Perhaps you’re feeling adventurous and have made a serious commitment to your duty as a loyal U.S. Soccer supporter, vowing to locate one of the way-too-few establishments showing tonight’s World Cup qualifier.
Something to think about before tonight’s U.S. World Cup qualifier in Honduras
Most likely, you are going to miss the broadcast from
So the majority of you will see the result late tonight or tomorrow, maybe read the reports … then go back to worrying about piggy flu or toxic tacos or whatever has us all hot and bothered by Monday.
Meanwhile, as long as the game will be just a rumor to many of you anyway, let’s talk a little bit about what might happen tonight, about how things might go as the
In the run-up to tonight’s match, this piece by ESPN Soccernet colleague Leander Schaerlaeckens, a former columnist for Guardian.co.uk, has drawn a lot of commentary and chatter. His premise is that the
A lot of astute observers are asking the same question about Schaerlaeckens’ premise, that the U.S. needs a world class holding midfielder to buy a few more shares on the global soccer exchange (and that Jones is the guy.): "Uh, holding middie is our most pressing need?"
Well, color me surprised, too.
One part of his premise is spot-on: that a good side and a good holding midfielder go together like Abercrombie and Fitch, like Willie and Wonka, like … well, you get the idea. I have long said that a good holding mid is never appreciated to his (or her) fullest. A good one does so much that even players on the field aren’t often fully aware of.
But saying the
Beyond Tim Howard in goal, I’ll give someone my U2 tickets for Monday’s show if they can show me another "world class" player in the current national team pool.
So, to my thinking – and to a lot of others’ way, I believe – this team is like a boxer’s mouth when it comes to world class personnel: more gaps than teeth.
Yes, it’s true that a great side has a strong holding mid. It probably also has a great striker. The
Jozy Altidore? Nah. A promising up-and-comer to be sure, but that’s it for now. Charlie Davies? Nah. Brian Ching, anyone? No disrespect to any of these guys. They are solid players – but hardly "world class."
Doesn’t a great side have one steely mensch along the back line, an imposing figure, someone tough as razor wire and a U.S. Marine’s professionalism and discipline? I’m thinking Fabio Cannavaro on
Right now, the top
What about a playmaker in midfield? And do we really want to start picking that scab at left back again? I mean, I wrote a piece for Soccernet 18 months ago about the real trouble maker in terms of
I could go on, but you get the point. A good team needs some "world class" sprinkled all over the field.
Besides all that, how does anyone know how well Jones will do at the international level? How will he mesh with a bunch of guys when he doesn’t even speak the same language? And, honestly, is he that much better than Michael Bradley or a healthy Maurice Edu? I know I couldn’t say for sure. And anyone who believes they can say with certainty … well, I’m just gonna come out and say it: they’re just guessing like the rest of us.
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