It doesn't look like anyone on the field tonight for the US looks ready for Mexico. This playoff could turn into a mauling if significant changes are not made.
I guess it's ballsy to try and out-Brazil Brazil? But it sure isn't a winning recipe. Has to be said that their efficiency with their touches and chances was in another league altogether from ours.
Good news: 3 or 4 players will be playing against Mexico that weren't there tonight Bad news: Jurgen has no vision for the team right now and continues to go to players who aren't ready.
Do we have to? Weird training ground strategy in the first half that led to the first goal. It was clear that the US had worked on a particular play of going wide then squaring to JJ. But Brazil was on it and took the ball away time after time. It was naive to try it (oh lets give JJ with his back to the goal a bunch of suicide balls at midfield and see how it works out) and then it was naive to keep at it over and over and over. Despite Cameron's mistake on the PK, he was the only one taking on players and being proactive and confident. 5 man midfield was again a disaster. Why can't we get that right?
Jurgen continues to ostracize players, and make more and more players uninterested in busting their asses for him.
Nearly all our possession came from the right side with Cameron and Yedlin. Unfortunately they also repeatedly gave the ball away. Left side was MIA until Morris came in, where it seemed like he was playing something like a wing.
Just crap. Not even good crap, like grassy, didn't even bother to digest, camel crap. JK is clueless. And the players are tired of it. Everyone sucked except Zardes, who naturally got subbed at halftime. Jones/bedoya/Bradley were totally ineffective. Ream turned into a pumpkin. Yedlin gives the ball away too much for the style jk plays. Altidore is not the right player for this team. On top of that -- who learned anything at all about orozco?
Did we learn anything from these two games that helps us put the best team in the field on October 10th? Serious question. I don't know who should be in goal. I don't know who should play central defense. I don't know who should play in midfield. Maybe -------Altidore--------- -----------Dempsey----- Jones-----------------------Zardes -------------Bradley----------- --------------Williams?-------- Johnson--besler-brooks--yedlin ------------------guzan------------- Not too hopeful
Another nice hit from Williams, but game-wise it meant nothing. It was a garbage time goal when they were playing lax defense. Nobody attempted to speed him up. This was another embarrassing performance. It was in a friendly, but that was one of Klinsmann's selling points to the casuals. I now feel like if we lose the Mexico game during open play (non crapshoot-out), Jurgen will be out. Before I thought it would take another soul-crushing embarrassment, either by way of getting blasted or snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. But we got the public embarrassment out of the way in the lead-up. The competitor in me wants to win every game, but the pragmatist in me wants to get this transition out of the way before the early WC qualifiers, because those are golden opportunities for mining new talent, and it's something that becomes a lot harder to do in general the 2nd half of a cycle.
The rivalry will hopefully revive us a little. I don't have high hopes of winning, but I'm 99% certain we'll have a lot more fight in us on Oct. 10th.
The problem with this team is not about talent pool, but player selection and player positioning. Alejandro Bedoya playing CM/DM against Brazil is just ....can't really think of words. It isn't even Bedoya's fault. There is no continuity in this team. TT said that Omar and Besler haven't played together since the WC. That was a CB combo good enough to last til injury or at least 2016-2017. They keep creating a round robin for CBs. People are going to scapegoat Orozco, but every time I see him play, he gives his all. The same deficiencies keep coming up and the player gets blamed. There is no attempt to fix any deficiency/problem. Jozy has been awful as a lone striker. Why do they keep putting him in that role? The team needs a better CM to fill the void. Michael Bradley is playing AM, despite being a better fit for the deficiency. Meanwhile, there are players in MLS who are playing AM at a decent level, yet to get a shot. I feel bad for Sacha Kljestan. This formation and lineup with Bradley at AM and Jones might finally be something that works for his skill set, but he may never put on the shirt again. At this point, is every game, including the Gold Cup, just an experiment? This is a serious question because it makes a lot more sense than thinking the objective is to prepare for a competitive match or playing to win.
I am beginning to think JK is brain dead. Why oh why would he put MOF and VA together against Brazil. It was a lineup just asking for trouble. He has to remember he is not going to be allowed 6 subs in the Mexico game. I thought Ream looked good. Cameron was ok, but gave away the ball too much. Yedlin and Zardes were ok. I am glad he subbed out Bedoya, as he did not look like he belonged. Williams looked good after coming in, as did Mix. Don't think much of Wood, but Morris and AJ both looked good. Jozy his usual self...not doing much after the first couple of good plays. Bradley was ok. Jones looked tired after the first 45 and should not have been upset about being taken out. Will have to wait to see how Mexico plays tonight...but, I would guess we may be on the losing end of that one, if JK does not wise up. Also, TT and friend were horrible, as usual. Gee, Taylor, do you really think JK plays players out of position...good call!