It wasn’t at all times fairly, however the US nationwide crew left the October window in respectable standing inside CONCACAF following a 2-1 comeback win towards Costa Rica. ASN’s Brian Scairetta breaks all of it down along with his ideas and evaluation.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
October 14, 2021
4:00 AM
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THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL crew was in a bleak spot simply two minutes into Wednesday evening’s sport towards Costa Rica. After a lackluster loss to Panama, the U.S. crew fell behind 1-0 and was observing an uphill climb to salvage the October window and keep away from being a deadly spot in qualifying. Prefer it did within the remaining sport of the of September, window, this crew responded.
U.S. supervisor Gregg Berhalter made a number of adjustments to his beginning XI. Many have been apparent – bringing again Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Brenden Aaronson, and Ricardo Pepi. On the flip aspect, nevertheless, he made the choice to switch Matt Turner with Zack Steffen.
The start was ugly. FC Cincinnati and Costa Rica proper again Ronald Matarrita despatched in a cross that discovered a large open Keysher Fuller, who didn’t hit his shot nicely – however did sufficient – to get the ball previous Steffen only a minute into the sport.
The U.S. crew didn’t await the second half, nevertheless. Sergino Dest drew the sport even within the twenty fifth minute on an excellent particular person play. He took the ball on a brief, easy move from Yunus Musah. Dest lower into the center of the sector, waited till he had an clear line to shoot, after which hit an unstoppable left-footed shot into the nook.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) October 13, 2021
Preserving the beginning lineup collectively into the second half, the U.S. crew started to dominate possession. It wasn’t till the 66th minute when the crew pulled forward for good. Dest performed Tim Weah into the field Weah’s shot hit the put up, bounced off Costa Rica goalkeeper Leonel Moreira and dribbled throughout the road for what’s technically an personal aim, however was the results of Weah’s shot.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) October 14, 2021
The U.S. started to make substitutions within the seventy fifth minute and was in a position to protect the win.
It wasn’t at all times fairly. The U.S. crew could not fairly open the floodgates regardless of having 64% possession and a 12-4 edge in pictures. There nonetheless must be extra high quality within the attacking third. Nonetheless the efficiency was principally constructive, the depth was there, and the three factors have been essential.
Listed here are some ideas in addition to the participant scores.
Dest’s outstanding window
The most effective participant for the U.S. crew this window was Sergino Dest. The Barcelona proper again was in a position to provide you with the distinction making performs that have been essential for the U.S. crew strolling away with six factors.
Dest had the help on Pepi’s opener towards Jamaica. Then towards Costa Rica, his gorgeous strike obtained the U.S. crew again into the sport. He then obtained an help (uncredited) on the profitable aim from Weah that was technically an personal aim.
“Sergino is an interesting player because it’s almost like the sky’s the limit for him,” Berhalter mentioned. “He can be as good as he wants to be and you saw today with his attacking play. It’s unreal.”
Dest is in a terrific spot proper now. He’s performed over 60 occasions for Barcelona and has Champions League expertise for each Ajax and Barcelona. Whereas this Barcelona crew is in a troublesome transitional interval, Dests’ profession is extraordinarily vibrant and his position inside the crew established. He can merely make the large performs which can be the distinction between wins and losses.
McKennie raises his sport
After the extremely publicized dismissal from the September camp for breaking crew guidelines, Weston McKennie might be leaving October on a really excessive observe – one that ought to give him confidence heading again to Italy. McKennie hasn’t been as sharp for Juventus or the U.S. crew in latest months however this sport towards Costa Rica was a giant reminder of simply how good he will be when he’s on his sport.
McKennie’s passing from distance was most important. Towards Costa Rica, he was an outstanding 11/12 along with his lengthy balls (passes over 35 yards). This was essential to the U.S. crew with the ability to change the purpose of assault and discover openings.
McKennie had 119 touches towards Costa Rica and that give him a ton of alternatives to showcase his expertise. He was 86/98 in passing. He wasn’t sharp at the beginning, however he grew into the sport very properly.
Adams/Musah midfield
The opposite members of the midfield additionally had robust video games.
Tyler Adams stays essentially the most indispensable participant on the U.S. crew. Having him at 100% is essential to U.S. crew taking part in the best way it needs to play. He wins his duels, passes the ball nicely, covers a lot floor – only a few gamers wherever can do what he does. When he’s wholesome, he does the work of two gamers.
