Throughout this Major League Soccer season, Andrew Farrell earned praise for his two-way effectiveness as a right back for the New England Revolution.
The New England Revolution were knocked out of the MLS Playoffs last night, but Farrell has raised his game to a new level.
Amidst all of the just praise for DeAndre Yedlin, Andrew Farrell has truly cemented his status as an outstanding American talent who lived up to his hype and exceeded it.
Farrell is technically a center back, but Farrell not only embraced the right back role, but he also developed into an international-caliber outside back.
He used his skill on the ball and his blazing speed to burst through the opposition with forays downfield and also to hunt down attackers on the defensive end.
Even more so than in all of his quality and impressive performances throughout the regular reason, Farrell raised his game to a new level in the MLS Playoffs where he showed how well he could shut down attackers and how much he could impose his will on the game in the attack and in the defense.
While American defenders like Geoff Cameron, Chris Klute, Shane O’Neill, and DeAndre Yedlin have also shown this quality, Farrell showed a real ability to dribble and pass out of trouble deep in the heart of his own defense, as opposed to just sending clearances 50 yards downfield.
Farrell certainly knows when to just send a ball way out of the defense or play a ball out of bounds, but the combination of being able to dribble and pass out of the back combined with the instinct to know when to send a ball out of the danger area is something Jürgen Klinsmann and the United States Men’s National Team can use.
World Soccer Source covered Chris Klute extensively this season in addition to highlighting the excellent qualities in DeAndre Yedlin’s game as a right back, but Andrew Farrell is equally as worthy of praise as Klute and Yedlin.
Yedlin and Klute will both be upgrades at the outside back positions for the United States, but Andrew Farrell is a monster who combines an intimidating combination of strength, size, and speed with a cultivated technical skill-set that makes him too good to leave off the the USMNT anymore.
When Klinsmann was watching Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, Benny Feilhaber, and Juan Agudelo last night, there’s no way that he didn’t notice the impressive play of Andrew Farrell who is certainly someone who was being monitored and scouted anyway.
At the conclusion of Andrew Farrell’s rookie season in MLS, it’s safe to say that Farrell is for real and that he can certainly excel at the international level and outside of MLS.
Andrew Farrell is a freak of nature and his rookie season was a tour de force that displayed great attacking and skill on the ball along with strong defending and tackling without recklessness
Chris Klute (right) is likely the best American left back along with Fabian Johnson. (Photo: Garrett Ellwood / Colorado Rapids)
Chris Klute’s attacking abilities as a left back are the usual focus for any discussion of him, but Klute’s defensive qualities are equally as good.
While his attacking runs down the sideline and the visual effect of his speed and crossing ability are what observers normally notice about Klute, his actual defensive qualities are underrated.
Specifically, Klute is hard to take off the dribble in 1v1 situations because he knows how to strip players of the ball, and he has the instincts and technique to block passes and shots.
Furthermore, the timing of Klute’s tackles is particularly good.
He waits until the moment when he can get the ball before the player, and then he goes in hard to win the ball with a slidetackle without making dangerous contact with the attacker.
Klute is hard to beat with 1v1 dribbling skills from a standstill, and he is hard to get past using speed because, if a player gets past him, he simply chases the player down and cleanly dispossesses them with a slidetackle or by taking the ball off their feet or out of the air.
Any American left back who is as fast and defensively-sound as Klute, and who has the skill and technique to dribble and pass out of the back with both feet has to be seriously considered for the USMNT.
If Klute is in a situation where there isn’t the time or the space to dribble or pass out of trouble, he knows when to simply clear balls out of bounds or downfield.
There is more to defending than knowing when to clear balls out and when to pass or dribble out of the back; there is also the skill of tackling attackers without fouling them or without being cautioned.
The United States doesn’t have another left back option who brings all of these qualities to the national team, and the exclusion of Chris Klute from the roster again by Jürgen Klinsmann, even to be used as a substitute, shows Klinsmann’s unwillingness to consider using new talent in vital games, even when it is necessary.
While Klinsmann does call up Fabian Johnson, Klinsmann has stated that he views Fabian Johnson as a left winger.
Calling up Johnson and Klute would have made sense because it would have provided Klinsmann with a more experienced option and a new and talented option.
Improvement for the USMNT will require risk and change, but Klinsmann’s changes are mostly biased toward the selection of dual-citizens over talented American players who grew up in the United States.
Furthermore, many of the players who are selected by Klinsmann are played out of position and clearly less-talented than other options at Klinsmann’s disposal, and using Brad Evans and Michael Parkhurst at right back over Eric Lichaj, Jonathan Spector, DeAndre Yedlin, and Andrew Farrell is the obvious example of this tendency.
The friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina would have been the perfect time for Klinsmann to evaluate Chris Klute with the national team, but Klinsmann chose to waste more time before evaluating the player who is likely the best American left back.
Now, Jürgen Klinsmann has selected a USMNT roster where his best left back, Fabian Johnson, is going to be deployed as a wing, but the starting left back is going to be DaMarcus Beasley who has been played at left back instead of using any of the natural outside backs at Klinsmann’s disposal.
The point of using Chris Klute against Bosnia and Herzegovina would have been to get him ready to play left back against Costa Rica and Mexico, but now Klinsmann is going to be using a makeshift defensive back four again.
Juan Agudelo. (Photo: Paul Frederiksen-USA TODAY Sport)
Many observers criticize soccer players who are willing to continue to attempt tricks or audacious plays even if many of those attempts are failed attempts.
People who criticize showmanship and flair view it as wasted energy, but individual brilliance also wins games.
Juan Agudelo has been identified as a special American talent since he was 17 years old, and ever since that time, he has reaffirmed his skill-level, athleticism, and effectiveness as a striker on the club and international level.
Nevertheless, Agudelo is more of a finished product than he used to be because his 1v1 abilities, his movement off the ball, and his finishing all look more effective and refined than they used to be.
Everyone knew that Agudelo had talent that couldn’t be taught, and everyone knew that Agudelo wasn’t afraid to play with bravado. But, despite all of the highlights and despite quality international play, it was apparent that Agudelo was still a young striker who was ironing out weaknesses and honing his craft.
Over the course of this MLS season, Agudelo has become more efficient and more clinical in his technical ability, in his finishing, and in his execution of tricks, which is making him a more polished striker that can play a major role with the United States Men’s National Team.
The evidence of Agudelo’s increased level of play isn’t just in his collection of electrifying and high-difficulty goals, but it’s also evident in the overall-quality of his play, which includes two-footed technical ability, textbook heading technique, a soft first-touch, good vision, a nose for goal, and intelligent movement off the ball.
Agudelo has improved his movement off the ball, his ability to not be dispossessed in the penalty box, and in his increased sense of when to pass, when to shoot, and when to take defenders off the dribble.
What’s on display now is a striker who is ready to use all of his physical gifts and skills to excel against better competition on the international and club level.
For example, there’s a difference between being able to execute smooth stepovers, and being able to smoothly execute stepovers close enough to elite defenders to use the trick to leave the defender for dead.
Many people are critical of soccer players who play with flash and flair, but Agudelo seems to have learned how to use his flash more productively and more efficiently.
Whereas Jozy Altidore was criticized in the past for not enough movement off the ball, not enough aggressiveness, and not enough smooth technical ability, Agudelo has been criticized for being overly-flashy and losing the ball too often, due to his willingness to attempt multiple tricks in succession.
The major pieces of criticism of Altidore are a thing of the past, but now Agudelo too is close to going from being criticized to being praised.
As Altidore has refined his technical ability and attacking prowess, Agudelo has also been improving.
Agudelo has learned how to eliminate excess energy and movement by using his creativity, skill, size, and athleticism with more purpose and efficiency.
Juan Agudelo is now harder to mark, harder to dispossess, and harder to keep off the United States Men’s National Team because a striker with his skill-level, his athleticism, and his size has simply become too qualified to not be a fixture on the roster.
While Altidore has displayed an enormous improvement in his technical ability, his movement off the ball, and his finishing, which bodes well for the future of the USMNT, the prospect of Altidore playing alongside a polished Agudelo marks a new milestone for American strikers.
American midfielders like Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, and Michael Bradley have distinguished themselves among American soccer players and broken a lot of barriers for American players, but the United States Men’s National Team has been missing a ruthless first striker until Altidore went on a totally mean-spirited hat trick rampage against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite two years at AZ Alkmaar with an excellent scoring rate, the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina was a turning point for Altidore.
With strikers like Jozy Altidore, Aron Jóhannsson, and hopefully Juan Agudelo on the USMNT, the threat that the United States poses to top national teams has become very real.
