Right, so I watched El Salvador vs. EE UU last night and was thoroughly unimpressed. We went out to dinner so I DVR’d the game figuring I’d watch it when we got home and be none the wiser, but as a cruel twist of fate would have it, as we were walking back to the parking garage in the snow I glanced at a television in a bar and saw Frankie Hejduk celebrating. What were the odds? So that sort of ruined the surprise aspect of the result, or so I thought.

El Salvador went 1-0 inside the first fifteen minutes with a beautifully worked goal, easily the best move of the match. I was surprised by it but figured that the US would peg them back sooner rather than later. When they went down 2-0 in the 72nd, I got a little worried, although Hejduk celebrating loomed large in my mind. He certainly wouldn’t celebrate like that at 2-1, would he? Maybe? But probably not. So when Altidore grabbed a goal back, I figured it would end 2-2. The only real nail-biting time was the last ten minutes since I didn’t know whether the US could conjure a win or whether El Salvador could steal the victory.

Overall, this result made me lose any remaining respect I have for Bob Bradley. This starting lineup is dire, dire, dire. Hoofing it sixty yards up to Ching to knock down is a pathetic game plan, especially when you’ve got guys like Altidore, Adu, and Torres on the bench who might be able to keep the ball on the carpet. Michael Bradley was one of the few players attempting to pass the ball, and DaMarcus Beasley was shockingly bad. Clint Dempsey tries too many cute flicks and tricks that don’t come off and he had some wayward passing, and was Landycakes even on the field? The defense is a joke. Jeff Carlisle of Soccern*t pretty much says the same thing—coming back from 2-0 down on the road isn’t anything to sneeze at, but c’mon, this is El Salvador.

It has become increasingly clear that Bradley has instilled this side with a Bolton-esque approach to hoof and hope and to play for set pieces that can be lumped into the box. The is the dullest way imaginable to play the game and, if this is the best we can come up with, speaks volumes about the “talent” US Soccer has produced from the youth ranks over the last decade. An indictment of the players and coaching, one might say.

What’s worst of all is that this crappy approach will not work against quality opponents. This crappy approach will almost certainly get you to the World Cup, but I hope the US likes the 10-day trip they earn because they won’t be staying long. Going forward they might be able to nick a goal off anybody, but slack passing in the middle of the field combined with a clumsy defense means they won’t be able to hang with anybody, and I do mean anybody. Bradley is doing a Steve Sampson all over again, sticking with players who have experience but are no longer cutting the mustard. Faith? I have none.

Carlisle suggests that if the US continues to play like this, qualification will go down to the wire. I don’t think that’s the case. History suggests the US will need around 16 points to qualify outright, probably more like 12 to get a play-off spot; they’re a third of the way there with two games played. You can’t tell me Honduras, Trinidad & Tobabgo, or El Salvador are going to rack up enough points to overhaul the US for third. The US may not win the qualifying group, but winning it means nothing anyway. If they continue to go to Central America and come away with a point and win a few at home, they’re through. To put it another way, out of eight remaining games they need to win three and draw two. If they can’t do this against this caliber of opponent, they don’t deserve to go to the World Cup anyway.

And God help us when they get there.

Current Mood: Irritated |