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SBI USMNT Man of the Match: Sebastian Lletget

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Almost two years after suffering a major injury at Avaya Stadium, Sebastian Lletget came on for the U.S. Men’s National Team on Saturday and scored the game-winning goal in the 2-0 win over Costa Rica.

The LA Galaxy midfielder provided an extra bit of pace the USMNT was in search of for most of the game, and he latched on to a beautiful cross sent in by Jonathan Lewis in the 80th minute.

Lletget was one of a few players who added energy to the field after a sluggish first half in which Gregg Berhalter’s men packed little punch in the final third.

The 80th-minute goal from the 26-year-old came at the site of his only other international goal, which was scored on March 24, 2017 against Honduras before he suffered a Lisfranc injury.

In addition to scoring, Lletget sprung Paul Arriola with a terrific through ball in the 88th minute to seal the victory.

Arriola was deserving of honorable mention, as was Nick Lima, who impressed once again at right back.

What did you think of Lletget’s performance? Could you see him returning to the USMNT fold in March? Are there any other players deserving of honorable mention? Let us know in the comments section below.

Comments

  1. The odd part to me was we began the Berhalter era repeating Arena’s last mistake of not churning his lineup enough between games. “I trust these 9 guys so much I will let start them both games and then watch them labor out there for well more than a half without a sub even though they look tired.” And with his Crew favoritism and failure to penalize underperformers (Lovitz, Zardes) and then overlooking Lletget and others, he didn’t have it anywhere near right to merit a xerox lineup.

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    • The problem wasn’t the line up, it was the inability to put that lineup in the right spots. Every player on that roster played then and still plays at a higher level than that TNT squad.

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  2. I was surprised that no teammate stepped up and retaliated for Mihailović. If he did it himself, he would have got a card, so that was good of him, but you expect someone else to send a message to put a stop to it since the referee seemed content to let it go. In the past Jones, Dempsey, Bocanegra, Bradley and others would have gotten in a few licks on his behalf. It was a natural thing for Long to do as captain, but you don’t really want CBs getting unnecessary cards.

    This was the most active I’ve seen Zardes for the USMNT, but sadly he showed that his skill level is not quite there.

    Steffen, Lletget, Mihailović, Lima, Lewis, Long and Zimmerman will all likely get call-ups, if not in March then soon enough. I would be fine with leaving all the MLS based players off the next roster, but the numbers may not work out. Arriola showed some stuff today, but I am not sure the relative speed he showed against a CR B-team is enough to cut it at a higher level.

    I suspect Bradley will be back as well, but Adams is the guy who will be replacing him soon enough. I do wish Adams received more passes from Teammates at Leipzig, and hope it is not because he is hiding, but just that teammates don’t recognize his presence yet. Also, Adams is still a skinny kid, a little more muscle would help him.

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  3. Any word on if any players were hurt and that’s why they weren’t played. I was really disappointed with this camp. Same back line for both games and a 2 choice back line at best. Didn’t even look at Canon or the other CBs, I know he saw them in training but still. No Canouse was frustrating. Looking forward to the March call ups to see how many of these guys make it. If anyone watched Adams play yesterday he should clearly be ahead of Trapp and Bradley and the thought of putting him at RB is just crazy.

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    • First watch the Adams all touches videos from this week, the spots were he is getting the ball is exactly where Lima is getting his touches. If we are playing Brazil or France and we aren’t going to have much possession then maybe you play him centrally and use Yedlin’s speed on the outside.
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      As for players I’ve got a couple theories based on what Berhalter has said over the last week, but I don’t think he’s directly answered your question. He said he was trying to win so guys who maybe weren’t match ready were left out. That definitely seemed to be the case with Acosta. You have to remember Canouse got married Dec. 22 and then went on his honeymoon the week before January camp so he may not have come into camp in top shape. Berhalter only dressed 20 both nights so you’d have to believe fitness was an issue if not an injury just not fully fit to compete at a high level. Taylor Twellman did say that Berhalter commented to him that he was going to have to adapt to how to use a roster with six subs so some might just be his inexperience.

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    • I agree with some of the assessments about Zardes who missed a number of chances in these last 2 US friendlies and doesn’t have the technical skills to be very dangerous in front of the opponents goal. So, a better position for him would have been on the wing and so he should have been switched with Arriola who has the foot skills (a very nice goal against CR) but was not fast enough to outrun the fast CR defenders. Even though the technical Arriola isn’t that tall, the normal size Deutschloand striker Klose was very effective and a leading goal scorer in many WC qualification and championship games for Germany.

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  4. what does it tell you when you have 1 first half goal in 2 B team games and the MOTM in the tougher game played 50-something minutes total as a sub both times. Zardes and Lovitz start twice. 3 of the 5 goals came after Zardes was subbed off.

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    • It tells you everything we need to know about Zardes… And for a player known primarily for his speed and athleticism, he looked incredibly slow today.

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    • That would be a really great insight if Lletget was a striker and hadn’t come on for Mihailovic. As for the French One, one a slow field two inches of rain in the last 24 hours, two the midfield was really tentative especially in the first half, Zardes would have just been running offsides. No one thinks Zardes is the answer as a first choice striker but he’d do in a pinch against CONCACAF opponents if others were injured. He is really good at winning the ball back so he could be useful in late games with a lead to apply pressure.

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      • I mtentioned Zardes AND LOVITZ and Lletget so this was never just a striker critique. I have zero confusion about where the second two play. The only line of the team he selected right — and he ran out almost xerox lineups — was his own club keeper who then played 165 of the minutes when we have no clear idea who the backups are. He made some interesting backline choices like Lima but then also perseverated with Lovitz who can’t even handle this level much less what reality is. He starts Trapp and plays him a 100+. Then Lletget off his bench comes in and has a goal and an assist. He starts Zardes twice and the offense both times hums WHEN THE STARTER SUBS OFF. To me when the subs outplay the starters you have trouble with talent eval or doing a lineup because you have the team misunderstood.

  5. Mihailović was also fouled repeatedly, he seemed to find himself in good positions attack-wise. Defensively Long and Zimmerman were both good. Would like to see Lletget, Mihailović, Lima, and both CBs get a chance with first team call up.

    Steffen as well of course, but I figure he’s a 1st teamer already.

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