Friday, June 16, 2006

Arena's Dilemma

Bruce Arena lacks the options he had in 2002 to shake up the team


The embarrassing performance of the USA in the World Cup opener on Monday would be enough force most coaches to seek asylum in some foreign nation instead of returning home after the competition with the team. But in Bruce Arena's case he is lucky that the vast majority of Americans do not even know the World Cup is currently taking place in Germany, let alone have in interest in the results.

No doubt exists that Bruce Arena has brought the USA to previously unknown heights in world of international football. But it is also true that Arena was a lot more thorough and comprehensive in how he looked at his player pool in preparation for the 2002 World Cup. It seems the roster decisions made in 2002 were better because Arena had taken long looks at every American player that could potentially play for the national team and had chosen the 23 best players available. Contrary to the bluster on ABC prior to this World Cup about this easily being the most talented American team ever, I believe the 2002 squad had a substantially higher amount of depth and talent and many more playmakers and potential goal scorers than this squad. The 2002 squad was a nice mixture of veteran leadership a legacy of the Bora Milutinovic days with Cobi Jones, Joe Max-Moore and Earnie Stewart, a player in his prime as the captain, Claudio Reyna, a striker in his prime in Brian McBride and two superstar youngsters, Landon Donovan and DeMarcus Beasley, as well as two absolute stud products of MLS, Clint Mathis and Tony Sanneh. Even though Clint Mathis was an out of shape trouble maker, the USA really hasn't produced a player with his combination of excellent ball skills, speed and size. While Mathis was trouble off the field, he was lethal on it, scoring a spectacular goal against eventual semi-finalists South Korea and perfectly setting up a Landon Donovan strike later in the tournament. It isn't Arena's fault that Mathis went bad, but the 2006 edition of the US World Cup team doesn't have a comparable player. Tony Sanneh too was special player who blossomed late in his career into one of the top American players both on the national team and on the club level. What Sanneh gave the USA was strong man marker in the defense who could push forward with ease on the ball and served up excellent crosses. Sanneh has been replaced Steve Cherundolo, an unused sub from the 2002 team who as we saw Monday isn't ready for this level of competition yet. Throw in the loss Frankie Hedjuk, a hustler and ball winner from the 98' and 02' cups who tore his ACL just before this World Cup and it's obvious we just don't have the depth we once had. Right now, the USA only has one top player in his prime, the injury prone John O'Brien. Perhaps 2006 just isn't our year when you look at it that way.

Thus Bruce Arena has a major dilemma. Unlike 2002 when he was able to shake up the lineup totally after a disheartening performance against Poland, this squad just doesn't have very much depth. Arena's own unwillingness to select players such as Taylor Twellman or Steve Ralston who could have been difference makers didn't help the cause but the reality is that our player pool is just not as deep as it was four years ago. I have looked at our roster and cannot see us making many changes for tomorrow's game, despite the pathetic performance on Monday. Clint Dempsey replacing DeMarcus Beasley on the right side of the midfield is the only sure change, though I would consider replacing Eddie Lewis on the back line with Carlos Bocanegra. If Eddie Pope cannot go tomorrow, Gregg Berhalter should start in his place. Should Eddie Johnson start? Maybe. He's earned a start based on the fact that he created more scoring chances in the 45 minutes he played Monday than the rest of the team combined in 90 minutes. However, if you take Johnson off the bench you have zero potential game changers to bring on the pitch if we fall behind. This isn't like 2002 when Bruce Arena brought Clint Mathis, Earnie Stewart and Cobi Jones into the Germany game and still had Joe Max Moore as an unused sub! Brian Ching and Josh Wolff, who played decently in 2002 but has not been as strong in MLS since, would probably get eaten alive by Italy's defense.

Bruce Arena has precious few options to shake up the team and still be successful. Some like Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson make sense from a certain point of view. Others like potentially playing Ben Olsen, Jimmy Conrad or Brian Ching make no sense whatsoever. Let's keep our fingers crossed that our boys give a better effort tomorrow because if they do not, the Ghana game will officially be the start of the next rebuilding era of US Soccer.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Forget Ralston - he would be no help on this level.
He's an okay player but has no pace. The fact that he
was in the mix except for injury was the trouble sign
for USA. Ralston is no better now than he was 4 years
ago neither is Olsen. This shows that the player pool
for certain positions are severly lacking. Klein?
Quaranta (playing out of position)?

