To The Blue Hell and Back; The Razor's Edge

I was scouring the internet earlier today looking for some MLS content, and I stumbled upon an article that mentioned the arrival of the Montreal Impact as a new expansion team starting in 2012. I had actually forgotten all about the addition of a new team to MLS until I came across the article, and it got me wondering about the upcoming Expansion Draft that will be held for Montreal, and how it may affect our very own, Sporting Kansas City.  

Of course, every time MLS has an expansion draft the rules can change. So for the sake of argument, let’s just use the rules that were in place for the latest expansion draft, which was held November 24, 2010, and included the Portland Timbers, and the Vancouver Whitecaps. I realize that any of these rules are subject to some sort of change, but for now, they’ll have to do.

A quick run down of the expansion rules that were in place for the 2010 Expansion Draft, brought to you by none other than MLSsoccer.com; 

2010 MLS Expansion Draft Rules;

• Each MLS club can lose up to a maximum of two players from their current roster, and then they are removed from the expansion draft. If a team has one player selected, they can adjust their protected roster to add an additional player to be kept before additional selections are made.
• Existing MLS teams can protect 11 current players from their senior and development teams, plus they can also reserve any players currently listed as Home Grown Players (players that live or train in an MLS team’s territory for at least one season) or players that have not graduated from the Generation Adidas program yet. All teams must submit their complete listing of exempted players by 11 AM on November 22, and it will be released to the public later that day.

• Clubs are restricted in the number of international players that they may make available. Depending on how many international players that is currently under contract, they may make available a number of international players equal to their total number of international players minus three. For purposes of this expansion process, U.S. based clubs would consider any player that does not hold U.S. Citizenship or Residency as an International, while Toronto FC would note any player that does not hold Canadian OR U.S. Citizenship or Residency as an International.


• Current MLS Designated players are NOT automatically protected, so teams must choose whether to keep their existing designated players. If such player is not protected, he will be available for selection in the Expansion Draft. However, if the Designated Player has a no-trade clause in his contract, then his MLS club must protect him and he will count as one of the 11 players who may be protected.


• Vancouver and Portland will have the right to renegotiate a drafted player’s salary amount (either up or down) without having to place such player on waivers or giving his previous club a right of first refusal. This clause adds some financial flexibility without causing potential monetary hurdles in the process of setting a salary budget.


• On the first day of the Discovery/Allocation Period, each of Vancouver and Portland will have priority over players on its USL roster and one additional player in the USL not on its roster, subject to another MLS club’s right of first refusal. This gives each club the ability to talk with their current USSF D2 rosters initially in order to possibly sign them, unless their rights belong to another club.

So let’s review some of the more interesting bits of the expansion draft rules as they pertain to Sporting Kansas City.

All 18 teams currently in MLS are allowed to protect 11 of their players. Montreal will be unable to draft any of the 11 protected players during the 10 round Expansion draft. Montreal can select a maximum of two players from any MLS team, excluding the eleven protected players.

Designated players are fair game, so in the case of Sporting, they would have to protect their two designated players (Omar Bravo, and Jeferson), or risk losing them to Montreal. Let’s assume neither player has a no trade clause. Protecting both players would mean that Kansas City would only have nine remaining players they could protect. 

For the sake of simplicity I’m throwing out the developmental player rules, as I don’t think they’ll really apply. The kind of players Montreal will in all likelihood want will be players that are already established in MLS, and ready to contribute right away. Taking that in to consideration, Sporting Kansas City will still have some tough decisions to make on which 11 players they are willing to protect. The harsh reality is that Sporting will have to leave a few players unprotected that are currently playing vital roles for the team. 

So, I’m putting on my general manager cap as we speak. What am I looking for in regards to the 11 players I’ll be protecting? There are numerous factors to take into account, but here are a couple of the big ones for me;

1. Age- Ideally, I’d like to keep any player on our squad that is young and currently contributing to the success the team’s had this year. Older players are going to take a hit here, because even if they are contributing this year, they won’t be down the road, and thus their impact on the team is probably short term.

