Some hope for the USA

After a thoroughly depressing first half, TBG found some sunshine in the second half of Saturday night's featured game on this blog, the United States' thrilling 1-1 draw with Lionel Messi-powered Argentina.

Let's start with the negative - the first 45 minutes. The 4-5-1 with Altidore 'leading the line' clearly is an idiotic idea for a number of reasons. First, Altidore does dumb things like try to take on three top-level defenders rather than hold up play so that's a problem. Second of all, it forces any competent defense not to have any threat to worry about since he never has support. And thirdly, it creates the defensive shell that we saw the entire first half that showed that the United States was simply too scared of the moment and their opponents, allowing Messi to run wild.

Look Messi is going run wild no matter what, why try to contain him? When he has the ball, you will have to have three or four guys running to him in whatever system you employ so why adopt a defensive shape? Especially in a friendly where a result is meaningless, and you should be trying to play football.

Now the second half was a different story after the introduction of Red Bulls wunderkind Juan Agudelo and 1. FC Nurnberg defender Timothy Chandler. Chandler, of course, needs no introduction to you loyal blog readers. We spotlighted him back in February so check the archives.

The 20-year-old Chandler, who is still learning English, had no trouble replacing the incompetent Jonathan Spector. Why is that? Because Chandler showed what every German wing back learns - how to push up and support the attack, and how to get in your crosses. That's what flank play in Germany is all about and it's why we at TBG love the Bundesliga, the world's most diverse league.

And Agudelo actually was not scared to be playing the mighty Messi and Argentina unlike most of the U.S. vets. Besides his fortuitous goal, Agudelo made a nice run at the near post on a cross by Chandler and also got his head on the ball on another one at the far post.

What the U.S. showed in the second half was that they could play Argentina fairly well and fairly even when they actually mounted an attack. It's a lesson to all you budding football coaches that offense can be your best defense. Sure, the field got stretched at times and Angel Dimaria missed a sitter. But there is something to be said for the fact that Argentina did not score after the break.