Aron Jóhannsson is looking too good not to start, but starting Altidore and Agudelo together could take the United States to another level in terms of the skill, size, and athleticism of its strikers, and it should help the USMNT become closer to closing the gap with soccer’s giants.
Juan Agudelo’s Individual Highlights From This Season:
Chris Klute (right) might be the best American left back. (Photo: Eamon Queeny / The Columbus Dispatch)
With Steve Cherundolo out indefinitely and Fabian Johnson performing better as a left winger, as opposed to as a left back, Jürgen Klinsmann needs DeAndre Yedlin and Chris Klute at right back and left back, respectively, now.
Both Klute and Yedlin are two-footed and technically-skilled players with a good first touch, and they can both pass and dribble out of the back.
Yedlin has been enjoying more publicity, but Klute is perhaps an even better outside back. Nevertheless, Yedlin is a right back and Klute is a left back, and both players are sorely needed by the USMNT.
Klute has been amassing a laundry list of starts and 90 minute performances where he showcases his excellent defending, his dangerous attacking and passing ability, and his blazing speed.
On the other hand, Yedlin too has been amassing excellent performances, including a very strong showing in the U-20 World Cup and a strong showing against Roma.
Yedlin faced strong competition both in the U-20 World Cup and against Roma, so there is some real evidence that his game translates to the international level.
Despite not having the same opportunities as Yedlin, Klute’s skill both as a defender and as a participant in the attack is undeniable.
On one occasion this season, Klute passed the ball to himself by playing the ball past the defender and then sprinting out of bounds to the left of the defender only to come back in bounds to collect the ball again.
In addition to dribbling displays like this, Klute has also produced seven assists off crosses plus a highlight reel of dispossessing opposing players either by perfectly timed slidetackles or simply taking the ball of the opposition’s feet.
Using Yedlin’s and Klute’s skill and speed at the outside back positions gives the USMNT a new and needed element to its play: excellent attacking and defending out wide.
By using natural outside backs who bring skill and speed, the United States can not only defend faster and craftier attackers out wide, but the U.S. can also disrupt the opposition by attacking them with blazing speed out wide, which causes opposing defenders to have to frequently use more than one defender to try and stop the marauding runs of Klute and Yedlin.
Using Andrew Farrell might also be an option at right back or even center back, but using Jonathan Spector or Eric Lichaj would make more sense than using Brad Evans or Michael Parkhurst at right back, even if they have held their own.
There is certainly a greater number of talented young American players than there used to be, but it is important that Jürgen Klinsmann and the USMNT actually use or at least incorporate the new players like Yedlin and Klute who have distinguished themselves and displayed the ability to improve the United States Men’s National Team.
Any defender can be wrong-footed, caught out of position, or beaten, but DeAndre Yedlin and Chris Klute simply look too skilled and too fast not to use, even if they are young and inexperienced at the international level.
The USMNT really doesn’t have the luxury of not using players of this caliber, especially if Klinsmann wants to really challenge the top teams.
Mistakes may come, but it’s vital to use the players with the tools to compete and excel against top national teams.
Gyasi Zardes is in a group of young or new American players who are playing in Major League Soccer or elsewhere who have been tagged with the label of being “raw,” “promising,” or “inexperienced.”
Zardes has been tagged with the raw label so much that it has clouded a more important label: talented.
There’s simply no way to watch Gyasi Zardes play and not notice the skill, the fearlessness, the physique, the speed, and the technical ability of the 21-year-old striker.
The LA Galaxy first striker who finds himself just shoved into the attack in various places by Bruce Arena for the purpose of getting him into the Starting XI has shown that his soft first touch, his changes of direction and speed, his shooting, his heading, and his overall athleticism are for real.
Gyasi Zardes is an exciting player, and his flair and aggressive play are effective.
Zardes has started the last 13 games for the Los Angeles Galaxy, and he has already taken some 59 shots this season. Frequently, Zardes is played out wide as opposed to playing as a first striker, and the fact that Bruce Arena will make space for him somewhere in the attack just to get him into the starting line-up is a testament to Zardes’ skill.
As has been quoted many times, Bruce Arena once said that, “Clint Dempsey tries sh*t,” and this shows somewhat how Arena values players who are willing to take risks to try to score or unlock defenses.
Arena clearly values Zardes as a player, and he makes a point of playing him.
