Carlos Vela would make Mexico the strong team it should be

Photo credit: carlos-vela.livejournal.com

Once again we are hearing that the door isn't closed for Carlos Vela to join El Tri and claim his position as the best forward in the team. This is welcome news for a country and a squad in need of good results and preparation heading into the World Cup this summer. But will Miguel Herrera relent?

Herrera made it clear that it would be his way if he was to take over the national team. When he did so prior to the playoff match versus New Zealand he sent a clear message: Europe based players are not essential. He took all domestic-based players with a heavy tilt in favor of Club America.

You can argue that  indeed it wasn't necessary to have Andres Guardado and Chicharito Hernandez on the pitch to defeat lowly New Zealand. But we can hardly defend the fact that a domestic-heavy and perhaps América-heavy side might have trouble against the likes of Brazil, Croatia and Cameroon. 

But we can't seriously suggest that the all-knowing FMF could possibly allow for its megastars to get a snub come Brazil 2014. No, expect Europe to be well represented. But Carlos Vela is a special case. He has repeatedly shunned the national team for various reasons and on multiple occasions. So why is there still a chance for Vela?

Simply put. Mexico has no better chance. Not right now. They have a good team if they include Chicharito, dos Santos, Peralta, but none of them are in as good shape as Vela and in such a great place professionally. Vela has been lighting it up for Real Sociedad in the Spanish Primera and is considered by many to be the best attacker in Concacaf at this point. Can Mexico afford not to have him at the World Cup?

If we play out a scenario with Vela on board it simply makes Chicharito more honest, gives Peralta some haste and Jimenez something to strive for. For Dos Santos and Guardado it's an exhaust pipe for their pinpoint passes and darting runs. In short, Vela would make Mexico the attacking squad we liked so much in 2011 and 2012.

Miguel Herrera has some soul searching to do and not just with Vela. He is scheduled to be appraising his European legion this week. Let us hope that he at least acknowledges some of the talent El Tri has abroad, even if Vela is left out of 2014.

What's wrong with the Mexican national team?

For the Mexican national soccer team, qualification for Brazil 2014 World Cup was supposed to be a breeze. After a perfect preliminary round in which they won every game, a great run of results in friendlies, and capturing the 2011 Gold Cup, there seemed to be no stopping "Chepo" de la Torre's men. This all came crashing down in 2013.

This year, the team has yet to win at home and has only managed to score one goal in the Azteca. They have won two games: one away in qualifying and one versus Ivory Coast played in the United States. Three ties at home and one very painful loss to Honduras now has the team in 5th place of the Hexagonal, down in goal differential and fighting for their World Cup lives.

Let's rewind to why this should be a great team. First, the youth squads have swept through competition from the U-20 tournament in 2011 (3rd place) to outright winning tournaments with U17 (2011) and more impressively at the Olympics 2012 in a final against Brazil. Add to this players like Giovani dos Santos (Villarreal), Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad), Javier Hernandez (Manchester United), Andres Guardado (Valencia), Hector Herrera (Porto), Javier Aquino (Villarreal), Hector Moreno (Espanyol), Oribe Peralta (Santos Laguna), Aldo de Nigris (Guadalajara), among others in the domestic league. Let's not forget that Liga MX is one of 3 top leagues in this hemisphere.

But the fate of certain players both domestically and abroad and de la Torre's unwillingness to call up specific players has not gone unnoticed. Carlos Vela, for example, hasn't played for the national team since 2011 due to a bad relationship with Mexico's front office. This in spite of him being a top goalscorer in the Spanish La Liga and having done his early years with Arsene Wenger and Arsenal. 

Then there is Chicharito Hernandez. He hasn't been the same ever since an injury in 2012 and then another one earlier this year. Chicharito was pushed down the depth chart at United with the transfer of Van Persie and the steady play by Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney. He's still an impact player but has yet to reclaim his status as an indispensable, fearsome goalscorer.

The back line for Mexico hasn't fared well either. Constant changes and the decline and replacement of the old guard (Salcido, Marquez, Magallon) has the defense in flux. The same usually occurs for most teams but it has been quite painful to see with Mexico. Ayala and Severo Meza have not been convincing enough.

Added to the back line is a midfield that just isn't producing. Despite having a relatively youthful group with the likes of Aquino and Herrera, the defensive middle isn't communicating well with the forward or rear flanks or we'd be seeing more goals for and less goals against.

Lastly there's de la Torre, Mexico officials unwillingness to let him go earlier, and the style of play he imposed on this squad. De la Torre should probably have gone after the Confederations Cup or maybe even before. He went from a pure possession and attack mentality under Aguirre to a highly-defensive game demeaning to years of development in Mexican teams. For this one only needs to look at the youth squads. Their momentum was halted with the senior team.

