ASN: Evaluation, ideas, & participant scores: The USMNT caps September with 4-0 win over Oman

As he does after each recreation, ASN’s Brian Sciaretta rewatches the efficiency and gives up his thougths, evaluation, and participant scores. For this recreation, the U.S. obtained an improved efficiency to finish its September window with a 4-0 win over Oman. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
September 13, 2023
9:05 AM

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THE UNITED STATES nationwide staff defeated Oman 4-0 in Minnesota to finish its September worldwide window with two pleasant wins over Asian opponents. For 90 minutes, the outing was a major enchancment from the 3-0 win over Uzbekistan on Saturday.

The U.S. took management of the sport early and instantly started to create possibilities. Within the thirteenth minute, the staff broke via with some wonderful ball-movement. Weston McKennie recovered the ball after Christian Pulisic slipped. McKennie despatched an extended and correct move into the field on the fitting aspect to Tim Weah. Along with his first contact, he teed up Sergino Dest for a shot. His shot was saved by Ibrahim Almukhaini, however the rebound fell to Folarin Balogun for a tap-in.

For the rest of the half, the U.S. staff managed the sport however couldn’t discover a second. Ultimately the targets began to return. Within the second half, the U.S. staff put the sport with three targets in 21 minutes through the substitutes. It began with a Brenden Aaronson free-kick that featured plenty of errors from Oman – from the wall to the goalkeeper. Then Ricardo Pepi had the objective of the night time within the 79th minute when he took a move from DeJuan Jones and hit a low driving shot from simply exterior the field that discovered the again of the web. The ultimate objective was an personal objective when Kevin Pardes broke down the fitting aspect and despatched a low cross in direction of Pepi. Earlier than Pepi may faucet it in, Oman’s Khalid Al Braiki turned it into his personal internet.

The U.S. staff completed the window with two wins and a mixed 7-0 scoreline. In the meantime, Mexico struggled towards Uzbekistan in Atlanta and conceded a late equalizer in a 3-3 draw.

Listed below are some ideas on the win.

Only a few errors

On this recreation, the U.S. staff made a whole reversal and made no harmful turnovers. Oman had only a few possibilities to spring counter assaults. Specifically, the midfield trio of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, and Malik Tillman moved the ball round with straightforward and any missed passes weren’t expensive by way of gifting Oman something the opposite manner.

When it comes to enchancment, this was enormous.

Central protection in transition

Berhalter stated after the sport that he gave the “game ball” (equal of the staff’s MOTM) to each central defender – Miles Robinson and Chris Richards – as a result of he felt the defended very properly each time Oman would attempt to aggressively assault or counterattack. He believed they helped get rid of Oman’s possessions early, and lengthy earlier than they ever amounted to something harmful. However there was a whole lot of discuss transitional protection on this window – each in the way it wasn’t nice towards Uzbekistan and the way it was improved towards Oman. However transferring ahead, this can proceed to be an vital subject and subsequent month the standard of opponents will probably be considerably raised in Germany and Ghana, so will probably be vital that optimistic momentum from this recreation proceed.

Central protection is totally up within the air with this staff proper now and the reality is that there actually aren’t many younger choices knocking on the door (that’s the subject of a separate article however there’s a enormous generational hole growing at that place with few 2001-born and youthful choices). The pool of gamers in central protection is about however there’s a whole lot of parity and a few considerations with this group which embrace Richards, Robinson, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Walker Zimmerman, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Matt Miazga, and Erik Palmer-Brown. These gamers comprise of the participant pool for central protection. There are alternatives and considerations over every of them.

Our guys. pic.twitter.com/1toJR61MyZ

— U.S. Males’s Nationwide Soccer Workforce (@USMNT) September 13, 2023

On this recreation, Richards performed properly and had a pleasant window. However the concern will probably be over his lack of minutes at Crystal Palace. Good outings for the nationwide staff are actually potential if a participant is on the bench for the membership, however consistency is one other problem.

Equally, Robinson had a pleasant recreation as properly, however he seems set to depart Atlanta United after the season. Mark McKenzie changed Richards and he’s in a very good state of affairs at Genk for his minutes, however can he transition that over to persistently enjoying properly for the nationwide staff? Then you’ve got Tim Ream. He’ll quickly flip 36 however has been enjoying unbelievable soccer over the previous 12 months. In some unspecified time in the future, his degree will drop. He’s doing an awesome job staying at a prime degree, however it’s all the time “proceed with caution” with him.

