Thoughts on the U.S. Men's National Team

(I've come to the realization that the USMNT is the most important team that I follow. If the U.S. were to win a World Cup that would be the biggest sporting story in the country's history. Of course, we're years away from that happening, but the USMNT needs support and criticism as it prepares for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. So I will be writing about the team pretty regularly from here on out. I hope that's not a problem.)

As expected, the USMNT has breezed through its first round of World Cup qualifying games. They blew out Barbados in June, gutted out wins on the road against Guatemala and Cuba and last night easily got past Trinidad and Tobago in Chicago. All good, right? Not so much.

The 3-0 win against T&T last night was a microcosm of the problems of U.S. soccer. The briggest problem is that they can't score in the run of play. Two of the goals were scored off of free kicks with only one coming in open play. At least three or four easy opportunities were wasted. Watching nearly every other team play these qualifying games, they have a striker or a midfielder that makes the opposition downright scared. As long as Bob Bradley refuses to play Jozy Alitdore and Freddy Adu, there's no baller like that on the U.S. As it stands, the team looks like 3/4 of a team. One of the best goalies in the world, a strong back-four, a tricky and sometimes bruising midfield, but no threat up top.

Let's break it down:

the Defense

Tim Howard is simply the best American soccer player in the world right now. I really think he's a top-5 goalie in the world. Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, Petr Cech and maybe Edwin Van Der Sar are in a different class, but I'd put Howard right up there with anyone else. England, for example, would kill to have a keeper like Howard. He's always composed in the back and, every game, he makes one or two spectacular saves that makes you really thankful that the U.S. has a quality goalie. With Brad Guzan waiting in the wings, the U.S. should be set on the keeper scene for many years to come.

I had my doubts about Oguchi Onyewu, but homeboy has been nearly flawless in the past few matches. He just has the look of a supremely confident baller in his prime. He'll never be a Rafa Marquez-skillful center back-type, but he's a bruiser who always knows where he needs to be, doesn't try to play outside of his skill set and he's a terror on free kicks. Now, if he can just leave Belgium and play in a real league, he'd truly reach the top of his game.

Carlos Bocanegra has been a good counterpoint to Onyewu and is a steady influence in the back. He's not a spectacular center back, but he's definitely the second best in the U.S. talent pool. He's skillful and smart, but he's also got a bit of a nasty streak. Watching Michael Parkhurst in the Olympics really made me realize how important Boca is to the USMNT. After 2010, though, it's time to start looking for his replacement.

Steve Cherundolo is the unsung hero of the USMNT. Thanks to him, the right-back position hasn't been a concern for years. With years of experience in the Bundesliga, Dolo knows how to move up and down the wings and contribute to the attack and he's almost never out of position on defense.

The left back spot is still a quesiton mark, though, and it's a little troubling that, less than two years away from the World Cup, there's really no depth at this position. Heath Pearce is a good enough place-holder, but he's pretty ineffectual in the back. The impressiveness of Dolo only makes his limitations even more glaring. He doesn't add to the attack and can look lost on defense. Last year, it seemed like Jonathan Bornstein had this spot nailed down and now Pearce gets the call every time. Time to look elsewhere, Bradley. How's Marvel Wynne's left foot?

As far as the rest of the prospects, Frankie Hejduk has been a good soldier but he'll be 36 in 2010. Time to end his USMNT tenure. And though he had a shaky Olympics, Michael Orozco could be an important piece for the future. He's tough and knows where to be in the back. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a few chances on the left side. The aforementioned Marvel Wynne will inherit Dolo's spot, most likley after 2010. I'm serious about his left foot. If he can play on that side, put him in the mix right away. He's one of the best athletes in the talent pool and is dangerous in the attack.

the Midfield

Michael Bradley is certainly an impressive player. He's tough and aggressive and he's an important piece of the USMNT puzzle. But he's not the savior that his father/manager would like to believe that he is. Along with Howard, Onyewu, Boca and Landon, Bradley is an automatic selection every single time. No other national team player under age 25, or so, has this distinction. There are a bunch of central midfield combinations to take a look at. At the end of the day, one involving Bradley could definitely be the right one. But it wouldn't hurt to try out a few different looks before 2010.

Maurice Edu has a ton of potential, but, as he showed against Cuba, he's still a year or two away from being 100% solid. It's also hard to say what his best position is. Is he a playmaker, a holding midfielder, a center back? He's definitely got the talent to make the 2010 team, but he still needs some time to develop his all-around game.

Ricardo Clark is in just about the same boat as Edu, but he's a little more of a loose cannon. That can work for him and against him. It's hard to say where he is best-suited to play, as well, and if I were calling the shots, Rico would be the central midfielder to take a seat for a year or two. He's just not as skilled on the ball as his competition.