Zardes is a freak of nature with an excellent physique, which he combines with his technical skill-level and fearlessness to aggressively attack opposing defenders and storm the penalty box.
With his soft first touch, his two-footed skill, his heading ability, his shooting, and his ability to take defenders off the dribble, Zardes is a player who should be allowed to take a lot of shots on goal, even if many of them sail over or wide.
If a striker has the skill and athleticism to get into scoring positions and threaten the goal, then that striker should be allowed to miss shots and make mistakes as part of the process of refining the technical ability of a first striker with incredible size and athleticism.
Gyasi Zardes plays with Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan, who can be trusted to give the young striker tips on the finer points of breaking down defenses, combining with his teammates, and besting goalkeepers, but it’s clear that Arena is allowing Zardes the freedom to aggressively attack defenses and the goal as part of the process of smoothing out his technical ability and attacking.
The most important thing about Gyasi Zardes is that all of the physical gifts and skills are accompanied by something that cannot be taught: the fire that burns on the inside, which fuels his fearless attacking and aggressiveness.
For all of the talk of Zardes’ size and athleticism, his excellent two-footed technical ability shouldn’t be overlooked. This is a first striker who is not only a fantastic athlete, but a fantastic talent as well.
The United States has many new strikers who people are overly critical of, but Zardes is a fantastic athlete and skilled striker who doesn’t need an invitation to attack. He’s only going to get better, and playing for the United States Men’s National Team is very likely.
This MLS season has seen the rise or appearance of several quality defenders who look to be international-caliber players who Jürgen Klinsmann and the United States Men’s National Team would be wise to call up to the national team or at least closely scout and seriously consider.
Defense is a problem for the USMNT, and with a Front Six potentially made up of Geoff Cameron, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Joe Benny Corona, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore, the defense appears to be the real problem to be addressed right now.
MLS has seen an increase in skilled American players at every position over time, and this season has shown that there are a number of exciting national team prospects playing in MLS who can improve the national team.
Below is the list of several of the more notable international-caliber MLS defenders who mark an increase in the skill-level of MLS defenders.
Chris KLUTE
The Colorado Rapids left back has been covered in great detail by this writer, but this extremely fast outside back brings excellent defensive timing and fundamentals with a willingness to surge forward in the attack and look to play crosses or cut inside toward the penalty box. Klute is a two-footed left back who has a tall, lean frame that makes him a natural runner and sprinter, but his game is built on using his speed and skill in concert, as opposed to just relying on speed. An excellent athlete who plays with skill, elegance, and aggressiveness.
The New England Revolution right back has described himself as a center back who has been playing as a right back for New England, and his speed and technical ability allows him to be able to defend fast and crafty attackers by dispossessing them and passing or dribbling out of trouble in the back. While Farrell has excelled as a right back, the USMNT could use speed, strength, technical ability, and good defensive qualities in the center of the national team’s defense. Farrell has been receiving more media attention that Chris Klute, but both players are new and exciting talents that the national team would be wise to incorporate.
DeAndre YEDLIN
The Seattle Sounders right back has received even more media attention than Farrell and Klute, in addition to a spot on the MLS All-Star team. Yedlin is an exciting player who brings speed and aggressive attacking play at right back, and this is something that the USMNT has never really had. Yedlin looks to go forward as much as possible, and he knows how to play wall passes and make overlapping runs as he looks to break down the sideline. Looking at Klute, Farrell, and Yedlin, there is a nice crop of new MLS defenders who look to be international-caliber defenders in terms of their skill and athleticism. Often described as primarily an outside back that attacks well but lacks some polish defensively, Yedlin doesn’t shy away from slidetackles, and he possesses both good timing on his tackles and an ability to tackle leading with either his right or left foot. Yedlin’s defending is better than it’s made out to be, and perhaps the USMNT would be wise to not hold the age and lack of international experience of Klute, Farrell, and Yedlin against them.
Gale AGBOSSOUMONDE
Gale Agbossoumonde’s name has been floating around in American soccer circles for years, and the 21 year old is now playing MLS this year. Agbossoumonde’s athleticism, calmness and skill on the ball, and defensive awareness are evident, and he enjoyed a string on starts at center back while other Toronto FC center backs were injured. Agbossoumonde is an important player for MLS and the USMNT because he represents an upgrade in skill and athleticism to Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, and Oguchi Onyewu. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes for Agbossoumonde and how much he plays, but the technical and defensive skills combined with excellent athleticism are certainly evident in his game. It might be hard for Agbossoumonde to get close to seeing time with the national team unless he becomes a regular starter for Toronto FC. Regardless of playing time, Agbossoumonde is a player who has the calmness in the back as well as all of the physical gifts and technical skills to be a useful player for the U.S. national team.
