Red Bulls elimminated and the craziness of MLS Playoffs

Photo credit: USA Today

 

For some of us, watching games late at night prior to a day full of work can sometimes be unfeasible. And yet, if for whatever reason you are unable to sleep, you can catch up on the #MLSPlayoff action.

First up was New York's latest bid to make it past the first round of the playoffs. Ever since the inception of Red Bull Arena, the Red Bulls have been unable to win in a playoff match. Last year it was Houston that took away their chance at advancing. Might the same happen this year even though the team was the best in league play and won the Supporter's Shield?

Answer, unfortunately, was yes. Whether it was Jamison Olave's absence or lack of clarity in the final touch, New York was unable to break through Tally Hall's masterful performance and Brad Davis's control of the midfield. An overtime clutch goal by Omar Cummings sent Houston to the next round and New York to continue looking for answers and suffer another setback.

Kansas City versus New England Revolution was a different type of match. It was second place versus third place. Establishment versus youth. Solidity versus experiment. New England pressed and made a statement when they tied the game halfway through the second half. It would have been 3-2 aggregate. But Kansas City had other plans.

Sporting KC was the better team yesterday. Better poise. More atmosphere. A Feilhaber, Nagamura, Zusi midfield that knows how to play attacking football. Deadly strikers in Bieler and Sapong. Peter Vermes played his game and delivered a statement win in overtime thanks to a sublime Bieler strike.

It was Graham Zusi's masterful runs along the flanks and Feilhaber's pinpoint passes that makes the difference for Kansas City. It is a team built around a great, hard working and underrated midfield. Kansas City also has an intimidating stadium that they have to learn to use to their advantage. Another shock loss to Houston like last year's would undo another great campaign just as it did for New York.

The playoffs highlight some of what opponents always argue against: unfair advantage to lower-seeded teams. Any slip-up can mean elimination, no matter how good your squad is. In the end, it is an American institution and for the rest of us the Supporter's Shield remains the true championship trophy and the MLS Cup might remain a cup competition a-la FA Cup. Then again, this counts as the star emblazoned above each team's jersey logo.

Will there be more surprises tonight? Salt Lake and Portland sure hope not. Portland needs to be more cautious in their approach and should try to score as many goals as possible and as early as they can. Seattle will not and cannot back down. Jeld-Wen could make the difference, as could Rio Tinto for RSL. Salt Lake needs to win by two goals while the Galaxy just need a tie. For Portland a tie will also do but being at home gives them a chance to make a statement just like KC did.

Clark Returns: USA defeats Venezuela in friendly

Photo credit: USA Today

A forgettable match for non-die-hard fans. A moment of redemption for a USA original: Ricardo Clark. We may remember him from the World Cup 2010 round of 16 game between USA and Ghana. In that match, an early yellow card for Clark meant he had to be restrained in tackles later in the half. This allowed for Ghana's first goal, as he was out-muscled by Boateng. But today he scored a last-gasp goal in the 97th minute in his first match since that fateful day.

Clark wasn't the lone bright spot today. Geoff Cameron was especially impressive in defense. Feilhaber also enjoyed a good showing and expressed why he should still be in the conversation for the US midfield. Graham Zusi and Brek Shea had their moments, with the latter displaying sporadic instances of brilliance.

In the attack, Wondolowski showed why he may well be on his way to becoming a supersub. He may not be as fast as Agudelo or Altidore or be a possession player like Ching, but he has a good instinct in the penalty area. He was close on more than one occasion, and if it hadn't been for the Venezuelan goalkeeper, Wondo may have scored the game-winner. We didn't however, get a longer look at CJ Sapong. Bunbury did well but had extended periods in which he did not see the ball.

Not much else can be said about the defense or the defensive midfield. Jones did well in his outing as a captain and the yellow card let us know that yes, he's still being Jermaine Jones. Venezuela hardly tested Hamid so we didn't get to see why Klinsmann holds the DC goalkeeper with such high regard.

Player Ratings:

Hamid..................6
Parkhurst.............6
Cameron..............7
Pearce...................6
De la Garza..........6.5
Jones..................6.5
Shea....................7
Zusi.....................6.5
Larentowicz........6.5
Feilhaber............7
Bunbury..............6.5

Subs: Wondolowski (7.5), Sapong (6), Evans (6), Loyd (6), Clark (7.5)

Choosing MLS: Adu and Eddie Johnson

Photo credit: MLS

Freddy Adu made headlines in the American soccer media last when he rejoined MLS and suited up for the Philadelphia Union over the weekend. There was a general applause as the "prodigal son" returned to the stage that saw him rise as a promising young star. This week comes word that Eddie Johnson might also join the league. Things turned sour, however, for "EJ" and now his future in the American league is in peril.

