American Samoa's Historic Win: Thoughts & Highlights

For those who missed all the commotion on Twitter, American Samoa made history last night, earning their first ever win as a FIFA nation in a match against Tonga that doubled as a OFC Nations Cup and World Cup qualifier. Here are the highlights of the 2-1 victory:



Very few coaches get the opportunity to coach at the international level, and even fewer are able to say that they were able to make history once there. Just one game into his tenure at the helm of American Samoa, former US U-20 coach Thomas Rongen can now say he has done both.

Prior to the match, as USSD has discussed in the past, American Samoa was the picture of futility, with a record of 0-0-28 since joining FIFA in 1998. They hadn't even scored a goal since 2007. Needless to say, expectations were low going into yesterday's match. But now- thanks to their monumental win- what once seemed impossible is now a very real possibility: American Samoa might actually be able to win the preliminary round group and earn the eighth and final berth in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup.

Now, a lot remains to be done, don't get me wrong, but like Lloyd Christmas, I'm just saying there's a chance.

Appropriately, Rongen focused on simply enjoying the win following the match, and it's really fantastic to see just how happy the players and staff were after securing this historic result.

Really, this is a prime example of why international soccer is so incredible. A national team from a tiny island with no legitimate shot of qualifying for the World Cup takes the field with great pride all the same, searching for that moment of glory, however small and fleeting it may be. People in Pago Pago likely will never see their team reach the pinnacle of international soccer, but for at least one night, they are on top of the world. For players like Ramin Ott- who scored the opener for American Samoa- this is winning the World Cup. My words don't do justice in describing just how cool of a moment this is (I'd actually love to dedicate some time to writing a book with stories of minnow triumphs like this one; maybe someday...unless a USSD reader happens to also be a generous benefactor and/or publisher!).

There were other great subplots, as well: Nicky Salapu, who was on the wrong end of that historic 31-0 drubbing by Australia a decade ago and ten other World Cup qualifying beat downs, exorcised some demons with a strong performance in goal. Following the match, Salapu said: "I feel like a champ right now. Finally I’m going to put the past behind me."

Meanwhile, Johnny Saelua, a transgender center back (read here on the Samoan sexual identity known as fa'afafine), started and was by all accounts one of the best players on the field. And with the result, American Samoa (along with Samoa, who won their match in dramatic fashion) will move up from dead last in the FIFA rankings, distancing themselves from Andorra, San Marino, and Montserrat.

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If you're looking for some American football Thanksgiving, American Samoa will take on the Cook Islands tomorrow in another pivotal match. The Cook Islands fell to Samoa 3-2 after a stoppage time winner from the hosts. If Rongen and company are able to continue their success, it could set up a very interesting Samoan derby on Saturday to determine the group winner.

USSD will keep an eye on the result and may send out a tweet or two while taking a break between feast courses. @JamesPiotr is on the ground in Samoa tweeting updates, so be sure to check his Twitter feed if you'd like to follow along (read his great post-match New York Times piece here). You can also simply track the score using this site.

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American Samoa's success may be short-lived. But for one night, we were all reminded that sometime's soccer's best stories don't happen in multi-million dollar stadiums with global superstars on the field, but rather off the grid in front of just a couple dozen fans.

Just another reason why this is such an amazing sport.

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Top 10 USMNT Goals of 2011

It's that time of year of again. With the Yanks all done for 2011, USSD presents you with the Top 10 USMNT goals of the year.

This is always an enjoyable and well-received post and one of the few traditions we have around these parts; feel free to check out the corresponding lists from 2009 and 2010, as well (a little maintenance may be needed to fix broken links here and there; I'll do my best).

The 2011 list was a little easier to do given the relatively low level of scoring (just 16 goals total, two of which came from the penalty spot), but fun nonetheless and not without some tough decisions to make. The ranking criteria was some arbitrary mix of aesthetics and importance, as usual.

As always, I encourage you to voice your opinion in the comments section below or on Twitter, whether you agree, disagree, or simply want to relive some of the highlights of 2011.

Enjoy!


Honorable Mentions

Jermaine Jones v. Jamaica
Jozy Altidore v. Canada

Both of these goals had some nice elements to them- the quick turn and release from Jozy, and the sweetly timed volley from Jones- but they both also got a lot of help from the opposition. With some better goalkeeping from Canada and without a fortunate deflection from a Jamaican defender, both of these goals probably wouldn't have happened, and so they got knocked down a few pegs in the rankings.


10. Michael Bradley v. Mexico: Bradley opened the scoring in the Gold Cup final with this lovely glancing header at the near post off of a quality corner kick from Freddy Adu.




9. Robbie Rogers v. Mexico: The first goal of the Klinsmann era was a pretty one, with Juan Agudelo's one-touch pass off a throw-in finding Brek Shea, who managed to elude a defender and thread a pass right to the foot of Robbie Rogers at the back post of the open goal. This tally also gave us the Klinsmann triple fist pump.




8. Clarence Goodson v. Panama: The Yanks came up a goal short v. Panama in the group stage of the Gold Cup, but their lone goal was a nice one, with Michael Bradley's flick finding Clarence Goodson for a diving header.




7. Clint Dempsey v. Canada: Dempsey's sliding finish off of a quality final pass from Jozy Altidore sealed a 2-0 win. What many will also remember from Dempsey in this match is the spectacular goal that he almost scored.




6. Clint Dempsey v. Jamaica: Following a nice give-and-go with Landon Donovan, Juan Agudelo found Clint Dempsey alone at the back post with a first time ball across the box. Deuce then showed great poise, waiting for Donovan Ricketts to commit before rounding him and finishing.




5. Clint Dempsey v. Panama: Against a stubborn Panamanian defense, the US needed something special to break through. They got just that thanks to a great long ball from Freddy Adu and a pinpoint pass from Landon Donovan to Clint Dempsey at the back post. You have to love Dempsey's reaction as well, pointing and giving all the credit to Donovan for his perfect service.




4. Edson Buddle v. Slovenia: Edson Buddle didn't take long to make his mark against Slovenia. Capitalizing on a turnover, he settled the ball calmly with his thigh before smashing a lovely volley off the inside of the post from about 25 yards out.




3. Clint Dempsey v. Honduras: A soft touch, a quick cut, and a gorgeous lefty finish into the upper corner helped the US earn their first win of the Klinsmann era. Take a look at Maurice Edu at the top of the box, raising his arms as he screams for a drop pass only to leave them up in celebration just a second later- a moment the two seem to share a laugh about later.




