Can the United States Play Attacking Soccer Under Bruce Arena?

Can the United States Play Attacking Soccer Under Bruce Arena?

Talking on Sirius XM Radio, Bruce Arena said, “There’s enough young attacking talent to be aggressive going forward. That young energy will help our pressing game as well.”

So, who are those attacking players? Bobby Wood and Christian Pulisic top that list, and the third name on the list has to be Sebastian Lletget who played for Bruce Arena on the LA Galaxy.

Lletget is the attacking midfielder or Number 10 that the United States needs, and having both Pulisic and Lletget playing behind Wood can only help the United States to be a more dangerous attacking team. Benny Feilhaber and Lee Nguyen are also on that list. Those two attacking midfielders are widely considered the best playmakers in the American player pool along with Sacha Kljestan, who is slightly below those two in terms of skill and creativity.

Both Wood and Pulisic are dangerous enough to allow the United States to attack opposing defenses, rather than bunkering in and trying not to lose. The fact that the United States also has playmakers to feed Pulisic and Wood only makes those two more of a scoring threat. What the U.S. was really missing was link-up play between the midfield and the attack, and that connection was missing when Jürgen Klinsmann would start both Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley in the center of the midfield with no attacking midfielder.

With the LA Galaxy, Arena favored the 4-4-2 formation, and he used his outside midfielders to provide more of the creativity and playmaker. This formation isn’t much in the way of attacking soccer, but Arena could use the 4-2-3-1 formation to have more of an attacking lineup.

There can be no excuse for Arena not playing attacking soccer against CONCACAF opponents in the next World Cup qualifying games. Arena has the personnel to provide enough defending in the midfield while also having a midfield that can keep possession and create scoring opportunities.

It’s hard to see Feilhaber or Nguyen and Lletget not playing under Arena. He’ll have to figure who he wants to start with Bradley in the holding midfield roles, and maybe this is the spot for Darlington Nagbe to play his preferred Number 8 role. Almost anything would be more attack-minded than Klinsmann’s overly defensive and illogical tactics.

Looking at the available players right now, a Front Six of Bradley and Nagbe behind Lletget, Feilhaber, and Pulisic, who would be behind Wood would certainly be more of an attacking lineup. There is definitely hope for a more exciting and effective brand of soccer under Arena, who at the very least knows the player pool better than Klinsmann.

To be very specific, both Feilhaber and Nguyen are qualified to orchestrate the United States’ attack and control the team’s passing, and both Lletget and Pulisic and technical, creative, and quick wing options who can beat people 1v1, create for their teammates, and score. The United States has found an exciting and dangerous striker in Wood, and he has scored and can score against top opponents.

 

What Formation Should Bruce Arena Use With the United States?

What Formation Should Bruce Arena Use With the United States?

As the coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Bruce Arena was known to always trot out the 4-4-2 formation, but Arena is a more advanced and versatile tactician than that.

For what it’s worth Brazil, Argentina, Chile, France, and The Netherlands all use the 4-3-3 formation, so there’s something to be said for the soundness of that formation choice. It’s worth noting that the 4-3-3 and the 4-2-3-1 are really the same lineup more or less, unless no attacking midfielder is used in the Midfield Three.

The United States could use the 4-3-3 formation, but the 4-2-3-1 formation might be as good of a place to start as any. With that set-up, the United States can have enough ball-winning in the midfield with two defensive or holding or central midfielders, and the squad would also have plenty of attacking firepower with a line of three attacking midfielders plus a striker.

The minority viewpoint among United States Men’s National Team observers that Michael Bradley shouldn’t be starting is crazy talk. The filling of the starting two defensive or central midfield roles starts with Bradley and then moves on to selecting Darlington Nagbe, Kellyn Acosta, or Dax McCarty. The latter would make Bradley the Number 8 or box-to-box midfielder, but going with Nagbe or Acosta would definitely be the more inspired choice with the intention of making a real effort to move forward with American tactics and improve the skill of the national team.

The next midfield issue is the question of who should start as the playmaker or central attacking midfielder or Number 10. The United States has to start one. It’s not going to work to just keep fielding a lineup without a playmaker, so Arena should pick one to start. Benny Feilhaber or Lee Nguyen are the obvious choices as both are simply better than Sacha Kljestan, but using Sebastian Lletget is perhaps a better option. If Arena were to start Feilhaber, then Lletget and Christian Pulisic could flank Feilhaber on the right and left behind Bobby Wood as the striker. It’s hard to argue that Feilhaber isn’t the best American playmaker, and his skillset and style of play is sorely needed on this dull United States Men’s National Team.

The United States’ defense is arguably solid right now. DeAndre Yedlin at right back with Geoff Cameron and John Brooks as the center backs with Fabian Johnson as the left back is a suitable Back Four. Maybe using Eric Lichaj instead of Johnson is a better option since Lichaj defends better. Lichaj could also start over Yedlin. Another inspired choice would be to start Andrew Farrell at right back with Lichaj at left back since the United States needs outside backs who can defend better while still being able to bomb down the sideline in the attack.

