My 3 Thoughts on Jamaica-USMNT
U.S. Midfield Not the Same in 1-1 Tie Without All 3 of MMA; Set-Piece Misery Continues; Weah Strikes Again
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Here are my three thoughts on the USMNT’s 1-1 tie against Jamaica in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier, bringing the U.S. to 15 points after eight games in the 14-game CONCACAF Octagonal:
• The U.S. was missing some significant things in this game. For starters, the central midfield just isn’t the same without all three of the MMA combo (Yunus Musah-Weston McKennie-Tyler Adams). McKennie was out on a yellow-card suspension, and while replacement Gianluca Busio wasn’t necessarily bad, he didn’t bring the non-stop energy that McKennie brings to the equation, and like Musah he often stayed on the ball a touch too long before losing it. The components of the MMA midfield really do complement each other and bring out a whole that’s more than the sum of its parts. I’d argue that Musah and Adams weren’t as good in this game as they were against Mexico largely because McKennie wasn’t involved. Beyond that, the U.S. was once again missing something else important: The danger on set-pieces that had been a regular threat in the Gold Cup but has been non-existent in World Cup qualifying so far. A lot of that has to do with set-piece deliveries, which were poor again on Tuesday, whether they were coming from Christian Pulisic or Busio (or, in the last game, Brenden Aaronson). The U.S. has to start finding that dead-ball threat again. Lastly, the U.S. just didn’t create enough scoring chances. The best chance of the second half was a sitter in front of the U.S. goal that Bobby Reid skied over the bar. Otherwise, this could have been a 2-1 loss.
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• Tim Weah is becoming an attacking force for the national team. For the third straight game, the 21-year-old Weah made a major contribution on a big goal. This time he squirmed his way through a Jamaican defense that was grasping at straws as he weaved in and finished a golazo off the right post past Andre Blake to put the U.S. ahead in the 11th minute. Weah’s confidence just keeps growing, even though he tailed off after that and was removed midway through the second half. He also had extra motivation considering his aunt, who lives in Kingston, was at the game. When the PA announcer was reading the starting lineups, he read the U.S. players’ names one by one until he got to Weah, who he mentioned was the “son of George Weah, the Ballon d’Or winner, and of his mother [Clar] from Jamaica.”
• Michail Antonio’s screamer changed the game. The U.S. was totally bossing the match and ahead 1-0 when Antonio, the ever-dangerous West Ham United forward, hit an absolutely incredible shot from distance to beat Zack Steffen. Seriously, I can’t even describe the sound in the stadium when Antonio’s foot hit the ball. It was a thunderclap. Could Steffen have done more? No. Could Adams have kept himself from overpursuing? It’s hard to fault him on it. Jurgen Klinsmann used to say that the defense was always at fault somehow when it conceded a goal. But in this case I don’t necessarily believe that. Sometimes a player just makes a remarkable play. That’s what Antonio did. He’s a crazy-good game-changing talent. And it gave life after that to Jamaica, which got much more into the flow of the game and no longer looked like it would be overrun by the USMNT. Jamaica is still alive in this tournament.
What are your thoughts on the game? You can share them in the comments below.
It is 18 degrees in Edmonton.
Removing Weah instead of Aaronson was a poor decision.
Also, if it's an even competition, Turner should get his job back after this.
If "distribution" is the skill Steffen hangs his hat on, it wasn't good today (he was so fortunate to not have conceded when he played the ball directly to Jamaica while well off his line). While, admittedly, I'm not certain Turner saves that shot, I'm also not certain he doesn't.
The Turner/Steffen choice is so simple to me. Shot-stopping is *the* fundamental skill for a keeper. Distribution is secondary.
GGG isn't Pep or Klopp and he doesn't have his choice of world-class shot-stoppers AND distributors - so you default to the best shot-stopper every single time.
It was a "fine" game. That's it.