Tottenham - Chelsea: An American Chelsea supporter at a London derby

I awoke in a cozy house in a suburb of London feeling rather stiff. Sleeping on a floor will have that effect on a person. This particular floor belonged to the grandmother of one of the six classmates that were accompanying me on this journey. We were a group of Americans studying in France for the fall semester. We had taken advantage of our fall break to do some traveling; spending a few nights in Dublin before catching a luxurious Ryanair flight over to London Stansted (which really is London in name only). The Grandmother’s house was only a temporary stop for us. Our real destination was London itself, city of red buses and a million Premier League teams. As we left the house I apologized one last time for breaking a very old looking vase/trophy type of thing the night before when I accidentally knocked it off its perch with my (stuffed to capacity) backpack. It was the sort of item that you would only find in a British person’s home. It was old enough and stoic enough that one might suspect it had at one time belonged to King Arthur or even Elton John.  The grandmother told me that I mustn’t worry about it as she shooed me out the door. The last thing she yelled to us as we were walking to the train station was “make sure you get the fast train.” As if we knew how to do that.

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It was a crisp and comfortable autumn day. The sky was blue and the clouds were white. A juxtaposition of two starkly different colors battling for domination of the horizon. My jacket wasn’t really necessitated by the temperature, but I needed it for another reason. My jacket was needed to cover up the Chelsea shirt I was wearing. Such a shirt wouldn’t be welcomed where I was going. It would make me a small cloud of blue in an intimidating sky of white.

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Within an hour we were rolling into St. Pancras station. I don’t know whether it was the fast train or slow train that we rode in, but it got the job done. This was where I would part ways from my traveling companions and head out on my own. I was headed to White Hart Lane, the historic ground of Tottenham Hotspur. I would be going to the Tottenham – Chelsea derby, the hottest ticket in town. This was not my first London football match, but I was still nervous that the day may not go completely smoothly for me. My only other match experience was at Stamford Bridge, a stadium that is very easy to get to and one at which I support the home team. This was going to be a completely different monster.

My journey from St.Pancras to White Hart Lane went awry before it even got started. The Victoria line was closed in the direction I needed to go. Having not considered this possibility, I didn’t have an alternate route planned out. I was just starting to panic when I saw two tough-looking guys in Tottenham shirts read the closed sign and start to head off in another direction. I checked that my jacket was fully zipped and then started after them. They agreed to let me go with them to the match, but they seemed far from enthusiastic about having a clueless American tagging along. After a convoluted series of underground and bus rides that I certainly wouldn’t have been able to navigate on my own, we arrived at a buzzing White Hart Lane. 

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The area was certainly a departure from most of what I had seen in London. The neighborhood surrounding the stadium seemed to be a rough one, but I didn’t mind. It only added to the character of the place. From the outside the stadium was unremarkable yet at the same time elegant in its simplicity and pragmatism.

As I wedged myself through the remarkably narrow turnstiles I was buzzing with excitement. Chelsea had put together a superb start to the campaign, winning six and drawing once in the first seven matches to sit comfortably atop the table. A win at a fierce rival’s stadium would put Chelsea in absolute prime position. Tottenham would not be slouches though. They too had started the season in impressive fashion and entered the match tied for 4^th.

I took my seat in the third row of the Chelsea supporters section and watched warm-ups as the stadium slowly filled. Just before kickoff a murmur went through our section. Garreth Bale would be missing the match. His wife had just gone into labor. I was of mixed emotions. On one hand Bale’s absence boosted Chelsea’s chances of winning, but on the other hand I missed out on a chance to see Tottenham’s best player and future 100 million dollar man.

As the game began both sets of supporters were in full voice. We hit them early and often with “We know what we are, we know what we are, Champions of Europe, we know what we are.” We traded chants until Gary Cahill hit a fantastic volley off of a corner that flew off the crossbar and into the net. We went mental and the Spurs fans went silent. Chelsea held the lead for the remainder of the first half and we basked in the glory.

