The game was called the biggest matchup of the early season by ESPN’s Adrian Healey in the pregame. While this may have been an overstatement, yesterday’s match featured two teams that during the preseason many had as the best in their respective conferences.  After 90 minutes, only one looked like an MLS Cup contender.

Sporting KC behind a raucous crowd of 19,000 plus rolled to a 1-0 victory over the LA Galaxy.  The Galaxy came into the game without designated player David Beckham but did return Landon Donovan to the line-up.  Beckham’s absence, however, was noticeable in a game where the home team had almost 60% of the possession and the Galaxy had no shots on traget (just three shots overall).

Sporting KC’s 4-3-3 possession style seemed to unsettle the Galaxy from the beginning with Roger Espinoza effectively thwarting the Galaxy in the midfield.  The game’s only goal came late in the first half when Bobby Convey worked some space on the right and sent in a cross towards goal.  Kei Kamara, who had drifted to the left of the goal, beat Sean Franklin and put a diving header past Josh Saunders to make it a 1-0 game.  The scoreline could have been even bigger except Saunders had a great diving save on a Chance Myers shot in the 23rd minute where the keeper had to dive and just palm the ball away from goal.

For the first time since 1998, an MLS team has started the season with 5 straight wins.  Any doubts about how good Sporting Kansas City can be in all aspects of the game should be settled.  On defense, Aurelien Collins had an excellent game on Edson Buddle while his partner (and the entire defense for that matter) bottled up Robbie Keane very well.  But the real key to the game was Roger Espinoza, who, rotating from a deep role to a charging forward play maker and back, settled the defense by exploiting a weaker LA midfield and constantly breaking up chances that Juninho and Michael Stephens tried to create.  Richard Farley uses OptaJack well to illustrate the gap in effective midfield presence between Juninho and Espinoza.

The defending champs came out punchless yesterday and I think for the first time we can be legitimately worried about this team.  They were out-muscled by a larger KC front line and as mentioned before their midfield was simply dominated throughout.  It was the stars of the team, however, that failed to shine for the Galaxy.  Landon Donovan still looked a bit slow coming off his quad injury while Edson Buddle was a non-factor while he was on the pitch.  Taylor Twellman hinted at a potential injury for the forward, which may have explained his poor play.  Keane simply didn’t get a chance to do much with the poor distribution but when he did he didn’t create any opportunities.  The best player on the pitch for LA may have been Mike Magee, who had the Galaxy’s two best chances and just missed the goal on both.  LA fans should be worried that this team looks lethargic already and it is only one month into the season.

For the first seventy minutes of yesterday’s First Kick match-up between the Galaxy and RSL, the predictions about the amazing 2012 Galaxy season looked like they were more than just hype.  Only the crossbar and some timely RSL defending denied the Galaxy a multi-goal lead and the defense looked shaky but solid.  When Edson Buddle converted a David Beckham pass into a goal in the 71st minute, fans could be forgiven for switching off the game and assuming it would spiral out of control from there.

But a funny thing happened at The Home Depot Center last night, and it was an intangible that we sometimes forget affects soccer games.  The Galaxy had played in Toronto on Wednesday night and with an older team, the travel visibly began to affect the team in the second half.  In addition, they needed a two goal comeback to get a draw from their CCL match.  Those watching closely could see how the Galaxy defense began to sag in the middle of the field and, when losing a step on an RSL player, committed more fouls (fourteen for the game).

Two minutes after the Buddle goal, new RSL midfielder Sebastian Velazquez created some space down the right and put in a cross towards goal.  Brian Dunseth on the MLS Live feed noted earlier that the pitch at Home Depot Center gets a little damp as the temperature drops, and Sean Franklin possibly fell victim to this.  He threw his leg out to deflect the bouncing cross but ended up stabbing it into his own net.  At that point the game changed as Real Salt Lake had the momentum and the home side looked deflated.  Adding to this momentum was key substitutions by Jason Kreis who brought on banged up Javier Morales and Alvaro Saborio midway through the second half, substitutions that gave RSL a more confident and attacking line-up.  In the 80th minute, Morales scored his first goal since his injury last season when he poked a loose ball in the LA box into the net.  Fabian Espindola, who had a big second half, put the exclamation point on the win with a nice drive down the left that saw him juke a few defenders before finishing with a goal.

Even though this was the first MLS game for both teams, the impact cannot be understated.  For the visitors, scoring the first away win against the Galaxy since 2010, especially when down a goal, is a major momentum boost for this side.  Nick Rimando had an excellent game and while LA put RSL under a lot of pressure throughout the game, the Reds held the high-flying Galaxy to only one goal.  The negative this game revealed is the team’s depth.  With Morales and Saborio sitting, players like Paulo Jr., Louis Gil, and Sebastian Velasquez got the start.  Despite Velasquez setting up the first goal, these players were shaky in the midfield and Espindola lacked any consistent quality passes from the midfield.  LA gave the visitors some good chances at counters, but they failed to take advantage of them for the first part of the game.

