The 1-1 outcome towards Uruguay wasn’t unhealthy but it surely was a missed alternative to create a spark of momentum as a result of the possibilities have been as soon as once more there for the U.S. group. As an alternative, it did not take them and allowed an opponent to develop into the sport. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta is right here with the recap
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
September 11, 2019
6:00 AM
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THE UNITED STATES nationwide group performed Uruguay to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday night time in St. Louis. After Los Angeles FC teenager Brian Rodriguez gave Uruguay the lead within the fiftieth minute, the U.S. group responded with a aim from Jordan Morris within the 79th minute.
There are two other ways to evaluate and analyze this recreation. In the event you take a look at this recreation in a vacuum or as a single remoted occasion, it was a good however not nice efficiency. There have been actually loads of positives to remove from it and a lot of gamers performed nicely. Then again, if you happen to take a look at this outcome when mixed with the Mexico debacle on Friday or the Gold Cup last loss again in July, this recreation didn’t do sufficient to both excite the fanbase or quell the considerations.
Listed below are some ideas on the sport
No killer intuition
Prefer it did within the Chile pleasant in March, or the Gold Cup last, or the Mexico loss in September, the U.S. group began off robust however allowed its proficient opponent to work its method again into the sport. That is now the fourth recreation the place the U.S. group began off with the majority of possibilities – solely to permit its opponent to dictate the tempo by the second half.
This both signifies that the U.S. group doesn’t know the way to put away its opponents when it has the prospect, or that its merely straightforward for opponents to determine what the U.S. group is making an attempt to do. This recreation wasn’t maybe a bit of totally different in that the U.S. typically managed the sport for your entire first half versus merely the primary 15-20 minutes. However nonetheless, it was 0-0 on the break. When introduced with the chance, the U.S. group couldn’t acquire a stranglehold on the sport when it had the prospect.
Probabilities have been there
This recreation additionally offered a totally totally different sort of take a look at. The tempo was extraordinarily sluggish. The U.S. group needed to be extra methodical in breaking down an opponent who was defensively compact and able to pounce on a nook.
Within the first half, the U.S. group had a number of clear possibilities. Jordan Morris served up Tyler Boyd on an ideal cross however the Besiktas winger missed from shut vary. Cristian Roldan had a header that compelled an enormous save. Sergino Dest had a shot go simply huge. On the finish of the half, the U.S. group was wrongfully denied a penalty for a transparent handball.
However the high quality inside the ultimate third simply must be higher for the U.S. group. That was the most important disappointment amongst American followers was the dearth of sustained stress – versus occasional good moments.
The U.S. group’s aim was clearly a direct results of fairly a little bit of luck. However luck like that solely occurs if you get the ball into harmful positions. Nick Lima did fairly nicely after changing Reggie Cannon within the seventy fifth minute. On the play, he compelled Uruguay right into a clearance from shut vary. However it deflected off Lima and fell to Jordan Morris to chest the ball into the aim from a foot away.
After that aim, the U.S. had a bit extra power and was on the entrance foot once more. However the aim from a recreation like that is to create extra possibilities, be extra dynamic within the last third, and never enable opponents to repeatedly work its method again into management of the sport.
The U.S. group must be extra of a constant risk over the course of 90 minutes.
Uruguay aim was a studying second
Brian Rodriguez’s aim was stunning and really nicely taken, but it surely ought to by no means have occurred. Sure, Aaron Lengthy was twisted inside out however when a proficient participant Rodriguez will get a possibility to run at an remoted defender with momentum on the sting of the field in the course of the sphere, many defenders are going to wrestle. That’s a troublesome state of affairs that ought to not have occurred.
The counterattack started when the U.S. group was urgent on the assault. The fullbacks had moved ahead and the central midfielders have been trying to make a play within the center on the sting of Uruguay’s field.
The turnover occurred however the U.S. central midfielders had a possibility to foul simply because the counterattack started 70-80 yards from the American aim. However it was clear from the minute Uruguay got here into possession that the U.S. group was very susceptible in its defensive setup to cease Uruguay. At that second, Cristian Roldan or Jackson Yueill have to acknowledge this and commit an expert foul. It should end in a yellow card, however the U.S. group would reside to combat one other day.
The situational consciousness wasn’t there and a group like Uruguay lives for possibilities like that.
How did the gamers fare?
Here’s a record of how a few of the extra noteworthy American gamers performed, for higher or for worse.
Jordan Morris: Morris was the perfect American participant on the sphere, total. It wasn’t an ideal recreation however he was stable. He was doing very nicely attacking down the left facet and was bothering Uruguay’s protection in 1v1 conditions. His crosses have been typically efficient too. The aim was straightforward however Morris deserved it after his effort. Mixed with drawing a penalty vs. Mexico, Morris had a good September window.
