Bleacher Report - Articles by Jim Nguyen

Heading into 2010, More Questions than Answers For U.S. Men's National Team

Jim Nguyen — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:05:36 -0500

The two losses in Europe last week's friendlies must have left a bad taste in the mouth of US Men's soccer supporters and, if anything, ended a rather positive year on a down note.

But with the 2009 calendar now complete for Sam's Army, it's now time to look ahead to 2010 and the World Cup.

The success of the team in South Africa come next June depends on many factors. I'll address some of the most vital ones here:

We need a favorable draw on December 4th. Unless FIFA drastically changes how it seeds and places teams into pots for this upcoming World Cup, the US of A will likely be in a challenging group (top two teams advance to knockout play). In the 2006 World Cup, the USA was grouped with the Asian federation. If that happens again, here are what the 2010 pots may look like:

POT 1 (seeded teams plus host) -Brazil, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Italy, Germany, South Africa

POT 2 (UEFA) - Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, Greece, Slovakia, Serbia, Switzerland

POT 3 (CONCACAF and Asia) - USA, Mexico, Honduras, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand

POT 4 (CONMEBOL and CAF) - Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria

This would probably put the US in one of the more difficult groups, with a seeded team, a European team, and possibly an African team playing on home soil. Not good.

Fans should be hoping for something like this: South Africa, USA, Slovenia/Switzerland/Greece, and Chile (two teams from same federation cannot be grouped together). Or, if somehow the CAF and Asian federations are switched, you can replace Chile with North Korea.

Some may argue that the US should just take it's lumps and beat everyone, if they are to get better. This is simply not the case. The team will face difficult teams in any event in the second round, and FIFA looks at previous World Cup results in determining a team's seeding in the next World Cup, so it's important to advance. And getting in a more favorable group will make that easier.

We need to get and stay healthy. The injuries to Oguchi Onyewu and Charlie Davies have been devastating, and it is hopeful that Onyewu and Jay DeMerit will recover in time to make the team.

If anything, these last two friendlies exposed the US team's lack of depth, so all the key players have to stay healthy and those who are in the process of recovering, i.e. Jermaine Jones and Maurice Edu need to get healthy and contribute for this team to have any chance in June.

Bob Bradley has some decisions to make. Not only does he have to decide who to take to South Africa, but he also has to figure out some key position battles.

For instance, who will pair with Jozy Altidore up top? Jeff Cunningham showed something with his goal against Denmark, but will Bradley opt for a traditional holding forward such as Brian Ching or Conor Casey? What about Robbie Findley? It seems to me that he has a similar game to Charlie Davies and can possibly replace him. Also, would Bob experiment and move Clint Dempsey or Landon Donovan to the striker position? Lots of questions here.

Who starts in the midfield? I believe that Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones will be our starting central midfield pairing if the latter gets healthy in time to gel with the team. I do see Dempsey moving up top with Altidore, leaving the right wing open for someone like Stuart Holden with Donovan on the left. I also see Benny Feilhaber and Robbie Rogers being substitutes on the left should Bob Bradley decide to move Donovan from the left to the right.

In the defense, injuries abound and questions remain other than Tim Howard as the stalwart in goal. Who will play left back? It seems Jonathan Bornstein is the starter in Bradley's mind, but you get the feeling Edgar Castillo (who got his first minutes with the team against Denmark at left mid) will get an audition there.

I would not discount Carlos Bocanegra moving there and using DeMerit and Onyewu in the middle, which was the lineup in the Confederations Cup in June. Otherwise, we'll see Bocanegra and Gooch in the middle, presuming the latter is healthy.

On the right, it appears Steve Cherundolo is the starter right now, but I can envision Bob utilizing Jonathan Spector off the bench or as a starter depending on the matchup, as Spector is a a better crosser of the ball than Cherundolo.

Here's my projected 23 right now assuming everyone is healthy:

Forwards: Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, Robbie Findley, Conor Casey

Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Jones, Benny Feilhaber, Jose Francisco Torres, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu/Ricardo Clark, Robbie Rogers

Defense: Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo, Jonathan Spector, Jonathan Bornstein, Edgar Castillo, Jay DeMerit, Chad Marshall

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Troy Perkins

Hope it all comes together and sprinkle in some luck. As we saw in the Confederations Cup and the U.S.'s deep run there, a lot of things need to come together for the U.S. to do well in an international tournament.

If you recall, the U.S. started the tournament off playing poorly, but then started catching fire playing a combination of a counterattack/possession game, finishing off most of the few scoring opportunities it had. Players like Altidore and Davies proved to be menacing in the scoring third, while Donovan was an effective playmaker. Bradley and Ricardo Clark broke up plays in the midfield and the back was solid, if not spectacular. The team played hard and for each other.

If this team can get healthy and get on the same page between now and June, it has a chance to advance out of group play in South Africa. If players can emerge in this interim, like Davies before them (Robbie Findley, Edgar Castillo, Jermaine Jones, Maurice Edu or someone else), the U.S. Men's National Team might catch lightning in a bottle and reach it's potential.

It all begins with some luck at the draw on December 4th.

U.S. Has Talent To Win, But It Loses Composure Against Good Teams Too Often

Jim Nguyen — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:18:27 -0400

If you watched yesterday's game between the U.S. and Mexico, you must have felt an overwhelming sense of deja vu. I know I did.

Yes, the U.S. lost to Mexico again at the latter's home turf, but there was a more recent trend that continued: the inability of the U.S. to hold a lead against a quality opponent.

We witnessed this during the Confederations Cup, when the U.S. took leads against Italy and Brazil, only to fold down the stretch and eventually lose.

What's the problem? Well, possession is the key. The U.S. does not play the "defend and hope to counterattack" strategy well against quality opponents. The U.S. will give the ball away too easily and not be able to obtain and keep possession long enough to keep its opponents honest and threatened in its defensive third.

As we saw against Brazil in the Confederations Cup and yesterday at Azteca, if you give your opponent all day to break you down, eventually they will. Even a top goalkeeper like Tim Howard cannot stop every shot when you give your opponent so many chances.

Apologists for the team will argue that we weren't expected to beat Mexico anyway, that the conditions and history in Mexico did not favor us. They will argue that we will probably secure qualification anyway. We are playing the best we can given the system, coaching, and players at our disposal, they would say.

And, to a certain extent, they are right.

We know now what the ceiling is on the U.S. team: We win at home, we lose on the road to good opponents, and we're capable of getting results like we did against Egypt and Spain.

The question now is whether that level is acceptable or whether we are capable of becoming and expect to truly become a top-10 footballing nation.

I would argue that we have the talent to win the big games against the top teams, but we need better tactics and coaching. If we can improve in these areas, we would not play bunker ball for long stretches of the game and instead keep possession better.

I believe that if we just had the ball and threatened Mexico's defense for five-to-six more occasions than yesterday, we could have scored again and that would have taken some of the pressure off our defense.

If anything, the U.S. had a golden opportunity after Charlie Davies scored, but instead the team sat back rather than continuing to press forward. This allowed Mexico to score 10 minutes later and allowed the crowd and its players back into the game.

We can't allow that to happen against good competition; when you have the opportunity to stamp out an opponent, you must take full advantage of that and finish them off.

Casual fans are watching the U.S. team now, but they won't for long if these types of performances continue. For the game to truly grow in this country, we need to take the next step, but we're stuck in neutral.

Therefore, we should not continue to accept these "expected" performances. We have to continually question the U.S. Soccer Federation, our soccer leadership, our coaches and even our players.

That is the only way we will improve.

The Keys To Victory For U.S. Men in Azteca

Jim Nguyen — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:02:56 -0400

For many fans of the US Men's National Team, the players and coaches, Aug. 12 has been a date circled on the calendar for some time.

A chance to make history.

To prove the U.S. is the best team in the region and to virtually assure that their ticket is stamped to South Africa next year.

To rub it in your biggest rival's face in their house and to put their road to World Cup qualification in doubt.

And oh yeah, to get revenge after the 5-0 drubbing delivered by Mexico last month in the Gold Cup final.

Needless to say, the U.S. has plenty of motivation to get a result at Azteca. But can they accomplish that?

There are many obstacles standing in the way of success on Wednesday. These include:

Azteca Stadium: playing at 8,000 feet elevation in the middle of the day in front of 105,000 partisan fans is not easy. Smog and humidity will add to the challenge of the playing environment.
History: The U.S. has never won in Mexico, posting a dismal 0-22-1 record there.
Inconsistency: Which U.S. team will show up? The one who beat then No. 1 Spain in the Confederations Cup or the team that looked out of sorts against Costa Rica in San Jose?
Psychological Edge: Mexico is undoubtedly feeling good about themselves after their big win over the U.S. last month (yes, despite bringing a poor team, the U.S. should not have lost by that scoreline).

