Reconsidering Landon Donovan’s tactical role Sunday vs. RSL

I went back and watched the game again for my weekly MLSSoccer.com contribution, where I break down a specific game tactically or eat my way around an MLS tactical trend. We call it Talking Tactics. Clever, eh?

Anyway, I may need to tap the brakes on that hasty pronouncement of Donovan reduced by injury to Donovan-Lite. I’m still not certain the U.S. international isn’t still bothered by his recent injury; he still doesn’t appear 100 percent Landon to me.

On the other hand, as I watched Sunday’s contest I decided that he was restrained by design, that perhaps Bruce Arena adjudged a more conservative deployment for Donovan the best way to manage a tricky night against Real Salt Lake’s high quality midfield.

The truth could even be somewhere in between. Perhaps Donovan isn’t 100 percent healthy. And perhaps that was part of Arena’s calculation as he distributed individual orders for the day, order that asked Donovan to be cautious and patient with his movements forward.

Either way, here’s the tactics piece on how Donovan’s role worked to perfection Sunday.