is that…what that means
yea it really is
surely this one counts
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this game is friendly to silliness
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That third goal. 
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The Usual 3-4-2-1 in Possession
I don’t think there was ever any doubt that the US was going to end up in that formation in possession. The real question was how they would get there.
In games past, Pochettino’s tried a few different looks:
- A back four with two fullbacks, and when one attacked, the other would slide in and become a third center back. It’s essentially a pulley system, where one would go and one would stay.
- Using that same back four, except one fullback always goes, and the other slides in to be a permanent center back in possession. You can call this an elbow back, or a flex back.
- The old la salida lavolpiana, where a central midfielder would drop in between the center backs, who would then split while the fullbacks would push up to become attacking wingbacks.
- A variation on that, where one of the central midfielders would drop into one of the outside center back roles, while both fullbacks push up into the attack.
- Just starting in and staying in a 3-4-2-1 across multiple phases of play.
In March, it was a combination of la salida lavolpiana and the subsequent variation, and it went so badly that I genuinely think it cost both Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris spots on the plane. In this one, it was the simpler, flex back variation, where right back Alex Freeman mostly stayed at home, while the left back Jedi Robinson mostly released into the attack.
Thanks to James Nalton for the graphic
Some things to note within all of this is that Gio Reyna was dropping in as a true 10, while Seb Berhalter often released to create attacking overloads. Those can be dangerous of course – releasing a central midfielder into the attack always is – but man, the US’s structure and repress were both so good.
Baked into this was excellent strength on the ball from Ricardo Pepi. Between that and Reyna’s ball security (two levels above any other US player in tight spaces), the US were able to turn all that possession into penetration and chances at a rate that it’s hard not to get giddy about.
…
• I speculated last week that Berhalter might be the starting No. 8 over Weston McKennie, and man… I’m a big Seb guy, and he was not bad today. But Poch is nuts if he’s not starting Wes in these games. Easily the best player on the field in the second half.
Though, of course, he was playing as a No. 10. I’m in danger of reading too much into things here, but it might be Malik Tillman who’s next up on the No. 8 depth chart? While Poch sees Wes strictly as an attacker? Tillman was excellent today – possibly his best US performance – but I’d much rather have Wes a line deeper orchestrating things and making those same aggressive, off-ball runs Berhalter was working on.
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We kept generating chances all match - after Balogun got the winner seemed like we could have had at least two more
Didn’t love Adams getting simply run past by Mane then playing it off as others fault but eh
we can’t possibly be considering Berhalter in a starting role can we?
I think it ends up being Adams, Wes, Pulisic, Tillman, and Balogun in some form or fashion
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My best friend played soccer at UVA, works as a soccer agent, and has buddies throughout the sport. I will not claim to know much about the sport, but my friend knows ball, and feels strongly Seb Berhalter should start
Also thinks Pepi is a better fit on top than Balogun for our shape
(I should note neither Berhalter nor Pepi are his client)
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The lack of options to start next to Adams is obviously pretty limited… so maybe?
It’s the whole deal where you can try to put Wes there but it isn’t his best role, and takes away maybe what he’s best at and brings in some risk from how he plays.
Not sure how it shakes out … the even more terrifying thing is what happens if Adams gets two yellows.
How guys like Wes and Tillman are deployed is probably the big strategic lineup question I would say.
Obviously, this was a tinkering game with different combos and stuff, so you can’t read too much into the combos.
Hopefully, Richards can get healthy and replace MM in the back three, start Freese and give him the full 90, start Flo, then get like a 60-minute dry rehearsal with close to a starting XI against Germany.
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OMG that build up.
It does feel like we are attempting trackmeet soccer and just going for it. It’s a great choice, we were never suited to try and 1-0 anybody. @DeAngeloVickers called it. Those fullbacks are wingbacks, they were in the box most of the match. I like the strategy and I’d much rather be in 4-3 type games going forward. Gives us a chance to surprise some better teams and overwhelm ones with less talent without fear of making one big mistake.
Give up a couple counter chances by putting 7 in attack.
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Yeah, people want to meme about haramball or whatever, but like.. we have seen plenty of times what happens when you try to play more on the front foot against PSG. That is, 8 goals against Chelsea, 4 against Pool, 6 against Bayern. The odds are not in the favor of any team in the world playing against them that way. It’s just a recipe to get shredded. Arsenal’s strategy was easily their best shot at winning. Came darn close, too.
Hopefully we can find a quality LW this summer
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https://x.com/ryanhammer09/status/2062221702516355478?s=20
Fun thought exercise. Who would Michigan be?
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I would say Michigan is France
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Ok, now it feels like World Cup season.
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Hmm, I’d have to say Netherlands or England historically. The teams that guy picked are bizarre.
poor cole palmer lol
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When I was in London last winter, I was surprised that Cole Palmer was the Premier League players I saw the most on advertising. He seemed everywhere. I would have thought Saka or Rice. He’s had a pretty rough year.