Leaving this camp, we nonetheless don’t have a set order with central defenders.

Carrying Oman out

One other issue that went into the U.S. staff successful this recreation was merely sporting Oman out. The staff’s passing was so environment friendly, and it was equally distributed from the fitting and left sides of the sector.

Right here is an attention-grabbing statistic. Left again Kristoffer Lund had 85 touches over 90 minutes. The 2 proper backs (Sergino Dest and DeJuan Jones) mixed for 88 touches. That presents a transparent image that the U.S. staff was comfy happening both aspect of the sector. Prime groups will nonetheless defend that properly, however towards opponents the place the U.S. staff has an enormous edge in expertise, it’ll assist the U.S. staff choose opponents aside all through the 90 minutes.

It additionally shouldn’t be discounted that this was an enormous purpose why the U.S. staff was so sturdy within the second half and why the substitutes carried out so properly. The U.S. was transferring the ball back and forth and Oman was chasing. When the contemporary legs got here into the sport, Oman had been chasing for a very long time and was each drained, and thrown off its recreation.

McKennie’s distribution

Whereas Berhalter gave the staff ball to central protection, there was an awesome case that Weston McKennie was the MOTM. His diagonal passing was lethal correct and he was an enormous purpose why the U.S. staff was in a position to get the ball back and forth. In complete, he was 15/18 in his lengthy vary passing (35+ yards) and that was how the U.S. was in a position to go back and forth.

Weston McKennie was 15/18 in lengthy balls tonight #USMNT

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) September 13, 2023

That passing clearly gave the U.S. an edge and it instantly resulted within the opening objective within the thirteenth minute.

McKennie was the most effective U.S. participant over your entire window. In opposition to Uzbekistan, he made some turnovers however was additionally creating possibilities. On this recreation, he was placing all of it collectively.

Getting Balogun on the identical web page
 

The middle ahead hierarchy has all the time been an enormous query mark for this staff. Each window, there’s severe dialogue over it. Heading into the World Cup, it was all the time talked about.

Now there is a bit more consolation within the place. Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are good choices for now, however nothing is written in stone both. Pepi has delivered for the staff in 2023 however he’s probably solely going to see restricted minutes at PSV if Luuk de Jong is match.

For Balogun, the difficulty with this staff is chemistry. Most of this core group of the nationwide staff has been collectively for thus lengthy that the chemistry is regular. However Balogun continues to be a step behind in being on the identical web page as his teammates – or visa versa. As Berhalter famous within the press convention, Balogun made a number of vital runs that weren’t picked up. It’s nonetheless a piece in progress however having Balogun absolutely built-in will stabilize the entrance six of the nationwide staff’s beginning XI.

Window’s winners
 

This isn’t the identical factor as saying who had been the staff’s greatest gamers. McKennie was the most effective participant for the U.S. staff this window. However McKennie is a starter for the staff so long as he’s wholesome.

The winners of the window had been those that improved their standing inside the staff.

Ricardo Pepi: Was the staff’s only ahead this window past Balogun. However Pepi is not going to be enjoying a lot at PSV and he could have nationwide staff competitors inside the approaching 12 months when Sargent and Dike are wholesome, or if Haji Wright or Jesus Ferreira get scorching, or if Brandon Vazquez continues his type now and after he strikes, or if Jordan Pefok finds his groove once more. But when Pepi continues to provide for the nationwide staff, he’s going to proceed to get the decision.

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— U.S. Males’s Nationwide Soccer Workforce (@USMNT) September 13, 2023

Brenden Aaronson: hybrid attacking participant may need had some luck in his free kick objective towards Oman, however he was superb off the bench in each video games. There will probably be younger gamers pushing for him, together with his brother, within the years forward. However he has an enormous edge.

Kristoffer Lund: The staff’s new left again from Palermo made a “good first step” (in keeping with Berhalter) in claiming the position because the staff’s backup left again spot behind Antonee Robinson. On this window he performed over 100 minutes and confirmed some qualities whereas additionally making few errors.

