USA/Guatemala

USA Grabs Spot In Hexagonal

Guatemala Offers Cautionary Tale In Box Defending

Clint Dempsey makes his case for Best American Of All Time a little stronger with a brace and an assist against Guatemala in Kansas City as the US took a crucial 3-1 win.  Despite a idiotic moment of marking and covering by the back four leading to the visitor's goal two minutes into the match, mere minutes later the US showed its attacking quality and equalized, never to look back.  Duece did shadow his great evening with a yellow card for simulation in what was a blatant effort to earn himself the hat trick from the spot late in the second half.  As a player, I totally get it.  As a coach who is constantly seeking class acts to hold up for younger players to emulate...I'm terribly disappointed.



But a couple of tactical points of interest that may be of interest beyond the basic scorelines/storylines.

Zonal Marking On Corners

The touch from Dempsey enters the ball into a space designed to be covered by the GK or the man in the 6 by the back post...but because of the pace of ball, they cannot react fast enough; all the defenders reacted to the initial cross, which would have sent the ball to a space closer to the group of four defenders.

 The yellow box shows the most vulnerable space in the zone.  It should be coverable by the GK and the back post man....but the zone is too static, with the defenders failing to impede in any way the American runners.

 Had any of the Guatemalan defenders just bumped or battled Dempsey as he attacked this ball, the header may never have happened, or may have gone in a far less dangerous area.  As it is, the ball was whipped in hard by Zusi and so the GK has to remain on his line to protect the goal, rather than leave his line to defend the space toward his back post.  A cross to that area is easily his, or if too deep, the back post man's.  However, the touch from Dempsey exposes the space faster than those two can react.

 Bocanegra runs hard through the area, knowing, clearly, what space to attack.  Given that both US runners are in this same area, and that the US only sent two actual runners (Johnson just hangs out on the PK spot), it is a safe conclusion that this was a result of scouting the US staff, and they set this corner up to be played exactly like this.  On Guatemala's part, they evidently didn't realize, or take measures to protect, this vulnerability in their defense.

The really stunning part here is how poorly the back post defender (seen from the main camera angle) is reading the play.  While he can see all the runners doing their thing, he is standing with all his weight on his right foot, hands on hips, spectating as Dempsey (red circle) skips the ball deeper into the six yard area.  The ball is headed right at this guy, who can clearly see Bocanegra and Cameron charging into the very space he's meant to cover- behind the GK - and yet he hasn't begun to move.  He, more than any other in an otherwise thrilling qualification run, cost the team the chance to advance.  Selfish stuff.

Zonal defending at corners still requires fundamental skills; prevent the attackers from moving freely, or on straight lines.  No header should go unchallenged, at the least, and every man must do his job thoroughly.  Man-marking on corners requires these things as well, and while the Guatemalan's did well in holding their shape, they allowed the soft spot in the shape to be attacked far too easily.  They had plenty of numbers to account for the runners, and should have been better prepared for this type of play.

Savvy Runners Exploit US Back 4

Carlos Ruiz, for the visitors, caused some trouble for the back line, and his play here in the 41st minute shows why he's a tricky character to deal with.  What looks to the casual observer as a lazy forward not staying connected to the team is much more likely a game plan decision, based on the generally spotty back line play - underscored by the goal - by US teams, and a lack of speed amongst the USA defenders.  Not that Ruiz is super-speedy as he puts 30 years of age pretty well astern, but he's quick, and a fine finisher, so he just needs the yard of space to be in.

Off the GK's punt, Ruiz is an easy 8 or 10 yards deeper than the US back 4.  Two passes are interchanged in the central midfield area, resulting in this:

Ruiz moseys back just in time to "tag up" with the back line as his teammate receives the second pass and picks his head up to see where to find Ruiz.  Knowing that Ruiz would be loitering behind the back 4, it's obviously a long pass and the midfielder need only see where Ruiz's run will take him:

His second touch is a lofted ball which splits the center backs, and while on this particular occasion the ball ran long to Tim Howard, it is easy to see how the Guatemalans used two short passes (accomplishing nothing in the middle of the field, really) to simply give Ruiz time to get onside, and the other two blue shirts time to get near to Ruiz.  Any ball not played too long is played into a 3 v. 3, and the left winger is charging hard, making it 4 v. 4.  The pressure that Ruiz's starting position adds is simply that the back line must defend in 360 degrees.  It's not particularly attractive football, it doesn't require much beyond good timing and the ability to hit a 25 or 30 yard ball.  But it works...or almost, in Guatemala's case Tuesday night!

The really interesting takeaway for a young player is that the forward spends much of his time moving toward the ball.  If the midfielder had been under pressure (and, truly, did the two US center mids need to be so deep here?) the forward simply continues to run toward the ball and offer a pass to feet.  Since there is no pressure, he checks up, and takes off after the long pass.  Too many young attackers simply run upfield, away from the ball as soon as the team takes possession.  And it's tough to hit a pass when all the passer can see is the backside of the runner.

On to the Hexagonal!