Sacha Kljestan, as I've said before, just looks like a baller. I don't know what Bradley was thinking playing him in a defensive midfielder role, paired with Mike B, against T&T. Maybe coach has some visions of a Pirlo/Gattuso combination with the two, but Kljestan is just not that type of player. He needs space to operate and is best suited on the wings or just behind the striker. He's a creative, free-flowing type of player and his talent is wasted sitting deep in the midfield. Hopefully he'll make a move to the Dutch league in January. Seems like the perfect fit for him.

Clint Dempsey has followed up a miserable year with two good games against Cuba and T&T. He was in the right place at the right time for both of the games and netted two supremely important goals. It is troubling, though, that he's not seeing much PT for Fulham. In any case, though, Dempsey is a big part of the team and will be on the field for all the important games. I could see Adu or some other young whipper-snapper like Robbie Rogers or Stuart Holden taking his place eventually, but Deuce is set for 2010.

I'm just about at the end of my DaMarcus Beasley rope. He's fast, smart and a good passer, but he's not a complete player. It doesn't seem like he's improved in the past year or two and he just doesn't scare anyone going down the left flank. I understand that he's not totally fit, after his knee injury last year, but he seems unable to finish off his runs. He doesn't have the extra burst or that killer goal-scoring instinct that the best international wingers need. His best attribute really might be his tenacious defending. I'd be interested to see him play a match or two at left back. It's so crazy it just could work.

Eddie Lewis is still probably a better option than Beasley on the left wing. He's just as good taking free kicks and he operates a little more smoothly in the open field. He'll be 33 in 2010, but I still think he deserves to make the trip to South Africa. He's not a 90-minute player but he's always good to have on the bench.

Landon Donovan is too talented for his own good. He's as fast as anyone with the ball, he's always making creative runs and, like any good number 10, he's always looking for the quickest path to the goal. A few problems though: There really is no one on the USMNT that can keep up with him. His creativity is wasted with inferior players. Look at his play with the Galaxy and Beckham, for example. Put just one world-class player next to him and he's a goal-scoring machine. He's also not being played in the right way. Like Kljestan, Donovan needs space to be at his best. In Bradley's scheme, he's bunched up with the other midfielders and doesn't have enough room to get off on runs. And, of course, he needs to make the move to Europe. Donovan still has room to grow as a player. It's obvious that he's a supremely competitive individual and he's at his best playing with and against the top talent in the world. I think he'll make the move in January and the USMNT will be much better for it.

the Forwards

Brian Ching is a very smart and talented center forward. In the MLS. His game just doesn't translate to the next level. If it did, he'd be plying his trade in England or Germany right now. Not in Texas. He's good at holding the ball and setting up his teammates, but he just doesn't have that instinct to fire the ball at the goal whenever he gets it in the box that all world-class strikers need. He missed some seriously easy chances against Cuba and T&T and the goal he scored was more Onyewu's tally than it was his. He's a fine place-holder in these games against inferior opposition, but hopefully Bradley will use some of the younger talent from here on out.

I sincerely hope that last night was the final time we'll see Eddie Johnson wearing the number 9 shirt for the USMNT. As has been noted endlessly in the blogosphere, Eddie loves nothing more than good pass-back. This was on full display against T&T. He's about as dangerous as a neutered poodle in front of goal and he shows no passion or creativity on the ball. If he keeps getting the call up, Bradley really needs to get fired. I understand putting Ching in there, but Johnson is a lost cause. He does not love the game and there's no place for that on an elite team.

Jozy Alitdore and Freddy Adu absolutely need to start getting regular call-ups to the USMNT. They're the brightest spots for the U.S. on the world stage and they need to be starting in 2010. I understand keeping them out of this round. Altidore and Adu, especially, could very well have been targeted by the thuggish Guatemalans and the U.S. showed that it was up to the task without them. But going forward, they need to be on the field as much as possible.

As far as Kenny Cooper, he needs to get a shot, too. I'm still not sold on whether he's quick and agile enough for the international game, but it's worth a try. At the very worst, he'll be a more aggressive Ching. And there's absolutely no way he could be as ineffctive as Johnson.

The balls in your court, Bob Bradley. Let's put an interesting team out there for the next round.

Here's the team that I'd like to see.

Starting XI:

-------------Altidore----------------
----------Adu------Donovan-----------
--Beasley----------------Kljestan----
-------------Bradley-----------------
--Orozco-----------------Cherundolo--
--------Onyewu--Bocanegra------------
--------------Howard-----------------

Bench: Wynne, Dempsey, Edu, Lewis, Cooper, Pearce, Guzan

Truthfully, I'd rather see Dempsey out there instead of Beasley, but I'm not sure Clint can play on the left. And I understand that we'd probably need a more defensive scheme against some Euro and South American powerhouses, but let's give attacking football a chance for once. Word.

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!