My Starting XI for Costa Rica

If Klinsmann sticks to the 4-5-1 formation he used against Mexico, which I believe he does, and looking at his roster selections, and given who is available and unavailable for the game (Beckerman, Dolo, Dempsey), this is what I would expect to see as the starting lineup:


There are two big question marks for me The first is at CB next to Bocanegra and the other is the right wing. Bocanegra is going to be the incumbent starting center left back for the foreseeable future, as indicated by Klinsmann's comments (full article here):

"I don't like to move people around," he said. "I don't like to see a Bocanegra be a 50 percent left back. I want Bocanegra to be a left center back because that's where he's 100 percent. As a left back, he might be 90 percent, but I'm losing 10 percent. Can we afford that on the international level? No. What we need is a 100 percent solution as a left back sooner or later."

Goodson is solid, and seems to be a good choice, but he lacks the technical ability to link the play, as does Bocanegra. I don't think both of them will start especially in a game against Costa Rica. That leaves Ream and Orozco, and I think that Orozco gets the nod.

Right wing is a bit trickier. Nobody who was called up for this game is a natural right winger. Donovan has occupied that spot on the USMNT for a while now, but Klinsmann's comments about using him as a second striker (see the same article above), seem to indicate that he will play in the hole. Shea earned a start at left wing and has been unconscious for FC Dallas (did you see his 2 crosses in 5 minutes to lead Dallas to a 3-2 victory last week? They were amazing). That leaves Torres, Edu, Kljestan, Larentowicz, and Pontius left to fill the right wing. Pontius plays on the left when he does play wing, Kljestan is an attacking mid and doesn't have the pace for the wing, Edu and Larentowicz are defensive midfielders, and Torres, as we saw against Mexico, isn't very comfortable from the wing. That leaves Rogers, who played great from the right wing against Mexico, but I have always envisioned his pace being more valuable off the bench once the other team starts to slow down.

The LB remains a problem spot, but I think Castillo gets the nod with Spector as a possible second half sub. Give him one more chance to shine to not ruin his confidence. I think Torres and Edu team in the defensive midfielder spots, with Edu playing the destroyer role and Torres the deep-lying playmaker, his preferred position on the field anyway.

Up top Altidore gets the nod because of his form for his club. There are 4 forwards on the squad (including Donovan), so I would expect to see Agudelo or Bunbury come on in the 60-70th minute to mix things up. I can't wait for tonight and next Tuesday to see how the USMNT progress continues.

Don't forget to subscribe or follow me on twitter @dailysportsfix8

Jozy Altidore, four goals in 2 starts for AZ Alkmaar

Below are video highlights From Jozy's last two games in an AZ Alkmaar kit, in league play against NEC and in Europa League play against Aaselund. He scores two goals in each. 5 goals in 5 games, three of which he was a substitute. His current strike rate is 2.07 goals every 90 minutes. There is no way that pace is sustainable, but he seems to have already pushed his way into the first team, and starting minutes in Europe are exactly what he needs to continue his develop.



Jozy's goals at 4:03 and 6:56. His feed also created the chance that led to the penalty and red card for NEC at 6:00.



Jozy's goals at 1:38 and 3:51

USA Player Ratings

U.S. player ratings vs. Mexico (scale of 1-10):

GK, Tim Howard, 5 - Although he did not officially register a save, he was quick to react on crosses and organized his defense well. Couldn't really do anything about that goal.

D, Steve Cherundolo, 5 - Looked a little out of form and rusty, which makes sense since he hasn't played since being injured in the Gold Cup Final. Lacked touch on his passes going forward. That said, he locked down his side of the field on defense, not an easy task against Mexico

D, Carlos Bocanegra, 6.5 - I have never been a big fan of Bocanegra's. He is solid, but sometimes slow to react or close down defenders. Not so on this night, he closed hard and tackled very well. He was the best defender we had on the field. A little bit more placement on his header and we would celebrating a victory.

D, Michael Orozco Fiscal, 5 - Was shaky at the beginning of the game and ceded possession too often, but his positioning was very good, and he won a lot of balls in the air for his apparent lack of size. Once he calmed down his distribution was better, but still nothing to write home about.

D, Edgar Castillo, 4 - He was playing against Barrera and didn't give away two goals, so that is about two goals better than Bornstein. He looked out of sorts and did get turned around sometimes, and his movement and distribution going forward were suspect at best. Still, the back four was much more disciplined than what we saw in the Gold Cup, and with two of them rejoining the team from long stints in pergatory (read: Bob Bradley's doghouse), I cannot complain too loudly.

M, Jermaine Jones, 4 - He was the worst of the three starting central mids, disappearing for large portions of the game, sporadic in possession, and should have gotten on the end of Donovan's cross in the opening minutes. When the ball is crossed from the right side, you use you left foot to volley it....

M, Kyle Beckerman, 6.5 - I am an unabashed RSL fan and you can accuse me of being a homer, but I told you so! Beckerman needs to increase his speed of play. There were times when his decision came just a half second too late and resulted in a turnover, but he looks for the simple, quick, and decisive pass and then executes. His tackling and positioning were superb and he is not a card magnet, unlike most defensive mids. Certainly deserves another call-up. He was better than all 3 European-based center mids who played alonside him (Jones, Bradley, and Clark)

M, Landon Donovan, 7 - Donovan always gives a little something extra against El Tri. He was obviously more effective in the second half in a more central role, which is where I have always wanted to see him anyway. His runs wreaked havoc in the last 30 minutes and if there were any justice in this world, then he would have won that PK.

M, Michael Bradley, 5 - Looked out of place in his attacking role. He drifted too far back and was not a creative force that he should be at the top of a triangular midfield. The one time he had a defender one-on-one he dribbled straight into him. Nevertheless he put in a good shift and his passing was better than it has been at times in the pass.

M, Jose Torres, 4.5 - If it were just the first half it would be a 4, if it were just the final 30 minutes it would be a 6. He is not a wing player and should never be deployed there again. His most comfortable position is inside, and that is where he was most effective and will be most effective going forward.

F, Edson Buddle, 3.5 - His work rate was fairly high and yes he suffered from lack of service, but he did not make himself available for good service either. Would Buddle have made the run all the way to the corner flag to stretch the field that led to the goal like Agudelo did? He had a full hour and didn't move creatively like that once.

Substitutions

F, Juan Agudelo, 6.5 - Agudelo may have problems holding the ball one or two touches too long, but his willingness to go at defenders and his high work rate really created confusion along the Mexico backline. His run to the cornerflag on the throw-in was creative and his first touch layoff to Shea was superb. Should have finished his opportunities better, but put in a great half hour of football. His ball to Rogers that should have resulted in a Torrado red card was inch-perfect.

M, Brek Shea, 7 -- I wanted to see Beckerman and Shea in this game to see how they fit in Klinsmann's system. I saw both and both excelled. Shea was a revelation. His pace and physicality gave El Tri fits, and he is the reason for Rogers' goal. He finally gives us a true winger on the left and I cannot wait to see the 21-year-old grow under Klinsmann's tutelage.

M, Robbie Rogers, 6.5 - Was it an easy finish? For sure. But being in the right place at the right time is at least two-thirds of what makes a great player. All Chicharito does is be in the right place at the right time and he's an international superstar (and his finishing, but still). He put in a great shift. His technical deficiencies didn't rear their head this game but his exceptional pace added to the dynamic US attack in the final twenty minutes of the game. His only touches prior to the goal were one-touch passes in a nice exchange in the middle of the field that exhibited that he may in fact have the touch needed to play a technical style.

M, Ricardo Clark, 3 - In 10 minutes of work he did nothing except squander two very promising opportunities near the Mexico penalty box with the chance to take the lead. His shot that was way over the cross bar when the US had numbers and he could have easily played Brek Shea through one-on-one with the keeper was rather inexcusible. Do I hold a grudge? Yes, so maybe this is just me still venting from the Ghana giveaway, but still, he only reinforced his lack of decision-making in my eyes.

