Despite his team playing valiantly at times, the new coach of the U.S. national team is once again thinking of what might have been.
The first half was good, the second saw just one crucial breakdown doom what would have been a respectable result. It just hasn't been going the Yanks or Klinsmann's way, but that isn't what will concern him the most as the New Year approaches.
Come Jan. 1, Klinsmann is no longer the new face. His honeymoon period with the job is officially over and the idea that he is still shaking off the remnants of the Bob Bradley area is dead. With the start of 2012, the team officially belongs to the German if it doesn't already. Pressure to manage results and not just show fans that Americans are capable of playing decent soccer is going to mount and at this point, the coach has a problem on his hands.
If last night's contest showed us anything, it's that we still lack the ability to finish. Granted, Landon Donovan was missing from the lineup, but that may not be the last time such an event occurs. In those times where your star players are injured or need a rest, someone has to step up and be counted as the guy. Against Honduras, it was Clint Dempsey slapping a wonder strike with his left foot that did it, but can the Texan really be expected to step up every game and pop in a world class goal?
The U.S. has a stable of young, capable strikers who are still cutting their teeth at the club level, but the fact that very few of the team's goals in 2011 were created or scored by those players is concerning. While Jozy Altidore is playing better soccer than we've seen from him in the last three years, he still lacks the finishing touch or ability to turn and take a quick shot. That is something that will hopefully come with time, but while we wait, it seems Demspey and Donovan are the Americans' only consistent hope for scoring goals.
Agaist Ecuador, Klinsmann went with an almost identical lineup to what he deployed against Honduras over the weekend. The only change came in the back where Oguchi Onyewu made a return to the starting lineup next to Carlos Bocanegra. As it turned out, Gooch was one of the brightest spots of the night. He not only provided a solid physical presence in central defense, he carried the ball forward and was able to distribute and join the attack. Seeing him grace the right wing with a cut back before toeing the ball into space for Dempsey to run onto it and shoot in the second half was a rare sight, but an encouraging one as U.S. players are beginning to show less concern for being anchored to a position and more passion in their committment to score goals.
But Onyewu wasn't the only player to shine on an otherwise grim evening. In the first half, Brek Shea and Timothy Chandler showed what they can do if they work together on the left side of the attack, creating several chances and overlapping well. Maurice Edu playing in front of Kyle Beckerman instead of alongside him was a more productive setup, although ineffective. Dempsey and Altidore show that together, teams have something to fear from the U.S. attack and with continued development from new boy Danny Williams, it's possible that Edu could simply be running behind a four headed monster that stretches from wing to wing at the front of the American formation.
The question is, who is going to be removed? When Landon Donovan returns to the lineup, he returns to a starting role. Klinsmann may favor youth, but he isn't going to leave the leading scorer in U.S. soccer history out of the team so that he can bring a youngster along. The fact is, the Klinsmann campaign has provided U.S. soccer with a lot of things; credibility in their desire to win, an offensive flair, more of a pass and move philosophy, etc. What it hasn't brought is goals and victories that U.S. fans so desperately covet. Are they coming? Most likely, but for now the faith of the fans is being tested.
Perhaps the answer is easier than a straight swap, however. Kyle Beckerman's inclusion in this team is certainly the highlight of his national team career, but how long lived will his stay in the lineup be? While the Real Salt Lake midfielder offers a good defensive presence and can pass the ball well at short distances, does he really offer the class you'd hope to see out of a team looking to compete with the big boys of South America and Europe. The answer is no, and while Klinsmann may very much like Beckerman's character and work ethic, he knows that he is ways away from being able to run with the great central midfielders of the international game.
Of course, Donovan isn't going to be a straight swap like Michael Bradley was coming on for Maurice Edu last night. Donovan is an attacker and has to be fit into the machine, but in order to do it without sacraficing the promising talent that is taking over the wings of the U.S. attack, he'll have to put him in the center where Edu played last night and move the Rangers man back to where Beckerman was. That is, if Klinsmann plans to play the diamond shape in midfield with his best lineup. It's a formation that proved effective in the first half of last night's contest and would provide an interesting way for the coach to put his two best players in the spine of the formation, one playing behind the other.
One thing that we can take from these last two games is that Brek Shea's place in the national team fold is held down at the moment. If the coach plans on putting either Donovan or Dempsey on the wing, it'll have to be the right side to leave Shea in place. But, as previously stated, Klinsmann likes young players and Saturday's debutant Williams showed that he has the pace, ball handling skills and mind for the game. It would be surprising to see him out of the lineup any time soon and with Altidore showing massive progress in his overall game, it really leaves only two spaces for the star duo of Dempsey and Donovan to play if Klinsmann is going to fit them all on the field.