As for the Galaxy, this game was a bit of a wake-up.  Coming back to force a draw with Toronto is a confidence booster; this result should show them that they can’t play the entire season by wasting chances.  Looking up at Real Salt Lake should help show this team that they won’t cake walk to another title and this is a good lesson to see early.  That said, they could have easily gone home last night with a multi-goal win.  Their offensive pressure was as advertised and the big names (especially Donovan and Beckham) were dynamic.  Fatigue was a factor but that will be a factor all season.  How they handle that will be a key to how far they advance this season.  But this result should in no way lesson the impression that they are the most dangerous team in MLS.

A few other observations for you from the game:

• The broadcast crew for RSL were pretty good, especially Brian Dunseth in the booth.  That said, the unintentional comedy moment of the night was them hosting Don Garber in the booth.  After introducing the Commish, there was about three minutes of play-by-play, with Garber finally interjecting that he felt like he was butting in.
• I watched this game on the new MLS Live on my computer but about 10 minutes in hooked it to my HD TV.  The picture was incredible and when MLS Live says it has an HD feed, it isn’t lying.  I haven’t tried the phone or iPad feed but look forward to it.
• I loved the LA Galaxy faux-Real Madrid shirts.  They look great on TV with the sash.
• The return match on June 20 will be fun to watch.  This game got chippy midway through and it is obvious the players on these two teams don’t care much for each other.

On the eve of the much-anticipated American Civil War between Everton and Fulham, American soccer fans are relishing the chance to see three of their best players take the pitch at the same time at the highest level of competition.  Other American sports’ fans do not understand the importance of this match: Kobe plays LeBron often (usually on Christmas) and Manning and Brady seem to play every year.  However, U.S. soccer fans for years have settled on seeing their best players either square off in MLS or not face each other competitively, due to playing in different leagues.

When the players take the pitch tomorrow another interesting sidebar will be discussed, and that is why the three best American soccer players are playing in, well, this game.  To put it another way, is this the best American soccer players can do, two clubs that are mid-table at best or, in Fulham’s case, seemingly always in danger of slipping into the relegation zone?  Why isn’t this historic match-up taking place in a Manchester derby or West London derby?  For the Everton U.S. players, the answer is that the chance has already slipped by.  Tim Howard had his time at Manchester United but has really found his place with Everton, a smaller club.  Landon Donovan has gone through a similar situation, except he simply failed to catch on at Bayern Munich and is just now being seen as potentially EPL worthy.

Clint Dempsey is different.  Although not a young prospect, the Texan is hitting his peak and his peak is pretty damn good.  His goal total for 2011-2012 is up there with players who could be considered with the Ballon d’Or, trailing only Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, and Sergio Aguero.  He became the first American to notch a hat trick during an EPL match and it was his second in all competitions this year.  The man scores goals but at age 28 his peak productivity window is closing.  So, should he strike out now while his Q rating is at its highest and make a move to a larger club?  Or is Fulham the best place for him right now?

One man with a large voice in the U.S. Soccer Federation made his opinion known last week.  In the press conference after the Venezuela friendly, Jurgen Klinsmann addressed the Dempsey hat trick and made clear that he wants his players to play at the highest level (audio can be found on the Total Soccer Show podcast).  In essence, he said that he wants to see players like Dempsey play at the highest level of soccer, which is not just the EPL; it is playing for a Champions League contender or, at the very least, a Europa League contender.

Practically speaking this may be a hard task, even if Dempsey desires a move.  While I will leave the analysis of team needs in the Prem to our sister site EPL Talk, I will say that there are few opportunities for consistent playing time in the Top 6 of the EPL, due to congestion at Dempsey’s position and budgetary restrictions.  The best fits may be Tottenham or Arsenal (which the Gunners being the better fit of the two) but even those two London clubs would not potentially give Dempsey consistent playing time.  And that is the biggest negative for Dempsey if he moved to a larger club: playing time.  Right now he has established himself as a fixture in the starting XI for Fulham.  Except for injury or forced rest, he’ll play for The Cottagers.  He will play against the best clubs in England and have a chance to refine his skills at the highest league level, something that will definitely benefit him in international play.  A move would likely impede this playing time as he would not be assured a starting spot in any of the top six clubs.