Musah equally was given an enormous alternative this window the place he was the one participant to begin all three video games. Total, he confirmed that he’s nonetheless younger, makes errors, however has a really excessive ceiling.
The Valencia midfielder in all probability received’t begin for the U.S. crew when Gio Reyna is wholesome, however Musah supplies for a ton of athleticism and velocity within the center. Towards Costa Rica, he drew three fouls and was keen to place Costa Rica on its again foot.
It’s additionally a studying curve for Musah. Defensively, he must be higher. He an even have tough patches. Towards Jamaica, he was wonderful within the second half, however struggled within the first half. He was poor towards Panama. Then towards Costa Rica, he was usually strong.
The fear for Musah is that he simply isn’t getting the reps with Valencia at his finest place. Lengthy-term, he might be a central participant however at his membership proper now, he’s taking part in out broad – probably as a result of he hasn’t established the belief to play him centrally, presumably for defensive points. Sadly, that’s in all probability going to gradual him down reaching his potential.
The midfield trio, total, labored out nicely.
Width is required/was served
Towards Panama, the deadly flaw for the U.S. crew was its lack of width. The U.S. crew was compelled to assault up the center – it wasn’t ready to take action.
Towards Costa Rica, the U.S. crew was in a position to assault from out broad and it helped tremendously. Dest and Antonee Robinson had the flexibility to maneuver deeper up the sector. This then allowed the wingers to get extra concerned.
Tim Weah was clearly a giant beneficiary on this. He regarded sharp towards Jamaica however struggled towards Panama. He was not slated to begin this sport, however got here into the sport throughout warmups as an harm substitute for Paul Arriola.
On the second aim, Weah was in a position to play off Dest for the aim.
“We had a long meeting yesterday,” Berhalter mentioned of Weah. “We watched video together, and it was great to see him actually applying that to his performance today because he was disappointed with his performance in Panama, and he really responded with a great attitude and good performance. I’m so happy for him, happy that he got the goal and happy that we didn’t make that sub.”
One of many extra attention-grabbing issues about this sport to assist open the sport up was the positioning of Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah. It made it exhausting for Costa Rica to defend. Aaronson, who has been rising in significance to the U.S. crew, drifted into the midfield and was on the identical aspect of the sector as Weah for the second aim.
Aaronson has been given lots of freedom inside the crew to do what he needs and reflective within the belief he’s earned from Berhalter.
For Weah, it comes all the way down to staying wholesome whereas additionally getting repetitive minutes for Lille. His minutes have been enhancing at Lille however he wants a strong run of begins – which has but to essentially occur in his profession. He appears to be inching in that path, which is nice for him and the U.S. crew.
Evaluating the window
The U.S. crew realized lots of apparent classes on this sport. It has depth and might win with out Gio Reyna and Christian Pulisic, however it nonetheless wants high quality in sure roles open the door for different gamers.
It was a helpful reminder that taking part in on the highway in CONCACAF continues to be a problem and it’s powerful to duplicate these video games whereas taking part in in the US. It’s not simply coping with the opposing crowd. These video games are in a vastly totally different surroundings.
Tyler Adams is especially missed in some of these video games along with his protection, his operating, and his serving to in transitioning between protection and assault.
The U.S. crew additionally desperately wants attacking fullbacks to be an offensive risk from the run of play – significantly with out Reyna and Pulisic. If the fullbacks aren’t pushing ahead, it turns into exhausting to additionally push up the center. It’s a domino impact the place the offense appears to fade.
It’s a powerful stage to interrupt in younger gamers, however having attacking-oriented back-ups to Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest is one space the place the crew wants to enhance. There are rising choices too – Sam Vines is again coaching at Royal Antwerp, teenage left again John Tolkin has been nice for the Purple Bulls. Proper again is deep however has taken hits in latest months with the defection of Julian Araujo and the poor membership state of affairs of Reggie Cannon. Joe Scally will in all probability emerge in there prior to later.
Central protection held up nicely this window too. Walker Zimmerman, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, and Miles Robinson held up nicely and doubtless all might be known as again in November if wholesome. John Brooks, nevertheless, may very well be a priority given his harm and up to date type for Wolfsburg and the U.S. crew in September. Matt Miazga additionally lurks as a possible possibility of he continues to play nicely for Deportivo Alaves.
So many gamers, nevertheless, are in shut requires call-ups and it’ll come all the way down to type at membership. Gianluca Busio is on the rise, Ricardo Pepi struggled towards Costa Rica however is clearly a participant that must be saved round.