What can Mexico do now? Win both remaining games, to start. The key game versus Panama October 13 will decide whether they even have a shot at an intercontinental playoff. A loss leaves them pretty much out and a tie gives them merely a mathematical advantage. Even a win, unless it's by a significant margin might not be enough if the Aztecas do not win at Costa Rica as well.

Enter Vucetich. The former Monterrey head coach now has control over this squad. He has a fresh perspective, attacking mentality and desire to bring only the best players to the team, including Vela. He can make this team be as formidable as it can be, as dominant as it should be, and as great as their fans deserve. Failing to qualify for 2014 is not an option.

Not scoring: from Altidore to Fernando Torres

If you are like most knowledgeable US national team fans you will know one thing: Jozy Altidore, our star at forward, isn't scoring much these days. Indeed, since his multi-million, record-breaking move to Spanish powerhouse Villarreal, Altidore has scored more goals for the national team than at club level. He scored once in La Liga play during the 2008 season and then two more times in local Cup play. Not what you want from a striker of his quality. His year-long loan to Premier League side Hull City (since relegated) saw him score just once in league play and also in Carling Cup games. Lately, on loan to current Turkish champs Busaspor, the talented American scored once just last week, as the season winds down.

Altidore is not alone in this. Eddie Johnson, once heralded as a US international star, has managed very few goals abroad in league play. Josh Wolff was another underachiever in his day. Not to mention Freddy Adu. Others out there have a bit more luck: Edson Buddle with bottom-dweller 2.Bundesliga team Ingolstadt.

But our American stars aren't alone. Spanish superstar Fernando Torres scored his first goal for Chelsea this past weekend. This was his first goal after a multi-million dollar move from Liverpool. At one point, Carlos Vela of Mexico (Arsenal) and Kikin Fonseca played eight games for Benfica, scored once, and was sent home packing.

The truth for all these players is clear: form, luck and understanding. Being patient with the ball and passing to team mates enjoying better form. Sometimes it's better to play for smaller teams and, finally, to return to one's homeland. There, they can find and regain form, get the necessary minutes, and compete for spots in the national team. Such isn't the case for Torres. For him it's about warming the bench or biding his time until opportunities and luck return. It may even be better to go back to Atletico. But Chelsea won't give up on him. Not yet. He is a proven goalscorer and his fantasy play can still dazzle. As with most injury bugs, some of these players just require more time. We are, after all, rooting for them to do better and to lite up stadiums and TV screens.

Good luck to all. Come home if necessary. Patience is a virtue.

Photo credits: Getty Images

USA needs a Chicharito

Let's face it. Jozy Altidore isn't the complete answer to the dearth of goals in Team USA's front line. Jozy is a strong, dominant player that creates chances and intimidates the opposing defense. But he doesn't score. Not as much as would be required from a prototypical #9. Further evidence for this is his performance abroad: 1 league goal for Hull City and 1 for Villareal in two years of play. Jozy has been switched to a more standard #11.

You could make a case for Charlie Davies as a #9, but his flame was put out just as he was starting to shine. Landon Donovan isn't the prototypical striker either. He works much more as a creative force and scores vital goals (3 in the 2010 World Cup). This brings us to another point: all the goals in South Africa were scored by midfielders: Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley.

Older, in-form players like Herculez Gomez and Edson Buddle did little at the World Cup, partly because their use was limited by the tactics of the game. Robbie Findley has also failed to convince. So there you have it: no sole striker. No accompaniment for Jozy.

If we look south of the border, things look gloomier for the US. Mexico has a formidable weapon in Javier "el Chicharito" Hernandez and the quiet ascent of Carlos Vela. Hernandez plays for non other than Manchester United while Vela suits up for Arsenal. Impressive stuff. Hernandez scores for Mexico basically every other game. He finds the net easily and is always in the right spot. We can't say the same for any US player except for Donovan.

Another important point is the fact that Hernandez is fairly young (22). Altidore is younger (20) but isn't as productive. This blog post is echoed all across the US soccer media, including MLS itself. There are a couple of new hopes in the horizon: Agudelo, Luis Gil, Jack McInerney. I'm following McInerney intently after seeing him in the U-17 tournament. The kid has spirit and scoring ability. He netted twice for Philadelphia Union this season in an impressive manner. He isn't yet a starter but we are seeing him develop into that fairly quickly. Then there is teammate Danny Mwanga. Mwanga is a DR Congo national but is not yet a citizen. He has scored 7 times in 18 games for the expansion side Union.

Until prospects like McInerney and Mwanga take the field wearing a USA jersey and score frequently, it is safe to assume that USA will be limited in its scoring opportunities. The USA needs a Chicharito. They need one before the Gold Cup next summer and World Cup qualifiers in 2012.