Arena couldn’t go wrong with using the 4-2-3-1 with the United States, and it’s as sound as any formation. This formation was the traditional formation of Brazil, and you could argue that the 4-2-3-1 and the 4-3-3 are really the same thing.

 

Who Should Bruce Arena Call into the United States’ January Camp?

Who Should Bruce Arena Call into the United States Men’s National Team’s January Camp?

Although the United States Men’s National Team’s January camp is over a month away, Bruce Arena has likely already made a list of domestic players that he plans to call up, and certainly he is still working on expanding and evaluating that list.

While it’s difficult to predict Arena’s list, it is possible to think of who deserves to make the list, and of course this list wouldn’t necessarily be comprehensive.

Let’s start from the goalkeepers and move on down to the forwards, and let’s consider just some of Arena’s best option. Here are 30 names instead of 23 names as several additional midfielders and an extra forward were included.

Goalkeepers- Clint Irwin, Brian Rowe, Zack Steffan, Bill Hamid

The American player pool features many excellent goalkeepers. Zack Steffen stood out with the youth national teams, and Clint Irwin and Brian Rowe have been excellent in MLS along with Bill Hamid. Tim Howard should still be injured in January.

Center Backs- Andrew Farrell, Maurice Edu, Steve Birnbaum, Matt Besler

Andrew Farrell played right back this past season, but his best position is at center back. Nevertheless, he’s a quality right back that can help Arena at that position as well. If Maurice Edu is fit, then he is a center back and defensive midfielder who has proven ability. Edu is a more technical and athletic center back than most of the United States’ options.

Outside Backs- Kofi Sarkodie, Robbie Rogers, Chris Tierney, Chris Klute

Three of the best American outside backs (DeAndre Yedlin, Eric Lichaj, Fabian Johnson) play in Europe, so here are four domestic outside backs who stand out. Chris Klute has been seeing limited playing time since playing so well with the Colorado Rapids under Oscar Pareja. Chris Tierney and Robbie Rogers are two left backs worth looking at, and Kofi Sarkodie has impressed in MLS for several seasons when used.

Midfielders- Michael Bradley, Dax McCarty, Kellyn Acosta, Fatai Alashe, Victor Ulloa, Dillon Powers, Will Trapp, Darlington Nagbe, Benny Feilhaber, Lee Nguyen, Sebastian Lletget, Kelyn Rowe, Ethan Finlay, Benji Joya

This list includes several extra midfielders because the United States’ midfield has been weak, and it’s important to really test out more midfielders. This list also includes plenty of attacking midfielders and playmakers as the United States’ level of technical ability and creativity in the midfield is way too low. This list also features a log jam of central midfielders. May the best ones win.

Here we have multiple playmakers in Benny Feilhaber, Lee Nguyen, Sebastian Lletget, Darlington Nagbe, and Kelyn Rowe. Nagbe has really thrived as a box-to-box midfielder because he can use his running endurance and speed to have his skill be useful all over the field, and he has also proven to be a good tackler and ball-winner.

Lletget and Rowe also excel as wings, and Christian Pulisic will need someone to play on the opposite side of the field from him. Feilhaber and Nguyen were the playmakers that Jürgen Klinsmann should have been using every game, but now the question is whether or not Sebastian Lletget is better than both. Still, these players aren’t mutually exclusive, as having both Feilhaber and Nguyen on the roster makes sense because Lletget also plays as a wing or second striker.

Ethan Finlay is also too talented and quick to overlook. The Columbus Crew winger and second striker has performed well for the United States already, and his skillset is needed. Finlay is also aggressive and looks to score or play final balls.

Forwards- Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Jordan Morris, Bradford Jamieson IV

Bradford Jamieson IV was included because of his compelling combination of skill, creativity, directness, and athleticism. Among young American players, Jamieson’s talent has really stood out along with Christian Pulisic and Rubio Rubin. Assuming Clint Dempsey can play, he can play second striker, attacking midfielder, or wing. The other center forwards are almost instant inclusions.

 

Players Bruce Arena Needs on the United States Men’s National Team

Players Bruce Arena Needs on the United States Men’s National Team

Sebastian Lletget (Attacking Midfielder/Wing/Forward)

World Soccer Source contends that Sebastian Lletget is the most important player that Bruce Arena can bring in. Why? Because Lletget is an attacking midfielder and a playmaker, and the United States has recently found an excellent new center forward in Bobby Wood, plus the United States already has two excellent central midfielders in Michael Bradley and Darlington Nagbe or Kellyn Acosta. Lletget offers the missing elements to the national team: creativity and playmaking. The United States has creativity in Christian Pulisic, but he needs another gifted attacking player to combine with. Based on what he’s shown in MLS, Lletget is better than Benny Feilhaber, Lee Nguyen, and Sacha Kljestan. More so than just a playmaker to play the final pass, Lletget is a midfielder who can  orchestrate the team’s passing and possession. The United States isn’t just lacking playmaking in the final third; it’s also lacking quality passing and possession farther away from the goal.

