Opportunities lost: too few sharp edges for U.S. national team

HOUSTON – What last night’s draw missed for the U.S. national team was a few more sharp edges, a few less rounded corners.

During last night’s post-game news conference following the 0-0 draw in Houston, U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann said something interesting. During player meetings held the night before, individuals were told exactly where they stood in the bigger depth pool picture.

Here’s what I am wondering:

For a player told there are still guys ahead of them, but that they aren’t too far away after a positive January camp – Klinsmann and his staff, keeps saying that it was good and productive camp with pleasingly few disappointments – what exactly did that player think he was hearing?

Because there are very different reactions. One reaction says: “I am so close. I’ve had this great January camp! For three weeks now I worked my Red, White and Blue butt off and made a little move up the ladder! I’m not about to lose ground now on some Tuesday night in Houston, in some meaningless friendly against a bunch of young Canadians who aren’t going anywhere near Brazil. So … safety first tonight! My order of the day: Don’t lose hard-earned ground!”

That’s how I believe a few of Klinsmann men wrongly assessed and attacked the situation. Hence, a lot of safe passes, a failure to create and innovate, a disinclination toward risk and in the end … a 0-0 draw at home.

How they should have heard things, and how they should have attacked the opportunity:

“I am so close … I am going out tonight and I will make that helicopter flying German put me on next week’s roster for Honduras! Or on the Gold Cup roster this summer. This is no time for caution. I have run a good race, and now I am going to fly across the finish line! I will go out there and be the kind of player who wins games … not the kind of player looking not to lose them.”

I speak more of the attackers here. The central defenders and goalkeeper Sean Johnson? There generally just wasn’t enough to go on for a broader assessment, although Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler did little wrong.

(MORE: Initial take-aways from the 0-0 draw)

Besler, in fact, showed a little something. From minutes 30-45 he tried, at least, to go over the Canadian defensive bunching, and attempted to exploit the passing lanes. I asked Besler if that was on instruction from the bench? No, he told me … he just communicated with Kyle Beckerman, who encouraged the debuting U.S. man and promised to drop into covering position if Besler wanted to be more dynamic with his distribution.

That tells us something about Besler. He was one who went searching for solutions.

Benny Feilhaber pushed the pace of an otherwise languid attack. He has enough technical ability to turn and create, even within the constricted space.

Josh Gatt (pictured above) keeps seeing his standing move in the right direction. He was a definitely a sharp edge.

Justin Morrow did OK, exploiting a fairly fortunate matchup, one that allowed him to use his pace and physical attributes.

Besler and Gonzalez did nothing to hurt themselves.

But that’s really about it. They were the closest U.S. men to being the sharp edge that matches like this demand. And these matches, at home against opposition looking to slow the game, muck it up, make it difficult and eek out a draw, they are out there.

Said Klinsmann: “You just hope that after those three weeks of work, you get that moment to shine. and we wished for the strikers to score a goal and midfielders to do the final pass. … It was missing kind of the last little piece to it. Creating the chances, playing the killer ball into the box, finishing things off and unfortunately, we didn’t do that tonight against a very defensive Canada.”