However, there are two major reasons he should seek a transfer to a larger side (we’ll stick with the EPL for ease of comparison).  The first is the competition would be extremely beneficial to push himself to the next level; it’s one thing to fight off a player below you for time and it’s another to push someone like Andrei Arshavin for a starting spot or first sub off the bench position.  The ability to play with the best players in the world in the best competitions in the world will not only improve Dempsey as a player but really test him for World Cup qualifying.  This is worth the trade-off of a few starting minutes.

There is another, off-the-pitch reason to make this move and Brian Straus nails it completely in his recent article on Dempsey.  Straus quotes an exchange from a recent The Guardian ”Football Weekly” podcast when discussing Dempsey’s hat trick:

“Pundits always say, ‘Oh, Clint Dempsey, I always like Clint Dempsey.’ What is it about Clint Dempsey? I think it’s that infectious spirit of, basically, he’s an American, which is quite exciting and glamorous. He’s a rapper, yep. What else we got?” one writer asked.

“He’s got a cool name, Clint Dempsey. He’s just cool. He scores great goals as well,” said another.

“Is he redneck? I asked this before and got accused of all manner — it’s a genuine question!”

While anyone who listens to the podcast knows that it has a sense of humor about itself, the undertone to the exchange is the lack of respect that American soccer players have in larger leagues.  They are at times a sideshow, primarily because in the past when they’ve played for the best clubs, they’ve failed to perform.  An American player should step up and show pundits and soccer fans how far this country has come.  Dempsey is our best shot, and he certainly could fail with a Champions League contender.  But I suspect he won’t, and we’ll never know unless he steps up and grabs the opportunity.

Today we wrap up our “Three Questions” series with the defending MLS champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy.  By any definition, they were the best team in MLS last season: they convincingly led the Supporters Shield’s race most of the season, looked like the best team in the playoffs, and won the MLS Cup.  They did it with glitz and glamour (the three designated players) as well as grit and determination (best defense in MLS, good midfield play).  In the end, they were possibly the most complete and dominant team in “modern” MLS history.

But the page on the calendar has turned and the team is facing a new set of challenges in 2012.  Even with the good news of David Beckham’s return, there have been some dark clouds this offseason that will push the team to see if it can repeat the success of 2011.  Let’s take a look at the three questions that will define the rest of this offseason for LA:

(Additionally, use the comments section to give some feedback on the Three Questions series.  Was it something you enjoyed?  Was it something you’d like to see repeated or emulated during the season?)

1. Will the midfield be as strong as it was last season?

Casual soccer fans know about “bend it like Beckham” but the Galaxy midfield in 2011 was a key to their ability to create offense seemingly out of nothing.  Whether it was Beckham’s storied free kicks or Juninho’s timely goals, the midfield came through in the clutch when it was needed.  That midfield will look different beginning next season.  Although there’s still a chance he may be loaned again to LA, Juninho has been recalled by Sao Paulo and will leave a gap in the “clutch goal scorer” category.  Miguel Lopez has also seen his loan end with LA and he has been called back to his home club of Quilmes.

The team has tried to replace Juninho with Marcelo Sarvas, but the 30 year old is arguably a step down offensively.  Having Beckham back does help cover this loss, but the team needs to take some steps to shore up a midfield that helps cover for a weaker forward position.

2. Can the defense do it again?

The loss of Omar Gonzalez hurts, badly, but in the “silver lining” category he will be able to return at some point for the Galaxy this season, it looks like (update: no silver lining, folks, he’s gone for the whole season).  However, the team may need to spend some money on a replacement, or focus their drafting on this position.  Bruce Arena also looked to keep key components of his defense by re-signing Sean Franklin, another defender who should be receiving more love from the USMNT.  The keeper position also lost a little depth with the expensive Donovan Ricketts moving to Montreal, but the back-up duo of Nick Noble and U-23 player Brian Perk look quality.

This defense was incredibly dominant last season, and even with Gonzalez it would have been a challenge to repeat their suffocating style.  With him gone for the first half of the season, seemingly, can the Galaxy approach the greatness they achieved last season a second year in a row?

3. How big of a role will the three designated players play this season?

Beckham is back, and he will be with the Galaxy a little longer.  But that will be contractually, and how much he is physically there is an important question for a team that already suffered a hit in midfield.  He will be playing in the Olympics and will miss time for that, as well as the usual jaunts across the pond.  With a longer schedule that adds two CONCACAF Champions League tournaments, how much will he contribute during the season?

Then there’s Landon Donovan, who is finally getting another chance to play in England.  He likes Everton, the team needs him, and we know his deal is only for a few months.  But can the best known American MLS player force a longer loan or transfer if he wants to stay?  My bet is yes.  Regardless, the Galaxy will be without his services for stretches this summer as he reports to the national team for friendlies and qualifying.

