by Craig Laycock
Original article:
This weekend offered the opportunity to take a closer look at this year’s World Cup squads as managers put the final touches on their tactical approaches.
We ran the rule over some of those games to see if anything transpired that would encourage us to change our predictions for the tournament.
Here’s how everyone got on:
There have been some uncomfortable questions asked of USA manager Pochettino ahead of this World Cup. He’s drawn criticism from some quarters for tinkering too much with his side, and most recently took pelters for not calling USMNT candidates that he chose not to select for the tournament.
So with the manager under siege, did this friendly against Group I’s Senegal allay any of those fears? Well, maybe. It certainly addressed the main issue, which was a slump in the USA’s form. Christian Pulisic, under domestic pressure himself after a barren scoring spell, was tactically well-utilised by Pochettino and found himself on the scoresheet.
What the match didn’t address were question marks around the defence. Two sloppily conceded goals soured the result slightly, but this was a much more robust performance against a good side. The real test will be if they can keep the back door shut against elite opposition.
Senegal also came into this match looking to prove a point, showing some dangerous moments along the way. Their hopes also rest on their defensive performance, and they too found themselves open at the back more than they would have hoped, with fatigue playing a factor late in the game.
+++
We urged caution in our tournament predictions for Brazil, saying they’re a good side but expect them to come unstuck in the later stages of the competition based on their qualification record (5th in CONMEBOL).
But their tournament preparation looks in good shape as they won this entertaining encounter against Group L’s Panama. We saw evidence of their freeform destructiveness in attack, from their first goal through to the end of the game.
There’s a lot to talk about with this game, but check out Brazil’s first goal from Vinicius Jr for a taste of what we might be able to expect at the tournament in terms of individual quality from Brazil.
Panama got a couple back, one from an own goal and another from a long range consolation howitzer of their own, but ultimately they were helpless against Brazil and Group L rivals England will have little to worry about on this evidence.
Germany, meanwhile, made short work of non-qualifiers Finland. The main headline from that one, aside from Germany’s total dominance, was two goals from Deniz Undav, asking the question: could he be a starter for Germany at the tournament? If he’s not injured. Nagelsmann will be eagerly awaiting the results of a scan after he went down clutching his calf.
Cape Verde made a real statement of intent with a 3-0 win over European opposition against Serbia. Could this be a demonstration of their potential to cause an upset in Group H against the likes of Spain?
Czechia meanwhile beat Kosovo 2-1 in a match that looked tight, but in reality they controlled. Their control of the game was only undone by a lapse in concentration late in the game and a disallowed goal that would have made it 3-1. But questions remain about those concentration lapses, which have become familiar to Czech fans.
Meanwhile Switzerland saw off Jordan 4-1, simultaneously suggesting they have nothing to worry about going into the tournament, while Jordan most definitely will have a thing or two to ponder. But the real story from this game was the weather-related pandemonium reminiscent of Germany v Denmark at Euro 2024. A sudden thunderstorm forced players off and triggered chaotic scenes where the referee found himself blowing the final whistle more than once.
Japan took on Iceland, beating them 1-0 in a match that saw Iceland become victims of the new rule around players leaving the field of play during substitutions. They didn’t leave the pitch at the nearest point within 10 seconds, meaning they were penalized, had to play with ten men for a minute and conceded a goal during that window. Oops. Could be an interesting rule to keep an eye on for the World Cup. That takes Japan’s winning streak to 6 consecutive games.
Elsewhere, Mexico managed a narrow win over Australia in a match that did little to entertain the neutrals, although the partisan crowd in Mexico was in vociferous support. Ochoa played the whole second half, suggesting the 40-year-old may indeed be in rotation for the tournament.
South Korea easily dispatched Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 to underline their strengths ahead of the opening games, and Ecuador beat Saudi Arabia 2-1, which is a creditable result for Saudi Arabia against a side some are tipping as dark horses.
10 min read
USA back in form? Key friendlies recapped
Signs of revival for Pochettino after a turbulent few weeks.
