By: Colin Reese
Jürgen Klinsmann has realized some tactical problems with the United States Men’s National Team, and he made adjustments to correct those problems in the USMNT’s friendly against Mexico.
By using DeAndre Yedlin at right back for the second stateside game in a row, Klinsmann has somewhat implicitly given some indication that he’s considering not starting Brad Evans in the World Cup.
Furthermore, Klinsmann publicly discussed having the option of using Geoff Cameron or John Brooks at center back, which presumably means that he’s concerned with Omar Gonzalez’s play as opposed to Matt Besler’s play.
Finally, Klinsmann also publicly stated that he felt that Clint Dempsey was stranded up top in the attack and having to drop back too deep into the midfield to collect the ball, which then left him too far back in the midfield. The coach went on to say that he instructed Dempsey to not drop back as much because he was changing the formation to give Michael Bradley more freedom to get forward more.
These are all good signs, and the fact that Klinsmann fired or demoted Martín Vasquez was even better news for USA fans.
Clearly, Klinsmann is working on improving the USMNT.
Nevertheless, some work remains to be done to improve the defense and increasing the USA’s ball possession and overall technical skill.
The incorporation of Julian Green was nothing short of Klinsmann adding a back-up wing option for Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan. Regardless of how it was presented to the media and the public, Green was brought into the fold for exactly that purpose, and it’s possible that he could start with Donovan and Dempsey.
Nevertheless, the defense still needs to be improved, which Klinsmann appears to be actively working on, and Klinsmann is looking to add or actually play some more creative playmakers, which is evident in his recent incorporation of Luis Gil and in his scouting and testing of Mix Diskerud and Joe Corona over the last year and half or so.
Below are four things the USMNT needs to improve before the World Cup, and World Soccer Source would argue that Klinsmann is already working on these things:
1. Fix the Back Four
An American Back Four comprised of Brad Evans, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, and DaMarcus Beasley should not be started for any reason in the 2014 World Cup.
With all the hype and commercials released in the United States to promote the World Cup and show the improvement of the USMNT, Jürgen Klinsmann would be making a huge mistake to start the Back Four listed above.
No player in that Back Four is a poor player, but that group of defenders started together is not the strongest defense the USMNT can field.
If Klinsmann is unwilling to start Geoff Cameron with Michael Bradley, then Evans, Gonzalez, and Beasley need to be eliminated from that Back Four in favor of DeAndre Yedlin, Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler, and Fabian Johnson.
Michael Orozco would be better than Besler, but Besler is a solid center back.
The problem that needs to be fixed is the porous center of the defense and the absence of real outside backs from the Back Four.
2. Don’t Start Jermaine Jones Unless He And Michael Bradley Agree to Cover For Each Other Defensively
Michael Bradley already covers for Jermaine Jones defensively when Jones goes forward with the attack, and if Jermaine Jones agrees to do the same, then Jones can be started with Michael Bradley.
So far, this type of sacrifice hasn’t been displayed by Jones, although Jones does stay back on defense when Bradley isn’t playing. When used together, this duo looks like two Number 8s looking to attack as much as possible, or it looks like Bradley always having to cover for Jones.
If these two players continue to have poor chemistry, then Geoff Cameron, Maurice Edu, or Kyle Beckerman needs to start over Jones. The other option is to let both Bradley and Jones start as Number 8s with one of those other defensive midfielders starting behind them. This would be a really defensive-minded midfield, but it could work.
The real question is whether or not Cameron is needed more as a center back or as a defensive midfielder, and if Edu’s lower technical ability compared to Cameron is better suited for the center of the defense or the defensive midfielder spot.
3. Start a Number 10 like Joe Corona, Mix Diskerud, or Benny Feilhaber (if he has any chance of being selected)
The USA would be wise to not overcomplicate its Starting XI by putting either Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey as a central attacking midfielder. Just put them on the right wing and left wing and be done with it.
Bradley, Dempsey, and Donovan are the best American players, and Donovan and Dempsey excel out wide where they have the freedom to tuck inside.
The USA needs a Number 10 in between Donovan and Dempsey. With two defensive midfielders in the Starting XI, not starting Corona, Diskerud, or Feilhaber would be a real disservice to Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore.
Feilhaber is the most-proven and the most in-form of the American Number 10s, but Corona and Diskerud are also true Number 10s that can allow Donovan, Dempsey, and Altidore to be in better positions to score.
Donovan and Dempsey are known as attacking players that start out wide on paper and look to cut inside, so Klinsmann should just start a Number 10 in between them and not try to reinvent the wheel.
Klinsmann likes the 4-2-3-1 system, and using a Number 10 in the middle of the line of three is how it works. Using a Number 10 will help the USA to see more possession and attack with more potency. Not using a playmaker when two defensive midfielders are started is not a balanced XI.
Improved technical ability and passing are the two things the United States needs to improve in this World Cup. Two defensive midfielders behind a Number 10 flanked by Donovan and Dempsey is one of the ways to improve the USA’s passing and overall skill-level.
4. Let the Kids Play
Three of the players described above (Corona, Diskerud, and Agudelo) oddly are considered risky or fringe players by many Americans and even perhaps Jürgen Klinsmann.
The United States does not have the luxury of snubbing Corona, Diskerud, and Agudelo when it is already snubbing Benny Feilhaber.
These so-called risks aren’t actually risks, but rather they are the new crop of young American players that are better than the players that are competing for the same spots.
Whatever you say about Corona, Diskerud, and Agudelo, it won’t change how well they’ve played against higher-level national teams and club teams, while other American regulars have only performed well in CONCACAF.
An important thing to continue to remind yourself of is that Joe Corona performed well twice against Corinthians (with Paulinho playing) and knocked them out of the 2013 Copa Libertadores before losing to Ronaldinho and Atlético Mineiro. Corona was only knocked out of the Copa Libertadores by Ronaldinho, perhaps the most talented footballer ever, even including Pelé, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Zidane, and Messi.
That’s a fact about Corona that has to taken very seriously and bears repeating.
Let’s not forget that Julian Green has been brought into the team to bring a technical and fast winger with the ability to take defenders off the dribble and combine with the likes of Dempsey and Donovan.
While Green is likely a roster lock, Luis Gil looks to be a young player that might sneak onto the roster.
Conclusion
Klinsmann is working on fixing the USMNT’s Back Four, and he should go ahead and let DeAndre Yedlin start at right back.
Where he wants to use Cameron is unclear, and where he is needed the most is unclear. Orozco can partner with Matt Besler, and Fabian Johnson is a much better left back option than DaMarcus Beasley. Johnson plays as a right back and as a left back in the Bundesliga. Maybe Johnson doesn’t play well in humid and hot climates, so perhaps that is the reason that Beasley has been starting.
Using Edu and Orozco at center back with Cameron as the defensive midfielder is a viable option, but using one of those three with Besler as the center back duo is a must, unless both Edu and Orozco start as the center backs to give the USMNT quicker center backs.
Since Orozco is a qualified center back, then Cameron can partner with Bradley as the two-man defensive midfield.
The USA should use Corona or Diskerud in between Donovan and Dempsey assuming that Feilhaber is excluded from the World Cup roster.
With all of this in mind, this USA XI is a realistic way for Jürgen Klinsmann to improve his Starting XI without calling up inexperienced or unproven players.
Below is a realistic way to improve the team, and there is time to do it without shaking things up too much:
