By: COLIN REESE
There’s no denying Jürgen Klinsmann’s U.S. Men’s National Team roster was bizarre, but there is a way to at least make the starting line-up more effective.
In the U.S.’ opening win against Honduras, the Americans’ passing and attacking were poor. Klinsmann didn’t field the right personnel to keep possession and create enough chances.
While the defensive problems are most likely do to a Back Four that wasn’t used to playing together, the Front Six contained a strange assortment of players used out of position.
Klinsmann tried to deploy Gyasi Zardes and DeAndre Yedlin as something like box-to-box midfielders deployed slightly in front of and to the right and left of Kyle Beckerman. This didn’t work.
If the U.S. starts Brad Evans and Michael Bradley at the base of the midfield as central midfielders with Mix Diskerud in front of them as an attacking midfielder, then the American midfield is more balanced.
Evans has been used by Klinsmann as a utility player, but Evans is a center midfielder by trade where he can take advantage of his engine, his sound technical ability, his defensive skills, and his underrated athleticism.
A two-man center midfield of Evans and Bradley behind Diskerud, who himself defends well, is a stronger midfield.
As far as other changes go, DeAndre Yedlin and Fabian Johnson need to switch roles in a sense.
Johnson’s best qualities are his skill and speed, whereas Yedlin is skilled but not to the same level of Johnson.
Yedlin better serves the squad as a lightning fast right back that can surge forward in attack and chase down attackers as a defender.
Jozy Altidore is the best center forward on the roster, and he should keep his role as the reference point of the attack with Clint Dempsey and Johnson flanking him on the left and right respectively.
These roles for Dempsey and Johnson give them the freedom to do what they do best.
The American defense was the biggest source of criticism in the United States’ first game, and taking Timothy Chandler out of the line-up is the first step in correcting this.
Center back Ventura Alvarado became the target of fans’ criticism, but the two cases where Alvarado was burned were situations where an attacker came at him at a full sprint when he was isolated.
In short, there’s a difference between being badly beaten 1v1 and not being a quality defender. It’s hard to say Omar Gonzalez would have fared better when placed in the same isolated position.
Besides Chandler, the other change that needs to be made is inserting Greg Garza at left back since Johnson plays better in more of an advanced role.
These changes make a Back Four of Yedlin, Alvarado, Brooks, and Garza. At the very least, all of these players are young and talented defenders playing their natural positions.
Whereas the United States fielded a collection of players deployed out of position against Honduras, at least the line-up proposed below makes sense.
In the line-up below, only Evans looks out of position, but he is being deployed in his natural position.
USA XI (4-2-1-3):
Goalkeeper: Brad Guzan
Right Back: DeAndre Yedlin
Center Back: Ventura Alvarado
Center Back: John Brooks
Left Back: Greg Garza
Center Midfielder: Brad Evans
Center Midfielder: Michael Bradley
Attacking Midfielder: Mix Diskerud
Right Wing: Fabian Johnson
Center Forward: Jozy Altidore
Left Wing: Clint Dempsey