2. Landon Donovan v. Mexico: By now you should all know that USSD has a soft spot for great team goals, and the Yanks put together a beauty against Mexico in the Gold Cup final. After regaining possession, the US strung together several one- and two-touch passes, culminating with a perfectly-weighted through-ball from Clint Dempsey and a poised finish from Landon Donovan. A beautiful sight that had many of us believing the Gold Cup would soon be in American hands.




1. Jozy Altidore v. Guadeloupe: Jozy takes the top spot for this absolute bomb against Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe GK Franck Grandel had a great game in the group stage finale at Livestrong Sporting Park, but all he could was watch as this strike zipped past him in an instant. The pace behind the shot was so great that it actually lifted the back part of the net up off the ground.

Take a look at the golazo, this year's winner of Top USMNT Goal:



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Once again, feel free to share your thoughts below.

Let's hope 2012 brings us plenty more goals.

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Think Senior International Footy Is Over in '11? Think Again. Minnow Lovers Rejoice: USSD's OFC Nations Cup Prelim Round Preview

Last week, the last FIFA match days of 2011 played out, with matches played across the globe. As the dust settled, international footy fans resigned themselves to a couple months of winter dormancy, with the next official match day not coming until the end of February.

But what some might not realize is that there is some senior international footy still to be played this year, starting tomorrow actually. It may not be the most high profile competition, but minnow lovers will surely want to follow along nonetheless.

The games will be taking place in the South Pacific- Apia, Samoa, to be exact- between four teams: Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands. The teams will play a round robin, which serves as the preliminary round of the 2012 OFC Nations Cup.

Let's back track a second and take a look at OFC World Cup qualification, the newly-formatted OFC Nations Cup, where the two intersect, and how it relates to the upcoming matches.

The OFC Nations Cup will be an 8-team tournament held next June in Fiji. Two groups of four will be played, with the top two from each moving on to the single elimination knockout rounds. The winner will represent OFC at the 2013 Confederations Cup.

The significant change that occurred this year is that the OFC Nations Cup will no longer also double as the final phase of OFC World Cup qualifying. Instead, the semifinalists from the tournament will advance to a separate four-team double round robin group stage to be held from September '12 to March '13. The winner of that will then advance on to a playoff against the fourth place finisher in CONCACAF qualifying.

What this will mean is 1) the potential for different OFC representatives in the Confederations Cup and World Cup, 2) more matches for some OFC minnows, which we've seen to be quite a good thing thus far in CONCACAF's new qualifying format, and 3) a true confederation tournament that is (at least partially) distinct from World Cup qualification, all of which are good for the growth of the OFC in my opinion.

So how does this all relate to the matches coming this week? Glad you asked. The OFC Nations Cup is almost set, with seven teams already in the tournament: New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji. Where will that eighth team come from? The aforementioned preliminary round taking place this week. It's hard to say who emerge triumphant, but we do know that the final tournament's groups will be the following:

Group A:
New Caledonia
Vanuatu
Tahiti
(Preliminary Round Winner)

Group B:
Solomon Islands
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Fiji


The preliminary round matches will take place on Nov. 22, 24, and 26, with the following schedule:

Nov. 22: American Samoa v. Tonga; 8pm ET
Samoa v. Cook Islands; 10:30pm ET

Nov. 24: American Samoa v. Cook Islands; 8pm ET
Samoa v. Tonga; 10:30pm ET

Nov. 26: Samoa v. American Samoa; 8pm ET
Cook Islands v. Tonga; 10:30pm ET

All matches will be played in Samoa's national soccer stadium, which is named after- get this- none other than Sepp "just shake hands to racism" Blatter. Wonderful.

USMNT fans might be interested in monitoring the tournament to see how former US U-20 national team head coach Thomas Rongen fares in his first gig at the helm of a senior international team. In case you missed it, check out USSD's fun, informative profile of his new team, American Samoa, here. He'll have his work cut out for him, as American Samoa look for their first ever win or draw (currently 0-0-28 all-time) and their first goal since 2007. They'll also renew their (extremely lopsided) rivalry against neighbors Samoa, who sit just a little over 40 miles away in the Pacific Ocean.

Minnows fans will simply enjoying following four teams who are at the foot of the FIFA rankings, two of which are literally on the bottom rung. If American Samoa or Samoa are able to earn a positive result in any of their matches, they'll eke ahead of Andorra, Montserrat, and San Marino, lifting themselves out of dead last. It might not mean much in the long run, but for pride's sake I'm sure they'll both be hoping to achieve that.

So get your last fix of senior international soccer before we endure the long winter wait until the USMNT's January camp and friendlies and the first FIFA match day in late February.

I'll will be following along and, if by some stroke of luck, a stream becomes available at any point during the week, it will be passed along on the USSD Twitter feed.

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On MLS Cup & LA's International Experience

I'm just getting back into the swing of things after almost a week of R&R out west, so bear with me while I get the USSD machine back up and running. A new post will be coming this afternoon, but in the meantime, here are the highlights from last night's MLS Cup final between LA and Houston:



Seeing as how this is an international footy-centric site, it should come as no surprise that I can't help but shift the focus to the next level.

As fate would have it, the triumphant Galaxy have a distinct USMNT flavor. There are 8 players on the Galaxy roster who have been capped by a senior team, combining for a sizable total of 335 appearances. But almost all of those appearances are accounted for by a vintage quartet: Frankie Hejduk (85 caps), Gregg Berhalter (44 caps), Jovan Korovski (62 caps, the first of which came way back in 1994), and of course Landon Donovan (138 caps and counting). Throw in Bruce Arena, who coached the Yanks for eight years from '98 to the summer of '06, and the Galaxy are even more of a snapshot of USMNTs past.

The group, in a way, also represents the present and future of the USMNT. While three of the aforementioned quartet are in the twilight of their respective careers (Berhalter, in fact, is retiring, going out on top) after having helped the US in World Cups, qualification, and other tournaments, Landon Donovan continues to be a focal point of the side at present. Looking forward, Omar Gonzalez, Sean Franklin, AJ DeLaGarza and some other young prospects like Jack McBean have the potential to work their way into the national team picture in the future (while Donovan will undoubtedly maintain a role in years to come as well).

