By J Hutcherson - WASHINGTON, DC (Oct 12, 2011) US Soccer Players -- The United States split the October friendlies with a win over Honduras on Saturday and a loss to Ecuador on Tuesday. Here are my five things to consider after last night's game.
Left Back
Timmy Chandler is perhaps the most mobile American left back since DaMarcus Beasley was pressed into service as part of the Chicago Fire's back line over a decade ago. Like Beasley in his Run DMB era, Chandler is mobile enough to get back on counters. That can create a huge tactical advantage, beefing up the attack while not giving anything up at the other end of the field. It helps considerably when Carlos Bocanegra is on the left side of central defense. There's a considerable safety net for a defender playing up when another defender not only can cover, but understands how to play wide.
The Center Of Defense
Carlos Bocanegra and Oguchi Onyewu were reunited for the first time in years as central defenders. That would normally be greeted by wondering why Bocanegra is expected to switch roles so easily between club and country. Well, Bocanegra himself has already made it clear he would prefer to be a central defender for both. He told Scotland's Daily Record last month that: "That was another big reason for me wanting to join Rangers - the fact he wants me to play in the middle and that's where Jurgen Klinsmann wants me to play as well for the US team." Klinsmann is having an easier time keeping Bocanegra on the left side of the central defense than Ally McCoist at Rangers. Once again, he's liable to end up as a true left back when needed at club level, and once again he'll be transitioning. Klinsmann deserves credit for assigning a role here and making it public.
The Backup Keeper
Klinsmann has done the same thing with the backup goalkeeper, publicly announcing that DC United's Bill Hamid is the understudy to Tim Howard. This is not a question of who deserves to fill that backup keeper role. Instead, it's being open with intent. Klinsmann picks the players, and rather than leave the backup goalkeeper position open for auditions, he's made a decision. Stability in the roster hasn't been a hallmark of US squads in the past once you get beyond the obvious choices. Klinsmann naming a backup keeper for the immediate future moves against that. He called it "a continuous picture" in his pregame interview with ESPN.
Flank Play
The USA's concern over the Summer reappeared at Red Bull Arena. Ecuador figured out early on that attacking down either flank gave them a pretty good chance at an entry pass. That meant the left and right backs being careful not to over commit even if it meant giving up space while the center backs positioned in support. That positioning was critical, putting the US in control of the box. That forced Ecuador to try something else, staying center and losing battles especially with Oguchi Onyewu. That's a defense playing as a unit rather than panic defending.
Subbing Four
There was an obvious criticism of the USA over the second-half. The team slowed down, what worked in the first wasn't evident on either end of the field, and Ecuador looked more likely to score. There's an equally obvious reason. Sub out four players at halftime, and everything changes. The connections have to be reset all over the field, the matchups realigned. That takes time, and then there's the disruption of further substitutions. Years ago, the US took a December trip to South Africa for a friendly and emptied the bench. The reason was simple. Mostly MLS players were taking a very long trip in what's normally their offseason and should come back with something to show for it. Five substitutes were used, including Bocanegra coming on and winning his first cap. An October friendly in North Jersey is hardly the same thing.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
