Here is the #USMNT Starting XI for #USAvECU. @MattBesler makes his #CopaAmerica debut: https://t.co/0Nry5hhsB2 pic.twitter.com/ZgW3ZbRuJU— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) June 17, 2016
- Greg Seltzer
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Your USMNT Line-Up v Ecuador
Well, after playing it fairly straight for three games, Klinsi couldn't help himself. Let's all hope there's a denial plan involved, because I'm skeptical that sliding Besler out wide to handle Antonio Valencia is the shrewdest play. And so the selection policy moves back under the spotlight...
- Greg Seltzer
- Greg Seltzer
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13 comments:
That game. So frustrating.
But we're in the Semi-finals!!! I'm glad it was Besler who replaced Yedlin. I say keep him, Brooks and Cameron for a three man central defense...
You can't just switch to a three-man back line, let alone against Argentina (assuming they advance). Besides, Yedlin is back next game.
And yeah, things were made much tougher than they had to be in the second half.
I just don't see two center backs dealing with Messi, Higuain, Lavezzi & co.
I also think since we made our goal to the semifinals, maybe we can see what a younger midfield looks like.
I think Besler's performance tonight, along with the suspensions, means that a lot of fans/pundits finally get their wish: Fabian Johnson in the attack.
Running a back line of Besler, Brooks, Cameron, Yedlin
Push Zardes up to replace Wood.
Play Fabian Johnson for Zardes on the left, play Zusi for Bedoya on the right, play Nagbe for Jones
HAM.
Streetsweeper, I think that's what we may see, but I'm holding out hope for Pusilic instead of Zusi. Maybe it's too early to put that pressure on him, but I think that holding possession and creating chances is going to be more important than Zusi's defense. And from what I've seen (which granted is limited) CP can play some defense and his awareness is just better. And I like Zusi.
I thought Besler did a great job tonight and even contributed on the game winner. Plus, isn't he supposed to be one of the fastest players on the team? Or at least he was in 2014 http://americansoccernow.com/articles/matt-besler-quietly-sets-the-standard-in-u-s-defense
Crazy idea. But the back line of Yedlin, Cam, brooks, Besler? That would move Fab to LM. But most likely against Arg. Fab stays as LB
"Well, after playing it fairly straight for three games, Klinsi couldn't help himself."
He didn't really have a choice, did he? You can't deny that roster selection has been a pitfall of his during his tenure, but this one is more on Yedlin than Klinsman. His hand was forced. What else was he supposed to do? Play Castillo, who is often ridiculed? I remember reading on various outlets/twitter after Yedlin saw red lamenting that Orozco would play the next game. Should we have had another capable fullback on the roster? Probably, but we have all spoken our minds about that already. With what he had at his disposal, putting Ale out left to help cover defensively turned out to be solid. JK has certainly opened himself up for criticism, especially regarding team selection, but it seems like some people's sole intent to to find something, anything, to scrutinize him for and rarely given him credit when he does make a solid or shrewd move.
This post is not directed at anyone in particular, just an observation that I believe is pervasive across a lot of popular soccer media outlets.
Well, I know you can't be talking about me. I don't withhold credit from him. Look, when the Yedlin ejection happened, he turned to Orozco. So that's one other option. He was not forced to push Besler out wide. As it turned out, the move didn't come back to bite (partially because he got a lot of help from Bedoya and others). But anyway you slice it, Besler is obviously out of position when played as a left back and he did see fit to bring one of those along with the squad.
I would have loved to have seen Tim Ream on the roster if JK planned on bringing a CB that could also be used as a LB. But he's not here, so it was an odd choice to move Besler to LB over Castillo. So why was Besler played over Castillo then? What did JK see in the matchup vs Ecuador that made him think this was the better move? Familiarity with Brooks and Cameron?
The Besler problem happened before the start of the tournament when he picked a poorly designed roster. This is common issue (see Altidore back up 2014 WC, et. al)Why even call in Castillo if you don't have the confidence to play him in his natural position? Klinsmann playing people out of position has been an issue for a long time and I understand that in this case he "had no choice" because of his options and he made lemonade out of his lemons. Good coaching job. However, he also created his own problem 5 weeks ago by not calling in Villafana and again 3 weeks ago by cutting Lichaj or Ream. Should he get credit for making the right decision now when he also created the problem that required it?
What I would like to see against Argentina:
-----Zardes -------- Dempsey
Johnson ----- Nagbe ----- Zusi
------------ Bradley
Besler - Brooks - Cameron - Yedlin
------------- Guzan
What I fear we will see:
--- Wondolowski ---- Dempsey
Zardes - Beckerman - Bradley - Zusi
Johnson - Brooks - Cameron - Yedlin
------------- Guzan
A good compromise might be:
What I fear we will see:
--- Zardes ---- Dempsey
Nagbe - Beckerman - Bradley - Zusi
Johnson - Brooks - Cameron - Yedlin
------------- Guzan
I thought Nagbe would have been a much better sub than Beckerman in the Ecuador game to help possess the ball and take the pressure off the defense. But Klinsmann seems to have his script to bring in Beckerman when we are ahead. Looking at him on the sidelines, he seems far too manic to make rational decisions during games, so the script may have to be good enough.
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