Klinsmann's Defenseless Americans Make 2018 World Cup Dreams a Joke

ESPN commentators Ian Darke and Taylor Twellman spoke truth in the 86th minute of the United States men's national team's embarrassing, sorry 4-1 loss to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Tuesday.

The Yanks were already down 3-1 when Geoff Cameron (one of the Americans' best players) hacked down Irish midfielder Stephen Quinn because none of Cameron's teammates had dealt adequately with a Route-1 ball from Irish goalkeeper Robert Elliott.

Cameron got a yellow card for his troubles, and the Irish were set up for a free kick in a very dangerous position about eight yards outside the penalty area (almost directly in front of American 'keeper Bill Hamid's right post).

As Irish defender Robbie Brady (who had already scored once) set up to strike the free-kick with his left foot, Darke and Twellman were stuck trying to fill the air as a match that was already functionally over headed even further in that direction.

Darke observed blithely that, "4-1 really would look nasty, wouldn't it?" And Twellman, who had clearly seen enough from his fellow Americans, did not miss the chance to pounce.

"3-1 doesn't look good either," Twellman said, then adding, "this looks like a B, maybe a C team from Ireland. 3-1?"

Seconds later, Brady's free-kick was past Hamid and Twellman's disappointing 3-1 score line was a distant memory.

Even before Brady's second goal, Twellman had noted in the 83rd minute that James McClean's goal that made it 3-1 was "[the Americans'] 10th goal given up in their last 11 games after the 80th minute."

That's bad, right?

Whatever coach Jurgen Klinsmann's master plan for the Americans may be, now might be a good time to consider adding something like a competent set of defenders to the mix.

Center-back Matt Besler—who, to be fair, has been much better than he was against Ireland—turned in a disastrous performance against Ireland. You know you are having a bad day as a center-back when the replays of the first two opposition goals feature you sprinting hopelessly to get back into position.

As set forth above, Cameron created Ireland's fourth goal, but Timmy Chandler was called out repeatedly by Darke and Twellman for hanging his center-backs out to dry by not being available for outlet passes when Besler and Cameron were under pressure.

Michael Steele/Getty Images

American soccer supporters' memories of the 2014 World Cup are perhaps improperly sentimental and happy.

After the Americans slipped past Ghana, they lost a sure result against Portugal in the dying minutes due to their defensive frailty.

They were never in the match with Germany (though it was probably unfair to ask the Americans to compete with a side of that quality anyway).

But the match against Belgium was only exciting because American goalkeeper Tim Howard played perhaps the match of his life.

It was lovely that Howard played that well, but if your 'keeper has to make 15 saves in a World Cup match, you'll be lucky not to lose by five or six goals (as the Americans were against Belgium).

Howard is on a sabbatical from the USMNT that feels permanent, but as bad as the American back line has been in the past few months, it really makes no difference who plays in goal.

The Americans' last four friendlies have been a debacle when considering the aggregate scoreline, but there is no sense in blaming the 'keepers who have inherited Howard's job.

Whether it's Brad Guzan giving up an equalizer to Ecuador, Nick Rimando giving one up late to Honduras or Hamid getting blasted for four by Ireland, the underlying issue is the same.

If you cannot score enough to win, you had better be able to defend. Right now, the Americans are defending like a U-9 team.

The Americans are probably a decade or two away from having attacking players skilled enough to allow them to run and gun with the likes of Germany or Colombia. But there is no reason not to be able to find four space-eaters and ball-movers to man the area in front of the 'keeper.

Klinsmann needs four such men if his dreams of advancing to the 2018 World Cup semifinals are to have any chance of being anything other than a perverse joke.

It is hard to imagine Klinsmann finding four of those men any time soon. Right now, he does not even appear to have one.