ASN: Graham Zusi: ‘We Weren’t Good. We Cannot Dwell on It’

The Yanks misplaced their second house sport of this Hexagonal, and managed to safe only one level from 4 video games towards Mexico and Costa Rica. They should flip the script Tuesday towards Honduras. 

BY

Franco Panizo

Posted
September 03, 2017
3:00 PM

SHARE THIS STORY

HARRISON, N.J.—As soon as once more on this World Cup qualifying marketing campaign, the U.S. males’s nationwide crew’s is up towards the wall.

The two-0 loss to Costa Rica on Friday evening has left the People in a extra precarious place within the Hexagonal standings, as they continue to be in third place however with just one level now separating them from fifth—with three video games remaining.

Whereas effectively conscious that its efficiency wants to enhance in Tuesday’s go to to Honduras, the Yanks don’t plan to obsess over the end result. Stress and outdoors criticism could also be mounting but once more, however the crew is aware of it must focus merely on making an attempt to bounce again.

“We’re going to have to have a short memory when it comes to this next game,” proper again Graham Zusi mentioned after the Costa Rica match. “We weren’t good, we all know that, however we will’t dwell on it. We have now to maneuver ahead and put together for Honduras.

“Any time you lose you’re going to be frustrated, but this is a team that’s always showed a tough mentality and when the cards are down then we play our best.”

The People definitely have to hope that’s the case. They had been second finest throughout most positions on the sector, and it’s probably that we’ll see at the very least just a few adjustments to the lineup. Potential candidates to get replaced are centerbacks Geoff Cameron and Tim Ream, every of whom made errors that led to targets, and even beginning goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Two gamers who appear protected—for the second—are Michael Bradley and Darlington Nagbe. Bradley and Nagbe comprised the central midfield tandem for the U.S. on Friday, and head coach Bruce Area was happy with what he noticed out of them.

Effectively, at the very least extra happy than with what he noticed out of the vast majority of the remainder of his squad.

“Darlington and Michael were not the problem in our game,” Area mentioned in his post-game press convention. “Our back line made some mistakes. We didn’t come up with any big saves. Our attacking players weren’t dangerous on the night. I thought Darlington and Michael had solid games.”

One assured distinction for Tuesday’s match for the U.S. is that Jozy Altidore is not going to begin. Altidore is suspended for the sport attributable to yellow card accumulation after incomes a warning within the eightieth minute towards Costa Rica.

The obvious alternative for Altidore is veteran Clint Dempsey, however Area additionally has Jordan Morris and Chris Wondolowski at his disposal. A one-forward alignment can also be a risk.

“It’s disappointing,” Altidore said. “It’s really disappointing, but I don’t think much will be missed. I think we have a lot of very good attackers.”

The U.S. assault needs to be higher to ensure that the crew to have a shot at choosing up three sorely wanted factors in Honduras, however the onus is on the People as a complete to carry out higher than it did towards Costa Rica. They must, too, as their World Cup desires are nonetheless hanging within the steadiness.

“Now the approach is we’re going to go down there with the mentality to win the game,” Bradley mentioned. “We’re going to be aggressive and make sure we have 11 guys on the field who are ready to give everything, and we will. If at the end of 90 minutes we’re in a position where we take one point, then we’ll take that, and then everything is still in our own hands the last two games.”