Therefore, some keys to victory for the U.S. on Wednesday:

1) Keep Your Concentration: If the U.S. can limit mistakes defensively and not allow a score at the beginning or the end of the halves, then they have a chance. The longer the game goes scoreless or is tied, the more frustrated Mexico will become.

2) Finish Your Chances: The U.S. doesn't typically create a ton of chances in a game, but when they are playing well, they bury a high percentage of those chances. They'll have to do just that on Wednesday.

3) Play Aggressively: The U.S. will have to maintain some possession and not be on their back heels for long stretches of the game. This will put some pressure on Mexico and provide more opportunities to score for Team USA, in particular with set pieces.

4) Don't Lose Your Cool: US-Mexico matches have featured tough challenges, confrontations, and red cards in this heated rivalry. If the U.S. can play its game and avoid the mind games of Mexico, the U.S. may gain a man advantage at some point if team Mexico loses it at some point.

5) Take Out the 12th Man: Mexico thrives off its fans and the home crowd, and by coming out strong the U.S. can keep the fans out of the game. If Mexico comes out in rhythm, stringing together passes and maintaining possession or even scoring, it will probably be a long day for the U.S.

Here is a projected lineup and formation for Wednesday:

Altidore,Ching,Donovan,Dempsey,Bradley,Clark,

Bocanegra,DeMerit,Onyewu,Spector,Howard

subs: Charlie Davies, Benny Feilhaber, Jose Francisco Torres

Prediction: USA 2, Mexico 2

U.S. Men's National Team Player Rankings: July Edition

Jim Nguyen — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:06:11 -0400

The World Cup is less than a year away, and the question on the minds of many U.S. fans is, who is going to represent the U.S.A. in South Africa?

The list I'm providing below has rankings based on chances of going next year along with comments. Another consideration for Bob Bradley is team balance among positions and having enough depth and cover, which will be addressed here as well.

No Doubt About It, They're Going

1. Tim Howard, GK—The best goalkeeper for the 'Nats and one of the best in EPL. He showed his worth in South Africa last month.

2. Landon Donovan, M/F—He came into his own at the Confederations Cup, shedding the Landycakes image and becoming "Mandon"; we need both his offensive skills and his leadership qualities.

3. Oguchi Onyewu, D—A beast in the air, his move to AC Milan is just rewards for his improved play for both club and country.

4. Clint Dempsey, M/F—With the criticism gone that he lacks heart/is ineffective, he showed truly why he can be capable of magic on the field at any moment. Question now is, should he play more upfield?

5. Carlos Bocanegra, D—El Capitan will be there, and he showed quite well at left back, but will he stay there?

6. Michael Bradley, M—Regardless of who else is paired in the middle with him, Boy Bradley will be in South Africa.

7. Charlie Davies, F—Yes, he is that important to this team, with both his work rate and his physical play. Just an all-around pest to defenders, he's going to improve by moving to France.

8. Benny Feilhaber, M—There's a reason why he has been the first sub off the bench: he provides creativity, calms the pace down, and can possess the ball. It looks like he's back to being 2007 Benny.

9. Jozy Altidore, F—Big and strong, he shows flashes of his potential but still needs to improve. Despite that, he's a threat any time he comes in the game. The question is whether or not he'll get regular PT this year at Villareal or whereever they loan him to.

10. Jonathan Spector, D—With his performance in S. Africa coupled with Steve Cherundolo's injury, he has to be the No. 1 right back option right now. Can he also play left back?

11. Jay DeMerit, D—Really improved his stock in Confederations play and is probably a better partner in central defense with Gooch than Boca.

12. Brad Guzan, GK—Was a force against Egypt, he is without a doubt our number No. 2 keeper right now.

Probably Going, But We'll See

13. Ricardo Clark, M—What a motor in the midfield, if only he could control his penchant for wild challenges. There's so much competition at center mid, it is ridiculous. Has had a great partnership with Bradley in the center of the field.

14. Maurice Edu, M—I like the fact he can also play center back in a pinch, and Bob values flexibility. He would be a sure bet if not for his injuries, should be back playing in September.

15. Steve Cherundolo, D—He is still shaking off the rust but showed his quality again in recent Gold Cup play.

16. Jermaine Jones, M—The only concern is that he actually hasn't made the switch official, and he's coming off a leg injury. But he is a quality player that we may see paired with Bradley to allow the latter to play more offensively.

17. Brian Ching, F—despite the criticism, he is one of Bradley's favorites for his ability to hold the ball up and attract defensive attention.

18. Chad Marshall, D—We need another center back for depth, and he has helped his cause with good showings in the Gold Cup.

19. Robbie Rogers, M—Need a backup for Landon on the left and he's been a beast in the last few games.

20. Stuart Holden, M—Scoring and is otherwise a threat going forward and has really rocketed up the depth chart. Is probably the No. 1 backup to Deuce right now.

21. Jonathan Bornstein, D—We need a bona fide left back, and, despite his deficiencies, he's the guy right now, but I'm hoping Edgar Castillo can push him.

Got Some Work Left to Do

22. Jose Francisco Torres, M—He's a great talent, but apparently Bob doesn't rate him as highly as most U.S. fans. Perhaps he's seen as a lighter version of Benny Feilhaber by Bob and his staff but with more defensive liabilities.

23. Troy Perkins, GK—Probably our No. 3 keeper right now, but who knows?

24. Frankie Hejduk, D—I love his leadership qualities and how he plays with heart, but do we need a third RB?

25. Danny Califf, D— Likely ranked fourth or fifth among the center backs, he'd go just to make up the numbers and to provide depth.

26. DaMarcus Beasley, M—If he can get some playing time and become the Beasley of old, he can supplant Rogers at that left mid position. But it's a big what "if" still.

27. Freddy Adu, M—Showed very little in Gold Cup games. Clearly needs to be playing first team ball somewhere to have a shot at making this roster.

28. Conor Casey, F—Hasn't done much, but he's a little better than Cooper right now, so he may get the backup role to Ching.

29. Kenny Cooper, F—Had a chance to really raise his stock in Gold Cup play but did little. Time is running out for him to impress.

30. Edgar Castillo, D—Probably better at Bornstein in going forward, but like Bornstein, a bit of a liability in defending. Still, if he's playing well and is serious about playing for U.S., I say bring him in and see what he's got.

31. Heath Pearce, D—He was, as of last year, the player with the most minutes on the team, but he's just getting into form and is trying to find PT somewhere.

32. Sacha Kljestan, M—Ugh, he has been just horrible. But Bob Bradley likes him.

Analysis

This team is deep in the central midfield, right back positions. Some questions.

1. How many right backs to take?

I think if he had the choice, Bradley would take Cherundolo, Spector, and Hejduk, but we probably only need two at this position. If one of them can play left back or center back, that would help his chances immensely.

2. How many center mids to take?

Again, we are deep here and it will help if one of these players are versatile to play, say, left or right mid. I believe Jones, Bradley, Feilhaber, and Edu will go (if the latter regains health and form). I think Clark can sneak into the roster as well, but that would mean one less traditional striker or defender. Then again, Edu can be listed as a central defender behind the likes of Gooch, DeMerit, and Marshall.

3. How many strikers to take?

I think Bradley will take no more than four and may only take three: Davies, Altidore and Ching. The reason is that Donovan and Dempsey are listed as midfielders, but they can also play up top.

So, as of now, this is the team I would take to South Africa (assuming health):

F: Davies, Altidore, Ching

M: Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Jones, Feilhaber, Holden, Rogers, Clark

D: Bocanegra, Onyewu, DeMerit, Spector, Cherundolo, Bornstein, Hejduk, Edu, Marshall

GK: Howard, Guzan, Perkins

The Significance of the U.S. Victory Over Spain

Jim Nguyen — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:55:00 -0400

To borrow a line from the NBA, the U.S. team in South Africa showed that “Amazing Happened” with its stirring victory over the number one team in the world, Spain.

The U.S. achieved the biggest win against a European opponent outside of the U.S. since the World Cup in 2002. They’ve probably never beaten a team that was so talented, where the gap in talent and technical skill seemed so large.

But what does this mean for the U.S. team and for the sport more broadly in the U.S.?

For one, it solidified this group as a team and it answered several questions about the character and quality of this team.

The U.S. proved the team and coach, as it currently stands, can play with anyone in the world and win. This statement was in doubt after the 2006 World Cup, when the team crashed out in three games during the group stage.

