These Are Trying Times for an Indecisive Coach
It would seem that with the Major League Soccer playoffs approaching and with most of the players in reasonably decent form, Bruce Arena’s job would be easier.
It would seem that the coach of the U.S. national team would be spoiled for choices when it comes to selecting a roster to face Honduras and Costa Rica in two World Cup qualifying games in the first week of September.
But it isn’t that way at all.
If anything, Arena’s job has been made even more difficult by injuries and his own lack of decisiveness. For instance:
* He still has not resolved who will be his starting goalkeeper. Kasey Keller (Tottenham Hotspur) and Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers) again have been called into camp even though both have made it clear they do not want to be flown in from England simply to sit on the bench.
* He has no playmaker to speak of now that fragile starter Claudio Reyna (Glasgow Rangers) and equally fragile backup John O’Brien (Ajax Amsterdam) once again have been injured.
* He has no true striker with any speed and finishing power now that the MLS quartet of Clint Mathis, Josh Wolff, Brian McBride and Ante Razov have been sidelined because of injury.
In other words, whatever starting 11 Arena puts on the field against Honduras on Sept. 1 at Washington,it will be experimental at best.
The same goes for the Sept. 5 qualifier in Costa Rica.
Both games are potential losses, which Arena virtually admitted last week when he talked about how many points the U.S. might reasonably expect out of a possible six: “If we get three points, we’re in good shape.
“Four points would be great too. It may be better for us to get two points rather than three because we would be taking points away from other teams.”
Two points means two ties. While a tie in Costa Rica would be acceptable, a tie at home in sold-out RFK Stadium is not at all acceptable. It’s time Arena stopped being so cautious and became more adventurous in his thinking.
A few suggestions:
* Choose a starting keeper and stick with him. It doesn’t matter if it’s Keller or Friedel, both are fine choices. Tim Howard of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars should be given the No. 3 spot to prepare for the future instead of being constantly rotated as the third-choice keeper. The Kansas City Wizards’ Tony Meola won’t be much use in 2006.
* The defense is fine and does not need tinkering with in any way. A back four of Steve Cherundolo, Carlos Llamosa, Jeff Agoos and David Regis has proven itself more than adequate, especially with Eddie Pope, Gregg Berhalter and Greg Vanney backing them.
* Chris Armas and Pablo Mastroeni should be twinned as defensive midfielders. Mastroeni inexplicably was not included in the 24-player roster Arena named Wednesday, but he had the sense to add the Miami Fusion player Thursday in the wake of Reyna’s latest injury. Mastroeni is a far more natural player than Arena’s usual choice, Tony Sanneh.
* Stop bringing 31-year-old MetroStar midfielder Richie Williams into camp just because he’s a good practice opponent and give the opportunity to an up-and-coming youngster such as the Wizards’ Nick Garcia or the Galaxy’s Pete Vagenas.
* Considering his electrifying performance in Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup loss to the Galaxy, Chicago Fire midfielder DaMarcus Beasley should be an automatic choice for every U.S. camp.
* Forget the tie and go for the win against Honduras by throwing speed and guile at the Central Americans. Joe-Max Moore (Everton) and Jovan Kirovski (Crystal Palace) have hardly lit up the scoreboard lately, so don’t consider either of them starters. Instead, play Preki in the Reyna role behind a rotating forward triangle of Cobi Jones, Landon Donovan and Earnie Stewart.
The U.S. has four World Cup qualifying games left and needs at least one victory and at most two to reach Korea/Japan 2002.
Attacking Honduras with all guns blazing in front of more than 55,000 and a national television audience would be infinitely preferable to playing not to lose and trying to steal a point.
The back door is a poor way to enter the World Cup.
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One Man’s Selections
Grahame L. Jones’ suggested U.S. starting lineup against Honduras on Sept. 1:
Goalkeeper: Kasey Keller.
Defenders: Jeff Agoos, Steve Cherundolo, Carlos Llamosa, David Regis.
Midfielders: Chris Armas, Pablo Mastroeni, Preki.
Forwards: Landon Donovan, Cobi Jones, Earnie Stewart.
