The U.S. delivered a must-win Tuesday, and the impressive performance gave Jurgen Klinsmann plenty to ponder, writes Ives Galarcep.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jurgen Klinsmann sat at Tuesday's post-match news conference with a smile on his face and a relaxed nature of a man who had proved something. His U.S. national team pulled its World Cup qualifying campaign from the brink of disaster with an emphatic victory and Klinsmann couldn't help but lace his post-match presser with thinly veiled self-aggrandizement and an attitude that was equal parts "Just how I drew it up" and "How ya like me now?"
Apparently, in Klinsmann's mind, one blowout home win against a team the U.S. never should have had trouble with in the first place was enough to take an eraser to the memories of fans who have spent the past the last nine months watching the Americans finish fourth at the Gold Cup, lose the CONCACAF Cup to Mexico, settle for a 0-0 tie against Trinidad and Tobago, and most recently suffered a 2-0 loss in Guatemala.
All of those setbacks have led to mounting criticism of Klinsmann — criticism he is keenly aware of, and criticism he seems to suggest is unwarranted.
"I'm cool with that. I let people say whatever they would like to say. It's all right with me," Klinsmann said. "Here and there you wish maybe some comments could be a little bit more respectful, but it is what it is. It's an emotional game, and emotions go both ways. When things go well, the emotions, in Brazil they skyrocketed suddenly, and then if you lose a game some comments go the other direction."
Tuesday's win may ease some of the criticism of Klinsmann, but certainly won't eliminate it. Klinsmann wasn't hired to help the U.S. beat Guatemala and simply reach the Hexagonal round of World Cup qualifying. He was hired to take the U.S. to a new level — something he has yet to do after five years.
What the 4-0 victory did do is show that this U.S. squad is still capable of showing the kind of determination that used to help American teams achieve consistent success for many years. Consistency has been woefully scarce for the U.S. since the 2014 World Cup, which is one of the main reasons Klinsmann has drawn so much criticism lately. It isn't about any one result, but a building stack of poor performances mixed in with the kind of victories we keep expecting to signal the true rise of the U.S. under Klinsmann.
Tuesday's win isn't likely to signal that rise either, but it just might give the team a sorely needed reminder of just what a U.S. team is capable of.
Here are some other takeaways from Tuesday's win against Guatemala:
CAMERON TAKING CHARGE OF THE DEFENSE
There is a void in the U.S. defense — one that hasn't quite been filled since longtime veterans Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo left the national team picture. There have been players who have stepped up to contribute, but the American defense has lacked a true leader for some time.
Geoff Cameron looks like he's ready to be that leader.
The Stoke City man was excellent in Tuesday's win, both offensively and defensively, and provided a measure of stability the defense needed after Friday's awful showing. He partnered well with Steve Birnbaum to sweep away Guatemala's attacking threats through the middle, and he contributed to the attack with a long ball that led to the first U.S. goal, and heading home the second.
“I’m trying to stay positive and trying to encourage people, and with my experience playing over in England, and playing against these players,” Cameron said. “It’s different playing against these Central American guys, but I’ve been through the whole process of World Cup qualifying before when I was a young kid. Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo and all those guys were there to kind of help me get experience and give me some exposure."
Cameron kept the defense organized in the middle Tuesday after moving from right back, where he started in Friday's loss to Guatemala.
"That's where I'm confident, that's where I'm comfortable," Cameron said of playing in central defense. "But I can play right back if he needs us to, and I think I've proved that. I've shown that before."
“He was kind of guiding me the whole time, talking to me, and he was great,” Birnbaum said of his partnership with Cameron. “He had a great game tonight and was really solid and able to talk to me through the whole game.”
Though Cameron and Birnbaum were playing together for the first time, they do have one strong link. Both were mentored by the same veteran defender, Bobby Boswell, who partnered with Cameron in central defense with the Houston Dynamo and is now teammates with Birnbaum.
The two appeared to have good chemistry Tuesday, and it may not be the last time we see that pairing in an important U.S. match.
