In a wide open match full of experimental lineups, exciting wing play, and intriguing debuts, the US Men’s National Team fell 3-2 to Chile in their opening match of 2015.
The pre-game focus was on Jurgen Klinsman’s lineup, which plopped Jermaine Jones between Matt Besler and Steve Birnbaum in the back line. Clint Dempsey was placed atop a midfield triangle with Michael Bradley and Mix Diskerud in support, while Bobby Wood joined Jozy Altidore up front. The formation shined the spotlights brightest on the two wingbacks, Brek Shea and DeAndre Yedlin, who were tasked with providing the offensive width while simultaneously supporting Besler and Birnbaum as they dealt with Chile’s 3-4-3.
First half
The dueling three-in-the-back systems led to a wide open start. Both teams went with high pressure in midfield, meaning it was a fight to control the flanks from the outset. The US struck first off an innocuous free kick near the center circle. Bradley played the ball wide to Besler and the defender hesitated twice before dropping a perfect lofted ball behind the defense and into the path of a marauding Brek Shea. The newly signed Orlando City player blasted a half-volley into the far corner beyond a helpless Johnny Herrera.
Shea’s offensive contributions could not cover for a lack of defensive awareness, however, and Chile was able to attack the US flank with ease. It was a surprise, then, when the Chilean equalizer came up the American right wing. With Yedlin upfield, Steve Birnbaum got sucked high and Mark Gonzalez had all the time in the world to pick out Roberto Gutierrez as he ghosted in between Jermaine Jones and Matt Besler, tying the game in the 10th minute.
Yedlin soon had a chance to put the US back in front when he chased down a wild deflection and found himself in alone. A long touch meant he could only scuff a cross/shot in front of the onrushing Bobby Wood.
The extent to which each team’s system played to the strengths of the other was hard to fathom in these early stages. Chile’s wingers were finding space and time, while Michael Bradley was afforded enough room to turn and pick out the zippy Yedlin at his leisure.
In the 19th minute, Chile was again behind Shea on the left, and Carrasco’s low cross was smacked over by Gutierrez from six yards out.
Chile began pressing the American center backs effectively, and Marco Medel popped up in the hole in front of the defense to blast a shot just wide of Nick Rimando’s goal.
In the 24th minute, Gutierrez pulled Jones and Besler with him but couldn’t find two open players at the back post as Rimando was down to cut out the cross. It seemed like the US were in trouble, but wonderful combination play by Yedlin and the previously quiet Diskerud on the right sent the American midfielder driving at goal from a tight angle. He spotted Jozy Altidore twelve yards out and the big striker casually slid the ball into the far corner to put the US ahead again.
With new life, the Americans pushed forward. Dempsey broke up the right channel and was brought down just outside the box. Despite facing only a two-man wall, Bradley elected to cross, but Jones couldn’t put a deflected effort on frame.
In the 38th minute, Jermaine Jones managed to dribble into Diego Valdes coming out of the back. Valdes tried to loft the ball beyond Rimando, but the Salt Lake goalie got a forearm on the shot to push it wide.
Chile’s huffing and puffing could not hide their own defensive flaws. Dempsey drove at the back line once again and picked out Altidore streaking down the left channel, leaving Jose Rojas no choice but to take down the striker at the edge of the area. Dempsey’s free kick was blocked and cleared.
The US looked to be going into the half ahead, but as the half closed it looked like Chile had tied it up. Once again, Gutierrez got on the end of a deep cross from the left, but he was flagged inches offside.
Second half
Lee Nguyen replaced the invisible Bobby Wood at halftime, pushing Clint Dempsey up next to Altidore. Additionally, the US moved to a more traditional 4-4-2 after the half, pushing Jermaine Jones into midfield and taking some of the defensive responsibility from Bradley and Diskerud.
The half started cautiously, with the first big chance coming in the 51st minute when Diego Valdes saw a thigh’d shot pushed off the line by Nick Rimando. A late offsides flag negated any drama.
After another soft giveaway by Jones that was again saved by an offsides flag, Klinsmann pulled Diskerud for Wil Trapp. Suffice to say it was not an ideal debut for Columbus’s star midfielder, as he looked cowed by the occasion and was eventually pushed out to the right.
