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| Talking points from USA's matches against Colombia and Peru: who will replace Dempsey? | Talking points from USA's matches against Colombia and Peru: who will replace Dempsey? |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Dave Sarachan has done his job | Dave Sarachan has done his job |
| These two friendlies come a year since the disastrous World Cup elimination in Trinidad. It feels far longer. A fractious US Soccer presidential race; the experience of a World Cup being played without the USA; the success of the World Cup 2026 bid; the eventual appointment of Earnie Stewart as general manager; an interim coaching reign for Dave Sarachan that has stretched on and one – the last World Cup cycle seems another era entirely. | These two friendlies come a year since the disastrous World Cup elimination in Trinidad. It feels far longer. A fractious US Soccer presidential race; the experience of a World Cup being played without the USA; the success of the World Cup 2026 bid; the eventual appointment of Earnie Stewart as general manager; an interim coaching reign for Dave Sarachan that has stretched on and one – the last World Cup cycle seems another era entirely. |
| As frustrating as it’s been for USA fans to experience the long interregnum period between Bruce Arena and his successor finally being named in the next few weeks, the incoming coach will at least inherit a pool of young players with experience of national team camps, if not meaningful minutes in a coherent system. | As frustrating as it’s been for USA fans to experience the long interregnum period between Bruce Arena and his successor finally being named in the next few weeks, the incoming coach will at least inherit a pool of young players with experience of national team camps, if not meaningful minutes in a coherent system. |
| There’s been little in the way of continuity of style under Sarachan, but there has been a healthy turnover of prospects – the 10 outfield starters for USA’s 1-1 draw with Peru on Tuesday had a total of 48 caps between them, and the starting center forward, 18-year-old Josh Sargent, has never played a first-team game for his side Werder Bremen. Nobody on the field had featured in that infamous game in Trinidad. | There’s been little in the way of continuity of style under Sarachan, but there has been a healthy turnover of prospects – the 10 outfield starters for USA’s 1-1 draw with Peru on Tuesday had a total of 48 caps between them, and the starting center forward, 18-year-old Josh Sargent, has never played a first-team game for his side Werder Bremen. Nobody on the field had featured in that infamous game in Trinidad. |
| A year since Bruce Arena quit, the US still have an interim coach. Why? | |
| Basically, Sarachan did his job — spreading out game minutes to prospects, and giving opportunities where appropriate for the likes of Wil Trapp, Zack Steffen and Kellyn Acosta to firm up their claims. Sarachan didn’t unearth any diamonds, but he left no stone unturned in surveying the landscape on behalf of his successor. | Basically, Sarachan did his job — spreading out game minutes to prospects, and giving opportunities where appropriate for the likes of Wil Trapp, Zack Steffen and Kellyn Acosta to firm up their claims. Sarachan didn’t unearth any diamonds, but he left no stone unturned in surveying the landscape on behalf of his successor. |
| If it’s Gregg Berhalter as head coach he will be facing a familiar challenge | If it’s Gregg Berhalter as head coach he will be facing a familiar challenge |
| Consensus has it that of the remaining credible contenders Gregg Berhalter is the favorite to beat Peter Vermes to the job. His Columbus Crew have been one of the best-drilled teams in MLS of the past few years – and their neat, technical, two touch soccer is some of the most stylistically pleasing in the league. The only thing they’re lacking is a reliable goalscorer. | Consensus has it that of the remaining credible contenders Gregg Berhalter is the favorite to beat Peter Vermes to the job. His Columbus Crew have been one of the best-drilled teams in MLS of the past few years – and their neat, technical, two touch soccer is some of the most stylistically pleasing in the league. The only thing they’re lacking is a reliable goalscorer. |
| So too are the US. Clint Dempsey has retired, Jozy Altidore is aging and still carrying an unfair proportion of the blame for the Trinidad and Tobago game, and while the USA are rather more than “one player away” from even being the best team in Concacaf, there’s no escaping the fact that all of Berhalter’s technical acumen will count for little if Bobby Wood can’t find a gear we’ve not seen from him yet, or Josh Sargent can’t rapidly develop from being a promising, but callow young striker (his deflected goal against Peru notwithstanding). There’ll be attacking threat from Timothy Weah, perhaps Julian Green, and certainly Christian Pulisic, but one thing Sarachan has not turned up for his successor is a guaranteed goalscorer to lead the line. Berhalter knows how that feels. | So too are the US. Clint Dempsey has retired, Jozy Altidore is aging and still carrying an unfair proportion of the blame for the Trinidad and Tobago game, and while the USA are rather more than “one player away” from even being the best team in Concacaf, there’s no escaping the fact that all of Berhalter’s technical acumen will count for little if Bobby Wood can’t find a gear we’ve not seen from him yet, or Josh Sargent can’t rapidly develop from being a promising, but callow young striker (his deflected goal against Peru notwithstanding). There’ll be attacking threat from Timothy Weah, perhaps Julian Green, and certainly Christian Pulisic, but one thing Sarachan has not turned up for his successor is a guaranteed goalscorer to lead the line. Berhalter knows how that feels. |
| Michael Bradley may not be the answer but he’s the best version of the question | Michael Bradley may not be the answer but he’s the best version of the question |
| From being a metronomic passer who set the tempo of the USA at their best, by the time Michael Bradley left the field against Trinidad last year, he was cast as the ultimate symbol of the USA’s directionless performance, yet in his showing against Colombia this month he offered a pointed reminder of a key balancing element the US have been missing in his absence. Spraying the ball wide in the build up to Kellyn Acosta’s goal, he saw the chance, kept the field in front of him and stepped across to cover as his midfield partner made the crashing run into the box for his goal. | From being a metronomic passer who set the tempo of the USA at their best, by the time Michael Bradley left the field against Trinidad last year, he was cast as the ultimate symbol of the USA’s directionless performance, yet in his showing against Colombia this month he offered a pointed reminder of a key balancing element the US have been missing in his absence. Spraying the ball wide in the build up to Kellyn Acosta’s goal, he saw the chance, kept the field in front of him and stepped across to cover as his midfield partner made the crashing run into the box for his goal. |