But what does a return to MLS mean to our young soccer stars? For Adu it's a chance to rekindle his talents, which as we saw at the Gold Cup, are just as impressive as US fans had hoped. Adu's insertion into the Union lineup gives coach Nowak significant freedom as far as player combinations and formations. Nowak's team can function in any number of 4-4-2 (diamond or flat) or even in an attacking-minded 4-3-3 with Adu as a withdrawn forward.

Adu has been requested by many fans to rejoin the league mostly because we are all aware of his talents and because the European market grew more and more concerned about his performance. Benfica worked great for the first few months but he soon became surplus. A loan to Monaco meant almost no playing time since the coach saw him only as a fringe player. The same happened with Belenenses. Adu seemed to have found a home at Aris Salonika of Greece but financial troubles meant his loan could not be extended or taken up as a transfer. Freddy finally realized that playing time was more important and Rizespor of the Turkish second division gave him what he needed.

In twitter conversations a few years back I realized how important Adu could be for the game in the United States. He was a "failed star" to the media and critics. Too young to appreciate the game and his talents. Perhaps it was true. But he also had the ability to "run at the defense" and not "run around the defense" like our other prodigy--Donovan--does. Jamie Trecker made this observation.

In MLS, Adu has the freedom to play his way but under the tutelage and boundaries determined by Piotr Nowak, his first professional coach. And let's face it, Donovan also had trouble playing in Europe when he was a young up-and-coming star with the national team. Now Landon is known worldwide and a bone fide star. Adu can do the same by keeping his head cool and focusing on the game. He might one day return to Europe as Donovan did.

There were a couple of other names this season and last that returned from Europe to play in MLS. Jay DeMerrit had his time in the old continent and did the most with it. Benny Feilhaber, a mainstay with Bob Bradley, also saw his time in Europe come to an abrupt end when his team was relegated. He has had a quiet but active time with New England this season.

There have also been a few snubs towards MLS. DaMarcus Beasley, for one, chose to join the Mexican Primera instead of his home country. Games are still more competitive there due to the history of each team and the established style of play. How do we take this? I say it's just a player looking to do something different in a new league. I don't think it "makes MLS look bad" that he chooses not to play in the United States.

The latest MLS returnee, Eddie Johnson, was set to undergo the league allocation utilized to evenly distribute national team players throughout the various teams. Many fans [and media] were glad to see another special player return to America. Johnson played only sparingly for Fulham (owner of his rights) and had stints at Cardiff City and Aris Salonika. But just today it was revealed that no deal had been reached, perhaps due to his requested salary, and that he would ultimately not join the league. What does this mean for the league? Potentially the loss of another talented American. For Johnson it may mean fighting for minutes in Europe unless the team he joins makes him a starter.

It is increasingly visible that MLS is becoming a great option not just for experienced players but also for former American stars in the league. Stars like Adu and Feilhaber are able to further develop by playing their trade in an increasingly more competitive domestic league. For Adu, his age and talent increases his chances of one day playing in a big team. But is this necessary? Players like Donovan have proven it's not necessary to leave MLS to become American soccer stars.

The rise of the American midfield

Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, DaMarcus Beasley, Clint Dempsey, Stuart Holden, Jose Francisco Torres, Alejandro Bedoya, Benny Feilhaber. A star-studded cast. All have seen significant time in European leagues (and excelled) as well as Mexico (Torres). They are all starters in their clubs (Donovan with Everton earlier in 2010). They also score. At the World Cup. If Jozy and company failed to deliver, the midfield stepped up.

Beasley may be on his way out and Ricardo Clark has seen his stardom fade after a silly mistake cost the USA Ghana's first goal in the round of 16 at this year's World Cup. The same goes for Freddy Adu and Sacha Kljestan. Incoming is German-born Jermaine Jones, recently pledged allegiance to the USA (his father is American). Jones is a regular for Shalke 04 of the German Bundesliga and featured in the youth German teams.

It is quite fortuitous to have such a wide array of players in this position. It's also a bit of a hassle when it comes to choosing the best. Why? Because they are all potential starters. Would you sit out Donovan, Bradley, Dempsey or Edu? Maybe, depending on the opposing team and the situation. Adding Jones to the mix further complicates matters (for good and for bad). Jones is more of a holding midfielder with scoring capacity (much like Bradley and Edu). Unless a 4-3-2-1 Christmas Tree formation is adopted (with Jones-Bradley-Edu), one of the three will need to sit out. Add to this the attacking mids (Donovan, Dempsey, Holden, Feilhaber and Torres) and your choice for the next two will also likely depend on the game situation.