In the 61st minute, Michael Bradley almost put himself on Sportscenter as he unleashed a 25 yard drive that rung off the top corner of the goal frame.
Chile answered Bradley’s bell through their dangerous wingers. First Carrasco scuffed a free attempt from six yards out after Besler’s soft clearance fell at his feet. Then Gonzalez zoomed past a sleepy Yedlin and replicated Brek Shea’s power with a blast into the far side netting from the left, tying the score in the 66th minute.
Klinsmann responded by throwing on Gyasi Zardes for Clint Dempsey in the 68th, then adding Chris Wondolowski and withdrawing Jozy Altidore in the 75th.
Unfortunately, it was Mark Gonzalez who would find the net again as he fizzed home a drive from the left side after Nick Rimando pushed away a shot from the top of the box.
In the 77th, the US had a chance through Yedlin, who cut back to Bradley at the top of the box. He whiffed, but Lee Nguyen followed up and angled his shot just past the near post.
In the 81st, Bradley was the provider as he drove a cross at the penalty spot where Wondolowski met it well, his header nestling in Herrera’s arms.
Zardes then had a half-chance in extra time as he stormed through the right channel, but Osvaldo Gonzales came across to take the heat out of the situation.
In the end, the US showed flashes of style, speed and power, but none of the organization needed to move into the next echelon of World Cup contenders. The 3-5-2 that opened the match was an intriguing experiment, and it is odd that Klinsmann is only willing to try it with Jermaine Jones in the middle.
The US next plays on March 8 against Panama.
USA
1-Nick Rimando; 23-Steve Birnbaum, 13-Jermaine Jones, 5-Matt Besler; 2-DeAndre Yedlin, 4-Michael Bradley, 8-Clint Dempsey (capt.) (20-Gyasi Zardes, 68), 10-Mix Diskerud (6-Wil Trapp, 60), 11-Brek Shea, 9-Bobby Wood (7-Lee Nguyen, 46), 17-Jozy Altidore (18-Chris Wondolowski, 75)
Subs Not Used: 3-Matt Hedges, 12-Sean Johnson, 15-Perry Kitchen, 16-Shane O’Neill, 19-Miguel Ibarra
Head coach: Jurgen Klinsmann
Chile
23-Johnny Herrera; 4-Osvaldo Gonzalez, 13-Jose Rojas (capt.), 17-Juan Cornejo; 6-Gonzalo Espinoza (16-Gonzalo Fierro, 72), 15-Erick Pulgar, 10-Marco Medel (5-Paulo Diaz, 79), 19-Diego Valdes (9-Juan Delgado, 60); 7-Bryan Carrasco, 22-Roberto Gutierrez (18-Andres Vilches, 90+4), 11-Mark Gonzalez (8-Angelo Sagal, 90)
Subs Not Used: 1-Paulo Garces, 2-Sebastian Vegas, 14-Cesar Valenzuela
Head coach: Jorge Sampaoli
Scoring Summary
USA: 6′ – Shea (Besler)
CHI: 10′ – Gutierrez (M. Gonzalez)
USA: 31′ – Altidore (Diskerud)
CHI: 66′ – M. Gonzalez (Medel)
CHI: 75′ – M. Gonzalez
Stats Summary (USA / CHI)
Shots: 10 / 12
Shots on Goal: 5 / 5
Saves: 2 / 3
Corner Kicks: 1 /9
Fouls: 20 / 19
Offside: 0 / 6
Disciplinary Summary
USA – Michael Bradley (caution) 36th minute
CHI – Jose Rojas (caution) 43′
USA – Bobby Wood (caution) 45+2′
USA – Lee Nguyen (caution) 50′
USA – Jermaine Jones (caution) 52′
USA – Matt Besler (caution) 71′
USA – Brek Shea (caution) 88′
Officials
Referee: Patricio Loustau (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Diego Bonfa (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Ernesto Uziga (ARG)
Fourth Official: Claudio Puga (CHI)
Venue: Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Attendance: TBA
Weather: 88 degrees; clear
The positives. The ball was round. The grass was green. Damn those red socks were sweet.