ZUSI MAKES MOST OF CHANCE IN CENTRAL MIDFIELD
Injuries to Fabian Johnson and Alejandro Bedoya opened the door for Graham Zusi to earn his first national team cap since last summer, and the Sporting Kansas City midfielder took full advantage, scoring a goal just after halftime to essentially end any suspense about the evening's outcome.
Zusi fell out of the national team picture after being slowed by injuries that led to a down year in MLS by his lofty standards. He had career lows in goals and assists in 2015 for his time as an MLS starter, dating back to 2011, but he's come into the 2016 season healthy and has played a key role in Sporting KC starting the new season 3-0-0.
Klinsmann's decision to deploy Zusi as a central midfielder turned some heads, given the fact he had played almost exclusively as a winger for the U.S. But the veteran began his career playing there, and could also see his fair share of time in central midfield this year for Sporting KC after the winter additions of Justin Mapp and Brad Davis.
Added versatility should only help Zusi's chances of staying on Klinsmann's radar, and the success he enjoyed in the 2014 World Cup qualifying cycle certainly hasn't been forgotten by the U.S. coach.
COLUMBUS REMAINS TOP USA VENUE
There is a certain feel to U.S. national team matches at Mapfre Stadium. The venue formerly known as Crew Stadium has become a fortress for the U.S. after four World Cup qualifying victories against Mexico, so there was no place more ideal to have Tuesday's must-win game played.
The atmosphere didn't disappoint, as the crowd in Columbus delivered energy from the start, which helped propel the U.S. team in what was a much more energetic and focused performance than Friday.
The display should put to bed any questions about whether Mapfre Stadium should remain the home of the U.S.-Mexico World Cup qualifier going forward. There have been rumblings that Sporting KC's Children's Mercy Park could become the new venue for U.S.-Mexico qualifiers one day, but there is really no reason for that change to take place.
No offense to Children's Mercy Park, but Columbus has too much history and too many good memories to replace it as the home for what is always the most highly anticipated match of World Cup qualifying.
DESPITE STRUGGLES, ZARDES MAKES HIS MARK
Gyasi Zardes can be tough to watch at times. His poor touch has been known to kill many an attack, and his tactical acumen often makes him struggle to make the right decisions in a timely manner. That said, he does bring speed, a tireless work ethic and a penchant for helping making things happen in attack.
This was clear to see once again in Tuesday's win, as his hustle led to a Geoff Cameron long pass bouncing off a Guatemalan defender and falling to a wide-open Clint Dempsey. As Zardes occupied two defenders, Dempsey was free to bury Tuesday's opening goal.
Zardes worked his magic again at the start of the second half when he attempted to control a ball in the penalty area, only to have it hit him in the shin and fall into the path of Zusi, who buried the unintentional assist to put the match out of reach.
Zardes does need to work on his touch and positional sense and reading of the game, but as long as he continues to make things happen, Klinsmann will continue to give him opportunities.
FULLBACKS MAKE THEIR CASE
Jurgen Klinsmann let Edgar Castillo know that Tuesday could be his last chance with the U.S. and he needed to impress, and impress he did, playing a steady 90 minutes at left back.
On the other side of the field, DeAndre Yedlin showed that he has improved defensively as a right back, a clear product of having received steady playing time in recent months for English Premier League club Sunderland.
Klinsmann has to be happy with seeing the attack-minded players show well at two positions where depth is an issue, and where he needs new players to step up to allow him to keep Fabian Johnson in midfield.
With Greg Garza still not playing at Club Tijuana since returning from injury, and with Tim Ream having only recently escaped the coaching doghouse at Fulham, there just aren't many left back options at Klinsmann's disposal. Jorge Villafana is one, but Klinsmann has yet to call him in. With that being the case, Castillo has gone from looking like a long shot to make the U.S. Copa America team to someone who could challenge for a starting role.
Yedlin certainly made his case to be Klinsmann's first-choice right back. Given the level of competition he's facing at Sunderland, Yedlin is in position to be Klinsmann's ideal choice to deal with the dangerous wingers who await at the Copa America.
- Goal