2. Impact on the team as of today- I want to protect as many of the players that are the core players on the squad. Core players are the players that Sporting absolutely has to have. If they are a vital key to the team’s success I want to do everything I can to keep that player in Kansas City. Unfortunately, age does factor into this equation though. 

3. Impact on the team down the road- I’m also looking for players that perhaps aren’t quite there yet, but players that are still young, and that have a good amount of potential. Players that I think can be very, very good down the road. This ensures that not only are we competitive now, but in the future as well. 

With all of that said, who are the eleven players I’d protect if I was Sporting Kansas City? In no particular order;

1. Omar Bravo- I understand I’m already breaking one of my rules. Rule #1. Bravo is already 31 years old, which means his physical abilities will be heading south at any time now. In fact, they’ve probably already started to decline to a degree. But I can’t deny the impact that Omar has made on this team, and I would guess that he still has a couple of years left in the tank. In a way, Bravo is the true face of the Sporting Kansas City franchise. 

2. Matt Besler- He’s simply too young, and too good for me not to protect. Besler meets all three requirements I have. Throw in the fact that he’s a local hero, and Besler makes the final 11. 

3. C.J. Sapong- Not only has C.J. met the expectations that were placed on him when he was drafted in the first round of the MLS Superdraft, he has exceeded them. C.J. will very likely be a force up top for Sporting Kansas City in the years to come. 

4. Graham Zusi- Anyone who has read my Sporting Kansas City/ LA Galaxy match review knows just how highly I value Graham. He’s only 25, and should be a vital cog in the Sporting midfield for years to come. 

5. Aurelien Collin- I love everything about Collin’s game. He’s been very good for the team at the centerback position, and he provides an aerial threat on set pieces. He meets all three requirements. 

6. Chance Myers- Chance has finally had a break out campaign this year. The early stages of his career were mired with injuries, but he’s finally living up to his status as a #1 overall draft pick. I bank on Myers age, and the idea that he will continually progress as a player as my reasoning for protecting him. I also cross my fingers that he doesn’t spend the next few years  on the medical table. 

He might not be a star right now, but Teal Bunbury has too much potential to let go.

7. Teal Bunbury- He may not be the true face of the franchise yet, but that doesn’t mean he won’t eventually become that. Simply put, this is a pick based on age and potential. I can’t take the chance of letting Teal go. I know he hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations most Sporting fans have placed on him, but the kid is only 21. He still has tons to grow, not only mentally, but physically as well. 

8. Kei Kamara- Kei has been Sporting Kansas City’s most consistent offensive threat this season. He’s also only 27, which means he still has a good number of years to be at the peak of abilities. There’s no way I leave Kei unprotected.

9. Seth Sinovic- I realize that I just named off most of the Sporting Kansas City defense, but Sinovic has been a gem this season. I’m guessing both New England, and Real Salt Lake wish they wouldn’t have let Sinovic walk.  He’s 24, and a local kid. Seth makes the cut. 

10. Roger Espinoza- I love Roger’s aggressiveness, and his non stop motor. True, Roger has to become a smarter player. He has to learn to pick and choose his spots instead of going 100 miles an hour at all times, but he’s still young, and I’m a firm believer that he’ll mature over time.

11. Soony Saad- This is strictly a rule #3 pick on my part. We haven’t seen much of Soony thus far with the log jam at the forward position, but the few times he has played he’s shown potential. He’s only 19 years old. He holds the record for most goals scored in high school history in the state of Michigan (172 goals) , as well as most goals scored ever by a Michigan University freshmen (19 goals). Realistically this is the decision most up for debate. I could definitely see placing Jimmy Nielsen here. At the end of the day youth and potential weighed heavily in my decision making. 

