REALITY CHECK! and more Thursday musings...

Costa Rica 3, USA 1...and this one was over before the US ever set foot on the field.

News that Brian Ching was ruled out through injury (hamstring) left US coach Bob Bradley with some decisions to make. There were pretty much two main options---1) switch to a more offensive formation and try to beat the Costa Ricans at their own game, or 2) try to make as close to a one-to-one swap as possible with a target forward. Based on the way the United States played last night, they had clearly had trained and prepared for a more defensive, midfield-heavy formation than they played last night...which is where things went completely wrong. Bob Bradley had two options when Ching went down, and got caught right in the middle of the two.
The 4-3-3 formation that the US went out on the field in appeared designed to try to beat the Costa Ricans at their own game---not a bad idea in itself. The problem was the US played the opposite of the game they needed to: offensively, they slowed the play down instead of attacking and bringing the game at the Ticos (but lacked options in the midfield, which led to turnovers), while defensively, they sat back and gave Costa Rica space instead of applying high pressure (which was painfully evident on the goals against). When the US had possession, Costa Rica had high pressure on the ball (usually with a second player closing in fast), while players who would be passing options were closely marked and passing lanes were shut down. Take a look at the 3rd Costa Rican goal, and you see Michael Bradley dig in, only to get completely turned around by Pablo Herrera...then Klejstan and Bocanegra sit back and give Herrera space. Bocanegra closes slowly, but way too late, as Herrera had all he needed to make it 3-0.
The lineup, in the 4-3-3, also showed flaws that Costa Rica exploited. On paper, Pablo Mastroeni was penciled in as a right midfielder, yet played in his more-appropriate holding midfielder role. Clint Dempsey continued to play in an advanced role, and Marvell Wynne was left with no cover when he pushed forward, nor was there that wide option in the midfield when the US gained possession. The international inexperience of the widebacks for the US (DaMarcus Beasley (2nd game at left back) and Wynne (1st qualifier start at right back) showed at times, as well. Hindsight is 20/20, but you have to wonder what could've been if Bob Bradley maybe went with a 4-4-2...played Donovan with Altidore up top, Beasley on the wide left with Dempsey on the right and a Bradley/Mastroeni central midfield, and a backline that would've featured Spector at left back (out of his natural right back position, but he is a versatile outside back) with Gooch/Bocanegra/Wynne rounding out the defense.
As much as losing these points in the standings hurts (Costa Rica now leads the final group with 9 points, the US sits second on 7---but each team has one more game played than the rest of the hexagonal), the thing that possibly hurts the most is the loss of Michael Bradley for Saturday's game against Honduras. The US will need to push the game (3 points at home becomes all the more important with last night's loss), and the loss of a fantastic two-way player like Bradley is sure to be felt. Look for the outside backs (likely to be the Beasley and Wynne again because of their speed and Beasley's offensive ability) to get forward even more at Soldier Field.
If there was one positive from last night's game, at least the US has scored at the Saprissa one more time before it closes (the last US goal before Donovan's 92' penalty was Ernie Stewart back in 2000).

On a quick related note: more than 50,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's match at Chicago's Soldier Field. With a capacity of 61,500 (the smallest stadium used by the NFL), the stadium could be more than 90% full for this one---which hopefully means it will be rocking in the US' favor. "The Yanks are coming. Will you be there?" I know I will---16th row, and I'll have a full report for you after the game.


Red Bulls vs DC United tonight (7:30pm ET) on ESPN2. New York is nearing the level of desperation (yes, even this early in the season) for points, and it will take a drastic change in fortune for that to happen. Fresh off a very disappointing 1-2-1 homestand, the Red Bulls hit the road for 7 of their next 9 matches (3 straight to open the swing)...where they have scored exactly 0 (yes, ZERO) times- and picked up only 1 point in 5 matches- this year. DC United enters looking to start a new unbeaten streak, having their 7-game run stopped in last weekend's 2-1 loss to New England. Josh Wicks is likely to start his third straight game in net for United, which is a feat in itself considering DC's revolving door between the sticks (this would be Wicks' 5th game (1.25 GAA), while Louis Crayton (6 games, 1.33 GAA) and rookie Milos Kocic (2 games, 2.00 GAA) have also manned the net this year). Oh yeah, DC is undefeated (2-0-4) at RFK this season. Keep optimistic, though, New York fans...stranger things have happened (like getting to the MLS Cup final last year).


AC Milan has announced that the future of star midfielder Kaka will be decided on Monday, with Real Madrid and Chelsea (who named Carlo Ancellotti coach this week---Ancellotti coached Milan this year) both having reportedly tabled record-setting bids for the Brazilian's services. Don't be shocked if a deal is made, likely with Madrid---Milan's chairman has said (rightfully so) that a deal just makes economic sense at this point.


Reuters is reporting Italy has named their Confederations Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Palermo), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray)
Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyon), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus), Davide Santon (Inter Milan), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
Forwards: Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich)

Europeans like to say that the Confederations Cup is nothing more than a tournament of exhibitions, and that most teams feature their 'B' squads, especially since the tournament usually happens around the same time as World Cup qualification hits the final round (coaches like to keep their best players fresh for the games that really matter). Well, this certainly doesn't look anything like a 'B' squad to me...