Miles Robinson and Chris Richards: When there’s not a whole lot of readability in central protection, these two performed properly collectively utilizing their athleticism. Each missed the World Cup as a consequence of damage and each are within the staff now. However when the central protection pool has a whole lot of parity, good performances are all the time vital. Richards wanted this as a result of there have been so many questions on his lack of enjoying time at Crystal Palace.

Participant scores
 
The beginning XI
 

Ethan Horvath: Horvath had little or no to do on this recreation. What he did do, he did properly sufficient: Ranking 5.5

Kristoffer Lund: It was a good first begin for Lund who was wanting to get ahead, though he wasn’t very profitable. Defensively, he did his half and restricted his errors in possession: Ranking 5.5

Miles Robinson: Other than an early foul which gave Oman a free kick from 30 yards, Robinson did properly defensively and stopped Oman when it tried to push ahead. He gained 10/14 of his aerials, 4/7 of his floor duels, and three/4 of his tackles as proof of his sturdy protection: Ranking 7.0

Chris Richards: like Robinson, he was efficient within the backline to interrupt up Oman’s performs earlier than they turned harmful. In his 71 minutes, he gained 8/9 of his aerials to restrict Oman’s capability to create with balls into the field. Ranking 7.0

Sergino Dest: the PSV proper again was efficient within the assault within the first half. His shot created the primary objective. Sadly for Dest,  within the second half he missed two superb possibilities. However total, he was powerful for Oman to cease. Ranking 6.5

Yunus Musah: Enjoying a deeper place, Musah was very comfy on either side of the ball – successful possession, dribbling, getting the ball ahead. He helped the U.S. command possession and the tempo of play: Ranking 6.5

Weston McKennie: The Juventus man was the most effective participant on the sector. His long-ball accuracy gave the U.S. staff a number of factors of assault, and he made Oman chase the sport for lengthy stretches. He opened up the sport for his teammates in a powerful outing: Ranking: 8.0

Malik Tillman: Getting the chance to start out rather than Luca de la Torre, Tillman was clean with the ball within the assault and helped to facilitate for others: Ranking 6.0

Christian Pulisic: It was forgettable recreation for the U.S. staff’s greatest participant, who’s reliably good in large video games however hit and miss in friendlies. Nothing a lot got here from Pulisic from the run of play and he was taken out on the half forward of the large Milan derby: Ranking 5.0

Tim Weah: The Juventus wingback was at his typical wing place for the U.S. staff and he had a very good recreation. He arrange Dest’s shot on the primary objective. He performed the ball to Jones on Pepi’s objective. He arrange an opportunity for Dest, who merely missed. However Weah had a very good recreation and a very good window: Ranking 7.5

Folarin Balogun: Enjoying simply the primary half, Balogun was in the fitting place on the proper time to attain the opener. He additionally was harmful together with his runs, lots of which weren’t picked up by his teammates: Ranking 6.5

The Substitutes
 

Ricardo Pepi: The PSV ahead missed two possibilities quickly after approaching, however grew into the sport properly. He scored a really good objective within the 73rd minute and he actually would have scored the staff’s fourth objective had it not been become the objective by a defender for an personal objective: Ranking 7.0

Brenden Aaronson: The Union Berlin winger was a step up from Pulisic on this recreation. Certain, his free kick was fortunate however Aaronson introduced depth to the assault and allowed the U.S. staff to tug away: Ranking 7.0

Benja Cremaschi: The Inter Miami teenager appeared a little bit nervous initially in his first cap however he almost picked up an help when he arrange Dest, whose shot within the field went broad to the left. He then performed a pleasant ball to Kevin Paredes on the fourth objective, an personal objective. Ranking 6.0

Mark McKenzie: When McKenzie got here into the sport within the 71st minute, Oman was drained and chasing leaving McKenzie with little to do defensively. He accomplished 8/10 of his passes: Ranking 5.5

DeJuan Jones: The New England Revolution fullback performed the ultimate 14 minutes, accomplished 16/17 of his passes, with one being an help on Pepi’s objective: Ranking 6.5

Mark McKenzie: When McKenzie got here into the sport within the 76th minute, Oman was drained and chasing leaving McKenzie with little to do defensively. He accomplished 8/10 of his passes: Ranking 5.5

Kevin Pardes: The Wolfsburg winger made essentially the most of his debut when his attacking run set him up for a ultimate ball within the field that was both going to be an help to Pepi or an personal objective, and it was an personal objective: Ranking 6.0