Open Wide For Some Soccer!

[Deuce]

Jones and Altidore did absolutely nothing last time to deserve starting today.

 

Jones I agree with, but Altidore, no. His hold-up play was pretty good and he worked well with Johannsson and Shea after the subs came on. He and EJ are too similar to complement each other, and the attack tends to sputter when they're paired together.

[Deuce]

I'd have liked to have seen Jones dropped for Mix.

[Guest icemanblue]

Yeah, me too, man. Mix is, like, so on it, right now.

[Ameritoon]

Should get a decent look at Brooks, also like Cameron getting time at RB. Really hope Johannsson and Altidore link up well, in theory they're a perfect partnership.

[Disco]

Playing Scotland again Mike?

[Deuce]

Robbed!

[Mike]

Playing Scotland again Mike?

 

I'll fix it.

[Deuce]

Jones is so bad.

[Deuce]

Ugh.

 

1-0 Janko

[Incognito]

Ugh.

 

1-0 Janko

 

 

Wait till Fritzl comes on.He's gone under the radar for so long.

[Deuce]

Not a bad first half. Much livelier performance than against Scotland. Austria exploiting the gap between midfield and defense, thanks in large part to Jermaine Jones still not understanding that his role in this team is not to bomb forward, but to play second fiddle to Bradley and cover Brooks/Cameron when they push forward.

 

Austrian wingers Harnik and Arnautovic having success cutting in from the outside with Alaba making quick runs from midfield. Brooks and Gonzalez are way too static.

 

Altidore, Johannsson, and Bradley have looked good. Bedoya isn't moving enough and Shea is disappointing, again. Looks so slow.

[SEMTEX]

Altidore doing well again I see. Much like he did in the goalless draw against Scotland.

[Deuce]

Good points raised here:

 

An altogether more entertaining game from the States against Das Team of Austria coming off a malaisical (new word) canvas of work in Scotland.

 

Some quick hit breakdowns:

 

• The US has been found out! Back to the tinker board, Vasquez.

 

This was the second game in a row that the US has been well-scouted.

 

Against Scotland, Barry Bannan immediately ran at DaMarcus Beasley every time he got the ball in possession looking up field.

 

It was the same tactic used by Austria on Tuesday. Jurgen Klinsmann and Martin Vasquez have been milking the left side of the US attack ad nauseum since Beasley’s played back-to-backs against Costa Rica and Mexico in March.

 

The staff will have to both come up with some wrinkles to free Beasley and have a Plan B as they prepare for Brazil.

 

Now the good news is–thanks to the switch field work of Michael Bradley–the US adjusted nicely. Geoff Cameron got up the field and had excellent handles in possession.

 

It stands to reason that if you run an extra defender out on the US left rear flank that the right side can open up if you move the ball quickly laterally.

 

That’s exactly what Roma man Bradley did methodically on Tuesday.

 

• Speak Up [defensively]!

 

To any media hound and likely the average fan, the US’s troubles in defense were elementary yesterday.

 

Way too much space offered between the midfield and back line(s).

 

Some of this was by design of the US attack–Jermaine Jones clearly was authorized to get forward more and he executed on the directive.

 

However most of this was due to the backline consistently cheating backwards to guard against the pace of the Austrian forwards. With Brooks and Gonzalez dragging themselves deep and with Jones pushing up, it became Michael Bradley vs. [whole slew of Austrians] in the midfield on turnovers upfield.

 

There are a few ways to correct this: (1) Watch your turnovers in the middle of the field…..[quick interlude]

 

Pick it up Jermaine! Failures of execution on proper passes happen all the time, but the Shalke man must improve his decision-making in the middle of the field. It's one thing to miss a forward pass--that's acceptable. Jones is not a creative midfielder by birth/genetics/tutelage but he's asked to play one on Team Klinsmann. That said, it's knowing when to make a pass or shield that ball and not give up a turnover where you team gets caught out. There is a rather large sampling size recently that suggests that Jones is not improving here. Back to our bulletpoints...

 

(2) Put pressure and shield the ball from forward advancement with your midfielders upfield. The US seems hit or miss here. This is something that Bradley’s teams tended to do really well but for some reason–attack creation on the brain–Klinsmann’s teams seem to be inconsistent with and (3) Step up higher and close down the space, trusting your goalie to come out on the one or two over-the-top balls that he may face.

 

However, those are all fundamental things that likely these players know.

 

Tim Howard was the captain yesterday. I’m sure he’s a good captain.

 

However in the middle of the field–and I’m sure Klinsmann was yelling it from the sideline; I know I heard Kyle Martino yelling it from the broadcast booth–there was no one taking charge and assertively demanding that the backline play true.

 

That’s a problem and it should be simple to solve. It needs to be rectified.