| Clint Dempsey was gritty as hell - but he could also conjure moments of inspiration | |
| It’s fair to say that if Bradley’s in serious consideration for a similar role by the time the next World Cup comes round, then something will have gone very wrong in the USA’s development. But with Trapp looking lightweight in his outings shielding the defense, Tyler Adams’ best position yet to be decided, and no other player making a compelling case to be the heartbeat of the team, Bradley still serves as the most potent reminder of one of the key positions the US needs to fill in the next four years. | It’s fair to say that if Bradley’s in serious consideration for a similar role by the time the next World Cup comes round, then something will have gone very wrong in the USA’s development. But with Trapp looking lightweight in his outings shielding the defense, Tyler Adams’ best position yet to be decided, and no other player making a compelling case to be the heartbeat of the team, Bradley still serves as the most potent reminder of one of the key positions the US needs to fill in the next four years. |
| The center-back partnership is still to be determined | The center-back partnership is still to be determined |
| Coming into the Colombia game, the main detail that jumped out was another outing for John Brooks and Matt Miazga as the starting center-backs. With Brooks now a solid Bundesliga defender and Miazga making a name for himself in Ligue 1, the pair have been touted as the most likely default center-back partnership for the rest of this World Cup cycle. | Coming into the Colombia game, the main detail that jumped out was another outing for John Brooks and Matt Miazga as the starting center-backs. With Brooks now a solid Bundesliga defender and Miazga making a name for himself in Ligue 1, the pair have been touted as the most likely default center-back partnership for the rest of this World Cup cycle. |
| Four goals later, with enough defensive blame to include, if not quite disgrace, both players, and the starting center-back positions look less nailed down. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Aaron Long would deputize ably against a mobile Peru attack, and the likes of Tim Ream and Tim Parker are still hovering around, waiting for a surge in form or a dip in that of Brooks and Miazga, to give them their chance. | Four goals later, with enough defensive blame to include, if not quite disgrace, both players, and the starting center-back positions look less nailed down. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Aaron Long would deputize ably against a mobile Peru attack, and the likes of Tim Ream and Tim Parker are still hovering around, waiting for a surge in form or a dip in that of Brooks and Miazga, to give them their chance. |
| In fairness, Miazga in general looks unrecognizable from the talented but impulsive player sent off in Olympic qualification against Colombia during the last World Cup cycle, and some of Brooks’ struggles on Thursday night were down to covering for the struggling left-back Antonee Robinson. There’s enough there to suggest that both can grow to be the incumbents in their position, and with England at Wembley up next, they’ll have a high visibility stage to make that claim. But where Zack Steffen ends the year as number one goalkeeper for the forseeable future, the picture immediately in front of him is less clear cut. | In fairness, Miazga in general looks unrecognizable from the talented but impulsive player sent off in Olympic qualification against Colombia during the last World Cup cycle, and some of Brooks’ struggles on Thursday night were down to covering for the struggling left-back Antonee Robinson. There’s enough there to suggest that both can grow to be the incumbents in their position, and with England at Wembley up next, they’ll have a high visibility stage to make that claim. But where Zack Steffen ends the year as number one goalkeeper for the forseeable future, the picture immediately in front of him is less clear cut. |
| The great left-back search continues | The great left-back search continues |
| Late in the Peru game a cutback broke to Ben Sweat on the edge of the Peruvian box. The left-back swept the ball goalwards, only to see his shot skew off a defender and drift out for a throw-in, depriving the game and the player of an unlikely storyline on his full debut. | Late in the Peru game a cutback broke to Ben Sweat on the edge of the Peruvian box. The left-back swept the ball goalwards, only to see his shot skew off a defender and drift out for a throw-in, depriving the game and the player of an unlikely storyline on his full debut. |
| In truth, it might have muddied the picture — suggesting a more complete performance than the reasonably solid but uninspiring shift that Sweat had put in on the evening. In the end, Sweat joined a long line of US tryouts at left back without being noticeably more memorable than, say, Greg Garza. | In truth, it might have muddied the picture — suggesting a more complete performance than the reasonably solid but uninspiring shift that Sweat had put in on the evening. In the end, Sweat joined a long line of US tryouts at left back without being noticeably more memorable than, say, Greg Garza. |
| At least Antonee Robinson, the starter against Colombia, catches the eye, though not always for the reasons he might want. Just as Brazil had figured out that an over-committed Robinson was there to run behind during the last sequence of friendlies, Colombia funneled plenty of attacks down the US left, as Robinson’s eagerness to get forward was compromised by hesitancy in when to track back. His adventurous spirit did provide the assist on the first US goal, though he might also have reasonably been credited in the build up to some of Colombia’s best chances. | At least Antonee Robinson, the starter against Colombia, catches the eye, though not always for the reasons he might want. Just as Brazil had figured out that an over-committed Robinson was there to run behind during the last sequence of friendlies, Colombia funneled plenty of attacks down the US left, as Robinson’s eagerness to get forward was compromised by hesitancy in when to track back. His adventurous spirit did provide the assist on the first US goal, though he might also have reasonably been credited in the build up to some of Colombia’s best chances. |
| Since DaMarcus Beasley finally (maybe? probably?) left the international scene the US have not found a compelling candidate as left back. The latest evidence suggests the search continues. | Since DaMarcus Beasley finally (maybe? probably?) left the international scene the US have not found a compelling candidate as left back. The latest evidence suggests the search continues. |
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