What Arena should have had the balls to do was bring
Freddy. Seriously, few of the fringe players on this
squad will be anywhere close to USA10.

Kartik said...

Everyone above, good call on Freddy! I 100% agree. Not only could the experience of being on the roster and going through the training helped his development, he probably could have been very useful since we lack attacking options!

Anonymous said...

Look at Argentina - they brought 6 strikers, played 4 and most of them scored. Maybe they could give USA a goal or two since they don't seem to need them all :)

Anonymous said...

It's amazing how our fans will bring out the short knives after one bad game.

We will bounce back vs Italy and this time manana you guys are going to be singing Arena's praises!

Anonymous said...

Maybe you can suit up for the red white and blue!

Anonymous said...

Sadly, I have only my blue and white striped kit for this tournament. If you look closely you will notice I am wearing two watches, though.

Anonymous said...

I'm speaking with Don Garber of your MLS. I wish to become the first player-coach-owner of Boca Las Vegas:)

Anonymous said...

I'm not so sure Arena will be fired no matter what the outcome is tomorrow. It will more than likely be his choice to continue on or not.

Anonymous said...

You guys are sunk. Silvio Berlusconi the biggest thief on the planet will pardon all Italian players implicated in the betting fixing scandal if they win the whole thing. They are not lacking in motivation or quality and will destroy your weak side.

Kartik said...

The Jay DeMerit thing is frustrating because we need help on our backline. But truthfully even more frustrating are the injuries to Frankie Hedjuk and Cory Gibbs. I like Gibbs alot and feel he could have given us another option inside. It's possibile if Pope's injury is worse than being reported and he gets scratched that Pablo could move to centerback and O'Brien could start at d-mid.

Anonymous said...

Federico,

At least you have your stinking mexicans to cheer for. I wouldn't be too down after yesterday. Playing without Borgetti is tough, and getting a draw is decent considering the circumstance. I still like Mexico's chances of advancing far.

You are 100% right about the kid you mention, whose name is Jay DeMerit. I wacth English Football closely and even though I had never heard of DeMerit two years ago, he has had two solid seasons for Watford. Secondly he scored the winning goal in the playoff against Leeds off a set piece when none other than our starting left back, who plays midfield for Leeds lost him in the flow of the play,
yes I am speaking of Eddie Lewis whom Arena has continued to start and force on the field despite the obvious realization that he no longer posses the wheels he once did not the crossing ability.

Federico, I also agree with you about the players you mention like Klein. Arena has given all these guys shots, but I'm not sure why he'd pick Jimmy Conrad over Klein or Ralston based on the national team call ups......Ralston at least is vocal and could be a leader in the locker room for this squad severaly lacking in leaders. Klein's work rate is un matched and he could be a healthy option for the always injured John O'Brien.

Torres you are correct. Tony Sanneh WAS the leader last time along with Cobi Jones. Those guys steadied the ship and calmed the guys down, and also led by example. We don't have a leader on this team. I am so frustrated with Claudio Reyna which is part of my issue with Arena. Arena has a psycopatic devotion to Reyna both as captain and as a central midfielder that has not allowed our team to develop an attractive style of play nor young leaders. If Arena throws Reyna under the bus aftre this looming cup disaster maybe he can stay on as coach. If not, they both need to go.

Anonymous said...

Are you kidding mates????????

Jay DeMerit has never played for your national side??????

Whom do I call????? Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could use that kid! If America doesn't appreaciate him, some of the UKs teams will!

With such little talent how can you ignore a player of his class?

Freddy Adu......I just assumed he had made your World Cup selections. I don't watch your stinking minor league but did watch a game Sky retelecast last year between his american side and chelsea. Adu was by far the best american player on the pitch that evening. Adu was better than some of the chelsea guys as well.

Not only do you guys stink but your coach can't select the players to give him the best shot either. What a pity. The Yanks go down without a fight. Kind of like when we burned your abandoned capital in 1814. We'd never cut and run from a fight, but you and your coward president and vice president who skipped the vietnam war would. Can't you realize your football side is just a reflection of your indifferent and nativist populace?????? Italy will beat 3 to nill today.

Anonymous said...

It's now or never. USA USA!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

You continue to display how little you really know the game, Peter Crotch. Your comments reak of.......fear.