6 Changes Jurgen Klinsmann Needs to Make to U.S. Team After Honduras Defeat

By John D. Halloran
at Internationaled.org

Published: February 20, 2013

While the United States men’s national team’s players, coaches and fans are still licking their wounds from the team’s poor performance and loss to Honduras earlier this month, World Cup qualifying has just gotten started and the team needs to right the ship quickly.

With the second hexagonal qualifier against Costa Rica just over a month away, here are six changes USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann needs to make to turn the U.S.’ World Cup qualifying campaign around.

Keep it simple, stupid

Jurgen Klinsmann has spent much of his first 18 months in charge of the USMNT tinkering with different formations for the team.

He tried out a 4-1-2-1-2, a 4-2-3-1, a 4-1-2-3, a 4-1-3-1-1, a 4-1-3-2 and, most recently, used a 4-1-3-2 off-balance formation that did not include a right midfielder.

However, the formation that the U.S. has seen the most success with has been the 4-1-3-2 with two wide midfielders. This is the formation that the U.S. used most recently in World Cup qualifying wins against Antigua, Jamaica and Guatemala. It is also the setup the U.S. used in away wins over Italy and Mexico and the away tie to Russia.

It seemed that Klinsmann had finally accepted the idea that this simple, if boring, formation is the one most understood by the vast majority of American players. It is also the formation they are most comfortable with.

But against Honduras, Klinsmann once again misunderstood himself for a tactical revolutionary employing the off-balance 4-1-3-2 that blew up in the United States’ face.

Klinsmann left Timmy Chandler on an island with no midfield help on the right side of the field. Chandler, who had been training in 30-degree winter weather in Nurnberg and playing in his first World Cup qualifier, was apparently expected to fly up and down the right flank with little to no cover in 90-degree heat.

Klinsman...

Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

Latest News

Comments are closed.

Sponsors

Bruins Tickets The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Red Wings Tickets The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Penguins Tickets The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New York Rangers Tickets play their home games at Madison Square Garden, they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL, having joined in 1926 as an expansion franchise, and are part of the group of teams referred to as the Original Six.

San Jose Sharks Tickets The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States.

Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils Tickets The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

Washington Capitals Tickets The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.

Buffalo Sabres Tickets The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. Get the Sabres and all of your NHL Tickets here.

NASCAR season is on of the most attended sports in the world. NASCAR Tickets to the best tracks is a must every year. Some of these tracks are: Talladega Tickets, Lowes Motor Speedway Tickets, Pocono Raceway Tickets, located in Ridgeway Virginia you have Martinsville Speedway Tickets and southern US you have two of the most popular Atlanta Motor Speedway Tickets and Texas Motor Speedway Tickets. Don't miss all the racing events this year!

Boston Red Sox Tickets The Boston Red Sox are a member of the Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Since 1912, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park. This is one of the hottest MLB Tickets sales of any team in the major league.

New York Yankees Tickets The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get tickets to one of the hottest games of the season Yankees Red Sox Tickets.

Chicago Cubs Tickets The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League.

Phillies Tickets The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883.

Orioles Tickets The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Do you love wrestling? Get your WWE Tickets and WWE Survivor Series Tickets today!