It's true that we wish our attackers (especially Altidore) would start scoring, but the midfield has more than made up for it. Donova scored 3 key goals in the World Cup, with Dempsey adding the tying tally against England and Bradley playing the hero in the hard-fought 2-2 tie versus Slovenia. Oh, let's not forget the dubious call on Edu's game-winning goal that wasn't. And these guys also score for their clubs on a regular basis. Feilhaber, for example, has scored 6 goals in the past two weeks for his Danish club Aalborg. Bradley, Jones, Bedoya and Dempsey have all scored at least once in the past month. Edu has been dangerous, as has Holden.

It is an interesting predicament for Bradley, especially given that only Dempsey and Donovan can be shifted to a striker role if necessary. We are at a crossroads with the national team. Player development has stalled in the striker role and the defensive techniques require some serious revision. We will have a look at Aston Villa fringe player Eric Lichaj. He, along with Tim ream and Omar Gonzales (both not available for the October friendlies) appear to be the start of a rejuvenated defense. Adding the also-young Jonathan Spector rounds up potential future starters. Onyewu is always in serious contention, as is Bornstein. Bocanegra and Cherundolo are likely to be slowly phased out.

It is in our midfield that the future of the national team is brightest. Edu can also play defense if needed. But we can't rely on Donovan, Bradley and Dempsey to come to the rescue if Howard is left alone or if Altidore and the rest of the striker force is unable to crack the opposing goal. The midfield is the engine of a team but all other pieces must step up in order for the machine to work.

Robbed: US ties Slovenia

It started like any other US match: USA starts slow, timid and uncreative. Opposing squad scores an early goal by way of Birsa. It wasn't doom and gloom yet and Donovan, Torres, Findley and Altidore attacked. That's when it hit home... a second Slovenian goal courtesy of Ljubijankic. Why? Torres wasn't tracking back to the defensive mid position required when given the chance in substitute of Ricardo Clark. His understanding with Bradley was missing and didn't echo what was gained from the Turkey friendly in Philadelphia. Onyewu also showed signs that he may not be fully fit yet.

But Bradley fought back as he always does. He switched Edu for Torres (I wish Edu had been there from the start versus England also) and inserted Feilhaber for Findley. Yes, we lost a pure forward. Not so fast... Dempsey can slide into that position (same as against Egypt last summer). There, he can provide a creative spark and a moment of brilliance or two. The response was immediate: Donovan slipped past a sliding defender for a run on the right wing and delivered a shocker of a goal from an impossible angle that the goalkeeper shied away from as if spooked by a mouse.

Gritty American soccer followed Donovan's goal. And by gritty, we also mean attacking football. Altidore sparked into life and used his size to win balls and draw fouls. A masterful center from Donovan almost from midfield was headed down cleverly by Altidore and met a one-time strike from Michael Bradley. The score was tied.

America was back and it might just be a win for the Stars and Stripes. Donovan took a perfect free kick that lobbed into the 6 yard box, where Maurice Edu buried it in the back of the net. But the referee disagreed. A phantom call. Was it offsides? Who? Only Edu touched the ball and he was several yards behind the last defender. A foul? Hustle and tussle from both teams as with any free kick into the area... and Edu barely made contact with his marking man. A robbery indeed. America lost two points today and it wasn't because Slovenia was better. It was because of amateur refereeing. When will FIFA allow for goal line refs at least?

It's sad to admit it, but the US always looks better when coming from behind. Just remember important matches like the 2007 Gold Cup final (down 0-1 to Mexico, final score 2-1), World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador (twice and one time from being 0-2 down), Honduras (at home and away from 0-1) and Costa Rica (0-2). Oh, a little game against England last Saturday. Why can't we have more of the 2-0 versus Spain (Confederations Cup) or 3-1 versus Australia (friendly). It is a continuous disappointment, followed by exhilaration and then a continuous heart attack as we pray the match can end in a favorable draw or an improbable win.

Today we watched most of the game but settled for a half hour of radio coverage. We still screamed in joy as our team scored. Other American fans were celebrating in pubs from Chicago to Seattle and living rooms from Cleveland to Phoenix. And better yet, the majority of fans at the stadium were cheering for the USA. That's the real win today. Welcome, soccer. America is ready for you.

