With J Hutcherson -- After yesterday's tepid display courtesy of the team that many have already gone ahead and penciled in as the new World #1, the United States' chances on Sunday begin to shift somewhat closer to even. It took me awhile to settle on 'tepid,' considering how sorry the Brazil - South Africa semifinal played out.
What Brazil didn't do in that game was improve. If anything, it was a slight twist on their opener with Egypt. Instead of goals, we got half chances from both teams. South Africa should rightly feel hard done by that they at least didn't force overtime. The regulation result wasn't necessarily fair.
Meanwhile, US coach Bob Bradley has to try to figure out his own plan relative to which version of Brazil actually shows up for the final. If it's the free-flowing Brazil the US already got acquainted with in the group stage, he needs holding midfielders. If it's the version that showed up on Thursday, he can trend a little more towards offense.
All things considered, Bradley's job would be easier if Brazil simply showed up and did what most expected against South Africa. As it stands, things are decidedly trickier.
The easy answer is that's what substitutes are for, but the game where Bradley rang the half-time change was against Brazil. Adjustments are down to the players on the field in his system.
For those with short memories, there's a case that had the US of A stayed with eleven men and gotten a call or two, the blowout against Brazil becomes a more reasonable 2-1. Keeping that in mind, the new-look US defense and an actual strike partnership up front could cause Brazil trouble.
Brazil won't run up the shots total like Spain, and they won't stick to the same basic attacking moves well after the US has shown them up. If Brazil sees building out of the midfield makes more sense than setting up at the top of the box, they'll make that switch. The US knows that. What's confusing things is whether or not Brazil takes advantage of what they've created.
Round 1 against the US, it seemed like Brazil was on every opportunity. Yesterday, they were creating but not taking advantage.
Based on the latest example, the United States should be taking the field expecting to be able to play their game. What remains to be seen is how Bob Bradley decides that game should look.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
