Bradley Needs to Brighten Up Or It's Going to Be Three and Out At the World Cup

After the 2-0 win over Mexico last week, the United States has a again solidified themselves as the kings of CONCACAF. The U.S. midfield thoroughly dominated the game, taking much of the pressure off it's defense and attack. 

Even though the U.S. soundly defeated our biggest rivals in this region, we did it with many players who simply aren't good enough to succeed against the best the world has to offer. 

Before I get overly critical of Bob Bradley, let's start with what he did right. As mentioned before, the midfield performed extremely well and I believe that that is the midfield which should start in South Africa. 

Micheal Bradley was easily man of the match, acting as a filter in the midfield and completely nullifying Mexico's playmaker Pavel Pardo. Bradley has probably knocked Pablo Mastroeni out of contention with his stellar defensive play, and he also poses more of an offensive threat with his willingness to strike the ball from outside of the box (and to great effect I might add.) 

Sacha Klejstan didn't have a standout game, but he did the little things right and is one of the most exciting players the U.S. has produced in a while. 

Technically, he's about as good as this country has ever produced (see hat trick vs. Sweden, goal in the Olympics vs. Holland) and if he gets his passing down the central midfield spot is his to lose. 

DeMarcus Beasley faces little competition for the left wing spot, and despite his lack of playing time at Rangers, proved last Tuesday that he can still step it up for the Nats. 

Clint Dempsey has started to heat up for Fulham, and that can only be a good thing for the National Team. Clint Dempsey, much like Beasley, faces little competition for his right midfield spot, and when on form he can mix it up with the best.

Both Beasley and Dempsey are willing to run at defenders, and they both can be counted on the be sound defensively when they are on the opposite side of the ball.  I think that the midfield will be fine, as for the rest of the team.

Landon Donovan speaks for himself. On the other hand, Brian Ching is obviously out of his depth up front.  Sure, he holds the ball up well.  But since when is that enough to constantly get a forward into the starting lineup? 

Ching couldn't score if his life depended on it. I can't remember the last time I saw him score. Actually, I think he scored a goal or two against Barbados. 

Jozy Altidore on the other hand is capable of becoming a goal machine.  He has the speed, strength, and confidence to run at defenders to score goals and become a real international threat. 

He is young and will grow into a mature player given the playing time.  However, Bradley constantly denies Altidore this experience by picking Ching to play up front.  Being 30 years old, Ching is not going to improve. 

What you have is the finished article: A player that is static up front with no speed, no dribbling skills and most importantly as a forward, no nose for goal.  Bradley needs to bring in the aformentioned Altidore and also Freddy Adu before its too late.  Just imagine the kind of experience that these two young players would get playing against Italy and Brazil at the Confederations Cup. 

Speaking of Italy and Brazil, Del Piero and Kaka are going to have a field day against the center of our defense.  The problem for Bradley here is that the alternatives aren't as clear as they are for us up front.

Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra are a disaster waiting to happen and against truly quality opposition the disaster will come sooner rather than later. I've never understood why people like "Gooch".  He is clumsy, slow and has absolutely no skill with the ball at his feet.  Against any clever player, he will be skinned alive. 

In CONCACAF that doesn't show, but in the friendly against Spain and during his time at Newcastle United, it was obvious that Gooch just can't cut it against quality players.  Bocanegra has a little more skill then his partner, but is just as error prone.  Had Dos Santos taken advantage of his mistake in the third minute of the Mexico game, the outcome could have been very different. 

One obvious entry into the center of our defense should be Nathan Sturgis.  He has been the best defender at youth level for the last few years, he reads the game very well, and contrary to our current central defensive partnership, he is composed and very comfortable with the ball at his feet.  I hope that now that he is healthy again, he will be considered by Bradley. 

As far as other alternatives go, a healthy Cory Gibbs is as close to Eddie Pope as you can get, problem being that he looks like he's gonna pull a John O'Brien and never get back to full fitness.  Jimmy Conrad is a sure footed alternative who I believe to be better than Bocanegra and Onyewu, and Danny Califf isn't great, but he's not a complete calamity either. 

If the U.S. finds the right balance, they can go into the World Cup with sufficient optimism and actually take a few scalps along the way.  However, the way the team is going now, we will qualify easily from an extremely weak hexagonal, only to be steamrolled by better quality teams who will cut through our defense like butter and not be troubled by our scarecrow of a center forward. 

Our midfield is good enough to pick up the slack against Mexico, it won't be able to do everything against better opposition.