US-Mexico: Efficiency, Effectivity and Pretty Futbol, part II

Wednesday night's US-Mexico was one of the more attractive match-ups-- the game featured plenty of attacking soccer (much of it from Mexico) in a high-speed, back and forth contest. The US extended its unbeaten streak against Mexico on American soil. So why are US fans so upset by it?

Because we saw glimpses of the future of Mexico and it was frighteningly good. Young studs Gio Dos Santos and Carlos Vela completely torched the US defenders. And another pair of young standouts were out for Mexico: Guardado and Nery Castillo. But still, Landon Donovan noted just how much faster the Mexicans were willing to play. They were willing to play a more uptempo brand of football. If Mexico is a team that has relied too much on pretty soccer in the past and not enough on simply being effective, perhaps this brand of soccer marks a change.

That said, the US looked better than it sometimes does against Mexico. Frankly, they usually look awful, but are grimly effective. This time, the Americans carried the play from time to time. Yes, they didn't maintain possession as much as the Mexicans, but it generally wasn't ugly.

As far as individual performances, a couple stood out: first off, Bobby Convey had a rough game. Coach Bob Bradley attributed it to coming off of injuries. I hope so-- Convey really wasn't effective whenever he did have the ball.

While the midfield tandem of Rico Clark and Michael Bradley wasn't a success, they both showed their abilities. In the first half, Bradley really was everywhere and frequently controlled (but did not necessarily contribute to) the play. He slowed down considerably in the second half, but I found it to be an encouraging development. Since Claudio Reyna's retirement, there hasn't been anyone to control play in the middle. Bradley might be the guy. Especially if Benny Feilhaber can't get some minutes with his club...

While outside backs Ramiro Corrales and Drew Moor had especially tough nights, I thought the US generally did a better job of tracking Mexico's runs towards the box. Frequently, when Mexican attackers change the point of attack quickly, US defenders struggle to adjust. I thought Onyewu and Bocanegra did a good job of not biting (at least not as much as in the past).

The result is a disappointment: the US should be favorites on home soil. But I watch the games to be entertained-- and this game fit the bill.