Kellyn Acosta (Center Midfielder)

The United States has used Kellyn Acosta before, but it was as an outside back. What Acosta really brings to the United States is another defensive or central midfielder to play with Bradley. Acosta is an excellent all-around player who brings technical skill, defending, lots of running, and speed. Acosta has even proven to be a threat on goal. For a national team that often gets beat in the midfield, Acosta offers everything you could want from a central midfielder, and he’s part of the younger generation of American players who offer more technical ability that many of the players in the previous generation. Whether Bradley needs a substitute or a partner, Acosta is that midfielder. It doesn’t hurt that he offers plenty of positional versatility.

Darlington Nagbe (Center Midfielder/Attacking Midfieder)

Darlington Nagbe brings skill to the national team just like Lletget, and that makes him valuable. Nagbe is a creative and skillful player who is effective all over the field due to his tireless running and speed. Whether Bruce Arena wants him to play as a Number 8 midfielder or an attacking midfielder, there has to be a roster spot for Nagbe who many people consider one of the very best players in the American player pool. If Nagbe partners with Bradley, then a central midfield combination where Bradley plays as the defensive midfielder or Number 6 and Nagbe plays as the box-to-box midfielder or Number 8 would be an improvement for the United States.

Kelyn Rowe (Attacking Midfielder/Wing)

The United States needs Kelyn Rowe because of his technical ability, creativity, and quickness. Rowe can play centrally or wide as an attacking midfielder or wing, and the United States would be wise to call up a player with his qualities. Christian Pulisic is arguably already better than everyone on the team, and he needs other technical and creative attacking midfielders and wings to play with. Rowe would offer Bruce Arena a playmaker or wing option, and he helps improve the United States’ biggest problem: low technical ability.

Rubio Rubin (Center Forward)

The United States is always looking for center forwards, and Rubio Rubin is a player to back up Bobby Wood or play as his strike partner. Rubin is considered by many to be the best young American player besides Christian Pulisic, and Rubin is an aggressive and skillful center forward like Wood. The United States has always needed center forwards who can stretch and beat opposing defenses, and this is how Rubin plays. When Wood and Rubin first played for the United States, it was evident that these two center forwards were more dangerous and direct than Jozy Altidore, who never has attacked like these two. Rubin is worthy of a call-up just to be Wood’s substitute, but Rubin is also ready to start right now against any opponent because he has the mentality and ability to start and perform well. Rubin already performed well against Colombia, so what other kind of proof is really needed?

Andrew Farrell (Center Back/Right Back)

Andrew Farrell is a center back or right back, and he’s the type of center back that the United States has only seen in Eddie Pope and Geoff Cameron. He has the technical ability to keep possession in the back and pass the ball out of danger instead of just clearing the ball or hitting long balls. As a defender, Farrell is an excellent ball-winner who is faster than most attackers, and he has fast feet unlike other center backs the United States has used. Defenders like Omar Gonzalez are prone to being thrown off balance and left for dead by opposing attackers, and Farrell has the athleticism and playing ability to stay in front of, catch up to, and dispossess fast and skillful attackers. Whether it by storming up and down the sideline to attack and defend or leading the defense as a center back, Farrell is a higher caliber of defender than the United States would be wise to select and field.

Eric Lichaj (Right Back/Left Back)

Eric Lichaj is better defensively than DeAndre Yedlin, and Lichaj is a veteran of the English Premier League and Championship. Lichaj also has a track record of playing well for the United States at both right back and left back. In addition to continuing to use Yedlin, Arena can select Lichaj to bolster or improve his defense. Lichaj is useful to the United States because he is a proven right back, but he is also a proven left back, which is a very weak position for the United States. Klinsmann’s refusal to use Lichaj was odd, but maybe his affinity for Timothy Chandler always put Lichaj lower down on Klinsmann’s depth chart at right back.

Jorge Villafaña and Robbie Rogers (Left Backs)

Many of the United States’ rosters under Jürgen Klinsmann simply had no players who played left back for their club teams. All things considered right now, Jorge Villafaña and Robbie Rogers are two left backs who have played or are playing well for their clubs right now.

 

 

Is Jürgen Klinsmann a coaching improvement for the USMNT?

 

 

Jürgen Klinsmann. © Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images
Jürgen Klinsmann. © Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images

 

Is Jürgen Klinsmann a coaching improvement for the United States Men’s National Team?

 

Despite being a legendary German striker and a certified soccer great, the answer to that question is, “No.”

Read more