The American presence is just part of an even greater level of international football experience present in the Galaxy squad, with five other players earning caps with their respective national teams. Obviously, David Beckham is one of them, having earned 115 caps with England (the record for a field player) and played in World Cups '98, '02, and '06 and Euro 2000 and 2004. Robbie Keane, meanwhile, has 114 caps and 53 international goals to his name. Keane helped Ireland to qualify for the 2002 World Cup and achieve some success once there, while also playing a part in their successful qualification for Euro 2012. He also has served as captain of the national team.

The Galaxy also have some significant Caribbean international experience. Donovan Ricketts was one of Jamaica's goalkeepers at the 1998 World Cup and has helped backstop the island nation in numerous qualifiers and tournaments since, compiling 85 caps to date. Chris Birchall, meanwhile, has appeared 38 times for Trinidad and Tobago, three of which came during the 2006 World Cup. And we'd be remiss if we failed to acknowledge Josh Saunders, who kept a clean sheet last night and has been strong in goal throughout the postseason for the Galaxy. The Oregon native has made two appearances for the Puerto Rico national team after having spent a year of his club career on the island.

That copious amount of international experience surely didn't hurt the Galaxy as they drove deep into the postseason, managing to overcome the pressure and come out on top when all was said and done.

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2014 World Cup Qualifying: CONCACAF Third Round Groups Set; Schedule Released

For those who missed it, the second round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers wrapped up yesterday with little fanfare, as the 6 tickets to the third round had already been punched over the weekend.

Guyana surprised some by beating out Trinidad and Tobago, who continue a sad decline following their run to the World Cup in 2006, while USSD faves Antigua and Barbuda found a late winner to eliminate Haiti and advance. Both teams showed well in the Caribbean Cup last winter and have managed to continue that momentum with solid qualifying campaigns. Though the next round will undoubtedly be a whole different animal, these two minnows are a couple of the best stories of CONCACAF qualification thus far.

Elsewhere, it was the big boys moving on rather comfortably, as El Salvador, Panama, Guatemala, and Canada cruised to the next round.


The third round groups are now set (where the second winners would advance to was determined in the qualifying draw in July), with CONCACAF announcing today the match schedules to go with them.

Take a look below, and start planning your trips:


Group A
USA
Jamaica
Guatemala
Antigua and Barbuda

Match Schedule (home team listed first)
June 8: USMNT v. Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica v. Guatemala
June 12: Guatemala v. USMNT, Antigua and Barbuda v. Jamaica
Sept 7: Jamaica v. USMNT, Guatemala v. Antigua and Barbuda
Sept 11: USMNT v. Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda v. Guatemala
Oct 12: Guatemala v. Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda v. USMNT
Oct 16: USMNT v. Guatemala, Jamaica v. Antigua and Barbuda


Group B
Mexico
Guyana
El Salvador
Costa Rica

Match Schedule (home team listed first)
June 8: Mexico v. Guyana, Costa Rica v. El Salvador
June 12: El Salvador v. Mexico, Guyana v. Costa Rica
Sept 7: Costa Rica v. Mexico, El Salvador v. Guyana
Sept 11: Mexico v. Costa Rica, Guyana v. El Salvador
Oct 12: El Salvador v. Costa Rica, Guyana v. Mexico
Oct 16: Mexico v. El Salvador, Costa Rica v. Guyana


Group C
Honduras
Panama
Canada
Cuba

Match Schedule (home team listed first)
June 8: Honduras v. Panama, Cuba v. Canada
June 12: Canada v. Honduras, Panama v. Cuba
Sept 7: Cuba v. Honduras, Canada v. Panama
Sept 11: Honduras v. Cuba, Panama v. Canada
Oct 12: Canada v. Cuba, Panama v. Honduras
Oct 16: Honduras v. Canada, Cuba v. Panama


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So the USMNT will kick things off with what will almost certainly be its easiest match of the third round: at home against Antigua and Barbuda. The stretch that follows that will be the critical one, though, with back-to-back road games against Guatemala and Jamaica, respectively. While neither team quite has the quality that the US does, both have been tricky road opponents in qualifying in the past and are more than capable of causing some problems with home field advantage.

Also of note, the Yanks will play on September 11th, which should make for quite the spectacle as they represent the country on the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Appropriately enough, it comes against Jamaica, who were the team that the US defeated to clinch a spot in the 2002 World Cup just weeks following 9/11 and on the same day that the US began the bombing of Afghanistan. Brian Straus of the Sporting News recounts that fateful match and all the emotion that surrounded it in this fantastic piece.

Venues for the US qualifiers are still not known and will presumably be announced at a later date.

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Get pumped for qualifiers, folks; they're just around the corner. And start booking those trips; I have a feeling Antigua would be pretty nice in October...

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USA 3, Slovenia 2: The Highlights

The highlights from the USMNT's 3-2 win today over Slovenia:



My post-match thoughts and analysis will be up tomorrow morning; be sure to come by.

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USA-France Post-Match Thoughts & Highlights

Another friendly, another underwhelming performance from the USMNT. Let's take a look back at the Yanks' 1-0 loss in Paris.

But before we dive into that, let's revisit some numbers that have been popping up around these parts fairly frequently:

• For starters, the loss now guarantees that the US will finish 2011 with a losing record, the first time that this has happened since 1997.
• Second, the US have now scored just 2 goals in a whopping 540 minutes under Jurgen Klinsmann. Hardly the attractive, offensive play that many hoped for when the German was hired.
  
• Third, the Yanks have now been held scoreless in 7 of their 10 total matches on French soil.

The first two of those numbers underscore a general frustration right about now that we'll get to later, but regardless of whether or not one is displeased with the way things have been going, there's no denying that we have been forced to sit through some unbelievably drab soccer over the past couple of months.

Against France, it was no different. The Yanks came out in a defensive shell and never really emerged from it, with their attack never really threatening a French back line that was missing some of its bigger names. 

Klinsmann's initial deployment was a defensive one, understandable given the opponent and location. But there's a legitimate claim to be made that it was overly defensive to the point of being detrimental to squad performance as a whole. Maurice Edu and Kyle Beckerman sat deeper in the midfield, playing more or less side-by-side for much of the match in defensive roles, while Danny Williams was a much more defensive option on the right side of the midfield compared to, say, DaMarcus Beasley or Robbie Rogers.
 
And with that deployment, it became immediately apparent that the US would be playing bend-don't-break soccer for much of the 90 minutes. Under Bob Bradley, this was not an uncommon approach against a top tier opponent (see: Spain, 2009 for the most obvious example), with the Yanks focusing on shape and defensive discipline to set up counterattacking opportunities. Against France, the US lacked that key latter component, as their defensive posture and personnel were not really conducive to producing the counterattacks that would have helped balance the flow of play some. 


