Lacking as many key gamers because it did, Honduras was at all times more likely to sit in and defend in opposition to the US. ASN tactician Liviu Fowl writes that the important thing to breaking by was a change in perspective.
BY
Liviu Fowl
Posted
June 19, 2013
1:03 PM
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SANDY, Utah—One factor is definite from Tuesday evening’s World Cup qualifier for the US: Honduras is healthier than Panama. The guests supplied not solely a stout defensive take a look at, however they have been additionally harmful going ahead at instances.
It was as scorching on the sector because it was in Salt Lake Metropolis, with whistles and stoppages permeating the match and inflicting a stop-and-start that was at all times going to favor the crew taking part in for some extent. If the U.S. may break by as soon as, that will have been sufficient to win.
To get ahead extra successfully, Clint Dempsey performed essentially the most particular shadow striker function of the Hexagonal, working simply beneath Jozy Altidore. The U.S.’s 4-4-2 was principally an “empty bucket”—two deep midfielders and two large males beneath the pair of strikers, though Dempsey checked again often.
Honduras got here out in a 4-1-4-1, with Jorge Claros holding very deep in entrance of the middle backs and clogging passing lanes. Roger Espinoza pressed on a bit greater and drifted to the left, whereas Mario Martinez minimize in on offense, and Wilson Palacios pushed up from central midfield to help Carlo Expensive (and Roger Rojas, when Expensive went out of the match).
Who’s the No. 6, and Who’s the No. 8?
Jermaine Jones made his manner again into the U.S. beginning lineup, cleared after a concussion he suffered in Jamaica on June 7. However whereas Geoff Cameron was more than pleased to play a secondary function to Michael Bradley within the June 11 win over Panama, Jones wished to be the focus within the midfield.
Jones’ greatest function is as the normal No. 6; he’s a hard-nosed defensive midfielder who makes a speciality of making life hell for opposing attackers. Bradley is the No. 8, the box-to-box midfielder who takes the ball from his defenders to jumpstarts assaults from a deep-lying place.
Bradley had one other stellar evening on the ball, going 74 for 82 in passing. Then again, Jones despatched a variety of errant passes and infrequently tried to string passes by areas that simply weren’t there.
On this instance, take a look at the tight Honduran protection within the center. It ought to be straightforward sufficient to get ahead—simply go round them on both facet. As a substitute, Jones tries for the home-run ball, and he’s annoyed when it doesn’t work out.
A pair minutes later, he does it once more. His pushed aerial go towards Eddie Johnson sails over the midfielder’s head and out of play. Bradley, Fabian Johnson, and Matt Besler provide easier passes that may be made on the bottom.
It’s about taking part in the odds more often than not within the midfield, which is what makes Bradley so efficient—he has a stable sense for when to maintain the ball and when to go for it.
And when Bradley goes for it, his troublesome passes find yourself with the U.S. nonetheless in possession more often than not. Right here, a spot opens up in that Honduran defensive cluster, and he can discover Altidore’s ft on the entrance line. Altidore does nicely to outmuscle his marker and get on the proper facet of the ball.
Across the Exterior
With that tight bunch within the center, the perfect U.S. choice was extra usually to maneuver the ball large and assault from there. Brad Evans overlapped minimally, however Fabian Johnson ended up being one of the vital efficient U.S. attackers.
His passing document was additionally good on Tuesday, as he accomplished 48 out of 59 makes an attempt, together with 31 of 36 within the attacking half. He was a menace going ahead, getting across the large midfielder usually, whether or not it was Eddie Johnson or Graham Zusi (the 2 switched flanks usually).
Fabian Johnson performed on the wing in opposition to Panama, and his effectiveness there got here in protecting possession. He tucked in and checked again usually, laying the ball off to maintain it ticking for the U.S. Nonetheless, when he has house to function and get ahead from the again, he can run at gamers and supply service into the field.
His beginning place from exterior again is a giant motive for his success going ahead. When his heart backs or holding mids are in possession, he’s already stretching the protection by getting excessive and large.
This shot is from the seventh minute, when he created one of many first U.S. possibilities within the sport. Eddie Johnson tucked in, Jones performed a ball over him to Fabian Johnson, and a fast one-two mixture noticed Fabian Johnson get in behind Honduras’ protection.
On the goalscoring play, Zusi tucks in, giving Fabian Johnson room to get round him. This play builds slower than the counter-attack above, so Fabian Johnson’s beginning place is deeper, and he extra floats than sprints to a better spot.
By the point Bradley will get on the ball, Fabian Johnson is once more stretching the Honduras protection. In assault, gamers ought to be trying to present each width (heels on the touchline for large gamers) and depth (stretching defenders vertically to provide extra space beneath).
Fabian Johnson, Zusi, and Altidore present the depth right here. Evans and Eddie Johnson present some width.
When Dempsey has the ball, Fabian Johnson and Zusi’s positioning pays off. Gaps open up within the Honduras protection, and Fabian Johnson instances his run by completely to remain onside.
Zusi acknowledges the house Fabian Johnson has in behind, so he flicks an inch-perfect go into the penalty space for his overlapping exterior again.
Altidore loses Juan Pablo Montes, his marker, however even when Altidore isn’t in place to complete, Eddie Johnson and Jones are. That unique stretching of the Honduras again line offers the late runs house beneath the protection to be harmful.
U.S. > Honduras > Panama
Honduras performed equally to Panama, however the motive the U.S. had extra bother is just because Honduras is a greater crew, each individually and collectively. It ended up being a somewhat ugly sport in a variety of respects, however a letdown appeared inevitable.
The U.S. hasn’t but proven sufficient high quality to defeat high CONCACAF competitors in the identical manner it beat Panama. Gritty wins, similar to Tuesday evening’s, are extra the norm in opposition to the higher groups (Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras, to call three within the Hex).
The free-flowing fashion the People displayed in opposition to Panama is what followers ought to count on in opposition to that decrease stage of opposition, however the U.S. shouldn’t be but to the purpose of breaking down the perfect groups that manner.
Liviu Fowl is a contract journalist primarily based in Seattle. He’s additionally American Soccer Now’s resident tactical professional. Observe him on Twitter.
