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The “minimum bar” US coaches have to meet these days is getting out of the group. On paper, it seems that the bar may be too high in this World Cup. Indeed, it would come as no surprise if the team goes three and out. Most hopes are pinned on the Ghana game and this is the team that knocked us out of the last two World Cups. The other forlorn hope is that the European teams will wilt in the Brazilian heat, enabling us to pull off a surprise point, with most experts pointing at Portugal. No doubt this stems from our last World Cup encounter with Portugal in South Korea.
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However, one might note that we mugged them three times on the fast break in the first half and then managed to hold on for a 3-2 win. One might well ask who was wilting on that occasion. Besides, Portugal may be in Europe, but it is very far south and gets pretty hot and humid. History is also working against us. Our record indicates that we got out of the group in 1994, 2002 and 2010, while we went three and out in 1990, 1998 and 2006.
Poor Juergen Klinsmann has stepped in at a time when the expectations are high, but the team isn’t as well rounded as the famous 2002 team. As with my “other team”, the Gunners, the main questions are at the defensive end. The goalkeeper position has always been sound for the US and there is both strength and depth there. Since the departure of such stalwarts as Pope, Balboa, Lalas, Sanneh and the most recent body blow, the retirement of Cherundolo, the US team has been experimenting (unsuccessfully) to come up with a serviceable back four.
Klinsmann has found Besler as a lock for one spot, but other pairings with Gonzalez, Brooks and others have left a lot wanting. The flanks have been another concern, though Johnson has been working in on the right and the converted Beasley on the left. Even in 2010, the US had to always come from behind, not something one can afford this time around. The other major concern was the loss of form of Altidore after his Sunderland move.
However, not all hope is lost. Even in the historical department, it may not be all black and white. We have laid an egg each time the tournament was held in Europe and done well whenever it was held elsewhere. Maybe playing in Brazil offsets the alternate World Cup jinx. On the field, things started out looking bad, particularly in the Azerbaijan warm up game, with the defense floundering and the offense matching them. The next game saw vast improvement at the offensive end and what should rightly have been an end to Altidore’s goal drought, denied by some phantom foul visible only to the ref.
The Johnson-Bradley-Johnson first goal was an absolute gem, faintly reminiscent of the Arsenal goal by Wilshere against Norwich. The defense still looked terrible, particularly Chandler playing converted left back, with only his recovery speed saving him from complete embarrassment. Fittingly, he ended up making the mistake that led to a penalty award. The defensive substitutes, Brooks and Yedlin put on a good show, which bodes well for 2018 and gives some depth this time around.
There was one curious line that kept repeating itself in all the pre-match interviews with players (paraphrasing) – “The coach asked us to express ourselves”. Express themselves they did in the Turkey game, as in Dempsey trying a nutmeg that was just a tad too hard and skipped over the goal line before he could get to it; Altidore with a beautiful spin move that left a defender cold. Suddenly, there seemed to be a plan emerging, much as when Klinsmann transformed Germany from its Teutonic style to an exciting short passing one in 2006.
One of the adjustments Klinsmann made in the Turkey game was to bring on Beckermann to help Jones in the defensive midfield role and it stabilized things. Against Nigeria, he started Beasley at left back, a role he has grown into. Beckermann started alongside Jones in the defensive midfield role, giving Michael Bradley the scope to move into the attack at will. Much of our success in Brazil will depend upon Bradley’s ability to create chances and to be the available trailer in crossing situations.
One other transformation Klinsmann has managed is to get Jones to commit to the defensive role and number of times he threw himself into blocking shots makes me withdraw all the harsh comments I had for Jones during the qualifying rounds. It looks like the speed will come from Bedoya, with Johnson showing ample desire to move into spaces and that is what brought the first goal – Bedoya catching Johnson’s run and the cross giving Altidore an easy tap in. What a relief for Jozy? Sure enough, he sealed it with a proper striker’s goal, trap, a move past the defender and a shot hard and accurate enough to beat the keeper near side. There was a troubling note as the defensive substitutes yielded a late penalty again, but there could have been more goals at the other end too.
Klinsmann has not been afraid of taking controversial decisions, dropping the talismanic Donovan about as provocative as one can get. Gotta love his interview comment on that (paraphrasing) – “It (keeping Donovan) would be the same mistake as the Lakers offering Kobe Bryant a huge contract when he was past his best”. These would be fighting words, coming from a Los Angeles resident. However he is right and the Lakers are floundering. Instead he guaranteed a spot to the very young and very untested Green.
That was his message – no one gets a spot based on past performance and he would rather stake his future on the team’s future. Likewise, dropping Goodson, a mediocre central defender, while keeping Brooks and adding Yedlin. All these moves had made me think he has given up on 2014 and is putting all his chips on 2018. How wrong I was. Just today he threw in a different motivation for his players (paraphrasing), “This is a wonderful opportunity to strut your stuff on the world stage and move to the next level”. Right in line with the “express yourself” theme.
He has built a team that is going to be exciting to watch and competitive to boot in Brazil. To quote Klinsmann’s words after the Nigeria game: “We are ready!”