Tottenham came out flying in the second half. A goal by William Gallas of all people barely a minute into the half pulled Spurs level. Tottenham continued to dominate and within five minutes they had gone up 2-1. The noise level deafening. 35,000 screaming fans pointed at us and jeered at us and reveled in our disappointment. It was simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating to be among the few outsiders in what had quickly become a cauldron of passion. The slow, haunting “When the Spurs go marching in” rang out across the ground. It really was an amazing thing to experience, but I’m glad it didn’t stay that way.

Juan Mata brought our agony to an abrupt halt when maybe ten minutes later he slotted a shot into the bottom corner. 2-2, game on. Hardly three minutes later, Mata was played through by some fantastic passing combinations. A lunging Brad Friedel never really had a chance at stopping the shot, and it was suddenly 3-2 Chelsea. It was madness in the Chelsea section, complete chaos. Screaming, jumping, and hugging strangers were the natural reactions. Mata sprinted to our corner to celebrate with us, looking into the crowd while pumping his fists and screaming. I swear we made eye contact.

The next 25 minutes were as tense as any sporting event I have ever been to. We all wanted so badly for Chelsea to hold on to win. We expressed our will by singing Chelsea mainstays like “Blue is the Color,” “Carefree,” and the classic family-friendly “John Terry Has Won the Double.” There were a few close calls, but we made it to stoppage time with the lead intact.

The Juan Mata Show decided that one more act was in order to seal the deal. Mata stripped a helpless Kyle Walker of the ball deep in the Spurs half before slipping a cross to Daniel Sturridge who tapped the ball into a gaping net for the insurance marker. 4-2. Pure euphoria. The last few minutes were a like a party in the Chelsea section. It was a dream win and a dream start to the season. Chelsea topped the table by a wide margin. We felt invincible, team and fans alike. The Spurs supporters had gone silent, and we were sure to point it out: “It’s so quiet, it’s so quiet, it’s so quiet at the Lane.”

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After the match I met back up with my soccer-ignorant friends. “Was the game fun?” asked one of them. I started to think of how I could explain to them what I had witnessed and been a part of, but I realized it was a hopeless cause. “Yeah, I guess you could say that,” I said.

RyTof and JD: Altiscore Strikes Again

JD: The USMNT kept the win streak rolling with an exciting win over Bosnia and Hertz Rent-a-Car. Klinsmann patched together a lineup of Europe-based players and for some reason Eddie Johnson. I guess other MLS players like Besler, Gonzalez, and Zusi must be so firmly entrenched in Jurgen’s lineup that he didn’t bother flying them over.

RyTof: Eddie Johnson isn’t that bad. Last World Cup, Bradley paired Altidore up with Robbie Findley for the majority of the time, simply for the sake of Findley’s pace.  Johnson is fast, but also big and strong, much better than any of the three strikers not named Altidore the USA utilized in South Africa. Gomez, Buddle, Findley.

JD: Eddie Johnson is probably wishing he hadn’t been flown in for this one either, because despite his (Bradley and Altidore fueled) goal he had a pretty bad game. Meanwhile newcomer Aron Johannsson looked electric and Jozy Altidore was about as good as we have ever seen a forward in a U.S. shirt.

RyTof:  Aron Johannsson was impressive, and there could be a future for Brooks in the back line if Besler and Gonzalez don’t prove to be long term answers, even though Bosnia’s last goal was a result of a little folly by Brooks. Kljestan had a good game I thought during his time in the match, spotting Bradley making a thirty yard run up the field to set up the Yanks’ final goal.

JD: Johannsson seems like a dynamite pickup for the US. I would love to see him pair with Altidore in a few of these upcoming qualifiers, at least as a sub. Brooks is an exciting up-and-comer who seems to have a lot of potential. As we all know center back is currently a very weak position for the USMNT, so we could really use him. Honestly I didn’t have much of an issue with the way he defended Dzeko on that goal. It was a great play by a world class player.

RyTof: Brooks could end up being very solid. He’s only twenty years old, so I don’t see him being up to starting in the next World Cup, but beyond that, who knows? Back to Kljestan though, I don’t think he’s ever gotten enough of a chance to be an important player in the USMNT. Why does Kyle Beckerman have nearly as many senior team caps as Sacha? Look at the players in the 2010 World Cup side that occupied the spot Kljestan would have. Ricardo Clark? Maurice Edu? Kljestan’s been playing well with Anderlecht, one of the top clubs in the Belgium league, and just recently signed an extension with them.