So there you have the eleven players I’d protect for the MLS expansion draft. Obviously there are a few players that didn’t make the cut that are important players on our team. Here’s a few of those players, and my reasoning for why I chose not to include them in the eleven;

1. Jeferson- It was hard not protecting one of my designated players, but at the end of the day I didn’t feel like Jeferson’s value was up there with the other 11 players I chose, for one reason or the other. One reason being that Jeferson is only here on loan. There’s a chance that even if he does turn out to be the play maker Sporting Kansas City envisions, his Brazilian club Vasco de Gama could decide to keep him after his loan deal with Sporting is over. 

2. Davy Arnaud- Man, this was tough. Davy has meant so much to the organization through the years. Honestly, it was between him and Omar Bravo for me. Obviously, both of their ages (they’re 31) played a big part. I suppose I just feel like Bravo is more important to the club right now. To any Sporting Kansas City fans reading this; please don’t burn down my house. I honestly did struggle with the pick. 

3. Julio Cesar- Two factors here. A) Age; Julio is 32, and B) the log jam at the CB position. Cesar’s been a very, very good player for us once he grew accustomed to the style of play in MLS, but having already protected Collin and Besler (who are both a lot younger, and play the same position), I just couldn’t justify locking up another spot on Julio. 

If there’s one thing we know it’s that Father Time catches up to all of us. Even One Eyed Jimmy. 

4. Jimmy Nielsen- Well, if you didn’t hate me after leaving Arnaud unprotected, then you surely hate me now. This was one of the toughest decisions to make. Jimmy has been so good for us, and he’s clearly a fan favorite. How could he not be? Honestly, age is the only thing that kept Jimmy off the list. He’s 34. I kept trying to find a way to justify protecting him, but at the end of the day I went with youth. Sporting Kansas City would no doubt take a hit with Jimmy gone, but I’d leave it up to my back four (Myers, Collin, Besler, Sinovic- all part of the eleven) to protect whichever goalkeeper might try to fill Jimmy’s large shoes. 

So now that you’ve seen the eleven players I would protect for the Expansion Draft if I were Sporting Kansas City, who makes your list? Feel free to leave a comment below with your eleven, and whether you agree with mine or not. 

Date- September 10, 2011
Game Time- 3p.m. (CT) 
Location- Livestrong Sporting Park, Kansas City, KS 
TV Channel- 62 KSMO  

The Houston Dynamo will be looking for their first road victory when they come to Livestrong Sporting Park on Saturday. That’s right; their first road win. 0-5-8 is the official road record for the squad right now. You would think that most teams with a road record like Houston’s wouldn’t normally be in the playoff chase, and yet, here they are, currently in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference, and only five points from the first place Columbus Crew.

It’s been a crazy season in the Eastern Conference, as no one team has been able to truly pull away from the rest of the pack. This fact, combined with the Dynamo’s solid 8-3-3 record at home, have allowed them to stay in the race for one of the coveted playoff spots. 

In the Western Conference, three teams (LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, and FC Dallas) have been at the forefront of the standings for much of the season. Real Salt Lake, and Colorado still find themselves with a fighting chance, but the West table took shape rather quickly this season. 

No such luck in the East, where it’s anyone’s guess on which three teams will punch their ticket to the playoffs. 

Houston comes to Kansas City with their all time leader in games played, games started, assists, and MVP, Brad Davis. Davis has been an assist machine this season, tallying 13 total (MLS best), and helping to create 84 scoring chances.No one else on the Dynamo comes close in the assist category. He may very well be the best set piece taker in Major League Soccer not named David Beckham. His ability to find his teammates through the smallest of windows, and his knack for crossing the ball into dangerous areas in the box mean Sporting Kansas City defense will have to be at the top of their game on Saturday. 

Another player Sporting will have to account for is midfielder/defender Geoff Cameron, who has had a very good season in 2011, resulting in his second MLS All-Star appearance (the other being ‘09) . Cameron has also set a career high in goals (4) to add to his 4 assists this season. He’s probably Houston’s most versatile player, with coach Dominic Kinnear sometimes playing Cameron at the centerback position. He played the bulk of the 2009 campaign at centerback, where he would later be named the Dynamo’s defensive player of the year. 