 Instead, Edu and Beckerman added little in the way of forward thrust and substantial possession, with plenty of square balls and some poor touches that nearly cost the US dearly. As a result, the midfield and back line were often put right back on their heels after winning possession, or simply unable to get forward quickly enough from their defensive positions to support Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore. The lack of extended possession and the isolation of the front two meant that the majority of the game was spent in the American half, with no real scoring opportunities produced at the other end.


 French coach Laurent Blanc said following the match that he was never really worried about the outcome of the match, an understandable (albeit I'm sure slightly inflated given France's own offensive struggles for long stretches) air of confidence given the toothless-ness of the US attack.


Was it the proper approach from Klinsmann? In a sense, yes; this was the type of match where defending and counterattacking would probably best suit the US. But the personnel selections didn't quite set the squad up for success, with an overemphasis on defensive presence to the point of severely limiting the attack. But substitutions did little to change that, with Jermaine Jones coming on in the midfield over Michael Bradley, who adds a little more attacking verve to the mix, a puzzling decision given Bradley's playing time in Serie A, his skillset, and the pitiful offensive flow from the US to that point that left us all believing that a French goal was inevitable.


"Bend, don't break" is okay so long as there is a mechanism by which to relieve pressure for a little bit, namely quality counterattacking play. It's very rare that a team can manage to withstand constant pressure for a full 90 minutes without that. Defending higher up the field and pressing attackers in deeper positions are both made extraordinarily difficult when sustained possession is nonexistent. And the US were an example of that on Friday.


Defensively, some have heaped criticism on the center backs, stating that their lack of pace ultimately cost the US a goal. While this may be true in part, there's much more to the matter. For starters, even with the defensive-minded midfield, French attackers still were finding space to operate. But most importantly- and I apologize if I sound like a broken record- the Yanks just couldn't possess at all. It was really just a matter of time until they got caught against a talented opponent.


Is Clarence Goodson the answer at center back? I don't think so. But would another center back have kept that goal from coming? Given the run of play, it's really hard to convince me that that would be the case. Ultimately, the truly disconcerting thing is that the US created absolutely nothing in the final third, continuing a pattern of underwhelming play. There is little improvement, despite a decent bit of consistency in the squads selected. That is fairly worrying, particularly when you consider that there are just two more friendlies before World Cup qualifying- where there is very little margin for error- begins.


And that, rightly, has been the most common criticism of the Klinsmann era. It would be one thing if the US were losing but creating chances; but they aren't even doing that much. As I said over the weekend, there are theories as to why that may be, with most of them circling back to Klinsmann. I offer an alternative theory here centered around the absence of Landon Donovan that I think is very relevant to the discussion.


Back to the France friendly, though. Individually, there were few bright spots. Brek Shea and Steve Cherundolo seem have suffered from not playing with their respective clubs over the past two weeks (because FC Dallas' season ended, in Shea's case), looking a little out of sync and a step slow at times (most visibly when Cherundolo struggled to keep up with some attackers on his side).


The midfield did not do much of note (positively, that is), while Carlos Bocanegra and Clarence Goodson made some good plays but were also fortunate to not get burned on a couple of other situations. As a unit, though, the defense was decent, coming close to keeping France off the board despite the run of play. Playing a huge part in that was Tim Howard, who showed his world class ability, namely with his stunning stop on a second half free kick that kept the match level. Without Howard, 2-0 or 3-0 would have likely been the score. He kept things respectable with his strong play.

Clint Dempsey saw the ball a decent bit and drew free kick after free kick, but he was rarely in threatening positions because of the lack of support going forward. It appeared France were simply content to take him down, perhaps believing (probably correctly) that taking Dempsey out of the attack would more or less derail US offensive efforts.

Jozy Altidore's play, it must be said, was cause for some degree of optimism, as he made several solid contributions in a target role despite being very isolated for much of the match. Once again, though, we are left with the same refrain, lamenting the lack of service and support for the front man.


To be perfectly frank, it was pretty dreadful match to sit through as an American fan. And coming on the heels of several other underwhelming performances, the result only further fuels some of the discontent that has been bubbling up within the USMNT fan base. Do friendly results matter? No, not really. But there has been a significant lack of visible improvement in the side's performance that is unsettling.


Some have opined that Klinsmann should get the opportunity to prove himself over time, preferring to wait until qualifiers begin to give their ultimate judgement. While this is appropriate, it also cannot neglect what's going on right before our eyes and Klinsmann's experience to date (remember, he was far from a proven entity when he took this job, despite what many will have you believe). The Yanks may have a manageable third round group and will almost surely move on to the Hex, but the lackluster outings suddenly make us wonder about what happens beyond that and whether or not Klinsmann is capable of earning his big bucks at that stage.


Sunil Gulati sunk a lot of money and political capital into getting his guy after years of courtship. But you have to wonder if the trained economist isn't also taking into account the concept of sunk costs as the US approaches its pivotal fixtures in a funk unseen since the late '90s. Has the US regressed since Bob Bradley left? Is Klinsmann unfit for this job? Those kind of questions will surely be asked in the long layoff between tomorrow's match and the January camp. I won't take a stand just yet, as Klinsmann still has opportunities to show his stuff, but it's a valuable mental exercise to at least put yourself in Sunil Gulati's shoes and consider what is going on (and associated investments, what is to come, and the potential risks involved for the national team, the federation as a whole, and Gulati personally.


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Against Slovenia, the Yanks will have yet another opportunity to right the ship and restore confidence. Oguchi Onyewu is back to full training and presumably available for selection after missing the France match with a minor groin injury. And the Slovenians present a lesser threat than the French going forward as a second tier team more on the USMNT's level at this point in time.


But success will by no means come easily, as Slovenia defense is stingy in its own right and more than capable of causing an already sputtering attack some problems. Will we see adjustments given past performance and the new opponent? Only time will tell, but we'll delve into this in USSD's preview coming later this afternoon. 


Whether the goals come or not, though, most will simply be hoping to see some kind of improvement from the USMNT in Ljubljana.

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USA-France: 4 Things to Watch For

Well, another international break is upon us. And with it comes another opportunity for the Yanks to finally get things moving in the Jurgen Klinsmann era, having underwhelmed us to date.