As a side note, as much as Steve Davis or Neil Blackmon would tell you otherwise, Clark did not play the ball to Rogers that should have seen Torrado sent off, it was Juan Agudelo. Both are great writers, they just got that one detail wrong.

My Starting XI for Mexico

Given the options that are available for today's game, this is how I would come out. If we are truly devoted to attacking soccer, I would utilize the 4-3-3 and drop the wings back to a 4-5-1 if things started to go poorly. Without further ado, the DSF proposed starting XI:


I believe Mexico's speed and ability on the wings would be neutralized by putting two speedy and in form players on the wings (Shea and Donovan), who would also be the main threat moving forward. In the back, due to Goodson's injury, Ream gets the start, but is flanked by vets Bocanegra and Cherundolo, who can help him with his positioning to give him valuable experience going forward. Dolo and Castillo at the fullback positions are both capable going forward and crossing the ball.

The midfield was harder to choose. Again, I think Beckerman's understanding and distribution allow him to become the central defensive starting mid. He is joined by Torres and Michael Bradley. Torres has something to prove and needs a shot to see if he can be the answer for us in the middle. Bradley excels as a box-to-box midfielder and that would be his role. Also, because his club future is unsettled, putting him in the starting lineup gives club teams a look at him and hopefully can boost his stock going forward. It was a tough choice for me between Bradley and Jones, but I would sub Jones in at the half for whatever midfielder looked least comfortable.

Up top, Shea and Donovan are joined by Freddy Adu, who plays in the false 9 position, free to drop into midfield to collect the ball and distribute it to his speedy wingers. Though not the physical presence that they necessarily need, he will have plenty of help by his two supporting midfielders and wingers. Mexico isn't particularly big or physically imposing anyway, so his lack of size will not be a large deficiency.

As subs, and since it's a friendly, I would have Jones ready to go in case any of the midfield struggles. Pearce and Loyd should also get a shot to see what they have to bring at the fullback positions. Agudelo can sub on in any of the forward positions, and Beasley would come on for Shea probably in about the 60th minute to bring fresh legs and speed to the attack. If freddy is struggling or we think we need a more classic center forward should we drop into more of a 4-5-1, Buddle can replace him. I think the starting lineup I proposed allows us to see if these players can fit in the system Klinsmann wants to implement, and shows that he is serious about change, two things that I believe are important moving forward for the development of the USMNT and increasing support from the fans.

Don't forget to subscribe or follow me on twitter @dailysportsfix8

The USMNT version of the 4-3-3

One of the questions that have been greatly discussed since Jurgen Klinsmann took over is if we have the personnel, from a player standpoint, to play the attacking style that he wants to play. The 4-3-3 is the epitome of technical possession-based attacking play similar to what Klinsmann has been describing. As such is the case, and with the little information we have available about the new USMNT coach and staff, here would be my projections for what kind of lineup we might see:


Klinsmann's call-ups for the Mexico game seem to place a premium on two things: speed and technical ability. Beasley, Shea, and especially the late inclusion of Rogers seems to suggest that he wants whoever is playing on the left wing to be extremely fast. That Rogers made the team over some other midfielders (Benny Feilhaber in particular), seems to suggest that Klinsmann wants speed in his midfield (I know the conspiracy theory about them playing together with the Orange County Blue Stars, but I don't think that that is why he is on the team). He also included a glut of holding mids in Beckerman, Bradley, Jones, Edu, and Torres. And expect to see Holden added to that list when he is healthy.

All in all, if the 4-3-3 is implemented, I would expect to see speed on the wings (Shea, Donovan, Beasley, Dempsey, Bedoya, etc.), and lots of holding mids in the center of the field. Fullbacks (Lichaj, Chandler, Cherundolo, Castillo, Pearce, Loyd, etc.) need to also be pacey and have the ability to get forward. I don't see Bocanegra playing at LB anymore, he is an offensive liability, and I don't see Klinsmann playing a purely defensive fullback. The number of holding mids that he called in against Mexico leads me to believe that in the even that we do play a 4-3-3, all three mids would be of this mold. Holden is (when healthy) our best midfielder and would definitely be included in the lineup. Torres is most comfortable as a deep-lying playmaker and his technical ability would fit well in this style in any of these midfield positions. Jones, Bradley, and Edu all have distribution issues (as well as Clark, I still refuse to list him in any future projections of the USMNT, maybe someday I will be able to forgive, but not yet), and I honestly think the best option would be Kyle Beckerman. I live in Utah and maybe this is just me being a homer, but I think playing him as the defensive mid behind Torres and Holden would be a combination that could actually keep possession of the ball. RSL plays a possession-based game, one of the only teams in MLS who does, and Beckerman does a phenomenal job of linking play and organizing the midfield. He may not be the destroyer that Jones is and doesn't quite have the motor of Bradley, but his technical ability in tight spaces and composure on the ball is better than either of them, and that would be at a premium in this formation. Other options here are Dempsey, Bedoya, Diskerud, and Donovan.

Up top you put Altidore in the middle to generally wreak havoc with his physical tools, and speed on the wings. Brek Shea plays in a 4-3-3 with Dallas and is lethal from the left wing. He has been on amazing form, and I am hoping he gets a lot of minutes against Mexico to see if he is up to international quality. Donovan is at his best running at defenses, and the wing position would allow him to do this. Deuce led Fulham in scoring filling in out of position as a striker and was our most consistently dangerous player in the Gold Cup. Having him up there would put our best two players in front of the opposing goal, and hopefully get them touches in dangerous areas where they can create and finish.

Orozco's callup and Ream's inclusion in front of other players such as Omar Gonzalez might be telling that Klinsmann truly does want his defenders to be able to possess the ball. It is too bad that Goodson's injury came so late because it would have been good to see who Klinsmann would have replaced him with. I think Ream will become a fixture despite his questionable marking on set pieces and sometimes suspect positioning. His distribution is important to JK, and I think that Klinsmann is banking on his defensive deficiencies improving with added experience before the 2014 World Cup. On the outside, the RB position looks set with Cherundolo for the present and Chandler for the future, although Nuremberg seems to be giving the USMNT a little bit of a runaround with his availability. He should be in the squad for the Costa Rica friendlies according to Steven Goff's piece. I have Lichaj and Castillo in for now at the LB position. Lichaj really raised his stock for the Gold Cup, and if his position in the Aston Villa starting XI were secure I think we'd be seeing him again against Mexico. He is right-footed, but that never stopped Phillip Lahm. Castillo needs to get some playing time, but his inclusion in Klinsmann's first roster only bodes well for his future with the team.

Congratulations to Jozy on his first goal in an AZ Alkmaar kit

First league game for AZ Alkmaar against PSV Eindhoven. AZ ended last season 4th, one spot and ten points behind PSV. Looks like the tables may have turned. Jozy came on as a sub in the 65' and put in the insurance goal of the 3-1 victory in the 80th minute. Good work off the ball and good awareness. Great first appearance for his new club, and hopefully he will be able to crack the first XI soon. Also, gotta love the Born in the USA :)

USMNT Tactics - Formations - The 4-3-3

This is the last installment in my series covering the basic formations that we could see the USMNT play (for now). The 4-3-3 is very in vogue as an attacking formation, it employs two center backs flanked by fullbacks or outsider backs. The midfield is typically composed of a holding mid who plays behind two centrally located midfielders. On the top of the pitch is a center forward flanked by two wing forwards. In general, the formation looks a little something like this:

The 4-3-3, as stated above, is an attack-minded formation. The basic premise is that the more players you can get up the pitch and into the opponent's attacking third, the more dangerous you become and the more you force your opponent to play defensive and reactive football. It is a proactive system that requires precise passing, great awareness, and a reliance and trust in your teammates.

Defensive Tactics:

Defenders

The role of the back four is first and foremost to defend. Two center backs bear the bulk of the defensive responsibility by accounting for the other teams forwards, tackling hard, snuffing out fires, and playing physical in the air. The two fullbacks contain the other teams wingers or other attackers coming down the flanks. They can also support the center backs by moving inward.

