Saturday, August 7, 2010

Tactics Part Three: Identifying the Strengths

In parts one and two we identified the weaknesses and offered solutions for them.  Now we find the strengths:

Goalkeeping
Though Tim Howard will tell you he should have done better on both of Ghana's goals, both were created by mistakes in defense or midfield.  Howard is undeniably one of the best goalkeepers the US has ever produced, and that really is saying something.  Howard's leadership from the back and control give the US defenders comfort and confidence.  Even behind Howard, a wealth of talent awaits in Brad Guzan, who very well could dethrone Howard come 2014.

Depth in Midfield
Think about it, all nine midfielders who made it to the 2010 World Cup could and probably should be in the running for 2014.  The addition of some new faces (Jermaine Jones), potential talents (Sacha Kljestan, Freddy Adu), and youngsters (Mikkel Diskerud, Luis Gil, etc) and the US has a good problem going into the 2014 cycle.  If guys like Ricardo Clark, Stuart Holden, Benny Feilhaber, and DaMarcus Beasley can find a good amount of playing time over the next four years, the US will be in great shape.

Set Pieces
Lets face it, with Landon Donovan able serve a ball on a silver platter, Clint Dempsey and Jose Torres able to blast mean free kicks, and Onyewu and company waiting in the middle, its only a matter of if and not when the US scores from them. 

Counterattacks
This needs no explanation.  See goals from Spain, Brazil, and Algeria matches

Part Four coming tonight or tomorrow...

Friday, August 6, 2010

Tactics Part Two: Solutions

In Part One we discussed the weak links in the US formation.  This time we find out how to properly fix them.  Go.

We can begin by knocking out two birds with one stone:  The lack of speed in central defense and the lack of a true midfield "destroyer".

Solution
Jermaine Jones.  Jones, before his injury was rated as one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga.  He is the prototypical center defensive mid.  He has the agility, awareness, and reactions necessary to slow down or even thwart attacks all by his lonesome.  This will allow for his midfield partner(s), lets say Maurice Edu and Michael Bradley to concentrate on possession, distribution, and support of the forwards and wingers.

Lack of a solid left back option.

Solution
Until the baptizing of Edgar Castillo, Daniel Williams, and/or Eric Lichaj we will be stuck with the aging Carlos Bocanegra, the inconsistent Heath Pearce, or the incompetent Jonathan Bornstein.  The aforementioned three likely won't see pitch time for the Yanks at least until the Gold Cup.  Until then, we do exactly what Bradley did the first time, with a slight twist.  Play Landon Donovan on the left flank, and Jozy Altidore just in front of him but more concentrated on the left side and bring Clint Dempsey a bit more centrally, almost as a center attacking mid.  In this "unbalanced" formation it places a great deal more pressure on the opposing right sided midfielders and defenders to stay at home, taking pressure away from the vulnerable left flank.  Of course this invites a flurry of attacks from the other flank, but we have more capable defenders on that side in Steve Cherundolo and  Jonathan Spector.

Lack of two solid options at forward.

Solution
Don't play two forwards!!  Seems simple right?  Let me explain.  Altidore is not a physical, hold-it-up style of forward.  We'd love him to be, but he's not.  What Jozy is adept at is running at defenders with pace, beating them, and going to goal or receiving a pass and attacking 1v1 (see Algeria goal).  Until the return of a healthy Charlie Davies, and at this point its anyone's guess as to the manner of his return, the United States doesn't have two viable, class options at forward.  We have Altidore.  So play him, in an advanced left striker role just in front Landon Donovan.  Support him with a roaming Dempsey and central midfielders in Edu and Bradley.  Donovan's speed on the flank and Dempsey's class in front of goal should allow Jozy to have one centerback all to himself. 

Part three will be coming later tonight. 

Night Owl Tactics Part One: Identifying the Weaknesses

4:11am here and no rest for the wicked.  I just finished watching the USA- Algeria match, and realized that this game is a perfect example of why the traditional 4-4-2 so widely used by Bob Bradley over the last three and a half years does not play to the United States strengths.