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The rest…..
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Mix Diskerud and Michael Bradley were terrible in that game. Jermaine Jones personified all the things about the American style that I detest. He is back to being my whipping boy. I say. Back to my whipping boy. He was truly coming in to his own- finally as a DM but now he’s a CB playing like a DM. But, truly shame on JK for putting him, he who likes to dribble the ball, (when no central defender should ever dribble the ball, less there is open space in front and you are Chiellini) in the middle of a 3-5-2. Did I say MB and MD were terrible? They are so bad. Mix Diskerud wearing 10? Please.
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My God – zero pause. zero pause. zero pause- still push push push- the coach screaming to hold the ball take your time build play get a clue but no just one touch panic balls 30 meters down the field by he and Bradley and the rest of them really- huge swaths of space in the middle of the field- flat footed zero idea of finding usable space and cycling play. Did I say Michael Bradley and Mix Diskerud were terrible? I’m over them both. TERRIBLE.
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Can someone explain the fascination with Deandre Yedlin and don’t get me started on Brek Shea. I watched the first half. Couldn’t take it. 3-5-2. In a 3-5-2 you have to be able to build play through the middle of the field. You have to use the back 3 to create deep width to make space in the middle of the field for the 5 players occupying it standing still unable to think one or two moves ahead. Three.Five.Two- with a HDM as the featured CB. Totally unable to build play. At. All.
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The commentators? Don’t get me started. Part of the problem. Oh and Stuart Holden is officially part of the problem too. America? Wake up!
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This is not football. Not even close. Go ahead- somebody, anybody- I dare you- challenge me. Convince me that slop was the first game of new year. Argue for experimental. Sell me on a new formation. Push Bobby Wood. Tell me how Dempsey is America’s hope yet was a non factor against a bunch of also rans from central south american coastal Chile. Off with their heads. ALL of Them. This is the best we have? Tell me what you saw resembled anything looking like football. Go ahead- tred carefully I will go off.
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When does the next generation of players come through. I’m over this dreck.
Relax!!! We were saving our stuff for the second leg. JK is playing head-games with the Chilean side. We got this!!
Dude, you’re right but at the same time so so wrong.
This IS the best we have, because look at our youth system, look at our domestic league and look at our history of youth development. Why do you expect more than this!?!?!?
These players don’t fit what JK wants to do because none of them have the touch or skill or soccer sense to do anything other than panic when pressed and punt the ball 30 yards. But, you need to start somewhere and I am happy JK is trying to implement his changes now no matter how painful they will be.
And the more young players we call in, the more our youth teams play this style and the more players are exposed to this brand of football, the quicker with improvements will come. But it will be long and painful regardless.
I laughed when I read this because of our first goal. Biesler was $hitting a brick with the ball at his feet and launched one that luckily found Shae………you said it: panicked when pressed. Sad thing is………everyone presses now…..so you better find players who like the ball at their feet. Or, change the system to one that suits our American traits………kinda like the MNT squad from 2002. They were still the best I’ve seen from us…….and Bradly played a way that suited his players….and was successful.
it took Barca a half hour to figure out Athleti’s press in the Copa del Ray yesterday…….but they solved it. Why, …..technical ability, check……. Pace of movement and thought, check………tactical sense and where to find space, check.
The ability to buy all of the talent that they desire, check.
The only problem is with your last sentence.
We need more than that. We deserve more than that. If we only play in a way that suits our players, we will only be a bunkering counter team for the rest of our lives. Don’t you want more than that?
Which us why I am on board with JK. We need to take the first steps now and we need to establish our future style. You can’t just flip a switch in 5 years and go “Yeah, we’re ready to play like Barca now.” It’s a process.
I hear what your saying, don’t necessarily agree with it entirely. Why adopt a cultural style from Spain and South America? We are not Spain…..and we live in North America. Even Loew and Germany took that style……and made it more of their own. I have no problem with finding an “American way of playing”….in fact we need too……….but I don’t know if I agree on the style that JK’s choosing…..and I don’t think its going to fit our personnel both present and future…..for quite awhile……if at all.
