PRE-GAME:
Hello again. I didn’t really intend on being “running diary guy,” but I enjoyed writing the last one so I thought I’d give it another shot. I even did one on the Chelsea-Bournemouth game earlier this week just for the heck of it, if anyone is interested in some supplemental reading.
Sitting around waiting for the lineup to post.
After having watched Tyler Adams play for RB Leipzig yesterday…I am thoroughly ready to see what Berhalter does with the full team in March. Is that “false 2” position actually designed with Adams in mind? I get hype waaay too easily. Character flaw, I guess. I’d mention McKennie here too, but after watching him play as a target forward/10 for a dreadful Schalke team about an hour ago I think I’ll skip it.
Lineup is out:
What’s up with that red arrow? Any significance? Weird.
Looks like Trapp is in for Bradley and Arriola is in for Ebobisse. Interesting that Trapp is starting the tougher game over Bradley. So assuming the formation stays the same we are looking at:
Flip Arriola and Baird apparently. Arriola as an inverted winger, eh?
Twitter Check:
Not a ton of complaining. Some predictably celebratory tweets about Bradley not starting and a few minor complaints about Zardes, but for the cesspool that is Twitter, that’s about as positive as you get. (If anyone is interested in following me on Twitter it’s @blharreld btw)
Berhalter 
Statham
I like that Berhalter didn’t make too many changes. I’d like to see the same group build some chemistry and see if they play better together. I’m also curious to see if the RB sliding into midfield is going to be a regular thing, or more of a wrinkle.
Marky Delgado didn’t make the bench again. @zlebmada is going to be sad, bit of a player crush there. I guess the Canouse as a 6 isn’t happening for the national team either, not even on the bench this game. Bummer.
Went back and looked at the last lineup…red arrow was there too. Why? I guess Roldan was sort of the right sided 10…could that be it? This bothers me.
Shutting down Twitter. Still feels weird. 😑
Lying about kick-off again. Looks like we’re waiting until 3:50. :-/
US Soccer: See. What had happened was kick-off time was supposed to be 3:30 but…*Fresh Prince Voice*
Wife points out that Zardes’ hair looks like the mane of one of those carousel horses…she’s not wrong.
KICKOFF:
1st minute: Yup. Lima in midfield during possession again.
3rd minute: Looking good early. I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself if the USMNT is going to be fun to watch.
6th minute: Steffen has some sort of small tattoo behind his left ear. I bet that hurt.
7th minute: Costa Rica has looked dangerous a couple times now. Free kick on the edge off the area…pre-freekick snot rocket doesn’t help. Kick goes right into the wall.
10th minute: Is Arriola slow? I swear he just got outrun by a noticeably larger Costa Rican defender. US played out of the press well though.
13th minute: Lima waits 17 minutes to throw the ball in and then throws it straight out of bounds…
17th minute: Costa Rica is much better than Panama. They’ve already attacked the space left by Lima not being at right back.
18th minute: Zimmerman is a problem in the air. He also seems like a total meathead (I mean that in the best possible way). San Dimas high school football rules!
22nd minute: Daniel Lovitz looks like a villain from a Die Hard movie. So a point in his favor there.
26th minute: Is there anything more disappointing than when a keeper looks like he’s about to start a fast break and then pulls it back? Such a tease.
Still 26th minute: The camera then zooms in on four subs aimlessly walking down the sideline as Zardes attempts to chase down a through ball. I wish I were surprised by this.
29th minute: Lovitz’ passing also about as accurate as the aim of a Die Hard villain. Point deducted.
34th minute: Not sure I’ve been impressed by anyone in the attack so far. Really missing the Euro guys against Costa Rica. The wingers aren’t dangerous, Zardes isn’t good, and the 10s haven’t created much of anything.
40th minute: Trying to think of something to write. Ummm. You know that part in Wayne’s World when they’re trying to make a joke about Delaware? That’s this game right now.
41st minute: Baird almost breaks through on goal, but then remembers that he’s really slow and is immediately overtaken by 3 different Costa Rican defenders.
44th minute: This team suffers from a severe lack of speed. I mean, Zardes is sorta fast, but other than that I think everyone else is pretty slow. Maybe Lima? No way to stretch the defense.
46th minute: Mihailovic overhits another pass. He gets into good positions, but his passing hasn’t been great.
HALFTIME
Statham/Berhalter halftime interview is predictably super revealing. Not. (I guess I’m on a Wayne’s World kick?)
Thoughts?
Not a great half. I like that the US is trying to play out of the back through pressure even when its not working all the time. You can tell the team is still working on a system and after 6 years of Klinsmann/Arena that’s refreshing.
