Will the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team Survive the World Cup Group Stage?

The United States soccer team will make their seventh-straight appearance at the World Cup in 2014 after a fairly straight forward qualification campaign. The US topped the Hexagonal, the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, by four points after winning seven and losing just twice in 10 games.

Third-year head coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s task now is to lead the Americans back to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. At +750, the team is third-favorite to win the group, but well behind Germany (-165) and Portugal (+300), and only modestly ahead of Ghana (+1,200).

Does his team have what it takes to survive their group of death – the dreaded Group G – that includes Ghana, Portugal, and Germany? To do so, some important players will need to perform in Brazil. Read on for a breakdown of the keys to victory for the USA at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
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Updated Team USA World Cup Soccer Preview

The Group

[sc:Soccer240banner ]Klinsmann and the US have been drawn into Group G – one of the tournament’s “Groups of Death” – along with massive tournament favorites Germany, the Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal and African powerhouse Ghana.

Germany boasts arguably the strongest squad in the tournament, with world-class players at every position. Klinsmann will have some insider knowledge of the team after his stint as the German coach in 2006. His former assistant, Joachim Low, is also now the man in charge. The Germans are favored to top the group, which leaves the other three teams in a battle for the other spot in the elimination round.

If the US hopes to claim that berth for their own, they’ll have to stop the individual brilliance of Portugal’s reigning World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo. Ghana will also prove no pushovers, something the Americans know firsthand. The Black Stars have knocked out the US in back-to-back World Cups.

Why the US Will Qualify – A Strong Midfield

The strength of the US team will be in its midfield, led by Michael Bradley. The 26-year old Bradley, who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, is a well-rounded midfielder effective in both setting up the attack and helping on defense. He’s a well-seasoned international football after his club spells in Germany, England and Italy, and can certainly hold his own against the talented German and Portuguese midfielders.

While Bradley battles in midfield, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan will try to unlock defenses further forward. These two veterans have a wealth of experience at the very top level of club football during their time in the English Premier League.

Typically positioned in the area between the midfielders and the strikers, Dempsey and Donovan are the team’s all-time leading goal-scorers (a combined 93 goals in 259 appearances) and will need to power the team’s offense in Brazil.

UPDATE: Klinsmann has been experimenting with a diamond formation in tune-up games, with Bradley at the tip of the diamond and Jermaine Jones as the holding midfielder. The results so far have been inconclusive, although Bradley has performed well in an unfamiliar advanced role. Seeing Klinsmann unsettled in his tactical formation mere days before the World Cup raises a few concerns. And should they stick with the current set-up, it remains to be seen if Bradley can perform in his new role against top class opposition.

Klinsmann also controversially left out Landon Donovan, the US’s all-time leading goalscorer,  in his final World Cup squad. This now leaves Dempsey as the team’s most experienced and most prolific forward in Brazil. Dempsey suffered an injury scare after pulling a groin muscle, but returned in their warm-up match against Turkey, where he scored a goal. With Donovan gone, Dempsey will be one of the USA’s key players in the World Cup.

Why the US Won’t Qualify – Front and Back lines

The reason the US will be relying on Dempsey and Donovan for goals is because of their iffy forwards. Jozy Altidore (21 goals in 67 caps) and Eddie Johnson (19 goals in 63 caps) will likely make the team, but neither has been particularly impressive in recent history.

For that reason, Klinsmann is contemplating taking 18-year old Bayern Munich wunderkind Julian Green to Brazil as another option for the American attack.

Speaking of options, Klinsmann is short of them when it comes to finding a partner for stalwart defender Matt Besler at the center of the U.S. back line. Incumbent Omar Gonzalez was responsible for both goals as the US squandered a two-goal lead against Mexico in qualification.

UPDATE: Johnson didn’t make the final cut, but Altidore maintains his place as Klinsmann’s first-choice striker despite being goalless this calendar year. 18-year old Green did make the team, along with veteran Chris Wondolowski and Aron Johansson as cover for the misfiring Altidore.

The defense is also still a work in progress. The once-reliable Besler and his new center-back partner Geoff Cameron are far from a rock-solid pairing, while the new diamond formation has left an already suspect defense exposed. Klinsmann has a lot of work ahead of him to get this unit ready for Brazil.

Score or Die Trying

For the last three World Cups, Landon Donovan has led this American side on and off the field. As Donovan takes more of a utility role coming into this tournament–he came off the bench in the team’s last meaningful game–it will be up to the next generation of U.S. stars to determine if the team advances through their thick Group G competition.
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