The match against France tomorrow will be just the third time in which the US and Les Bleus have met; they played two friendlies (each hosting one) in 1979 with France winning by a combined score of 9-0. The Yanks have been back in France since, albeit with a similar lack of success, crashing out of the 1998 World Cup in dead last and getting knocked out of the 2003 Confederations Cup after scoring just 1 goal in three group stage matches.

Let's actually take a quick rundown of the Yanks' ineptitude on French soil:

• In nine matches, the US has been shutout six times, never scoring more than a single goal in the other games.  Two of those matches came in the '98 World Cup, while another two came in '03 Confederations Cup.
• Only Brian McBride ('98 World Cup v. Iran), DaMarcus Beasley ('03 Confederations Cup v. Turkey), and Andy Straden (Who? '24 Summer Olympics v. Estonia) have scored goals for the USMNT on French soil.
• The US went 0-0-3 at the '98 World Cup, scoring just one goal, only to follow that up with one goal and a record of 0-1-2 at the '03 Confederations Cup.
• Their one match against France in France ended 3-0 in favor of the hosts.

Needless to say, history- the little that there is- will not be in the Yanks' favor tomorrow as they take the field at Stade de France. Recent form isn't exactly going their way either, with just two goals scored in the five matches of the Klinsmann era thus far and plenty of middling play.

Will they buck both trends tomorrow and put together a strong performance, perhaps even coming away with a positive result? Only time will tell. But I'll be watching for the following things tomorrow, and I have a feeling they very well may determine the final result.


The Center Back Pairing:

Will Klinsmann trot out Michael Orozco Fiscal again, throwing him in the deep end against an opponent far superior to the ones he's faced in his recent appearances?  If so, will he be able to handle the challenge, or will he be overwhelmed and ineffective?  With some very talented attackers (Benzema, Ribery, etc.) getting thrown forward, Orozco Fiscal wouldn't have room for error.

While I'm sure a fair share of USMNT fans hope Orozco Fiscal isn't in the starting XI, I'm not convinced it's an impossibility.  Oguchi Onyewu missed Sporting's last match due to a minor groin issue, and though I haven't heard anything out of USMNT camp to suggest that he's unavailable, there's always the chance that that problem flairs up once again.  At that point, does Klinsmann favor a like-for-like substitution, bringing in Clarence Goodson, or does he go with Orozco Fiscal in hopes of improving distribution out of the back?

Ultimately, having seen the success that Onyewu and Bocanegra had as a tandem during the last break, I think Klinsmann will go back to that veteran pairing tomorrow (assuming Gooch is healthy).  They both might not be the most fleet of foot, but both showed during the last break that they can make up for that with wise positioning, strong tackling, and great reading of the game (and let's not kid ourselves, Gooch can still cover some ground, even if it's not quite as fast as someone like Orozco Fiscal).  Will that experience and ability be enough to keep France at bay?

If Orozco Fiscal starts (which, given the speed that France can put forward and Klinsmann's affinity for MOF's game, would not come as a huge surprise), expect Laurent Blanc's men to go after him early and often.  It will be interesting to see, particularly in light of his struggles against Honduras in which he made several near-costly mistakes (pun intended) in the defensive half, if Orozco Fiscal can manage the situation, or if his shortcomings get exposed by a talented opponent.


The Defensive Midfielder(s?):

Perhaps most important to the center back discussion is what's happening in front of the back four, namely at the defensive midfielder role.  Against Belgium, the best of the USMNT's opponents during the Klinsmann era, the Yanks were taken advantage of time and time again in the midfield, as Maurice Edu was tasked with covering a substantial area by himself.  Would France do as Belgium did and wreak havoc in their attacking half by exploiting the gaps left in front of the back four by the lack of two deeper sitting center mids?

If Beckerman starts, will he be able to rekindle the form that made him so effective v. Mexico, or will he get caught defensively and be forced to foul as he did against Honduras?  Would Maurice Edu be able to turn in a stronger performance going both ways than what he did against Belgium?  Could Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, or Danny Williams be played deeper instead, giving the Yanks a new look?

And, the thing I'm most curious to see: will Klinsmann play with two defensive midfielders to ease the defensive burden on the back four and the defensive mids both defensively and in distribution?  Against Belgium, the Yanks found success once Kyle Beckerman was brought on to shoulder some of the load next to Maurice Edu, settling things down offensively and closing spaces defensively.  Though Klinsmann favored the 4-1-3-2 during the last break, could we see some tactical flexibility that sees him instead employ something closer to a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-2-1-1 given the opponent?

Regardless of who the center backs are, the defensive midfielder (or midfielders) will have to be sharp to help balance possession and stifle French attacks before they reach the final third.  I would guess that Beckerman will get the start, but I wouldn't be surprised to see one of several other names there instead.


The Final Third:

Let's face it: the US attack has been more or less abysmal under Jurgen Klinsmann, save for maybe 80 combined minutes.  With just two goals in 450 minutes of play, we've had to endure our fair share of frustrating and/or yawn-inducing jaunts forward, as the Yanks seem to be lacking a little bit of everything in the final third.

Clint Dempsey added some life against Honduras, but poor finishing meant just a single goal.  But then things regressed against Ecuador, with little bite or creativity in the attacking end.  Is it tactical?  Is it just players not executing well enough?  Is it simply an indication of our lack of forward depth (paging Herculez Gomez...)?  Or could it be that the US need a certain LA Galaxy star to run most effectively?  In reality, the answer isn't limited to just one of those things.

But the Yanks can quiet some grumbling and renew the faith with an offensive performance much more stirring than anything we've seen since the final 30 minutes against Mexico in August.  Klinsmann was brought in to bring attacking soccer, right?  Let's see it.  The Yanks don't necessarily have to produce a ton of goals, but let's see a marked improvement.

A big factor will be the play of the forwards, naturally.  Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey got a good run together during the last break, so perhaps they'll have improved chemistry in their third go-around.  They'll need quality service, though, meaning strong flank play from Timmy Chandler, Brek Shea, Steve Cherundolo, and whoever lines up wide right.

France will be missing Patrice Evra and Eric Abidal, so their back line may be a little more vulnerable than normal. We'll see if the Yanks can take advantage.


Absorb Pressure or Go at Them?

We've all heard the old cliche before: the best defense is a good offense. One might theorize that heavy pressure down the wings from Brek Shea and Timmy Chandler would help pin back one side of the French attack, for instance. Will Klinsmann try to stay on the front foot and thus help his defense, playing a higher back line and pressuring high up the field with the forwards? Or will he play things more conservatively and keep Chandler and Cherundolo a little closer to home, knowing full well how dangerous France can be going forward?

