The zero on the scoreboard was a well-earned one for the U.S. men’s national team on Tuesday night in Belgium. A frustrating display of disjointed attacking soccer saw the Americans struggle to test Belgium’s defense, particularly in a forgettable first half that saw few bright spots.
Klinsmann watches his attack toil at the King Baudouin stadium in Brussels. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Despite that dismal start, Tuesday’s 1-0 loss was far from a wasted trip overseas. In fact, it was just the kind of learning experience for both the U.S. team and Jurgen Klinsmann needed out of game like this. For young players trying to solidify their newly-acquired positions on the team, Belgium provided the perfect audition, and several stepped up to the challenge.
Jose Torres, Timmy Chandler and Brek Shea all saw their stock rise amidst a team performance that wouldn’t win otherwise give people to remember much. For Torres the match offered a positive glimpse of what he could do against good European competition. For Chandler, the game showed that he could very well be the long-sought out answer at left back. And for Brek Shea, another 90 minutes filled with encouraging flashes showed us a player well worth the investment of playing time in.
Chandler’s performance was arguably the most promising of the bunch. While it is clear he is naturally right-footed, as his ambitious but ineffective left-footed crosses showed, but Chandler defended very well going up against a Belgian flank that featured superstar Eden Hazard, limiting the Lille’s influence on a night when he was expected to be Belgium’s biggest threat.
Chandler’s debut at left back just might wind up rivaling Torres’ recent success as the most impressive developments of Klinsmann early tenure. Brek Shea’s rapid rise is also an encouraging sign, but that seemed an inevitable development given Shea’s outstanding form in MLS this year.
Brek Shea was one of the few bright spots for Klinsmann in Belgium. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
To focus on Torres, Chandler and Shea, and their positive showings, doesn’t mean we can ignore a team effort that lacked effectiveness in the final third and the quality necessary to win a possession battle against Belgium’s talent-filled side.
Much like last month’s 1-1 draw against Mexico, the Americans were overmatched for the better part of 60 minutes or so, only to turn it up on opponents looking to sit on one-goal leads.
Once again, it was Shea and Juan Agudelo putting the heat on opponents with their youthful energy and fearlessness. Shea, who has logged somewhere in the neighborhood of almost 900 minutes in the past month between FC Dallas and the U.S. national team, somehow found the energy to keep going at Belgium’s defense, and while he didn’t make all the right decisions, and showed some tactical naivete, his speed, moves and confidence helped make him stand out yet again.
Despite the best efforts of Shea and Agudelo, the Americans couldn’t muster a goal in the run of play, and had a questionable referee’s decision wipe away a would-be equalizer from Maurice Edu. Clint Dempsey got in on the late surge for the Americans, beating a Belgian player to create space in the penalty area, only to send a disappointing shot right to the Belgium goalkeeper.
Dempsey’s first game under Klinsmann was a frustrating one as he clearly struggled to work with all the new faces surrounding him. He still tried to do his thing, and put in another solid day’s work, but never could deliver a moment of magic, though he did send in a stinging free kick that nearly produced a chance for Jozy Altidore.
Dempsey was far from the only frustrated one. Altidore faced a brutal 45 minutes that included a dearth of service and a steady diet of physical abuse from Belgian defenders. He also looked like a tired player, perhaps a victim of fatigue born out of playing regular minutes for the first time in years.
If there was a player who saw their national team stock fade it was Robbie Rogers, who endured a second straight poor showing as a starter, failing to build on his promising outing against Mexico in August. He hasn’t shown the speed to make an impact on the international level, and might have to settle for a reserve role, particularly when the likes of Stuart Holden and Alejandro Bedoya join the mix later this year.
Through three matches, Klinsmann is still searching for his first win, but he, and we have learned plenty. What we have learned is that there are several young players who look ready to take on bigger roles, and we have learned that some of the players the previous regime never gave chances to were ignored for a reason.
Perhaps the biggest thing we learned is something we should have known already. This U.S. team, Klinsmann’s team, is still very much a work in progress. Klinsmann has been given the luxury of having time to mould the team in his image, and doesn’t have the pressure to get results just yet. That honeymoon period won’t last forever, but as long as players like Torres, Chandler and Shea keep stepping up, Klinsmann just might be able to build a team capable of delivering results once this honeymoon period ends.
