European Soccer

There aren’t many good national coaches

Not enough practice to be schematically interesting

International soccer is really Jimmy’s and joes and finding the proper alchemy of a lineup (why England is struggling despite massive talent)

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I’m kind of a broken record here, but Bielsa turned Chile into a roving death machine and is doing the same thing to Uruguay. There are certain systems that seem to work with national teams because he adapts his formation and press like …

Bielsa has 3 build up formations he uses. He rotates these depending on what sort of team he plays. Against a 4–2–3–1, he will build up in the 4–2–3–1 himself. The 4–2–3–1 itself doesn’t have as much pressing power as a 4–4–2 does, but it allows for easier interceptions due to the extra line being there. And against a 4–4–2, 4–2–4 or a 4–4–1–1 he has 2 formations he can use.

The 3–3–3–1, which we will be analyzing and breaking down this thread, is the more offensive option while the 3–4–3 is the less risky but less offensive option.

I think they have a lot of success with it because it’s built to take the other team out of what they want to do and isn’t really establishing their own system and enforcing it as much as reacting to the other teams system. It’s also not something you see every day. We run a few different sets here and there, but it’s primarily play it out from the back possession ball with varying degrees of intensity of pressing. I don’t think that suits us all that well while something like Bielsa ball would cover up some deficiencies on defense and allow us to get more of our skill players out there. Obviously not going to get Bielsa as he’s locked in, but find someone with a little more unique of a system. But I am just some dude who plays a lot of Football Manager.

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Mexico gets grouped. Without a massive result tomorrow, we’ll be joining them and Canada and Panama would be the only CONCACAF teams through.

USA getting no calls at all. Playing great tho.

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Panama just scored

Man we look very very sharp. Finally get to play a real soccer match instead of tackle football.

Officiating in this tournament has been comical.

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I am cracking up that he pulled out a card and then said “jk keep going”

I don’t know anything about soccer but this seems very not normal so far!

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For concacaf it’s not far off sadly.

……but it’s not right???

It’s COMNEBOL

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This is rec league ref BS. And how they can’t get the stoppage time right is the most maddening and stupid part of soccer. I get the whole “that’s just soccer” stuff but it is stupid. The first watch was invented in the 1500s yet elite soccer just guesses at stoppage time.

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Again the ref hasn’t established early control with cards and now it’s chaos. Been a pattern in this tourney that isn’t happening in the Euros.

Frustrating because we look good. Need to put a few on frame though, build up has been quality.

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To be fair, the US is hosting Copa America not the Euros. I imagine that’s a normal trend between the two tournaments.

I don’t think great officiating is a known feature of CONMEBOL.

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Yeah, just been super noticeable watching afternoon games go on just fine and then every other Copa match descend into madness every evening. There’s zero reason for it to be this bad.

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I feel like it’s a feature of Brazilian and Argentinian league games that a player on each team gets sent off in 89’ and 90’3 for a second yellow.

These are the same refs right?

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Really really rate Jedi. Loving the partnership of him and Gio.

US looks pretty gassed to me. Can’t seem to connect passes. Getting spread apart and giving up more dangerous chances. Danger zone.

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Bolivia! :eyes:

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