If America had invented Soccer.

One of my favorite soccer related commercials of all time, Under Armor and Jonathan Wright have made
“Get up. Play on.” (If America Had Invented Soccer). Hit the link and prepare for some absolute brilliance.

Tunnel Chatter: USA vs. Mexico

When the USMNT steps out onto the link this evening against Mexico, American soccer fans will be   watching the dawn of a new era in American Soccer.  The usual suspects will for the most part, be playing right where you think they would, but when it comes to the new-boys, its a horse of a different color. Some of the names include, Brek Shea of FC Dallas, Omar Gonzalez, Edgar Castillo, Michael Orozco Fiscal and Kyle Beckerman. Many had brief  appearances for the squad, but never got a good look in under Bradley's regime. From the 22 men squad their are 7 from MLS, 4 playing for  Mexican clubs, and 11 from England and Europe. For me, the most exciting player that will take the field in one form or another is Brek Shea. The dynamic winger is the future of the USMNT wide game, giving excellent showings week- in week- out in Dallas. I am interested to see what position he occupies if he gets the nod? Hopefully he will start in the left back role, which is entirely possible with the mass of injuries. Primarily a left winger he has been used as a left back on occasion, and has shown brilliantly. FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman uses him in one, one week and one, another week, but

 he's  consistent in his performances, no matter where he plays.

Here is my projected starting line up for Klinsmann's first match:

Howard

 Cherundolo      Bocanegra       Ream   Pearce

    

Bradley    Torres

Donovan       Adu           Shea

Agudelo 

Here is the Line-up I want to see: " taking into account that Timmy Chandler, and now Clarence Goodson are injured, plus Dempsey and Lichaj are tied to their clubs:"

Howard

Cherundolo   Bocanegra   Ream    Shea

Jones

 Donovan       Bradley           Adu

                                               

 Buddle     Agudelo

Be it Jurgen's first game at the helm, I would be surprised to see anything overly poetic from the German.  A lot is at stake,  if an experiment  goes pear shaped, so I figure he plays it safe. Mexico are a fantastic squad, and have a star-studded line up ready to prove once again they're the heavy weight in the CONCACAF region, so some familiarity in the  US line-up is a must. Due to personnel loss, the USMNT ,will not have all their starters available, making for a perfect opportunity to give the fringe players a run out.

If Jurgen is to impress me in this game, win or lose, I require this:

Freddy Adu starts, behind the striker or pushed out to one side. He needs to be our trequartista if have you, that no. 10, allowed to make mazey runs into the box. If Shea occupies the left back spot, he will have free reign to overlap Adu as he cuts inside.

Bradley played way to deep under his fathers control. I Want to see him pushed higher up the field  in a more attacking role, box to box, rather than a holder.

A 2nd striker needs to be played. Agudelo cannot do it on his own, he's to young, inexperienced, and not strong enough. Looking at the roster Edson Buddle ticks all boxes needed to get the best out of the young Redbull. At his age Buddle is not one for the future, but if played shows attacking intent from Jurgen, which we need more of.

Prediction: There will be goals, for both sides, rendering it an all to familiar to the finale of the Gold Cup played last month. The final ended 4-2 in Mexico's favor, as once again are defensive frailties cooked our goose. This time it ends, painfully said: 2-1 in Mexico's favor, as our  team still struggles to find an identity. 

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Left-Back Crack-Up

If one thing that pre-season friendlies have reaffirmed  for newly resurgent Liverpool is that they are still frail in the the back. King Kenny has hinted at this himself, but so far has done nothing to change it.  In building the Dalglish  dynasty, the Merseyside club have procured many  new faces to plug the gaps that need filling. With an overloaded midfield,  some width, and a attacking force to reckoned with, one hole remains unfilled. The vacant spot of left- back has been a perilous void, ever since the departure of John Arne Riise. With out any talent brought in to address this issue directly, the left- back spot has been a bi-polar position for the reds in recent times, full of nutters, un-tested youth and player's playing out of position. From the Benitez era to date, we have seen a whole host of different faces try to scale the void and make the spot their own, but to no avail as of now. To look at Liverpool's books , you would find that they have a few players that can, and have occupied that position. Much speculation has been a drift with Liverpool reportedly chasing Newcastle's Jose Enrique, but just of a few day's ago Newcastle have stated no formal bid has been submitted. Can Liverpool work with the player's they have or does a marquee, international-quality left-back need to enter the fray. Let us take a look at Liverpool's options and assess:

Fabio Aurelio's return to prominence?