If the Yanks do opt for a bend-don't-break strategy, the above discussion of the defensive midfielder and center backs will be all the more relevant. Is there a right way to approach this? For Klinsmann, it may simply be a matter of philosophy, with the desire to go forward trumping a more reserved approach.

But sometimes the opponent dictates the execution of tactics. As Mike Tyson once said, "Everyone has a plan 'til they get punched in the mouth."

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To wrap up, my previous point about improvement in the final third can be expanded into a broader statement: in general, US fans will want to see improvement, and a fairly substantial one at that, in all facets.  It's understood that friendly results are not hugely important (though one must not forget that FIFA rankings do come into play from time to time for tournament seeding); people simply want to see that the US is moving in the right direction as World Cup qualification draws near.

To date, that has not happened.  And it's a bit disconcerting for many (using social media as a rough judge of popular sentiment).  But a strong outing against France followed by a good showing against Slovenia would go a long way towards quelling some of those fears as we head into 2012.

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The match kicks off at 3 PM ET and will be shown on ESPN2, ESPN3.com, and Univision.

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Dates, Venues Set for CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying

The dates and locations for next spring's CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers were announced this afternoon.

The eight-team tournament will be broken up into two groups of four. One group will play matches on March 22, 24, and 26 at LP Field in Nashville. The other group will play its games on March 23, 25, and 27 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. The top two teams from each group will then move on to the semifinals, which will be held at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City on March 31. The final, also to be played in Kansas City, will then be held on April 2.

The two finalists will qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Currently, six teams have secured their spot in the field: the US, Mexico, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama. The final two teams will come out of the final Caribbean qualifying group, which consists of Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Cuba. Those matches will be played at the end of this month.

Akron University head coach Caleb Porter will lead the US U-23 national team as they look to earn an Olympic bid for the seventh time in the last eight tournaments.

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The Donovan Effect

Over the past year or so, one might get the impression that the USMNT has been transitioning away from its reliance on Landon Donovan as an engine of the attack.

In the previous cycle, the differences with and without Donovan in the lineup were glaring; you need not look further than the November friendlies against Slovakia and Denmark in 2009 as an example of that, as the US absolutely sputtered without their talisman helping dictate the tempo and direction of the attack.  But the months following the World Cup seemed to indicate that things were moving away from that dependence. It's not that Donovan was no longer important (on the contrary, he's still a vital part of the team), but rather that the team's success did not seem so reliant on his play.

Consider the following example. In the Gold Cup quarterfinals, Bob Bradley opted to leave Donovan, now 29 and then in the midst of a middling run of form, on the bench to start. Not long before that, the idea of leaving Landon Donovan, the most decorated American international of all-time, on the bench in an elimination game would have been thought of as ludicrous. Yet Bradley's decision was only met with an initial level of surprise in that it actually happened, not so much because fans and pundits alike thought such a move would be to the detriment of the squad.

And what happened? A stellar 2-0 win in which the US dominated play and generated numerous quality scoring opportunities despite Donovan only playing the final 24 minutes. Was that a sign that the Yanks were finally ready to move on in the sense of having a unit capable of succeeding- not just function- without Donovan in the lineup or with him as simply peripheral support rather than the lone pillar?

Those conversations happened, and the recent performances of Clint Dempsey with club and country have more than a few people believing that this is now Deuce's team, not Donovan's. But having had to sit through a couple of painfully drab performances over the past couple of months, I can't help but think back and wonder: is the USMNT still largely reliant on Donovan to drive the attack?

Against Belgium and Ecuador, the Yanks struggled to produce much of anything in the final third. Against Honduras, they managed to find the back of the net and create some opportunities, though offensively they seem to have underachieved nonetheless against a less-than-full strength opponent. The two matches that Donovan has played under Klinsmann? After some tactical adjustments, the Yanks put together a stellar second half against Mexico, generating a number of quality opportunities with Donovan pushing in the midfield. They then turned in a disappointing performance against Costa Rica, albeit one in which there were still many more scoring opportunities created than we've seen in some subsequent matches.

Look back to the Gold Cup, even. Sure, the Yanks were fantastic against Jamaica, as Bob Bradley put together one of the best tactical plans of his tenure. But was that just an exception to the norm? Consider the match that followed, in which Donovan once again started on the bench: it wasn't until he entered the match that the US was finally able to break down the Panamanian defense. And against Mexico, they were dangerous early on and managed to create quality chances throughout the match with Donovan back in the starting XI.

My question is this: could the Yanks' recent struggles have absolutely nothing to do with any shortcomings of Klinsmann or the players he has selected, or a lack of execution, but rather everything to do with the absence of Landon Donovan? Might Klinsmann have recently called up Donovan, knowing full well that MLS Cup would likely present a conflict, out of a tiny bit of desperation after the slow start to his tenure, understanding that Donovan makes the team tick, particularly against high quality opponents?

The other possible question: is it really Donovan, or is it the Donovan/Dempsey combination that drives things, a subtle but significant deviation from the days of Donovan-dependence? After all, those aforementioned successes v. Panama and Mexico in the Gold Cup were with both on the field, linking up going to goal.

There's no real way to answer those questions without some measure of subjectivity. As much as data analysis would provide some kind of message, it would be hard to attach much value to it given the small sample size caused by the sparse international calendar and the impact of multiple variables and their interactions on the team's success.

But all of this is certainly something to consider going into the international break. If the Yanks flounder in Paris and Ljubljana, will it be because of poor tactics or execution? Or will it be because the USMNT still isn't quite weaned off of its Donovan dependence, and that his absence is the largest factor in the team's underwhelming performance over the past couple of months?

2011 genuinely seemed like a new chapter in US Soccer, with Dempsey and others rising to take some of the burden from Donovan's shoulders. But it's hard not to wonder if the Yanks are still, in a way, that same team that went to Aarhus and Bratislava back in 2009 and stumbled without the Galaxy star.

Jurgen Klinsmann may believe that, and his call-up of Donovan despite the MLS Cup playoffs may serve as indication of that belief.

If the Yanks, sans Donovan, fail to produce much of anything during this next international break, more than a few people will be believing the same thing. If they are finally able to break through, though, it may help confirm that a change in the tides is indeed taking place.

But, having observed this team closely for years now, I'll have to see that to believe it.