I don’t see teams like Ghana saying……..”you know what, we need to play more European or South American”. They play in a way that suits their strengths…..and give teams fits. They play their own, Ghanian style and people respect them for it. Power, strength, pace, and yes, loads of skill.
lol, the Irony….. When USA beat Mexico in the round of 16 guess what formation they were playing….. 3-5-2 I’m not lauging at you alicat, just the overreation of one friendly when 80% of the squad are in the offseason. Also, Barca and other club teams can solve problems quicker then National teams because they play all year together, this group were together for 3 weeks learning a new system.
lol, I know we played 3-5-2 in 2002………..but we played it much more pragmatically than what we saw last night. The US played in a 3 back throughout the 90’s and early 00’s and played to certain US strengths……..
I’ll give you that 80% of our guys are in an offseason….. I really didn’t think about that and the number of MLS guys that were out there. When you quickly read their names….I forget that a lot of them came home to play domestically. That maybe part of the problem too……….nowhere else on the planet do footballers have more than a few weeks off out of the year. Our guys have a few months…JK has said this repeatedly…..
no overreaction by me if that is the insinuation- just cold hard truth.
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i imagine you are a fan who viewed us surviving the Group of Death as a victory as well?
It was a victory! I didn’t think we were going to see a point. We advanced over Portugal and Ghana…Portugal and Ghana (both better teams).
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Our NT overhaul is a process…and that takes time. Regressions are to be expected.
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Two steps forward, one step back…
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All of this said, I share your frustrations. It was disheartening to see our National Team regress to the point of garbage football, but they are not as bad as they showed, last night…they might not be MUCH better, but they aren’t THAT bad.
We are 1 of 8 teams that have advanced past the group stage the last two cups, so yes I viewed that as a progression. Belgium was hands down a better team and it is a miracle that they were even in that game. I wasn’t happy with the result either yesterday but it wasn’t all doom and gloom. They looked really good the last 20 minutes of the first half, controlled the game. They had Chile on the roped the first 15 of the second half. Then fatigue set in because the majority of the players are not in season. Everyone is calling this an A team… We were missing 4 out of 5 starters on Defense (including goalie) from thw WC team. This is a transition cycle where the only firm goal is to win the Gold Cup and get to the confederations cup in ’17. Joel, you’re problem tends to be that you look at the destination and not the journey. If I could snap my fingers and make the nats the best team in the world, I would, but I can’t so I will watch the progression and understand that progression is not linear, but goes up and down. And just for the record, I’ll be a happy guy if I never see Brek Shea in a nats jersey again.
Very well said, Dan.
Hey chill man, there are reinforcements and formation changes on the way, I promise!
So Joel, what did you really think of the game?
Ha! I think he liked it.
Run and Gun Footy…………..and failed miserably. Hey, it was worth a look I guess? 1. Jermain Jones and Matt Beisler looked like they have never played in a 3 back in their lives. They were clueless. If JK gave Jones the green light to wheel and deal out of the back like he did…….he needs his head examined! Turn over after turn over! Yedlin and Shea forgot that they have to tuck in, play defense, and make it a 5 back. They are still the flank backs and need to get back on defense….which they did not. Time after time Chile exposed the space behind those two. Also, to my amazement……..we didn’t have the fitness level to play that way. Shea and Yedlin looked gassed 40 minutes into the match. The 3 backs were also gassed by halftime because they were running around like chickens with their heads cut off! Our interior, again, does not have the engine or tenacity to deal with any opposition I have seen this year. I’m actually glad JK tried this….to see what it be like. We switched to 4-4-2 at half…..I wonder if he even said…..”good God, this is awful!”. Scary thing is……they looked even worse in that “safe” formation. I think it shows the fitness level teams like Dortmund, Arsenal, and Chile who play that way for the entire match……….we couldn’t do it. These guys are in the middle of their domestic seasons too………and still not fit enough for what Jk wanted out of them.
but our fitness and athleticism are what set us apart. They make us…..special.
….I thought so too, man I was way off!
Not to bring this back to the Union, and not that these guys really displayed a ton of skill last night. But look at the names on the field of guys who came back to MLS within the past year (year and a half), and we haven’t even really been in contention for a single one of them. I don’t like being pessimistic, but it’s all I kept thinking last night. Birnbaum might be the biggest whiff on our part.
