Any fashionista will tell you never to forget your roots. US Soccer has a new jersey that celebrates 100 years of the federation (although we fans only like to count the last 20 or so) with a crisp, simple design that looks anything but old fashioned to me.

The blue sleeves and collar give the look a sturdy frame.  The bright white is a clean base; and the eye is drawn to the new badge immediately.  Let’s talk about the badge, eh?  Not many people love the current USA crest. The flying soccer ball is more little league anything else and the stars (which are meant to represent men’s, women’s, and youth programs) seem to others like we’re claiming championships we’ve never won.

The new crest is simply our flag in the shape of a badge, which again references historic designs.  The stars and stripes are unmistakably American and the lack of the ball or US Soccer logo show more confidence that the team’s public image has risen to the point where they don’t have to tell you what you’re looking at.  I hope this is a permanent change. 

The rest of the uniform honors the simplicity of the shirt.  There are no superfluous elements, this is basic, classy, sharp-looking stuff.  If you buy this, it will still be cool in 20 years.  My only complaints are that the crest on the shorts is unnecessary and the swooshes on the socks are a bit more prominent than necessary.  Otherwise, this is an impeccable look that should do us proud all the way through Brazil 2014 (fingers crossed, lord willing).

I might have to pick one of these up, as this is the year I will attend my first World Cup qualifier.  A writer for the gay soccer blog can’t be showing up in last year’s look.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

The US was able to secure three points out of two back to back games against Jamaica to exit the international break atop their semifinal round World Cup Qualifying group. Assuming the rest of the qualifying cycle goes according to plan, no one will think again of the week where ostensibly rational, functioning adult US fans forgot all of their history, lost track of reality, and started to internalize the proposition that we were bound to watch Brazil 2014 without a team to root for.

The Yanks went down to Kingston with a point on their mind.  They planned to sit back and break up Jamaica’s forward thrusts with a narrow, destructive midfield. But Dempsey’s early goal gave them an excuse to get passive; and while they defended very well (Jamaica didn’t really create a legitimate scoring opportunity beyond their set pieces), they simply couldn’t get anything going forward with such a defensive lineup.  A couple of fouls around the area resulted in direct free kick goals from Jamaica, and the US left without a point to show for their poor effort, despite having taken an early lead.

The US fanbase and media took this in stride, understanding that playing a decent team at home with two of our best players (Bradley, Donovan) out injured and the third (Dempsey) well out of form following a transfer dispute with his club is not always going to result in a quality performance.

Or…maybe not.  Twitter and Facebook exploded with panic.  One bad bounce could lead to our demise!  One bad result at home and we’re out of the World Cup!

The problem with this line of thinking is…it’s pretty much always true. I can name several instances in the last few cycles when one bad result would have put the campaign at risk.  The formula for qualification always depends on 3 points from each home game. Draws on the road are hoped for, wins on the road are bonuses…but 3 points at home are mandatory.  World Cup qualifying is stressful.  More so at home than on the road.  On the road, points are gravy.  At home, one bad bounce can always knock us out. Soccer games are close, even with a gulf in talent between the two teams – and shit happens.

So while I was nervous for the return game in Columbus, it was the same nervousness that accompanies every home WCQ match when we haven’t secured passage.

We had to have 3 points at home on 9/11 against a Caribbean opponent.  Had to.  Major lineup changes were needed.  Beckerman, Edu, Altidore, Goodson, and Parkhurst were left out for Zusi, Torres, Gomez, Bocanegra, and Cherundolo.  And we started the game with purposeful possession, on the front foot and banging shots off Dwayne Miller, and off the post, left, right, and center.  The halftime whistle saw us still knotted at 0-0.  And so there was palpable relief when Gomez’s free kick rippled the net off after bouncing off the hands of Jamaica’s keeper. And while we didn’t close out the game with style, we did do what we had to in order to nurse three points out of the affair.

And so it goes…survive, and advance.

What’d we learn from this set of games?