Shane O’NEILL
The USMNT needs center backs. Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez are certainly an upgrade to Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, and Oguchi Onyewu, but Geoff Cameron is clearly the most talented and athletic center back, despite being the scapegoat for many observers. Cameron looks to be very useful as a midfield destroyer to partner with Michael Bradley in the line of two defensive midfielders, and even if Cameron were playing at center back, he would still need a capable partner.
Shane O’Neill has looked very capable and free of any serious flaws. O’Neill performed well in the 2013 U-20 World Cup, and he has excelled for the Colorado Rapids this season where he has not only played center back but also as a defensive midfielder and as an outside back. O’Neill like the other defenders listed above is young, which prevents many observers from seriously advocating for him to be included on the USMNT, but O’Neill is certainly good enough.
While Cameron was asked to play as a right back or used as a defensive midfielder, Gonzalez and Besler have held their own as center backs at the international level, but Klinsmann and the United States need more center backs. Shane O’Neill should be a serious contender for one of the center back spots on the USMNT, and O’Neill’s play in MLS and with the U-20 squad has received widespread praise. O’Neill’s age shouldn’t prevent him from being taken seriously for a national team spot, especially since he can perform as a center back, outside back, and as a defensive midfielder.
WHERE DO THESE DEFENDERS FIT INTO THE USMNT POOL?
At center back, the current players who actually have the combination of defensive qualities, technical ability, and athleticism to really compete against better competition are Geoff Cameron, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Michael Parkhurst, Matt Besler, and Omar Gonzalez. The center backs listed above (Agbossoumonde, Farrell, and O’Neill) deserve the opportunity to show how they compare to the defenders listed in the previous sentence. As Cameron looks to be a vital piece of fielding a strong midfield, the younger MLS defenders deserve an opportunity to compete with Orozco, Parkhurst, Besler, and Gonzalez for center back spots.
The situation at the outside back positions is totally different for the national team, as Timothy Chandler’s level of commitment is unclear and many of the selections at outside back look to be merely makeshift selections. Additionally, Fabian Johnson appears to be more of a winger than a left or right back.
Furthermore, outside backs like Jonathan Spector and Eric Lichaj have been totally frozen out of the national team set-up by Klinsmann.
Given this outside back situation, players like Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell (who also plays as a center back) deserve serious consideration, rather than holding their age against them. Lots of young players prove to be valuable and necessary additions to national teams, and the USMNT simply isn’t good enough to not consider players like Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell.
Michael Bradley (Photo: Garrett Ellwood / Colorado Rapids)
One of the main problems with American soccer and everything surrounding the United States Men’s National Team and MLS is that, unlike in other countries where people argue over player selection, performance, and coaching, American soccer has factions of different types of fans who compete with one another over how you should be a soccer fan.
The problem with the conflict between various types of fans, media members, coaches, and bureaucrats is that it moves the focus away from the actual soccer.
Last night, when Roma easily beat the MLS All-Stars, many people said that the result or how the MLS All-Stars played wasn’t a referendum on the progress and strength of MLS and American soccer, and this is somewhat correct.
The only problem with this viewpoint is that many people who hold this viewpoint also said the USMNT’s dominance of the weak competition in the Gold Cup showed that the U.S. was starting to play better and Jürgen Klinsmann’s methods were working.
The Gold Cup did in a way demonstrate that Klinsmann was using better tactics than he had used in the past. For the most part, Klinsmann was using a tactically sound formation and a balance of defensive and attacking players.
Therefore, a strong argument can be made that Klinsmann has begun to employ better tactics, and he deserves credit for doing this.
At the same time, questioning who Klinsmann put on the Gold Cup squad is a fair thing to do, but many people feel that questioning the player selection for the roster or the line-ups is cynical because the USMNT won the 2013 Gold Cup.
There are thousands, if not millions, of people in the United States who enjoy watching non-American soccer but who also watch MLS and view it as an improving league that has American players who would be better off playing against better competition elsewhere.