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Weekend Rewind: Jozy's Goal, Gooch's Groin, Bradley's Win, & More

Another weekend of footy in the books, another USSD weekend rewind. Here's a recap of the big news items from the last couple of days:


Altidore Scores Again

In league play yesterday, Jozy Altidore scored his first goal since a September 29th tally v. Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League. The goal, AZ's third in a 3-0 win over ADO Den Haag, is Jozy's 8th on the season in all competitions, putting him just one short of his career high for output (he scored 9 goals for New York in 2007). Considering it's still just November, it's a safe bet that he'll blow past that mark in the months to come.

Check out the goal below, which comes as the result of some gorgeous off the ball movement from Jozy. After making a quick pass, he broke towards goal, showing good composure on the end of the combination as he rounded the keeper and finished:



The goal also happened to come on Jozy's 22nd birthday, as AZ maintained a six point advantage atop the Eredivisie table.


Apertura Ends; No Liguilla for Beasley, Gomez

The initial round of the Mexican Apertura ended over the weekend, as the eight-team playoffs took shape. DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla needed a miracle to advance, but it didn't come, with a 1-0 loss to Tigres sealing their fate.

Herculez Gomez and Tecos, meanwhile, knew going into the final weekend that they had no shot at advancing. Ultimately, they fell to Queretaro, with Gomez starting and playing 63 minutes.

Despite the lack of team success, both Beasley and Gomez had positive campaigns individually. Gomez ended the Apertura as Tecos' leading scorer, with seven goals, while Beasley revived his career thanks to a smooth transition and strong play south of the border.

A neat stat worth noting (and one that reflects his fine form since moving to Mexico): Herculez Gomez has finished as the leading or joint-leading scorer for his team in three of the four torneos that he has played (2010 Clausura with Puebla, 2011 Clausura with Pachuca, 2011 Apertura with Tecos). Not too shabby, especially considering a lot of his appearances have come as a substitute.


MLS Cup Playoffs; No Donovan v. Slovenia

In a fantastic match last night, the LA Galaxy beat Real Salt Lake 3-1 to advance to the MLS Cup Final. The result means that Landon Donovan will return to the Galaxy following the France friendly to prepare for the final.

What does that mean, in turn? Well, just another game in which we won't get to see Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey on the field together, something that has yet to happen during the Klinsmann era. Barring any freak setback or tactical decision, we should at least get to see that tandem take the field against France. USSD will have something later in the week on what I'm calling the "Donovan effect"; stay tuned for that.

On a related note, the result means that Kyle Beckerman will be available for both friendlies. RSL's loss and Sporting Kansas City's defeat at the hands of Houston also means that there will be two more guys headed to the U-23 camp in Germany, as Caleb Porter added Luis Gil and Teal Bunbury to the mix.


Gooch's Groin?

Oguchi Onyewu, who was included in Jurgen Klinsmann's 22-man roster for the upcoming friendlies, was not in the match day squad for Sporting Lisbon this past weekend, with reports indicating that he was dealing with some groin issues. This is something to keep an eye on during the international break, as it very well could limit Onyewu's availability if the problem flairs up again.


Bradley, Chievo Snap Winless Skid

Michael Bradley played the full 90 for Chievo Verona, as they knocked off Fiorentina at home by the score of 1-0. The win (and the lead, for that matter) was Chievo's first since September 25th, snapping a five match drought.

The result pushes the Flying Donkeys, who have scored just 8 goals in 10 games, four points clear of the relegation zone.

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USMNT Roster Breakdown: France, Slovenia Friendlies

Well, the dust has settled some after Jurgen Klinsmann's latest roster came out yesterday, filled with what is becoming the usual number of head-scratching selections and snubs. Time to kick it all back up with my breakdown of the 22-man group.

"Alright, a USSD roster breakdown!"

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

At least we can say this about the Klinsmann era: his goalkeeping selections have been spot on. (That's something, right?) Bill Hamid will be joining the squad after a short training stint with West Brom, a good offseason experience for the young keeper who is still in search of his first cap.


Defenders: Clarence Goodson, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Alfredo Morales, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Michael Orozco Fiscal

Here's where things get a little more dicey. Once again, Michael Orozco Fiscal gets called into camp despite showing on several occasions that he is not an adequate defender at the international level. As some have said on Twitter, Klinsmann's repeated selection of Orozco Fiscal raises serious doubts about his abilities to judge talent. It also begs the question, once more: if Orozco Fiscal is the guy that best possesses the skill set for Klinsmann's desired system, isn't that a huge red flag that he's trying to smash a square peg through a round hole? Other players (which I'll get to below) deserve a call-up much more than Orozco Fiscal, who has done little to merit this kind of support.

We'll discuss that later; for now, back to the rest of the group. The only other surprise in the bunch is Alfredo Morales, a 21 year old who plays with Hertha Berlin and has been heavily linked to the Peruvian national team of late (Morales is eligible for Peru, Germany, and the US). It seems Klinsmann has brought him in an effort to keep him from choosing another team, a wise move considering Morales was likely very close to heading elsewhere soon. We'll see what he is capable of; while hopes are high, his actual first team minutes have been scarce, so it's hard to say where he stands right now.


Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman, Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu, Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams, Brek Shea, Robbie Rogers, Michael Bradley

Beckerman is a guy that Klinsmann likes, so he gets the nod once more despite a middling pair of matches in October. It's good to see Jermaine Jones back into the mix, having worked his way back into the Schalke starting XI in recent weeks. He's joined by Fabian Johnson, giving Klinsmann a pair of solid players to get his first look at during camp (you know, for that whole pool evaluation thing that hasn't quite been taken advantage of to the fullest; more on that later). It comes as no surprise that Bradley, Edu, and Dempsey are included, but it was quite shocking to see Robbie Rogers' name. Quite simply, Rogers has done little to convince anyone that he is an international caliber player. Yet he finds his way back into the squad over others. Baffling. Once again, this is making many fans (and some pundits, though many are diplomatically avoiding the matter) question the ability of Klinsmann and his staff to judge talent.


Forwards: Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Edson Buddle

The players in this group are not what is being discussed. All of them merit a call-up; Beasley has arguably been Puebla's MVP as they push for a playoff spot, while Edson Buddle has been on form with Ingolstadt. Jozy is earning regular minutes and Landon Donovan is Landon Donovan, although his selection is somewhat surprising given his recent injury layoff and the possibility of him being involved in the MLS Cup Final. (Some have speculated that part of the agreement between the US and France was that the US would bring a strong roster; i.e. include Donovan. Perhaps.) But Donovan showed that he's healthy last night and will be able to contribute.