• Geoff Cameron continues to grow into his role as a top level Center Back….he had the Jamaican front runners bottled up for 180 minutes. Fantastic.
• You can’t go 100% destructive on the road.  Some ability to keep possession is required.  Hopefully this is a lesson learned for Klinsmann.
• Edu needs to sharpen up his on-the-ball game in England this year.  But he’s such a valuable destroyer that he’ll still be on rosters.
• Dempsey needs some playing time – rusty, slow of thought and slow of foot…he was off his normal pace, even accounting for his right-place-right-time strike early in the away match.
• Beckerman is a good option…against certain sides.  And Jamaica is not one of them (ironically, given the dreads and all).  He was exposed for his lack of athleticism.  Against less physical, athletic sides he can still be a valuable contributor.
• Zusi can play at this level. He didn’t have to do a ton of defending, so we don’t know how he’ll do in a different type of match…but his composure, touch, and willingness to play quickly are attributes that will continue to win him playing time.
• Jones needs to play within himself to be effective.
• Williams is a rock solid option at defensive mid.
• Cherundolo knows how to play in important games.
• Torres ‘meh’ performances keep piling up.  This was better than most, but still….
• Altidore might stop getting called in.  If Gomez continues this level of effectiveness, and Altidore continues to provide slovenly performances off the bench, he could fall off the radar.
• The US does not know how to play with leads.  This is true of all US sides, male and female, at all levels.  This is a player mentality thing. We either get overconfident and expose ourselves, or we get nervous and panicky.
• Set pieces matter. Both of these games were decided by them.  Our match in Guatemala was decided by one.  That’s 5 points sacrificed by conceding free kicks.  Don’t foul near the area.
• Bradley and Donovan can’t get back soon enough.

Schedule

Next, we’ll be in Antigua (or is it Barbuda?) on October 12th looking for 3 delicious road points…then back home against Guatemala in Kansas City on the 16th.  We will still need a result in that match, and I guarantee you a stressful week of fixtures as the CONCACAF Hexagonal picture gets colored in.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

I’ve said before that qualifying out of our CONCACAF region is full of tense moments.  This upcoming set of games, back to back vs. Jamaica (at their place on 9/7, and at home in Columbus on 9/11), is an early example of how a few breaks can lead to sticky situations in what should have been a straightforward path out of our semifinal group.

Klinsmann has had to test his depth with this roster, and there are a few things worth pondering as the team prepares for the most crucial two games of his tenure.

Muscle Strains Depth

Two of our best three players are missing due to leg strains.  Landon Donovan tweaked his hammy in the win down in Mexico and hasn’t played since in MLS, while Bradley’s been sidelined with a bum thigh for AS Roma since a so-so first start in their season opener.  Donovan’s leadership, decision-making, workrate and ability to make that one perfect play that wins the game will obviously be missed.  But Bradley’s absence is arguably more painful.  The team counts on his two-way ability and he provides punch on both sides of the ball as well as a knack for coming up with big goals.  With his backup options, you either lose passing and possession, or defensive bite.  It is difficult to overstate the void left by the absence of these two and the experience they would have brought.

In addition, Josh Gatt, the Norway-based speed merchant looking for his first cap, had to turn down Klinsmann’s call due to….a strained hamstring.

Dempsey’s Spurs

Dempsey’s messy transfer saga, which saw him move across London from the Premiership’s Fulham to Tottenham Hotspur, ended well enough for his career.  But all those months on the sidelines (since June) can’t have had a great effect on his form.  Klinsmann will evaluate him to see where he is in terms of fitness and sharpness.  Without Bradley and Donovan, we need as much out of him as he can give.

Rescued Rangers

Glasgow’s American duo of Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu were able to escape the moribund Scottish club to greener pastures.  Edu’s transfer to EPL’s Stoke City is a huge upgrade for his career, while Bocanegra’s move to the Spanish Segunda at least keeps his prospects flickering.  But until now, they’ve been training and playing at a lower division Scottish club against poor opposition and in a place with a generally negative atmosphere.  Bocanegra in particular has, according to reports, not looked all that great this season.  Against the Jamaican’s speed and athleticism, that’s cause for concern.

Part Time Defenders

The biggest positive from the Mexico win was the centerback play of Stoke’s Geoff Cameron.  He led that makeshift back line with the right mix of aggression and conservatism and handled the ball tidily – something we’ve not seen from a US centerback in a while.  But Stoke has since played him in midfield and as an outside back – a tribute to his versatility, to be sure, that he can do all this at the EPL level.  But for us USA fans, we’d prefer to see him getting regular run in central defense.  Meanwhile, Goodson’s form has taken a slight dip along with Bocanegra’s.  Orozco-Fiscal, Spector, and Parkhurst don’t inspire much confidence. If Edu plays, it will be his first truly meaningful game in central defense. Central defense looks shaky as ever.  Thankfully Cherundolo and Johnson have had solid starts to their Bundesliga campaigns, so the outside of defense looks in good hands.

Sorry Sacha

(A) Injuries to Bradley, Gatt, and Donovan. (B) Torres stinking up the field in his last few outings.  (C) Kljestan’s last great performance as a national teamer came against this Jamaica team in the 2011 Gold Cup.  (D) Kljestan earning back his starting role in Anderlecht’s midfield as they win a place in the Champions League.  A+B+C+D = Kljestan shut out of this roster.  I can’t figure out why his skill set wouldn’t work here.  Klinsmann loves his two way, versatile midfielders. Kljestan can win a ball, pick a pass, move his team forward, defend his position properly, works his socks off and always moves well.  Not sure why he wasn’t called in this situation.  My one true head-scratcher on this roster.

