US v Portugal

Again, 6 in the morning and I can't sleep.  What a game last night.  Who would have thought that we would be UPSET about tying with Portugal... the #4 ranked team in the world...?!?   Not only that, but we were the FAR better team.  We went to a bar in town - hoping to find a bar that was busy with people going there to watch the game.  We couldn't really find anywhere, so just went to the last bar we drove by.   It was a cracker of a game, so by 30 minutes in, everyone who was there to eat or socialize ended up being glued to the game.   I probably only sat for 10 minutes in total during the second half.  I was up and down like the obnoxious American I am.   Bennett and I both think that our cheering created a pro-USA mentality throughout the bar, as everyone seemed to be cheering for USA by the end of the game.  I didn't really notice anyone else all game, though.   What a game.    And yes, if you're wondering, I was Free'd up from the Feet up.  Stars and Stripes Vans high-tops, USA Flag socks, USMNT scarf.  I left my flag bandana in the car.  The only thing I was missing was Uncle Sam boxers.

Here are my thoughts for the game:

US changed from a 4-4-2 diamond midfield to a 4-2-3-1.  Dempsey playing the high forward, Bradley right behind him.  I think this was the right choice vs. Portugal, regardless of Altidore's availability. the diamond midfield leaves us open at DCM and we don't have the skill in the midfield to possess well with tight outside midfielders.  Bradley was much better in the role of ACM in this formation, although I still think he's better than how he played yesterday.    Once we settled in 5-10 minutes after the goal, and Bradley was able to trust the defensive work of his DCMs, the game opened up for the boys in white.   I still like Bradley better as a holding mid, as his tireless workrate and tackling capabilities are fantastic.     I expected Portugal to be a lot better.  Sure, they were missing Pepe and Fabio Coentrao, and Postiga had to come off early, but we had the run of play for practically the whole game.   Jones was absolutely fantastic.  He covered a ton of ground, broke up everything through the middle, and is Fabian Johnson's new best friend with how many times he found him wide right.  Johnson was equally fantastic.  He forced Ronaldo out of his comfort zone, spent 90 minutes working like a dog up and down the field, and did it all to a world class team in Portugal.

Howard should have done better on two occasions, but he also did his job and came up big on a few other occasions.  Let's just say he's better than Casillas :)   Other than going down a little too early on the first goal, and somehow not getting enough on the shot from distance that ended up bouncing off the post, sparking a remarkable fingertip save, he was world class.

Back line:
Beyond my expectations.  I knew  next to nothing about Fabian Johnson coming into the tournament, but he's been the most impressive US player for me. His ability to get up and down the field, services from wide positions, and his 1v1 defending skills were great.  Ronaldo couldn't get by him early in the game and started roaming.  He wasn't dangerous going through the middle, and couldn't get anything started on the left.  He had a miserable first 94 minutes and 30 seconds. I attribute a lot of that to Johnson. Unfortunately Ronaldo only needs to be brilliant once in a game to get that result.  It's not a tough statement to say Cameron was awful, missing that vital clearance, he had 1-2 more that were very poor as well.  He was also partially responsible for the final goal by letting his mark free.  Besler was good.  My expectations of Damarcus Beasley were very low to start, and I don't think he was terrible, but he was an obvious weak link on the field.  I don't remember who was marking Ronaldo when he served in the final ball, but it was on Beasley's side.

Midfield 3:
It took a little time for them to settle down.  Bradley started the game trying to do too much.  He was crowding Jones and Beckerman in the DCMs, especially in possession.  The result led to Dempsey being left alone up top because there was no link-up play.  Once Bradley settled and stayed higher, things started opening up.  I also think Beckerman wasn't quick enough overall.  Too slow to distribute on the ball, not stepping into the right spaces to link the forward 4 and the back 4, and we were open to the counter because of it.       And then there's Jones.  Oh, Jones, how you won everyone's heart yesterday.  Everyone knows how clutch and how incredibly impressive that goal was.  His break-up ability in the middle made it very difficult for Portugal to possess through the middle, especially in the middle third of the field.   I attribute much of Portugal's failure to Jones' break-up play defensively.  Covered a Bradley or Alonso amount of the field, got stuck in on numerous occasions.  He got a yellow late(which is scary going into the Germany game, we can't lose him in the 2nd round) for a soft tackle, which was probably more for persistent infringement, but I can't be sure with the level of referees thus far in the tournament  :/   Overall, I think the midfield 3 were fantastic from the 10th minute on.

Wingers/Dempsey:
I think the problem with the 4-2-3-1 is that we don't have any natural wingers.  Bedoya was absent.  Not terrible, just absent.  I can't really say if he was absent because we didn't go wide left when he was in, or if he was absent because his off-ball movement was poor.  But I don't see him starting against Germany.  I think he was likely told to be a bit more withdrawn to help Beasley on the left side.     I expected a lot more out of Zusi.  He's put on the field to send in good crosses, as he has many times before.  His corners were terrible, and I can't quite recall if he had a single good cross all game, either into a dangerous area or by picking someone out.  Then again, his sub-par corner led to the Jones wonderstrike, and he had the assist to Dempsey that put the states up 2-1, so maybe it's OK in the end.       Yedlin.YYYYeeeddddllin.   YEEEDDDLLLINNNNNNNNNNNN!   Congrats to the young man.  I knew that if he were to get in this tournament, it would be late in the game to help the back line bunker down if we were tied or beating Portugal.  His recovery speed and tenacity was huge.  It was glorious to see him send that ball in for the 2nd goal.  I totally lost it in the bar.  I'm choking up just thinking about the play.  So proud of him.        Also, I think Donovan would have been a good inclusion in this game.
Dempsey played very well.  He's a very versatile player, can play a lot of different roles in a lot of different positions and formations.  USMNT would be much different without him. It's too bad that he has to play the high forward, as I love him as a withdrawn striker, playing off of an Altidore-type player.  Martins, anyone??

Klinsmann:
The 12th man yesterday.   In Klinsmann we trust.  Made the right lineup and formation to start the game, made the right tactical subs at the right time, has prepared this young side with mediocre talent very well.  Shut down Ronaldo.  Utilized our strengths, hid our weaknesses.  Putting in Yedlin in the 70-somethingth at right wing was perfect.  The correct, but somewhat obvious decision to sub Zusi for Omar Gonzales late to preserve the victory.    Klinsmann did everything right, but as he quickly figured out, USMNT is not Germany.  Small and big mistakes made that game 2-2, nothing Klinsmann could have done better, in my opinion.