JD: I have been satisfied with Kljestan’s recent showings for the Nats. I don’t have nearly the infatuation with him that you do, but I do think he is a good guy to have a round. I don’t see him as an A team starter barring a serious rash of injuries, but he is definitely a good depth player. He should be on the World Cup team. Let’s talk about the real star of this Bosnia game though, Jozy Altidore.

RyTof: Three goals, cool. I love to see him playing well, but I’m not going to get too excited. He played great in 2009, and in the 2010 World Cup America’s strikers didn’t score a single goal. Hope it doesn’t happen again this time around. Maybe he just worked great with Charlie Davies. I wonder how the scope of USA soccer would look if Stuart Holden and Charlie Davies hadn’t had their career ruined by injuries. I imagine they’d both be starting for the National Team.

JD: Really, you’re going to dismiss his recent accomplishments because of a bad tournament he had three years ago? Altidore didn’t just have three goals, they were three quality goals. He also added a nice assist. He has now scored in each of his last five games for the USMNT, the longest streak ever by a US player. Altidore had a monster season for AZ Alkmaar last year which earned him a transfer to Sunderland. If you can’t see a difference between current Altidore and 2010 Altidore I don’t know what to tell you. He has clearly developed a lot as a player in recent years which is to be expected for a player in his early twenties. If anything Altidore’s success shows the danger of getting down on young players and writing them off before they fully develop. 

Rytof and JD: Gonzalez gets DP'd

RyTof: Omar Gonzalez recently became the third ever defender in the history of Major League Soccer to sign as a Designated Player, following Torsten Frings and Rafael Marquez.

JD: Hopefully he doesn’t become as much of a villain to the USMNT as those two guys.

RyTof: The terms of the deal have not yet been announced, but it is expected the best defender in the country would be awarded with a lucrative contract. Gonzalez is the first American defender to sign as a Designated Player, and has played in all six of the United States recent World Cup Qualifying matches.

JD: It is probably going to be a big contract considering he reportedly had offers from around the world to choose from. He has a huge impact for the Galaxy when he is on the field. The numbers speak for themselves: the club wins 62.7% of available points when he plays compared to 39.6% without him. Great move for LA to lock him up.

RyTof: I care about the National team much more than any club team in the world, and this isn’t what is best for the National team. Gonzalez is already the best defender in the league, as evidenced by the fact that he’s the only back liner to be tagged as a Designated Player. He should be off to a stronger league with his sights set on becoming one of the best center backs in the world. I don’t see him getting a whole lot better than he already is without stronger opposition to push him.

JD: I too would have liked to see him go to Europe to challenge himself and improve as a player, so we agree there. Going to big leagues in Europe can really help a player as long as he is getting playing time. Just look at what Europe has done for Bradley, Dempsey, and Altidore, the USMNT’s three best players at the moment. All three have vastly improved as players due to challenging yet comfortable club situations. I’m not as confident as you are that Gonzalez is the best defender in the league, but that’s an argument for another time.

RyTof: I would have liked to see the Galaxy acquire one of the big stars they’ve been linked to, such as Lampard or Kaka. Those players would be instrumental in the midfield, and even if they couldn’t still keep Gonzalez, he would gain valuable experience overseas, beneficial to the National Team. As far as the Galaxy are concerned, they have a fair amount of defenders on their bench that could handle Gonzalez’s vacancy: Kofi Opare, Lenardo, Tommy Meyer. I think the club could have been better off signing a bigger name.

JD: The Galaxy made the right choice in keeping Gonzalez, from a purely soccer perspective. I already showed the numbers, Galaxy are a much better team with Gonzalez on the field. If those other defenders are so great why can’t they get the job done when Gonzalez is out? The MLS isn’t Harlem Globetrotters exhibition league, it’s not all about big names and offense. Results are what is important and defenders are vital to getting good results. I don’t have any problem with a defender getting DP’d.

Three to Watch at the Gold Cup

With the Gold Cup already underway, the US enter the fray on Tuesday against the 130^th team in the FIFA rankings, Belize. Also joining the Yanks in group C are the more formidable Cuba and Costa Rica. Though the US roster is a very different one from the one that took part in the June World Cup qualifiers, there are several players who US fans should be keeping an eye on during the tournament.

