Re: [nas] USA-Korea -tactics.......

["Parker T" <parker1206@hotmail.com>]

>From: RichieAnimal@cs.com

>We could have made it work at times, but not with a clearance as the first
>pass to start an attack and hope McBride could get under it and redirect 
>the
>ball to a speed player.. You have to have the balls to make a few short
>passes, and make them chase the ball until we could make that break out 
>pass.
>We are able to do that, but didn't try.

Richie's comment here in a nutshell is what went wrong.  We had the right 
players out there to try the bunker and counter.  I would replace "balls" 
with "experience", though.  But experience under pressure develops "balls".  
Ron's (I think) comments about how the Germans can do it, is mostly because, 
as a nation, they've been through many pressure packed games over the years. 
  How many have the US been in?  Sometimes you have to be thrown into the 
water, and sink or swim.  Mathis was really the only one who looked like he 
had many confident touches on the ball, but his fitness was lacking.  It 
really looks like the US made a tactical decision to forgo a ground 
counterattack and play direct through McBride.  This would be because the 
Korean speed and urgency, the heat, the crowd factor, and our "inexperienced 
some/unfit others" mids/forwards might combine to make it tough for a 
coherent ground counter attack.  Also, we have a Hejduk on the backline with 
little ball skill, and really three other backs who are not tremendous 
ballhandlers.  Given those conditions, do you think Arena advised them to 
play counters on the ground or more directly?  I'd bet he told them to play 
direct.  If he told them to play it on the ground, then they appeared to not 
be following his direction...  The same way that our players are 
inexperienced in big time pressure matches, so is our coach.  Nonetheless, 
we managed 4 points, and he's made the right personnel decisions (at least 
in starting the matches).

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