It wasn’t the beginning the U.S. group needed because the group’s offense got here up quick in a 0-0 draw. Defensively the U.S. group was robust however the group did not discover a rhythm within the recreation. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks it down.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
September 03, 2021
5:10 AM
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THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL group opened World Cup qualifying with a 0-0 away draw to El Salvador. The end result definitely wasn’t the top or the world, however the U.S. group’s offense did not get the job executed by way of ending and producing probabilities.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter was with out Zack Steffen and Christian Pulisic for this one however nonetheless named a really robust beginning XI that included a entrance line of Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent, and Konrad de la Fuente. The midfield consisted of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Brenden Aaronson. The backline was Sergino Dest on the left, DeAndre Yedlin on the fitting, and a central protection tandem of Tim Ream and Miles Robinson. Matt Turner was in purpose.
The U.S. group began off robust with just a few probabilities and the most effective was a set piece delivered by Reyna which discovered Robinson – whose header went over the bar. El Salvador, in the meantime, grew into the sport within the first half but additionally did not generate first rate probabilities.
Within the second half, the U.S. group performed higher and had a lot of the play however the harmful alternatives have been elusive. McKennie and Jordan Pefok (who changed Sagent) additionally missed good headers.
When the ultimate whistle sounded, the U.S. group walked off the sphere dissatisfied with the end result – which was comprehensible. The U.S. group outshot El Salvador 13-7 (10-4 contained in the field) however lacked sufficient high-quality probabilities.
“It was a great learning experience from the group,” Berhalter stated. “From my vantage level, there have been plenty of issues to enhance upon. I assumed the battle was good, the intention to win the sport was good, however we acquired to get higher. We have to be extra linked as a group and be capable of end our probabilities in a greater manner.
“But overall, I am proud of the group and proud of the way they handled the game,” he added. “It’s onto the next one.”
Listed below are my ideas on the sport
CONCACAF won’t ever be simple
Virtually all of the gamers on the U.S. group have by no means performed a CONCACAF recreation on the street. Whereas expectations amongst followers have been that this group had the standard to dominate on the street, this was by no means going to be the case. These video games are merely completely different – even when there’s a huge expertise hole between the 2 groups. It’s not in contrast to cup video games in Europe, when a prime division group has to go on the street to an energized lower-division group and the end result ends even. That is really even a more durable atmosphere given the feelings of qualifiers, a jam-packed and hostile crowd, and an El Salvadorian group that has proven it could actually play nicely (when it outplayed Mexico in lengthy stretches of a 1-0 loss on the Gold Cup).
To be honest, the U.S. group dealt with it pretty nicely. They have been by no means pinned again or compelled into emergency defending. Their protection was cool below strain. El Salvador by no means acquired into an offensive rhythm, as house groups sometimes do.
“It’s getting back into it, for a lot of guys it was their first time playing in that type of atmosphere and it is a learning experienced,” Berhalter defined. “I thought we started the game really well and we started the second half well. But we have to finish those chances. Overall, we lacked that connection that is going get us over the top.”
“I don’t think we’d approach the match again and say we’re going to El Salvador to get a point,” Berhalter later added. “That’s not the mindset of this group. The whole intention was to win the game… Unfortunately, we didn’t get the goal. The intention of this group is to win games. Now it’s just about doing it in this format.”
The U.S. group had issues on the evening, however they by no means appeared to be in awe of the second. That’s really spectacular for a younger group enjoying their first qualifier on the street.
That being stated, these video games merely aren’t going to be simple anytime quickly.
Lack of offense
The shortage of offense was an enormous drawback. After the sport, there have been questions on why Aaronson was began centrally versus Reyna (who’s now enjoying there for his membership). Reyna was simply the group’s greatest offensive participant on this recreation whereas Aaronson, whereas strong for Salzburg, nonetheless has a behavior of not getting sufficient touches to dominate a recreation. In hindsight, Reyna beginning centrally might have opened up extra doorways and created extra probabilities.
Berhalter stated his resolution was primarily based on the hopes Aaronson might press from the midfield to create probabilities.