Take Brazilian Fabio Aurelio, once regarded  as one of the best left-backs in Spain playing for Benitez's Valencia, now finds himself very much a fringe player at Anfield. Troubled by Injury Aurelio didn't feature much the last couple seasons, but when fit showed flashes of brilliance. All you have to do is look at his prowess from a set piece, best represented  in Liverpool's Champions league semi final vs. Chelsea, catching Petr Cech out at his near post. When Roy Hodgson took over the helm, Aurelio look set to leave Liverpool but resigned, yet still played infrequently.  Besides his neat work with a dead ball, Aurelio runs rather hot and cold for me, not consistent enough for week in week out selection, spotty in defense and attack, as he often likes to bomb up the wings. He has been used as a left wing-back when Dalgleish uses 3 at the back with 2 wing-backs, allowing him to impose himself offensively. Is he  Liverpool's answer to their left back predicament?..no way jose…but a good back up to have.

Emiliano Insua is another left back currently on Liverpool's roster, yet isn't seen playing in red all that often. The former Boca Junior's man in neither an unproven youngster, or a regular first teamer, having made 44 appearances for Liverpool since his signing in 2007. Last season he was loaned out to Galatasaray, but since has joined Liverpool in their pre-season tour, looking impressive and even notching a goal in their 6-3 win over a Malaysian side. Dalgleish could have bigger plans for the somewhat forgotten Argentine this season, other than loaning him out. He is a promising talent no doubt  but I often get the sense that he doesn't really want to be playing his football at Anfield, and might possibly be eyeing a move this summer. In the 2009-10 season when Liverpool came close to claiming the title, Insua enjoyed a good run of games due to then left back Andrea Dossena's poor form, and Aurelio's injury woes. To insure he gets a central role this season he has to improve in some facets of his game. He is slight in the tackle, and slight in stature standing a mere 5'10, contributing  to his ineptness in the air. He is slow to react and has slow acceleration from a standing position, though looked quick when he could run into attacking positions. Under the guidance of King Kenny maybe Insua can turn into the player he looks he can, and some of his faults should be cured with regular playing time. Another loan I feel would be detrimental to his development and possibly turn him off Liverpool all together. Is he the answer?…possibly, but could give a few Liverpool fans near heart attacks with his decision making.

Glen Johnson needs no introduction as he is a strait up starter in the Liverpool set-up. Primarily a right back, was used on the left last season to supplement the lack of options at their disposal. His performances where passable in this foreign position, to which he didn't look so happy in, a part of the  English players mentality  when asked to play out of position… but I digress. What made this acceptable was that there was back up on the right- Glen's normal position- in the frame of Martin Kelly. Young, but a tremendous prospect! Liverpool's most exciting talent  to emerge from their youth system in a while plays pretty exclusively right back and has a knack for getting forward. Kelly's rise to significance and a stretched back line justified  moving  Johnson onto the left. Kelly is one for the future, and I could see a situation occurring where Johnson plays as the right wing-back in a 3-5-2, for he is almost better going forward than back, and Kelly playing as the left sided center-back. What I can deduce from last season is that Johnson playing on the left is not the answer, so a new signing seems necessary.  

Answer to Liverpool's left-back woes?

In summary Kenny will have to either trust in youth, or splash the cash and bring a top quality defender to AnfieldCarragher, and Johnson's lack of defensive clout, it is a back line that needs added steel. At one time rumored to be in for Udinese's Christian Zapata, but proceedings have since cooled and now looks like only a dying ember of hope, that the Colombian will sign with the Merseyside outfit.  Liverpool are most heavily linked with Newcastle's want away Argentinian, Jose Enrique, and if signed would do a job for the team, as a consistent performer for many years up in Tyne side. Enrique is the best and the easiest option at the moment, as I would really like to see Liverpool chasing somebody of Phillip Lahm's stature, but where the club stands at the moment renders that just unrealistic. Liverpool cannot afford to endure another season of conceding unnecessary goals due to a weak back line, it needs reinforcements, In the center and on the left. Buying a quality left -back should be Dalglish's next move in the transfer market. The old expression always rings true that successful teams build from the back, an expression that in viewing his signings this summer, is not in the Scot's vocabulary.  

