The US national football team: Winning ugly

Klinsmann’s effort to solve the first problem, coupled with his penchant for Bundesliga players, has resulted in choking the US attack. He has chosen to play Michael Bradley in the defensive midfield role, with the attack going through Jermaine Jones. Jones is a good player, but he only appears to be capable of looking for the long ball over the top to Jozy Altidore. This compels Jozy to play with his back to the goal and negates the creative potential of players like Dempsey. Bradley is an excellent defensive midfielder, but the best US attacks have come when he has made long runs at the opposition, as he showed against Mexico and Panama.

However, Jones is such a liability defensively that Bradley cannot risk going forward when paired with Jones. Can Klinsmann think outside his own box? Bring in Edu or Holden (when he is fit) for Jones, let Bradley run the attack, with Jones coming off the bench if we are behind. Zusi has been a pleasant surprise. I would hardly have dreamt that an MLS player would finally be the conduit that finally unleashes Altidore.

Jozy Altidore is finally getting the service he deserves

The front-line seems to be sorting itself out now that Altidore is getting some service. The poor lad faced a lot of flak during that goal drought; how can a guy score when he is trying desperately to hold off two or three defenders, waiting for a teammate to show up? With Johnson, Zusi and Bradley finally giving him chances to run onto the ball, Jozy is showing his abilities. Dempsey has been subdued, but I blame this on Klinsmann’s decision to play Jones. Dempsey needs the short passing game to really shine. The reserves on tap are not bad – Boyd and Gomez backing the big man; although there isn’t a very good backup for Dempsey.

With four qualifiers to go, conventional wisdom suggests 3 points would be enough to get a top 3 spot and go through. However, there are no easy wins in this lot – Costa Rica wanting revenge for being snowed under; Mexico, who usually wake up and get the results they need; Panama away – they beat us last year in the Gold Cup; Jamaica, perhaps the best hope.

Unfortunately, World Cup seedings do not depend on who wins the qualifying groups; instead, it is decided by historical results. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy when you think about it. If you get into the top two seeds, you get two lower-ranked teams in your group and stand a better chance of making it to the knockout rounds, thus padding your historical results. Meanwhile, the “have-nots” must get the better of superior opposition, not once, but several times, and hope one of the “haves” slips up, not once, but equally consistently, so that a spot opens up.

Klinsmann worked his magic on the German team. They didn’t win, but they had been completely transformed from the Teutonic style of the past. Joachim Low has kept that style and sought to improve it. This is a different challenge for Klinsmann – qualifying ugly if necessary, and then transforming a side with mediocre credentials into a viable contender for the World Cup. The promise of 2002 still remains unfulfilled for the true blue US fans. We want to see Klinsmann at least restore that dream, if not fulfil it.