The real issue, though, is the names (well, particularly one name) that are not included. Which brings us to...


The Snubs: Herculez Gomez, Omar Gonzalez, George John, Sacha Kljestan

What the heck does Herculez Gomez have to do to get a spot in USMNT camp? He's been scoring goals regularly at the club level (both in his final months with Pachuca and now with Tecos), something that few US strikers can say. It's really hard to rationalize his repeated exclusion from the squad, particularly when we're at a juncture in the cycle that should be used to examine viable alternatives. Robbie Rogers is a surplus wing midfielder that should not come close to seeing the field. Why is he involved, but Gomez is not, with just two true forwards on the roster instead? Once again: Baffling.

In the back, meanwhile, two quality MLS center backs were head-scratchingly passed over in favor of Michael Orozco Fiscal, in George John and Omar Gonzalez. And it's not as if Klinsmann can point to the MLS playoffs as his reason for excluding Gonzalez, as he had no qualms about selecting Donovan and Beckerman as well. Gonzalez is a favorite for MLS Defender of the Year. What the hell am I missing here? Once again, Klinsmann's (and his staff's) ability to judge talent is brought into question.

In the midfield, Sacha Kljestan is also a notable omission. He's been playing well with Anderlecht and would be much more deserving of a call-up than Robbie Rogers, although to be fair the midfield is crowded as is (which makes me wonder once more: why only call in two true forwards?).

Hopefully we'll see John, Gonzalez, and Gomez get their first look under Klinsmann sooner rather than later.


The "What?!?!" Picks: Michael Orozco Fiscal, Robbie Rogers

As I've said above, these two have gotten multiple opportunities, but it's quite difficult to say that they are deserved. Neither has proven themselves to be adequate, let alone effective, at this level, yet they have taken up a spot in camp on several occasions, leaving other much more deserving candidates out in the cold.

If these two are in the picture heading into World Cup qualification, it will be troubling to say the least. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but at this point that doesn't seem too likely.


The Sidenotes: Klinsmann has said that any player whose team reaches the MLS Cup final (which will be either Beckerman or Donovan) will be allowed to return to their club following the France friendly.

I found it a little odd to pull players from clubs with the potential to reach the final (assuming bringing Donovan wasn't some sort of contract stipulation from the FFF). But Jason Kreis said last night on The Best Soccer Show (check it out; from the guys who used to bring you the American Soccer Show, Jason Davis of Match Fit USA and Jared DuBois) that communication with the USSF has improved during the Klinsmann era, which seems to indicate that he's okay with Beckerman being picked. I find the statement itself quite interesting on several levels, particularly with regards to what it says about the Bob Bradley era. But that conversation is for another time.

It's also worth noting that some of the younger guys that were not selected, namely Teal Bunbury and Juan Agudelo, are joining Caleb Porter's U-23 camp in Germany (though Bunbury may not be available if Sporting KC continue on in the playoffs), which will certainly be a good experience as they look to position themselves for a spot on the 2012 Olympic roster. They are joined by a trio of Philadelphia Union players: Jack McInerney, Amobi Okugo, and USSD fave Sheanon Williams.

Some more positive news: Brek Shea will head to train with Arsenal for a month after the international break. That's another exciting step for the 21 year old FC Dallas winger, who continues to impress with club and country.

But back to roster talk...


The Verdict: It's hard not to look back at the second half of 2011 as a series of wasted opportunities. This should have been a time in which Jurgen Klinsmann familiarized himself with as many of the quality options in his pool as possible so as to build a better picture of the squad moving towards 2012 and beyond. Instead, guys like Gomez, Gonzalez, John, and several others that have featured in the past or have made strong positive impacts with their respective clubs have been overlooked time and time again, while the Orozco Fiscals of the world are brought in. Klinsmann's repeated claims that his rosters represent the best players and top challengers are disconcerting. Either his desired system supersedes meritocracy, or he genuinely believes this to be a meritocracy at this point, neither of which are comforting.

I will say this, though; I'm glad to see Jones and Johnson brought in. And in the end, we mustn't overlook the fact that there is still a strong starting XI and subs that can be put forward from this group. The last couple of spots on the roster are ultimately the talking points (and not without good reason, as giving someone a foot in the door like Herc could reveal a player that is actually a capable starter, for instance), but the top 17 or so guys are picks that few people will be arguing against.

I know, that sounds like a rather abrupt turn from the tone of much of this post, but at the end of the day this is still a learning process for Klinsmann and his staff, who hopefully (fingers crossed) will learn from any missteps going forward. In the end, what happens on the field will trump all.

While these results are not hugely important, a pair of losses or even two non-wins would continue to sow the seeds of discontent within the American fan base. And it's also hard not to wonder at what point some players would begin to question the system if the sputtering outings continue.

Ultimately, the bottom line is that this roster is the culmination of three months in which stones were left unturned during what should have been a fairly comprehensive evaluation process, while words out of Klinsmann's camp seem to indicate a bizarre belief in several underachievers. All of this, coupled with ugly performances on the field, isn't the most settling way to head into 2012, when there will be just one official match day prior to World Cup qualification with which to experiment some more.

As I said, though, winning heals all. Victories against France and Slovenia would quell many grumblings and renew faith heading into the new year despite the apparent blemishes thus far.

We'll see if Klinsmann is able to achieve just that.

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USMNT Roster for France, Slovenia Friendlies Released

The roster for the upcoming friendlies was announced today. Check it out:


Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Bill Hamid

Defenders: Tim Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Alfredo Morales, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu

Midfielders: Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, Robbie Rogers, Kyle Beckerman, Maurice Edu, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Brek Shea, Danny Williams

Forwards: Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Jozy Altidore, Edson Buddle


As always, some really interesting selections, for better or for worse. I will post full thoughts on all of this tonight or tomorrow. I need a little bit of time to digest it all first.

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2012 Africa Cup of Nations Draw Held

With qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations all wrapped up, the group stage draw was held over the weekend to determine the layout of the 16-team field.

Here's how things shook out in Malabo:

Group A:

Equatorial Guinea
Libya
Senegal
Zambia


Group B:

Cote d'Ivoire
Sudan
Angola
Burkina Faso


Group C:

Gabon
Niger
Morocco
Tunisia


Group D:

Ghana
Botswana
Mali
Guinea


Some quick thoughts on the draw:

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