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MLS: The Football Star's Retirement Home.

With a increased influx of European  players migrating to the MLS, it makes me wonder... where is the attraction? Former Arsenal starlet Thierry Henry, Freddy Ljungberg, Frank Rost , German bull- dog Torsten Frings and last but not least David Beckham. These elder statesmen can no longer compete at the highest level (Ryan Giggs Excluded), due to miles on the engine. When you reach this point of your career it seems second nature now to follow the trend of becoming a Designated Player (DP) in the MLS. Forgive me but let me compare this to a similar event occurring in Baseball. The position, appropriately named (DH) or Designated Hitter is becoming obsolete.  A team in the American League must have this position in the team, a position reserved for the meaty-ist of sluggers;  big burly fore-armed men, who cannot field. Their sole purpose in the team is to hit.  These player's can play for  a longer duration of time due to the lack for action they see, somewhat akin to the lengthly careers of goalkeepers'. Once procurers' of high salaries the DH's now face a predicament as they age, and their value as a member of the team decreases. They suffer financially, as they they seem to hop annually in search of games. A role once valued has been left with it's star patrons  receiving 1 year deals, for far less money, instead of long well payed contracts. Only If they had a league that  equates to the MLS in Baseball to flock to. The DP isn't becoming obsolete, clearly seen by the growing number of them, but their situation coalesces with the DH, in that DPs have to seek out new pastures in lower profile leagues to play.


The fore-mentiond talent of Thierry Henry and company,  saw it harder to be picked at their respective club's, so in response they fashioned moves to the MLS and in return practically where guaranteed  first team football.  These marquee name players seem to be highly cultivated by MLS managers, but what attracts the player to MLS? Do they do it because the think it will be a cake-walk? Is it the pay? Surly not because of the salary-cap. The location? What's the attraction for these aging stars? When David Beckham signed for the LA Galaxy in 2007, it was HUGE deal! American soccer fans thought it was going to be the second coming having an international star of Beckham's stature playing soccer in the U.S.  Reasons for this astronomic move was due to Beckham wanting to market his worldwide brand more so than him wanting to be integral part of Soccer's growth in this country. Now, I am not sure if this is down to him, but ever since his arrival I have noticed that the game's popularity has come on leaps-an-bounds in this country. Moving to the MLS is a sure-fire way of  stars who have faded slightly to regain the spotlight. The excitement of a player of Torsten Frings or Thierry Henry playing in the United States get's endless attention, and American soccer fans eat that shit right up. It's a doubled edged sword sort-of situation, but not in the negative way it usually connotes. The player's get their spotlight, and the game get's publicity. Such big news end's up gracing ESPN Sports Center type shows that the non-soccer fans watch, leading to my non-soccer supporting friends to say   " Hey, I heard that a big name soccer star is coming to the MLS."This exposure helps the game for the simple fact that the American public becomes aware, hopefully sparking interest.




I see the interest, feeling it myself when I catch wind of a  player I admire showing interest in wanting to come play in my country. We as fans of the game want to view the top names, even if their older and slower. The influx of such players can only help the game, and the media coverage may be a tad excessive, but that's needed for a game that still needs to be sold to the American public. Look at what the NY Cosmos has done. A team that won't even be relevant till after 2012 has ripped a page out of the fire-strom marketing handbook with advertising of their uniforms. The Cosmos are a perfect example to use as reference to how soccer clubs in America have always been a destination for aging stars, such as Pele.  Back in its NASL days it attracted  top world talents who were getting on a bit,and this still holds true today. 


I believe that having DP's in the MLS is necessary. This, with a mixture of youth development is a large stride in the right direction. Our goal, in the long run is to make the MLS a top league, produce talent who are starting for teams such as Manchester United, Barcelona, and Inter Milan, and to get more people in this country interested in the world's game. The DP's help in terms of notoriety, and the fact that they basically come to MLS because it's an easier league doesn't bother me.