Bright Spots

Our forwards are in form.  When was the last time we could say that?  Jozy, Herc, and Boyd are all doing well in their leagues and will provide a potent combo up front. And despite absences lamented above, we still have midfield talent in Jones, Beckerman, Torres, Corona, Edu, WIlliams, and Zusi.  Any combination of those guys is far superior in midfield to the raggedy corps that Jamaica brings.

Enough About Us…

Jamaica is typically an athletic and fast group of players with mediocre skill and a very erratic mentality.  When they’re confident, they’re strong and difficult to beat.  When they don’t bring their A-game, they lack discipline and cohesion.  They bring a ton of MLS players to this match, and some of them are truly dangerous.  Richards has been one of the more exciting wide players in the league for a number of years, and Mattocks’ athleticism up front is something to behold.  Most of their MLS talent operates at the X-factor level –  capable of providing a boost for their club, but not being the workaday, solid, reliable professional.  A lot of their midfield talent operates professionally in Jamaica – a sub-par level of play that lacks intensity and discipline.

This Is How We Do It

It won’t be pretty down in Kingston.  We’ll probably see a defensive-minded midfield combination more focused on protecting that shaky back line than pushing up.  We’ll sit deep to negate Jamaica’s speed.  Without Donovan, we lack a counter-attack catalyst so we’ll probably build attacks slowly using our midfield skill advantage, trying to get Dempsey and Jozy touches in the final third .  Expect Fabian Johnson and Steve Cherundolo to make a difference as they get forward from the back upon some sustained possession.  But we’ll be cautious with that due to Jamaica’s speed advantage.  I’m going with 0-0 and a well-earned, ugly road point.

In Columbus –  we need 3 points.  Dempsey should have earned some better fitness by then. And I expect low pressure from Jamaica, who will be conceding the midfield on the road.  It will be up to our mids to patiently break them down.  Since rigor and discipline is not the hallmark of Caribbean football, I expect us to generate a couple of goals through open play in a strong second half and to come away with a 2-0 or 3-1 type of result.

Some good results (4 points) here see us through easily to the next round.  Dropped points put us in a precarious position going forward.  Only one acceptable answer, and I expect Klinsmann and the boys to get it done.

The U.S. first faces the Reggae Boyz on Sept. 7 in Kingston. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast live on beIN SPORT.  The return match in Columbus is on Sept 11 in Columbus. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET and will be on ESPN2.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

Did you hear we won in Mexico City for the first time ever?  Well, we did!  Here’s what I think about that.

It’s never pretty when we go down there.  Never.  Mexico is a better possession team than we are and at that altitude, the chasing we would have to do to try and negate that would quickly deplete our team’s energy.  To conserve legs for late in the match, we had to pack it in and let them have a lot of the ball.  It’s nerve-racking to watch, but you can count on one hand the real legitimate scoring opportunities the Mexicans created against this makeshift defense.

It is difficult to stay disciplined in this kind of game and to be patient enough to let your chance or two come.  Congrats to our guys for sticking to a plan for 90 minutes…

Props to Jurgen

His puzzling selection of Brek Shea, who can’t find form in Dallas to save his career, paid huge dividends late in the game when the lanky, galloping, barbershop advertisement of a kid nutmegged his defender and sent in the cross that led to the game winning goal.  It was the first aggressive play from the US side and it won the game.  Other critical decisions worked out as well.  Starting Edu in central defense was a smart move – he played well enough back there and now we know that’s an option, even in a tough match.  Castillo manned the left flank with aplomb – another headscratching selection vindicated.  Orozco-Fiscal, who hadn’t seen a US roster in an age (and seemed to have fallen off the map) came on to score a goal from his right back spot and helped close out the game with some strong work late in the match.

He got the tactics right, too.  Aesthetes won’t like the defense-first focus and our rigid refusal to stretch ourselves in possession.  But it frustrated Mexico into long balls and early crosses, and their harmless passing around the perimeter got impatient and sloppy, allowing us to capitalize late.

All his subs improved the team, and he identified Torres as the weak link and got him off the field at half time.

Cameron!

I mentioned after Guatemala that a huge positive from the game was that Cameron was able to step in as a sub and perform in a pressure situation.  Well this was a much tougher task.  Moments after completing his transfer to Stoke, he was called back across the Atlantic to lead a makeshift backline at this nightmare of a stadium.  Staying with Chicharito for 90 minutes is a big ask for any defender – with all these things working against him, a shaky performance would have been forgiveable.  Instead of shaky, we got rock solid.  His defending was clean and assertive, and his passing provides a nice upgrade from other options.  He appears to have nailed down that starting spot next to the aging Bocanegra for now.