In defense, Timothy Chandler and Onyewu played the entire game and both earned himself another look with solid performances. Steve Cherundolo is showing little signs of aging, but Jonathon Spector will need to do more to show that he is capable of replacing the 32-year old. Tim Ream's horrible presence of mind on the Ecuadorian goal combined with his performance's in the Gold Cup this summer really haven't endeared him to a lot of U.S. fans, but because he is only 24-years old, he gets pass as being developed into the center back of the future. Whether or not he learns from the growing pains we've seen him experience in 2011, we'll have to wait and see.
The game also unearthed another problem for Klinsmann. The issue of depth is yet to be addressed. Deploying Damarcus Beasley on the left doesn not bode well for the long term future of team's set up, and the question of options becomes clear. Who are the best starting eleven and do we have five players to make a decent bench? Truthfully, the answer to this question is not far from presenting itself, but we still haven't seen a lineup good enough to play for 90 minutes, and we still don't know who the coach favors for the long haul. It's going to be interesting to see the team learn to play together once the coach has narrowed down an 18-man lineup that he likes and wants to turn into the next World Cup side, but right now, he's just going to have to pray for some goals.
written by replica tag heuer watches, November 09, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by replica handbags, November 09, 2011
-
- -1
-
-
written by replica rolex air-king, November 15, 2011
-
- -1
-
-
written by Coach Outlet, November 18, 2011
-
- -1
-
-
written by Moncler Outlet, November 28, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by party dresses, November 28, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by Amandabridal, November 30, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by replica iwc pilot, December 08, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by discount Louis Vuitton Classic replica watches, December 10, 2011
Artist quality best louis vuitton emprise watches supply trend informed persons the opportunity to individual a reliable timepiece that could be seen as a special design and style and high high quality.
-
- +0
-
-
written by replica iwc watches, December 14, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by fashion shop, December 14, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by monster beats, December 15, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by Coach Outlet Store Online, December 15, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by timberland sale, December 19, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by Cheap Supra Shoes, December 21, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by uggs for cheap, December 22, 2011
In order to produce a good gain, they have got to send their clearance merchandise on into a Coach outlet in an effort to release additional flooring room to the present-day types.
-
- +0
-
-
written by Timberland Boots, December 22, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by louis vuitton outlet, December 25, 2011
You have to believe in yourself. That’s the secret of success .
It is not enough to be industrious
louis vuitton outlet
, so are the ants. What are you industrious for? All human wisdom is
summed up in two words ?C wait and hope.Goals determine what you are going to
be.Life is just a series of trying to make up your mind .Early to bed and
early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Anything one man can
imagine, other men can make real. Cowards die many times before their deaths.
A great man is always willing to be little.Victory won’t come to me unless I
go to . Beggars cannot be choosers. Lookers-on see most of the game. There is
no rose without a thorn.Time and tide wait for no man. Time is money.
tiffany uk
-
- +0
-
-
written by Nike Air Max, December 25, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by wholesale hats, December 27, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by wholesale jerseys, December 27, 2011
wholesale jerseys will look good on you. The best way to achieve this result is to look at the mirrors can be found in these shops and hat.
-
- +0
-
-
written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , December 31, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by omega constellation watches, December 31, 2011
-
- +0
-
-
written by phoenix medical marijuana, January 03, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Jordan Concord 11, January 04, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Cheap Jordan Shoes, January 05, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by true religion jeans outlet, January 10, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by red bottom shoes, January 12, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by antoine, January 13, 2012
-
- +2
-
-
written by Cheap Jordan Shoes, January 13, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by cheap new era hats, January 13, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by criminal minds seasons 1-6 dvd, January 17, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by wholesale nba hats, January 18, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by domain name web hosting, January 19, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by belstaff online, January 25, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by phoenix painter, January 26, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by cheap jordan shoes, January 29, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by shop moncler, January 29, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Oakley Oil Rig Sunglasses, January 31, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Hollister Clothing, January 31, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Hosting forum, January 31, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Fitness Trainer Directory, January 31, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by maldives vacation package , February 01, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by north face clearance, February 03, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by tory burch outlet, February 04, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Nike Football boots, February 08, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Website Hosting india, February 09, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Nike Air Max, February 13, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Coach Factory Outlet, February 14, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Oakley Oil Rig, February 17, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by Abercrombie Outlet, February 19, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by mlb hats, February 20, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
written by The Simpsons Season 22 dvd, February 21, 2012
Wow, Your article is really good,give me a new view,The Simpsons Season 22 dvd
Your blog is great and interesting!The Simpsons Season 22 DVD release date
-
- +0
-
-
written by hermes kelly 32cm, February 21, 2012
-
- +0
-
-