Robbie Keane looks to be enjoying his time in LA, but with a loan to Aston Villa and his Euro 2012 commitments, will his 31-year old legs be able to handle the travel and numerous competitions in which he will be competing?

This past season in U.S. soccer was certainly an interesting one.  In MLS, two new teams were promoted and the soccer world fell in love with them and their passionate fans.  Coaches were hired and fired, players finally fulfilled their potential, and others failed to inspire.  One MLS team had a chance to make history and win the CONCACAF Champions League, but fell short in a heart-breaking fashion.  During the season, the team that dominated from First Kick forward hoisted the trophy at the end of the season.  Internationally, the U.S. women took Germany by storm but in the end it was Japan that took everyone’s hearts.  The U.S. senior men were underwhelming in the Gold Cup, and seeing Bob Bradley out the door was new coach (and long hoped-for savior) Jurgen Klinsmann.

It was certainly a year of memories, but as we belt out Auld Lang Syne and drink Champagne/sparkling cidar/assorted alcoholic beverages, let’s take a look ahead to 2012.  The upcoming year will hopefully feature a U.S. team in the London Olympics, a new broadcast network, World Cup qualifiers, and a whole host of new heroes and villains.  One of the things we do best at MLS Talk is make bold and informed predictions that are on occasion proved wrong.  Below are twelve such predictions I think we occur in 2012.  Happy New Year!

1. The U-23 team will not only qualify for the Olympics, but contend for a medal.

This U-23 team has a confluence of a good youth coach and good young depth on the team.  While the team is less talented than probably Mexico and some European teams, I think it will well set up to make a run at the Olympics, especially if they add some quality overage players like Carlos Bocanegra looking to supplement their legacy as medalists.

2. Ratings for MLS matches on the NBC networks will exceed those on the Fox network

NBC has three major advantages for MLS over Fox Soccer.  One, it has more platforms to promote the games (imagine MLS commercials showing up on Sunday Night Football, Brian Williams programming, or The Office).  Two, NBC needs its new sports network to succeed and will put the resources behind it to make MLS programming a success.  Three, the network formally known as Versus is available on more television sets than Fox Soccer, making it easier for casual sports fans to find the matches.  The ratings still won’t approach BPL matches on Fox, but the numbers will tick upwards.

3. The USMNT will beat a major European power and drop an embarrassing World Cup qualifier

Rumors are swirling of a U.S.-Italy friendly in the upcoming months, and even if that falls through the U.S. will surely line up one or two more big money friendlies.  Because of its talent and Euro 2012 fatigue, the U.S. will knock off a European power and gain some instant cred in world soccer (see Spain 2009).  However, it will lose to one of the teams in the group stage of World Cup qualifying in embarrassing fashion, adding unneeded drama into qualifying.  Because, after all, this is the Red-White-and-Blue.

4. An MLS team will again play in the CONCACAF Champions League final

Real Salt Lake almost made history this year, and another MLS team stands a good chance of repeating the feat.  In the current round, three of the eight teams are MLS teams and two are facing each other (Galaxy v. Toronto).  All of them have the talent and depth to make a run at the finals, and the Galaxy and Sounders may be among the two or three most talented teams this spring.  Expect to see either Los Angeles or Seattle trying to hoist the CCL trophy this spring.

5. Los Angeles will not repeat as MLS champions

The 2011 LA Galaxy were a truly dominant team.  They had the right mix of superstars, support players, and good coaching plus a friendly playoff schedule to allow them to dominate from start to finish.  The 2012 season will not be as kind.  In addition to two sets of CONCACAF Champions League matches (’11-’12 and ’12-’13) the team will play an unbalanced schedule, which means more matches against the tougher Western Conference teams.  In addition, even if Beckham returns, he and Robbie Keane will be playing in Euro 2012.  Landon Donovan will be coming off a short-term loan and spending time with the USMNT in World Cup qualifying, as could possibly one or two of his teammates.  The schedule glut for the players and team, plus the improvement of the teams around them, mean we will have a new champion in 2012.

6. At least two more fringe USMNT players will come to play in MLS

Last year, Benny Feilhaber, Charlie Davies, and Freddy Adu all returned to MLS to try and get themselves back on the USMNT radar.  I can see this trend continuing as players who are on the cusp on making the team will take pay cuts to play in MLS where Jurgen Klinsmann’s staff can more easily watch them.  In addition to the older players (maybe Carlos Bocanegra?) who will want to wrap up their career on national soil, players like Edson Buddle or Michael Parkhurst will bite the bullet and come play for an MLS team.

