It’s time for United States Men’s National Team coach Jürgen Klinsmann to stop experimenting with his lineups and tactics so much.
The Americans got played off the pitch Tuesday night in a 4-1 thumping by Brazil, and although very few, if any, players put in solid individual displays, the majority of the blame lies with Klinsmann for tinkering too much with his lineup.
Don’t get me wrong, I respect experimentation. I like it when new players are brought into the mix, and different formations and tactics are a welcome sight. I’ve been dying to see the U.S. try out a 3-5-2 because I believe the talent pool allows for a U.S. team playing in that formation to flourish.
But there are times when continuity is greater than experimentation, and this international break was one of those times.
The Americans’ most recent matches (Brazil and Peru) provided a chance to prepare for a vital, one-game playoff against Mexico at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 in the Rose Bowl.
What’s at stake? A trip to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup — a World Cup rehearsal featuring all of the FIFA confederation champions, the World Cup holders and the host country, in Russia.
The game against Brazil should have highlighted the USMNT’s Best XI for the clash against Mexico. Instead, I’m left confused about which group of players will get a result, and I wonder if even Klinsmann himself knows.
Klinsmann played Alejandro Bedoya as a defensive midfielder against Brazil. Bedoya usually occupies a more attacking position, often on the wing.
When Bedoya failed to perform, he was subbed off after 36 minutes. There’s nothing more humiliating for a player than being subbed off before halftime, and it was Klinsmann who set Bedoya up for failure.
ESPN’s Doug McIntyre had Bedoya quoted as saying, “I’ve never really played that position as a professional,” after the match.
Thrusting a player into a new position against one of world football’s greatest powers probably isn’t the best idea. It’s an even worse idea when it’s a final tuneup before a critical contest. Not only was the U.S. midfield overrun by Brazil, the U.S. defense had a nightmarish outing. Developing chemistry across the backline is vital, and the Americans played a different back four against Peru and Brazil in the last week.
Against Peru, Klinsmann started Tim Ream at left back, John Brooks and Omar Gonzales in the center of the defense and Michael Orozco at right back. Ream stayed put against Brazil, Ventura Alvarado was brought in at center back and partnered with Orozco who shifted over, and Geoff Cameron filled the vacant right back slot.
The shuffling didn’t work well, and Brazil feasted on a makeshift defense that U.S. fans will most likely never want to see play together again.
It would’ve been nice to see the back four that will play Mexico get some valuable minutes together. Instead, U.S. fans saw a helpless Brad Guzan pick the ball out of his net four times while Brazil’s players wheeled off in celebration.
The U.S. never looked threatening going forward, either, on Tuesday (It took a wonder strike from Danny Williams to score). When the U.S. got in the final third, the attack stalled, and nobody could play an incisive pass.
Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who has been creating chances for fun and chipping in goals this season, and in-form Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget were left to watch at home. If Klinsmann was determined to experiment with his lineup, giving them a call up couldn’t have hurt with the stellar form they’ve both displayed in MLS this season.
Now it seems too little, too late to bring them into the fold for the showdown next month.
If Klinsmann gets the result against Mexico, the memory of a heavy loss to Brazil in a friendly will start to fade. But if the U.S. loses, people will look back on how this international break was handled, and they won’t see it fondly.
Jack Woods is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter@Jack_TDR.