The U.S. men's national team takes on the Colombian national team tonight at PPL Park (8pm, ESPN2) in a match that should provide a stiff test for an American squad sure to feature several fresh faces.
The 2-2 tie against Poland on Saturday provided some positives and negatives, but tonight's match will deliver completely new challenges. Colombia features a stingy defense as well as a dangerous attacking duo in Radamel Falcao and Giovanni Moreno.
Veteran defenders Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo have returned to their European club teams after starting against Poland, opening the door for the likes of Heath Pearce, Jonathan Spector and Eric Lichaj. Bob Bradley will choose between those three to fill two fullback spots, while also deciding on who to start in central defense against some dangerous Colombian strikers.
There are also questions to ask about the offense and whether Bradley shakes things up dramatically. Given the short turnaround time it is unlikely he starts the same from six, with Eddie Johnson and Alejandro Bedoya potentially earning starts.
SBI will be providing extensive coverage from tonight's match, but for now, feel free to share your pre-game thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
It’s fun to analyze these situations with knowledgeable folks. Thanks for the insight on Colombia. So, based on what you said KN it might be best if we played true wingers with speedy fb’s to exploit the wings. Put grit and bite (bradley,jones)in the middle and speed up top. So, I could easily see us start in a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 and bring in subs.
—–jozy—ej
dempsey——-holden
—-jones-bradley
pearce–gooch–edu—specter
Although, I wouldn’t call dempsey and holden true wingers, you could always bring in Shea and Bedoya. I could also see Edu sitting and Goodsen starting and bringing Edu in for Jones.
HOLD ON. Before we talk specifically about the USA, would you argue that Brazil and Spain and the Dutch are not worthy of their perennial top ten FIFA rankings?
Now in terms of the USA, I think that we were evenly matched with Ghana this last time out, and that was with the US running on fumes from the first whistle with barely enough recovery time from the Algeria (sprint invitational) match. USA was the stronger team, and it took the goal of a lifetime to finally bring the US down in that match. You try that play 10 more times and it doesn’t happen again.
Regardless, the Nats team beat itself time and again throughout the tourney with early goals and defensive disasters–blame injuries or whatever, but the team could have gone deeper and certainly qualified more easily against Slovenia and Algeria but did not–it happens! But that is a reflection on the USA, not the quality of it’s opposing teams or how they are respectively ranked. Does that mean USA and Mexico are ranked a bit too high due to the way concacaf is structured? Sure. Does that mean Ghana is under ranked. No.
Really hope there is more than 7k at the game…would be kind of embarrassing being on espn2
Maradona tried to play Messi like Maradona’s team in 86, didn’t work well to Messi’s advantage.
Hirshey’s article was crap and I’m glad people recognie that, a ploy to link hits to the #10 thing they are doing at soccernet.
Donovan is a wide #10, like Messi is a wide #10. Not a Maradona-Pele type.
Fact: Donovan creates scoring opportunities, a lot of them.
Fact: Donovan can finish and score goals, a lot of them.
What else do you want in a #10?
People just want to see someone with a good tan dribble around people so we can call them God.
I’m a Union season ticket holder and going to be at the game tonight. If the reports are true that only 7,000+ tix have been sold for tonight is true I am really disappointed in the Philly fanbase. We can’t use it being a weeknight as an excuse either, we just had a record crowd of around 18,900 come out to the Galaxy game. NOW I’m guessing the majority of those people came to see Beckham the STAR. Womp Womp!
agree with all of you but bizzy.
If we can’t beat teams like Colombia, we’re going to be in for another fun qualifying cycle. Panama beat the crap out of Venezuela (basically the same level of team) earlier this year, and Jamaica is getting better. That will more than make up for a worsening Costa Rica and Trinidad. We could easily have 5 or 6 teams playing at the same level next cycle instead of the 4 we had last cycle.
Good for him and Armenia’s national team.
Yeah, I’d like to see Dempsey/Bradley/Holden as the 3, in front of Jones and Edu.
The goal should be to have a formation that allows our best talent to get on the field and perform effectively. (Bradley’s decision at the World Cup to go with a 4-4-2 was not in furtherance of that goal.) It seems to me likely that, going forward, Jones, Bradley and Edu will all be among our most talented players, and Bob Bradley’s challenge will be to get them all playing on the field together. One way is to drop Edu back into central defense. That’s what Bob Bradley tried the other day. But if that doesn’t work, another way is to play Bradley in the “3” rather than the “2” of a 4-2-3-1. (Another way, I suppose, is to play one of those guys on a wing.) If Bob Bradley tries Edu again in central defense, maybe he will try a different option in the January camp.
well damn his mother for not coming to America and giving birth to him making him automatically qualified to represent the USMNT.