Jackson Yueill: It was a little bit of a shock that Yueill earned the beginning however the Minnesota native carried out nicely in central midfield. His nook kicks, nonetheless, have been poor. Nonetheless he belongs within the U.S. group image though it’s straightforward to see him shifting focus to the U-23 group for the primary half of 2020.
Sergino Dest: It’s straightforward to see Dest’s upside and he has a whole lot of ability on the ball. It is usually famous that when he has to defend a talented attacker in a 1v1 state of affairs, he’s nonetheless susceptible to getting beat. If he can enhance this space of his recreation, he has a probably scary upside. However the huge query is whether or not or not he stays with the U.S. program. That’s on him proper now.
Josh Sargent: The hometown participant was given a pleasant alternative to begin in his hometown. On this recreation, he immediately wasn’t as harmful as he may very well be when it comes to producing assaults however he was very helpful in a number of events in his maintain up play and serving to the offense that method. He nonetheless has a methods to go in his growth however he provides worth to the group proper now.
Tim Ream: One other native participant getting the beginning in St. Louis and Ream was among the finest American gamers on the day. His passing out of the again helped the midfield and his emergency defending was additionally on level. He could be on the older facet proper now, however he belongs on the group.
Aaron Lengthy: The reigning MLS defender of the yr didn’t have an ideal recreation. He appeared poor on the aim though as talked about above, he was put into a foul state of affairs by the midfielders.
Tyler Boyd: After some robust performances early within the Gold Cup, Boyd remains to be trying to get going with the U.S. group. His play in Turkey reveals he has expertise however he hasn’t been in a position to ship but towards stable opposition. He has to bury possibilities like he had within the first half. Towards good opponents, that usually will make the distinction. His finest second was a cross into the field within the second half that discovered Morris is a pleasant place.
Cristian Roldan/Sebastian Lletget: The 2 attacking midfielders had first rate however unspectacular video games. Uruguay gave them far more room than they’re sometimes given. Roldan was fairly good circulating the ball though Lletget was a bit pissed off making performs when Uruguay was compact defensively.
Reggie Cannon: The Dallas proper again was stable defensively and was wanting to get into the assault. He is a great participant, reads the sport nicely, and is positionally stable on each side of the ball. His crosses should be higher and his last supply of an efficient last cross is usually missing. Nonetheless he belongs on this group and with Dest’s dedication to the group unsure and DeAndre Yedlin’s damage nonetheless ongoing, Cannon may very well be requested to play a much bigger position than beforehand thought. Like Yueill, it is usually straightforward to see Cannon shift to the U-23 group the place he may very well be a possible captain.
Nick Lima: The San Jose proper again solely performed the ultimate quarter-hour however he was excellent on this recreation. He tracked again as soon as to make a really good defensive play and offensively he delivered two very good balls into the field. Sure, he was fortunate on the help however was solely in place for the luck after a pleasant transfer into the field. Because the previous saying goes, the higher you’re, the extra luck you get. Lima earned his luck there.
Paxton Pomykal: He solely performed the final 10 minutes however he left folks wishing he had performed extra. He took defenders on, was trying to discover the profitable aim, and put forth a whole lot of effort to trace again defensively. It’s straightforward to see one thing is there with Pomykal however American followers can simply hope that the Texan can take the following steps to succeed in his potential with the assistance of FC Dallas and the U.S. nationwide group and U-23 group.
Closing remarks
The sport was total lackluster and didn’t have practically as a lot power as many high-profile friendlies have. That’s in all probability finest for a U.S. group that’s trying to discover its footing. This wasn’t as brutal because the U.S. loss to Mexico on Friday and even the U.S. loss to Venezuela forward of the Gold Cup. Given a few of the U.S. gamers who have been lacking, it was a greater outcome than both the slim win over Ecuador of the draw towards Chile again in March.
The massive image merchandise is problematic. Followers need one thing to consider in with the U.S. group and it has been a really very long time since its supporters felt constructive concerning the group’s path. This recreation was okay however nothing nice.
It’s generally unfair and unwise to learn an excessive amount of into friendlies though a really unhealthy outcome can demoralize and a great outcome might help create a spark that results in momentum. At finest the outcome towards Uruguay mitigated a demoralizing efficiency towards Mexico. At worst, it was a misplaced alternative to create a spark that may solely actually occur towards opponents exterior of CONCACAF – sans Mexico.
Now the U.S. group will head into the autumn for Nation’s League video games towards Canada and Cuba in a lot of the identical state because it was earlier than the September window started.