It’s fair to say that MLS isn’t as good as the European or Latin American leagues because it’s true.
It’s also true that MLS continues to have more skilled American players at every position every year. The American players who display much more skill and athleticism than other Americans stand out, and there are now too many of them to fit on the United States Men’s National Team.
It was a surprise to see many of these players not even on the ballot and/or not on the field for the MLS All-Star Game. Many people are contending that the improvement of MLS is creating a better USMNT, and this is true.
The loss to Roma did mean something. It meant that Tony Beltran and Corey Ashe couldn’t compete with Roma’s players, and it meant that Kyle Beckerman couldn’t contain Roma like he contained the CONCACAF opponents in the Gold Cup.
The MLS All-Stars’ loss in the MLS All-Star Game did raise questions about some of the players selected for the game and some of the starters.
Looking at the performance of players in MLS this season and knowing that the MLS All-Stars would be facing Roma, one comes away with the feeling that MLS could have fielded a better starting line-up to face Roma.
There were lots of American names that really stood out as snubs from the roster or players who should have started. Here are just a handful of the players who fall into this category: Omar Gonzalez, Benny Feilhaber, Amobi Okugo, Chris Klute, Shane O’Neill, Perry Kitchen, Eddie Johnson (Marco Di Vaio did deserve to start), DeAndre Yedlin, Andrew Farrell, George John, José Villarreal, Jeremy Hall, etc.
The goal of the All-Star game is to try to show to the world that the level of play in MLS is improving. Since that is the case, MLS should have used a better line-up without Tony Beltran, Corey Ashe, and Brad Davis. DeAndre Yedlin and Chris Klute deserved to start as the right and left back, especially since the MLS All-Stars needed players with their combination of pure speed and advanced skill on the ball to try to compete with the likes of Francesco Totti of Roma.
Perhaps, something like this starting line-up below would have done better at showcasing MLS’ talent:
Raul FERNANDEZ; DeAndre YEDLIN, Omar GONZALEZ, Matt BESLER, Chris KLUTE; Amobi Okugo/Perry KITCHEN; Graham ZUSI, Benny FEILHABER, Landon DONOVAN; Thierry HENRY, Marco DI VAIO.
What does this line-up correct? It removes Tony Beltran, Corey Ashe, Brad Davis, and Kyle Beckerman from the starting line-up.
Just because Beckerman is fundamentally sound and a solid MLS professional doesn’t mean that he’s the best choice to keep up with the athleticism and skill of the players that Roma has, and Roma wasn’t starting several of its best players. Additionally, starting Beltran and Ashe as the outside backs against Roma was a major mistake, as was evident to anyone who watched the game.
MLS squandered a real opportunity to showcase the vast improvement in the talent level of the league, and MLS didn’t take advantage of a great chance to really go for the victory against Roma, or at least put in a strong showing to turn some heads.
Chris Klute (arms raised). (Photo: USA Today SPORTS)
Chris Klute, even as a new name on the American soccer scene, is often over-simplified as a player whose game is primarily based on speed, but Klute uses his electrifying speed to make both his attacking and defending more effective.
They say that you can’t teach speed, which is true, but thinking of Chris Klute as just a great athlete who brings world-class speed to the left back position overlooks his technical ability, his skill at breaking down opposition defenses with attacking forays and crosses, and also his ability to run down attackers and execute well-timed tackles.
Defensively, Klute does many things very well. He steers attackers out wide where they are somewhat cornered out along the sideline, but he also dispossesses attackers well whether it’s by slidetackling or stripping attackers of the ball on his feet.
The Colorado Rapids’ left back is also strong in the air. Klute times his headers well, and he has an outstanding vertical leap, which allows him to clear out balls played over the top or played into the box.
One additional thing that Klute excels at defensively is stopping attacks by the opposition by tracking back with such speed that he forces the opposition to slow down and regroup because his presence forces the opposition to stop and look to work the ball around, which allows Klute’s teammates to get into position as they make their recovery runs.
In short, Klute’s speed and recovery defense slows down and stops the attacking sequences and advances of the opposition.
Despite the fact that Klute is too often only praised for his speed, it is important to really emphasize just how fast he is and how smooth of a runner that he is.
This ability to run effortlessly for entire games with such speed is a real weapon to neutralize elite opponents who bring a devastating combination of skill and speed.