Beckerman not Dreadful

Kyle Beckerman does not overwhelm you with obvious ‘wow’ moments.  He puts himself in the right spots defensively to usher opponents into pressure.  He quickly and reliably checks into gaps to receive the ball from his teammates.  He plays simple, clean, logical passes as early as possible .  He plays 100% without ego, and for that reason the casual observer mostly just notices his hair.  But he was excellent in this match.  He did all those things mentioned above, was aggressive in the tackle when required, and generally kept his side out of trouble which is job #1 in a game  like this.  Well done.

Torres

Hmmm. Not sure what he was trying to do out there.  It certainly wasn’t possession, and it certainly wasn’t ball winning or defense, and it certainly wasn’t attacking flair.  If you’re a starting center mid and bring none of those, you get subbed off at halftime. Klinsmann agreed.

Jones & Williams

Both of these players looked slow of thought and physically behind the pace in this match.  Chalk it up to preseason rust if you like, but I think Williams may have seen his last run at right mid

Final Thoughts

Valuable lessons learned in this one and a huge confidence boost for the US – who never has to hear how they’ve never won at Azteca again.  I’m excited to see the whole squad back together for a back to back qualifying fixture with Jamaica.  Cameron will obviously start.  Brek and Beckerman have given the coach something to think about.  The goal is 6 points – which will safely see the US into the Hex.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

It Ain’t Pretty, But It’s All We Needed

The US had a predictably disjointed first set of qualifiers, beating an organized Antigua & Barbuda side at home, and surviving a typically sketchy road trip to Guatemala.

We said all along that the only thing that matters here is getting results.  Style points don’t count in qualifying – which is a good thing because they typically are nowhere to be found.  People who think we should waltz into Central America and dominate haven’t been watching CONCACAF soccer for long.  A draw does just fine, thank you very much.  And it sets us up nicely for a home and home set against Jamaica in early September, which will go a long way towards determining if we can book our ticket to the Hex early or if we’ll have to sweat out the final couple of matches.

So what about the performances?

Against A&B, we dominated possession as expected but tended to over think things in the final third – squandering some chances with overly elaborate passing.  An injury to Torres forced Klinsmann to bring Onyewu into the match, moving Bocanegra out wide left in defense.  The change wasn’t optimal, as Onyewu was burned for a goal and perhaps played his way out of the squad until he regains form at the club level. The 3-1 score slightly flattered the visitors and the US was left wondering how to improve its incisiveness in the box.

Against Guatemala, things were a little more mixed.  Dempsey’s goal came from fabulous forward thrust by Fabian Johnson who found the EPL star in a tight space at the top of the box.  After sidestepping two lunging defenders, he cooly finished and the US looked on their way to a great win in a hostile environment.  But Guatemala’s direct play caused a ton of problems for the US (something they’ll have to work on) in the second half and the secondary runners found some dangerous spots.  A foul by Johnson on the deplorable Carlos Ruiz led to Marco Pappa’s fine free kick to equalize. The 1-1 score was probably a fair result.  The ref was better than we’ve come to expect down there, but did cost us a goal on a quick whistle when he should have played advantage.  And he let Guatemala’s persistent, cynical fouling to go uncarded for far too long.

Lessons Learned

Johnson – Take the good with the bad…he created our goal, but also created theirs.  His attacking was excellent all game long, but in addition to the telling foul, he let the Guatemalan attackers behind him a couple of times and was bailed out by keeper Tim Howard.

Cameron – Tough spot to be forced into, subbed in as CB at halftime defending a one goal lead on the road against a desperate team after Klinsmann deemed Goodson too risky to continue after his yellow card.  He held up admirably and his passing is a definite upgrade from the other options on the roster.

Soccer 101 – All of the Guatemalan chances came from simple stuff.  Direct high balls and flicks into the box and two man combinations on the flank.  With our superior talent, those tactics should not flummox our defense so easily.  This is something that Klinsmann will absolutely have to address.

Convergence (Not The Good Kind) – I noticed our attack continued to arrive at a focal point around the “D” at the top of the box.  We’d have too many bodies in a small space and lose the ball at that point.  Whether by player personality or by design, too many US players look to arrive in that spot when the attack builds into the danger zone.  It’s a good spot to arrive in, but not when you don’t have wide options to play in from there, the defense can just collapse.  We saw that repeatedly in both games.  We need more width in the final third.  More crossing and less dinking the ball around the top of the area.

Deep Thoughts

Some of the fan chatter has been very negative, nearing panic in some quarters after these two games.  This misses the big picture.