Landon Donovan

You know, the one who scores for Everton and beats up Mexicans. The question now is can he still do those things. Jurgen Klinsmann and Donovan have not had the warmest relationship from the get go and whatever tension was there was only exacerbated when Donovan decided maybe soccer wasn’t for him and took a break from the game this winter. Klinsmann came off as a bit stubborn when he refused to add Donovan to the June’s roster even when he was left without many options at right midfield, a position which Donovan can comfortably play.

This tournament presents an opportunity for Donovan to force Klinsmann to make him a USMNT mainstay once again. Donovan looked impressive while scoring two goals and adding an assist in the 6-0 friendly win over Guatemala. Of course a good performance in a friendly against a weak Guatemala side doesn’t exactly signal the return of Landon Donovan, but it also isn’t a bad sign. Consistent solid performances in the Gold Cup should be enough to plant Landy Cakes firmly back in the lineup. In my opinion Donovan still has plenty to offer to the US, especially at Brazil 2014. After all, he is all-American.

Stuart Holden

As those of you who read my first blog post know, I’m a bit of a Stu Holden fan. I think if he hadn’t been cut down by an unfortunate series of injuries he would easily be one of the top US players right now. Holden proved himself as a viable USMNT player at the 2009 Gold Cup so it would be fitting for him to re-emerge so to speak at this tournament, four years after he burst onto the scene.

Holden has shown during his career that he has the talent to be a top player both at the Premier League and international level. The question that he needs to answer now is whether he can return to that level after suffering multiple serious injuries. Like Donovan, Holden turned in a solid performance in the friendly win over Guatemala. The entire game changed for the better when Holden and Mix Diskerud were subbed in at halftime. They paired together so well in the center of the midfield that the US was able to net five second half goals.

Holden needs to get as many minutes as possible during the Gold Cup. This tournament will be a great chance for Holden to get his match fitness back since he did not play a ton during the club season after returning from injury. Depending on how well he plays in future matches, Holden could potentially crack the starting lineup in Brazil. It won’t be easy though since he would probably have to be replacing Jermaine Jones, a favorite of Klinsmann’s. Still, this Gold Cup should be a good indicator to fans regarding Holden’s future with the national team.

Jack McInerney

The 20 year-old forward is having himself quite a season for the Philadelphia Union, having already scored 10 goals in 17 games. Unlike the other two players, McInerney has no prior experience with the USMNT. He also may not see much of the field during the tournament, with several veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. Regardless, McInerney offers US fans a lot to be excited about. He is a very intelligent player with a nose for goal, something the USMNT has been in need of for a long time. He has already displayed a natural ability for being in the right place at the right time and finishing his chances.

 McInerney seems to have the potential to be a goal scorer at the international level, already drawing comparisons to Chicharito. I don’t expect McInerney to be a factor in Brazil, but the thinking about the kind of player he could be in the next cycle is exciting. Imagining a forward pairing of Altidore with his pure athleticism and strength and McInerney with his innate poaching ability is the stuff of dreams. I expect we will see McInerney at some point during the Gold Cup. Hopefully he will give us a glimpse of the future.

Though the US roster is for the most part a B team, I still think they will do quite well in the tournament. With Mexico already losing the US have to be the clear favorites and there is no reason they shouldn’t live up to the billing.

9 for 9 in June?

A week after a thorough win over Panama, the US looks to continue its good run of form tonight in an important match against Honduras. I know that every the last two matches have also been labeled by the pundits as very important, but I can assure you that there is no hyperbole at play here. At this stage of World Cup qualifying every match is crucial and they only increase in importance as the hexagonal continues.

Honduras is currently clinging to fourth place, which would put them in a playoff with New Zealand for all the marbles. Honduras has Panama breathing down their neck and is within striking distance of Mexico and Costa Rica. The Hondurans will undoubtedly be doing all they can to get at least a point from this match. Honduras will no doubt look to their 2-1 win over the Americans in the opening game of the hexagonal as proof that they can pull out another three points.