We also know more about the makeup of this team and a bit more about its identity—defense, grit, determination. Tactics aside, if the team comes out motivated, physical and aggressive, they have a chance of beating anyone on a given day.

Personnel-wise, this team has gelled with the individuals that were out there yesterday. Jay DeMerit and Oguchi Onyewu will likely remain at the centerback positions given their stellar work together, and Carlos Bocanegra the starter at left back. Jonathan Spector will either be the first choice or a backup to Steve Cherundolo on the right.

In the middle of the park, Michael Bradley is the two-way central midfielder, while Rico Clark and Maurice Edu will battle with Jermaine Jones for the defensive mid/destroyer position.

Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey have proven their mettle and raised their statuses with solid performances in this tournament, particularly Donovan, and will be the starters at the wide midfield spots for the foreseeable future.

Up top, it will hard to supplant Jozy Altidore after yesterday’s game. It was interesting that he actually held up the ball, turned and shot to give the U.S. the win; he was criticized before for not being able to hold the ball. He seems to have a good working relationship with Charlie Davies, but Brian Ching, Conor Casey and Kenny Cooper will also get continued looks to pair up with the young Altidore.

This was the kind of win that reverberates and impacts the sport in many ways.

ESPN showed the game, and more fans will be paying attention to this team now after this win. The media will pay more attention. Young soccer players in the U.S. will be motivated by this victory.

In other countries, you could feel the level of respect for the U.S. rise after this game. We’ve always been a big country, but not when it came to football. Now, other countries will respect us more and know we can play with anyone.

This can only enhance our ability to play in higher profile friendlies, get more looks for our players in foreign leagues, maybe even improve the respectability of MLS. That’s how big this win was. It didn’t completely change the perception of Team U.S.A. overnight, but it did make the world stand up and take notice of us more. And that’s the start of something big in the U.S. program.

However, with big victories come bigger expectations. How will this team respond? Can we be more consistent and continue to improve?

Better yet, can we continue to beat top teams on a regular basis while also taking care of business in away CONCACAF games against the likes of Honduras and Mexico?

The team could take all it has learned as a lesson and continue to move forward, or it can regress and progress. It seems it is up to these players to take this experience to heart and internalize it to maintain its level of improvement.

We’ve been consistently inconsistent this year, but we may have the confidence and self-belief now to win on a regular basis. The guys and coaching staff know who they are better now, the trust has improved, and this team should be able to build on this victory.

On the face of it, it seems this team needs the pressure and criticism from fans and the media it received after the Brazil debacle in order to play with a purpose; a chip on its collective shoulder. I tend to agree with that, and fans and the media alike should continue to pour the pressure on.

We’re fans after all, and a sign that soccer is progressing in this country is the higher expectations and the increasing soccer knowledge of fans.

What is next for this team? A strong performance in this weekend’s final is necessary to maintain the progress.

Follow that up with a strong Gold Cup performance. Hope that some of the younger players in that tournament can push the veterans.

The next big test after this tournament and the Gold Cup is another first for this team—win at Azteca in Mexico on August 12th. The U.S. has a horrible record there, only mustering a tie and losing the rest of their matches historically in Mexico.

A win there would solidify confidence in this team and the direction of the program.

No longer can we use the word "impossible" with this team. Believing is enough to give fans hope for the future.

The victory has given this writer the belief in our team again, and the possibilities of a seed in the World Cup. A good draw there could raise the expectations beyond just reaching the knockout stages.

The U.S. has to continue to get results in tough environments and against difficult opponents to show this victory was no fluke. As they say, "you’re only as good as your next game", and more eager, watchful eyes will be checking the team out this Sunday against either Brazil or South Africa to gauge Team USA’s growth or regression.

It’s up to the team now to respond and progress or revert back to its inconsistent ways.

What Should We Expect From Team USA Soccer Going Forward?

Jim Nguyen — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:54:57 -0400

It was a win for the ages. The U.S. triumphed over World No. 1 Spain in the Confederations Cup, advancing to the first final in a major soccer competition ever.

Like captain Carlos Bocanegra, I'm still in disbelief. The U.S. overcame tremendous odds and a roller coaster of results to this point.

It started out with the tough losses to Italy and Brazil that had the team looking out-of-sorts, while stateside media and fans alike were criticizing the team's poor play and calling for Bob Bradley's head.

Then, the U.S. found its motivation and struck back against the naysayers while their back was against the wall. The team got the big win against Egypt and got some help from Brazil to sneak into the semifinals.

Belief and confidence began to return, but would it matter against Spain?

The U.S. played with composure, heart, grit and as a unit to stifle the Spanish attack and capitalize on the few offensive opportunities it was presented.

In short, it was a strong, organized performance characterized by passion, team unity, and execution of a good game plan.

But where do we go from here?

The main question for this team is whether it can maintain this quality of play and be consistent, regardless of the competition?

Will it play well this Sunday and win, or lose in a spirited effort?

Will USA do well during the Gold Cup and continue to develop players who can fill out the 23-man squad for next year's World Cup?

Will it dominate the remainder of the World Cup qualifiers, especially road matches such as against Mexico on August 12th?

Without a doubt, this win will raise expectations on this team going forward.

But will the U.S. be able to play at this high level consistently?

That may be the greatest question of all, and one only the U.S. team can answer.

USA-Egypt: USA Answers Criticism with Emotional Win

Jim Nguyen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:43:35 -0400

With the criticism mounting among U.S. soccer circles and the U.S. staring a winless trip in South Africa in the face, the U.S. Men's National Team responded by thrashing Egypt 3-0 by playing with heart and passion.

Oh, and the U.S. also happened to advance to the semifinals.

What a difference a game makes.

For those of you who have been living in a cave the past couple of weeks, here's a recap demonstrating the significance of this victory today.

The U.S. has been playing poorly as of late in both this tournament and World Cup qualifying, leaking early goals, playing undisciplined soccer (red cards in last two games vs. Brazil and Italy), and, above all, looking dispirited and without purpose on the field.

Consider the following:

A loss to Costa Rica in San Jose, having to come back from an early goal against Honduras in Chicago, hanging with Italy until the red card and the subsequent "in your face" supplied by New Jersey-born Italian striker Giuseppe Rossi in losing to Italy, and a drubbing from Brazil—where the players barely showed up and Bob Bradley's tactics, lineups, and formation began to face increasing scrutiny.

For a country that apparently did not care about the world's sport, Bradley, his players, and the U.S. Soccer Federation were beginning to feel the heat from fans and the media.

Go to any soccer blog, and you will find calls for Bradley's and Sunil Gulati's heads. Facebook users created online petitions and even started a "Fire Bob Bradley" group page. (There are currently 1,500 members of that group.)

Emails and phone calls began flooding into the USSF and Sunil Gulati.

In short, people wanted to see an improvement on the field, and soon.

And, the U.S. team responded by delivering one of its most memorable performances in recent memory, taking apart the upstart Egyptians with passion, heart, and providing a complete reversal to both how this team has performed recently and an answer to the critics.

Both teams came out on even terms, feeling each other out, but it soon became apparent that the U.S. was not going to just roll over to the Egyptians. Some early changes and combination play eventually led to the U.S. taking a 1-0 lead on a Charlie Davies goal.

This goal was significant for several reasons.

First, Bob Bradley had the hutzpah to start Davies up top with Jozy Altidore in the first place.

Second, the U.S. scored first and did not allow an early goal to the opposition, as they have been prone to do as of late.

Third, the U.S. scored in the run of play. Many fans have been bemoaning the fact that a majority of the U.S. goals have been on set pieces.

As the first half ended, you had to wonder if the U.S. should have been up 2-0 on an obvious handball by the Egyptians on a great shot by Jozy Altidore on frame, but the referee claimed he did not see it.

Given the way the U.S. has been playing, you would expect them to lie down and find a way to lose in the second half.

But they didn't.

They scored again on a great give and go-between Landon Donovan, Bradley, and then Dempsey scored on a header after a wonderful pinpoint cross from Jonathan Spector.

I don't think anyone would have expected this—the U.S. completely reversing its fortunes with one game, one spectacular performance that would silence the critics, regain some much-needed swagger, and put the program back on track.

It was just a perfect day.

How else can you explain the U.S. winning by a three-goal margin and Brazil doing the same to assure the Americans' passage into the semifinals on Wednesday.

Maybe magical is a better word.

Given the recent hard times that the coach, players, and federation have been through, they were all due for some good luck.

Other than the reversal of fortune the team found today, the emotion and passion that had been missing in large part over these few weeks and months returned with a vigor against Egypt.