Not that your post indicates this as your view, but I love how people are somehow upset that he isn’t playing for the Nats, like the USSF has the ability to just tell the govt. to automatically grant soccer players citizenship without going through the standard procedures. I fully support the nats and would really like us to find some goalscoring but you can’t just give citizenship away to do that….. of course if the democrats really liked soccer they’d do it! I think Obama actually supports the Harambee Stars (Kenya)
Ives, how about a pregame Q&A?
The closest thing we have to a number 10 is the man who wears #8. He is a threat to score, is crafty with the ball at his feet. But he will rarely dictate the tempo of a game like we would like him to.
Cap him now!!!! Oh wait…
I highly doubt it when we had decent crowds for uuhhhmm idk sweden? hardly any market campaign for those games either but it just proves how soccer savy and loyal U.S. soccer fans r in Los Angeles compared to philadelphia.
Ives inserts a commanding voice, “watch the game again.” Why the attitude? Why not, “If you watch the game again…”
Can’t worry about California not getting soccer games. When was the last time the US was in Atlanta?
Olypmics?? Never??
ding ding ding ding, we have a winner….
Why it wasn’t done the other night I have no idea.
i highly doubt the capacity will drastically improve in less than 24 hours. As far as I am considered it seemed that the philly fans dont deserve one with the way tickets r selling.
The US does not have a true #10 in the system. Most teams in the world do not have a number true #10. I’m not saying we don’t have them somewhere in this country but they are not passing through the academies and youth ranks up to the boring US style of play.
Don’t know if anyone remembers, but I think it was Tiffany Milbret who brought up the stale and stagnant approach of the US Women’s team years ago and how rigid and dull it was.
In fact, Wambach and the like were preferred over her (size and strength) and Milbret would light up games when she was in. She was a more creative player and she had struggles in the US system.
You may think that this has nothing to do with the men’s team but it does. US soccer is dull and boring across many leagues and youth programs.
Where are the “inner city” youth I see at the parks dancing circles around older players? They don’t seem to quite get into the system yet.
Yuri Movsisian scores yet again for Armenia.
If Landon is a winger, then what is Bobby Convey?
Would love to see Lichaj as I watched him in that tourney last summer where they beat Juventus. He looked good then but it’s been a year since…
That’s not a smack down but a teaching moment. Someone getting “smacked down” on a blog that uses hits to the site as a way of earning money isn’t something to cheer about.
Pucker up…
The problem wasn’t that there is a lack of interest in Philly (see Union season ticket sales, US World Cup online bid support, and U.S. v. Turkey sales from the World Cup tune-up tour)… The problem was that for some reason, the USSF chose not to bother with ANY marketing campaign to promote the event. The only way I personally heard about it was via an e-mail sent to Union season ticket holders.
USSF needs to get its act together. Regardless, PPL Park will no doubt have louder pro-U.S. support with 7,000+ than any California crowd with even twice as many (likely apathetic) bodies.
I think it was a gesture by USSF for the way Philly has responded to having an MLS team and the crowds they’ve been getting.
By game time, I am sure the stadium will be full or close to it.
+1
nice smack down Ives
I like this idea especially with the nasty runs Bradley can make from the middle. It may be a bit defensive though.
folks, Ghana has beaten us in 2 WC knockout rounds in a row… rankings are obviously meaningless. Ghana IS better than us until we prove otherwise in head to head comp.
He’s not saying they have to be latin but more like you need to start looking in that direction too. Donovan is not the only thing we have. right when we talk about a no.10 his name comes up. He is more of a winger and if we just going off stats he’s only leading in assist so why not consider like a bobby convey or wondolowski???? We need to experiment with more players and just the BB regulars
I thought that whole Hirshey column was silly. The idea there is some Messi, Xavi, Ozil just lurking around but, doesn’t get a chance because of National Team coaches is absurd. And he overrates the skill of guys like Torres and Bedoya they are two of our most skilled guys but, they don’t have the skill level of Donovan or Dempsey.
Good question. I think that the US will have a hard time going through the middle. CBs for Colombia are exceptionally good. I expect Viafara in CM and he is a pretty cagey vet. Colombia’s full backs are good and I expect them to press forward maybe creating some openings. The US just needs to do what it always does: counter and capitalize on set pieces. I think the US needs to be patient as they should have a decent percentage of possession. The US doesn’t have the speed advantage here that they normally do, so possession mistakes will go the other way quickly.
It defies all logic…are you serious???
I wish they’d bring more games to California too, but it’s to make it easier for our European based players.
Get of it. That was a crap article by Hirshey. Yeah maybe Donovan isn’t exactly a true number 10, but he’s the closest thing we got to it. Jose Torres? Please.
And what the hell is up with Hirshey hinting that true number 10’s have to be Latin?
so i just heard that there has only been 7000 tickets sold in ppl park. idiot ussf. thats why u bring the game to los angeles. many u.s. fans dieing to see a game and plenty of colombians as well. philadelphia is the most randomest place for USA vs. Colombia. idiots
Idea! What if we played a 4-2-3-1 with Bradley in front Edu and Jones?
Bringing FIFA rankings into an argument defies all logical thinking.
