Dressed to Kill?

Ok so the US National Team had a rocky first few games in the Confederation Cup. They looked strong in the first half against Italy, but after the red card to Ricardo Clark, the US was doomed. The second half of the game was devoted to defending and there were very few offensive opportunities for the US. Italy took advantage of being up one man and punished the US with a 3-1 decision after 90 minutes.

America’s next match was against Brazil…that should be enough to describe that situation.

However, with each lose, the US team seems to have learned from their mistakes. In what should have been their final game in the Confederation Cup, the US adjusted their line up and scored 3 goals against a strong Egyptian team that beat Italy and nearly tied Brazil. With the Italians losing to Brazil 3-0 and the Americans winning 3-0, the US advances to play top ranked Spain on Wednesday. I am sure that Spain will come out with a win, but it will be interesting to see how the US will stack up against the Euro ‘08 winners.

The main question on many people’s mind is if the US is ready for the World Cup. The Confederation Cup is supposed to be a “dress rehearsal”, and yet they did not seem ready or prepared to go up against the best in the world. However, I do think that the US is ready for the World Cup. Will they win the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa? No…I’m just being realistic. I think that the US has a lot of young talent and there is a good deal of competition for starting positions. This can only breed a faster, smarter, and more determined squad if Bob Bradley can properly implement his roster.

As far as the dress rehearsal goes, the US did well. They can still learn a few things, but they are heading in the right direction. Some of the things that the Confederation Cup has done for the US team involves:
1) It gives the US more overall experience
2) The US has played against some of the top teams in the world
3) Expose strength and weaknesses in their starting roster
4) Test some of the younger players
5) Legitimize the MLS

With the injury and retirement of several seasoned veterans, the national team is looking for young players to become the backbone. Names like Adu, Altidore, Torres, and Spector are some aspiring youths that can fill much needed positions. However, only Altidore and Spector saw major playing time, while Adu and Torres have yet to set foot on the pitch. In addition, DeMarcus Beasley has come under fire for his poor performances not only in the Confederation Cup but also in the CONCACAF competition. There is definitely a clash between aging experienced veterans and the youth on the squad, and Bob Bradley is caught in the middle of it. Players like Adu, Edu, and Torres may become key players for the US, but they need to be able to step on the pitch during international play in order to prove themselves.

Disciple is also a key issue. The US was awarded 2 red cards (Clark and Kljestan) and four yellow cards (Spector, Bradley, Onyewu, and Bornstein) in only 3 games. If this is a sign to come for the World Cup, then this will plague the starting roster and will have a major impact on player selection. If the US wants to field their best roster, they will have to address the disciple issue.

It is vital that the US takes what they have learned and apply it in the remaining qualification games. The key to the US’s survival depends on how well the young stars perform. The key to the MLS survival depends on how well the US national team does at the World Cup in South Africa. As I mentioned before in earlier postings, the success of the national team dictates the success of their league.