Midfielders

The midfielders are all predominantly central midfielders and clog the center of the pitch to force play to the less dangerous wide positions. Holding mid has a greater defensive responsibility as he is typically located in the area near the opposing team's playmaker and must make life hard for him.

Forwards

Forwards have more defensive responsibility in the 4-3-3 than in either the 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 previously covered. Due to the advent of the attacking wingback, the outside forwards must track back in order to cover the advancing overlapping runs of their counterparts. They have responsibility for the outside portions of the pitch as the three midfielders typically are relied upon to clog the middle of the pitch. The center forward is called upon to pressure the center backs to try to force them into making errant passes or give away possession by playing low percentage long balls up the field.

Offensive Tactics:

Defenders

Because of the large amount of attacking players that are put out onto the pitch in the 4-3-3, it is vital to maintain possession. The center backs must not only be adept and hard-hosed defenders, but also be comfortable with the ball at their feet. Their outlet balls to the midfielders must be spot on and they also act as a pressure relief if things get too clogged in the midfield. The fullbacks are two-way players and their overlapping runs provide width to the attack. Because the three midfielders all occupy space in the center of the pitch, drawing opponents toward the center of the field to try to dispossess them, space on the wings is vacated for the fullbacks to move forward and launch crosses into the box or link with the midfielders and forwards.

Midfielders

The chief offensive role of the midfielders is to keep possession of the ball and link play between the defense and offense. Technical ability is paramount in the midfield. Playing all three midfielders centrally sometimes results in having to work the ball back and forth in tight places. Accuracy and speed of play in offensive touches is at a premium in the 4-3-3. If space does open up, they need to have the awareness to see and attack that space. Each midfeilder, but especially the two attacking mids, must become creative playmakers that can see the field, understand the opposition's formation, and unlock the deficiencies they find.

Forwards

Since three forwards are present, each has a flexibility that is not necessarily afforded to them in a 4-5-1 or 4-4-2. They can drop further into the midfield to collect the ball without ceding valuable space since the other two forwards can continue to stretch the field. Wing forwards can either making darting runs towards goal looking for through balls or runs to the outside of the field, stretching the defense wide to open gaps and looking for balls to the corner to result in a cross or 1-on-1 opportunity from the flanks. The center forward typically plays one of two roles. The first is to play in a "false 9" position, dropping back into the center of midfield to utilize the space between the defense and midfield to collect the ball and distribute to the wings or run at the central defenders. The second is to play as a physical frontman, winning balls, providing holdup play and distributing backwards to the attacking mids, and wreaking havoc with physical play in the box to win crosses provided by the outside fullbacks or wing forwards.

4-3-3 Pros

Attacking with a 4-3-3 can allow you to field as many as 8 attack-minded players in the same lineup and really take the game to the opposition. It creates natural passing triangles that give whomever is possessing the ball a wealth of options going forwarded and multiple options backwards if the forward options are closed down. Additionally, the attack can come from straight up the middle of the pitch through the midfield and to the center forward, inside-outside from the midfielders to attacking fullbacks or wingers, or outside-inside by wingers making diagonal runs. The attack can be creative, varied, and extremely dangerous, allowing exploitation of whatever weakness, tactically or technically, is present in the opposition.

4-3-3 Cons

Success is reliant on controlling possession, and if there are not enough technically gifted or intelligent players to fit into the team, then the results can be dire. Because the formation is so attack-minded, losing possession can result in deadly counterattacks. Moving so many players into attacking positions can leaves holes that can be exploited by a disciplined counterattacking team.

Made famous by:

Originally, Ajax. More recently, Barcelona. The Netherlands side became famous for their 4-3-3 and Total Football concept in the 70s. Johann Cruyff and his cohorts became famous for their attacking and creative play. Today's Barcelona side, arguably the greatest team of all time (and this was written halfway through the 2010-2011 campaign), has reinvented the 4-3-3, with Busquets, Xavi, and Iniesta forming one of the greatest midfields of all time behind consensus the consensus greatest player in the world Lionel Messi who plays in the false 9 position flanked by Pedro and David Villa. Alves and Abidal are model fullbacks who attack with pace, and, especially Alves, play an advanced role at least as often as they play defense. Pique and Puyol are a rare breed of supremely gifted technical players who are very comfortable in possession but also tackle hard and are defensively solid in technique and positioning. They have become the standard by which all other 4-3-3's, and all other teams, are measured.

Josh Gatt: the future at right wing for the USMNT?

Josh Gatt has been getting a lot of press recently. His manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former Manchester United player and former manager of Manchester United's reserves, recently advised Sir Alex Ferguson that he should bring in Josh and also U.S.'s Sean Cunningham for a trial at Man U? What does he see in the young right winger? If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much are two videos of Josh Gatt's two goals in his first two games for his new club worth?





Two nutmegs for his first goal and then breaks a defender's ankles for his second. Great to see a young U.S. player who goes at the defense from the wing with speed like this.

Analysis of callups for the Mexico Team

So here is Klinsmann's team:

GK - GK - Howard, Hamid

Howard will get the start, Hamid is an interesting choice, he is only 20, goalie of the future perhaps?

DF-Bocanegra, Castillo, Chandler, Cherundolo, Goodson, Orozco Fiscal, Pearce, Ream

Boca and Dolo are the vets. Great to see Chandler in there, as stated earlier he is the RB of the future. At LB we have Castillo and Pearce. Ream and Goodson will be in the middle. I could see Boca playing the first half and being replaced by Ream in the second. Orozco Fiscal was nowhere near my radar, it will be interesting to see if he sees the field. He should play as a CB, even though he is only 5'11", he is very technically capable.

MF- Beckerman, Bradley, Clark, Edu, Jones, Shea, Torres

This was a bit of a head scratcher for me. Beckerman, Bradley, Clark, Edu, and Jones all occupy the same position on the field. Would have thought at least one of those guys would not be on this roster. Beckerman is probably in the running for best MLS defensive midfielder with Shalrie Joseph. Bradley needs to impress to improve his club situation. I have never forgiven Clark for what he did in the Ghana game...and I never will. Interesting inclusion of Edu, I thought he might get a rest after his match yesterday and with the club season coming up. Jones is German...nuff said. The surprise is the omission of Bedoya and Diskerud and Feilhaber, who would add more flexibility to the lineup than the stable of 5 D mids seen here. My guess (and hope) is we'll see both Diskerud and Bedoya called in for the Belgium friendly since they are European based and in the middle of their seasons. Feilhaber's exclusion does not bode well for his future with the USMNT, this is exactly the sort of game where he should be getting a look if he is in Klinsmann's plans.

I love the inclusion of Shea and Torres. Torres has the technical ability that has been lacking in the middle of the field and Shea could really be a difference maker on the left side.

F- Adu, Agudelo, Beasley, Buddle, Donovan

Five forwards called up? Landon Donovan listed as a forward? DaMarcus Beasley returns from exile? This makes me believe we might actually see the 4-4-2 or even possible a 4-3-3. I speculated yesterday that JK might bring LD in as a forward...just sayin'. Good to see Buddle in there, but he is not going to be an answer going forward for 2014 so I hope the other guys get more of the playing time. Beasley is a surprise to me too, but his speed and technical ability were keys to our run back in 2002. It has been a while since we have seen the same creativity he once had, but I haven't been following him since his fall from grace with BB. Adu and Agudelo are young and technically skilled, no surprise to see their names here, and I hope they get to see plenty of time on the field during the game.

Jurgen Klinsmann presumably laughing at my attempts to understand
what he's trying to do

Overall Impressions:
Not a huge shakeup, although every noteworthy Latin player except Herc Gomez got the call up. Fiscal's inclusion is one I don't think very many people saw coming. The inclusion of 5 forwards seems to suggest that a 4-5-1 is unlikely, especially considering Landon Donovan's inclusion in the list of forwards. I am excited to see if Klinsi will reveal anything about his tactics in the coming days...