The players played hard.

They played for each other.

They seemed to believe again.

You only had to witness the celebrations after each goal to see how important it was for the team psyche.

Clint Dempsey, who hasn't scored in seven games for the team, let out his frustration with a passionate header and celebration.

Bob Bradley, usually as stoic as a statue, pumped his fists and screamed expletives in both celebration and in argument for the non-call on the Egyptian handball.

His son, Michael Bradley, gave his father a great Father's Day gift with his performance and goal. He knew dad had been under increasing fire and addressed it after the match:

"We played with 11 guys for 90 minutes," Michael Bradley said.

"All the f------ experts in America, everybody who thinks they know about soccer, they can all look at the score tonight, and let's see what they have to say now. Nobody has any respect for what we do, for what goes on on the inside, so let them all talk now."

Who cares how the U.S. does against Spain on Wednesday?

No one.

No one thought the team would be in this position, anticipated how perceptions would change, and how criticisms would be silenced with one game.

The ship is righted in U.S. Soccer, for now, and the pressure just lessened a great deal for Bob Bradley and Co.

The improbable can and did happen today, and it was nice that Lady Luck shined on the U.S.

The USSF, Bradley, the players, and yes, the fans can all breathe a collective sigh of relief...for now.

Criticism Mounts As U.S. Embarrassed By Brazil, 3-0

Jim Nguyen — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:27:27 -0400

The United States Men's National Team were outclassed and completely dominated by Brazil today in the Confederations Cup, with the final score generous to the Americans at 3-0.

The Americans are not mathematically eliminated but for all intents and purposes will not be advancing in this tournament.

Unlike the previous game versus Italy, the U.S. showed little tenacity, courage, and passion in this game. They actually looked a lot like the team that went to Costa Rica earlier this month and barely showed up, losing 3-1 in that one.

If you thought that the fan reaction was muted following Italy's loss, it's about to get a lot more critical after this poor showing.

The problems with this U.S. team run very deep, but the issues apparent in this game were continuing to make the same mistakes, playing without passion and heart, a lack of teamwork and cohesion, and poor coaching decisions.

First, how do you continue to make the same mistakes over and over again?

Why doesn't this team learn you cannot make stupid challenges that can lead to red cards (Sacha Kljestan), and you can't let the other team score early in the game (seventh minute)?

The only difference between this game and the last against the Italians was the U.S. actually seemed like they wanted to play against Italy and attack some, but here they just said, "here we go again" and pretty much gave up after that first goal.

Second, the team came out with no fire; the Brazilians ran around the Americans, and Sam's Army offered little resistance or fight. Loose balls went routinely to the Brazilians, and they dispossessed the Americans with little effort.

It is clear this team is repeating the same mistakes it has been making over and over again and is not learning to improve.

Barely anyone on Team USA tried to challenge for 50/50 balls. The team looked complacent in allowing Brazil possession and attacking opportunities. The U.S. was listless throughout the game, save for a few attacking opportunities it promptly wasted in the second half.

Suffice it to say Team USA did not look like it wanted to be out there today.

The players looked like they did not care and were frustrated and exasperated out on the pitch. This team was supposed to at least compete, "be hard to play against," and play for one another.

It's not doing any of that right now.

Third, the "team" looked more like a collection of individuals wearing the same kits. How many times did Brazil just double or triple-team the American player with the ball and dispossess him? Where were the runs off the ball and combination play?

I think I counted two plays where we actually played as a team. One, on the build-up where Jozy Altidore played a give and go with Conor Casey, and two, when Jonathan Spector and Landon Donovan ran off one another and Spector's pass went to Benny Feilhaber, who hit the woodwork with the shot.

Finally, you have to question Bob Bradley and his decisions before and during the game, starting with his lineup decisions. DaMarcus Beasley had no business starting this game at left wing; he is extremely rusty and is a shadow of his former self. He gave up the free kick that led to the first goal and made a horrible touch off a USA corner kick that led to the second goal, a fast counterattack by Brazil.

Inserting Sacha Kljestan into the starting lineup was another fateful decision by Bradley. Kljestan is in bad form for his MLS team; how could he help the U.S. team against Brazil? He gives up the ball too easily and contributes little to the attack. His foolish challenge was the result of frustration and a lack of discipline, and came right after he lost the ball.

As for substitutions, I have no idea why Bradley brought Casey in for Beasley. If anything, he should have brought Feilhaber, Freddy Adu, or Jose Torres in at that point. None of the aforementioned players other than Feilhaber saw the field today, and you have to question Bradley's tactical acumen. The USA needed to attack the holes in Brazil's defense and maintain possession, and it rarely did any of that save for a few moments.

You wonder if Bradley is too conservative, playing those he knows and likes but who are not necessarily on form to play well at this level. I think based on this game, he has to not only give Adu, Charlie Davies, Torres, and similar players more playing time, but he's going to have to find players in the U.S. system who are both in form and are unafraid of taking it to teams like Brazil.

Now is not the time to play favorites, but to put the best 11 on the field who play best together.

Despite statements by USSF President Sunil Gulati that Bradley's job is safe, it is clear as day that this is not a good "team" no matter how you view it. The days of playing it safe and close to the vest are over. U.S. Soccer needs to take a hard look at itself and this team, because changes need to be made as soon as possible to give this team any chance of advancing out of the group stage next year in South Africa.

Loss to Italy Demonstrates USA Soccer's Lack Of Progress

Jim Nguyen — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:27:04 -0400

The U.S. Men's National Team came into the Confederations Cup with hopes that the tough competition would give them a barometer of how the team measures up.

And the initial impressions are not too good.

The U.S. lost to Italy 3-1 yesterday, and although the scoreline is a bit unfair to the Americans, the loss clearly demonstrates that the U.S. has a long way to go to be a player on the big international stage.

Give the boys credit. They did not have an early letdown, but came out to play hard. They competed. Michael Bradley got stuck in and caused problems for the Italian midfield. They started to put pressure on the defense of the Italians by running at them.

Then, the inevitable happened. As is customary in our games with Italy, we got another red card, this time by Ricardo Clark. Was it deserved? Most would say no, but it was a foolish challenge nonetheless.

That red card changed the complexion of the match and the U.S. played a man down for the rest of game, eventually succumbing to exhaustion and lack of concentration in the second half, where Italy came to life and punished the U.S. in quick succession.

Mistakes that compounded other mistakes. That has been the hallmark of this team of late.

Did we have opportunities? Sure did. Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore had clear shots on goal from inside the penalty area but did little more than roll the ball to keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

But as customary, they did not convert those chances. Neither did Charlie Davies with a clear header late that would have tied the match.

Good teams bury most of those chances.

Many fans are blaming the ref for some non-calls and for overreacting on the Clark challenge. Some are blaming Giuseppe Rossi, the Italian-American, who within the first minute of his arrival scored to level the match.

The calls or non-calls are the nature of international football. And Rossi? Well, he pretty much stopped being an American a long time ago.

His defection to play for Italy hurts for sure, but what hurts more is that the U.S. team shot itself in the foot (again) and clearly lacks the discipline and tactical awareness and skill required to compete fully at this level.

There is some merit in those claims, but let's stop scapegoating others and instead figure out what the U.S. team could have done to control this match.

1. Attack, attack, attack

Credit Michael Bradley with a good game, dispossessing the Italians and springing counterattacks that provided the U.S. with their best chances in the first half.

We need more of that as well as more creative, possession-focused players like Freddy Adu and Jose Francisco Torres to keep the ball and distribute to our attacking players so that our team is not one-dimensional and predictable to play against.

Putting opposing defenses on their heels causes them to give more space out of respect, so we need more build up play through the midfield and wings instead of hopeful long balls.

We can also win more set pieces/corner kicks this way, so I'm a firm believer in "the best defense is a good offense" philosophy (Even more telling is the corner kicks stat: Italians 10, USA 1).

2. Eliminate stupid mistakes

Ricardo Clark and Pablo Mastroeni should not be allowed within 100 yards of the team in games against big opponents. Either that or they be taught how to control themselves and not make foolish mistakes or commit dumb fouls.

It's those kind of mistakes that are costing the team and putting them into a hole. Team USA needs to be better disciplined overall.

3. Finish our chances

You are almost ceding a goal to your opponent when you don't finish good opportunities to score.

We need to do more with our chances, even the half chances. Put the ball on frame instead of hitting it way over the crossbar; it forces a save from the keeper and maybe he spills it and someone can follow up.

4. Get in front of shooters

The U.S. had this problem in the previous World Cup qualifiers and it happened again on the first two goals by Italy: they did not challenge the shooters.