That being said, Costa Rica is much better than Panama and it’s making it clear how much we miss the European guys. Baird/Arriola just aren’t dangerous and Zardes tries really hard, but he’s just not as good as Sargent/Altidore. The Zimmerman-Long pairing has been good though. I like them both.
Twitter Check:
- Zardes predictably getting roasted
- Everyone agrees Costa Rica > Panama
- Also Bradley > Trapp (I agree with this 100%) – Also, can everyone please stop using percentages over 100%. That’s not possible. If you’re giving 110% than you were lying about what your best was and secretly giving 90% before.
- If you haven’t already follow @_susaeta on Twitter. He doesn’t tweet a lot, but he may be the best tactical USMNT follow on Twitter.
2nd HALF KICKOFF: (No changes for either team)
46th minute: US does well to play out of pressure (Lovitz undressed a dude), but Baird pulls a shot wide. We miss you Christian.
51st minute: Will Trapp with a great long switch to open things up. Zardes miscontrols a ball to Roldan (he does that oddly consistently) who badly mishits a wide-open shot. Sorry Seattle fans, but I have not been impressed with Roldan over the two games.
52nd minute: Costa Rica even roughing up Mihailovic in a friendly. Very on brand there, Costa Rica. I need to see a US player clean out the best player on another CONCACAF team. Seriously. Don’t take a red, but if Costa Rica is gonna hack down Pulisic, I want one of our guys to take a nasty yellow on Bryan Ruiz.
54th minute: Lima OFF THE POST. That would have been a sweet goal. It almost bent in.
55th minute: Mihailovic with a chance that goes over. Chances galore all of the sudden. What is going on here?!
58th minute: Couple chances off a corner. Long puts it over. Costa Rica is now subbing liberally. US hasn’t started yet.
60th minute: Mihailovic is hacked down again. Come on, someone. Sweep the leg. Looking in your direction, Lovitz.
61st minute: Berhalter goes over to have a word with Costa Rica’s coach. Presumably, to tell him to have his guys back off. Yeah, that’s gonna work. Send in the goons. Lletget comes on for Mihailovic. Is Da Boy a hard man?
66th minute: I like that Berhalter isn’t making a million subs. It helps the flow of the game and makes it seem more meaningful.
67th minute: Costa Rica starting to go full CONCACAF. I hate that we don’t fight back.
68th minute: Roldan OFF THE POST. Same post again. Ugh. Feels like a goal is coming. That probably means Costa Rica is gonna score.
70th minute: Lewis is coming on for Baird. He’s fast. Let’s see if that helps. Also I think I’ve decided I think Lletget is better than Mihailovic. I’m obviously not at practice and maybe he doesn’t move off the ball as well, but his passing is better and it looks like he’s a better dribbler.
72nd minute: Zimmerman is pissed. Gets a yellow for pulling a guy down. I think he got CONCAFed by a Costa Rican a minute ago.
75th minute: Roldan has looked better to me in the last 15 minutes or so. Love a good shoulder.
78th minute: How does Lewis not play for NYCFC? He looks dangerous. Ramirez on for Zardes. He then immediately screws up an attack. Great.
80th minute: GOAL. Sebastian “Da Boy” Lletget. Assisted by Lewis. Lewis has two assists in like 4 minutes of playing time. Get him on the field, Dome. 1-0, US.
83rd minute: Lewis is just tormenting the poor schmuck trying to defend him. He is growing on me rapidly. I’m so tired of impotent wingers (Bedoya, Zusi, etc.).
86th minute: Berhalter may be a vampire. He sparkles suspiciously in the sunlight. Does he also suck the blood of deer and mountain lions? (Betcha didn’t see a Twilight reference coming)
87th minute: Trapp with an awful turnover, but Costa Rica has no one forward to make them pay.
88th minute: GOAL, Arriola. Ramirez with a nice flicked header to Llegett who then plays in Arriola who lobs the keeper. 2-0, US. Ramirez > Zardes and Lletgett > Mihailovic. Costa Rica has made 9 subs though, so take that with a grain of salt.
GAME OVER – No stoppage time. Fair enough.
Final thoughts?
I shouldn’t be, but I’m excited going forward. The team is clearly working on a system. Berhalter seems like he can teach that system and it will create scoring chances. Once the European players are available this could look real good. Other than Mexico and maybe Costa Rica’s full team the US should be much more talented than anyone we play in a competitive game until the World Cup or a random Copa America. Wish there were games before March.
Thanks for reading if you got this far. I may do some of these commentaries for MLS or European games in the next few weeks. Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@blharreld) if there’s anything you’d like me to cover.