Cameron seems to have a very good connection on the field with fellow midfielder Adam Moffat, who the Dynamo acquired in July from the Portland Timbers in July. Moffat, who’s also played for the Columbus Crew, is a complete workhorse in the midfield, doing the little things that don’t necessarily show up in the stat book, but have kept Houston in the playoff hunt. He’s the kind of player that could cause a lot of problems for the Sporting Kansas City midfield. 

Goals may be hard to come by for Sporting on Saturday, as Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall is one of the best in the league. Hall was voted into the MLS All Star team this year, and is only conceding a little over 1 goal per game.

Like most of the teams in MLS, Houston does their goal scoring by committee rather than having one star who carries the squad offensively. Forward Brian Ching (Houston’s all time leading scorer) leads the team with 5 goals, with four other players having 4 goals a piece. I personally think that teams like the Dynamo, who’s goals have come from numerous players on the team, are a little bit harder to deal with than a team like the New York Red Bulls, where so much of the scoring is dependent on one player (Thierry Henry). 

I’ll be interested to see the line up that Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes uses for the Dynamo match. With Davy Arnaud back (but probably not 100% just yet) I would imagine Jeferson will start on Saturday, however, I do feel like Jeferson has been the weak link in the midfield. Understandably it’s probably not his fault, as he was out for around a month in August due to a quad strain, and he hasn’t had the time to form a true chemistry and understanding on the pitch with his teammates. 

Sporting Kansas City defender Aurelien Collin, and Houston Dynamo CB Bobby Boswell will both miss Saturday’s game due to an accumulation of yellow cards. 

Surely I would think this is a game that Sporting Kansas City has to take advantage of their offensive chances. Too many times this season we’ve seen Sporting create a plethora of scoring opportunities without cashing in. Saturday can’t be one of those times.

Simply put; Sporting Kansas City have to win this game. There are only seven games remaining in the regular season, with four of them being at Livestrong. Philadelphia, Columbus, and New York have yet to visit Kansas City. It’s going to be a tough stretch for Sporting Kansas City, which is why every home game is so crucial. They have to find a way to get a result in those four games, starting with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

Prediction; Sporting Kansas City 2, Houston Dynamo 1

Anticipated starting lineup for Sporting Kansas City; Nielsen, Myers, Cesar, Besler, Sinovic, Zusi, Jeferson, Espinoza, Bravo, Kamara*, Sapong. 

*I’m still not 100% sure if Kamara will be playing on Saturday, as I haven’t’ read anything to actually confirm that he will be, but I imagine barring some type of unforeseen setback, Kei will start this match. 

Sporting Kansas City’s Omar Bravo takes the game tying penalty kick late in their match vs. the Galaxy. 
Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Star

Sporting Kansas City 2, L.A. Galaxy 2

Date- September 5, 2011
Goals- (LA) Franklin ‘25, ‘74  (SKC) Cesar ‘72, Bravo (PK)
Announced attendance- 20, 512

Starting lineups; 
Sporting Kansas City- Nielsen, Collin, Cesar, Besler, Sinovic, Zusi, Jeferson, Espinoza, Myers, Bravo, Sapong

LA Galaxy- Saunders, Hejduk, Delagarza, Gonzalez, Dunivant, Franklin, Beckham, Juninho, MaGee, Barrett, Cristman

Man of the Match- Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy (2 goals, and almost had a third off a David Beckham corner kick)

My apologies for not getting this up sooner, but after leaving the match last night, I felt like I needed to re-watch it in the comfort of my home to really give an unbiased opinion on how things unfolded. Everyone knows how it goes in sports; the home team can do no wrong, and the referees can do no right (unless it’s a call favoring the home side of course).  After the match the hot topic was the linesman calling Sporting Kansas City defender  Aurellien Collin offside when he headed a Graham Zusi free kick into the net, appearing at the time to tie the game 2-2 in the 84th minute of action.The crowd was furious, probably more so because earlier in the match the Galaxy’s Sean Franklin scored a goal on a questinable no call (Jimmy Nielsen was furious that offsides wasn’t called) that put LA up 1-0 in the 25th minute.

