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Mexico 4, U-18 USMNT 3: Match Highlights

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photo by ISIphotos.com

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roJD-yDJ6gM]

Comments

  1. Eso es todo Mi Mexico. Mexico #1 and Up. Never give up in anything just like y’all did on April 2nd 2-0 down to a come back 2-2.

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  2. What awful defending! Everyone on defense seemed so slow to react to anything and appeared to have no concept of basic positioning.

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  3. That handball at the end was a disgrace. That player should never be allowed to wear the USNT kit again.
    We’re better than that.

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    • just watched the highlights. YIKES. up 3-2 with 15 minutes left and you lose 4-3. that’s pathetic. on that last goal, prior to the PK call, US players just jogging back. totally outnumbered in the box. bad bad bad.

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  4. The long haired dude, looks suspect. Seems to rely on reactions more than positioning. However nice that he pulled a Suarez to make the save on the shot!!!!

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  5. Impressed by individual performances on the offensive third, but shocked by the poor organization on defense. I know they are kids, but who is coaching that group of ball watchers, Omar Gonzalez?

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    • According to some of my ex-collegiate teammates that now coach in the collegiate ranks, there was a big shift in philosophy from the bottom up to improve technical ability. Essentially, the kids now entering college are much better dribblers / passers of the ball but at the expense of being good defenders / organizers. To a man, each one of my friends has said that they look overseas 1st to find a center back.

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      • This makes sense to me. I think the rise of Coerver training and the like are an illustration of this. I don’t quite understand why defense and organization have to suffer though.

      • My coaching friends have repeatedly said that the focus has been on technical ability and free-flowing football @ the club level. In general, tactics are not emphasized nor is team defending. Often, converted midfielders will be moved back to the center back positions due to some deficiency in their technical game. Obviously, a lot more goes into being a good center back than your technical ability.

      • This is very interesting. I see this same thing at my son’s academy. Technical proficiency and attacking is emphasized way more then defending during training. Actually defending is really not emphasized. Typically they end each training session with a small sided game that builds up to a mini 5v5 or 6v6 scrimmage. Players are interchanged and asked to play different roles. However, on game day (they play 8v8) most players play in defined positions. Often, his team plays with two defenders in the back with a d-mid. Most of the teams play this style. Attacking is emphasized over defending. I personally believe attacking soccer is much harder to teach and appreciate the effort placed on this.

      • College soccer is very entertaining right now. The skill level, touch and passing is very high right now. I remember watching 10 years ago and it was unwatchable. It resembled very closely the college basketball games.

      • Thank god because NCAA was full of GIANT players who couldn’t control the ball for crap. Then some good players came along and moved right into the MLS and players saw what they had to do to succeed. Better control means better soccer, and it would be nice if we didn’t have to look overseas for that all the time.

  6. Some very well taken goals by both sides. I know this should ultimately be about development but to give up two goals in stoppage time? No bueno

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    • Both were handballs. On the first one, you can see the defender raise his arm and deflect the cross. The ref lets play go but I think the linesman had his flag up. Second one was pretty blatant goalie save by the defender.

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      • Ya, but there was a foul on the keeper before the Handball happened. A pretty obvious one. Dude slides in on the keeper for a cross that was in the air….

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