7. Arsenal will conduct a summer tour of the United States

While this is not a specific prediction for U.S. soccer, this is a prediction that will have a major impact on the American soccer scene.  Due to Arsene Wenger’s training philosophies, the club has hesitated to play the summer friendlies outside of Europe which has brought the major European clubs to America’s shores.  That will change this summer on the heels of a successful Asian tour in 2011.  Arsenal will announce a multi-city tour in the spring featuring a mix of MLS teams, one or two Euro club matches at major venues, and a match-up against the MLS All Stars.  Arsenal will reap a financial windfall, American Arsenal fans will finally get to see their favorite team without flying across the ocean, and more U.S. fans will become familiar with the Arsenal style of play.

8. A player from one of the BPL big six (not Thierry Henry) will come to MLS midseason

The rumors have been swirling around a number of big name players like Evra and Anelka.  One of them this summer will bite the bullet and sign with New York or LA as the latest designated player.  My prediction is that it will be a Chelsea player, a victim of AVB’s house cleaning who is too old to play in the new style.

9. A Canadian team will not have the first/second pick in the 2013 Superdraft

Obviously there are three Canadian teams in MLS and none of them will have the first pick in the Superdraft (or second if the 20th franchise is ready for 2013).  Even though they are the new team, Montreal has too much talent and too good of a coach to be the worst team in MLS this upcoming season.  Vancouver, while still not necessarily playoff bound, will be improved enough to avoid having the worst record in MLS.  Toronto will make a huge leap forward this year and contend for the playoffs.

10. The New York Cosmos will be announced as the 20th MLS franchise

It’s the worst kept secret in U.S. soccer, and over the All Star break MLS will announce that the New York Cosmos will be the 20th franchise in the league.  Whether they begin play in 2013 or 2014 I will leave to others to predict, but they will be announced to no one’s surprise.

11. DC United will finally find a home, and it will be in DC

Eventually everyone will come to their senses and work this deal out, but one major factor will help with DCU’s push to stay in DC: population growth.  The city’s population is growing, with most of the growth coming from young professionals and Hispanics, two demographics that are likely to support a soccer team in the city.  In addition, the population growth will help stabilize DC’s shaky finances, making a partial funding of a stadium on the Southwest Waterfront seem even more likely.  There will be a major announcement in 2012 and the DC area soccer community will breathe a major sigh of relief.

12. The 4-2-3-1 formation will make the U.S. women’s team unbeatable in international competition

The U.S. women’s team is switching to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation for the next World Cup cycle to have more of their dynamic attacking young players on the pitch at the same time.  It’s a change that is overdue and will lead to the U.S. women being the de facto best women’s national team in the world by the end of the year.

With their 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo yesterday, the Galaxy reached their season-long goal of winning an MLS Cup and certain high-profile players notched their first North American championship.  Anytime a team wins a championship, writers and bloggers take to the keyboard to assess where that team or franchise fits in the pantheon of previous winners.

This writer is no different, and for the first time in a few years we have to seriously consider how the 2011 Galaxy stack up against the best of the best in MLS (albeit short) history.  The last two MLS Cup winners (RSL and Colorado) arguably slid into the championship game due to playoff format rather than on-field success, so it has been a while since we’ve had a top regular season club win the Cup.

Ultimately it is impossible to compare this era of MLS to the first few years.  With fewer teams and different rules, can the 2011 Galaxy be compared to the early DC United teams that fielded so many USMNT players, or even the 1998 Galaxy or similar successful teams?  Even Bruce Arena didn’t tip his hand, telling reporters prior to last night’s game: “Couldn’t even compare it [his DC and LA teams].  I don’t even know how you do that.”

But the impressive run for the Galaxy demands we place them in a historical context.  So are the 2011 Galaxy the best team in MLS history?  A few points to consider:

• Their 67 regular season points is the most ever in a post-shoot out season and they finished 5-0 in the playoffs.  They allowed fewer goals than games played (28 total)
• Arguably the Galaxy have the best MLS player ever on its roster, as well as the best international (I’ll define that as non-North American) ever to play in MLS.  With his fourth MLS Cup, Landon Donovan joins an elite group of players with four rings and if he continues to play in MLS and score the way he has, he will eclipse Jeff Cunningham as the league’s all-time leading scorer.  And while Beckham has been rightfully criticized for his lack of commitment to the league based on his salary and expectations, when healthy and committed he has been an unstoppable force for LA.
• While the three designated players get the press, it’s the role players that really propelled this team.  The stout back line led by future USMNT call-up (right?) Omar Gonzalez was a key to the Galaxy being able to play their cobra-like quick strike and down offense.  Juninho was a quality acquisition who gave them some game-winners during the season.  And forwards like Mike Magee and Chad Barrett while not world beaters were the roll players that any successful team needs to be, well, successful.
• The travel.  With 18 teams in the league and a balanced schedule, the Galaxy faced more travel than any previous MLS winner within the league.  Outside of the league, the Galaxy faced even more mileage with the competitive CONCACAF Champions group stage, meaning this veteran team spent a lot of time in the air traveling.  This certainly makes it harder to play at a high level on the road and while other MLS champions have also booked lots of mileage, few I wager would have put in the travel of LA.
• Statistically, the Galaxy’s season makes a strong case.  According to Grant Wahl’s stat work, LA had the third best points-per-game season ever in MLS, behind two teams that did not win an MLS Cup (LA ’98 and San Jose ’05).  The metric is the number of points for the season divided by number of games played, with Wahl adjusting for shoot-outs in the early years.  So according to this metric, a regular season that ended with the Supporters Shield looks even better.

