TUESDAY TRAINING

Another scorcher in Chicago this morning, with temperatures in the high 80’s. The team got on the field just before 10 a.m., and spent the first 25 minutes warming up with a focus on stretching and agility work. They went into 5 v. 2 for 15 minutes, with the emphasis on ball movement, quick footwork and closing down angles (no comments on who spent the most time in the middle). At that point, DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan stepped out to do regeneration work while the group headed into 6 v. 6 to big goals, focusing on quick counters, closing down space and taking shots. There were shots aplenty, including one from Bobby Convey that may have dented the U.S. Soccer van parked across the street. No worries, Bobby - we’ve got insurance. For the last exercise, the team broke up between defenders and the attackers. The defenders worked on their spacing and movement out of the back. At the other end, the attackers worked on passing balls through channels to set up crosses as well as combinations through the middle. Off the field in just over 90 minutes, then a bunch of guys hit the cold pool while others talked to the press gaggle. A pretty productive session …