Just because someone is shooting from distance does not mean let them run at you and give them space! Step in front of them and change the shot or force them to pass.

5. Consider a coaching change

I hate writing this part because I have been a fan of Bob Bradley for sometime and I feel that he has done an average to good job as head coach. But it's obvious that something has to change.

The problems and solutions above of discipline and tactics could possibly be remedied by a coach with more experience internationally. I will be the first to admit the U.S. is not blessed with tons of the quality and depth of other squads, but I believe we are a better team than we are showing.

We need to improve our tactics, our individual skill, our discipline, and our offensive minds in order to truly challenge and beat teams like Italy, Brazil or even Egypt. I believe if we do not do something drastic, we will lose all three of these games and also crash out of the World Cup next year, provided we qualify for that.

I'm so proud of the team for fighting and challenging good teams like Italy, but as they say, there are no moral victories in soccer. We need results, and the U.S. Soccer supporters are savvy enough now to expect more from this team.

If changes are not made soon, the team will be mired in continuing mediocrity in this World Cup cycle. Our players will continue to receive pats on the back but will be unwilling or unable to improve after losses such as these.

And that will be frustrating to watch, indeed.

Jermaine Jones Decides to Switch Allegiances from Germany to USA

Jim Nguyen — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:57:21 -0400

As a fan of the U.S. Men's National Team, you probably woke up this morning to a surprise: Jermaine Jones has declared his intention to play for the USA.

There had been stories and talk that Jones was now eligible to play for the USA because FIFA recently changed a rule which now allows players to switch national teams regardless of age (the previous rule was that they had to decide by their 21st birthday) as long as they have not played in official competitions for their national side.

To date, Jones has played in three friendlies for Germany, which are considered unofficial games.

I went on Bigsoccer.com in the last week and fans had even started a thread to begin a campaign to sign Jones' guestbook and ask him to join the U.S. National Team. Word is that Jones was snubbed by current Germany coach Joachim Loew, and that this caused him to make the switch.

For those who have not seen Jones play, he is a talented midfielder who currently plays in Germany for club team Schalke 04, and was recently ranked as the fourth best midfielder in the Bundesliga.

He has to wait 60 days to play a game for the U.S. while paperwork is completed, which means he could be eligible for the U.S. match versus Mexico on August 12th, but it's likely Bob Bradley will call him into a camp to see how he does first.

I predict he will slide right in next to Bradley's son, Michael in central midfield and be the starter once Jones gets situated. Michael, coincidentally, also plays in Germany and apparently he had asked Jones if he would consider switching allegiances and playing for U.S.A.

The timing of this move is even more curious, since the internet is abuzz with stories on Monday's rematch of the World Cup 2006 group stage match between the U.S. and Italy. Giuseppe Rossi, who was born and raised in New Jersey, chose to represent Italy over Sam's Army and will probably face the Americans on Monday in Confederations Cup play.

American fans have lamented how losing talented players like Rossi and more recently Neven Subotic (to Serbia) were painful given their talent and likely ability to improve the U.S. team. It felt, oddly enough, like a hopeful suitor (U.S.) getting spurned by the pretty girl at the prom for a better looking date (another country).

In the case of Subotic, he felt he was snubbed by U-20 coach Thomas Rongen for being left out of a squad in the past. Subotic probably also chose to switch to Serbia because of endorsements and opportunity to play in an improving squad.

Regardless of whether the U.S.A. benefits from current FIFA rules, they are what they are. Perhaps Jones' high profile move will encourage other players of dual nationality to consider playing for the U.S.—currently, Edgar Castillo, a left back who is playing for Mexico, is eligible to switch under the rule change.

It's always curious why players choose the national sides they play for. Sometimes it is due to prestige. Many times it is because you feel a connection to a country of your birth or just where you feel you are most a citizen. Sometimes it is because of your parents, they influence your decision. Or in other cases, it is because you feel unwanted.

It happened in Subotic's case against the U.S.—and now it stands to benefit the U.S. program with this coup of Jones' intent to play for the U.S.A.

What To Look for from U.S. in Confederations Cup

Jim Nguyen — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:04:53 -0400

Well, USA fans have been clamoring for the U.S. Men's National Team to be challenged by some of the best teams in the world, and we now have a chance to show what we're all about.

Defending world champion Italy awaits on June 15, followed by powerhouse Brazil on the 18th, then finally African champions Egypt on the 21st. If we make it out of the group, we stand a good chance of facing European champion and tournament favorites Spain in the semifinals.

The chances of advancing out of the group, most would say, is slim, but what many U.S. fans want to see is a good showing from Sam's Army. Despite calming some anxiety in U.S. soccer circles with its 2-1 victory in Chicago versus Honduras Saturday, there is still discontent out there.

Pundits and fans alike over the last week have been questioning whether this team has improved since 2006 or 2002 even, when the U.S. shocked the world and reached the quarterfinals in Korea/Japan. Many question the coaching abilities of Bob Bradley and the heart and motivation of this current squad.

With that in mind, here are some things to watch for from the U.S. starting Monday in its match with Italy:

What is the preferred lineup and formation?

In all likelihood, Bob Bradley will go with either a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 against Italy on Monday, scrapping the experimental 4-3-3 that was used against Costa Rica. That leaves personnel at several key positions to be decided.

Benny Feilhaber or Ricardo Clark at central midfield? Feilhaber has the creativity and vision not many in the program possess, but he is still working his way into form. Clark is more of a defensive player, and can break up the opposing team's possession and help the U.S. keep possession in midfield.

Conor Casey or Charlie Davies at forward? Davies has proved to be tenacious when he has gotten time on the field, and has a great nose for goal. Casey is a player in the mold of Brian Ching, who is injured currently.

Bradley will probably opt for Casey in a 4-4-2 alignment to pair up with Jozy Altidore simply because Casey can hold the ball and so that he and Altidore can play off one another.

Have the "Jonathans" secured the fullback positions? Jonathan Bornstein and Jonathan Spector both acquitted themselves well against Honduras and probably have the starting positions nailed down at left and right back, respectively (at least for now). Will they get exposed at the highest level of competition or will they continue to make the case for themselves to start? We'll find out.

Based on the above, we may see the following formations or something similar:

4-4-2

-------Altidore-------Casey--------

Donovan----------------------Dempsey

-------Bradley--------Clark------------

Bornstein---Bocanegra---Onyewu-----Spector

--------------Howard-----------------

(Alternatively, Dempsey up top with Altidore, Feilhaber on right wing)

4-5-1

--------------Altidore------------------

Donovan------------------Dempsey

-------------Feilhaber----------------

--------Bradley--------Clark--------------

Bornstein---Bocanegra---Onyewu-----Spector

--------------Howard-----------------

Has the defense improved?

The U.S. has been leaking goals at the beginning of games (see Honduras and Costa Rica) and it simply cannot do this against the top flight competition it will meet in South African. Give the team credit for coming back against Honduras, but this team needs to improve in this area.

It needs to close down on opposing players, not give up too much space, and anticipate runs off the ball. The U.S. was beaten on both early goals last week by quick combination play, poor defending and slow reactions. That cannot happen against next week if it wants a shot at making it to the semifinals.

Can the team score in the run of play?

The book is out on the U.S.: we can only score on set pieces. In the last two games, the U.S. has scored on two penalty kicks and one corner kick. Teams know that they just need to stop the ball and not foul, and that will usually stymie the U.S. offense.

The U.S. needs to score more often, but it also needs to show it can score in the run of play or else the offense will remain very much one-dimensional.

Will we see a more motivated side?

One source of pride in 2002 and 2006 was the heart and courage the team displayed every time it stepped on the field. As a U.S. fan, you knew that the opposing team might be more skilled, but that the U.S. would put in a total effort on the field.

This included chasing after loose balls, playing physical and making tackles, and generally approaching the games without fear.

Once can argue that the U.S. has not shown those qualities on a consistent basis in 2009, and this has become worrisome to fans. In the games against Costa Rica and Honduras, the team played with little purpose and looked listless.

The U.S. used to be able to will itself to results (see vs. Italy, 2006 World Cup) in the past. Does this team possess the requisite heart and can it relish the underdog role again? We'll see.

What is the state of the U.S. National Team?

This is the question of all questions, the one underlying the ones above: how good are we? Could we be better? Have we regressed?

After the win against Honduras, there is little concern that the U.S. won't qualify for the World Cup next year. But fans of the U.S. are smarter now than they've ever been and are expecting more.

Qualifying for the World Cup is no longer the goal; getting out of the group stages is now the bar fans have set for this team.