Today's Callups

Klinsmann will announce his callups for the Mexico Friendly today, supposedly at 1 pm ET. My guess is that for the friendly, Klinsmann will stick to the 4-5-1. Tactical change usually comes via slow evolution. I know I am going to be way off on these prognostications, but if I were to hazard a guess, this is who I think might be announced today:

GK - Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann, Nick Rimando

DF - Gonzalez, Goodson, Bocanegra, Convey, Pearce, Franklin, Ream (EDIT: CHANDLER IS IN ACCORDING TO THIS LINK)

It would be bad form not to have the old captain in there, so Bocanegra still gets the call. Goodson, I have it on good authority (a.k.a. Twitter) got the call and is going. Gonzalez adds the Latin flair Klinsmann seems to indicate he wants and Ream has the technical ability he covets. Gonzo has been injured, though, so he could be replaced by Marshall. Chandler and Dolo are the right backs of the future and present, but they are both in Europe, so expect to see them called up for the friendly against Belgium, but I doubt we'll see them here. Could be wrong though, Chandler is a real possibility. Convey and Pearce fill the LB position (Lichaj has a slight injury), and Franklin is on the right. Demerit is also on the mend or he'd be in here. (Edit: it appears Klinsmann's German sway has already yielded dividends, the link above is to Nuremburg's main newspaper and indicates that he got the callup)

MF - Donovan, Shea, Adu, Bradley, Bedoya, Diskerud, Feilhaber, Torres, Jones

Deuce and Edu are left off the list because of UEFA competitions. Holden just started training with Bolton again. Adu has free time while sorting out his club problems, as does Michael Bradley. Bedoya and Diskerud are in form, Feilhaber, Donovan, and Shea are in the US. Jones cuz he's German :) and Torres because he is in Mexico and I have a hunch that JK likes his game. There is a slight possibility of seeing Beckerman, who is in form and US based, replace Jones or Bradley.

FW - Agudelo, Bunbury, Gomez

Agudelo is the trifecta: Latin, technically skilled, and young. Bunbury and Gomez are local, though you could see Buddle, Wondo or Pontius here too. Could see Davies here too, but I don't think that happens, Pontius has been more valuable to DC than Davies, and Davies really is still getting back from his injury woes. Altidore is getting his feet wet with his new club and needs the practice time with them to make the first team. Klinsi understands that his getting his club career back on the right track is the most important thing right now.

The USMNT version of the diamond 4-4-2

So Jurgen (notice no e or umlaut, as requested) will announce his call-ups for the Mexico friendly today (Edit: 1:19 ET ussoccer just tweeted that the roster announcement will be delayed until tomorrow), but until he does that, I'd like to continue my discussion of possible formations. I went on hiatus for a while since the USMNT was also on hiatus, but mostly because things got very busy at work. Until he does unveil his roster, it seemed pertinent to continue my series, especially since Jurgen's formation of choice for much of the 2006 World Cup was the diamond. His appointment and the changes that could come as a result may change a lot of the names here. For instance, this is the version I put together assuming Bob Bradley was the coach:


Now this might be a little bit of a stretch, but it is very easy to see this change into something way different with JK in at coach, something more like this:

As you can see, the only starters between the two formations that would be the same would be Holden in the CAM role, Altidore as one of the strikers (and this is assuming his form picks up at AZ Alkmaar, he could easily be replaced if that doesn't become true), and Donovan on the right (but this could change too, see the discussion below). JK places an emphasis on technical ability, ability to play attacking link-up soccer, youth, and diversity (read: more Latinos). This is the reason Marshall replaces Goodson in the back (We tend to think of Goodson as up-and-coming since he is pretty new to the USMNT starting lineup, but don't forget he is already 29, and he is a grand total of 4 days younger than Gooch), and Gonzalez gets the nod over Bocanegra. Both are more technically gifted, and if Ream can continue to improve he could push for a starting position.

If Timmy Chandler continues his upward trend he seems to be the RB of the future. Lichaj could be a right-footed LB, as he showed very well in the Gold Cup (remember, Klinsi coached Lahm with Die Mannschaft and Bayern Munich, and Lahm is a very adept right-footed LB when employed there), but I get the feeling if Castillo can get playing time he could take over at LB. Same thing for Torres, who seems like exactly the type of player that would fit well in the middle of the pitch, either at the DMF or CAM role. Holden takes the other of those two roles in my proposed starting lineup. Bradley, Jones, Edu, or even Kyle Beckerman could also get a shot at the DMF role.

Outside mid and forward is where things might get interesting. Brek Shea has had a breakthrough season in Dallas, more than making up for the injury to 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira. If the season ended today, he's have a great case for MVP. His speed from the left wing is scary for defenses, and even though his debut with the USMNT was pretty bad, as long as he keeps his head in the game, his assortment of hairstyles, including the blonde mohawk might become as popular as the Mathis mohawk was circa 2002 (this is not meant to be a curse for his form).

Where JK will put Landon Donovan is probably my favorite question. LD is most dangerous running at people, in the 2002 WC he was a forward and one of the best young players of the tournament. Since then he has played more of a withdrawn role or winger role, but remember that JK brought him on at Bayern Munich as a forward (his four goals in a Bayern kit can be seen here, starting at the 2:43 mark). I think he would be best as a right mid, making incisive runs and creating off of passes from the Holden/Torres duo in the middle, but don't be surprised to see him employed periodically as a withdrawn forward in the "false 9" position. He could even slide over into the CAM slot where I currently have Holden, since Holden may prefer to play as a DMF anyway. This would push Torres to the right or bring in Bedoya or another technically adept midfielder such as Benny Feilhaber.

Up top, our unproven youth in Altidore, Agudelo, and Adu (as well as other young guns such as Corona, Salgado, Wood, etc.) will have to prove themselves to get playing time, but under the tutelage of a former world-class striker, one of these will hopefully breakthrough before the World Cup. Don't forget about Charlie Davies either, he will be in the mix if his form continues to improve. I put Deuce up top because I somehow believe that either he or Donovan will fill the void that exists at the forward position. If two of these other players' development leaps ahead of schedule, that leaves more options since Deuce and Donovan would both be available to fill the midfield ranks.

Going forward, we could see a lineup similar to this, which I would be very excited for for a lot of reasons. Almost every player in this lineup can attack, the midfield is technically gifted enough to possess the ball. Brek Shea on the left and Landon on the right are both adept at running at the defense, something we haven't seen as much of as I would like, and Altidore should get great experience at moving off the ball in the Netherlands, which would transition perfectly to his role in this formation. Both fullbacks have the ability to get forward and overlap on the wings, and the defenders won't just boot the ball upfield and treat possession cheaply. On defense we can clog the middle of the field and force the attack out wide, giving time for our midfielders to cover if the fullbacks get caught up the pitch. The possible weakness of the diamond (lack of technical ability) will be a main focus of JK's tenure, and space in the middle should be opened up on offense as Brek prefers to move outside to make runs off the ball. Overall, it could end up as a vast improvement for offensive football over what we have seen in the past without sacrificing very much defensively.

USMNT Tactics - Formations - The Diamond 4-4-2

And we're back in action here at DSF. We lost terribly in the Gold Cup final and I don't want to talk about it. Instead, for now, I will continue my discussion of tactical formations and pretend like all is right in the world.

Having covered the standard 4-4-2, the formation most often deployed by Bob Bradley, and the 4-5-1 (a.k.a. the 4-2-3-1), the formation most recently deployed by Bob Bradley, I would like to move on to the formation that I think he should actually deploy. That formation is the diamond 4-4-2 or the 4-1-2-1-2. It looks a little something like this:


Positional Differences from the standard 4-4-2

There are a couple main positional differences between the standard 4-4-2 and the diamond 4-4-2. The most obvious of course is that both center midfielders in a standard 4-4-2 are defensive holding midfielders, whose primary role is to help the defense by tracking back, tackling hard, clogging the middle of the field and closing passing lanes. The diamond 4-4-2 takes one of these central midfielders and pushes them forward into "the hole", the attacking space in between the forwards and midfielders.