His speed also is a huge disruptive force for the opposition’s midfield and defense. A player of Klute’s speed blazing along the sideline or cutting in toward the middle of the field forces more defenders to participate in marking him, which of course means that his teammates are left unmarked.
All of these qualities outlined above signal a real chance for the United States Men’s National Team to really use the outside back positions to not only defend well against quick and skillful opponents but also to attack opponents and break down their defensive formations.
All of the best national teams in the world rely on outside backs to provide width to their attack and speed along the flanks defensively, and Chris Klute allows the United States to begin to do this more so than it did in the past.
The main problem for any defender is people like to write them off if they are beaten or if they make a mistake, but all defenders at any level of the game are beaten with combination play, balls played in between defenders, or balls played over the top.
Mistakes happen because defenders are essentially backpedaling as attackers are running at them full speed, and people should learn to accept the reality that defenders will make mistakes and their teammates are supposed to cover for them.
Expecting Chris Klute or any other defender to never make a mistake or to never be beaten is unfair and unrealistic, as even the best outside backs in the world such as Marcelo, Daniel Alves, and Jodi Alba are frequently beaten. Good defenders frequently win the ball back when they are beaten, and Chris Klute also does this.
It’s time for the United States Men’s National Team to incorporate and use a left back like Chris Klute who gives the U.S. the type of outside back that much better soccer nations use to both attack from wide positions and to defend attackers out wide.
Many people will call it risky, but it’s a risk worth taking. Beating top national teams and closing the gap with them requires using players with the physical gifts and skills to be able to compete and win when the talent goes up.
Chris Klute is inexperienced as an international soccer player, but there comes a time when a national team coach has to look at the players at his disposal and play the ones who have shown the capability of competing and impressing at the international level.
Rather than saying that Chris Klute is just one of the best options the United States Men’s National Team has at a position that lacks depth, people should recognize the qualities that Klute brings that can’t be taught.
Klute does a number of things well such as tackling, relentlessly running the sidelines, using both feet, and playing quality crosses into the box to specific targets, but anything that Klute needs to work on can be taught and improved with practice.
In general, a coach can’t teach a player to use their speed to break down opponents and chase down opponents on defense, and more importantly, you can’t teach someone to aggressively run at defenders at full speed over and over again. You also can’t teach someone to be able to time slidetackles so that they are clean and graceful, even if they are hard tackles.
Chris Klute is definitely a left back who brings qualities to the table that the USMNT needs, and he can be coached to strengthen any areas of his game that need improvement.
Read more about Chris Klute and how he can fit in with the United States Men’s National Team by clicking the links below:
The best athlete in the history of American sports said over and over again that failure was the key to his success. That athlete was Michael Jordan.
American soccer has more potential for success right now than at any time in the entire history of soccer in the United States. The key to success is actually fielding unproven players at the international level who have demonstrated the potential ability and the athleticism to be competitive with elite soccer nations.
A vast majority of the coaches in the United States including Jürgen Klinsmann are afraid to risk losing by playing starting line-ups made up of several internationally unproven players in meaningful games, but there is a way to accomplish this without jeopardizing qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
The solution is quite simple: use a Starting XI made up of proven players and fill the remaining roster spots with new but talented players in addition to players who are too good to exclude.
After the Gold Cup, the USMNT could start the follow starting line-up without taking any more risks than usual:
Tim Howard; Jonathan Spector, Maurice Edu, Geoff Cameron, Eric Lichaj; Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones; Landon Donovan, Benny Feilhaber, Clint Dempsey; Jozy Altidore.
The Starting XI listed above isn’t really a risky line-up by any means, as all of those players have ample experience playing international soccer at a respectable level.
If the whole world considers the United States Men’s National Team to be a team with just a few technically-skilled players, then why not use friendlies to field new players who have demonstrated the ability to offer an improvement over many of the players Jürgen Klinsmann has been using?
The sort of undertaking described above is considered risky by many, but couldn’t it also be considered risky not to attempt to strengthen areas where the USMNT is weak?
Beginning to improve the caliber of players fielded by the United States isn’t a question of teaching experienced players to play differently, but it is a question of actually starting promising players who could do very poorly in their first game or games.
On the other hand, maybe they’d do well.
The first step in this process is easy because the first step is deciding which players among the players that Klinsmann has been starting in World Cup qualifying absolutely have to start, and this list of names is short.