People forget four years ago. In the semi round, we played really ugly soccer for the most part. Remember, we couldn’t score any way but a set piece. It was a long ball to Ching strategy and look for second balls and fouls. Nobody liked it, but it got the results we needed. 1-0 in Cuba. 1-0 in Guatemala, both on corner kicks, if I remember correctly. We relied on Danny Califf as our defensive depth. Eddie Lewis played a big role. Pablo Mastroeni was still a starter.

We got to the hex, beat Mexico with Ching, Hejduk, Pearce, Beasley playing big, big roles in the team. None of these guys would really be a factor in 2010, but we were able to get the results we needed with them early in the Hex. We had no idea that we would get an injured Onyewu and Beasley would fall off the face of the earth. We thought Pearce was our guy at LB for the foreseeable future. We didn’t know Davies, a Holden, a Feilhaber, and a DeMerit would be able to step in and play big roles. We hoped, but we didn’t know.

That’s where we are now in this cycle. We’ve got an offense that is trying to find its rhythm, and some vets that we can still lean on to grind out results. There’s a big picture here. The team will look radically different in a year and in two years. It just will, it always happens. Guys get hurt, unexpected young players step up. This is the fun of following the team. If you lose sight of the fact that this is a two year process with peaks, valleys, and everything in between, you’re gonna have blood pressure problems, and I question whether you’ve ever followed a team for a four years cycle before. Hell, just a couple of years ago, we went from nearly losing at home to Honduras and putting the whole issue of World Cup qualifying at major, major risk…into a Confederations Cup that had the US Soccer community on suicide watch until a remarkable last day of the group stage.

So my sage advice is to focus on the positives. Cameron is a positive. Johnson is a positive. A CB who can step in to a road qualifier and do ok – that’s a big discovery. An LB who can generate chances for the team – that’s a big discovery. But ultimately all that matters is that we got our 3 points at home, our 1 point on the road, and we lead the group.  Leading the group – that’s where we need to be regardless of how it looked on the field. And just remember that whatever you think you know about this team will probably be proven wrong multiple times again over the next two years.

Next

We’ve got an August ‘friendly’ in Azteca in Mexico City of all places, followed by vital games at Jamaica, then at home against Jamaica in September.  Until then, wish our European-based boys well as they take their vacations and head back to their clubs for a grueling preseason. The MLS guys don’t get a minute of rest, as they will be dropped right back into their league season.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

It's a long road to get here....

Well – it’s here.  World Cup Qualifying.  Read Grant Wahl’s excellent primer here to get you in the mood.

We are coming off a game against Brazil which showcased some excellent attacking play from the US, which had me optimistic despite a poor result (1-4 loss); and against Canada (0-0 tie) which simultaneously put me to sleep and woke me out of my complacency in thinking this team had figured things out on the offensive side of the ball.  That performance was so static and lifeless that I can only hope they were tired and testing out their “how you grind out a 0-0 result” strategy.  We were lucky to leave with that result.

Now the team is in Tampa, waiting to face tiny Antigua and Barbuda in a game that will only be remembered if it goes horribly wrong.  And then it’s on to Guatemala City to play a game that is much more difficult than it looks on paper.  That’s the thing about qualifying.  People only notice it when it goes awry.  But if you ask me, this is my favorite sporting ‘event’.  I’ve talked about why in prior posts, but qualifying is where you earn your stripes as a fan.  It’s about paying $30 to watch a grainy feed from Guatemala in the first round.  It’s about hugging a stranger at Cuatros (our local American Outlaws bar) when our boys clinch their ticket to the finals in some Central American hell hole stadium with hardly anyone back home noticing how hard it really was.  The World Cup finals in Brazil (fingers crossed, no jinxies) are the fun part, and the casual fans will start paying attention then.  But the two years ahead of that are where you earn the right to call this team yours.

It’s also where Coach Klinsmann will earn his stripes.  All the tinkering done up to this point will be forgotten, and the scoreboard comes on for real.  But throughout the first part of his tenure, some questions have arisen that have yet to be answered.  The first stretch of qualifying games will go a long way towards telling us if Klinsmann’s transition to a pro-active, attacking style of soccer is going to pay dividends.  Here are some things to look for.

Continued Auditions for Center Back

It’s a revolving door next to Captain Carlos Bocanegra in defense.  Clarence Goodson looked the best in the friendlies, but he’s maybe not the best matchup for the tricky Central American strikers or the flat-out speed of the Caribbean attackers we’ll face in the first round.

Cherundolo’s Legs

The veteran is still reliable enough for now, but at age 33 we need to be developing other options.  Parkhurst has been poor in his sub minutes and Timmy Chandler’s withdrawal and Eric Lichaj’s omission from the team leaves a big question mark as to who our options are if Cherundolo goes down.