10 min read
This weekend offered the opportunity to take a closer look at this year’s World Cup squads as managers put the final touches on their tactical approaches.
We ran the rule over some of those games to see if anything transpired that would encourage us to change our predictions for the tournament.
Here’s how everyone got on:
There have been some uncomfortable questions asked of USA manager Pochettino ahead of this World Cup. He’s drawn criticism from some quarters for tinkering too much with his side, and most recently took pelters for not calling USMNT candidates that he chose not to select for the tournament.
So with the manager under siege, did this friendly against Group I’s Senegal allay any of those fears? Well, maybe. It certainly addressed the main issue, which was a slump in the USA’s form. Christian Pulisic, under domestic pressure himself after a barren scoring spell, was tactically well-utilised by Pochettino and found himself on the scoresheet.
What the match didn’t address were question marks around the defence. Two sloppily conceded goals soured the result slightly, but this was a much more robust performance against a good side. The real test will be if they can keep the back door shut against elite opposition.
Senegal also came into this match looking to prove a point, showing some dangerous moments along the way. Their hopes also rest on their defensive performance, and they too found themselves open at the back more than they would have hoped, with fatigue playing a factor late in the game.
+++
We urged caution in our tournament predictions for Brazil, saying they’re a good side but expect them to come unstuck in the later stages of the competition based on their qualification record (5th in CONMEBOL).
But their tournament preparation looks in good shape as they won this entertaining encounter against Group L’s Panama. We saw evidence of their freeform destructiveness in attack, from their first goal through to the end of the game.
There’s a lot to talk about with this game, but check out Brazil’s first goal from Vinicius Jr for a taste of what we might be able to expect at the tournament in terms of individual quality from Brazil.
Panama got a couple back, one from an own goal and another from a long range consolation howitzer of their own, but ultimately they were helpless against Brazil and Group L rivals England will have little to worry about on this evidence.
Germany, meanwhile, made short work of non-qualifiers Finland. The main headline from that one, aside from Germany’s total dominance, was two goals from Deniz Undav, asking the question: could he be a starter for Germany at the tournament? If he’s not injured. Nagelsmann will be eagerly awaiting the results of a scan after he went down clutching his calf.
Cape Verde made a real statement of intent with a 3-0 win over European opposition against Serbia. Could this be a demonstration of their potential to cause an upset in Group H against the likes of Spain?
Czechia meanwhile beat Kosovo 2-1 in a match that looked tight, but in reality they controlled. Their control of the game was only undone by a lapse in concentration late in the game and a disallowed goal that would have made it 3-1. But questions remain about those concentration lapses, which have become familiar to Czech fans.
Meanwhile Switzerland saw off Jordan 4-1, simultaneously suggesting they have nothing to worry about going into the tournament, while Jordan most definitely will have a thing or two to ponder. But the real story from this game was the weather-related pandemonium reminiscent of Germany v Denmark at Euro 2024. A sudden thunderstorm forced players off and triggered chaotic scenes where the referee found himself blowing the final whistle more than once.
Japan took on Iceland, beating them 1-0 in a match that saw Iceland become victims of the new rule around players leaving the field of play during substitutions. They didn’t leave the pitch at the nearest point within 10 seconds, meaning they were penalized, had to play with ten men for a minute and conceded a goal during that window. Oops. Could be an interesting rule to keep an eye on for the World Cup. That takes Japan’s winning streak to 6 consecutive games.
Elsewhere, Mexico managed a narrow win over Australia in a match that did little to entertain the neutrals, although the partisan crowd in Mexico was in vociferous support. Ochoa played the whole second half, suggesting the 40-year-old may indeed be in rotation for the tournament.
South Korea easily dispatched Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 to underline their strengths ahead of the opening games, and Ecuador beat Saudi Arabia 2-1, which is a creditable result for Saudi Arabia against a side some are tipping as dark horses.
