USA vs. El Salvador (2 – 2) Post-Game Thoughts

March 29th, 2009 | by: Marlon |

The atmosphere in El Salvador spooked the US players.

We were lucky. There’s no reason this game couldn’t have ended as a 2 – 0 loss. The application of Altidore late in the game gave a bit more fire power going forward and he did well to score, but ultimately the style of play was not greatly changed by his presence. Bob Bradley may have just used up his final excuse about his need for veteran players in road CONCACAF qualifiers.

DeMarcus Beasley looked old, out of sync, added very little to the left flank, and before everyone gets excited about him playing at left back at the end of the game I’d remind you it was him who got shook and allowed the well placed cross for El Salvador’s second goal. Danny Califf filled in for the injured Oneywu and looked out of sorts and didn’t leave me with much confidence if Oneywu is ever to be seriously injured. Brian Ching was Brian Ching and to be fair he had a decent game, but I don’t cherish what he adds to the side. Ching did what Ching does, he tracked long balls and gathered them, but as per usual Ching was able to do little on the ball once he’d gathered it. His spot in the team subsists around the route 1 football Bob Bradley seems to insist on when he’s in the game, and for all the good Ching does his side was down two goals before the application of another striker. Frankie Hejduk will gain MOTM plaudits for his involvement in the first US goal and his scoring of the equalizer, but outside of those two moments I wasn’t impressed with Frankie. His touch was heavy and his charges forward looked ungraceful.

If the use of these players had led to a gutty 1 – 0 win over El Salvador (which I’m sure Bradley was gunning for) I’d accept his loyalty to experience. However, the team he selected ended up going down 2 – 0 and could have been greatly embarrassed by the end of the night. Altidore’s goal was well taken and he showed a sense of urgency I didn’t see in a lot of older players on the pitch. So why does Bob Bradley refuse to field his most talented team? After this unexpected draw can we accept anymore of these bland supposedly safe team selections?

Even when the US brightened up and began scoring they never looked a side to be reckoned with. Bocanegra hefted long ball after long ball up the field with the hopes that someone could get under them, and this was with fifteen or so minutes left in the game. Are we so incapable of playing on the ground? It’s telling that the USA’s most creative player, Freddy Adu, spent the entire game on the bench. Say what you will about Adu’s lack of playing time at Monaco, but he is still the most creative player the USMNT posses and Bradley refuses to us the kid’s talents. If we are so worried about Adu’s match fitness then why are we giving DeMarcus Beasley starts on the left wing? He’s not playing a whole lot at Rangers, and he’s no longer at a point in his career where I would easily select him over Adu.

All in all we’re still on top of the Hex, but this game should be a warning to Bob Bradley about the complacency in his team selections. At some point he’s going to have to field his most talented players, or we’re in for more disappointment in 2010.

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Eric

And let’s not forget Torres, who in his limited time on the pitch looked more composed, had superior vision and passing, and tracked back well. For me he was a true steadying force in the midfield as a sort of deep-lying playmaker. Kljestan did not show the same ability.
asdf

Yeah, subs Altidore and Torres were good.
Colin

I was mostly disturbed by our terrible passing. We couldn’t keep it on the ground, and instead we insisted on slapping at the ball when it was 3 feet in the air with the outside of our feet. Klejstan was public enemy #1 with this. He’s got talent, but he’s not ready to start WCQ matches. He played a HORRIBLE match! I’d rather see Adu or Edu in there.
http://dynamokyiv.theoffside.com yevy

Frankie is a terrible gambler on defense. He commits at every opportunity and either wipes out the attacker or ends up completely stranded. The better the opponent, the more of a liability he becomes.

I thought our tactics were utter crap yesterday. They kept trying to stick the ball into a player with a defender draped all over him for a one touch layoff over and over even though it was obviously not working. Against a team that sits back like that you have to be patient, keep possession, and move the ball from wing to wing until there is a real opening. It’s sad that our best weapon against El Salvador was the direct ball over the top…
Will

Basically, Torres opened my eyes, and Beasley needs to retire if that’s the best he’s got. Califf. Seriously, Califf? That should have tipped us off that something was wrong.

Personally, I think we should start playing a 4-3-3. We don’t have any serious right or left sided midfielders(the last of those went out the window with Beasley). We do have offensive midfielders/wingers like Dempsey, Adu, Donovan, Robbie Rogers, (and Sal Zizzo, once he gets some minutes) and we’ve got Ching (not my first choice) and Kenny Cooper. I think Altidore could play either position.
Jason

How can arguably the US’s two most successful international players (Dempsey and Bocanegra) have starting positions on the left sides for their teams and yet the national team continues to have the left side be its weakness? And Beasley, after being beat for that cross, is not the answer in back.

Was that Kljestan’s first road game as a starter for the national team? He looked terrified. I wish there was an atmosphere in MLS (Seattle may become it) that is unhospitable so that MLS players get used to hostile environments. Torres looked much more comfortable, in part I guess, because of his experiences in hostile Mexican league away games.
B

I’m a Guzan fan, but does anybody else think Howard would have blocked those two goals? Also, what a crazy place to play… I mean pretty crazy to go somewhere where most of the people hate you and you will probably have something thrown on you at some point…

Jason… I agree with your comment on Torres… he did look comfortable out there!!!

I want to see Torres, Jozy, and Adu go a full 90!!!