Wednesday's test will be stiff. Algeria tied a top-ranked English team and is still alive for a spot in the round of 16. The USA needs to win, plain and simple. Hopefully Bradley will have learned his lesson and we will take over the field to book a spot in the next round. The team deserves it. The country deserves it.



Player ratings:

• Howard-----------6
• Bocanegra--------6.5
• DeMerrit---------5
• Onyewu----------4.5
• Cherundolo-------7
• Dempsey---------5.5
• Bradley-----------7
• Torres------------4
• Donovan----------7.5
• Altidore-----------6
• Findley-----------3.5

Subs: Feilhaber (6), Edu (6.5), Gomez (N/A)

The starters: US vs Turkey

The US came from behind to defeat Turkey by 2-1 in front of 55,000 at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. This was supposed to be a match for the starters. Kljestan, Bedoya, Ching, Rogers, Pearce and Johnson had all been dropped since Wednesday. It was time to see who would start in the back. Would it be Bornstein on the left and Onyewu returning to the central position? What about the midfield? Clark or Edu? Torres or Feilahber? And who do we pair with Altidore?

A surprising formation from Bob Bradley with a 4-5-1 with Altidore alone up top and a withdrawn Dempsey right behind him. Feilhaber and Donovan also roaming from mid to forward. Clark and Michael Bradley cleaning up the middle. Bocanegra at left back (expect to see him there in two weeks), Goodson and DeMerrit in the middle and Spector at right back. It didn't work. Howard was furious with his defenders, including Spector, whose incursion forward generated a Turkish counter that opened the score in their favor.

Yes, Spector's place should have been covered by Clark. But the team looked shaky for most of the first half and, if it wasn't for Howard, could have been down by a lot more. Enter Findley fro Feilaber, Torres for Clark, Onyewu for Goodson and Cherundolo for Spector. New team. New attitude. Dempsey retreats to a diamond formation center midfield/forward, Findley roams around as a second striker, Torres defends and attacks alongside Bradley and the back line is solidified. What follows is ball possession for the Americans and scores by two of its prominent strikers: Dempsey and Altidore. Dempsey got to play like he sometimes does with Fulham. Donovan drifted forward also, providing assists on both tallies. Torres feeds Donovan, Dempsey and Findley.

Findley's inclusion in this team was quite a surprise for US followers, including myself. Yesterday he showed us why Bradley picked him. He adds spark and speed late in the game when it's needed. He isn't worried about scoring as a starting forward. He and Gomez make excellent supersubs. Holden is another great option on the left flank, as is Beasley. You have to wonder what will happen with the forward position. Out of this came we have two probable changes: Edu for Clark and Torres/Beasley/Holden for Feilhaber. Expect Cherundolo to take over the right back position. Onyewu may take over for Goodson. Buddle may get the nod up top with Jozy.

Australia is a worthy opponent and the next game is in South Africa, on neutral ground, and a week before the US debuts against England. A last chance to see our probable starters for the World Cup.

US vs Honduras: Bad start in a World Cup year

Yes, those were not the starters. Yes, there was an ejection 17 minutes into the game that also led to Honduras' first goal. No, this isn't how World Cup preparation starts, not at home and certainly not against a "weaker" foe. Let's not forget that this group of players has been training for almost three weeks.

So what does this 1-3 loss mean? For one, it's our defense. If last summer during the Gold Cup we fielded reserve players that fell apart in the final match against Mexico (0-5, by the way) then last night we saw just how shallow our group of players is. Of all defenders on the pitch yesterday, only Goodson showed he could play in the World Cup. Conrad failed horribly early in the game and was rightfully ejected. Marshall looked weak in the central defense and didn't make a case for himself. Bornstein once again disappeared and continued his tendency for streaky game.

Of the midfield only Feilhaber can be considered a potential starter or sub in South Africa. But still, Rogers and Kljestan are possible selections by Bob Bradley as substitutes. Beckerman once again failed to make an impression. Up top, Robbie Findley looked lonely following Conrad's ejection. Casey couldn't do much when subbed in.

