When Panama’s Justin Simons was despatched off for a harmful deal with on Tyler Adams, it seemed like Tab Ramos’ U-20 was positioned to win its World Cup qualifying opener—solely it did not work out that manner.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
February 18, 2017
6:55 PM
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DESPITE PLAYING ONE MAN UP for 72 minutes, the US U-20 nationwide workforce fell to Panama 1-0 within the first recreation of World Cup qualifying. The Individuals maintained possession all through the competition however demonstrated utter confusion as to what to do with the ball.
Nothing went proper on this recreation. Tyler Adams, the sufferer of the pink card problem, tried to play on however got here out within the thirty third minute; after intermission he was hobbling round on crutches. Panama could not muster a lot of an assault, both, however in a single essential second Leandro Ávila’s right-footed shot deflected off U.S. fullback Marlon Fossey after which drifted over goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann’s outstretched arms and into the again of the web.
Severe questions should be requested of this workforce and why it couldn’t make the most of a lesser workforce lacking a participant for greater than three-quarters of the competition. For all discuss in regards to the gamers not on this squad—together with Christian Pulisic, Gedion Zelalem, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Weston McKennie, Nick Taitague, Josh Perez—this workforce had loads of expertise to win the sport. As a substitute it carried out effectively beneath the sum of its elements.
Listed here are my ideas on the sport.
Was There a Plan of Assault?
Ramos has had this core collectively for nearly 18 months however as we speak the workforce seemed like full strangers—and that falls on the coach.
There have been a number of puzzling choices. Shifting Erik Palmer-Brown right into a defensive midfield position was effective however asking Tyler Adams to play forward of Luca de la Torre in central midfield was unusual. After Adams left the sport, de la Torre tried to be the inventive playmaker and the Fulham product struggled mightily within the recreation. That ought to hardly be of a shock as de la Torre has not performed a lot with this workforce in the course of the second half of the cycle.
However that was removed from the one downside. The off-the-ball motion was maybe most regarding as few gamers have been doing what it took to get open for probabilities. Set items yielded nothing and crosses have been solely efficient late within the recreation.
Jeremy Ebobisse has been the highest purpose scorer on this workforce and since he’s the lone ahead in a single-striker setup, he should produce. The 20-year-old was concerned at instances—he had a header off the crossbar early within the second half and compelled an ideal save 10 minutes from the tip—however he has to come back end his probabilities once they materialize.
Towards the tip the U.S. received the higher as Panama drained however the Central Individuals benefitted from some excellent goalkeeping and preserved the win.
The place and how you can enhance
If the US needs to choose up the items, it has to make a whole lot of modifications.
The backline was respectable and not likely at fault for the purpose. Palmer-Brown ought to keep in defensive midfield, however the central midfield triangle wants a redo. Adams is probably going injured and de la Torre doesn’t seem to suit with this workforce and shouldn’t begin.
One resolution could possibly be sliding Sebastian Saucedo from exterior and into de la Torre’s position and including one other winger reverse Brooks Lennon. That would fall to both Jonathan Lewis or Coy Craft.
Ramos may additionally shift to a 4-4-2 and supply extra help to Ebobisse with one other striker—probably Sabbi or Lennon. However it doesn’t matter what Ramos does, the gamers have to maneuver collectively higher and be on the identical web page.
It will an enormous check for Ramos. All groups want a Plan B and if Ramos has one, he ought to use it.
Robust highway forward
The US now faces an uphill climb. In 2015 the under-20 workforce struggled in qualifying as effectively, additionally dropping to Panama. However with a brand new format in place, the Yanks are in worse form than they have been two years in the past.
Right here’s why: With the loss, Panama may be very prefer to win the group. If that occurs, the Yanks’ finest case situation for Group B is second place. The second place workforce in Group B advances to a second group which is able to now seemingly include Mexico and hosts Costa Rica with solely the highest two groups advancing to South Korea for the World Cup.
To get to that time the U.S. should beat a reasonably good Haiti workforce, and it should play significantly better than it did as we speak.