Tim Howard or Brad Guzan have to start. Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey have to start, but who else absolutely has to start? Maybe Landon Donovan has to start too.
Looking at that list, that list includes five names for four starting spots leaving seven Starting XI spots up for grabs. Starting line-up space for seven open spots leaves the door open for a lot of possibilities.
Looking at right back, DeAndre Yedlin of the Seattle Sounders seems like a risk worth taking, given his performances in MLS and in the U-20 World Cup, not to mention the two-way threat he poses. Yedlin has speed that’s close to Chris Klute’s speed, and using them as the outside backs would certainly improve the U.S.’ ability to attack and defend out wide.
Moving to center back, Geoff Cameron has demonstrated that he has a level of athleticism and skill, not to mention size, that has never really been given a chance to partner with a center back of similar qualities.
Why can’t Gale Agbossoumonde, Andrew Farrell, or Shane O’Neill be given a shot to start with Cameron? What’s the real argument against that?
Is there any proof that Omar Gonzalez or Matt Besler can outplay Agbossoumonde, Farrell, or O’Neill in an international game when they are partnered with Cameron? Those are all good MLS players, so trying them out should be something that the USMNT’s coaching staff and American soccer writers are interested in seeing.
None of those three players have been given the chance to show how they can perform compared to Besler and Gonzalez, but Besler was started against Mexico in Estadio Azteca in a World Cup qualifier with essentially no significant international experience. Besler and Gonzalez have done well, but have they really proven that they are the best?
At left back, Chris Klute hasn’t been given the chance to show how he can do compared to DaMarcus Beasley and Fabian Johnson. Beasley and Johnson aren’t even really left backs. Klute actually is a two-way left back, and he’s a very fast and skilled two-way left back who uses both feet.
If Americans really want to see better soccer, where’s the backing for at least using a friendly to field a backline of Yedlin, Agbossoumonde, Cameron, and Klute with Howard as the goalkeeper? Certainly, the United States has never fielded a back four with that degree of speed and technical ability.
There doesn’t appear to be any real risk, particularly in a friendly. The U.S. might lose, but the U.S. might lose anyway. Klinsmann’s World Cup qualifying rosters and line-ups have been completely make-shift and experimental anyway.
All of the players listed above are players who are garnering attention from the American soccer media and American soccer fans. None of those players are soccer players taken off the street; those are all well-known professional players.
One of the arguments that Klinsmann’s methods have been working is the USMNT’s victory over Italy.
The U.S. played Italy in a friendly, only to have Mario Balotelli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Daniele De Rossi not start. The USMNT can’t really say that it beat Italy convincingly, if Balotelli wasn’t playing. Cesare Prandelli and Italy clearly felt like they didn’t need to use their best players against the U.S. because, if Italy lost, everyone would know Italy didn’t use its best players.
Certainly, Clint Dempsey played well against Italy, but Americans already knew that Dempsey could perform well against elite opponents.
Rather than not taking any risks in friendlies, the USMNT would be better served to see how much potential it could show if a bunch of young, athletic, and skilled defenders were allowed to play with a slightly older Geoff Cameron who too hasn’t really been given a fair chance to play with an adequate center back partner.
Assuming Michael Bradley is playing as a defensive midfielder and Landon Donovan is out on the right wing, why not start Freddy Adu or Joe Corona as a central attacking midfielder with Clint Dempsey out left? This group of players has been used before with success, at least with Adu playing with Dempsey and Donovan. Whereas, Corona hasn’t really been given the chance to play with Dempsey yet.
With the players mentioned above, there are only a few line-up choices left to make for the purpose of this experiment.
Does the U.S. use another defensive midfielder or perhaps a box-to-box midfielder with Bradley, or should the U.S. start two forwards? If the USMNT plays another midfielder with Bradley, is there any reason not to let Benji Joya start with Bradley?
Furthermore, who should the U.S. start at striker?
Jozy Altidore has improved greatly over the past two seasons in Holland, and the players listed above provide him with the service he needs to score goals.
On the other hand, if Altidore has already proven himself by scoring so many goals in Holland as well as showing that he can score for the U.S. when provided with service, shouldn’t the USMNT see how Juan Agudelo or Terrence Boyd can play with the players listed above?
Lots of questions. Few answers.
It’s time to start answering some of those questions, and the way to answer those questions is to start the following Starting XI:
