Usmnt_-_asn_top_-_isi_-_celebrate_-_arriola__ferreira__acosta_-_john_dorton_-_1-31-21 John Dorton/ISI Photos
USMNT analysis

Thoughts on the USMNT and its 7-0 win over T&T in Orlando

The United States national team opened 2021 with a 7-0 rout over Trinidad & Tobago. While the opponent struggled, the U.S. team played confidently and several players stepped up to build a case for their future on the team or the U-23 team. The most notable examples were Jesus Ferreira, Sam Vines, Paul Arriola, and Jonathan Lewis. ASN's Brian Sciaretta is here with his toughts. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
January 31, 2021
11:00 PM

THE UNITED STATES national team coasted to a 7-0 friendly win over a very weak Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday night to open its busy 2021 schedule that will see the team play in the Nations League, the Gold Cup, and World Cup qualifying while the U.S. U-23 team prepares for Olympic qualifying.

It is not an ideal game to get a read on players given the level of the opponent but U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter was quick to stress that the entire camp was a productive time and that he was impressed by the team’s focus throughout.

January camp games typically are disappointing and rusty given the offseason form. But now for the second straight month, the U.S. team has played an offseason friendly where it hasn’t stooped down to the level of the opponents. It did whatever it wanted to do and played like the better team. In that regard, it was obviously refreshing for U.S. fans.

Here were my thoughts on the game.

 

Ferreira easy MOTM

 

Jesus Ferreira, 20, was the easy MOTM for this game with two goals and three assists to have a hand in five of the team’s seven goals. Like last January camp in 2020, Ferreira looks very comfortable in this environment and playing under Berhalter.

His 2020 season, however, was not particularly great with FC Dallas and coach Luchi Gonzalez frequently moved Ferreira around to numerous positions and numerous different roles within those positions. It seems as if Berhalter and Gonzalez have different views of Ferreira but the fact that he started against Trinidad and Tobago was a big sign of confidence from the national team front.

 

For Ferreira, it will be interesting to see how he can continue to grow at Dallas and what the role for him will be. Can Gonzalez find his position without having to rework the entire team? Ferreira is a tricky player in that regard because not every team uses a false nine that Ferreira seems to be most comfortable with.

In this game, Ferreira actually could have been even more productive because his touch let him down on three other very good chances to score. But this is still a camp where players are in preseason-form and mistakes happen. What was actually the most impressive aspect from Ferreira was his movement. His timing with his runs and his movement inside the box helped open up everything.

The next big test for Ferreira will be Olympic qualifying and it will be the first competitive games he has ever played internationally. If the U.S. team is going to qualify for Tokyo, Ferreira will have to play a big role. Based on tonight, he should have confidence.

 

Arriola and Lewis were sharp

 

The starting wingers, Paul Arriola and Jonathan Lewis, both had very good games. Arriola carried himself in a very polished manner and his veteran approach was important to the team on the game. He scored two goals but also moved extremely well.

His ACL tear now seems like a distant memory and this marks the second straight game which Arriola looks comfortable with where he is physically. With many other wingers struggling to make cases in 2020 (Tyler Boyd, Uly Llanez, and others), Arriola can reclaim a spot inside the 23 player roster if he plays well in 2021.

Berhalter was quick to point out that Jonathan Lewis had a good camp and he backed up that assessment by giving Lewis a start – despite that Lewis isn’t an automatic starter for Colorado. Lewis made Berhalter look good with a two-goal outing.

If Lewis can continue to play well for the U.S at the U-23 levels in March, it would be massive. The U.S. team is short on wingers at the U-23 level and if Lewis can produce, it makes the chances of qualifying much higher.

 

 

Vines boosts his stock

 

Sam Vines has now quietly impressed in all three of his U.S. national team caps over the past year. But this one was his best. His passing over his 64 minutes was near flawless and his pass to Ferreira on the Lewis opening goal was the best pass of the game. Then on the second goal, Vines was again on the money with an assist directly to Ferreira.

 

 

While Antonee Robinson is a regular starter for Fulham, no one has claimed the left back spot. Vines will likely shift down to the U-23 team and if he does well there, and for Colorado is resume will look very good – both for a move to Europe and for a spot on the U.S. national team in World Cup qualifying where he might back up Robinson or he might start.

 

 

Subs struggled

 

While the U.S. team was running away with the game, the subs generally didn’t keep the flow going. Some of the sub appearances were quiet (Tanner Tessmann, George Bellow) others just were not very good. Daryl Dike struggled in his first cap and Andres Perea had a few bad passes and conceded a penalty.

Granted the U.S. team was tuned out with its foot off the gas for the last 20 minutes, but it was a tough time where players did not have a great chance to show what they could do.

 

Turner’s story

 

Matt Turner, 26, has a great story and tonight was a great chapter. He only began to learn the goalkeeping position in high school and didn’t receive formal training in the position until he was in college. But what he has been able to do in New England and grow into the position has been remarkable.

With New England, he has become perhaps the best American goalkeeper in the league and he was instrumental in his team’s success. His penalty save against Nani was one of the defining moments of the 2020 playoffs.

Against Trinidad & Tobago, Turner earned his first cap. Although he was rarely tested, his second half penalty save on Alvin Jones was one of the game’s best moments.

 

The U.S. national team goalkeeping position is not as strong as it once was and is completely up in the air. First choice starter Zack Steffen is a backup at Manchester City. Ethan Horvath is also a backup at Club Brugge. Domestically, Brad Guzan is on the older side. If Turner continues to play well, he could rise as high as the number two goalkeeper in the depth chart.

 

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