D&D

We’ve yet to see the Dempsey / Donovan combination shine.  Landon did it all against Scotland but his performance dipped against Brazil’s Marcelo, who seemed to get into LD’s head early and stayed there.  Dempsey was a spark against Brazil, but spent the Canada game picking up the ball way to deep to have an impact.  How do we make room for both of their skill sets from a tactical perspective?

Third Man in Midfield

We’ve seen Edu, Jones, and Bradley start each of the three friendlies in different Central Midfield configurations.  Edu’s been lacking in skill and that spot is ripe for the picking.  He’s played an advanced and a deep role and only shown promise as a pure destroyer.  Will Jurgen try Beckerman or Torres there instead?  Move to a 2-man central midfield configuration?  If so, how does that impact the other spots on the field?

Decisions to Make Up Top

Boyd’s been decent in his action.  Gomez was great against Brazil then disappeared against Canada.  Jozy Altidore failed to make an impact as a sub against Canada. How do you pick a starter out of these three if you’re only going to put one pure striker on the field?

Chess Pieces

Does Klinsmann want two pure strikers against these underdogs, or does he stick with the single striker, with two secondary wide runners?

The first match is Friday, June 8th at 6PM Central on ESPN2.  When we take the field in Brazil in 2014, don’t forget to look back on this day and remember that it all started here.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

Well that was gratifying! A 5-1 pasting and it easily could have been more.  Watch the highlights, watch the touch-by-touch video of Bradley’s game.  This was the best the US have looked since I started watching.  And in those rad striped uniforms, you could have been forgiven for thinking you were watching a different country’s national team out there.

Donovan capped a week in which he’d questioned his own desire to continue playing with a perfect performance.  A hat trick, an assist on Jones’ goal, and the key cross on the Bradley’s stunner – he had a hand in all 5 goals.

It is tempting to just gush on and on about the performance – but let’s get a little more analytical.

I watched this game in a non-soccer-ish sports bar in Vegas and was a little distracted – but in my second viewing when I got home, here’s what stood out.

The Great

Transition game – Whether pressing deep in Scotland’s end, or swarming the ball in their own half, the US side was able to get numbers up on the Scots quickly after turnovers and push that advantage quickly.  Scotland helped by being sloppy and sluggish, but this is the new American style that Klinsmann has promised.  It’s enabled by…

Defensive work rate – When the Scots had the ball, it looked like a lonely blue jersey in a sea of red stripes.  They were forced to go square and backwards to teammates in minimal space, and usually turned the ball over a pass or two later.  Some of this is down to the Scottish players not working hard enough off the ball, but most of it is due to extremely well-organized team defense that gets numbers around the ball more quickly than the opposition can react.  That takes commitment and fitness to do for 90 minutes, and that’s what we saw.  Fantastic, but pointless unless…

Precision passing leads to scoring chances – All of this work to win the ball, to push forward into attack – it all means nothing if you can’t put the passes together to create chances.  This US team is the most precise we’ve seen.  Donovan, Bradley, Jones, and Torres didn’t just find their teammates in good spots.  They found their teammates with accurate balls that improved their recipient’s options. Playing balls to the proper foot of the recipient, playing them to spots where the recipient can speed up their next play rather than having to slow it down – that’s what the best teams do. You can find multiple examples of this throughout the game and that’s my favorite part about this.  The sharpness on display was not only for a play or two, but until the 5th goal when the team shut it down for the night.

The Good

Outside back play – Fabian Johnson is a very, very good left back – such an upgrade from our prior options (Bornstein, Pearce) as to be game changing for the US. Cherundolo is his steady, underappreciated self.

Leadership – this team is mature, focused, and has leaders all over the field. Bocanegra is the captain, but you saw captain-ish displays of leadership from many players during the game. After the game, the team was on message as well – they know this is just a start and we’re far from accomplishing anything meaningful yet.

Defensive midfield play – Edu did a fine job in a critical role.  His positioning discipline and precise, aggressive tackling allowed Bradley and Jones to rampage wherever they wanted. Scotland was unable to build anything up the middle.  At all.

The Just OK

Cameron – The Houston Centerback has a ton of promise, but was caught ball-watching on the header that he then bungled into the net.  Pretty solid other than that – and I’m glad Klinsmann is making a concerted effort to build depth here.

Boyd – The internet seems to like the Center Forward a bunch after this game.  Surely youth plays into some of that.  I see the potential, but no polish yet. His workrate is excellent, but he lost some balls he should have kept and generally failed to make an impact. Altidore and Gomez give us more today.

Vulnerability to Width – Scotland didn’t have the speed or skill to punish us, but it looks like we’re vulnerable to speedy and precise wing play.  With our outside backs and two CM’s pushing up with the three forwards, Edu can’t cover that much ground when the ball turns over and is played into the vacated wide space. This appears to be the tradeoff Klinsmann made in this game and it paid off, as the Scots lacked the wherewithal to exploit us.  But Brazil won’t – and I anticipate adjustments.