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Birnbaum – DC
Jones – NE
Bradley – TOR
Dempsey – SEA
Diskerud – NYC
Shea – ORL
Altidore – TOR
We were in contention for Birnbaum, we selected Blake in front of him…. and then signed another goalie, and then loaned out another other goalie and now are in the process of signing another other other goalie and then watched another other other other goalie spurn the team to sign overseas….
Yeah that’s what I meant, that we could have had him. Then Edu could play DM and we would have one less hole to plug and more money to use elsewhere.
Somebody please explain to me the progression they have seen with US Soccer. I’ve been told I look at the destination as though my hopes are for us to be the best in the world- that progression is not linear.
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What I am looking for are consistent passes to the proper foot. What I am looking for is no panic when there are 4 US players and 1 or 2 Chile players, you know, playing keep away and then the other players on the team recognizing they are not gawkers but actual participants and this leading to something resembling football. If you want to make arguments for it growing fine. No problem. I agree. My last sentence in original post above is when does the next generation come around so we can see the growth. For now it is the same shit as it was 15 years ago. If the collective you think differently— great. I went to espnfc and read the ridiculous article by ESPN STAFF and the comments by the readers below. I am not alone in my assertions above.
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This has nothing to do with WC cycles. Gold Cup cycles. Playing around with formations. You can tell me all you want about how few of the REAL american players were there. Chile would have destroyed us if their full compliment was available- friendly or not. First game of 2015 or not. It is slop.
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Look. I will stand alone. No problem. I will not be deceived. We are not even close.
We looked like that against Chile? Got laughed out of the building by Ireland? No disrespect to the Irish contingent among us but Ireland- oh but that was the wrap up game to the 2014 season and this was the first game of the 2015 season. 2014 after WC: Drew Ecuador. Drew Honduras. Didn’t even belong on the field with Colombia. a 1-0 win against Czech Republic. start with trash against Chile.
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I am playing devils advocate- that is my role.
The progression is through the entire landscape. We have an improved league, academies, etc. 30 years ago we didn’t make world cups, now we advance in back to back cups. Yes the team struggled yesteday in possesion, especially when they switched formations, but look how many players played out of position yesterday. That certainly affects your ability to play possesion soccer. Both from a comfort level of where your outlet pass is and from where to move in the shape to set up proper outlet passes. They didn’t make the passes to the proper foot last night because they were pressured and they were pressured because most of them haven’t played a competitive game in months and Joel, you know that the speed of the game is what takes the longest to come back. AS far as commentors on the ESPN board? Who cares. It is a subjective game. Some people on Ives thought Altidore was MoM. Others thought he should be executed after the game. That’s fine because some of the progression is that we have the deepest pool that we have had in years and those comments and these arguments are what grow the sport! 😉
I would argue that we’re producing more mediocre footballers than we ever had before……at all levels.
Then the bar is raising because before we only developed a few mediocre players. I don’t feel my comments are rosy, it is just a process and the process takes time. Joel is correct in saying that he doesn’t want to see longballs launched from the back 3(or back4) hoping for the Brek Shea hailmary goal. And there were some dreadful moments out there yesterday. But there were good moments too and that is how you build.
I don’t think producing more mediocre footballers is an improvement considering the company line we have been given by US Soccer, the DA, and every other so called “expert”. If thats improvement……according to your logic we should reach the round of 16 again somewhere around the year 2100.
I would argue that if you only had 5 mediocre players on your national team in the past and now you have 10 then that is raising the bar. And getting to the round of 16 often has to do with seeding. The few elite teams that consistently get there and advance are the aberation.
Joel, I share your disapproval…………..and am equally amused at some of the rosy responses about the state of our MNT. But, I’m going to be a little more diplomatic about it and willing to listen to our fellow commenters. You know I can throw vitriol, just not going there yet………….I have two Copa del Ray matches to watch when I get home from work and don’t feel like being all salty. I’m hoping that the away goal Sevilla got can make it interesting at their place. Plus, the other posters are being pretty civil…..I’ll respond accordingly.