Another game to show the people in charge that its not all about power, speed and kicking. We need a true number 10 (Yanks abroad…everyone needs to read that column!!!!)….dribbling, agility, ball control, vision for the open spaces and speed. A gifted player should not be judged on lack of size and strength, or whether he attended our soccer academy but rather on instincts for the game, movement on the ball, ability to deliver accurately and shot accuracy to name a few. STATS DO NOT ALWAYS DEFINE A PLAYER’S ABILITY (GOMEZ, BUDDLE, CUNNINGHAM)!!!! Many Players in Mexico and around MLS are gifted with one touch ball control and ability to get by players are shunned because of size and physical presence but after getting man handled by inferior teams like Ghana(20TH), Mexico(28TH), Denmark(29TH), Poland(66TH) and Columbia(40TH) I think, by now we need to get the point….
I love the 4-1-3-2. I believe it is what the English used in winning the 1966 World Cup. That would be great to see. All we need is an American Bobby Charlton to pull it off.
I don’t know much at all about Columbia’s defense so I can’t speak to how I’d attack them specifically. I do know that I’d want most of the play developing on the ground through Dempsey with most of the rest coming through Holden. I’d want Bradley and Jones trailing the play, which goes without saying. Brek Shea is gritty and pulls off some surprises so I’d like to see what he could do. And I’d tell Jozy that tonight isn’t a good match up for him, so he needs to anticipate and make runs accordingly. That’s my biggest problem with Jozy, is he rarely makes the non-obvious run.
I doubt Eric Lichaj starts, but I can see him coming in at halftime for whoever looks worst, Pearce or Spector. I’d like to see Brek Shea on the pitch as some point darting in from the left. Also, it would be interesting to see a 4-1-3-2 with Jermaine Jones sitting in front of the back four. He has such a high work rate and is technically gifted enough to cover a lot of space defensively and start the attack.
Does Freddy Montero not get called up yet?
I think there are a couple of basic ideas that will always work to break down a defense, its just that its hard to implement effectively unless the players have a high skill level. Putting a speedy player up top in combination with midfielders and defenders who can play decent balls over the top will stretch the defense and open up space to play. After that switching the ball quickly from one side to the other usually opens up some space while the defending team switches over. Finally, quick passing triangles can break down any defense, but like I said that’s hard to put into practice because many teams will make bad passes and lose possession.
Having a fluid front four might also cause the opposing defense problems unless they man mark, at which point somebody has to beat a defender. If they mark zonally, which most teams do, then you can overload one side or another and break through. That takes a lot of understanding to pull off well.
I think pressing high and staying compact is more of a defensive issue and will work with a quick back line, an organized defense, and a high work rate. If the Colombians have quick forwards, then a high line could lead to break away one-on-one situations. That’s about all I’ve got.
Very intelligent posts from all of you above. Here’s a question… How would you break down this “stingy defense” as Ive’s puts it? Which side would you attack? Would you press high or stay compact?
I lean more towards disorganized than fluid on Saturday… most of the mid-field players seemed free to roam wherever they wanted–and did. It’s only a friendly, and they haven’t had time to train together, so whatever. But the mid-field looked like a collection of individual talent rather than a team with cohesion and tactical and positional sense.
I don’t think you are crazy, I just think it is a matter of the formations really being rough approximations to a style of play rather than being strictly adhered to. The old Brazilian 4-3-3 and the Dutch 4-3-3 were completely different, but both had the same “4-3-3” moniker. I think Dempsey was moving between playing alongside Jozy and dropping back behind him, while Holden and Feilhaber were drifting between the center of the pitch and towards the wings. You got something that went from 2 wingers and two forwards to something that resembled three central midfielders and one forward throughout the game.
You are correct about Holden and Benny playing the wings (both pinching inside as they are wont to do).
The 4-4-2 was often their defensive shape, as it was common to see Demps and Jozy squared up and chasing the possession across the Polish backline.
That being said, I think the 4-2-3-1 was the offensive idea. And after saying all that, it was all very fluid. For example, you saw Holden, Demps and even Jozy tracking way back defensively.
Some say fluid, some say disorganized. I could hear arguments for both, but in the end it was a new lineup in a new formation and I liked where it was going. Just clear the damn ball.
Why has everyone (Ives included) suggested that we played a 4-2-3-1 against Poland? I could have sworn that we played the same 4-2-2-2 that we always do, with Jozy/Deuce up top, and Feilhaber/Holden on the wings. Am I crazy? I realize this is a pretty minor gripe.
(SBI-Dempsey was not deployed as a striker. He spent his time in midfield, floating all over the field. There’s a clear difference between operating as a forward next to another forward and operating as a midfielder. Watch the game again and see where Dempsey spends his time and you can perhaps get a better understanding of why it was different.)
I’m just hoping to see Brek Shea at some point.
This is prolly unlikely, but I’m hoping he perms his hair in an homage to Carlos Valderrama.