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.
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