One additional key difference is that the two side midfielders are able to pinch into the center of the field. In the standard 4-4-2 the two holding mids play side-by-side, which forces the side midfielders out wide because they occupy the entire central area of the field. Because the two central midfielders in the diamond play on top of each other instead of side-by-side, the side midfielders have more space inside without intruding on the position of the central midfielders.

Defensive Tactics:

Defenders

The role of the back four is first and foremost to defend. Two center backs bear the bulk of the defensive responsibility by accounting for the other teams forwards, tackling hard, snuffing out fires, and playing physical in the air. The two outside backs contain the other teams wingers and can also support the center backs by moving inward.

Midfielders

The one defensive holding midfielder has the same primary role of wreaking havoc to the other teams attack. The side midfielders play box-to-box on their respective sides of the field and have the freedom to move further inside or outside as the flow and tactics of the game dictate. Against teams that like to spread the field wide they have the flexibility to move outside, or against teams that like to work the ball through the middle of the field they can pinch in and further clog the space. The attacking midfielder drops into the space between the defensive midfield and forwards, marking opposing players who are trying to support the attack and applying pressure to the other teams' midfielders.

Forwards

Forwards track defenders or defensive mids pushing forward.

In summary, on defense, the formation looks something like this:


Offensive Tactics:

Defenders:

Center backs have the role to provide service out of the back to the midfield. Outside defenders become critical to the attack in the diamond 4-4-2. Because the side midfielders are pushed more towards the center of the field, they function in an even greater role as wing backs. Most of the width in the attack is provided by overlapping runs down the side of the field by these outside defenders. They become key cogs in the attack and give the attacking team an advantage in numbers going forward.

Midfielders:

The attacking midfielder acts as a playmaker, linking play between defense and offense as well as pressuring the other team when they have possession of the ball. The defensive midfielder can also act as a deep lying playmaker, since there are typically at least 5 players in front of him on offense, his or her distribution and decision making are key to holding possession or launching a quick counterattack. Side midfielders have the versatility to make runs off the ball and distribute the ball forward to the attacking mid, outside backs, and forwards. They give the defenders and defensive mid an option for distribution once the ball is won in defense, and also provide support to the attack.

Forwards

Since the service to the forwards is a combination of interlinked short passes from the attacking midfielder and side midfielders as well as long balls from the defense or defensive mid, they do not have to play solely as holdup strikers, they are free to drop back or make diagonal runs toward goals to give the midfielders options. The additional players supporting them puts less of an emphasis on skilled hold up play since they should have multiple passing options at their disposal to lay the ball off if needed.

On offense, the formation looks something like this:


Diamond 4-4-2 Pros:
Allows for link up play between the defense and offense and maintains possession. Provides a lot of flexibility to play possession or to allow for long balls. Defensively allows flexibility to allow side midfielders to play inside or outside to take away the opponent's strength. Can lead to maintaning a majority of the posession and gives lots of options in both offense and defense.

Diamond 4-4-2 Cons:
Places a large responsibility on the defensive midfielder as an offensive distributor and a defensive stopper. Most of the width in the attack is provided by the outside defenders, potentially leaving the outside of the field vulnerable to counterattacks. Relies heavily on intelligent off-the-ball movement and technical ability to hold possession within the midfield, sometimes in tight spaces because all four midfielders are compressed toward the center of the field.

Made famous by:
Carlo Ancelotti's AC Milan. He had the enviable problem of having too many talented playmakers, so he employed a strategy to get his best XI on the field by employing an attacking midfielder playmaker (initially Rui Costa, later Kaka), and a deep-lying playmaker (Andrea Pirlo). Allowing both room to operate and ply their craft in the middle of the field. His teams won the 2003 champions league, came in second in 2005, and won again in 2007 using the diamond.

Explanation of the lack of posts

I have been out of town all week with very limited time and even more limited internet access. Posting will continue next week

What to expect against Mexico

The recent success of the 4-5-1 in the quarters and semifinals, along with Jozy Altidore's injury, pretty much ensures that the U.S. will start out in that formation. I expect Kljestan's poor form in the first half, combined with Landon Donovan's overall hatred of all things south of the border (he once said of the rivalry "It's not just another game for me. I clearly, absolutely, desparately want to beat them"), means LD will not start a third straight match on the bench. He'll be motivated and anxious to resume his status as the villian (or the proverbial "man in the black hat" if you are so inclined). He loves and relishes it and has played some of his best soccer against Mexico (2002 WC quaterfinal, and his first international goal came against El Tri).

Point is, Donovan should replace Kljestan, but begs the question of who will play the Central Attacking Midfielder position. Bedoya will probably get the start out wide, leaving Donovan or Dempsey to take the middle. I assume Bradley will push Deuce to the CAM and put Donovan out on the left wing. If it were me, I would switch those roles. Deuce loves cutting inside, and remember that Landon played a withdrawn striker through most of the 2002 WC, when he was extremely effective, and caused Mexico all kinds of problems. I think his distribution is better than Deuce, who often tries to get his first (not necessarily a problem, but maybe not the best fit for the CAM position). If it were me (and it's not), my starting XI would look like this:

--------------------------Howard------------------------
Cherudolo ------- Goodson----Bocanegra-----Lichaj
----------------Jones------------Edu--------------------
Bedoya----------------Donovan-------------Dempsey
-------------------------Agudelo-------------------------

I like Edu over Jones as more of a personal preference. I love Michael Bradley's work rate, and his longball distribution is better than Edu's, but that leads to a propensity to give away possession trying to thread the needle on a long ball when shorter higher percentage passes are there waiting for him. I would have Adu, Bradley and Kljestan on the bench waiting to sub for any of the midfielders.

Bob Bradley, however, will probably trot out these guys:
--------------------------Howard------------------------
Cherudolo ------- Goodson----Bocanegra-----Lichaj
----------------Jones------------Bradley----------------
Bedoya----------------Dempsey-------------Donovan
-------------------------Agudelo-------------------------

If we have the game in hand, look for him to bring on Edu and Kljestan as subs for Bedoya and Donovan. Adu could see action if the offense is stagnant or we are behind and need some creativity off the bench. The match probably hinges for the U.S. on two things. First, they have to maintain enough possession to keep the ball out of their own end as described in my previous post about the drawback of the 4-5-1. Second, they HAVE to finish their chances, because they certainly won't be as plentiful as they were against Jamaica or Guadeloupe. Look for both teams to come out trying to draw first blood. The U.S. has to be disciplined against Chicharito and Lichaj and Dolo can contain the opposing midfielders and marauding runs of Giovanni Dos Santos. Mexico probably has the superior talent, but the U.S. can pull this out if they stay disciplined and are sharp on the ball.

Is Bob Bradley smart, stupid, or lucky?

I thought I knew who Bob Bradley was, but last night he threw me a couple of curveballs, one especially that I didn't expect. Bob Bradley has been described as many things, but unpredictable has never been one of them. Watching a U.S. soccer game is usually like watching a Rocky movie, you know the plot and main characters going in, you know Rocky will at some point get a beatdown and you know he's going to train, punch some meat and then win the fight at the end of the movie (I haven't seen Rocky Balboa, so if that one isn't quite as formulaic then I apoligize).

For the last 5 years we have been treated to almost identical team selections and lineups, regardless of form or the abilities of the starting XI. His teams sit back, play defensively, and he hopes Howard pulls out a couple of world class saves and leans on Donovan or Dempsey to provide a moment of brilliance to get the W. Then came last night's games. Here were the surprises to me, in order of least surprising to most surprising: we continued with the 4-5-1 (not very surprising), Bedoya got the start (mildly surprising given his form), Kljestan got the start (surprising only because of the man he replaced), that when Kljestan was playing poorly he got subbed out at half and didn't get another chance (Bob doesn't usually make halftime subs in big games, preferring to wait til the 60 minute mark or later), Donovan wasn't in the starting lineup (when I saw this I was shocked), and Freddy Adu coming on as a sub without a significant injury having occurred and while the result was very much in doubt (I could not believe my eyes when this happened, it was completely unexpected and made me question everything I knew to be true).

