The US suffered a 4-2 loss to Colombia in a recreation it really led within the second half. These video games are all about studying for the workforce’s younger core and Jamie Hill is right here to breakdown the sport along with his 4 ideas.
BY
Jamie Hill
Posted
October 11, 2018
6:45 PM
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THE LOSS TO Colombia doesn’t technically imply something given it was a pleasant. These video games are performed to offer the gamers an opportunity to develop collectively and be taught in order that the workforce shall be higher within the years forward.
However what’s there to remove from this 4-2 loss. Listed below are my 4 ideas.
Finest Protection Is A Properly-Balanced Lineup
Dave Sarachan has been keen on taking part in as many central midfielders as doable, usually favoring the dour, defensive 4-1-4-1. Tonight he broke with that custom and rolled out an honest-to-goodness 4-2-3-1. The assault didn’t click on within the first half.
Kenny Saief struggled one-on-one towards athletically superior Colombian defenders, Julian Inexperienced was too gradual to press the US benefit in uncommon attacking moments, and Bobby Wooden has by no means discovered success when requested to be a linking goal man.
The assault discovered its stride within the second half and a fast double-fire gave the US a really short-lived lead. Nevertheless, the alternative of Timothy Weah with a central midfielder, Marky Delgado, decreased the variety of US attackers to 3.
Traditionally talking, the US is sort of at all times horrible with solely three attackers on the sphere and tonight was no exception — the temporary American renaissance was washed away by wave after wave of Colombian attackers, leading to two extra targets.
The US protection shouldn’t be ok, both individually or as a collective unit, to soak up the strain that comes with a lineup that doesn’t have sufficient attackers to maintain the opposite workforce sincere and occupied.
Open Tryouts Proceed
The eternally unsettled left again place continued to pose issues for the US. Antonee Robinson was focused by Colombia early and infrequently, a scenario that led to a really lengthy night time for the Wigan Athletic teenager.
Robinson’s naiveté in defensive positioning was badly uncovered towards Colombia’s top-notch assault, which discovered acres of area in behind the left again all night time. Robinson was a bit unlucky to face the complete fury of a workforce the caliber of Colombia and he didn’t get the very best defensive assist from the US wingers, however there’s no denying it was a recreation to neglect for him.
The empty cabinet at left again ensures that Robinson will get probabilities to work by his rising pains.
Kenny Saief performed a quiet 60 minutes on the wing. Saief didn’t distinguish himself, though his recreation is one which depends on a familiarity along with his teammates relatively than his particular person 1v1 skill.
The relative paucity of attacking choices for the US means he’ll have extra auditions, however Saief might want to present extra to change into a everlasting member of the squad.
Midfield Machinations
The anticipated midfield configuration for the US was thrown into turmoil over the past two weeks as Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams had been misplaced to minor accidents.
Michael Bradley made his return to the US lineup, roughly one yr after the disaster in Couva, whereas Kellyn Acosta lastly acquired an opportunity to play his pure box-to-box midfield function. Acosta had an energetic recreation, together with his very good late run into the field for the US’ first purpose. Bradley was regular in possession.
It’s troublesome to say, nonetheless, that both staked a declare to a beginning job at CM forward of Adams and McKennie, whose collective depth, defensive chunk, and subject protection are unmatched within the US pool — and missed towards a really powerful Colombia workforce that gained too many 50/50 balls.
Rising Into The Assault
The US program isn’t just reeling from lacking the 2018 World Cup, however from lacking a complete era of gamers. The dearth of high quality amongst gamers born within the early Nineties signifies that the US is at the moment very mild on expertise among the many mid-to-late 20s age group — or in different phrases, the cohort of gamers anticipated to guide a workforce.
The excellent news is that the US participant pool ought to proceed to enhance steadily over the subsequent two World Cup cycles, as few key gamers will age out of the pool.
Because it has all yr, the US’ efficiency has suffered tremendously within the absence of Christian Pulisic. Simply as US followers have to be affected person in ready for the return of the US’ finest participant, they have to even be affected person in ready for the event of latest attacking expertise like Josh Sargent and Timothy Weah, who had been capable of create some hazard tonight together with an help from the latter.
Gamers like Saief, Inexperienced, and Picault may have a component to play within the US depth chart, however when taking the long run view, all have the unmistakable really feel of function gamers and stopgaps.
Sarachan selected to not gown Nordsjælland’s explosive winger Jonathan Amon, however a lower-key recreation towards Peru subsequent week shall be a great alternative to blood {the teenager}.
