Onion Bag: USA Young Kids Impress Against Paraguay
By Ty Duffy
Hedges acknowledged, here are a few observations from last night’s 1-0 defeat to Paraguay.
Young Dudes Carried The News: Youngsters Timmy Chandler and Tim Ream made their first senior starts last night and were arguably the two best American players. Chandler’s speed and dynamism from both right back and midfield added a vitality to the U.S. game.
In the middle, Tim Ream showed he can both move and pass the ball smartly, two abilities that distinguish him from any other U.S. defender. He made some mistakes, but consistency will come with time. Eric Lichaj also looked really solid coming on in the second half. If only one of them could play left back…
Juan Agudelo was merely decent up front in his first start. Considering he can still count his professional appearances on his fingers, that’s fairly impressive. He’s raw, but he plays the game with an aggressive intelligence. He positions himself well. He makes the right runs. He has technical skill. He completely outshone Jozy Altidore and functioned as effectively without him partnering. I think EA Sports may want to reevaluate him.
The primary U.S. squad questions heading into 2014 will be up front and in the back four. It appears the young kids coming up may be able to address them.
Flexibility: Contrasting the Argentina match, the U.S. started in a 4-4-2, but looked far more dangerous after taking Jozy Altidore off and switching to more of a 4-2-3-1 shape. The Americans took initiative and played soccer. It wasn’t polished. They could use more poise and patience, but they were fluid, moved the ball laterally, held possession and created opportunities from multiple angles against a disciplined, annoying defense. The creative juices were flowing. They displayed what, in basketball terms, would be the rudiments of an effective half-court offense.
Bradley’s men didn’t get the result. They should have been more clinical. But, how often have U.S. fans been able to complain about multiple squandered chances from open play against a reputable opponent outside CONCACAF? The U.S. does have some guys with game. In matches where the team can emerge from the bunker, give them the opportunity to play.
Bradley 2.0: I’ve been critical of him in the past. I felt a less erratic coaching could have seen the U.S. progress to the quarterfinals in South Africa. Perhaps, he could do a better job foreseeing fires, but you must credit him for putting them out. Whether it’s tactical tweaks or pure motivation, his teams generally improve in the second half. A technical director might be a wise move, but the match day managerial performance seems to be improving.
It’s also hard to stay angry with someone who looks that much like a central casting Bond villain.
[Photo via Getty]