Conclusion

Klinsmann’s stamp on this team seems clear at this point and I’m on the bandwagon. If this is the level of play we’re going to call our standard from now on, we’re in for a fun few years.

Next

The level of competition raises just a tad – Brazil in DC tonight on ESPN2. I’m optimistic about our ability to get a result, but won’t be too disappointed without one. Last time we played them, a bunch of their kids ran our first team off the park – this will be an interesting measuring stick.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

Landon! We finally get to play together again! Aren't you excited?

It’s been awhile since the US Men’s National Team used an excellent performance (and a bit of luck) to knock off Italy on their home soil, and a lot has happened since that breakthrough win. The U-23′s failed to qualify for the Olympics in heartbreaking fashion, shifting more focus towards the start of World Cup Qualifying.  And several key members of the squad finished good seasons abroad, highlighted by Clint Dempsey’s magnificent goal scoring record at Fulham. Finally, Tim Chandler has informed us that he’s not so sure he wants to play international football – which sounds to most US fans like the still untied player is just working both sides of the fence in case Germany ever comes calling.

US Coach Jurgen Klinsmann has called in 27 players to start a camp that will see the US cut their squad down to 23 before playing exciting friendlies against Brazil, Scotland, and Canada before heading to Florida for the start of Word Cup Qualifying at home against Antigua and Barbuda.  The camp finishes with an important fixture away to Guatemala.

The roster (courtesy of US Soccer):

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

FORWARDS (7): Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Makes me

Dempsey and Donovan finally together. Gomez and Wondo rewarded for excellent seasons in FMF and MLS. Onyewu’s return to health and form. Parkhurst gets a deserved call (and the inclusion of ball-playing CB’s over some more physical options). Altidore’s maturation continues.  Fabian Johnson’s performances in his first couple of caps excited me and has me ready to see more.

Makes me

No wingers unless you count Landon who can certainly do that job – I think we could have used DaMarcus Beasley after a strong season in Mexican football. I don’t feel Agudelo has earned a spot. I don’t see how you look at Lichaj and Castillo and ever pick Castillo first.

Makes me ?

Boyd, Morales, Corona – you have to assume they’ve been called in because they are missing out on the Olympics and need the experience. Jurgen must not like Kljestan’s game, since he’s been passed in the pecking order by the relatively unproven Graham Zusi. How is playing time going to get distributed in that crowded central midfield? For that matter, how is the team going to stay properly spaced with so many center mids? How will Landon re-integrate himself into the team?

WWJGD?

If I’m coach and this is my roster, here’s what we’d see in a must-win game against inferior competition.

4-2-1-3

Gomez—-Altidore—-Donovan

——–Dempsey———

—–Jones—–Bradley—-

Johnson—Boca—Gooch–Cherundolo

…and against superior competition

4-4-1-1

———-Altidore—– ——–

——Dempsey—————-

Donovan—–Bradley——Williams

—– ———-Jones———–

Johnson—Boca—Gooch–Cherundolo

This is Jurgen’s first set of competitive games – it will be worth following the entire camp to see how the team builds towards games that finally matter. We’ll have analysis of each match as we move through the camp and I hope you’ll engage us with your thoughts in the comments threads.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

A lot of soccer-savvy people say results don’t matter in friendlies. It’s all about the quality of the play and the individual performances – worry about results when something’s on the line. But for the US team, something’s always on the line – respect. The under-appreciated bunch has played pretty in plenty of losses under Klinsmann; but in finally putting together a string of positive results has perhaps found its foundation in a staunchly organized structure and a pragmatically opportunistic attacking mentality.

It started against France, where a couple of lapses of concentration cost the mostly organized US team a result. It continued in Slovenia and Panama, where scrappy games were closed out with hustle and determination. In Genoa, the US team was always going to be on the back foot. No one goes into Italy and bosses around the home side, especially a depleted USA squad which has none of the pedigree of the Italians. Deprived of attacking punch and defensive steel by the late scratches of Timmy Chandler, Jermaine Jones, Oguchi Onyewu, Jose Torres, and Landon Donovan, Klinsmann wisely set his team up to defend with resolve and discipline, and come forward when practical.

The result was a quality win in a hostile environment on European soil – a rare artifact if you go digging through the USSF history books – and a team that is finally seeing the fruits of its labor.

Goalkeeper – Howard was perfect in the net. After his early leg save, his positioning kept him from ever being stretched.

Defense – Fabian Johnson, please step into your new role as the #1 left back. His cross led to the goal, and he was a menace pushing forward every chance he had. After a shaky start defending, he settled down nicely in his own half as well. Bocanegra owned his penalty area and the team threw themselves at everything Italy gave them.

