M.I.A.
The one thing that made that friendly against Slovakia a little better was the knowledge that, come Monday, Bob Bradley would be able to completely revamp the roster for Wednesday’s friendly with Denmark. That would mean that you could dump, say, Sacha Kljestan (who’d better not be allowed to even listen to Ladysmith Black Mambazo during the World Cup) for up-and-coming talent. Talent like, I don’t know…Jose Francisco Torres, the Pachuca midfielder that’s barely gotten playing time since he declared for the U.S. squad.
Only problem with that plan? In spite of the fact that he was initially called up, Torres has since been excused for “personal reasons”.
This one isn’t on Bob Bradley, of course; he did his part and brought Torres into the fold. And it’s probably not really on Torres, either, since he was excused for personal reasons. However, pretty much every U.S. National Team fan has been pushing for Torres to get more minutes; these friendlies are the perfect chance for him to get some time on the main stage and show everyone what he can do, and it’s a major disappointment that he won’t be playing on Wednesday.
Fortunately, if you were dead set on getting some new blood into camp for the Denmark friendly, you’re in luck. Sort of. Here’re the changes:
- Added: Edgar Castillo (Tigres), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo)
- Excused: Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew)
Chad Marshall tweaked his knee in camp, which is why he didn’t play Saturday and is being sent home. It would seem like Cherundolo and Dempsey are being replaced by Castillo and Holden, while Clark is likely to continue his role as a predictable underwhelmer in Bob Bradley’s midfield.
All told, it’s not been a stellar road trip for Bradley thus far. A predictably defensive performance against Slovakia, an injury to Marshall (who could be a serviceable replacement for Onyewu if need be), and Torres’s personal issues have robbed him of the ability to evaluate his full squad in the way he’d like to.
Then again…maybe he’s not all that interested either.
A good technical player with a creative touch and a calmness on the ball the USMNT midfield needs…
bench player.
God I hate Bob sometimes.
We desperately need what Torres can bring to the side: composure on the ball, vision, the ability to maintain possession, intelligent passing.
Bob Bradley’s failure to integrate Torres is really quite amazing.
It’s one of the *big* stories in US soccer.
When I found out Torres pulled out of the squad, I was seriously disappointed. Let’s wish him well on the personal front.
Side note:
In South Africa, it would be very nice to see a midfield where Jermaine Jones sits in front of the back four. Let Michael Bradley play above him in the center. Set Donovan wide right. Play Torres somewhat to Bradley’s left — but as a tucked in left-sided midfielder not a proper winger.
Push Dempsey up beneath Altidore, who will be the one-out-and-out striker.
In other words, play an *unbalanced* 4-4-2. In this set up width on the left will have to be provided by the left back.
Hopefully, tomorrow’s game will give Castillo a chance to show what he’s got in this position.
I like that set-up (sort of a wide diamond, almost-but-not-quite a 4-3-3), although I think that Donovan is better out left; I might have him and Torres occasionally switch sides (maintaining the same role) so that sometimes the attack comes from Donovan cutting in from the left, sometimes it’s from him wide on the right.
Sadly, it’ll take a small miracle for Bradley to break away from his formation. He used to switch formations all the time, but he’s been pretty dialed in on the one he’s using now, and it’s not a particularly creative or interesting set-up. It did, however, beat Spain; since then, I think he’s been trying to figure out why it worked in that particular game.