So Collin’s goal was disallowed, while Franklin’s strike counted. I knew I had to see it again when I got home. At the time I felt like Sporting was getting screwed, but I had to make sure before I wrote a match review ripping the refs and how they cost KC 3 points against one of the best teams in MLS. The referees took a verbal beating from the fans all night long, but the Collin disallowed goal was by far the worst it ever got for head referee Ricardo Salazar, and his crew. 

After the match I went home and started watching the match. I watched it in it’s entirety, but I was obviously most interested in the two calls. I watched those two plays numerous times last night. Kept rewinding, and watching in slow motion to see if the calls were right. And here’s the conclusion that I came to; I can’t really fault the linesman for his calls. I suppose I should say, I can’t be angry at the linesman for his calls on those two plays. I hated admitting it, but the proof was right there in front of me. Franklin was onside, I have no doubt about that. The line judge made a very good call. On the Collin play, I honestly felt like it could have went either way. It was so hard to tell. In my own mind, I  feel like the linesman should have let the Collin goal stand. It was so close of a call, and he’s supposed to rule in favor of the offensive player in a situation like that.  

At the end of the day, that’s just how these things go sometimes. The linesman could have went either way on the Collin call, and he went the way of offside. 

Moving on, the crowd yesterday was unbelievable. Livestrong Sporting Park was packed. It was a beautiful site. I remember looking at this completely full stadium and thinking that it’s only a matter of time before every Sporting Kansas City game looks like that. I understand the Galaxy had a lot to do with the sold out crowd, but Sporting management is building something amazing here in Kansas City, and I do feel like the interest in the Sporting KC team is legitimate. This is two matches in a row where the stadium was sold out. I think it’s safe to say that soccer has a very solid foundation here, and it’s only going to get better. 

The game itself was a mixed bag. A lot of it was sloppy, which probably had to do with the fact that the turf was in shambles. I honestly couldn’t believe the size of some of the divots on the field. You could literally see a couple of times where a player would pass the ball to his teammate, only for the ball to hit one of the divots, and dramatically change course. The weather and the concerts being held at LSP have taken their toll on the field.

When the starting lineups were announced I noticed that Sporting coach Peter Vermes had done a little tinkering with his lineup. He started Collin in the right back spot, and moved Chance Myers higher up in a winger position. It seemed like a strange call to me, but with Kei Kamaraout (due to international duty), perhaps Vermes was looking for speed, and aggressiveness on the right side. Myers made a couple of good plays in the game, but the one that stood out to me most was a nice cross into the box that CJ Sapong almost put into the net with a nice header.

Speaking of CJ, he looked very good yesterday. He seems to play much better as a striker than on the wings where Vermes has played him recently. Sapong looked comfortable, and was a threat for a lot of the game. He used his strength extremely well, keeping the ball at his feet and consistently put pressure on the Galaxy defense. 

Which brings me to a potential problem for Vermes. It appears Sapong is at his best playing up top, which happens to be the same position thatTeal Bunbury plays, which is why Sapong has been starting on the wing when both him and Teal are on the pitch at the same time. I think at this point in time Vermes has to start Sapong over Bunbury. He just has to. I understand Teal is a fan favorite, but starting him over Sapong is crazy to me. Bunbury should be coming off of the bench. I just think CJ’s outplayed him this year. I also think he does the little things better than Teal does. Sapong is a workhorse. He’s always working hard, never giving up on a play. I don’t see that same kind of fire with Teal right now. If I’m Vermes I have CJ in the starting lineup against Houston on Saturday. We’ll see how that plays out when the lineups are announced for the Dynamo match. 

