With the USA finishing first in their group qualifiers and the opportunity to experiment evaluating younger unproven international talents, Bob Bradley will have to modify his successful formula against Mexico who will offer a different look on February 11th in Columbus. Sven Goran Eriksson will be short-handed for the game with suspensions and injuries to several players such as Vela, Torrado, Guardado, Arce, and Magallon. These exclusions will lead to a different strategy and lineup that the USA has not seen previously. Although the game will be won on the field, both coaches will be the difference makers for their teams as they make tactical adjustments before and during the game.
Bob Bradley has the USA playing against top European and international competition, defending cohesively as a unit, adding roster depth to the player pool, and transitioning the US' style of play from direct to possession based. Bradley will be seeking leadership from his veterans such as Howard, Donovan, Oneyewu, Bocanegra, Dempsey, Ching, Beasley, and Hejduk to settle the team providing the stability and discipline needed to earn the result. Although the USA are favorites, Bob Bradley must remind his players that the USA has been able to defeat Mexico because they bring and exceed the intensity in the rivalry on US soil.
This piece will illustrates the keys to a USA victory and how they can avoid the pitfalls of over confidence when faced with a potentially different Mexican tactics and lineup utilized against the USA. Since the US does not have familiarity with several of the Mexican players that will start, the USA must maintain their composure, analyze their opponent, and neutralize their prefered style of play.
This a potential Mexican lineup that one could see at kick off. Sven has mentioned that he will play a 4-4-1-1 so this the lineup that seems the most logical.
----Vuoso----Nael son--
Pinto-Augusto-Par do-Dos Santos
Salcido-Rafa-Gali ndo-Osorio
-------Sanchez--- ----
Here is another line up which would be the second option. Just one major change and a little shifting.
----Vuoso----Nael son--
Augusto-Perez-Par do-Dos Santos
Salcido-Rafa-Gali ndo-Osorio
-------Sanchez--- ----
1. Patience: It is said that Patience is a virtue, and in the US' case it will be if Sven plays a more defensive strategy against the USA. Although the USA will have the adrenaline of their screaming fans and the internal desire to defeat Mexico running through their veins, it is important that the USA maintains calm, plays fast with ball, creates movement and space without the ball, and pressures defensively for the 90 minutes.
2. Stay Disciplined and apply defensive pressure: The USA should always keep their focus on pressuring Mexico's midfield specifically Pardo and Augusto which will create Mexican turnovers. The back line needs to organize well and choose its opportunities to advance in the attack. The USA needs to avoid yellow or red cards by playing with composure and a harnessed intensity. Mexico will try to provoke the US players to commit fouls and the referee to call fictitious fouls by diving or faking injuries.
3. Play quick in possession: When the US plays its' best is when they are using the field and open space by relaying the ball quickly as opposed to holding the ball and not playing progressive in passing or offensive movement. The USA moved the ball well in the second half of the Gold Cup and could have score two additional goals to the two that were tallied for the victory. Kljestan has facilitated a more fluid game with his steady improvement as he has received more playing time but still must limit his former propensity to turnover the ball in key situations. Kljestan and Dempsey provide that excellent element in the midfield to possess the ball and escape from defensive pressure.
4. Utilize speed and open space on flanks: Mexico will likely field a team with several veterans who are not getting any younger and don't have the physical endurance to provide a two-way game for a full 90. Therefore, the US must force their opponent to cover a lot of ground which will compound their fitness level negatively. By spreading the field out, Pardo and Sinha will be forced to cover ground, or the US will have open space to penetrate the defense. Pardo and Sinha will have to pick their poison which will be the more dreaded tracking-back option providing defensive coverage. Beasley and Donovan have been successful for creating space for their teammates or themselves by utilizing their speed and spreading out the back line. In addition, the US wing backs have had success against Mexico overlapping on the flank allowing for dangerous crosses into the box which forces the wings or backs to defend the runs eventually tiring El Tri.
5. Draw fouls in Mexico's defensive third: By utilizing its speed to create space and dangerous attacking situations, the USA will force Mexico to foul and negate any US scoring chances. The USA thrives on set pieces and will be even more dangerous with Magallon's exclusion and the lack of defensive height. The USA has scored two of its' last three games against Mexico from aerial strikes on set-pieces. In 2007, Jimmy Conrad received a Donovan corner for the score and in 2008 Oneyewu sent a throw-in rocket to Donovan who volley-passed the ball to Oneyewu who headed the ball from 20 yards into the net. In that same 2008 friendly, Altidore received an excellent 30 yard Moor pass which was cleanley headed to the back of the net by a sprinting Altidore. Mexico should be more vulnerable against set pieces with the unfamiliarity that exists between the Marquez/Galindo pairing and their poor man-marking demonstrating a lapse of concentration against Sweden. The USA should triumph if they can dominate set-piece play.
6. Overconfidence: As Mexico has been the favorites over the previous years and has suffered from overconfidence during certain matches , the US should learn an important lesson from their southern rivals. Overconfidence is never welcomed in this rivalry. With the USA being recognized as the favorites for this game and confronting different players with a new coach and strategy, the US should not discount the intensity level that Mexico will bring to this game. If the US is caught off guard, they could suffer a long, wet night on a rainy pitch. Bradley recognized that the USA is the favorite for this game but suggests that the red, white, and blue will match or exceed the intensity for the qualifier. Overconfidence could be a buzz kill for either team.
7. Wild card: Bob Bradley might have to look in his bag of tricks and modify his successful formula against Mexico. What could that be? To begin with, it appears that the USA will try to make more of an attempt to attack in the first half by pressing Mexico while staying compact and their shape. With the US on home soil and the defense playing solid, the bunkering and counter approach could be out of style as quickly as gas guzzling SUVs were in 2008. With recent injuries and suspension to El Tri, this opportunity to surprise their opponents will only present itself once in a great while and should be fully exploited.
Bob Bradley will advocate pressure on the ball and defending for 90 minutes, but I think that he will plea for a more possession oriented and quasi-attacking style for the opportune moments. His strategy could be renamed bunker-lite or bunker zero (new and improved). With all jokes aside, Bradley should take the agressive approach in this game. Look for Bradley to integrate Clark in the second half to shadow Pardo and bring defensive tenacity. Torres should enter in the second half and will be utilized for his quick touches, his in-form play, and ability to escape defensive pressure.
First half starting Xl from a Bradley perspective
———-Ching————
Beasley—-Donovan–Dempsey
——Kljestan–Bradley——-
Pearce-Boca—Oneyewu—Hejduk
———-Howard————
Although the scenarios could vary, it would be logical if the US has the lead or tied. Bradley will substitute both Clark and Torres in the second half.
This would be the second half formation after the substitutions.
———-Dempsey————
Torres—-Donovan–-Kljestan
——Clark–Bradley——-
Pearce-Boca—Oneyewu—Hejduk
———-Howard————
Clark will replace Ching, and Torres should replace and out-of-form Beasley. The third option is difficult to determine, and your guess is as good as mine. With Dempsey up top and Donovan below the US will offer a free-flowing and very attack oriented formation but still remaining conscious of covering its defensive duties.
What do you think of the US' chances? What formation and players do you see the USA fielding? Who would you like to see? Will this be a blowout or will Mexico provide a difficult challenge for the USA?
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