USA back in form? Key friendlies recapped
Signs of revival for Pochettino after a turbulent few weeks.
Original article:
Last updated:
This weekend offered the opportunity to take a closer look at this year’s World Cup squads as managers put the final touches on their tactical approaches.
We ran the rule over some of those games to see if anything transpired that would encourage us to change our predictions for the tournament.
Here’s how everyone got on:
There have been some uncomfortable questions asked of USA manager Pochettino ahead of this World Cup. He’s drawn criticism from some quarters for tinkering too much with his side, and most recently took pelters for not calling USMNT candidates that he chose not to select for the tournament.
So with the manager under siege, did this friendly against Group I’s Senegal allay any of those fears? Well, maybe. It certainly addressed the main issue, which was a slump in the USA’s form. Christian Pulisic, under domestic pressure himself after a barren scoring spell, was tactically well-utilised by Pochettino and found himself on the scoresheet.
What the match didn’t address were question marks around the defence. Two sloppily conceded goals soured the result slightly, but this was a much more robust performance against a good side. The real test will be if they can keep the back door shut against elite opposition.
Senegal also came into this match looking to prove a point, showing some dangerous moments along the way. Their hopes also rest on their defensive performance, and they too found themselves open at the back more than they would have hoped, with fatigue playing a factor late in the game.
+++
We urged caution in our tournament predictions for Brazil, saying they’re a good side but expect them to come unstuck in the later stages of the competition based on their qualification record (5th in CONMEBOL).
But their tournament preparation looks in good shape as they won this entertaining encounter against Group L’s Panama. We saw evidence of their freeform destructiveness in attack, from their first goal through to the end of the game.
There’s a lot to talk about with this game, but check out Brazil’s first goal from Vinicius Jr for a taste of what we might be able to expect at the tournament in terms of individual quality from Brazil.
Panama got a couple back, one from an own goal and another from a long range consolation howitzer of their own, but ultimately they were helpless against Brazil and Group L rivals England will have little to worry about on this evidence.
Germany, meanwhile, made short work of non-qualifiers Finland. The main headline from that one, aside from Germany’s total dominance, was two goals from Deniz Undav, asking the question: could he be a starter for Germany at the tournament? If he’s not injured. Nagelsmann will be eagerly awaiting the results of a scan after he went down clutching his calf.
Cape Verde made a real statement of intent with a 3-0 win over European opposition against Serbia. Could this be a demonstration of their potential to cause an upset in Group H against the likes of Spain?
Czechia meanwhile beat Kosovo 2-1 in a match that looked tight, but in reality they controlled. Their control of the game was only undone by a lapse in concentration late in the game and a disallowed goal that would have made it 3-1. But questions remain about those concentration lapses, which have become familiar to Czech fans.
Meanwhile Switzerland saw off Jordan 4-1, simultaneously suggesting they have nothing to worry about going into the tournament, while Jordan most definitely will have a thing or two to ponder. But the real story from this game was the weather-related pandemonium reminiscent of Germany v Denmark at Euro 2024. A sudden thunderstorm forced players off and triggered chaotic scenes where the referee found himself blowing the final whistle more than once.
Japan took on Iceland, beating them 1-0 in a match that saw Iceland become victims of the new rule around players leaving the field of play during substitutions. They didn’t leave the pitch at the nearest point within 10 seconds, meaning they were penalized, had to play with ten men for a minute and conceded a goal during that window. Oops. Could be an interesting rule to keep an eye on for the World Cup. That takes Japan’s winning streak to 6 consecutive games.
Elsewhere, Mexico managed a narrow win over Australia in a match that did little to entertain the neutrals, although the partisan crowd in Mexico was in vociferous support. Ochoa played the whole second half, suggesting the 40-year-old may indeed be in rotation for the tournament.
South Korea easily dispatched Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 to underline their strengths ahead of the opening games, and Ecuador beat Saudi Arabia 2-1, which is a creditable result for Saudi Arabia against a side some are tipping as dark horses.
