USA – Panama: Man of the Match

Last night the USA national mens team scored a convincing 2-0 win over Panama. Now in world soccer circles, nobody is confusing Panama with Spain or Germany or even England…….or even Montenegro , for that matter. (Hey, Montenegro is leading its qualifying group!) But Panama has given the USA trouble in the past and were undefeated in the group going into last nights match. It was a loss to Panama that started the USSF questioning Bob Bradley as coach and those doubts eventually cost him his job. OK…. a 4-2 loss to Mexico after leading the match also helped, but the loss to the unfancied team in red started the ball rolling.

 Altidore scores!

So, the US did its best to produce a favorable climate for the home match, including scheduling it in Seattle where the Sounders have a large and vocal following and then cutting the new grass on the morning of the match to make the field faster. But the best thing the USA did was play a great match. For the first time in the Klinsmann era, and perhaps for the first time ever, the USA looked like a team that could be called a world power. (ok, I know that’s a bit much, but I still have afterglow from last night!) For that, and for taking the two forced changes to the lineup and actually improving the team with those changes, the Soccer Yoda names Jurgen Klinsmann as the Man of the Match.

Now, this is a notable honor for Klinsmann. Lets face it, when the most commentary a coach gets is about his wardrobe, something is missing.

What was missing was a USA match in which Klinsmann’s influence as a world class player and coach was easily apparent. A match in which our national team looked like a team which is aspiring to greatness, one which can play with world class smoothness, pace and ,perhaps most of all, confidence.

Last night was it. The possession, interplay, passing , defense, they were all impressive and for the most part, consistent throughout the match. Against Jamaica, there were times when this type of play was there, particularly in the first half when several attacks came close and Altidore scored off of a well produced Zusi cross. But that night the USA couldn’t maintain the play. They lost the possession game, started hitting meaningless long balls, eventually lost their concentration and the lead. Jurgen pleaded with them from the sideline to keep the ball and make Jamaica chase, thus consuming time and Jamaican energy. But it didn’t happen.

Against Panama, not only did the composure of the team remain a constant, but the attacks were quick and insightful. Although Mohammed Ali first said, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” , that strategy holds very true in soccer. A slow possession game, even when well done, that remains slow, results in lots of ball possession, lots of field position, and lots of frustration around the opponents goal. And frequently gives up a counter attack that results in an opposition score. Strikes must have pace, must turn and unbalance defenses and must feature great execution. (More about this stuff in future posts). Last night the US displayed that type of attack. I attribute that to Klinsmann.

But the best play that Klinsmann orchestrated against Panama was inserting Cameron for Jones and Johnson for Zusi. Much had been said about the effect that losing those two would have on the team. Jones had been providing excellent defense in front of an inexperienced back four, helping them greatly. Zusi served Altidore the first goal against Jamaica and was proving to be source of good balls troubling opponent defenses. BUT, Jones was not consistently participating in the offensive buildup and Zusi was not a great threat to score himself. Klinsmann took two players from different positions. Cameron came from the back line and Johnson from the top. (He was Altidore’s sub against Jamaica). What he got was an improvement on the originals! Cameron not only played defense but contributed to the ball- holding offense and Johnson proved to be a real thorn in Panama’s left side. Johnson beat the Panamanians with his pace, with his dribbling, with his quickness. And then the two newcomers combined on an over- the- top strike that required vision and skill on Cameron’s part and a combination of those attributes of pace and technique from Johnson. The result was a fine, game-clinching goal and Klinsmann looked like a genius.

The game against Panama was LARGE step toward World Cup qualification and perhaps the first view of the dominant, cool, skillful USA team that we all would like to think has been hiding in those ever-changing uniforms somewhere ( I wish Nike would  settle on just ONE USA look) , just waiting for the right coach to pull it out. Right now , it looks like Coach Klinsmann could be that coach. After all, last night the only wardrobe talk was about the undressing the USA gave Panama. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

What’s it all about?

So, who am I and why am I starting this blog?

Let’s answer the second question first. I am starting this blog by popular demand. Keep in mind that in our house, “popular demand” means my wife suggested it. (I suspect that I am not alone in this.)

Now- to the first question:

I am an old (if 68 is considered old) American sport-centered person who was introduced to soccer as a serious sport at the comparatively advanced age of 19 and immediately fell in love with it. I played in college and in several amateur adult leagues until my knees gave out (I foolishly continue to try and play despite desperate communications from my body to my brain to stop). As a player, I never amounted to very much. However, when I graduated from college, I entered the teaching profession and that gave me a perfect platform to coach soccer at a time when youth soccer was just getting started and most high schools only had a team if they were too small for football (American football , that is.) As a coach, I have been blessed with much success.

I have coached youth soccer at many levels, both genders. I have studied the sport both in the US and abroad. I have a national license – one of the first coaches to get one. I have watched literally thousands of soccer matches at all levels, from 5 yr. old tykes to World Cup matches. I have had the honor to shake hands with individuals like Pele and Johan Cruyff and the even greater honor to coach 8 yr. old munchkins to their first soccer championship. I have watched former players perform before tens of thousands of spectators. I have helped develop a number of players who have represented the USA at various age levels and I have coached more who reached professional levels but didn’t make a national team.  I have been sought out by many for my views and for helping to develop young players and yet I also have been told by some educated soccer people that I have it all wrong. I have seen the game grow here in the US in amazing ways. Through it all, my fascination and love for the game has only gotten stronger. Because I am an American, and an older one at that, I have some non-traditional views of the game and its organization. On some levels I am a purist- I love the possession game, the passing game, the game played with few fouls. I think that 2011 Barcelona was the epitome of the modern game. But I also am a competitor and understand that the objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposition. While soccer can be played for the art it displays, I believe that the art is best viewed when it results in a victory.

In the coming weeks, I will discuss my views of all aspects of the game, I invite comments – both pro and con. I believe that there is no right and wrong when it comes to soccer- just different ways to go about playing and coaching and even watching the game. I’ll write about my experiences and about some specific beliefs I have concerning the development of players and teams. I hope you (the reader) will follow along and comment when it seems appropriate.

By the way: about the title of the blog- sounds fairly pretentious doesn’t it? The Soccer YODA? Coming from someone who hasn’t even coached at the college level? Listen; for me science fiction is only second to soccer (among non-living things); I know about Yoda and what the name implies-it was given to me by others in respect to my soccer coaching and study of the game. And it makes for a catchy blog title, I think!