Whatever Honduras tells themselves, tonight’s match will not be the same as the last time these teams met. The Honduras team that enters the field tonight will be one that has been depleted by injuries, suspensions, and egos. Two players are out with injuries, two are suspended, and one has left the team over a disagreement with coach Luis Suarez (no, not that Luis Suarez).

On the other end of the spectrum is the US. The US team will be at full strength with the exception of DaMarcus Beasley, who will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation. Beasley’s likely replacement at left back seems to be Edgar Castillo. Graham Zusi will likely be back in the lineup to take his spot back from Eddie Johnson and Jermaine Jones should be available to resume his role at CM after missing the Panama match due to a mild concussion. Other than those three changes  I presume Klinsmann will stick with what has been successful recently.

The US should not be afraid to come into this game with confidence, but they also should not take a win for granted. Honduras still has dangerous players like Roger Espinoza and Mario Martinez who could give the US problems. Still, if the US show up to play and take care of their business, there is no reason they should not comfortably win. Doing so would put them in a place that would require an epic choke in order to not make the World Cup ( 16 points was good enough for third in 2006 and 2010 and the US still has a home fixture with cellar-dwelling Jamaica). Losing this match would not be at all apocalyptic for the US, but it would set off serious warning sirens. I don’t see that happening though. 2-0 USA.

US cruises to the top of the Hex

Despite an injury, a suspension, and a playing surface that left something to be desired, the USMNT turned in perhaps their most complete performance of the Klinsmann era on Tuesday. Seattle turned out a wildly pro-US crowd that provided outstanding atmosphere and energy throughout the entire match. The US looked comfortable in all areas and a win never really seemed in doubt.

The USSF will surely feel vindicated after much questioning from the media about the decision to host an important qualifier on a temporary grass pitch. The field didn't seem to be as much of an issue as some thought it would be, though there was at least one notable slip by a Panamanian player while in a fairly dangerous attacking position. Ultimately the decision to hold the match in Seattle paid off, with the stellar support offered by the 40,000-plus in attendance outweighing the below average field conditions.

Michael Bradley was the man of the match for my money, distributing pass after pass and making several high-speed runs that gave Panama problems. Bradley seemed to be playing in a more attacking position with his counterpart Cameron more comfortable to stay back in a CDM role. Hopefully Klinsmann will have noted how successful Bradley can be when given the chance to get forward more. I would like to see Klinsmann instruct Jones to sit in a defensive position similar to the one Cameron played so that Bradley may continue to create on the attack.

Jozy Altidore turned in another impressive performance, netting a goal in his third straight game. He used speed and strength to create opportunities for himself and was clearly brimming witgeh confidence throughout the game. In addition to his goal he drew what seemed to be a clear penalty in the first half but it was not granted by the referee. Altidore has clearly been able to transfer his red hot club form over to international duty, and it has the US scoring goals at an impressive rate. If this Altidore that we have been seeing is the new norm, the US should continue to be a high-scoring team.

The biggest concern recently has been the lackluster play of the back four. They got a chance to respond to the doubters on Tuesday and they did a fine job of it. The US managed to keep its first clean sheet since the Azteca game and did so without requiring anything too spectacular from Tim Howard. Panama had five goals in four games of hex play heading into this one, but the US back line seemed comfortable all night and was never overwhelmed.

Tuesday's win puts the US in a dream position through five games of qualifying. If the US can deliver a repeat performance and get the three points next week against Honduras there will be little doubt that they would in fact be headed to Brazil, as the fans in Seattle were proclaiming in the second half of Tuesday's win. They would be in a position to possibly mathematically lock up qualification in September against Costa Rico or Mexico.

Preview of Tuesday's CONCACAF Action

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Costa Rica 4 2 1 1 5 3 +2 7 United States 4 2 1 1 4 3 +1 7 Mexico 5 1 4 0 3 2 +1 7 Panama 4 1 3 0 5 3 +2 6 Honduras 4 1 1 2 4 6 −2 4 Jamaica 5 0 2 3 2 6 −4 2

(Wikipedia.org)

This is what the hex looks like as we near the halfway point. The results of tonight’s matches will have major bearing on how each team feels about their qualification chances going forward.