“Gio has been playing there with his club,” Berhalter said. “He’s played centrally and played wide. He’s played wide more often with us and Brenden has mixed it up with us. It was just a comfort level in how we wanted to press and we thought he’d be more comfortable pressing as a midfielder vs. Gio. Those are things we can evaluate moving forward. We also know Gio is very good in and around the penalty box, he’s a dynamic player, and he can make things happen from the wing. He had a couple of plays that almost led to goals.”
Regardless of that, nonetheless, the U.S. group nonetheless had a entrance six able to getting a win with the remainder of the gamers all in positions to succeed – de la Fuente was on the suitable wing, Sargent was within the No. 9, Adams and McKennie have been in central midfield, Dest was at left again and has loads of expertise in that function with the U.S. group.
The sport nonetheless known as for the U.S. group to make moments of particular person brilliance within the closing third and deadly group mixture paly, however they by no means got here. The road-splitting through-ball, the well-placed shot, the visionary passing – none of that materialized. Berhalter, in the meantime, stated that the group wasn’t calm and play with one another as a collective unit.
“I think we actually think we started the game well,” Berhalter stated. “Looking at this from a learning experience, the guys handled it well but there needs to be a calm that sets in after that initial period when we start taking over and we never really had the calm. It was bits and pieces in the second half – but overall, not enough.”
“I think maybe the message of playing behind early in the game, and playing in their half early in the game, wasn’t followed up by the message of: ‘Ok, once we do that, now we need to move the ball around and be calmer,’” he added. “It turned into hectic of a game and we didn’t manage that well.”
“There was too much individual play,” Berhalter acknowledged bluntly. “There was not enough switching the field, not enough making them shift from side to side, and in the end we fell short.”
A part of that is also credit score to El Salvador for not making any egregious errors at house. Their group was largely error free and that speaks nicely of their coach (and former U.S. worldwide) Hugo Perez.
Stable central protection
Street qualifiers are sometimes an enormous take a look at on central defenders and Gregg Berhalter made a shocking resolution to roll with Tim Ream and Miles Robinson. The choice to start out Robinson wasn’t a shock after his terrific Gold Cup however Ream over Brooks was debatable.
After the sport, Berhalter stated the choice to not begin Brooks was to maintain him rested and handle his work load.
In the long run, each ended up with very robust video games. Robinson had an amazing offensive likelihood within the eighth minute that he wish to have again, however defensively these two each performed an amazing recreation. Each have been aggressive getting the ball ahead and whereas it didn’t at all times work, there have been cases of line-spitting balls that acquired the ball into the assault.
Berhatler was fast to reward Robinson after the sport: “Defensively, I assumed he was excellent.”
Nether, nonetheless, made any defensive errors that gave El Salvador good probabilities.
Each defenders have been additionally boosted by a powerful recreation from Tyler Adams within the No. 6 function and he did nicely to defend the backline. Matt Turner had on mistake in purpose when he didn’t deal with a backpass from Yedlin and conceded a nook – however in any other case was sharp together with his dealing with of crosses and the one huge save he was compelled to make.
USMNT misplaced duels
Except for high quality within the closing third, one other disappointment from the U.S. group was that El Salvador received extra duels on this recreation. Of the entire 139 duels, the U.S. group received 65 whereas El Salvador received 74. Outdueling your opponent on the street is hard however it might have helped the U.S. group generate extra possession and offensive momentum if it was higher.
El Salvador’s Alex Roldan (brother of Cristian Roldan) received 12/17 duels and Narcisco Orellana received 13/16 duels. Roldan was top-of-the-line gamers on this recreation.
The largest perpetrator right here was McKennie who received simply 3/14 of his duels on the evening. The Juventus midfielder was first rate defensively in different facets however he misplaced his duels on this one.
Berhalter has spoken of the necessity for his groups to win duels and has expressed disappointment after they come up quick. That was the case tonight.