Midfield – Michael Bradley – wow. That was the best central midfield performance I’ve seen from a US player in a long, long time. Did he miss a pass? How many tight spaces did he crawl out of with the ball? His chip to Johnson for the telling cross was just one example of the precise play he’s demonstrating right now. Bravo. As for the rest of ‘em, Edu was very, very good. Shea was physically imposing but lacked class and insight. Danny Williams defended with aplomb and worked his socks off in a role he’s not well-suited for.

Dempsey – He gets his own spot on this list because he was asked to defend with the midfield and attack with the forward. He scored a very nice goal, completely flummoxing Buffon on Altidore’s layoff, and demonstrated a consistent comfort level on the ball. Was gassed at the end, having chased the back of Italy’s midfield for a long second half.

Strikers – Jozy was an isolated figure going 1 against 3 or 4 at times, and tried to fight for his scraps. He came up huge at the key moment, bringing down Johnson’s cross in a tight crowd and pushing it onto Dempsey’s right foot for the winning goal. He had a frustrating first half, but made his mark on the game.

The US is thrilled with this result and the confidence it gives them heading into a long break from international play. Knowing that they can win in tough matches without Donovan and other key contributors will make their return that much more exciting. We’ve seen this team gut out some nice results – the next step will be to control games against lesser competition like we’ll see in World Cup Qualifying. The team returns to action in late May against Brazil on American soil, hopefully healthy and rested after a long European season. Beyond that, we’ll see a couple of friendlies against more reasonable competition (Scotland, Canada) before World Cup qualifying.

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.

Roster:

GOALKEEPERS (3) :Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (7) :Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)

MIDFIELDERS (6) : Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)

FORWARDS (5) :Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

Overall

My, the USA player pool is fascinating right now. We’ve got plenty of new faces alongside the familiar ones – and the emergence of the German-based talent is shaking up what used to seem a set of reliable assumptions about who will line up where.

Goalkeepers – The only surprise will be if Guzan sees the field at all. Nice to see him back with the team after a good run with Villa during Given’s injury absence. Plus when he’s rocking a beard he’s kinda bearishly hot.

Defenders – Gooch’s knee injury is a huge blow as he was in fine form for his club, Sporting Lisbon, and I was looking forward to seeing him against top competition. In his absence, several players have huge opportunities to claim his spot next to Captain Bocanegra. If Jurgen wants to replicate Gooch’s size and physicality, he’ll go with Goodson. He and Bocanegra have built some chemistry together already having played plenty of minutes along side one another. Cameron’s and Parkurst’s inclusion prove that the January friendlies were a successful audition for a bigger role. If one of them earns his way to the pitch against Italy, I’ll be fascinated to see how it goes. Depth at CB has been a big concern and it’s good to see an attempt by the coach to deepen the pool.

Midfielders – I am puzzled that Sacha Kljestan isn’t on this roster. He’s in excellent form for a quality Europa league club in Anderlecht, and he seems tailor-made to play in a three man central midfield which is what it looks like we’ll be running with this roster, and his skill set would diversify the midfield line’s abilities. The inclusion of Edu over Kljestan adds one more ball-winning, hard-tackling type when we already have those traits well-covered by Bradley and Jones. There are no real wide players listed as midfielders in this roster and Damarcus Beasley may have finally slipped off the radar screen despite decent play for Puebla this season.

Forwards – Welcome, Terrence Boyd! He had been training and performing quite well with the Olympic team, and has apparently done enough to earn a spot with the full national side. He does have a nose for goal, and Jozy needs someone pushing him for playing time. I’m not sure what type of form Edson Buddle could be in during what has been a long break from competitive play – but all the other options are fit and firing and should be able to create some danger against the Italians.

Lineup Prediction

This roster offers a ton of options in the midfield, but I’m liking…

4-3-3

Cherundolo—-Goodson—-Bocanegra——Chandler

———————-Jones—————————
———-Bradley————Johnson—————

Donovan———–Altidore————–Dempsey

I expect Dempsey and Donovan to be given carte blanche to roam all over the attacking third with Altidore occupying the Italian center backs – and using their high workrates to drop and defend wide areas during Italian possession.

Johnson was so dangerous against Slovenia that I don’t see how Jurgen can sit him. He can provide the thrust forward from the midfield, with Bradley and Jones sharing ball-winning duties.

Subs could play out in a number of ways – but I’d like to see Torres come on for either Bradley or Jones in the second half, Donovan drop into a wide midfield role, and go 4-4-2 with Jozy and Clint up top.

What do y’all think?

#g4s writer Jon and other talented contributors can be found at gay4soccer.