8:00| Mexico v. Costa Rica| Estadio Azteca| ESPN

Mexico expect three points every time they step on the field at Azteca. The surprising thing is that they have yet to manage a home victory in this round of qualifying, playing to scoreless draws against both Jamaica and the US. El Tri will be looking to restore balance to the universe by re-establishing what is typically a three-point -fortress for them. A draw or loss would not be lethal for Mexico, but it would be a real setback considering they have played one more game than the other teams (with the exception of floundering Jamaica) and will be sitting out the next matchday.  

Costa Rica on the other hand would be thrilled to repeat the Azteca performances of Jamaica and the US and escape with a draw. Los Ticos have positioned themselves well through the first four matches of the hex. They could absorb a loss at Azteca and still be in could shape. A draw or, Chicharito forbid, a win at Azteca would have Costa Rica sitting pretty to cruise to World Cup qualification.

Prediction: 1-0 win for Mexico

9:00|Honduras v. Jamaica| Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

This match has the makings of a wide open affair as both teams are in desperate need of a win. Honduras have been poor on the road and are at risk of slipping into a big hole if they drop points in this one. Jamaica have already all but played themselves out of contention for World Cup 2014. A string of poor home results leaves the Reggae Boys on the brink of elimination. Realistically they are a very long shot to get in at this point, but a win would at least allow Jamaica to keep things interesting for a while longer.

Prediction: 2-1 win for Honduras

10:00|USA v. Panama|Century Link Field| ESPN

The US is in a good position through four games of hexagonal play. They emerged from the toughest part of their schedule with seven points to their name. A decent performance saw the US capture their first ever win in Jamaica last time out. Despite that positive result there are real concerns for the Americans heading into this game.

A head injury to Jermaine Jones and a suspension to Graham Zusi due to yellow card accumulation mean that the US will need to scrounge for replacements for two key players in the Jamaica win. Zusi played well on the right side, setting up Jozy Altidore’s 30^th minute goal. Jermaine Jones was his typical self, breaking up opposition attacks in the midfield and providing a shield to a back that has been repeatedly exposed as fragile.

The inexperienced (with one obvious exception) backline of Beasley-Besler-Gonzalez-Evans that we are likely to see has done anything but look solid. In the same vein, Tim Howard has been rather mediocre during this recent stint of games. It would be nice to see a vintage Howard performance tonight and watch him make some big saves to preserve a clean sheet (though it would be nicer if he didn’t have to).

Joe Corona seems to be a possible candidate to replace Zusi out on the right. Corona is a talented player who I think does have much potential, but the fact remains that he has almost no experience on the international stage. With Corona only having three caps to his name, it is uncertain whether Klinsmann will have the confidence in him to choose him for this type of game. Personally I am in favor of seeing Corona either on the right or in the center because he brings creativity to the pitch that can help put players like Dempsey and Altidore in scoring positions.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Geoff Cameron reprise the CM role he took on in Jamaica tonight in place of Jones. I hope I am wrong about that, because I hate the idea of playing five defenders at home against inferior opposition. Nothing against Cameron, but Klinsmann needs to be more ambitious than that in this game. As I mentioned in my previous article I would love to see Stuart Holden in the center of the midfield for this game. He can help the attack in a manner similar to Corona, and attacking should be the focus of this lineup.

The success that the US will or will not have tonight really hinges on the performances of Altidore, Bradley, and Dempsey. All three players have been playing well recently and if they continue with their good form the US will come out on top.

Panama remains unbeaten in the hexagonal, however it must be noted that they have played three games at home and one at hapless Jamaica. Panama would surely be satisfied with a draw in this game and would be thrilled with a win. I expect to see a very defensive approach from Panama as they play for the draw. If the US can crack the Panamanian defense the game will open up, which could be a dangerous proposition for either team.

Prediction: Altidore, Bradley, and Demspsey come through and the US gets a 2-1 win.

Klinsmann shouldn't shy away from Holden

There was not much in last month’s 4-2 loss at the hands of Belgium for fans of the USMNT to feel good about. Though there is no shame in losing to a Belgium side that are stocked with young talent, the US were porous in the back (and have remained so in the two matches since) and generally impotent on the attack. Despite all of this, Stuart Holden’s substitute appearance presented a shining beacon of hope amidst what turned out to be a temporary darkness.