As the U.S. men’s national team struggled through yet another 1-0 loss in an international friendly, Twitter was afire with criticisms of the team and the new boss.  The most damning criticism might have been this: that the team played like a Bob Bradley coached squad.  Harsher words have never been said!

However, we have to acknowledge two facts before we can delve into some solutions for the Klinsmann crew.  First, these 1-0 losses mean nothing if the U.S. qualifies for the 2014 World Cup without any major missteps.  Second, the inability for the U.S. to make progress against any level of competition is disconcerting, regardless of the reasons why.

So is it time to panic?  I will give a cautious no (although the friendly on Tuesday could change that analysis).  We know this team’s strengths (Tim Howard) and weaknesses (holding/central midfield) but also know that Klinsmann has not yet fielded this team in a competitive match with his optimal line-up (Dempsey AND Donovan with Holden).  That said, there are some trends that have become apparent to many U.S. fans that need to be examined and discussed before they become deep-seated problems with this team.  In no particular order, if you are reading Mr. Klinsmann please consider my suggestions for your team*:

Let Michael Bradley see the field

Would we be seeing more Michael Bradley if his name was Michael Jungmann or Michael Hernandez?  Probably not, as I don’t think Klinsmann is so petty as to bench Bradley because of his dad.  But the problems in midfield are apparent: our holding and central midfield options who have played so far have not done a good job of breaking up the oppositions’ attacks nor setting up the U.S. attack.  To be blunt, it is not easy for a non-superstar non-European to make a Serie A squad so the fact that Bradley is playing for Chievo is a testament to his potential.  We’ve seen that his passing while not perfect is good and he has an eye for picking out his teammates moving forward, while being adept enough defensively to at least pass as a holding midfielder.  He needs to see some more playing time for this team, period/full stop.

Experiment with the formation

The knock on Klinsmann’s hiring was that during his previous managerial stops, he was not considered the strategic mastermind.  Maybe this is the case; while the U.S. hasn’t fallen back into the tried-and-true 4-4-2 there’s something to be said about not conforming to the new in-thing.  A 4-3-3 is an exciting formation (personally my favorite) as is a diamond 4-4-2, but if the personnel don’t fit why not go a little more unorthodox.  Acknowledging that it may be a few years before the U.S. has a pool of world-class strikers, why not try the mythical, Jonathan Wilson-loved 4-6-0?  Or maybe the (gasp) 3-5-2 to allow players like Chandler to roam the sidelines and provide cover to the midfield?  Again, this could backfire, but maybe thinking outside the box could lead to some unexpected positive results.

Stop thinking Landon Donovan is Wayne Rooney

While the France match didn’t feature the usual number 10, Klinsmann has shown that he is increasingly curious about the idea of having Landon Donovan play as a withdrawn forward, kind of in a Wayne Rooney-esque position where he can create chances for open teammates while still getting his own chances to score.  The problem with this idea is that this is not Donovan’s game; this type of role needs a player with almost supernatural instincts who can pick out just the right pass and right player, or decide to make the play on his own.  Donovan, while extremely talented, is not this type of player.  When he does return to the USMNT fold after the MLS Cup, Klinsmann needs to return him to the wing or figure out another way to use him besides being the anchor.

End the Kyle Beckerman/Michael Orozco Fiscal Experiments

The dedication to players such as these gives the head coach’s critics some major ammunition.  I am a huge Beckerman fan, but he looks out of place on the national team and has struggled against better competition with his passes from the back.  This is a no-no from his position.  Additionally, when we have seen Orozco Fiscal play, he has been woefully over-matched.  I know we want to give players multiple chances, but there are players who deserve another look and players who need no more looks.  While every coach has these types of players he is inexplicably loyal to, that does not mean they are above pointing out.

*I acknowledge the fact that some of these suggestions are contradictory (like experimenting with a 3-5-2 while asking Donovan to play on the wings).  However, each recommendation should be taken on its own as it is unlikely Mr. Klinsmann will adopt all of them.