One player that stood out to me yesterday ; Sporting Kansas City midfielder Graham Zusi. I realize now that Zusi is the catalyst for this team. After watching the game yesterday, it’s undeniable. This team runs so many plays through the guy. He’s the center of almost everything Sporting does, and he was Kansas City’s best player yesterday. Infact, as I was watching the replay of the game, I was slightly surprised that so much of our play goes through Zusi, instead of  a player like Jeferson, who’s seen as a play maker. It’s a testament to just how much progression we’ve seen from Zusi as a player over the past year. He has a relentless work ethic on both sides of the ball, and almost always makes good decisions. He almost scored a couple of goals yesterday off of what is quickly becoming his signature shot. The lazer from long distance. One in the 15th minute, and one in the 37th minute. Both shots were close, but the first was only inches above the crossbar. If you were to ask me who’s one player Sporting Kansas City can’t live without I’m going with Graham Zusi. 

Yesterday marked the return of Sporting Kansas City midfielder Davy Arnaud, who came in for Roger Espinoza in the 64th minute. It was a great moment, as Arnaud is a clear fan favorite, and a player that has meant a great deal to the organization over the years. 

Espinoza was given a yellow card early in the match for a wreck less sliding tackle on Juninho. I’m torn about Roger. While I admire his work ethic, his non stop motor, his aggressiveness, I still think he has a lot of maturing to do on the soccer field. He was actually lucky not to get sent off later in the match when he dove to the ground after minimal contact from Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez. Salazar, feeling that Roger embellished the contact, seemed to think about giving Espinoza his second yellow which would have sent him off. Luckily, Salazar decided against it. I love Roger’s tenacity, but he needs to become a smarter player. 

We didn’t see Landon Donovan until he came into the game for Barrett in the 59th minute of the game. It didn’t take long for Donovan to make an impact as he almost scored after he out muscled (some would say fouled ) Myers as they were both chasing the ball down the right side. At that point, it was basically Donovan one on one with Nielsen. Donovan would have netted his 12th goal of the season if not for a very good save from Jimmy. 

David Beckham was his typical self in the match, making some great passes throughout the course of the game. He consistently put the ball in threatening positions off of set pieces, and lob passes. Beckham notched his 12th assist of the season with a nice pass to Sean Franklin who was in the right side of the box and was ridiculously wide open. Franklin easily scored his second goal of the game.  I have no idea where the Sporting defense was on that play, although it looked as if Cesar was the most likely culprit. The brief mental lapses that have plagued Sporting Kansas City showed up again on that play. 

Things were no doubt looking dire as time was dwindling down late in the game and Sporting Kansas City were down 2-1. Luckily for Sporting, Galaxy defender  Frankie Hejduk was called for a hand ball inside the Galaxy box in the 90th minute of play, which resulted in a penalty kick for Omar Bravo. Bravo seamlessly put the ball into the bottom right corner of the net, faking out LA goalkeeper Josh Saunders, and tying the game 2-2. 

I think Sporting has to feel this was a fair result. Coming away with 1 point feels a lot better than none. I understand the fans frustration with some of the calls. I did feel like Salazar was very inconsistent on his foul calling. Sometimes he would call a foul on a play where there was minimal contact. Sometimes he would let play resume despite heavy contact (Donovan/Myers). The one thing I would say about the calls is that I think the referees need to do a better job of being consistent. If you want to call every ticky tack foul, that’s fine. If you want to let the players play a more physical game, that’s fine, too. But you have to choose which game you want to call, and stick to it. 

Next up for Sporting; a huge game against the Houston Dynamo this Saturday. The Dynamo are only 2 points behind Sporting for the second spot in the Eastern Conference. 

The USMNT may have some big problems to fix, but Jurgen Klinsmann still has me excited about the future. (Photo courtesy of SBNation.com)

Costa Rica 1, United States 0
Date- September 2, 2011, Home Depot Center  LA, California
Goals- Rodney Wallace  (65’)
Announced Attendance- 15,798

Starting XI’s:
United States- Howard, Chandler, Bocanegra, Castillo, Orozco, Edu,Torres, Shea, Rogers, Donovan, Altidore

Costa Rica-Navas, Umana, Johnson, Miller, Acosta, Barrantes,Azofeifa, Sanchez, Saborio, Brenes, Martinez

If you watched the first 20 minutes or so of the United States vs. Costa Rica match yesterday, you would have thought the Americans were going to run away with the game. However, Costa Rica survived an initial impressive performance from the American side, and eventually took the lead off a Rodney Wallace diving header in the second half to put the game away. 

