# Mexico vs USA at Azteca on 6/11



## JJP (Jun 11, 2017)

I love Pulisic.  But he is not enough.  Score is 1-1 but Mexico has completely outplayed the US.  We are longballing and taking long range shots because we cannot connect on enough passes to create quality scoring chances.


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## Kicknit22 (Jun 11, 2017)

JJP said:


> I love Pulisic.  But he is not enough.  Score is 1-1 but Mexico has completely outplayed the US.  We are longballing and taking long range shots because we cannot connect on enough passes to create quality scoring chances.


Completely disagree.  Mexico has not outplayed the US one bit.  They've out flopped the US, that's for sure.  Both teams had close misses.


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## PLSAP (Jun 11, 2017)

JJP said:


> I love Pulisic.  But he is not enough.  Score is 1-1 but Mexico has completely outplayed the US.  We are longballing and taking long range shots because we cannot connect on enough passes to create quality scoring chances.


You couldn't have expected one player to carry the team?? 

Anyways, he was playing a more defensive role as the entire USMNT team basically was and holding farther back to try and find the counter, at which point Pulisic would almost always stay back or stay more central because he couldn't be expected to drop back and defend then sprint up the field, to drop back in a 1/2 minute or so as most of the counters were unsuccessful and possession would once again go the Mexico. The few times he could actually play a #10 role, he found a little bit of space but almost everytime had no support and no options to do anything with the space except dribble (which he did to well to get a couple of attempts on goal).


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## f1nfutbol fan (Jun 12, 2017)

I thought the game was very academic, despite the usa long-ball approach. 

USA knew who they had to mark - content with absorbing the pressure & the USA defenders put in some amazing efforts to foil mexico's attack.

Mexico knew they had to swarm: woods, pulisic / who ever got on the ball in the mid field that was an attacking threat....funny / sad thing is, they left bradley alone - didnt feel as if he was a shooting threat & he put 1 in the net & hit the post with another effort... espn fc claims usa had 7 shots... i barely recall 4.

Glad usa got out of there with a draw, obviously would have been better with all 3 points.

side note..... mexcio's 1st touch for 1/2 of the team is crap. It wasnt just last nights game either, during the honduras - mexico game & my dd  was in shock @ how bad they were. You have to give them credit for hustling / scrambling to gain control of the heavy touches.


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## Sheriff Joe (Jun 12, 2017)

JJP said:


> I love Pulisic.  But he is not enough.  Score is 1-1 but Mexico has completely outplayed the US.  We are longballing and taking long range shots because we cannot connect on enough passes to create quality scoring chances.


We must have been watching a different game.
Mexico is just a bunch of dirty playing little punks.
Agree on the Pulisic, how can you miss the frame by 10 ft when you are only 20 ft away?
Great result for the USA.


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## El Clasico (Jun 12, 2017)

As I read through the posts in this thread (with the exception of the original post), I now understand why soccer in this country is decades away from truly competing on the global stage.


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## Sheriff Joe (Jun 12, 2017)

El Clasico said:


> As I read through the posts in this thread (with the exception of the original post), I now understand why soccer in this country is decades away from truly competing on the global stage.


Is it the absence of goats in the street?
Obviously you aren't talking about the USWNT.


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## JJP (Jun 12, 2017)

USA was not able to carry the ball past midfield while maintaining any semblance of attacking shape.

Early into the second half USA defenders simply gave up on trying to connect with its midfielders and simply booted long balls to a lone striker up top, who was going against a well positioned 4 man Mexican backline, pretty much a hopeless attacking situation.  Essentially, every time the US won possession in its own end, it just gave possession back to Mexico and allowed them to reset.

Bypassing the midfield meant Pulisic, our best player, barely touched the ball.  Pulisic eventually realized he wasn't going to get the ball at midfield and either pushed deeper to get a shot at collecting long balls or stayed back to help out on D.  Pulisic is an attacking midfielder, so having your best player abandon his natural position is, IMO, a strategic failure.

The US defense concentrated in the middle and left Mexico's wingers wide open.  Despite the concentration in the middle, Mexico was still able to go up our gut several times and get even more defenders clogging the center before kicking out to their wide open wingers, their left wing in particular had acres of space.

Luckily for the US Mexico's left wing was terrible.  If Mexico's left winger had offensive skills and speed, they would have banged in at least 2 more goals IMO.


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## Sheriff Joe (Jun 12, 2017)

JJP said:


> USA was not able to carry the ball past midfield while maintaining any semblance of attacking shape.
> 
> Early into the second half USA defenders simply gave up on trying to connect with its midfielders and simply booted long balls to a lone striker up top, who was going against a well positioned 4 man Mexican backline, pretty much a hopeless attacking situation.  Essentially, every time the US won possession in its own end, it just gave possession back to Mexico and allowed them to reset.
> 
> ...


Maybe, but you have to play with the team you have.
I am not sure what the US coach was really trying to do by making all those changes before the game.
Everyone complained about the last coach and he has been replaced, lets see how this guy does.


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## f1nfutbol fan (Jun 12, 2017)

Sheriff Joe said:


> I am not sure what the US coach was really trying to do by making all those changes before the game.


? yellow card count preservation?

hopefully team continuity is developed before sep 1.... what, there are 3 or 4 games scheduled before then & they play panama, who tied costa rica 0-0



Sheriff Joe said:


> Everyone complained about the last coach and he has been replaced, lets see how this guy does


 to me, everyone for the most part stayed positive & did their part... so they are listening / behind arena. I dont recall seeing ream or arriola play much for the usmnt; although my memory sucks & I dont watch every game.... with that being said, i dont recall seeing acosta playing much either, but they all did well yesterday.

how many shots did usa have inside the 18yd box?..... bradley had 2 of the shots & they were taken > 30yds out... not ideal by any stretch of the imagination..... from range or the person taking them.


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## Sheriff Joe (Jun 12, 2017)

f1nfutbol fan said:


> ? yellow card count preservation?
> 
> hopefully team continuity is developed before sep 1.... what, there are 3 or 4 games scheduled before then & they play panama, who tied costa rica 0-0
> 
> ...


I think they were hoping for a win or draw against mexico and counting on a win against costa rica.


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## timbuck (Jun 13, 2017)

Playing at 8000 feet in dirty air on 3 days rest.. you might want to minimize the running.


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