Encouraging overall. Not sure we have ever had a top team on the ropes like we did the the last 30 minutes of the first half. 10 corners earned? That’s wild.
Actually, I’ll amend that to say not since the first half vs Brazil in the Confed Cup in 2009.
Gotta feel good enough to get at least 4 points in the first two matches. Hopefully 6.
Can’t wait for next Friday.
To be clear: it was a good day because Poch made a good in-game adjustment. He started Weston McKennie as a No. 8 (as I’d been calling for) and Malik Tillman as a N0. 10, and it’s time for me to put my hand up and say I was wrong.
Wes spent the first 10 minutes of the game – which was very one-sided toward the visitors, to the point I was worried we were in another 5-2 situation – sort of hiding in the build-up, which made it way too easy for Germany to camp on our shape, turn us over and send the game in the other direction. Maybe, in a different slice of the multi-verse, Wes has played enough as an 8 by now to not make that mistake. But in this one he’s evolved into a jack-of-all-attacking trades, and at about the 10-minute mark, he and Tillman switched spots.
That unlocked so much combination play for the US. This is a screenshot from last week, but it’s applicable now, too:
Tillman was consistently filling this gap – releasing from deeper in midfield, making himself available to receive line-breaking passes that unlocked both Antonee Robinson and Christian Pulisic. That created balance, and truly stressed a Germany team that’s one of the ~five best in the world.
It’s a type of problem-solving I didn’t expect from him, because I frankly don’t think he’d shown much of it in either his USMNT or Bayer Leverkusen career.
That’s changed the past two games. He’s probably the starting No. 8 on Friday, and I feel really good about that.
Wes, meanwhile, is probably the starting 10. The upshot of playing him in the half-space is that he was also way more available for those progressive passes than he was when playing as an 8, and so the positional switch had a sort of exponential effect on the how useful the left-side overload the US defaults to was.
And yeah, it’s clearly going to be a left-side overload. For all of Ream’s physical shortcomings at this point in his career, I’m honestly not sure we’d have crossed the midfield stripe in the first half without him. There are so many times when the US gives him the ball in a hopeless situation and is just like “figure it out,” and usually he does (with a big assist from Jedi).
His on-ball skill, overall IQ and – most importantly – his passing are with the defensive trade-offs, especially since he’s surrounded by guys who can hide his shortcomings against all but the best teams.
Note that once Ream came off for the game’s final ~20 minutes, it was actually Gio Reyna who was dropping into that LCB role in build-up to initiate things for the US. That is not unusual (Gregg Berhalter used to use Gio that way occasionally; let’s hope nobody blackmails Poch for this tactical choice), but it should inform everybody’s opinion about the relative quality of Ream’s distribution, and the absolute necessity it is to have elite passing at that spot.
Really encouraging showing for the squad and by losing in the end it still gives them a reason to be humble and work to figure out what they could have done better.
I am pretty excited for their chances in the group …. But it is still soccer and the USMNT so you never know.
I’ll take this one over the first one. We are Argentina.
Much better list. Shout out @statsbywill
LOL…USA is Wisconsin.Spain being Gonzaga seems a bit insulting to Spain.
I will happily take Argentina
The Qatar - Grand Canyon comparison made me chuckle.
Yeah, that’s not a bad comp. Not quite sure though who our Messi would be on this year’s team (the veteran superstar who’s been through a ton with the team) …Nimari? Tschetter 
?
If you’re a fan on both sports, you won’t find anything more entertaining than this article. Very clever stuff.
Great to hear Ian Darke on the call, not so great to hear Landon who has the emotional delivery of an AI. And Mexico is on the board, Azteca is rocking.
Can’t believe Landon Donovan is anyone’s idea of a commentator much less on Fox’s top team.
They still employ Alexi Lalas. Clearly not interested in actual analysis, just in giving the most jingoistic presentation possible.
Raul looking pretty good. Must be that contract he just signed with Wolves
Mexico might get leveled here. These close outs have been risky.
If they bring Gilberto Mora on 2nd half and he scores, going to have another Michael Owen type situation going.
Landon brings major John Smoltz vibes to the broadcast (derogatory)
Good atmosphere but not that compelling of a game. SA didn’t look great even before the red card. Unfortunately the expanded WC field is going to mean a lot of lopsided group matches.
3 red cards in the opening match really matches the vibes going into this WC.