I watched a highlight video of the US-Germany match from the quarterfinals in 2002 recently and I immediately noticed our composure on the ball, how quickly we played the ball forward, the improved passing and attack, and overall aggressiveness of our players.

We seem to be lacking those qualities now and message boards and articles by the pundits wonder if it is our coach, the tactics, the lack of talent, in-form players, etc.

The list of possible reasons goes on and on, but for many, we've come to expect more from this team and it isn't delivering right now. But maybe that changes come Monday, Thursday and Sunday of next week. Perhaps this team plays with a chip on its' shoulder again and takes the game to its opponents instead of the other way around.

Next week's games provide the perfect test, and excellent barometer of where the program stands. Those games will hopefully go a long way towards answering these questions. If the responses are not favorable, the questions will persist and changes to the program may be in the offing.

USA Back on Track After Beating Honduras 2-1

Jim Nguyen — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:37:14 -0400

The U.S. Men's National Team needed to regain some of their swagger after the crushing defeat in San Jose, Costa Rica on Wednesday. The victory last night over Honduras provided a much needed tonic for the struggling team.

But it still wasn't easy.

After some fancy footwork by Clint Dempsey went awry in the USA half in the fifth minute, the Honduran team quickly pounced on the loose ball and Carlos Costly unleashed an accurate shot from long-range out of the grasp of a diving Tim Howard.

Here we go again, the team thought. Down early to a good opponent yet again.

But to the U.S. team's credit, they fought back. A handball by Honduras in their penalty area just before the first half resulted in a Landon Donovan converted penalty kick, and we were now tied 1-1.

The U.S. went ahead for good in the 68th minute on a corner kick that Dempsey redirected to a corkscrewing Carlos Bocanegra, who buried the ball with head into the back of the net. The U.S. players went crazy, as that moment both demonstrated the importance the goal not just on the scoreboard, but to the collective psyche of this team and its fans.

The U.S. held on, and thanks to El Salvador (who shocked Mexico 2-1), the Americans are firmly in second place in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying group with 10 points, two points behind Costa Rica (who also won vs. Trinidad and Tobago) and five points clear of third place El Salvador. One has to think that given Mexico's problems, we have a decent shot to get a result when the U.S. goes to daunting Azteca Stadium on August 12.

We learned a great deal about this team after the loss:

First, the U.S. should have learned its lesson about going down early. In other words, that cannot happen again.

Second, the U.S. knows that if it does fall behind, it will take a collectively strong effort to come back - but they know they can do that now if needed.

Third, the U.S. is still not that great tactically but it is an athletic squad that can give teams in the World Cup problems only if it plays hard and aggressively like it did last night against Honduras.

Fourth, there is no room for complacency, especially among our veteran stars. We saw a completely different Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey from the Costa Rica match (the latter after his gaffe): more aggressive, competitive, and willing to put in a workmanlike performance.

Fifth, we discovered some players who look like they will play a larger role on this team going forward. This list of players includes Benny Feilhaber, Conor Casey, Jonathan Bornstein, Jonathan Spector and Jay DeMerit. We have some depth at right back once Steve Cherundolo and Frankie Hejduk return from injury as Spector played well.

Sixth, going with a 4-4-2 alignment will be the preferred lineup. I doubt Bob Bradley will experiment anymore.

Seventh (and finally!) there are a couple of potential formations we may see in South Africa at the Confederations Cup and even beyond based on the personnel and formations of the last two games. I'll take a stab at what I believe we'll see:

Possible Formation 1: 4-4-2 with a traditional holding striker up top

---------------Altidore------------Casey/Ching---------------------

Donovan---------------------------------------------Dempsey

--------------Bradley--------------Feilhaber/Clark-------

Bornstein-------Bocanegra---------Onyewu---------Spector--------

Possible Formation 2: 4-4-2 with Dempsey up top with Altidore

--------------Altidore-------------Dempsey----------------------

Donovan-------------------------------------Feilhaber---------

-------------Bradley--------------Clark/Torres-----------------

Bornstein------Bocanegra-----------Onyewu---------Spector---------

In conclusion, this team appears to have found itself after a bit of soul-searching this week. Some teams need to face adversity in order to grow from the experience and become better.

We're about to find out if the U.S. will learn the lessons from this week and play aggressive, competitive soccer it displayed against Honduras or if it will look out of sorts and timid as it did against Costa Rica.

After Loss to Costa Rica, Doom and Gloom for the United States?

Jim Nguyen — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:44:55 -0400

We're just not as good as we thought or hoped we'd be. That much was clear after a humbling defeat to a spirited Costa Rican side last night at Estadio Saprissa by the score of 3-1.

The U.S. players were too slow, did not react quickly enough, did not defend as a unit, and were caught out of position several times and got behind early after just 78 seconds.

What really bothered me and some other U.S. fans was the lack of heart, passion, and pride; the U.S. simply was unprepared and did not show up to compete in Costa Rica.

Yes, we were playing on a horrible field turf, in very hostile and intimidating conditions, but we never should have gone down so quickly and looked so downtrodden in just the first half. Where was the courage...the pride? We didn't want this game and it was written all over our faces and by our half-hearted play.

Give Costa Rica a lot of credit too—they played outstanding and were confident—but this game made you wonder which team was ranked No. 14 and which team was ranked No. 41 by FIFA.

For the U.S., the time for soul-searching and resolution of issues needs to be completed now. Unfortunately, there is not much time for this, as Honduras comes to Chicago's Soldier Field on Saturday in a game the U.S. must now win to right the ship.

Several questions need to be answered before and by Saturday:

1. Who can replace DaMarcus Beasley, Pablo Mastroeni, and Marvell Wynne in the lineup after their horrible performances?

2. How will the U.S. be able to deal with the speed of Honduras after getting burned by Los Ticos last night?

3. Who will replace Michael Bradley in the middle of the park now that he will miss the Honduras match due to yellow card accumulation?

4. Will the young players who played well, Charlie Davies and Freddy Adu most notably, get more of a shot on Saturday?

5. Can this team recover physically, mentally and psychologically from this embarrassing loss and get a much needed home win against a tough opponent?

These next few days will tell us a lot about this team, most notably if we have the mental toughness and will to be a team that can challenge the best teams in the world or merely an average team in our own region.

USA Soccer Faces Formidable Opponent in Costa Rica

Jim Nguyen — Sun, 31 May 2009 20:19:04 -0400

Let the games begin!

Now that the club season is over, and summer is upon us, the US Men's National Team heads into probably its toughest match of the World Cup qualifying campaign before South Africa next year (outside of playing at Mexico, of course).

The game Wednesday in Estadio Saprissa in Costa Rica, followed by a home match in Chicago's Soldier Field against Honduras, will test the team severely given the quick turnaround and several issues surrounding the team—namely injuries and lack of playing time as a team.

But let's not look too far ahead. Costa Rica will present a stiff challenge to Sam's Army.

First off are the conditions and the environment. Saprissa will be loud, hostile, and muggy. The field will be less than ideal, as Saprissa has an artificial turf field, presenting another thing the US team will have to adjust to.

History has not been kind to the the US either. The team is 0-5-1 all-time playing in Costa Rica. That's right, the US has never won there and the last time the US went to Costa Rica during World Cup qualifying, the team lost in embarrassing fashion, 3-0. The only thing that could temper that loss was the fact that the US had already qualified for the '06 Cup by the time the game was played.

As mentioned earlier, the status of several players for the game will be in doubt. Injured are Frankie Hejduk and Maurice Edu, both of whom would probably start if not for the questionable status of their health.

The rest of the team will join their teammates for practices Monday and Tuesday in Costa Rica, hardly enough time to practice together before such an important match.

Based on the comments of the team and coach, the U.S. will likely play conservatively and clog the middle of the pitch in order to thwart the Costa Rican attack and possibly spring counterattacks. The US is hoping for a draw or better—while Costa Rica will be looking to win and playing attacking football.

Assuming the unavailability of Hejduk and Edu, we may see a backline of Jonathan Spector, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, and Jonathan Bornstein. In midfield, Clint Dempsey, Pablo Mastroeni, Michael Bradley, and DaMarcus Beasley. Up top, Brian Ching with Landon Donovan in a withdrawn striker role. I'm not sure about health of Jozy Altidore, who would probably be starting but might be held out given he is recovering from toe surgery.

I can also see Bob Bradley putting Jose Francisco Torres in front of Bradley and Mastroeni, moving Donovan to left mid, and either moving Beasley to left back, or slotting Bornstein there and leaving Beasley on the bench. This would be an even more conservative lineup, one with, essentially, three central midfielders to keep Costa Rica from keeping too much possession.

