It goes without saying that a trip into any foreign land for a World Cup Qualifier is a tough task. It also goes without saying that any team that wants to consider itself a “good” team needs to perform well, no matter what the game day situation is. A great team can perform poorly, yet sneak a win out of any given day. Right now, after that dismal, dreary, dilapidated, despondent and depressing performance what kind of team is the USMNT? Sure it is one game but one game can set the tone for the rest of the Hex.
Let’s start with the first XI. The back four was a mystery to me. How can you go into a hostile environment without some kind of veteran leadership at the back? I have nothing against Geoff Cameron but he should not be your most experiences center back in the opening game especially when Carlos Bocanegra is sitting on the bench. You need organization, you need leadership, you need someone who has experienced the madness of this game before. Bocanegra was it and leaving him out was a poor choice from Mr. Klinsmann. Here is what Tim Howard had to say about the first goal, “Someone once said three mistakes cost you a goal. We did not get tight to [Carlos]. Costly, then we did not clear the ball. Then we gave the corner away, the corner comes over and we don’t close it down. At the end of it there is a world-class goal. But there is a buildup to a goal, we had three or four chances to clear it and we did not do it.” The inability for anyone to step up and make a play was a huge problem for the USMNT. That was made incredibly apparent multiple times in the game, culminating with the inevitable game winner when Cameron was slow to react to a through ball and Omar Gonzalez was caught sucking his thumb. Unacceptable in my opinion.
This might be permanent until the USMNT puts in a good performance.
And that’s it. The back four start forward movement, win the ball back, and organize all players in front of the them. For me, this sent the wrong message to the rest of the group and left them wondering if this back four was capable of handling the situation. The answer is they weren’t and I hope they find themselves a bit better in coming matches.
I borrowed a quote from Foxsoccer.com and this is 100% part of the problem “We’ll see a totally different team in the next game,” JurgenKlinsmann. There is no consistency. There is no camaraderie, there is no fluidness and combinational wonder created by the USMNT. This is largely due to the constant mix and matching of players in the first XI. Yes, you are in Honduras and should start a defensive minded line-up, but as the USMNT, a team that is supposedly capable of making noise in the next World Cup, you can’t go in and bunker down and hope to get out of there without conceding. There is a bit of parity in these games. The teams aren’t as different as they used to be. Teams will find the gaps, find the seams, and find the moment to take a chance and the game by the horns.
The USMNT is not in a good spot. There are five games left to get it right and we are on the bottom of the table. Jamaica looked strong, sneaking an away point from Azteca. Honduras tops the group, everyone is on a point except for the lowly USMNT. I hope they turn it around.
To cap this off, could Landon Donovan have changed that game? I think so.
I attended a reunion right after work, about an hour after the game. There must have been 4 or 5 guy that attended the match, one of them even a former professional player. Our companies’ legal counsel attended the game as well. they all said the same thing. The US looked winded, out of shape and just plain malaise d!
I don’t think that we should point fingers like we do guns! It will intimidate many players, and in the end, it will hurt their development when there are people out there that are sensitive to criticism. That said, you figure that some of these folks get stronger … but, for example, I would have taken a player that has more experience with the international game, or working with players of very high caliber. Omar has some of that experience with MLS, but not enough with the international folks that are stronger, faster and know the game better! Cameron, was ok, but I am not sure he distinguished himself as well as he could, or should … but I believe that it was his unfamiliarity with all the players that caused that … and in all likelihood, that threesome is likely to be the next US backline, and the one that will take us to the WC … given injuries and some of the older folks not making it.
Thanks for the comment!
I couldn’t agree more. More experience and a more solidified back four will help the entire team.
Donovan would have given US more of a threat on the counter, something they were lacking due to inept pace and no real outlet to get forward quickly. Unfortunately there is not much time for improvement. It is all results oriented now so we need to do better!
I think Donovan could have made a bigggggg difference … he would have created a lot more for Dempsey and Altidore … which was what this team was missing in this game! But I have my doubts that Donovan will want to play for JK at all … not a good coach, and the game design is too wishy-washy for his tastes, and there is no flow into the wider spaces with passes from the midfield to open up the traffic jam in the middle … and all of Concacaf already knows that the US is not a threat on the wings!