A shock win over a German B team and a historic triumph in Jamaica have the USMNT and supporters singing a much different tune than after the Belgium loss. The US sits in a prime position after four games of hexagonal play, but a new series of problems have cropped up ahead of tonight’s WCQ against Panama in Seattle. Due to a head injury and yellow card accumulation the US will be without two key players who are not easily replaced.  Losing the Jermaine Jones in the center of the midfield and Graham Zusi out on the right are no doubt major blows to the team.

There is not an easy choice to replace Jones or Zusi, but Holden is a player on the roster who has the capacity to fill either role. Holden was often deployed at RM under Bob Bradley and has played CM for that majority of his club career, proving to be more than adequate in both roles.

When Holden stepped on the pitch at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland it was his first time doing so in a US shirt in nearly three years, the last time being a substitute appearance against England in the 2010 World Cup. Months before that World Cup Holden suffered a broken leg during a friendly against the Netherlands that sidelined him for two months. If not for that untimely injury it is likely that Holden could have figured more prominently in Bob Bradley’s World Cup plans.

Holden had burst on to the National Team scene in 2009 with a strong showing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He made five appearances and netted two goals while also being named to the All-Tournament team. The impressive Gold Cup performance paved the way for Holden to feature for the US later in the year in its last five World Cup qualifying matches.

Holden’s success with the US coincided with a strong season with his club, Houston Dynamo. Holden’s play garnered interest from other clubs and eventually he was transferred to Premier League side Bolton Wanderers in January of 2010.

The 2010-2011 Premier League season saw Holden in peak form for Bolton Wanderers. Holden had become a regular starter for the club and helped it climb as high as seventh in the League and reach the FA Cup Semi-finals.

What had been a dream season quickly turned to horror on March 19, 2011 when Manchester United’s Johnny Evans delivered a vicious tackle that gashed Holden’s leg and damaged his ACL. Perhaps it was Holden’s absence that best revealed his importance to Bolton, as the club slipped down the table in his absence and finished the season in 14^th place.  Despite missing the last two months of the season, Holden was voted Bolton’s player of the year.

Holden would ultimately miss the better part of two years as a result of Evans’ brutal challenge. After a failed return attempt in 2011, Holden finally made a successful return on January 15^th in an FA Cup match against Sunderland. After struggling to get playing time upon returning to Bolton, Holden took advantage of a short loan stint to League One club Sheffield Wednesday to get valuable match minutes.

Holden’s return to the National Team on Tuesday was the product of much determination and persistence in the face of adversity. The return meant a great deal to him as he told ussoccer.com after the match:

“Great feeling on a personal note just to be back with the National Team. As I said it’s a moment and a thought that had kept me going through my rehab in the sense of walking back out with this group. What it means to be a part of your national team and that feeling collectively was a really special one for me, and something that I’ll treasure and that I won’t forget now as I try to push on and get better.”

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/mens-national-team/2013/05/quote-sheet-usa-vs-belgium.aspx

Though it remains to be seen how much Holden will be able to contribute to the US, he has already accomplished something special by fighting his way back from multiple serious injuries. If he can pick up where he left off before injuries he will be a key piece in the midfield for Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad going forward.

Having not witnessed any US training sessions I cannot say whether or not Holden is ready to really make his mark on the National Team. If Holden has looked at all sharp in training I would hope that Klinsmann would not be afraid to insert him in the lineup for tonight’s important qualifier. Holden could pair well with Michael Bradley in the center of the midfield. Geoff Cameron was serviceable as a substitute for Jones when defending a lead against Jamaica, but it would be a shame for Klinsmann to make such a defensive- minded decision in a home match against an opponent that the US should beat. 

Holden (assuming he is physically ready) would provide on-the-ball playmaking ability and creativity that none of the other replacement choices can bring to the table. If Klinsmann does not think Holden is ready to contribute in a big match like this, why is he in the squad? Landon Donovan is playing well in MLS and would be ideal to replace Zusi at out on the right. If Klinsmann never planned on seriously using Holden, that roster spot should have gone to someone like Donovan who would be able to step into this type of game without anyone worrying.