Underwhelming USMNT win seems like a step again

PHILADELPHIA — Simply over a minute into second-half stoppage time, the U.S. was clinging to a 1-Zero lead in its Gold Cup quarterfinal towards Curaçao, and U.S. supervisor Gregg Berhalter opted to make his second substitution of the night time and convey on defender Omar Gonzalez for midfielder Paul Arriola.

Logically, the substitution made sense: Gonzalez’s aerial potential would assist see the sport out. It paid off because the U.S. in the end prevailed however emotionally, the impact was a lot completely different. The transfer encapsulated an evening that was totally underwhelming.

On this match, the U.S. wasn’t going through one of many area’s heavyweights, it was going through Curaçao, whose nationwide workforce was solely shaped in 2011 after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles and its roster graced with veterans of the Eredivisie. Certain, Curaçao had been the event’s shock package deal by reaching the knockout phases of the Gold Cup for the primary time in its historical past, but it surely was nonetheless ranked 79 by FIFA and regarded one of many minnows.

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Match play is about “survive and advance,” because the late collegiate basketball coach Jim Valvano was fond of claiming. On this event, the U.S. did due to Weston McKennie’s 25th-minute winner, and now it finds itself within the Gold Cup semifinals with a match towards Jamaica in Nashville this Wednesday.

“Once you get to the knockout phases, everybody desires to maneuver on to the following spherical, and they’ll give completely all the pieces,” stated U.S. midfielder Christian Pulisic, who assisted on McKennie’s purpose. “Curaçao, 100 % wished that right now. You can see that in the best way that they performed. We got here out with the win and we’re on to the following one. That is all we’re .”

None of these details can excuse this U.S. efficiency, nevertheless.

This was not a win that concerned a 40-shot barrage and an opposition goalkeeper having the sport of his life to maintain the sport shut. Somewhat, this was a win wherein the U.S. limped throughout the end line, content material to cede possession to the tune of a 59.7%-40.three% drawback within the second half.

Placing on an additional defender to safe a victory towards a relative minnow was sobering to say the least. Regardless of the win, and fourth consecutive clear sheet, it felt like step backward.

Granted, this was an evening when the Individuals’ press wasn’t working, with Curaçao keeper Eloy Room proving adept at discovering the open man, enabling the guests to play out of the again. However the issues went deeper than the U.S. being unable to pressure turnovers.

McKennie and Michael Bradley seemed out of sync defensively within the U.S. midfield, permitting Curaçao to play by them at occasions with relative ease. On extra the one event, one might see Bradley desperately making an attempt to chase down a Curaçao attacker from behind, as clear an indication as any that each one was not properly with the U.S. protection in transition.

What was curious — and disappointing — was Berhalter’s response to it. With a 1-Zero lead, the U.S. sat deeper and dared Curaçao to interrupt them down.

Afterward, Berhalter was requested if ceding possession was intentional, and he responded by saying: “We weren’t going to press the goalie. You noticed within the first half that the goalie did not need to play the ball ahead. We had been pleased to not fall into the lure of making an attempt to press them. It might value us extra vitality than it was price, so we dropped off and largely did not press goalkeeper.”

Left unexplained was why the U.S. could not be the workforce to maintain possession, make Curaçao chase, and prey on their desperation to attain a purpose that may even the match.

Definitely towards high-caliber groups it may be argued that the U.S. is not adept on the possession recreation, but it surely’s a process that appears doable in a event just like the Gold Cup. Even Pulisic sounded a bit conflicted by the strategy. “So long as they weren’t breaking us down, we had been OK ultimately,” he stated. “However clearly we wish to have the ball greater than we did right now.”

The U.S. made it by to the semifinals, but it surely wasn’t fairly. USA At this time Photos

It is also not what Berhalter has been preaching since he took over, but right here his conservative impulses took over. It is not the type of dynamic play to win followers over both.

The extent to which the strategy does not bode properly for the semi is debatable. Jamaica has skillful attacking gamers, however they don’t seem to be nearly as good in possession as Curaçao. The Reggae Boyz are additionally keen to make use of their velocity on the counter and, as a latest pleasant between the 2 groups confirmed, they’re savvy with their timing when it comes to when and the place to stress the U.S.

However the onus shall be on the U.S. assault, one which appears as dependent as ever on Pulisic. On this night time, Tyler Boyd was energetic, however did not take excellent care of the ball; Arriola, apart from one telling cross that was skied over the bar by Gyasi Zardes, was barely noticeable.

Berhalter acknowledged enhancements to the U.S. assault are wanted. “I believe it is about velocity, velocity of moments, having a mentality to show their defenders, having a mentality to disorganize their protection and get behind their protection,” he stated. “We might have been extra aggressive with that tonight for positive.”

One apparent change could be to get Jozy Altidore on the sector from the beginning given his holdup play and, extra importantly, his potential be a playmaker when he drops deeper into midfield. That may relieve Pulisic from shouldering the entire inventive burden and supply one other conduit to the wingers.

But Berhalter, for no matter purpose, appears reluctant to go that route. U.S. Soccer insists Altidore is wholesome; Berhalter stated that the workforce’s intention within the second half to make the most of transition alternatives in assault did not swimsuit Altidore, in order that was why he wasn’t used on this match. However with every passing recreation, it appears Berhalter merely prefers Zardes, as mind-boggling as that sounds.

Heading into the Gold Cup, reaching the ultimate was thought of the minimal when it comes to success for the Individuals. Getting there now would require a efficiency properly past what was delivered within the quarters.