During this four-part series, I will:

Part One: Analyze the Weaknesses
Part Two: Offer Solutions to the Problems
Part Three: Find the Strengths
Part Four: Apply a Formation that Applies to Part's One-Three


The 4-4-2 under Bob Bradley simply put, blankets our weaknesses.  Now, there is a lot to be said for Coach Sweatpants' realization of the USA's weaknesses and bolstering them, but it leaves our midfield and attackers without the necessary support to properly and dangerously construct attacks.  First of all lets identify the weaknesses and Bob Bradley's stop-gap for them:

Lack of Speed in Central Defense
Lets look at our centerbacks from the World Cup roster; Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Jay DeMerit, and Clarence Goodson.  First thing that comes to mind is size, strength, and aerial ability.  However, what they boast in height and physicality they lack in speed and acceleration.  Jay DeMerit, the 1v1 specialist in the middle, is probably the quickest of the centerbacks, but he is more akin to sucking the attacker in and forcing an error.  Bob Bradley compensates for this by normally dropping two deep central midfielders just in front of the centerbacks.  This allows four players to cut down the space for the oppositions two strikers, but on a quick release and counterattack, both central midfielders are caught well behind, usually from having to defend on the top of their box.

Lack of a Solid Left Back Option
Not picking on Bornstein alone this time.  Carlos Bocanegra, Heath Pearce, DaMarcus Beasley and the aforementioned Bornstein all have had their shots over the last cycle, and none have impressed to the point that they were automatically penciled in as starters on the left side.  In the Confederations Cup Bob Bradley used the speed of Landon Donovan and Charlie Davies on the left flank to keep opposing midfielders and ambitious, forward-coming defenders honest.  A good strategy to be sure, but the Davies injury scuttled any chance of that becoming a permanent fixture in the US' strategy.  At the World Cup Bornstein acquitted himself decently enough to not to be noticed too much, especially against Algeria, but against Ghana he dropped off to his usual unreliable self.  And with Dempsey stationed on the left, that offered Bornstein little aid and was pretty much left to fend for his own.  Though both Ghana goals came down the middle, many attacks were generated from the Bornstein defended left flank.

Lack of a True "Destroyer" in Central Midfield
Until the arrival of Jermaine Jones, which who knows when that will be with the latest fiasco, the US will have to deal with using Michael Bradley and/or Maurice Edu in tandem as a "destroying duo/box-to-box" midfielders.  Depending on the opponent sometimes both are necessary to completely thwart opposing attacks.  Then they must decide who will be the one to break up-field and support the attack, again depending on the opponent, sometimes both move ahead.  Bob Bradley finally realized his mistake of playing Ricardo Clark, the closest thing we have to a true "destroyer", who has actually made an appearance.  But he's sloppy in his tackles, slow in his reactions, and poor in possession.  Bob Bradley's solution, was to use the two deep lying central midfielders, deleting a potential attacker in the process.  Bradley and Edu are more box-to-box midfielders, not central defending midfielders.

Lack of Two Solid Options at Forward
For some reason, Bob Bradley continued to trot out Jozy Altidore and Robbie Findley in the World Cup.  Hoping that Davies Lite would produce like Davies is a bit to much to ask.  Sure the idea is that the speed opened up by Findley's running would provide Altidore with the proper space to work with, since Jozy is not a prototypical hold-up forward.  The reason Altidore performed so well during the Confederations Cup, at least for the last three matches, was because Davies knew what runs were dangerous, how to draw defenders' attentions with his speed, and he knew what was expected.  Findley's runs seemed almost aimless at times during the World Cup.  This is a problem that Bob did not address.  Hurculez Gomez does his best work coming off the bench and Edson Buddle is a 90-minute forward, not one whom much can be expected of if only given the chance to play only 20 minutes.

END PART ONE

I'll be back tomorrow with Part Two.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Confirmed: Josmer Altidore and Omar Gonzalez added; Jermaine Jones and Chad Marshall subtracted

Bob Bradley, do you even contact the players before you formulate your rosters?  Seriously.  Understandable that Jones wouldn't be called in, as I originally predicted, however, the USSF shouldn't get our hopes up only to have them shot down. 

Everyone really wanted to see Jermaine Jones, but I guess the 2011 Gold Cup is his coming out party, which is fine.  I really wish Findley and Bornstein were also dropped in favor of Diskerud and Castillo.  But that is all for another day.

Jermaine Jones?

Per SoccerByIves twitter:

German report has Jermaine Jones turning down USMNT call-up. Schalke boss Felix Magath quoted saying its still too early. MNT yet to confirm. 


This sucks....Coach Sweatpants, this one is on you.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

USA (finally) Releases Roster for Brazil Match

The weeks of waiting are finally over.  Here it is:


GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton)
DEFENDERS (6): Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Étienne), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)
FORWARDS (3): Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Pachuca)

Well, not the best that can be offered, but good enough I suppose.  Really excited to see Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya.  Here is a starting 11 I'd throw out:

------------------------Howard

Cherundolo-----Goodson-----Bocanegra-----Spector

-----------------Bradley----------Edu

Donovan--------------------------------------Kljestan

----------------Buddle-----------Gomez