Let's remember who isn't playing: Holden, Donovan, Dempsey, Howard, Bocanegra, Onyewu, DeMerrit, Jozy, Davies, Clark, Beasley, Edu. Also, let's remember who may not be in full capacity for the tournament: Davies, Onyewu, Dempsey. Davies could be replaced by Donovan or Dempsey up top, but if those players remain in the midfield, our chances drop to Casey, Cunningham, Findley, Pontius(?). Dempsey is tough to replace since he brings flashes of glory (3 goals in the Confederations Cup, two game-clinchers). Still, Holden or Beasley (if in form) may be able to cover for him. Onyewu's absence is a bit more dangerous. The AC Milan central defender is a key figure with Bocanegra and right now only DeMerrit may be able to cover for him.

And what about Jermaine Jones? He's still injured, but if injuries continue to plague the national team, then his chances may be rising. At this point, if Adu and Eddie Johnson do a good job in Greece, we could start counting on them in the 23-man squad.

Last night was a rough start. A rocky beginning for a make-or-break year in US Soccer. Let's see if the team is able to rebound from this game against El Salvador in Tampa next month (again with all-MLS players). And then, let's hope our first team (with European players) can do a good job versus Holland in Amsterdam on March 3.

Red card USA: National team almost out of Confederations Cup

Red cards, red cards, red cards. A 3-0 loss against a classy, albeit not awesome Brazil. What went wrong? Everything. If the game against Italy was a steal (not a red card for Clark, no reds for two Italian offenses) and a dignified game for most of the squad, then today's game made us look more like New Zealand or Canada in the last Confederations Cup. DeMerrit and Bornstein were often beaten whilst Spector (he should keep the job) and Onyewu held their own. I'm not sure why B. Bradley would start Beasley and Kljestan in favor of Feilhaber, Torres or even Adu. He had his reasons, and although I thought Beasley had a chance to redeem himself, he once again showed why his place with the nats may be expiring.

I'm also questioning players' ability to show off for European teams. Besides Landon Donovan and Oguchi Onyewu I don't think the rest of the group merits a second look. Let's hope the Egypt game goes better for our national team. Pride alone is at stake. No red cards please. For once, as much as it pains me, I have to side with Trecker.

Player ratings:
Howard....5
Spector....4.5
Onyewu....5
DeMerrit....4
Bornstein....4
Beasley...3
Kljestan....2
Donovan...5
Dempsey...5
Altidore...4
subs: Feilhaber (6), Casey (5)

Benny's return and Boca the hero: USA-Honduras

It was a nail biting experience. Down in the first 5 minutes at home versus a rising Honduran team in front of an unfriendly crowd. Wait, I thought this was a home game. Nope. Not when you have your players play an important qualifying match in a major city, easily accessible, to a crowd with significant presence in the United States. It was 0-1 on the scoreboard in Chicago.

But this was different. No Marvell Wynne to leave open spaces, no Beasley in an unnatural left back position, no Bradley or Torres in midfield and, again, no Ching. Instead we had Conor Casey (top scorer in MLS at the moment and with Bundesliga experience) with Altidore. Spector did his job at right back (although the position is still up for grabs), Bornstein cleaned it up on the left side and Clark was surprisingly strong in the defensive midfield.

As the first half wound down it was a Donovan penalty for a well deserved tied score at halftime. Then came the spark of Benny Feilhaber (Aarthus, Denmark), substituting an absent Mastroeni. Things started to roll again. I was cheering for Benny to score another stunner in Chicago, as he did in 2007's Gold Cup in the final against Mexico, but instead we got tremendous possession and play as a creative role in the middle of the pitch. I highlight him because of all the bad press he has gotten for the past 2 years after two injuries and bad form. He just plain showed why he deserves a spot in the current squad when veterans like Mastroeni are down or yellow card fears impose a change on the field. Benny was there for it and should remain in contention for a supersub at worst.

Finally, let's rewind to the game winner... A corner kick, always an important weapon in the Americans' arsenal, a re-centering of the corner by Dempsey, and an opportunistic head-dive by Captain America Carlos Bocanegra. Never mind the fact that he could have been injured by the defender, or the fact that he actually did get injured later in the game. It was a goal. The (American) crowds went wild and South Africa looked a step closer. More so with Mexico's defeat at El Salvador. The US is now in second place with 10 points, 2 behind Costa Rica, 5 clear of 3rd place El Salvador. This qualifying round will be down to the last game, it looks, and there may still be a game against a South American team for the final play-off. This could be true for Mexico or even the US. Ouch.

Player rankings:
Howard...7
Spector....6.5
Onyewu....6.5
Bocanegra....7.5
Bornstein....6.5
Dempsey....7
Donovan....7.5
Mastroeni...4
Clark...6.5
Casey...6
Altidore....6
Subs... Beasley (N/A), Feilhaber (7), DeMerrit (6)