10 min read
USA back in form? Key friendlies recapped
Signs of revival for Pochettino after a turbulent few weeks.
This weekend offered the opportunity to take a closer look at this year’s World Cup squads as managers put the final touches on their tactical approaches.
We ran the rule over some of those games to see if anything transpired that would encourage us to change our predictions for the tournament.
Here’s how everyone got on:
There have been some uncomfortable questions asked of USA manager Pochettino ahead of this World Cup. He’s drawn criticism from some quarters for tinkering too much with his side, and most recently took pelters for not calling USMNT candidates that he chose not to select for the tournament.
So with the manager under siege, did this friendly against Group I’s Senegal allay any of those fears? Well, maybe. It certainly addressed the main issue, which was a slump in the USA’s form. Christian Pulisic, under domestic pressure himself after a barren scoring spell, was tactically well-utilised by Pochettino and found himself on the scoresheet.
What the match didn’t address were question marks around the defence. Two sloppily conceded goals soured the result slightly, but this was a much more robust performance against a good side. The real test will be if they can keep the back door shut against elite opposition.
Senegal also came into this match looking to prove a point, showing some dangerous moments along the way. Their hopes also rest on their defensive performance, and they too found themselves open at the back more than they would have hoped, with fatigue playing a factor late in the game.
+++
We urged caution in our tournament predictions for Brazil, saying they’re a good side but expect them to come unstuck in the later stages of the competition based on their qualification record (5th in CONMEBOL).
But their tournament preparation looks in good shape as they won this entertaining encounter against Group L’s Panama. We saw evidence of their freeform destructiveness in attack, from their first goal through to the end of the game.
There’s a lot to talk about with this game, but check out Brazil’s first goal from Vinicius Jr for a taste of what we might be able to expect at the tournament in terms of individual quality from Brazil.
Panama got a couple back, one from an own goal and another from a long range consolation howitzer of their own, but ultimately they were helpless against Brazil and Group L rivals England will have little to worry about on this evidence.
Germany, meanwhile, made short work of non-qualifiers Finland. The main headline from that one, aside from Germany’s total dominance, was two goals from Deniz Undav, asking the question: could he be a starter for Germany at the tournament? If he’s not injured. Nagelsmann will be eagerly awaiting the results of a scan after he went down clutching his calf.
Cape Verde made a real statement of intent with a 3-0 win over European opposition against Serbia. Could this be a demonstration of their potential to cause an upset in Group H against the likes of Spain?
Czechia meanwhile beat Kosovo 2-1 in a match that looked tight, but in reality they controlled. Their control of the game was only undone by a lapse in concentration late in the game and a disallowed goal that would have made it 3-1. But questions remain about those concentration lapses, which have become familiar to Czech fans.
Meanwhile Switzerland saw off Jordan 4-1, simultaneously suggesting they have nothing to worry about going into the tournament, while Jordan most definitely will have a thing or two to ponder. But the real story from this game was the weather-related pandemonium reminiscent of Germany v Denmark at Euro 2024. A sudden thunderstorm forced players off and triggered chaotic scenes where the referee found himself blowing the final whistle more than once.
Japan took on Iceland, beating them 1-0 in a match that saw Iceland become victims of the new rule around players leaving the field of play during substitutions. They didn’t leave the pitch at the nearest point within 10 seconds, meaning they were penalized, had to play with ten men for a minute and conceded a goal during that window. Oops. Could be an interesting rule to keep an eye on for the World Cup. That takes Japan’s winning streak to 6 consecutive games.
Elsewhere, Mexico managed a narrow win over Australia in a match that did little to entertain the neutrals, although the partisan crowd in Mexico was in vociferous support. Ochoa played the whole second half, suggesting the 40-year-old may indeed be in rotation for the tournament.
South Korea easily dispatched Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 to underline their strengths ahead of the opening games, and Ecuador beat Saudi Arabia 2-1, which is a creditable result for Saudi Arabia against a side some are tipping as dark horses.
10 min read