However for bubble gamers like Daryl Dike, Gyasi Zardes, Luca de la Torre, Matthew Hoppe, Shaq Moore, Julian Inexperienced, Nicholas Gioacchini, Konrad de la Fuente, Josh Sargent, Jordan Pefok, Matt Miazga, Ethan Horvath, – it can come all the way down to taking part in nicely on the membership stage to earn a call-up.
The outcomes of this previous week weren’t the 9 or seven factors everybody wished, however it retains the U.S. crew on a wholesome tempo. The November window is 2 video games, not three – and this may enable the U.S. crew use its finest lineup potential of wholesome gamers for every sport.
The bigger that means from this window is that many backup positions nonetheless stay broad open and competitors must be intense on the membership stage.
Participant Scores
The beginning lineup
Zack Steffen: It was a shock begin for Steffen and the Manchester Metropolis backup had a troublesome second early on Fuller’s opener. He made a pleasant save in a while a Celso Borges shot in addition to on a number of nook kicks. The U.S. crew obtained the outcome, however Steffen in all probability didn’t do sufficient to reclaim the beginning job from Turner. Ranking: 5.5
Antonee Robinson: Robinson’s velocity was clearly very helpful for the U.S. crew. He did a very good job advancing the ball and mixing with teammates. His crossing wasn’t there on the day. Defensively, he was okay. Ranking: 6.0
Miles Robinson: The Atlanta United defender made one error when he coughed it as much as Bryan Ruiz to spark a 1v1. Robinson’s defensive talent and athleticism obtained himself out of hassle. Apart from that, Robinson was excellent the place he received practically each aerial and routinely cleared the ball out of hazard. Ranking: 6.5
Chris Richards: The Alabama native did nicely in his World Cup qualifying debut serving to the U.S. crew’s protection reset after conceding the opening aim (which he was not chargeable for). He broke up a number of Costa Rican possibilities. Ranking: 6.5
Sergino Dest: Dest was the very best participant on the sector on this sport. His goalazo and his uncredited help have been the distinction. He additionally was on the ball 89 occasions and was 49/56 in passing. Ranking: 8.5
Tyler Adams: It was a typical robust efficiency from Tyler Adams – getting on the ball 102 occasions, profitable 7/9 of his duels, finishing 80/90 passes and advancing the ball deeply into the attacking half. Ranking: 7.5
Weston McKennie: His finest outing in a very long time for the U.S. crew. His passing from vary was key and it allowed the U.S. crew to change the purpose of assault. He had a ton of touches and helped to open the sport up whereas holding possession. Ranking: 7.5
Yunus Musah: The Valencia midfielder had an help on Dest’s large aim, though there wasn’t an excessive amount of work for him on the play. His power was making aggressive runs to regularly breakdown Costa Rica’s protection. Ranking: 6.5
Tim Weah: After a troublesome outing in Panama, Weah rebounded nicely towards Costa Rica. He labored nicely with Aaronson on the other wing to change positioning and throw Costa Rica off. Along with primarily scoring the second aim, he helped arrange the primary in getting the ball to Musah. Ranking: 7.5
Brenden Aaronson: The Purple Bull Salzburg attacker wasn’t as concerned as Weah however nonetheless drew lots of consideration and respect from Costa Rica. He usually shifted to midfield to present the crew a distinct look. Ranking: 6.5
Ricardo Pepi: It was a little bit of an off-night for Pepi who wasn’t requested to save lots of the day for the U.S. crew. The possibilities he was a part of weren’t very harmful and he completed with three pictures. At occasions he labored nicely when he obtained the ball however 25 touches over 88 minutes isn’t so much for a crew that has over 60% possession. Ranking: 5.5
The Substitutes
Matthew Hoppe: Got here into the sport within the 73rd minute however managed simply six touches over 17 minutes. Two of his 4 passes, nevertheless, resulted in pictures. Ranking: 5.5
DeAndre Yedlin: Additionally got here into the sport within the 73rd minute and regarded vigorous with 11/11 in passing. He helped to maintain the U.S. crew on the entrance foot. Ranking: 6.5
Gianluca Busio: The Venezia midfielder got here into the sport within the 78th minute and was actually good along with his passing and in possession. Ranking: 6.5
Walker Zimmerman: Had a strong window for the U.S. crew however didn’t have a lot to do on this sport as an 86th minute defensive sub. Ranking: NR
Gyasi Zardes: Got here on within the 87th minute to see out the win in his residence stadium. Ranking: NR
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