Sure, he stayed true to form in that Howard came up with a couple big saves and it took a moment of brilliance from D&D to get our only goal, but vanilla Bob busted out a little neopolitan last night. The first four things on that list could be explained away as an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" move. The same exact starting XI came out for the Panama game as the Jamaica game. That was a big risk. If we lose this game, everybody is second-guessing him for leaving Landon out of the starting lineup. As a country we have rode Landon Donovan to greatness since the 2002 World Cup. Bob Bradley has gone to battle with LD in his starting XI almost every match since taking over as manager. LD is the all-time leading scorer in USMNT history and has been as dangerous as anyone in the MLS this season. He is the face of the team, he scored the Algeria goal that sent America into euphoria just one year ago. To take this player, who as far as we can tell isn't injured, and tell him to sit on the bench and watch the first half from there surprised everyone, I'm sure even Kljestan, Bedoya, and Landon.

Bob doesn't seem to like change much, but in this case not making a change was in and of itself a really big aberration from what we normally see. But then when Kljestan, seemingly one of Bob's favorites, was a little off in the first half, Bob didn't hesitate. He put Donovan in. I guess it helps to have somebody of Donovan's quality to be able to do that, but still, making a change that early is something we don't often see from Bob except in friendlies. But then when Adu came on for Agudelo I think everyone was shocked. Bob has repeatedly said that he brought Adu in to see how his development is going and how much he has progressed. Adu was left off the 18-man roster for the first two group stage games. He was as far from the field as you could be and still be on the 23-man roster. And yet, there he was at the 64th minute, standing at the half line waiting to come in.

What inspired this change? I'll never know. If Bob wanted to be ultra-conservative as it seemed he was trying to be by sticking with the exact same lineup then how can we explain this decision. Did he actually decide mid-game to change his tactics? Does he actually watch the game from the sideline? I could never tell from that unfocused stare if he was interested in what was going on on the pitch or just considering how cool he looked in his awesome track warmups. But for one night, Bob did what I thought he'd never do. He broke from his normal plan, he made bold moves. And the craziest part is they all worked out perfectly. The lone goal was created on a sweet through ball by Adu (a substitute) to Landon Donovan (a substitute), who put the ball on a rope through one defender's legs to the past two more to Dempsey, who only had to stick out a leg to get it in the back of the net. Deuce understood how great of a ball that was, and I bet if you asked him he would say Donovan deserves credit for the goal more than he does. Have you ever seen the goal scorer defer like that during the celebration to the guy who made the assist? I never have.

I still don't know what to think. For the first time in a while I have hope that this team can progress. Bob really went out on a limb last night. He made unpopular decisions that could get him fired if they turned out wrong because it seems that he felt like they were the best thing he could do. What's more, those changes make sense based on recent performances and form and resulted in a win. I don't often agree with what he does, but in answering my own question. I think last night, Bob got a little lucky, but created some of that luck by being smart. That's two games in a row that I have been impressed with his tactics. I don't think that's ever happened before. It gives me hope. Now let's see if he can do against Mexico.

The main drawback of the 4-5-1

Thus far most of my analysis of the 4-5-1 has been positive. This is probably because the result against Jamaica was so positive. However, every formation has its strengths and weaknesses, and the weakness of the 4-5-1 is that it depends on you keeping possession for it to work properly. Against a technically gifted side (like Spain, just as a random example that has nothing to do with recent friendlies or pitiful results) that is able to cause turnovers and rarely gives up possession, the 4-5-1 produces the exact opposite results as it did against Jamaica.

If you are constantly under pressure from the opposing team and unable to build possession, you are fighting a losing battle. The four defenders and five midfielders effectively form a shell around the penalty box, leaving the striker on an island as the only attacking player. If the other team maintains possession and pressure, once you win the ball you are forced to quickly release it, but there is nobody there to link the play to the forwards, so the only option is to clear the ball. Since your striker can only be at one place at one time, the majority of these clearances wind up being won by the opposing teams defenders, who reset possession and repeat the process again. At that point you are essentially playing not to lose, which in my book is worse than losing itself.

I don't think Panama has the quality to be able to pose this kind of problem tonight, but going forward this is something I will be following closely. Can the U.S. cultivate the type of skills and movement required to possess the ball against more technical sides? If we want to take the next step, and if that step is going to come under the 4-5-1, that will probably be the key.

UPDATE: Apparently Bob Bradley agrees with me, some of his comments on the 4-5-1 courtesy of ESPN:
"In an ideal world, when you get good movement, the forward is not alone that often," said Bradley. "But there are still ways [in which] other people are moving quickly when necessary to join in and be available so that you aren't just leaving him stranded. One of the things that becomes key to make that happen is you need to be able to move the ball well. If it's a day when you're under pressure, and you've got a lot of guys back, and now when you get the ball you're pressed right away and all you can do is play it up to the forward, he's going to feel like he's on his own. But if it's a day where as a team, you're good with the ball, then there are times when it doesn't really look like one forward."
I guess we agree on one thing at least :)

Altidore is out the rest of the GC

You can see the article at ussoccer.com here:
http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2011/06/Altidore-Sidelined-46-Weeks-After-Hamstring-Injury.aspx

4-5-1 vs 4-4-2 Movement off the ball

I watched the Jamaica game again last night, and want to explain one aspect of the 4-5-1 that I think really helped us with possession. Let’s throw up the graphic of the base formation again shall we?

One of the reasons this worked so well is because we finally were moving off the ball. One of my chief criticisms of the U.S. attack of late is the lack of movement and runs into space to allow for positive buildup towards the attacking third. The U.S. typically filters possession through their holding midfielders Bradley and Jones. In the more structured 4-4-2, as one pushes forward with the ball, the other will drop off to be sure to maintain defensive shape (in this example Jones has the ball and Bradley drops).

This leaves the only options a longer ball to one of the forwards, a long ball to the other side of the field, a short ball to the near side winger, or to turn and drop it to the fullbacks or other holding mid. If they drop the ball, it usually ends up switching sides and filtering back to the holding mids who once again have the same options.

The only 3 attacking options are 2 long balls or a short pass the winger who is then pinned in a similar position without many options going forward. Many people wonder how the U.S. has become so reliant on the long ball, the formation, tactics, and philosophy presented here are the main culprit. Additionally, this leads to stagnation and little off the ball movement. Nobody is in a position to make an incisive run except the other holding mid, but he is duty bound to stay back because vacating the defensive space in front of the center backs is of higher priority than making an attacking run.

Let’s look at the same scenario in the 4-5-1. U.S. wins the ball and it is played to Jones who turns and starts upfield and sees a completely different field in front of him.

The 4-5-1 promotes movement off the ball because it creates natural passing triangles in the midfield and because the extra midfield players are close enough to cover for each other if they make attacking runs. If Dempsey wants to make a run inside, Kljestan has the flexibility to push wide to fill the space he just vacated. Similarly, should Bradley decide to make a through run up the middle of the pitch, Kljestan can simply step a few feet back. The defensive mid who was covering Kljestan is forced to pick up Bradley because his movement toward goal is the greatest threat. This opens up space for Kljestan as he steps a few feet back. If they leave Bradley uncovered, Jones can play a through ball and he is in on the defense. If they cover Bradley, Jones can lay the ball off to Kljestan, who now has space in front of him to advance the ball. If the outside midfielder pushes inside to overload, Donovan can step outside. Jones now has as many short pass attacking options (3) as he had total attacking options in the 4-4-2, and he still has the long ball to the forward or Dempsey as an option. Here’s a diagram of this scenario:

What it boils down to is that the holding mid has more options for short passes that maintain possession than he does in the 4-4-2. Additionally, the pressure relief is a neutral pass in the 4-5-1 (the Kljestan square ball) as opposed to a negative pass in the 4-4-2 (to the withdrawn holding mid or defense). When the majority of the play goes through the holding mid, this multiplicity of options allows for possession and buildup play to occur, and creates a more consistent offense.