Looking forward to Canada
It has now turn out to be crucial that the U.S. group win put up a win over Canada on Sunday in Nashville. A win in that recreation would maintain the U.S. group on monitor below the (win at house, draw on the street method). That will then arrange an opportunity for the U.S. group to move to Honduras with momentum.
Canada performed Honduras to a disappointing 1-1 draw at house on Thursday. If Canada had received that recreation, they could have elected to relaxation some key gamers to have a full power group heading house into the third recreation. However with only one level from a house recreation, Canada may need to press gamers like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David for 3 begins.
The U.S. group, in the meantime, will seemingly welcome again Christian Pulisic – who didn’t play as a consequence of him having been COVID quarantine. That can seemingly push Gio Reyna into the center. Adams will seemingly begin once more and it stays to be seen if McKennie shall be rotated. It’s additionally simple to see Dest switching to the fitting with Robinson beginning on the left.
There shall be huge questions. John Brooks will seemingly begin as he’s off to a powerful begin this season however will Berhalter follow Miles Robinson? Both manner, it’s powerful to enhance on central protection from the El Salvador recreation.
The massive query, nonetheless, might come at ahead the place Josh Sargent continues to wrestle to attain for the U.S. group and Berhalter doesn’t have the luxurious to permit a participant to work by way of slumps.
Regardless, expectations shall be a lot greater on the U.S. group to be way more harmful offensively.
Participant Scores
The Beginning lineup
Matt Turner: Dealt with his crosses nicely and made a wonderful save within the second half. One minor mistake within the first half dealing with a backpass, which conceded a nook. In any other case, he was high quality. Score: 6.5
Sergino Dest: Taking part in on the left aspect, Dest didn’t contribute practically sufficient offensively (one shot within the nineteenth minute) and El Salvador attacked down his aspect probably the most. Score: 4.5
DeAndre Yedlin: Whereas Yedlin didn’t get into the assault a lot, he was robust defensively and in his duel successful. Score: 5.5
Tim Ream: Was defensively sharp and likewise was a relaxing presence within the backline. Score: 7.0
Miles Robinson: He’ll remorse his open header within the eighth minute however Robinson’s was strong in his main accountability – defending. He received his aerials and bodily dealt with El Salvador’s entrance line. Had just a few necessary passes out of the again to generate probabilities. Score: 7.0
Tyler Adams: The captain was the U.S. group’s greatest midfielder, successful duels, making good defensive performs, and studying the sport to breakup El Salvador’s assaults earlier than they materialized. He wasn’t concerned within the assault however this was a strong efficiency on the street. Score: 7.0
Weston McKennie: McKennie ran so much, introduced vitality, and was feisty, however didn’t assist in possession and turned the ball over an excessive amount of. Score: 5.0
Brenden Aaronson: Getting the beginning within the No. 10 function, Aaronson was not concerned offensively as a lot as wanted (28 touches in 78 minutes and simply 9 accomplished passes). Score: 4.5
Konrad de la Fuente: Seemed vigorous on the wings however was too typically remoted with out help from the fullbacks. Score: 5.0
Gio Reyna: In hindsight, it might have been higher to have Reyna begin within the midfield the place he’s higher slated to be concerned extra and mix. He did nicely together with his probabilities and was the U.S. group’s most harmful offensive participant. Score: 6.5
Josh Sargent: His maintain up play was efficient at occasions and the U.S. group started discovering him in harmful spots on the finish of the primary half. Nonetheless, his ending is letting him down. Score: 4.5
The Substitutes
Antonee Robinson: was a bit higher pushing into the assault and introduced some uncooked pace into the sport. Score: 6.0
Jordan Pefok: The BSC Younger Boys ahead performed at primarily the identical degree as Sargent. Score: 5.0
Kellyn Acosta: Was first rate within the midfield after which at fullback. Score: 5.0
Sebastian Lletget: Had a pleasant cross that discovered Pefok for a great likelihood with a header. Aside from that, was quiet in his 11 minutes. Score: 5.5
Cristian Roldan: Didn’t have an effect on the sport in both a optimistic or adverse method in his 11 minutes. Score: NR
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