USA have been *SUPERB* in the World Cup. Berhalter has done a fantastic job & his tactics have given his team the best possible chance of winning in each game.
Below, in this in-depth thread, I break down how he did that & how the USA match up against Netherlands.
THREAD! 🇺🇸🇳🇱
Below, in this in-depth thread, I break down how he did that & how the USA match up against Netherlands.
THREAD! 🇺🇸🇳🇱
Against Wales, USA set up in a 3-2-5 shape in possession with Dest conservative positionally alongside the centre backs and Robinson high on the left wing forcing Pulisic to tuck inside. Adams/Musah were in the double pivot, McKennie high & between the lines, Weah RW, Sargent CF.
The attackers were evenly spaced out and occupied every zone on the pitch in attack whilst also maintaining circulatory options behind that in the back 3 and the double pivot who also kept the unit compact in defensive transition behind the initial line of counterpressing.
This is the same shape Pep Guardiola implements at Manchester City with Cancelo high and wide on the left and Kyle Walker inverting on the opposite side. The USA also implemented this shape against England and created an overload against England's defence (5v4 in attack).
It also created an overload in the build-up against England's press as the inverted movements of Pulisic, the high positioning of Robinson, & the central positioning of Dest confused England's respective markers (Trippier, Saka, & Sterling).
The fluid build-up outnumbered them.
The fluid build-up outnumbered them.
Saka was pinned back by Robinson who was high on the left, Sterling was hesitant to press in deep & central areas, & Trippier had to stay narrow against the back four with Pulisic coming inside. This gave the back 3 time to build play.
USA had 51% possession in the 2nd half!
USA had 51% possession in the 2nd half!
Against Iran, USA implemented a different approach as Iran were more cautious defensively & didn't require as many players in defence as Wales and England did due to their lack of overall quality. Berhalter changed the shape to a 2-2-6 with Dest high and wide too (6v5 in attack).
That tactical adaption resulted in USA's goal as they overloaded the back post with Dest who found Pulisic attacking the box from deep in the middle. So, it's clear that in *each* game USA have been excellent in possession, but what's arguably even more impressive is their press!
USA have faced a number of different build-up approaches but have nullified them *ALL* effectively. They were A) incredibly aggressive, B) incredibly brave, and C) incredibly well-drilled against Wales' 3-5-2 where USA pressed them off the park in their narrow 4-3-3 block.
Weah and Pulisic tucked inside to press the outside centre backs with the only player allowed time on the ball being Wales' middle centre back but he had nowhere to go as every single other player was a pressing trigger.
It was sensational, and their performance was fantastic.
It was sensational, and their performance was fantastic.
They dropped off in the second half because they went 1-0 up due to their dominance & went into 'hanging on' mode mentally which is normal for such an inexperienced team, but a staple for this American team is that they're best when brave & aggressive (often when drawing/losing).
They were dominant and aggressive in and out of possession with high possession %'s against both Wales and Iran before they went 1-0 up and then became passive. They improved in this regard against Iran but it still became a little "helter-skelter" towards the end of the game.
Against England, though, at a 0-0 game state, they got better as the game went on! Why? Because they had nothing to lose. They had more of the ball than England in the second half as they maintained their on and off ball aggression, and their press in that game was utterly elite.
They mixed between a 4-4-1-1 high press and a 4-3-3 high press against England's 4-3-3 shape but what made it so reliably excellent was the aggressive pressing against the centre backs in a four. I watch the highest level of football basically every day and this rarely occurs.
USA inverted the ball-side forward onto the ball-side centre back with the fullback brave, athletic, & aggressive enough to press as high as the opposition fullback w/ the ball-side centre back shifting across to mark the winger.
That's pressing. That's compact. That's coaching!
That's pressing. That's compact. That's coaching!
Berhalter has been one of the most impressive coaches in the competition so far and he cannot be faulted so far. He can't be. Not one error has he made.
The coaching is top class, and guys like Dest, Robinson, Turner, Adams, Musah and of course Pulisic are all uber-talented too.
The coaching is top class, and guys like Dest, Robinson, Turner, Adams, Musah and of course Pulisic are all uber-talented too.
However, player quality as a whole is undeniably an issue and why they have had close games against every team so far, but the fact that Berhalter can reduce the margins against a team like England and increase them against Wales and Iran shows what a top, top job he's doing.
Netherland's, on the other hand, are a team with some top players where Berhalter will have to reduce the margins again. They set in a 4-3-3 in possession with Timber at right back, Dumfries high & wide, Blind conservative on the far side, a midfield 3, Depay wide left, Gakpo CF.
However, despite that good on-ball structure, they lack quality in the #8 with van Gaal still unsettled on his preferred choice in each role whilst also being an average pressing team. They struggled to pressurise opposition centre backs in possession the way USA have thus far.
van Gaal's team are most associated for their 3 at the back style and their shape often replicates that in possession too but out of possession their wingbacks are often too passive to press as high as the opposition fullbacks so the wingers are disengaged from the centre backs.
That means that they can struggle to press possession in settled play, so even though their on-ball structure is good, they often fail to utilise it because they're involved in games where they allow the opposition to keep the ball with relative ease.
They're not a complete team
They're not a complete team
However, in saying that, neither are the USA despite being superior tactically.
The USA have great conditions to play through Netherlands' press in their 4-3-3 ➡️ 3-2-5 shape but they also match up really well with their back 3 and 4-3-3 out of possession, akin to Wales/England.
The USA have great conditions to play through Netherlands' press in their 4-3-3 ➡️ 3-2-5 shape but they also match up really well with their back 3 and 4-3-3 out of possession, akin to Wales/England.
That means that they *definitely* have a chance, even if that may be subject to Pulisic's availability to truly capitalise on it. Not only that, but USA typically drop off in games when they go ahead, so it's clear they need to maintain their aggression, particularly vs the Dutch
When Netherland's attack they do it with 5 attackers in the last line and USA only defend with 4 in their 4-3-3. That represents potential for an overload in the final third for Holland, and if the USA are passive at any stage, they can be exploited there.
However, all in all, to even acknowledge that the USA have a legitimate chance of beating Netherland's shows how far they come.
They have the in and out of possession conditions to cause the Dutch issues, but must remain aggressive in & out of possession to have the best chance!
They have the in and out of possession conditions to cause the Dutch issues, but must remain aggressive in & out of possession to have the best chance!
That's easier said than done, though, especially when considering Netherland's have players like de Jong, van Dijk, Gakpo, etc. So, Berhalter should be smart to acknowledge that & bring one of Weah/Pulisic into the back 5 when defending deep to mitigate the 5v4 Holland may have.
Then USA would be tactically complete. Though, despite that, football isn't played on paper, but it's still clear that the USA have a fighting chance of getting through this tie & that's because of their tactical, technical, physical, & psychological qualities.
They're a threat!
They're a threat!
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