Also, I thought Califf looked out of place… Please don’t get seriously hurt Gooch!!! Why not start DeMerit??? OR… EDU at CB… Boca out left????
Ramiro

Edu at CB makes more sense than Califf. He looked very lost. I’m not a big Hejduk guy but Pearce makes Frankie look really good because Pearce is so bad. Why Altidore, Adu and Torres not start is beyond me. I am getting really tired of these timid, boring lineups Bob Bradley is using. This team will never be a world class team playing this conservative style.
B

Ramiro, you sandbagger thats spot on fella!!
Pseudinho

I’m sick of Frankie Hejduk. He’s done his service, it’s time to let him go. When Cherundolo isn’t healthy or able to play I think Wynne should be the choice at right back. He’s just as fast, more physical, gets forward, well, both of their technical skills are suspect, but your not going to see Marvell Wynne get outleaped by an El Salvadorian player for a ball.
Unbelievable

Nice to see the comments here agree. Harks as commentator…ridiculous. The guy is so far up Ching’s and Hejduk’s ass that he can’t tell good play from bad.

This old guard mentallity in the US is terrible. We took 2 steps forward against Mexico, only to take 3 steps backwards against El Salv. Did Bruce Arena take over the mind of Bradley?

Jose Marinho said he would consider coaching the US National Team. I’ll take him as long as Adu, Altidore and some other young prospects get solid experience.

Coach Bradley needs to get his head straight. That was the worst performance by a US team in years. Ching, Hejduk, Beasley, Califf and Pierce should never put on a USMNT jersey again. They are exceptionally average to below average players. Sasha was terrible working with Dempsey. Donovan is Donovan, nothing to get excited about.

The U-20 team that beat Brasil would’ve won against El Salv probably 3 to 0. Bring on the younger generation that understands how to play as an individual in the attacking mid and striker level, but has the defensive common sense to play as a team. These older guys plain out suck. Please, lets do something right before 2010.
http://usa.worldcupblog.org Marlon

I can’t imagine why Jose would want to coach us unless someone is providing him a really nice flat in NYC.
Albert

El Salvador played a good match, and got in trouble to Americans.
http://usa.worldcupblog.org Marlon

Albert if you want to give a further El Salvadorian perspective of the match I don’t think anyone in these parts will mind. Are you pleased with the result? Do you like your qualification chances?
Albert

Marlon. Everybody in El Salvador wanted to win, specially with the second goal. But, the reaction of USA was logic, it is the superpower of the CONCACAF. After all, salvadorian people is happy with the result, and clasify to the World Cup Championshit is very very remote.
Sandy

I know the results. I had to stop watching the game at the half. Does anyone know how I can watch the second half on the internet. BTW/ I’m going to Nashville on Wednesday are poeple meeting anywhere?
CUCS

Please start Altidore on Wednesday.
B

Please Please Please start Altidore on Wednesday!!! I think Jozy could make Bob look like a great coach!!!

Timmy
Frank/DMB-Gooch-Edu-Boca
Landy-Baby Bradley- Torres- Adu
Demps-Jozy

Never going to happen but it would be interesting….

Also, to me they have to bury T&T right away… at least one goal in the first 20…
Unbelievable

No offense, but it is a question of numbers. The US has 300 million people compared to what? 5 to 10 million at the most for El Salvador. We should’ve dominated that game. The U-20 team a few summers ago would’ve dominated El Salvador.

If you have ever spent time abroad and played and watched the game with a critical eye, that was a terrible game. If you are playing at the national team level with a country like ours, there is NO EXCUSE for not having a phenomanal touch. Rogers, Zizzo, Adu, Bradley, Altidore, Specter, Gooch…choose a few others. I’ll take that team against the team that played against El Salv everyday and twice on Sunday.

The US is in a transitional period. The younger generation are understanding that in the attacking mid and striker level, individual/technical/touch/flashy skill is essential. Double Steps over the ball, doing the Zidane Roullete, or Maradona spin, etc., are not for show. They are exceptionally deceiving and allow a player to misdirect defenders. The Chings, Donovans, Beasleys, McBrides (I like McBride…but…) are obsolete in the US game. They have always been obsolete in the word game.

Also, wtf is the problem with free kicks. Let Dempsey take them all if Adu is playing. DO NOT let Donovan take any free kicks, on goal or off.

Adu is the best player in the US by far. Top 50 in the world IMO. Will be top 10 when he is in his mid 20s.

I am truly shocked Freddy Adu is not allowed to play.

Please play the youth. They understand the game better than the older fools.

I am 33 if anyone is wondering…
Unbelievable

Correction. If adu is NOT playing.
Unbelievable

Marlon. He said during a taped interview at half-time that he was open to the idea of coaching the USMNT, or in the MLS. It may have been lip-service, especially the MLS coaching, but as coaches get older they might like the challenge of trying to coach a World Cup Team. I think Scolari is still the Portuguese coach, so I don’t think he has anywhere to go…If the US bombs in 2010, which unless Bradley lets the younger players play we will, then I would like to see the US get a foreign coach.

IMO Bradley seemed to be doing well, but the El Salv game was an incredible relapse into the Arena style of thinking.

All my opinion.
http://usa.worldcupblog.org Marlon

You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t take things Maurine said in an interview seriously.
rgbyfiend

I think what Ramiro said is spot on; we’re not playing to win, we’re playing to not lose. Quite honestly it’s boring and irritating at the same time. I want to get new people interested in US soccer, but at this point I think it would just turn them off even more.
hank

Lets face it everybody the us will never win a world cup only the euro teams and south america teams aka argentina and brazil will win them….
http://usa.worldcupblog.org Brooks

Unbelievable: Scolari is no longer the manager of the Portugal national team. He left that post when he took the Chelsea job. Carlos Queiroz is now the coach there.