Klinsmann's Cavalier Tactics Cost Americans in Deflating Late Loss to Colombia

Jurgen Klinsmann recently told NBC Sports' Arlo White he wants to get to the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup. By the summer of 2018, he might have a side capable of going that far.

In the fall of 2014, though, what Klinsmann has is a side that is significantly under-experienced and still too dependent on grit and guile over talent to compete seriously with great teams.

That is why Klinsmann got it all wrong trying to play for too long at arm's length with Colombia, ranked No. 3 in the world.

It only worked for a while because the Americans were gifted a goal in the 10th minute when a penalty was given for a Pablo Armero handball that was far less objectionable than the one Jermaine Jones got away with later in the first half.

For that matter, the Americans were extremely lucky not to be down 2-1 after the first half since Carlos Bacca's vicious strike glanced off the outside of Brad Guzan's goal.

Just marginally against the run of play then, the Americans took a 1-0 lead to the changing room at Craven Cottage. It was at this point that Klinsmann's somewhat daring first-half approach needed to be tempered.

Instead, Klinsmann stayed too long with the formation and the personnel that had barely escaped the first half intact. By the time Klinsmann appreciated the trouble his side was in, it was too late to really do much about it.

As noted above, there may yet come a time when the Americans will be able to play with two strikers against the No. 3 side in the world and make it work. On this evidence, though, that time is not now.

Jozy Altidore belonged out there but only by himself. Colombia had far too much of a talent advantage in the midfield for Klinsmann to waste a spot on the pitch with Rubio Rubin running next to Altidore.

James Rodriguez is better than any player on the current American team by a wide margin. Once the Americans got the early lead, the emphasis needed to shift to somehow making that goal stand up for a win or, at worst, a draw.

That Rubin (or any second striker next to Altidore, frankly) was still out there in the 60th minute when Colombia finally equalized was the managerial equivalent of criminal negligence.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

When Rubin came off in the 67th minute and was replaced by Bobby Wood? That was just reckless. Klinsmann needed to solidify the defensive spine of the team at that point, not chase a goal against a demonstrably better team.

Meanwhile, Matt Besler and Timothy Chandler went unused in a match where Klinsmann made five substitutions, including the real head-scratcher: Julian Green in the 86th minute for DeAndre Yedlin.

Those are not the sorts of substitutions a manager trying to protect a result against one of the best teams in the world should be making.

And this is the problem with Klinsmann. He does not appear to properly value results. These matches might be friendlies, but there are still a referee, linesmen, a fourth official and a scoreboard. As such, the Americans ought to be trying to achieve the best possible result every time they play.

With this late loss to Colombia, the Americans have now conceded goals in that nervous time from the 85th minute on in three straight matches. When the damage led to draws with Ecuador and Honduras, the sting was lessened by the "at least we didn't lose" factor.

No such salve is available to Klinsmann and the Americans here. Just a draw with Colombia at a neutral site would have been a very useful outcome.

But the manager needs to want it as much as the players do. As long as Klinsmann continues to prefer being the smartest man in the stadium and not worrying about the final score, the progress to a 2018 World Cup semi-final loss promises to be arduous.

And occasionally tough to understand.