The USMNT version of the 4-5-1 (a.k.a. the 4-2-3-1)

Now I know everyone is excited about this new, supercool formation that Bob Bradley unveiled against Jamaica that led us to a 2-0 victory in our most complete match in the Gold Cup, and probably since the second half against Slovenia (which, in all fairness, wasn't a complete game, so I retract that statement). People who regularly follow the team know this, but the 4-5-1, while a relatively new arrow in Bob Bradley's quiver, has been an idea he has been tinkering with since the end of the World Cup and Sunday's game was the first time it really clicked the way it is supposed to. The impetus for the switch is mostly our lack of dependable strikers and overabundance of quality holding midfielders. In essence, to get the best XI on the field, we have to play an additional midfielder since that is where we have more talent and experience. The U.S. 4-5-1 looks a little something like this:

The difference in the base formation from the 4-4-2 is that we trade a striker for a central attacking midfielder and slide the striker that is left to the middle of the field. Tactically this changes a lot of things for the team. The overabundance of midfielders means that if somebody loses their shape and drifts out of position (whether on purpose to make an attacking run into unoccupied space or pick up an opposing player, or on accident just by being undisciplined) there is at least one midfielder who can cover for them. This leads to a more fluid formation in the middle of the field, where the midfielders are more free to switch positions with each other without as great of a fear of being caught out of position by a counterattack. In the Jamaica game, there were lots of times when Dempsey would cut inside and effectively switch positions with Kljestan or one of the holding mids (Jones or Bradley) would push up into unoccupied space allowing the other to cover the defensive responsibilities. Additionally, the central attacking midfielder (Kljestan, or Holden when he's healthy) provides a link between the defense and the offense that is lacking in the 4-4-2, which decreases reliance on the long ball by filling the gap between the holding mids and the strikers. This creates more options for build-up play to diversify the offensive portfolio.

Not everything about the 4-5-1 is rainbows and butterflies and trophies though. That one lone man up top has a big responsibility. His holdup play must be superb since all his support comes in the form of midfielder runs. Additionally, he has to cover the whole width of the field, and has no partner up front to share the work load with in covering attacking runs from the defense. The midfield has to be extremely aware, especially of attacking runs from the opposing teams outside backs. The U.S. has no natural holdup striker to fill this role, as both Agudelo and Altidore are better facing goal than away from it.

The switch to the 4-5-1, especially against a Jamaican team where possessing the ball was paramount to the U.S. tactics, proved to be a stellar move. I have to tip my hat to coach Bob. I don’t often agree with his tactics, but he got couldn’t have gotten it more right in this case. Overloading the midfield allowed us to possess the ball almost the whole game and wore down Jamaica by making them work on defense. The advantage in possession and numbers in the center of the field really broke up Jamaica’s offensive rhythm and kept their counterattack at bay all night. Additionally, Agudelo’s holdup play was much better than I expected to see. Despite what I said last paragraph, his technical ability showed, not just in taking one players one-on-one, but in the little touches to keep possession of the ball at his feet with his back toward goal.

Before we get too excited, remember that Bob Bradley has been tinkering with the 4-5-1 since October 2010. He tried it out in friendlies against Brazil (first half), Poland (full game), Columbia (first half), South Africa (first half), Chile (first half), Paraguay (second half), and Argentina (full game) with mixed results. During those games the U.S. scored 5 goals, only 2 of which came out of the 4-5-1 (both goals against Poland). All other goals (against, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa) came once the U.S. switched back to the 4-4-2 after halftime, and in the case of Chile and South Africa, that switch didn't happen until the 60th minute (the switch came at halftime of the Argentina game). So in friendlies since South Africa, and leaving out the Spain debacle, we have spent at least half of the game in every friendly in the 4-5-1 and we scored only two goals, while conceding 6. In the 4-4-2 over that time, we scored 3 goals and only conceded 2. In the Gold Cup, however, we have scored 2, conceded 0 in the 4-5-1 and scored 4 and conceded 2 in the 4-4-2. What does it all mean? The 4-5-1 is still a work in progress, but the flexibility and change of pace it provides adds another dynamic to the U.S. attack that has lacked creativity. For the first time in a long time, the United States truly played the beautiful game beautifully.

The USMNT version of the 4-4-2

This seems like a mistimed post since Bob Bradley decided to move to the 4-5-1 (or 4-2-3-1 depending on who you ask) for last night's game, but I'll cover that formation in the next couple of days. Bob's formation of choice for most of his time as the national team coach has been the 4-4-2. It was his formation for most of World Cup Qualifying, the entire World Cup, and had been the formation he used in all three group stage games. He totally threw me a curveball last night and ruined my blogging groove, but considering the results, I'm not complaining. Regardless, the chances of him reverting back to the 4-4-2 in the future remain extremely high so it is still educational to analyze how the U.S. usually sets up when in this formation.

Let's take a look at the lineup that was used for the first two Gold Cup group games. This is similar to the lineup that Bob Bradley has been using for the past 5 years with a few key exceptions. Those exceptions are that Bocanegra and Oguchi Onyewu have typically played the center back positions with Bornstein or Spector as the left back. When Spector and Bornstein inevitably failed miserably in the important matches leading up to the World Cup and this Gold Cup, the US copes by sliding Bocanegra into left back and replacing him at center back with Jay DeMerit (in the World Cup) or Tim Ream/Clarence Goodson (as seen below in the Gold Cup lineup). Also, Jermaine Jones was only recently allowed to play for the U.S. Maurice Edu or Ricardo Clark have been Michael Bradley's usual running mates in center mid until recently. Without further ado then, the Bob Bradley 4-4-2:

When the US deploys this formation, a couple of the typical deficiencies of the 4-4-2 crop up. Neither Bradley nor Jones (nor Edu) have the greatest distribution skills, which leads to a lot of long balls and lack of possession in the middle of the field. Additionally, none of our forwards are particularly adept at holding up the ball or playing with their back the goal. Both Altidore and Agudelo are more dangerous making through runs and getting the ball in space where they are able to turn and attack towards goal. Altidore certainly has the physical tools to become a superb hold-up striker, but has yet to develop these physical attributes into technical strengths.

Our two best players (although you wouldn't know it necessarily by watching just the Gold Cup), Dempsey (a.k.a. Deuce) and Donovan are deployed on the wings in this formation. Both of them like to make runs into the defense, typically attacking inward rather than spreading the field wide. On the right side of the pitch this works phenomenally. Donovan and Dolo have worked together for so long that they have a great understanding of how to work together and know instinctively what the other is thinking and how to get each other the ball in dangerous positions. The left side however, is a bigger problem.

Deuce loves cutting inside and making diagonal runs at the defense, and does so even more regularly than Donovan. This wouldn't be so much of a problem if we had a serviceable left back who could push into the vacated space, but up until the last two games, left back has been the black hole of the U.S. depth chart. Try as we may to fill it, it has gobbled up whomever we have tried to insert there and left nary a trace. The aforementioned Spector and Bornstein combination had been so inept that Bob Bradley has done his best impression of the Little Dutch Boy by trying to desperately keep us from leaking goals by plugging Bocanegra into the gaping hole in the dyke at left back. The problem is that Bocanegra is a purely defensive peg in a two-way player hole. He has done an admirable job playing out of position, but does not get forward or pose a threat down the wing. The lack of a true left back has left us deficient on the left side for the entirety of Bob Bradley's coaching tenure.

While this isn't necessarily his fault as he can only use the talent pool that is available to him, the formation we play emphasizes this weakness because of Deuce's propensity to float inside rather than stay wide. This has been the case for the last 5 years, and no tactical adjustment has been made to fill in the gap. Eric Lichaj has been an absolute revelation in the Guadaloupe and Jamaica games, and if he can be groomed into the left back role and fill it well against quality opposition, he alone can change the entire dynamic of the US attack. Of course, he plays right back with his club (Aston Villa) and is right-footed so it isn't necessarily the best fit, but it's a better fit than we've seen in a long time on the USMNT.