 

• Wingo Bingo

 

The US’s board failed miserably here on Friday; however on Tuesday there were some glimmers of hope. Brek Shea and Ale Bedoya didn’t burn up the pitch and force Austria to defend them, but they were more proactive in movement.

 

You have to believe the additions of Fabian Johnson–to the Shea role–and Zusi to the Bedoya role will alleviate some of the concerns here though.

 

Miscellaneous:

 

• Agree again with Kyle Martino in that it looks like Klinsmann is really trying to find a slot for Kljestan. That said, Kljestan is really excelling at the unencumbered deep-lying CM at Anderlecht. That position doesn’t exist on the US and will be under more duress at World Cup 2014.

 

• Not to belabor the Jones point, but while many may say it’s the centerbacks (a good argument) or the fullbacks (less of a good argument) that are the key positions to figure out before Brazil, it may just be Jones–not even “the other CM.”

 

It is clear to this viewer, that Klinsmann–and I think rightfully–doesn’t want to burn out Michael Bradley by pushing him up the field the entire game to fight in traffic for creation. It’s also clear, by the way, that Bradley is the guardian angel of the backline. There would often by a whole lot more brewing for the opponent’s attack if Bradley wasn’t shielding.

 

Likewise–and perhaps correctly–Klinsmann wants two midfielders with steel in the midfield and they just don’t exist. Danny Williams is not quite there; Maurice Edu can’t get on the field and has proved that he’s a liability often with the rock. Mix Diskerud is offering more and more offensively by the month, but he’ll get eaten up defensively at his current level in Brazil. Kljestan is not the answer.

 

Therefore, it’s Jones. And the US success in Brazil may just depend on how well he plays within himself and how few mistakes he makes.

 

• Solid game for Geoff Cameron. He’ll be a solid to very good centerback one day when someone gives him reps there, but he’s more comfortable outside and if he shows he can stay 1v1 with quicker players, he’ll get a shot to win that gig.

 

• Ice skate lessons and fundamental cliff notes for John Brook and Omar Gonzalez today.

 

• And lest it not be said, good attacking movement yesterday. Solid ability from the US to process out their errors from Friday and come back and execute if not score on an attacking game plan.

 

http://theshinguardian.com/2013/11/20/quick-hits-usa-0-austria-1/

[Deuce]

 

Love Stu. It's the pubescent 'stache that makes it.

[Mike]

It's bullshit that he's held together with paper mache.

[Kaizero]

Bob Bradley in talks to take over Stabæk in Norway. A club without a proper stadium and no money. How the mighty have fallen.

[Ameritoon]

Well, I mean he took in Egypt over in a time of crisis and stayed during a 'revolution' and a military coup, so this job seems about right.

[Kanji]

2 Questions for any of my fellow US based people...

 

1) How long does it take for the replays to be available for full matches? Esp if our match is at 245p EST on Wednesday?

 

2) NBC's website says the match will be on Live Extra Time on UVerse channel 1697, but the program guide on the U-Verse site and on the cable box itself says it will be Spurs match - with no mention of our match on the guide.  Also, none of the overflow channels match up to the schedule. Do they generally adjust pre-match? I generally just go there night before or day-of and find it and don't pay much attention to the schedule, but asking b/c I will be on the road and am a little confused as to the wrong schedule on the U-Verse guide / NBC's programming schedule -- difficult to set the DVR.

 

Thanks for the help in advance, if anyone can help.

[Deuce]

I'm fairly certain the replays are available not long after the match finishes. Definitely same day.

 

Have no idea about the programming.

[Kanji]

just hope the schedule is corrected before I take off in the morning on Wednesday (PST )

[Mike]

Save the link for the match, they're a fucking bitch to find. The replay is up like 10 mins later, in my experience.

[timeEd32]

You guys may find this interesting (or comical). I'll be speaking on the phone with Brek Shea and Sacha Klejstan on Friday teaching them how to use an online chat interface. Should be interesting. Think I might ask Brek what it's like living in Stoke.

[toontownman]

Bob Bradley in talks to take over Stabæk in Norway. A club without a proper stadium and no money. How the mighty have fallen.

 

He wants to be in Europe, but he would be better taking the Vancouver Whitecaps job than that.

 

To be fair he did pretty well with Egypt all things considered. Never looking like getting a premier league job though and by he probably would have been an absolute disaster at Villa or the Mackems.

[Deuce]

You guys may find this interesting (or comical). I'll be speaking on the phone with Brek Shea and Sacha Klejstan on Friday teaching them how to use an online chat interface. Should be interesting. Think I might ask Brek what it's like living in Stoke.

 

Keep us posted.

[cubaricho]

Hard draw but there is a chance.