Oh my, the United States started this game looking like a completely different team than the Bob Bradley  ”counter-attack” teams that we have known throughout his tenure as the coach of the USMNT. The Americans were sublime early on, showing a substantial amount of flair, and confidence in their passing and their aggressiveness. We got an early sneak peak of what kind of team we should maybe expect from new coach Jurgen Klinsman. 

I have to say, early on I was elated. I’ve been waiting for a long while now for a US team to attack the way that the Americans did last night during the first half. It was definitely a beautiful thing to watch, most notably midfielder Jose Torres, who was consistently creative with his passing all night long. It kind of makes you wonder why Bradley buried Torres on the bench all of this time. Torres was a difference maker last night, and from an American perspective, he was the clear cut Man of the Match for the US. Torres is the kind of player that should thrive under Klinsmann’s coaching. 

In general, it looked as if the US squad was more relaxed then they ever really were under Bradley. Klinsmann’s moto seems to be “Have fun with the game. Work your tail off, but have fun.” He definitely allows the US players to express themselves on the pitch, much more so then we’ve seen in recent years. 

Landon Donovan started the game, and had a few good moments, but also missed a sure goal early in the first half. Seeing as the game was played at the Home Depot Center, had Donovan scored, it may have changed the entire outcome of the match. The place would have been electric. But it wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t exactly the quintessential Donovan performance we’ve grown accustomed to, but I understand that this is a completely new system employed by Klinsmann, and it’s going to take time for the players, even players as good as Landon Donovan, to figure out exactly how they fit into the new scheme. Last night was one of those nights where chances were in abundance for the US, but actual scoring never materialized. 

I was glad to see Klinsmann naming so many young players in the starting lineup. One thing you have to be excited about if your a United States fan is that it seems Klinsmann is a lot more willing to give younger players in the U.S system a chance. Brek Shea is one of those players that I think will end up shining the brightest because of this philosophy. Shea looked good for most of the night, as he was confident and aggressive all match long. The one down side being that his crossing in the game left a lot to be desired. 

Crossing in general, seemed to be one of the biggest problems the US were having vs. Costa Rica. The crosses, whether from Shay, or Robbie Rogers, were simply not accurate enough to actually create any real chances. Had they been more accurate, perhaps we would be talking about a 2-1 US victory instead. 

The second half would probably be best described as lackadaisical from a US perspective. The performances from most of the first half compared to how the USMNT played in the second half were night and day. The Americans struggled to regain possession from Costa Rica. The few times they actually did regain possession, they had a hard time keeping it. The only real explanations being that after Costa Rica survived the initial onslaught from the US, they actually settled down, and started making things happen. I’m sure the Americans inexperience came into play as well. Hats off to the Costa Rica team, by the way. They weren’t at full strength either, and it was rather impressive watching them regain their composure after the early minutes, and dominate the second half the way that they did. Rodney Wallace’s score was a well deserved outcome, as US goalie Tim Howard had just made a nice save of a Michael Barrantas shot, but was unable to handle the ball, and Wallace converted off a diving header. 

There are still a slew of problems Klinsmann will have to solve if this US side is going to flourish. I still don’t think we have an honest clue on who’s going to play left back for the American side. Edgar Castillo had a couple of nice plays, but for the most part looked overmatched, and easily pushed off the ball. The Americans must also find a way to finish their chances, as they were aplenty early in the 1st half and yet the United States never capitalized. 

Definitely a Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde performance from the United States in this one, which is to be expected from a team with so much youth, and with a coach trying to put together the massive jigsaw puzzle that is the American roster. Maybe I’m grasping for straws as a US fan, but those first 20 minutes or so of the game were beautiful to watch, and hopefully an indication of things to come in the Klinsmann era.