Generally, a win is all that issues. The U.S.’s 2-0 victory over Mexico on Tuesday was simply that. ASN tactician Liviu Chook breaks down some keys to the sport and laments the steep decline of America’s largest soccer rival.
BY
Liviu Chook
Posted
September 11, 2013
4:21 PM
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WE PROBABLY SHOULD have seen it coming. No matter outdoors circumstance, the 2-0 United States win over Mexico on Tuesday appeared destined to finish with that rating, the saga full when Clint Dempsey missed his stoppage-time penalty to take care of the Dos a Cero narrative.
With the win, the US earned passage to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which means head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s males can now concentrate on substance moderately than outcomes in the meanwhile. The remaining two qualifiers, towards Jamaica and at Panama, can grow to be public coaching classes on a better platform.
Whereas a 2-0 outcome and momentary first place within the CONCACAF Hexagonal might point out in any other case, the crew nonetheless faces main questions earlier than descending into Brazil subsequent summer season. The largest activity going through Klinsmann and his workers shall be choosing 23 gamers to symbolize their nation on the world’s largest stage.
Enjoying the Channels
In qualifiers, the U.S. has proven a capability to dominate each central and broad areas, relying on what areas the opponent provides and the personnel the U.S. has on the sector. Towards Panama in Seattle, Michael Bradley and Geoff Cameron dominated the center.
Towards Mexico, the match was performed primarily within the channels. Landon Donovan and Alejandro Bedoya’s types inside the match contrasted, with Donovan getting ahead extra successfully and Bedoya getting pinned down into the defensive finish, particularly within the first half.
All recreation, Donovan made three loose-ball recoveries and three clearances. Bedoya made six recoveries, two clearances, and two interceptions and went into two tackles. Within the Gold Cup, Bedoya confirmed his capacity going ahead, stretching the opposition’s again line from his broad place and getting behind the defenders to serve harmful balls into the field.
Whereas he did get the ball into the field towards Mexico, significantly his second-half effort that was simply out of Eddie Johnson’s attain however led to the nook kick that resulted within the first U.S. objective, Bedoya primarily acted as a protect for Fabian Johnson on the fitting aspect.
The crew’s mixture passing confirmed this propensity to enter broad areas. The surface backs went ahead—DaMarcus Beasley accomplished 38 of 45 passes; Fabian Johnson related 23 of 30 makes an attempt—and Kyle Beckerman and Jermaine Jones within the center sprayed their passes broad.
Significantly within the defensive half, the U.S. moved the ball backward and forward moderately than making an attempt to pressure the ball ahead, which was additionally a product of going through a deeper Mexican defensive position than the one it performed on Friday towards Honduras.
When Mexico received the ball, it wished to assault its left (the U.S.’s proper) aspect, which additionally accounts for Bedoya’s added defensive duty.
Jermaine Jones’ (Temporary) Transformation
Typically, the participant protecting the fitting aspect ended up being not Bedoya or Fabian Johnson, however Jones. This recreation was one among Jones’ extra disciplined defensive showings in a U.S. shirt, clogging up Mexico’s left-central attacking choices.
A pair occasions when Jones tracked again, it was to cowl Giovani dos Santos, who has been Mexico’s most harmful playmaker in qualifying (though with Mexico’s attacking report, that’s not saying a lot). Jones successfully nullified dos Santos.
Going ahead, Jones additionally had a noticeably higher evening than ordinary. He accomplished 48 of 57 passes, most of which had been sq. balls and quick passes to maintain possession moderately than launched lengthy balls as he often performs.
On this sequence, which ends in dos Santos taking place simple contained in the U.S. penalty space within the twenty fourth minute, Jones advances to help Fabian Johnson’s overlapping assault. Three defenders are again, and Beckerman is holding in entrance of the middle backs, so Jones can advance a bit.
Dos Santos is in an offside place, however he recovers centrally, as does Omar Gonzalez ultimately.
As Mexico wins possession, Jones instantly acknowledges that Fabian Johnson is out of place and tracks again. Omar Gonzalez has stepped up too far, monitoring Javier Hernandez into midfield, and he by no means actually recovers his positioning. Jones finally ends up protecting for Gonzalez on this play greater than he covers for Fabian Johnson.
Due to Gonzalez’s poor positioning, the simplest spot for the ball to be performed is over his head. Jones slots in on the proper again spot, though he may most likely be tucked in a bit extra to take care of reference to the middle backs. The person behind him is in a far much less harmful space than dos Santos.
Nonetheless, by the point the ball travels and lands for dos Santos, Jones has time to trace again and physique up on him. He does effectively to maintain dos Santos uncomfortable and unable to convey the ball down for a clear have a look at objective, and all dos Santos can do is fall over and hope for a penalty.
How the Mighty Have Fallen
Mexico’s struggles in qualifying have been effectively documented, however the root of the issue lies in the truth that the crew has misplaced its identification. On this cycle, Mexico has not been the quick-passing, possession-based crew with lethal creativity within the attacking third of the sector.
Too typically, Mexico has performed timid and flat, failing to create any alternatives and counting on opponents’ defensive errors. The counter-attack that appeared so harmful towards Honduras was nowhere to be seen in Columbus, and in consequence, Mexico created little or no transferring ahead.
Its playmaker, dos Santos, tried simply 23 passes all evening. Virtually all of his 18 completions had been both sq. or backward, and he accomplished only one move inside 25 yards (on a nook kick). His teammates tried to play route-one soccer (excessive) too typically, virtually discovering success a pair occasions, however faltering general.
CONCACAF just isn’t the identical with no sturdy Mexican crew. A robust opponent south of the border additionally helps the U.S. as a result of solely competitors can breed progress. With out Mexico continuously preventing with the U.S. to set the bar in North American soccer, the U.S. may even undergo in the long term—in spite of everything, the overwhelming majority of video games the U.S. performs are continental matchups, as European friendlies come alongside sporadically.
Work to Do Earlier than Brazil
For the U.S., the work has simply begun. Qualifying for Brazil is a step within the course of, however the finish product is much from settled. If the U.S. desires to impose itself on groups within the World Cup and never merely react to what opponents do, it nonetheless wants work within the assault.
The most effective groups on the planet assault proactively, not reactively. Opponents really feel they can not play their recreation towards Spain, Germany, Argentina, and Brazil as a result of these groups dictate the tempo of the sport and probe defenses at will.
The U.S. has been good in qualifying—at occasions. But when the crew desires to achieve success in Brazil, the Individuals should discover an identification predicated extra on willful assault and fewer on reactive counter-attack.
OK, that is Liviu’s take. Let’s hear yours. The Feedback part is open for enterprise.
Liviu Chook is ASN’s tactical analyst. He’s additionally a contributor to NBC ProSoccerTalk and Cascadia regional editor for SoccerWire.com.