Prediction: USA 1, Costa Rica 1

Five Questions for the U.S. Men's National Team This Summer

Jim Nguyen — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:14:02 -0400

If you’re a fan of the U.S. Men’s National Team, this is the summer you’ve been waiting for. With World Cup Qualifying, the FIFA Confederations Cup, and the CONCACAF Gold Cup all taking place this summer, many questions surround the team, its players, and its chances for success in all three competitions.

There are several questions that many U.S. fans have about the team as it continues to take shape before June 2010:

1) Who are the 23 players who will likely head to the Confederations Cup?

Bob Bradley has intimated that he is taking this tournament very seriously, as it will provide a stern test for the U.S. team in South Africa a full year before the World Cup will be held there. As such, it will be a dress rehearsal of sorts for the U.S. program.

It will be important to send the strongest team possible, as many players will be able to see the stadiums they may play in. The U.S. has drawn a very tough first round group that includes Italy, Brazil and Egypt. I don’t expect many surprises on the list that Bob Bradley eventually announces for this prestigious tournament.

Given the tough group the U.S. has drawn, I don’t feel that the results for the U.S. will be as important as how well they play. If they can hold their own and show well on either side of the ball, then it will have been a success. Advancing to the group stage would be icing on the cake, in my view.

2) Will the U.S. get a stranglehold on the World Cup qualifying hexagonal?

The U.S. is entering its toughest stretch of games in the 10 game, home-and-away series to determine which three teams receive automatic entries to next year’s World Cup. First up is away to Costa Rica on June 3, followed by a home match in Chicago on June 6 versus Honduras.

On Aug. 12, the U.S. travels to Estadio Azteca in Mexico to face El Tri. As far as CONCACAF goes, it does not get more daunting than that. The U.S. has never won at Azteca and Honduras and Costa Rica are playing some excellent soccer right now and do not sit too far behind the U.S. in the current standings.

The U.S. should at least draw with Mexico and Costa Rica on the road and win at home vs. Honduras. Anything less will shake the team’s confidence and cause some serious worry heading into the last set of games in the fall.

3) Who are some fringe players who will get a look from Bob Bradley?

This summer, with all the games on the schedule, will give Bob Bradley an opportunity to give his entire pool a nice run out. The CONCACAF Gold Cup provides the chance for some players trying to get a look, perhaps for the last time during this World Cup cycle.

This group of players includes those coming back from injury, those trying to regain their form, and certainly some players who have not really been a part of the U.S. system in the past. Some of the players we may see at the Gold Cup include (not an exhaustive list):

Defense: Marvel Wynne, Michael Orozco, Heath Pearce, Chad Marshall, Steve Cherundolo, Frank Simek, Danny Califf, Chris Wingert

Midfield: Sal Zizzo, Danny Szetela, Ricardo Clark, Stuart Holden, Robbie Rogers, Jeremiah White, Benny Feilhaber, Jemal Johnson

FW: Eddie Johnson, Conor Casey, Chris Rolfe, Kenny Cooper

4) Who is the best player to pair with Michael Bradley in the middle of the park?

Despite some claims of nepotism, Michael Bradley will be a starter and fixture on this team in the middle of the park. But who will partner with him in the elder Bradley’s preferred lineup? We should see some experimentation from Bradley Sr. this summer as all three of the following players will be given a tryout in central midfield.

There’s a lot to like about Pablo Mastroeni, who provides solid veteran leadership and is probably the strongest defensively of the available options. However, he has a penchant for drawing untimely red cards and sometimes makes foolish challenges.

Jose Francisco Torres, with his flair and deft passing ability, has been able to calm things down and distribute well to his teammates when he has come on the field.

Even if he does not start games, he is usually the first or second substitute, as we have seen over the last several games. The question on him is whether he is big enough and has the ability to be solid defensively.

Maurice Edu is enjoying his best season as a pro now that he is starting regularly for Glasgow Rangers in Scotland. He’s playing with a lot of confidence now, and he is a two-way player.

This summer should go a long way towards determining who will be starting next to Michael Bradley in midfield in 2010.

5) What is the best lineup for the US team?

There are several glaring holes at a few positions on the team, including central midfield, left back and right back, to name just a few. But I believe based on personnel (or lack thereof) the lineup we saw in the last match will indicate what we do on June 3 and June 6.

I expect again that DaMarcus Beasley will again lineup at left back (though not his natural position) with Landon Donovan slotted at left midfield. Brian Ching and Jozy Altidore (if the latter is healthy) will be the tandem strikers in a 4-4-2 alignment.

The lack of depth at several positions is a constant worry for U.S. fans, but hopefully some players will emerge, particularly in the wing and back positions.

These are just a few of the questions fans have about the team, but we should have more answers come August.

Can Anyone Catch Chad Campbell?

Jim Nguyen — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:33:59 -0400

Chad Campbell is not new to being in contention at the Masters. After all, he had a lead after two rounds in 2006, finishing third in that tournament, which was eventually won by Phil Mickelson.

Fast forward three years, and it’s a longer, meaner Augusta National, but the weather has been balmy, leading to low scores. To wit, there were a record 19 players who shot in the 60’s and another 19 who shot under par, both records.

In the past, poor weather made the course almost unplayable, but now the players have the advantage and can go aggressively at many pins.

As for Campbell, he has taken full advantage of the prime scoring conditions to rocket up the leaderboard once more. He flirted with a major record 10 strokes under par before succumbing at the 17th and 18th holes, bogeying both.

On the day, he had nine birdies, and two bogeys, including a record five straight birdies in the first five holes. He is a streaky player, who is known to go on birdie binges when his putter catches fire.

He’s also been tabbed as a promising player, but perhaps now is his time. He was favored to win or play well at major tournaments in the past, but since he did not play at the Masters last year, he comes in underrated in 2009.

He has some additional advantages starting off the second round. The first is that he gets to play in the morning, when the conditions are their best. There has been some wind, but it’s been more of an afternoon breeze.

There will be scattered thunderstorms later today, but Campbell benefits from the early start, probably avoiding any effects of that storm. The weather also should return to partly cloudy, calm and mid-70s temperatures for both Saturday and Sunday.

Campbell has picked up where he left off and has already garnered two birdies on the day, three ahead of his nearest competitors at this point. He is showing that he is taking full advantage of these favorable scoring conditions.

Where is Tiger Woods? Well, he is seven strokes off the pace set by Campbell, but he was five strokes off when the day started.

That means Woods and everyone else chasing Campbell has to go low to have a shot going into Sunday. Woods has in the past counted on rough weather, difficult pin placements, and nerves to get back into contention on Sunday at Augusta.

He may not have that luxury and will likely have to shoot sub-par rounds to have a chance, as a major meltdown is possible, but not as likely with Campbell due to the conditions. However, Campbell has yet to win a major, so it will be interesting if he remains as cool as a cucumber or if the nerves begin to set in over the weekend.

There’s still a lot of golf to be played, but Chad Campbell has a wonderful opportunity to win his first major and slip on a green jacket. Will he fulfill his potential or will the pressure and the field catch up to him? It’ll be exciting to see how the next two days play out.

Jim Nguyen also writes for FantasySportsMatrix.com, a social gaming and content website.

USA Needs To Change To Challenge World's Best Soccer Teams

Jim Nguyen — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:54:05 -0400

After the near debacle in El Salvador, relief and some peace of mind returned to me this past Wednesday as the USA defeated Trinidad and Tobago quite handily in Tennessee.

World Cup qualifiers are not intended to be easy, but we’ve gotten to the stage as fans of the sport in America that we should qualify rather easily for the World Cup using a simple formula: win at home, and win or tie on the road.

The team has obliged us fans so far, and we sit somewhat comfortably at the top of the regional CONCACAF table with 7 points after three games.

A couple of World Cups ago, our play and personnel now would be seen as real progress. Making the World Cup with regularity? Check. Have many players suiting up for teams in Europe? Check. Making the quarterfinals of the World Cup and winning the Gold Cup? Check and check.

This progress, however, belies the simple fact that there are mirages to our success. In other words, what we see on the field, such as against Trinidad, is both a facade and provides us clues as to where trouble lies ahead.

The good? Obviously, it’s great to have young players like Jozy Altidore step up. He will be a fixture on the squad going forward. We also know we can rely on veterans like Pablo Mastroeni and Frankie Hejduk right now to carry us through.

We beat a team we had to, and looked impressive at times on both sides of the ball. Bob Bradley, to his credit, made changes after the match against El Salvador and they worked.

