Monday, June 27, 2011

Gold Cup Final Mexico v US (4-2) – El Tri Rally Down the Right Wing to Win Gold Cup


US’s Strategy
    Once again in the tournament, Bob Bradley made surprising lineup and formation changes. Landon Donovan and Freddy Adu replaced Sasha Kljestan and Juan Agudelo. Donovan and Adu played as left and right striker respectively as Bradley reverted to a 4-4-2. Throughout the match, Dempsey and Donovan swapped places.  
Mexico's Strategy
    Jose Manuel de la Torre chose the same lineup that defeated Honduras in the semifinals. His side played the familiar 4-4-1-1, giving Gio Dos Santos a free role.
    Mexico's defensive pressure gave the Americans fits all night. They were able to quickly get the ball back and therefore dominated possession.
Yanks Take Early 2-0 Lead Against the Run of Play
    Mexico came flying out of the gates dominating possession and looking a threat to score. However, the Yanks capitalized on their first opportunity to score in the 8th minute. The Americans won a corner after Adu and Cherundolo combined down the right but a cross was blocked out of play by Salcido. Adu swung in the corner perfectly and found Michael Bradley's bald head. He flicked it on and beat Talavera. Bradley made a nice near post run beating Israel Castro, whose marking was slack. Talavera could have done better to save but the sun possibly played a factor in the keeper's vision.
    The match took a similar trajectory even after the 1-nil US lead. The Mexicans continued to dominate play. The Yanks struck again though in the 23rd minute. Jermaine Jones won back possession at midfield and started a six pass move down the right side. The final pass went from Dempsey to Donovan who made a diagonal run to the left. He received the ball, took a touch with his left and finished with his left past Talavera. The US was in dream land and the pro-Mexican crowd was stunned.
Mexico Exploits US Defense after Cherundolo Injury
    Steve Cherundolo was forced to exit with an ankle injury in the 11th minute. Bradley elected to bring on Jonathan Bornstein to play left back and move Eric Lichaj to the right. Even though the Yanks scored their second after the substitution, El Tri was always going to score once they kept their composure in front of goal.
     Just 6 minutes later, Pablo Barrera halved the Americans lead. Jonathan Bornstein was caught napping and Chicharito played a beautiful through ball to Barrera down the right channel. Barrera finished with aplomb to the left of Tim Howard who had no chance.
     In the 36th minute, El Tri was able to level the match. Donovan had his shot blocked and Castro launched a counter by springing Dos Santos free down the right side. Bornstein was slow getting back and Dos Santos was able to cut inside. He unleashed a left footed shot that should have been cleared by Lichaj. However, his inexperience at right back showed and Guardado pounced on the poor clearance and toe poked it past Howard.
     El Tri took the lead for good four minutes after halftime. Carlos Bocanegra attempted a clearing header but he sent it straight to a charging Guardado who found Barrera just inside of the right edge of the 18. Barrera curled a ball first time with the outside of his right foot past a diving Tim Howard. Barrera found space where Bornstein failed to track back to and Bocanegra was not close enough to Pablo.
     Providing cushion to the one goal lead, Dos Santos added a fabulous fourth in the 76th minute. Chicharito held the ball up in the right corner defended by Bocanegra. Bocanegra won the ball but made an awful clearance directly to Torrado. Torrado played a through ball to Dos Santos which forced Tim Howard off his line. Dos Santos dribbled away from Howard and curled a left footed shot into the top left corner over the head of Eric Lichaj.
     The Americans attempted a rally and had a few chances, from Dempsey off the crossbar and Bradley from 25 yards on an open net. But after Mexico took the 3-2 lead, they were always going to hoist the Gold Cup.
Coaching Factor
     Not only was the US outplayed, but they were also out coached.
     Bradley must have reverted to the 4-4-2 to make sure Dempsey and Bedoya provided help in defending the wings. But by doing that, he surrendered the Americans ability to dominate the center of the pitch. This change combining with the sluggish play of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones, the Yanks were overrun in the center. Jones and Bradley were unable to get the ball and distribute and they also failed to provide protection for the back four. All in all, a possible strength for the Americans coming into the match turned out to be a weakness.
     Also, not only was Bornstein shocking at left back, but Lichaj was uncomfortable on the right. He kept players onside several times. For example, in the 46th minute Lichaj was 5 yards behind the offside trap which kept Dos Santos onside. He was then through on goal but missed the target.
     One side note, credit to Bradley for his willingness to change tactics and insert new faces into the US lineup. Bradley went to the 4-2-3-1 after the US struggled in the group stages. He then inserted Adu in the final, who was the best American player on the pitch. It is easy to acknowledge his faults and turn a blind eye to his successes.
     Jose Manuel de la Torre deserves credit for his in game tactical changes. After halftime, he deployed Gio Dos Santos almost exclusively down the right side. ‘Chepo’ as he is called, knew Bornstein was the weak point of his opposition and used Dos Santos and Barrera to abuse him. As a result, either of these two Mexican players could have been named man of the match as they were the two best players on the pitch.
Conclusion
    The almost 94,000 at the Rose Bowl were treated to a fabulous final full of attacking football. Both sides left themselves open after wanting to attack.
    There is no doubt Mexico deserved the win. El Tri dominated the match and created tons of chances. However, the US will have a sour taste in their mouths after taking a 2-nil lead and conceding 4 consecutive goals.

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11 comments:

  1. Poor analayis. Sorry dude. Ridiculously poor play by Bornstein, and suprisingly, Howard, among others, made mediocre (at best) international players like Dos Santos and Barrera look like Pele and Garrincha. What a sick joke...

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  2. You may say that but the truth is that US. players did wrong. Dos santos and Barrera are good players with a lot of potential. Mexico deserved this winning.
    P.S. It's not a sick joke, it's the reality...

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  3. This is in no way a poor analysis. It's just not the typical, "so-and-so" sucked and "so-and-so" was awesome analysis. It's a tactical analysis, which focuses on tactics and formations. Furthermore, the author of this described in detail how the US players failed or succeeded individually. This is far from a 'poor analysis'.

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  4. Well written article. Dos Santos and Barrera are good players. Dos Santos was runner up for the best young player of the world cup behind muller.

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  5. I thought this was a good analysis, Bradley tried pretty much the same tactics he's always tried against Mexico and they've worked in the past, but this is a much more talented and experienced Mexican team that was too fast and too skilled.

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  6. These games are won and lost in the midfield. US has no-one who is comfortable on the ball to allow for posession and slowing the game down intermittantly. US team has about 20 minutes of game in the tank...the other 70minutes have to be milked for posession to make up for less talented individuals.

    Howard is almost always badly positioned. Needs lessons from Friedel.

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  7. *cough* Bornstein *cough* is garbage *cough*

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  8. The first two goals by the USA were a false sense of hope... Mexico was going to win the game regardless if Sir Ferguson was coaching.

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  9. You don't even need the coughs. Bornstein is garbage.

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  10. coaching strategies dont have nothing to do with the game if you dont have good enough players to carry them out! it didnt matter if they had the best coach in the world with the difference of talent they had no chance from the get go! mexico showed they had more talent and more heart by far than the us! In soccer there is no time outs for their team to regroup! formation get broken and plays are relid on the players! coaching has some to do with the game but at the end its the talent and heart that outshines!

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  11. So, when is enough actually enough? Why don't we put in someone else than Bornstein? He gives up so many chances to the other team. And why do we continue to use players that are less dynamic. I think the midfield could use some adjustment. We have some real young talent there. Changes need to take place for us to even dream of success in Brazil.

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