**Soccer Post**

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Tres a cero.

The US team takes down Mexico 3-0. Cavan Sullivan becomes the youngest goalscorer is US men’s history.

That whole match was nightmare fuel for the Mexican goalkeeper.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

I think that having a coach who is not embedded in the typical earn your path mentality of player development and willing to toss the best talent in regardless of age is nice.it seems that past coaches had some tenure based mentality that was in place. It could also be that we are just developing at the youth level better than ever.

Best I could tell, Mexico did not have anyone on their back line who could outrun our front line. Dropping to 3 defenders 2n half was dumb.

 

[patdog]

Why teams continually try to play the ball out of the back when facing pressure is a mystery to me. Stupid tactic but most everyone does it.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Why teams continually try to play the ball out of the back when facing pressure is a mystery to me. Stupid tactic but most everyone does it.

We certainly gave Mexico similar chances. They just didn’t finish.

 

[POTUS]

Why teams continually try to play the ball out of the back when facing pressure is a mystery to me. Stupid tactic but most everyone does it.

Because possession is the most valuable thing in soccer. The only thing more valuable is goals. It’s hard to get beat when the opposition isn’t given any time on the ball.

 

[L4Dawg]

Why teams continually try to play the ball out of the back when facing pressure is a mystery to me. Stupid tactic but most everyone does it.

It's an attempt not to give the ball straight back to the opponent. It works, when you can do it.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Because possession is the most valuable thing in soccer. The only thing more valuable is goals. It’s hard to get beat when the opposition isn’t given any time on the ball.

I don’t mind the playing out of the back. I do mind passing it across in front of our own goal while under heavy pressure. Sometimes a clearance is best.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Because possession is the most valuable thing in soccer. The only thing more valuable is goals. It’s hard to get beat when the opposition isn’t given any time on the ball.

So in other words, possession is the 2nd most valuable thing. And in this case, they gave up a guaranteed “most valuable thing” to try and keep the second most valuable thing. Seems like a bad trade-off.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

I was able to see the second half last night since the other games were of no interest.

That goalie flop was an awesome moment.

 

[Perd Hapley]

I don’t mind the playing out of the back. I do mind passing it across in front of our own goal while under heavy pressure. Sometimes a clearance is best.

Exactly. Like, maybe pass it to this dude instead.

 

[POTUS]

Little kids are taught never to pass across their own goal. It's one of the core fundamentals of the game. Most possession heavy teams don't do it. That keeper was stupid or trying to be aggressive and play a killer pass. Either way, not good.

 

[patdog]

It's an attempt not to give the ball straight back to the opponent. It works, when you can do it.

Few teams can do it.

 

[patdog]

I don’t mind the playing out of the back. I do mind passing it across in front of our own goal while under heavy pressure. Sometimes a clearance is best.

Exactly. There’s a time for it. But under pressure isn’t that time unless you have elite ball handlers at GK and along the back line.

 

[patdog]

Because possession is the most valuable thing in soccer. The only thing more valuable is goals. It’s hard to get beat when the opposition isn’t given any time on the ball.

It’s hard to keep the ball trying to play out vs pressure. I’d rather keep the ball on the other end of the pitch with or without possession that give it up in front of our own goal.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Because possession is the most valuable thing in soccer.

There’s the school of thought that being able to counter that is pretty darn valuable too…

The only thing more valuable is goals. It’s hard to get beat when the opposition isn’t given any time on the ball.

True

 

[mcdawg22]

Why teams continually try to play the ball out of the back when facing pressure is a mystery to me. Stupid tactic but most everyone does it.

We used to not do it. US soccer was all about the clearing long balls in 1994. The European and Latin American teams played possession and the results showed. (And yes, I know they were more talented than us as well.)

It’s why goaliies train foot skills so much now. The goal wasn’t a philosophy error, it was a player error.

 

[POTUS]

It’s why goaliies train foot skills so much now.

It's not 1 to 1, but your goalie being skilled with his feet is a little like a running QB. Now the defense has to cover more people/ground.

 

[Darryl Steight]

We used to not do it. US soccer was all about the clearing long balls in 1994. The European and Latin American teams played possession and the results showed. (And yes, I know they were more talented than us as well.)

It’s why goaliies train foot skills so much now. The goal wasn’t a philosophy error, it was a player error.

Yep, at some point we finally realized that the GK just clearing it every time was simply giving the ball away half or more of the time. But you do have to have a back line that can handle pressure.

At least we seem to be teaching it earlier now and not continuing to play rec ball where the GK always just punts to no one in particular. My son plays centerback and makes me nervous back there sometimes with his casual confidence... but most of the time he gets it out safely. When he or they don't, it's trouble for sure.

 

[patdog]

Yep, at some point we finally realized that the GK just clearing it every time was simply giving the ball away half or more of the time. But you do have to have a back line that can handle pressure.

At least we seem to be teaching it earlier now and not continuing to play rec ball where the GK always just punts to no one in particular. My son plays centerback and makes me nervous back there sometimes with his casual confidence... but most of the time he gets it out safely. When he or they don't, it's trouble for sure.

It's great when it works. It works great for Man City and a few other teams. But for most teams, you still wind up turning the ball over close to half the time, only you turn it over much closer to your own goal. And you leave zero room for error by your goalie and back line. One error can easily turn into a goal against. MOST of the time your son gets it out safely. That's not good enough.

 

[Darryl Steight]

It's great when it works. It works great for Man City and a few other teams. But for most teams, you still wind up turning the ball over close to half the time, only you turn it over much closer to your own goal. And you leave zero room for error by your goalie and back line. One error can easily turn into a goal against. MOST of the time your son gets it out safely. That's not good enough.

I'm not saying it's the only solution, but when you sit there and watch our GK give it to the other team at midfield over and over again... something does need to change.

If I were the coach, my GK would sling it to an open midfield or wing every time instead of punting to noone or passing back to a covered defender... but as I have been reminded once or twice - I'm definitely not the coach