The strength of this formation is obviously in the central defensive portion of the team. Bradley, Jones, Edu, Goodson, Bocanegra, Demerit, and (until his injury in WC qualifying) Onyewu are all physical tackling machines and do a good job of clogging the middle of the field and forcing the ball out wide and into less dangerous positions. Unfortunately, the attack has always been stunted and inconsistent due to the over-reliance on the long ball. Against lesser competition we find ways to score, but the lack of creative talent apart from Deuce and LD, and inadequate service from the midfielders to the forwards causes us offensive headaches against better opposition. This defensive formation makes us very reliant on set pieces for offense, and had led to a half decade of inconsistent results.

USMNT Tactics: Formations - The 4-4-2

There are more formations in soccer than there are nations in the Gold Cup (don't believe me? Here is the wiki link). I will not take time to detail them all, but I would like to cover some of the options that I have seen employed by the U.S. and some that might better fit our personnel. Therefore, each formation will be a two-part series. The first part will be a basic description of the formation, and the second part will be how it is utilized, or potentially could be utilized, by the USA. Under the current manager, the USMNT has generally employed a classical 4-4-2 composed of two central defenders, two outside backs, two holding midfielders, two wingers, and two forwards. Visually, it looks a little something like this:

The 4-4-2 emphasizes defense by placing two defensive holding center midfielders, whose primary role is to help the defense by tracking back, tackling hard, and putting out fires. Should trouble arise, they release the ball forward via the long ball because there exists a lack of players between them and the forwards to link the defense or defensive midfield with the attack. It is also the responsibility of the center midfielders to support the attack by pushing forward during offensive possession, so they end up running a great deal because their role demands them to play an integral part in defending but also get forward when the occasion presents itself. However, since defense is the priority, only one of the center mids will typically push forward during the attack.

The wingers have similar duties, although it could be argued that they have a greater offensive role and a lesser defensive role. Nevertheless, it is their responsibility to track back on defense and cover any opposing wingers or outside fullbacks from the other team that push forward to attack. They widen the field and make runs so that the forwards, who have presumably received and controlled the long ball that was sent to them, can lay it off to the wingers who are cutting inside, or play a through ball to the outside for the wingers to cross back into the box. Again, the emphasis is on lots of running. I think the logic is something to the effect of "if you can't beat them, just try to run lots and get in their way" (can you tell that I'm a huge fan of the classic 4-4-2). The wingers' responsibilities looks something like this:

The other positions are fairly self-explanatory. Forwards win the long balls, and hold them to lay off to the wingers or one of the center mids who are pushing up behind them. They also make runs into the box for crosses and in general just try to put the ball in the back of the net. The center backs are full on defenders and provide a pressure relief valve for the center midfielders, but usually just boot the ball towards the forwards if they get possession. The outside backs can have an offensive role by providing overlapping runs down the wings, but are primarily responsible for defending the opposing team's wingers or outside backs who attack down their side of the field.

In summary, on defense, the formation looks something like this:

And on offense, something like this:

4-4-2 Pros:

Easy to implement and does not require great technical skill to employ, only discipline. Highly structured defense and emphasis placed on defense means, when implemented correctly, the opposing team has a difficult time breaking down the defense and unclogging the center of the field since at least 4 defensive players will be there at all times. If you have good athletes, this can utilize them by placing emphasis on athletic ability and conditioning.

4-4-2 Cons:

Places a great emphasis on athletic ability and conditioning, so if you don't have good athletes, your team invariably runs out of gas or can't win enough long balls to provide a sustained attack. Emphasis on defense and lack of link-up play can lead to a stagnant offense and an abundance of boring, defensive soccer. Basically cedes all possession to the other team when playing against a more technically gifted side, since both center midfielders drop back, there is a gap between the midfield and forwards the other team can exploit to control possession.

Made famous by:

The Italians, specifically A.C. Milan under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello. Has also become very widespread in the English Premier League, and is employed by the English National Team under the current leadership of Fabio Capello. Capello has received a lot of criticism for his strict adherence to the 4-4-2 as many see it as an outdated. Italy's utilization of the 4-4-2 coincides with their national soccer philosophy to defend until the opponent has a miscue and then pounce on the counter attack and make them pay.

Problem #1 with the USMNT Tactics: Philosophy

I am going to do my best to not make this a flame Bob Bradley blog. I will try to be reasonable and objective. My biggest concern with the USMNT is the lack of a philosophy, identity, or style that is uniquely our own and captures the essence of our nation. When you think of Brazilian soccer you think of the joga bonito, Spain has their tika-taka, the Dutch invented Total Football, Italy sits back and defends until you make a mistake and then they pounce, Germany is committed to its shape and moves as a cohesive unit, Argentina has their flowing passes and superb individual dribbling, etc., etc.

The United States is still very young in terms of soccer, we didn't really get started until sometime around the '90 or '94 World Cups, so we only have had about 15-20 years of history in the sport. Nevertheless, over that time the hallmark of the National Team has been industry and, to a lesser degree, athleticism. United States players work hard, have good conditioning, can run the full 90 minutes, and leave it all out on the field. Are these admirable qualities and a good foundation for soccer? Yes, undoubtedly. Are they a team philosophy? Perhaps, but if that is the end all, be all of US Soccer, we will never become more than a mediocre World Cup team, and that isn't good enough.

Bradley Ball, as many are wont to call it, is defined by this industry as well as an over-reliance on the completely unreliable long ball. We don't control the ball, opting instead to play a lot of long balls that are supposed to be directed to a holding striker. At least 6 of our current field players run first, defend second, and attack last (all 4 defenders and our two defensive holding mids). If any of them get into trouble, they boot the ball downfield, effectively ceding possession in order to maintain a sense of security in knowing that a the giveaway is occurring far from our own goal. These are effectively the same tactics that most of the intramural teams I played on in college use. That our national team plays the same style as a team composed of people who didn't even player soccer most of their lives is disconcerting, disappointing, and, at the end of the day, completely unacceptable.

If we want our soccer team to be an indication of who we are, and if I want to be entertained when I watch my national team, we need a change in how we play. Currently, the American version of the beautiful game is fairly ugly, mundane, and frustrating to watch. I don't ask that we win every game, I just ask that we put a product out there that I can relate with and that makes me want to watch and cheer.

The United States of America was not built on industrious labor alone, we don't just work hard, we are innovative and we work smart. This is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and the home of the internet. That dynamic is not there with our national team. Playing long balls is like picking the seeds out of cotton instead of using a cotton gin, or dusting off my old World Book Encyclopedia instead of using Google on my phone. It's less effective, simple, archaic, outdated, and won't get us where we want to be. In my opinion, we don't necessarily need Spain's tika-taka or Brazil's joga bonito, but we need incisive through-balls, we have to learn to control the midfield, to possess the ball, and to laugh in the face of defenders who think they can take it away from us. We need creative and smart runs off the ball. We run like mad when the other team has the ball and stand around like statues once we win it from them. That isn't smart soccer, and it isn't productive industry, it's wasting our energy just to boot the ball back to them and waste more. Anybody who has played football, basketball, or soccer knows that you expend way more energy playing defense than you do playing offense. Why? Because you should know where the ball is going on offense and you can take a direct path to where you need to be instead of reacting to what others are doing. We are wasting our industry in the least productive aspect of the game.

If US soccer is to take the next step and if we truly want to be counted among the world's elite teams, our tactics have to change. My primary criticism of Bob Bradley is his unwillingness to invest in a system that pays dividends greater than what we have seen in the past. I know we will suffer growing pains during the adjustment, I know results won't come immediately, but the adjustment has to be made if we don't want to be mired in mediocrity for the foreseeable future. America has never been satisfied with mediocrity, except, it seems, for the USSF.