USMNT v Mexico

[CUSU]

Good 2-0 victory! Yea the surface was bad but I liked what I saw from Alvarado in the back. Him and Omar Gonzales seem to be a good pairing at CB. The college sophomore Jordan Morris with a first goal and Agudelo with the second. Very good performance after some rough games.

 

[mountaincuse]

Dos a cero!

 

[Orangezoo]

I really hope agudelo can stick. His first touch is stellar and we need that kind of creativity. Good confidence boost for Morris too. Shea as a back looks better everytime i see it too. Agree on CB. Im not sold as Besler being first choice. He has had some shaky moments in club and country play.

 

[CUSU]

I really hope agudelo can stick. His first touch is stellar and we need that kind of creativity. Good confidence boost for Morris too. Shea as a back looms better everytime i see it too. Agree on CB. Im not sold as Besler being first choice. He has had some shaky moments in club and country play.

His first touch was GREAT tonight and is very comfortable with the ball. Would love to see a mixture of Agudelo, Jozy, and Dempsey. Between those three and bradley no reason we shouldn't be able to hold some possession. Shea has played outside back very well in both this game and against the swiss.

 

[IthacaMatt]

His first touch was GREAT tonight and is very comfortable with the ball. Would love to see a mixture of Agudelo, Jozy, and Dempsey. Between those three and bradley no reason we shouldn't be able to hold some possession. Shea has played outside back very well in both this game and against the swiss.

It's funny but Bradley, as good as he is, is somewhat at fault for our inability to hold possession against better teams. He pushes the ball upfield at almost every opportunity, and frequently tries to make passes that just aren't there. Tactically, the US seems to be getting better, though. We held possession much better last night than we have in quite some time.

 

[Orangezoo]

It's funny but Bradley, as good as he is, is somewhat at fault for our inability to hold possession against better teams. He pushes the ball upfield at almost every opportunity, and frequently tries to make passes that just aren't there. Tactically, the US seems to be getting better, though. We held possession much better last night than we have in quite some time.

Very true. A part of this as well is due to a lack of quality and well timed runs as well as a general understanding of positioning by some of his teammates. The run on the Agudelo goal was a thing of beauty for sure. Playing in serie A really served Bradley well.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Very true. A part of this as well is due to a lack of quality and well timed runs as well as a general understanding of positioning by some of his teammates. The run on the Agudelo goal was a thing of beauty for sure. Playing in serie A really served Bradley well.

I think there is a tendency on the part of Americans to always try to advance the ball when in possession. There's not as much patience as you see in the Premier League or Champions League to hold possession and get the defense to adjust, and keep trying to find overloads. It's like, if you compare it to SU's zone defense, too many teams (historically) get impatient and jack shots from the outside early in the clock. Now, as the game on the whole has slowed down these past few years, that's not the case as much, but the observation with respect to the US team is the same - they are too impatient trying to break down an opponent when in possession. But the more players we get from Mexico, from Germany, etc., into the national team, the more they will understand the importance of maintaining possession, just to give the defense a break sometimes.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think there is a tendency on the part of Americans to always try to advance the ball when in possession. There's not as much patience as you see in the Premier League or Champions League to hold possession and get the defense to adjust, and keep trying to find overloads. It's like, if you compare it to SU's zone defense, too many teams (historically) get impatient and jack shots from the outside early in the clock. Now, as the game on the whole has slowed down these past few years, that's not the case as much, but the observation with respect to the US team is the same - they are too impatient trying to break down an opponent when in possession. But the more players we get from Mexico, from Germany, etc., into the national team, the more they will understand the importance of maintaining possession, just to give the defense a break sometimes.

Definitely they are impatient for sure. Add to that there is a genuine lack of poise when in possession as well. When teams are pressing U.S. teams tend to lack the ability to make them pay often reacting too quickly vs playing keep away. When we play good teams they are smart to press while also taking away the first easy option out of the press. Comparable to a quarterback who is effective with his first read but falls apart when making his 2nd/3rd read. I think that is the thing that frustrates me with Dempsey is that as creative as he is on attack he plays too far forward at times. He has the ability to play a CAM role and bridge that gap and be the general from 35 yards in front of Bradley who can run things from the back. The fact they havent ever really been able to click despite being the two best players we have in those roles baffles me.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

It's funny but Bradley, as good as he is, is somewhat at fault for our inability to hold possession against better teams. He pushes the ball upfield at almost every opportunity, and frequently tries to make passes that just aren't there. Tactically, the US seems to be getting better, though. We held possession much better last night than we have in quite some time.

Finally got to watch it last night.

Field was awful. No excuse for that. So many places to play in this country and they play on that surface?

With Morris, it is the first time we have had pace up front since the days of Charlie Davies...

I don't mind trying to make that killer pass. The ball to Agudelo was gorgeous, as was Agudelo's first touch and then composure on the ball.

Making that killer pass is part of the # 10 role. The problem is, and I've been saying this since the Word Cup, that Bradley's strength is not as a #10 (and Lalas, FWIW, agrees with me)... In fact that pass to Agudelo was more like the pass a #6 would make, a ball over the top, rather than a killer through-ball or chip...

We do play very direct. So do the women. I think a part of it is our inability to maintain possession, and composure, under pressure. I think it is also part of our mentality.

How much does Lalas hate Mexico?

Nice win against a very mediocre Mexican side...