Clint Dempsey’s 40th career US goal helped the Americans get a feel good win over Panama.
John Halloran
Who ever thought a win over a CONCACAF opponent in a January camp friendly could be so important?
Heading into Sunday afternoon’s game against Panama, the United States men’s national team was a pitiful 1-5-3 in its last nine matches and had developed a recent, and unsavory, habit of second-half collapses.
After the U.S.’s most recent loss, suffered two weeks ago at the hands of Chile, many fans had finally reached their breaking point—with some even calling for head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to be fired.
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But on Sunday, hosting Panama in Carson, California, the U.S. got the win it needed, picking up a 2-0 result on the back on first-half goals from Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey.
Here are four things learned from the win.
Apparently the 3-5-2 is Gone
Against Chile, Klinsmann had employed a 3-5-2 in the first half, before abandoning the project at halftime with a 2-1 lead. In the second-half, the U.S. switched to a 4-4-2 diamond and promptly lost the game.
Frustration among fans boiled over after the match, but not because Klinsmann tried the new formation. In fact, most fans seemed to be more upset that the coach had abandoned the three-back after only 45 minutes. That anger only seemed to grow when Klinsmann later blamed the loss on his players’ fitness, and then attacked the media and fans for being uneducated.
Still, it seemed obvious from many players’ comments leading into the Panama game, that they weren’t comfortable with the three-back system. Over the past week, Matt Besler, Jermaine Jones and DeAndre Yedlin all publicly expressed concern over the formation and, against Panama, Klinsmann went back to a four-back system, employing a 4-2-3-1.
And Klinsmann scraps the 3-5-2 for now, choosing to go with a 4-2-3-1. No real surprise. Defenders in camp didn’t love the 3-5-2.
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) February 8, 2015
That decision in and of itself raised a number of questions. First, Klinsmann claimed he used a three-back against Chile because he didn’t have enough options at fullback. However, in a seeming contradiction, he had also stated when the January camp roster was first announced that he would have called in Robbie Rogers—who excelled at left-back for the LA Galaxy this past season—had the roster been “purely senior guys.”
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Another troubling question was whether Klinsmann had acquiesced to his players in returning to a four-back. In his time in charge, Klinsmann has spoken repeatedly about pushing his players out of their “comfort zones”. Apparently, pushing the issue of a three-back didn’t fit that criteria and the experiment was abandoned.
Brek Shea as a Left-Back
With a lack of left-backs on his roster against Panama, Klinsmann once again elected to play Brek Shea in the back line, an experiment that had not gone well against Chile.
Since Klinsmann first took over the U.S. squad, Shea has been an enigma—with his performances ranging from game-changing to downright awful. But Klinsmann has always showed an immense amount of faith in Shea and, sporadically, Shea has repaid that faith. In Klinsmann’s first game in charge, Shea assisted on the goal that led to a 1-1 draw against Mexico (ironically enough, that assist was to Rogers). Shea also created the goal that led to the U.S.’s historic win at the Azteca, and scored several important goals in the 2013 Gold Cup and picked up the opener in the Chile game.
Still, on other occasions, Shea has looked so bad that some even questioned how he could be a professional soccer player.
Despite those performances, despite leaving Major League Soccer on shaky terms and despite flaming out at three separate clubs in England, Klinsmann has always had an affinity for Shea and continued to call him in to U.S. camps.
On Sunday, Shea had a surprisingly good, yet subtle performance. He didn’t pick up a dramatic goal or create a late-game assist, he simply did his job. Indeed, it may have been his most complete performance in a U.S. jersey.
Although, at times, he struggled with his service from the left flank, Shea got forward well, played simple possession out of the back—for the most part—and held his ground defensively. He also made perhaps the key play of the night, coming back to block an open Panamanian shot in the 24th minute when they managed to get in behind the U.S. defense for what looked to be a wide open shot right in front of goal.
Terrific defensive play from Brek Shea.. A tweet I didn't think I'd make today. #usmnt
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 8, 2015
The Wings
Because Klinsmann started with a 4-2-3-1, U.S. fans finally got to see Miguel Ibarra and Gyasi Zardes in starting roles.
Zardes, for his part, was excellent. He was surprisingly good in traffic, displayed a touch that was much improved from his early days with the Galaxy and did most of the work in creating the U.S.’s second goal. He still has some work to do in eliminating sloppy giveaways, but showed tremendous potential, especially on one sequence late in the first half when he chested down a Jozy Altidore service right into the path of Michael Bradley for a shot near the top of the 18.
Zardes probably the biggest positive to come from that game. Looks ready for intl level right now
— Seth Vertelney (@svertelney) February 8, 2015
Ibarra didn’t fare quite as well. While the youngster displayed a tremendous work rate, his first touch was lacking, leading to several lost possessions. A perfect example was in the 32nd minute of play when, on two consecutive plays, Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey both found Ibarra in space in the attacking third and Ibarra managed to lose the ball both times. It’s obvious that Ibarra is hungry and wants to be a part of this team—now he needs to bring his actual performance up to that level.
More time for a Wondo, who is a great teammate. But is honoring that an objective?
Why Wondo? Why Not Nguyen?
It’s hard not to feel for Chris Wondolowski. For years, the man terrorized MLS defenses on his way to multiple scoring titles. Yet, in his few international appearances, he perpetually underwhelmed.
Then, with a number of key goals leading into the 2014 World Cup, he worked his way onto the roster and even onto the field in Brazil. But, at the key moment in the Round of 16 match against Belgium, he wasted a key chance, skying a sitter over the crossbar.
Several articles written since then have explained how Wondolowski has struggled psychologically since that miss—and even endured people on Twitter wishing him dead. That miss aside, it’s hard to understand why Klinsmann continues to call the 32-year-old into camps, and even more perplexing why he gives Wondolowski playing time. It seems obvious to everyone else that he no longer has a role to play with the team—especially heading into the future.
On Sunday, Klinsmann once again used Wondo, this time off the bench at halftime to replace Altidore. The troubling part is the minutes being given to Wondolowski could be used for other players who do have a future with the team. For example, Lee Nguyen, who has looked bright in every (albeit brief) appearance he has had for the U.S., could have been given the minutes by putting him in as the attacking midfielder and pushing Dempsey up top.
Instead, Wondolowski was brought on and battled (literally) through a frustrating afternoon.
This goes back to the old questions about what, exactly, Klinsmann’s objectives are from time to time. If the camp wasn’t about the “senior guys”, then why is Wondolowski in and Nguyen not?
Lee Nguyen always looks so smooth when he comes off the bench.
— Doug (@DFresh39) February 8, 2015
With the U.S.’s lack of attacking creativity—especially against top-class teams—it’s hard to understand why Klinsmann won’t give Nguyen more minutes with the U.S.
The comments, as always, are yours.
John Halloran is once again writing on the US Men’s National Team for The Yanks Are Coming. His work has appeared on various sites, including Bleacher Report, American Soccer Now, and Soccer Over There, among others. He is also the founder of American Touchline. Follow him on Twitter @JohnDHalloran.