Last night I laid out the pros and cons of Dwayne De Rosario winning the MLS MVP award.  Everyone on each side of the argument can agree that a De Ro MVP would be unprecedented, as he would be the first MVP in any sport to have been traded twice in-season.  But what about the other candidates?  Who out there deserves the award the most right now?

Now I recognize that there are a few weeks left in the season and how the playoff race shakes out could determine the MVP.  That said, I think it’s important to establish a benchmark now and see if peoples’ opinions change between now and the end of the season.  So vote in the poll below and sound off in the comments section: who today deserves to be the MLS MVP?

The U.S. v. Mexico rematch friendly is less than a week away, and today Jurgen Klinsmann unveiled his first list of call-ups as the head coach for the national team.  The Mexico friendly comes at a tricky time for the U.S., as the bigger European leagues are kicking off this month and Klinsmann might have hesitated to call-up players overseas in these leagues.  Mexico will also be missing key players, and with their national team having played in both the Gold Cup and Copa America this summer, they may use the opportunity to rotate eligible players.

Nevertheless, the roster has been described as a window into Klinsmann’s thinking about the future of the national team.  Would it be all new faces or very young players?  Would we see more players with Hispanic heritage?  What about the German-Americans?  Or would it be same old, same old for at least one more game?

The roster, released today, is a mixture of all of these.  Six of the players play professionally in Germany, four play in Mexico, and seven are from MLS.  Below are the players, listed by position (as listed by US Soccer) and alphabetically with some thoughts on the selections.  What do you think, are there glaring omissions in this list?  Sound off in the comments section.

Keeper: Bill Hamid (DC United/MLS), Tim Howard (Everton/BPL)

While Howard is a no-brainer and well rested with his time off in July, the inclusion of Hamid is a welcome one and may signal that Klinsmann is looking to MLS for the keeper of the future.  As anyone who knows my writing knows, I am a big Bill Hamid fan.  He has shown good progress over the course of the MLS season (which coincides with DCU’s defensive improvement) and the time spent with Howard will help him become a better keeper for the U-23 team.

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne/Ligue 1), Edgar Castillo (Club America/Primera Division), Timothy Chandler (FC Nurnberg/Bundesliga), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96/Bundesliga), Clarence Goodson (Brondby/Danish Superliga), Michael Orozco-Fiscal (San Luis/Primera Division), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA/MLS), Tim Ream (NY Red Bull/MLS)

Many of the names on this list are familiar – the usual starters are well represented here, as well as future starter Tim Ream.  Chandler, who many expect to be a future (or current) starter is included as well.  But you can see the boss’ desire to include more Hispanic players on the roster in this category.  Orozco-Fiscal has been a key member of the U-23 team but has played all but one year of his professional career in Mexico.  Castillo was a dual-national who picked the U.S. and made one appearance on the national team in 2009 in a friendly.  I was glad to see that Heath Pearce is getting a call-up, as he definitely deserves a second shot at playing time for the USMNT.

Absent from this list are Oguchi Onyewu, some of the younger MLS defenders, and a few USMNT and MLS fringe players.  Gooch may have been left off to allow himself time to further integrate with his new European club, so his exclusion was not unexpected.  However, the Galaxy got the shaft (or maybe the benefit) of no call-up for Omar Gonzalez.  Players like Chad Marshall or Jay DeMerit were also not included, leaving me to wonder if their international playing time window is closed.

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake/MLS), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchen./Bundesliga), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt/Bundesliga), Maurice Edu (Rangers/SPL), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04/Bundesliga), Brek Shea (FC Dallas/MLS), Jose Torres (Pachuca/Primera Division)

Thankfully Brek Shea made the roster so there would not be a rending of garments by some national soccer correspondents.  That said, this group has a distinctly German flavor.  Potential “on the outs” players like Jones, Torres, and Edu were all included, either signaling a lack of depth in the U.S. system at this position or that these players haven’t been used to their full potential (in Klinsmann’s mind).  Kyle Beckerman also gets another shot at the national team after some time away, again showing the head coach has watched some MLS and knows the players.

Forwards: Freddy Adu (Benfica/Primeira Liga), Juan Agudelo (NY Red Bull/MLS), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla/Primera Division), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt/2. Bundesliga), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy/MLS)

Some of these “forwards” are more midfielders, so we may subtly be seeing a shift from a 4-4-2ish formation to a 4-3-3 or 4-2-2-2.  As expected, Freddy Adu gets another call-up likely based on his Gold Cup performance while the team welcomes back Edson Buddle, who should have a good chance to secure a roster spot.

But while the included are not surprising, the excluded are interesting.  Young guns Teal Bunbury, Jozy Altidore, and Mikel Diskerud were all left off the roster, and while Jozy’s absence can again be explained by the new club reason, the other two are curious absences.  Hamid’s teammate Charlie Davies also seemingly missed the cut, which causes me to wonder how close he actually is to making the team.  And of course the biggest name missing from this list is Clint Dempsey, but we all know what he can do and his professional season starts August 13.

