sarachan used subs for no reason at all. Corona? Wood was bad. Sargent deserved a full run out. Parks should have started, let alone made the bench. Better be injured as he was the most intriguing prospect. Trapp just doesn't really impressed me at all. Not a very good defender which for me is the #1 job of a 6. McKennie/Adams looked decent just running mad around the midfield. Green was nothing until he was something. Then nothing again. CCV had some shaky moments. I thought the Giroud tackle was world class defending. That is a VERY strong dude he muscled off the ball and no ref anywhere is calling a PK on that. That is a goal under most CBs. Miazga was solid though some of his passes are pretty heavily weighted. Robinson was good. Parker was decent. Functional backup. Moore was abused all game. Not an option and honestly we don't need extra RBs right now.
Our future is looking good. The kids looked bright. I don't care how they stole a point. I care that they showed some pride in their jersey and played like it. We've got a couple of years to sort out details like "style".
It was a shame Weah didnt get 15+ mins and we played to not lose. A result means absolutely nothing! Steffen, all 4 CBs, and the 2 starring wing backs played well. Wood put in a respectable shift and Green had a nice finish. Too much expected of Adams and McKennie ar this point and Trapp was as expected. Please get rid of Sarachan! That should be enough that we dont have to see Villafana and Trapp and Lichaj again.
3/5 back system is a good idea with our current personnel; I'm glad Sarachan finally went to it. It's the best system at least against good opponents, if not necessarily for every game. Having genuine speed at wingback on both sides, in Moore and Robinson, was key to the chances that we did create. But in a four back system, those guys would have been pinned back and probably beaten a lot more in our defensive third, with fewer chances to help on the break.
After the last four years of guaranteed spots making us miss the world cup, I don't get this sentiment. Nobody has secured anything. We don't need any guarantees or captains at this point. Steffan made a few nice saves. He should certainly be in the mix for a starting spot. Anything beyond that, no thanks. Had enough of Howard, Omar, Bradley, and altidore with their guaranteed spots for the rest of my days.
Well I have to say I was completely wrong about the US's performance in this match. The kids showed a fortitude and a discipline well beyond what I ever expected. The only thing I was pretty much correct about was the possession percentage and pretty much the shots. I guess it is time to serve up my large helping of crow. I hope the local population is not too decimated today because I am hungry.
Stock way up: Steffen Stock up: Parker, Miazga, Robinson, Adams Steady: Carter-Vickers, Trapp, McKennie, Green, Palmer-Brown, Yedlin, Sargent Stock down: Moore, Corona, Villafana Stock way down: Wood
The score is important if gauging the quality of team organization against a superior opponent were an objective. France came to play, so team organization could be properly tested.
Looks we are going to have a ton of depth across the backline. Selection is going to be tough for the CB positions. The attack is where we are going to struggle. Our options in the forward positions are going to be dire and we may need to rely on MLS level talent at least initially. Adams was impressive in the ground he covered and his ability to get forward. Not a lot of talk about him in the game thread, but he was absolutely fantastic and deserves to be in one of the top leagues. Steffen also gets my vote for first choice.
Quoted from the PBP thread: Yes, but a preponderance of the posters here were thinking it would be a shellacking on that Brazil Vs Germany in WC '14 level. Many were hoping we could keep the GD down to some level like -3, but were expecting a 4 to 5 goal loss and maybe worse if the lineup was particularly bad. It's worth noting how well organized we were in defense, how composed the players were and how well they took their chances, we scored two goals in the run of play, 1 slightly off, despite only have what, 2 shots on goal? So sure, we were definitely outplayed, no doubt about it, but much like the U-20's did in 2015, and 2017 in the QF's of the U-20 World Cup (many of those players on the field today), these guys got outplayed, but also forced extra time (if this had been a real game). It's an awesome trademark to consider going forward, that these kids may have recaptured one of the outstanding and most beloved aspects of the US Nats circa 1994-2010, and that was the never say die attitude. At this point they've made deep runs in back to back youth tournaments, including forcing extra time despite being severely outplayed in QF matches, and have now gone on the road in Europe and beaten Portugal (I know, but it was really USA 1 Horvath 1), and gone to France and nearly beaten them, instead earning the draw. Imagine these ingredients going forward: 1 Part Never Say Die attitude circa 1994-2010 1 Part Composure and Organization 1 Part significantly superior technical ability to the 1994-2010 generation. 1 Part significantly more depth of youth talent than at any point in the past. It's damn exciting to think of what the kids could do. I will add the caveat that after watching us play like manure against Ireland, I have a feeling France walked out thoroughly expecting to trounce us, and played way too much of a USA vs Portugal 2002 kinda game.
We produce a lot of mids who haven't a clue what to do with the ball as soon as a defender breaths on them. Don't really know what to do without the ball either.
Like the 3-5-2 moving forward. Robinson gives us a solid option at LB and Steffan is first choice going forward. We still need some more strikers to emerge.
After these friendlies here are my thoughts Stock up Steffen Robinson CCV Miazga Parker Green Stock down Hamid Corona Villafana Rubin Everyone else about the same. Sarachan terrible late game subs show he is just not a real candidate.
I'm not sure where Pulisic fits in the formation we used today, which is my primary concern with a back 3/5. It forces him into the middle, which I think limits his effectiveness.