The bad? Well, that’s where things get interesting, and in some ways, there are more questions than answers at this point. But what I can say dispositively is that this team will not have success in tournaments against the top teams in the world, let alone against the top regional competition, unless we get better—fast.

I believe our formula for success in the recent past against good teams has been to have a mindset of playing without fear and with passion. To use our athleticism and work ethic combined with aggressive play.

Essentially, when we’ve played well, we’ve taken it to our opponents. Look at our run at the 2002 World Cup. We had young players who went straight at our competition, we played hard and we played with some flair and creativity.

We nearly made it to the semi-finals playing in that fashion.

But how are we playing now? Just watch the El Salvador game to get an idea of what we have become. Listless, scared, unaggressive, lacking any creativity by not trying to link up and string together some passes and incorporating movement off the ball. Against T&T, we resorted to just kicking the ball upfield in hopes of it landing at one of our player’s feet.

I argue that we need to blood in our young, creative attacking players and shore up our defense. I think that Bob Bradley learned that just because a player is not getting playing time with club, that he can still contribute to the US team.

In that instance, I believe Freddy Adu needs to be given plenty of playing time with the Nats so he help create, run at defenses, and create for his teammates. Have him play behind Altidore with Jozy as the lone striker (sorry Ching) and I think we have something special.

We also need to make adjustments to our defense. I’m not convinced yet that DaMarcus Beasley is the answer at left back. I say let’s try Michael Orozco or Jonathan Spector there.

Maybe even try moving Carlos Bocanegra to left back and inserting Jay DeMerit next to Oguchi Onyewu in central defense. I think if we improve our defense, then it opens up the door for us to be creative and attacking offensively.

I’ve always felt that in soccer, the best defense is a good offense. Right now, we don’t keep possession of the ball and continually give it away in midfield to inferior teams.

If we continue to play this way, we will be in for a serious reality check come this summer against Italy, Brazil and Egypt in the Confederations Cup.

The bottom line is that we need to get our defense set so we can put in more attacking-minded players up top, otherwise we will be a very one-dimensional team and opposing sides will need only watch our near loss against El Salvador to game plan against us.

We’ll find out in two months whether Bradley will make the changes needed to improve our team or if we will continue to just plod along and make the World Cup, but get easily handled by the best in the world yet again.

Team USA Regains Its Swagger Against Trinidad and Tobago, 3-0

Jim Nguyen — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:14:22 -0400

Those expecting the US Men’s National Team to have a second poor outing against a regional opponent in World Cup qualifying were denied last night, as the US Men posted a solid 3-0 victory over a hapless Trinidad & Tobago side.

The game showed several things, including that Jozy Altidore has clearly arrived as a star on this team, a change to formation and personnel was needed, and occurred, which made a difference, and T&T is a piss-poor team.

First, what can you say about Jozy Altidore? Many fans of the USA have been clamoring for him to get more playing time, and he delivered with three goals in his first start for the US team.

He paired well with Brian Ching up top, where Ching does the dirty work by attracting defenders and holding the ball up, and Altidore makes runs at and behind defenders and finishes with his known clinical skills.

Altidore hasn’t been playing much for his current club team, Xerez, of the Spanish second division, but his play last night should open up some eyes. Altidore is now safely a mainstay starter on the US team.

Second, great moves by Bob Bradley in shifting the formation and changing some players on the starting squad. Beasley moved to left back, Donovan to left midfield, Pablo Mastroeni replaced Sacha Kljestan in the middle, and Brian Ching and Altidore were paired up top in a 4-4-2.

It worked quite well, as Mastro provided the defensive bite in the middle of the park and Donovan was able to see the ball more and used the width of the field to cut inside and make runs and passes to the forwards.

I think Beasley did alright; he moved into the attack well at times, but showed he is not ready yet at the left back position as he got burned on a few occasions by the Trinidad right mid Carl Edwards.

I also think he lacks the size and defensive skill to play against the best in the world at that position, which means that Beasley may be ill-suited in that role next summer in South Africa.

Overall, I definitely think this formation and lineup will stay with us through the summer, with some tweaking of course.

What can you say about Trinidad? They were just plain horrible on the night. No aggression, no heart. They looked like they did not want to be out there on the field, plain and simple.

They rarely challenged the US defense, and left gaping holes on defense, leaving their goalkeeper angry and frustrated with his teammates and several occasions. The US should rejoice in beating T&T, but given how many chances they gave the US, we really should have won 5-0 or 6-0.

Especially after the first goal, we had multiple point blank chances we did not put away, and if we can’t do that against inferior competition, what happens when we face the Spains and Brazils of the world?

So overall, a great victory for the boys over a weak opponent. We have a ways to go, still. We will be tested in June, when we go play Costa Rica on the road and Honduras at home, followed by the Confederations Cup against Italy, Brazil, and Egypt.

Those games will really give us a chance to show whether we can hang with the big boys or if we are still a second tier squad on the world stage.

Relief and Disappointment For US After Draw With El Salvador

Jim Nguyen — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:45:21 -0400

Phew, What a relief!

Down 2-0 in the hostile away environment of San Salvador, the USA gritted out a much-needed draw on the road. With that, we salvaged a point on the road which is important in qualifying for the World Cup.

I thank Bob Bradley for his second half substitutions and tactical adjustments that saw us find the spark we needed to rally back and tie.

But the problem is, we should not have gone down 2-0 in the first place to El Salvador. Sure, to the Salvadoreans, give them credit, they played with heart, passion, hustle, and they executed their game plan to perfection for 70 plus minutes.

Clog the middle, and either wait for the US to give away possession or take it away and start the counterattack. The strategy worked well and El Salvador almost beat us using it.

Credit El Salvador, but the USA is to blame for not playing with enough urgency and we lacked the tactics and personnel to win this game.

First off, the veterans did not step up before the game and get the guys fired up for this game. We simply overlooked this team and underestimated them. We should have come out firing on all cylinders.

I blame the leaders of the team like Carlos Bocanegra for not organizing the defense and getting the guys to attack after we got down a goal. It looked as if we were scared of losing at that point but unwilling to take it to the Salvadoreans.

Second, our tactics and personnel were off. I don’t why we weren’t trying to work the ball up the wings but rather would resort to long “Hail Mary” balls and trying to work the ball through the middle which was playing into Salvardorean hands and strategy.

Finally, we learned a lot about who deserves to start or get more minutes and who deserves to ride the pine for now. Here they are:

Heath Pearce- He looked absolutely lost on defense, and he was to blame for not following the opposing player in allowing the first score. He looked listless on defense, and was unwilling to bring the ball up the field to attack at all. It’s clear we need to make a change at the position, and I suggest either moving DaMarcus Beasley (more on him later) to left back or preferably putting Jonathan Spector in there for Trinidad on Wednesday. Going forward, Bradley should consider bringing Michael Orozco in to try him out at the position.

Sacha Kljestan- I thought we found our answer at central midfield to pair with Michael Bradley with Sacha but Kljestan has played like garbage the last two games. He’s disappeared for stretches, and loses the ball to easily. He’s supposed to help link up with our forwards and get forward himself and he has not done that at all of late. Time to replace him with Jose Torres, who was a revelation after he came on late in the game on Saturday.

DaMarcus Beasley - I hate to say it, but he look out of sorts and lacked heart and any attacking verve in this game. He looked out of shape and unwilling to attack. Until he finds his mojo, he should be moved to left back or on the bench.

Danny Califf - Punting balls up the field in hopes of hitting a home run was a bad strategy for the US, and Califf was the main culprit. Let’s try Jay DeMerit as the third center back on the depth chart and move Califf down.

Landon Donovan - Yes, even Landon Donovan was bad on the night. He was too deferential and was trying to get his teammates involved, but you know what, he is the offensive leader on this team and had to demand the ball more and attack defenders more when he had the ball. He disappeared for long stretches of the game and the US cannot afford our best offensive player to go MIA for long stretches like that.

So what would I like to see happen going forward? I’d like to see Spector, Orozco or Beasley play at left back. I would like to see Clint Dempsey move to left wing, replacing Beasley. Torres should replace Kljestan at center mid, that’s a no-brainer. Then, I’d like to see one of two variations:

1) Donovan play right mid, then Jozy Altidore pair with Brian Ching up top, giving us a 4-4-2.

Donovan and Freddy Adu – one of them plays right mid, the other central attacking mid (I cant decide which way to go) with Brian Ching up top alone. Jozy Altidore can replace either Ching or Adu and Jozy is the first sub off the bench. This would essentially give us our currently used formation, a 4-5-1.

Now that the excitement and this near-miss is over, we need to make changes, starting with the match against T&T on Wednesday.