I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking forward to tonight for a long time. Since October 10, 2017, to be exact.
Without a permanent coach in place, though, I’m not sure there’s a ton to evaluate. I won’t fret when our press gets broken or when we look disjointed in possession. I’m going to keep my observations pretty simple tonight.
I’ll be watching individual players, and looking for areas that they can improve. Here are the five specific ones I’ll be keeping an eye out on:
1) How do Tim Parker and Aaron Long deal with Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino’s movement?
I’d explain how good Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino is, especially in his runs off the ball, but you’ll probably trust Thierry Henry more. The Frenchman told Sky Sports earlier this year that "Firmino is the most complete striker in the league….His movement, his work-rate, the way he makes the two central defenders move to allow Mo Salah to make those runs.” It’ll be a huge task for the USMNT defenders. We know that Tim Parker and Aaron Long (and Matt Miazga and John Brooks and Cameron Carter-Vickers) have the physical tools to deal with elite strikers, but do they have the mental sharpness?
2) Can Wil Trapp provide enough defensive presence in front of the back four?
Wil Trapp can spray the ball around, we know that. He might be the best passer of any of the defensive midfield options. He certainly has skills to offer. But can he do the defensive work well enough for the international level? He’s not very athletic and doesn’t lay down crunching tackles, so he needs to read the game almost perfectly. Can he move laterally well enough to block the lanes into the strikers? Can he explode over three yards to get to loose balls? Can he read his team’s press and close out pockets?
3) Can Tyler Adams get on the ball enough?
One of the downsides to the Red Bulls’ system is that center mids don’t really need to influence possession. As such, they don’t really learn to influence possession. Tyler Adams rarely has to swing the ball from side to side to suck a defense into a zone. Will that limit his national team career, assuming the coach won’t follow the same Red Bulls approach? Can Adams still influence a game when the game isn’t all about pressing?
4) Will Zardes play within himself, as he does for the Crew SC, or will he feel a need to show he can do more?
I’m not sure any player has been more criticized than Gyasi Zardes over the last couple years (although I suspect Michael Bradley would argue that). But Zardes has resurrected his career this year, fitting nicely into a very specific role in Gregg Berhalter’s system. I’m curious to see whether Zardes continues to stick with the specific duties he does every week in Columbus – which we know does well – or if he tries to push the boundaries, which he hasn’t done well in a while.
5) Will Kellyn Acosta feel the urgency of a leader, or will he float through the game?
Kellyn Acosta is possibly the most talented player on the current roster. He wows every teammate he plays with. But his performances don’t match his potential often enough. Whereas Adams looks like he wants to be the best player on the field at all times, Acosta sometimes looks timid, becoming a passenger in the game. I want to see an Acosta that knows he’s the best player on the field and wants to prove it.