Photo by C.A.M. Stephans

By now you have probably heard the Bob Bradley deadline of May 23 to announce his call-ups for the U.S. National Team. This is a critical call-up, as not only will these players play in the 2011 Gold Cup but also in the friendly versus Spain.  As such, Bob Bradley will likely go the opposite of Camp Cupcake and take a veteran lineup to Foxborough.

But should he?  What should be the goals of the US Men’s National Team, June 2011 edition?  I’d argue the following should be the goals of Bob Bradley’s squad, in this order:

1. Win the Gold Cup and punch the ticket to the Confederations Cup
2. Begin finding the players for the 2014 World Cup
3. Not embarrass the country in the Spain match

In order to do this, Bob Bradley should bring a mix of veterans and up-and-comers, and in the process take a few gambles with this team.  Here are my suggestions by position for Coach Bradley, as well as a few predictions of who he will actually bring.  Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments section:

Keepers He Should Bring: Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann, and Bill Hamid

Keepers He Will Bring: Howard, Hahnemannn, and David Yeldell

Until he proves otherwise, Tim Howard is the #1 keeper for this team and that will not change during the World Cup. The #2 keeper should be someone with experience who can step in during an emergency, so Hahnemann fits that profile as he transitions from Europe to MLS.  Brad Guzan is seemingly on the outs with Bradley plus scheduled his wedding for the end of this month.  Bradley could go with David Yeldell to continue the German connection but could again give Dominic Cervi a chance to earn a place on the team, despite the fact he can’t even get a start for his club team.  One day Howard will be too old to play for this team, and the US needs to begin planning for that now.  The final spot should go to a young stud who should begin to be groomed to be the next Tim Howard; the two MLS candidates right now are Sean Johnson and Bill Hamid, with Hamid getting the call due to having a better season so far.

Defenders He Should Bring: (starters) Tim Chandler, Oguchi Onyewu, Clarence Goodson, Carlos Bocanegra, (bench) Steve Cherundolo, Zak Whitbread, Tim Ream, Jonathan Bornstein, Chad Marshall

Defenders He Will Bring: (starters) Cherundolo, Goodson, Onyewu, Bocanegra, (bench) Chandler, Bornstein, Ream, Whitbread, Eric Lichaj

The backline is up in the air, but you can bet Bradley will go conservative here.  The U.S.’s biggest problem has been conceding early goals, so Bradley will likely thwart this by throwing out a veteran lineup.  My thought is that the Gold Cup is put up or shut up time for two U.S. defenders – Tim Chandler and Gooch.  Gooch is coming back from injury and it’s time to see if he can be an international starting defender before 2014 qualification.  Tim Chandler took the soccer scene by storm with a good showing against Paraguay; now’s a good time to see if he can maintain the hype.

Midfielders He Should Bring: (4-2-3-1) Michael Bradley, Jonathan Spector, Landon Donovan, Mikkel Diskerud, Clint Dempsey, (bench) Benny Feilhaber, Brek Shea, Alejandro Bedoya

Midfielders He Will Bring: (4-4-2) Donovan, Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Dempsey, (bench) Edu, Feilhaber, Bedoya, Jonathan Spector

I have always been a believer in the U.S. playing with 5 midfielders, with Bradley and Spector alternating between making advancing runs and playing back in the holding role.  Donovan and Dempsey are locks to start but the U.S. needs someone with vision and talent to make the right pass to get the wings and forward the ball in scoring chances.  Although young, Diskerud has shown flashes of this ability and he should get a chance now.  If nothing else, a call-up binds him to the U.S.  On the bench, Brek Shea has shown the ability to be a world class midfielder, with FC Dallas’ recent good run of form showing how good Shea can be.  Bradley, however, will probably fall back into the comfortable 4-4-2 and keep his standards in the midfield.  The bench for Bradley will also be experienced, with players we’ve seen before who have specific talents for specific scenarios.

Forwards He Should Bring: Teal Bunbury, Jozy Altidore, Chris Wondolowski

Forwards He Will Bring: Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Herculez Gomez

Let’s be ambitious.  If Bradley plays a 4-2-3-1, he needs a lone striker type, something Altidore is not.  He is talented enough to make the team, but he needs a second forward up front with him.  Agudelo could be that guy, but he is in danger of over-exposure and over-use this year.  Let’s see if Bunbury is as good internationally or better than Agudelo.  In the same vein, let’s give Chris Wondolowski one more chance.  The guy can score in MLS, so let’s see if he can do the same for the national team.