U.S. National Team - where they are at

I was watching a replay of the recent game between the U.S. and Argentina tonight and was thinking about how far the U.S. National Team has come, and the direction that they are going in. Granted, this was not an example that the U.S. is on the road to winning the World Cup in 2010, the final result was 0-0. Still though when you think back over the years to be able to gain that type of a result against one of the top teams in the world is still a major achievement. The U.S wasn't outplayed or outclassed by Argentina. They stood their ground and held their own.

I was also able to see the U.S National Team play England at Wembley Stadium back in May. Unfortunately, they lost that game 2-0 and didn't look quite as impressive. What I'm trying to get at though is that if you really watch the games and look closely, the U.S. is no longer the team trying to just keep up with the other top international teams. They are now at the point of where they are taking them on and trying to compete and to win. The team is no longer satisfied with just putting on a good showing or moral victories. I really believe that the signs are there that progress is being made and that the U.S. team is getting closer and closer to its goal of being a top international soccer team with the real potential to win a World Cup.

I still think that its a debatable topic as to whether the U.S should have really gotten Jurgen Klinsmann to be their next manager (assuming that they could have) or if Bob Bradley is the right man for the job. I definitely think Bradley was a better choice then some other coaches such as Guus Hiddink. Perhaps Jose Pekerman wouldn't have been a bad choice either. The team needs a manager who will develop the team, allow them to make mistakes, but ultimately get them to compete with the top teams and go for the win, not just get results. They aren't at the point anymore of hiring a Bora Milutinović, meaning to bring someone in purely to just get results.

The U.S. National team for as long as I have been watching has always had their own unique style. Just like every other major national team has a style so does the U.S. Its an attacking style, with elements of both the European and the South American game, but the U.S. team likes to control the play and score goals. Its the culture that we've been brought up in where in other major sports we are taught to go for the goal or the point. Our national team doesn't like to play a defensive style, nor would they be very good at it. If they get a lead on an opponent they are probably better off to keep attacking instead of sitting on the lead like some teams would.

The U.S National Team is now at the point where they are trying to impose this style into the game and control it in order to ultimately get the result. They aren't just reacting to what the other team is doing and adjusting accordingly with the hopes of putting on a good showing. The players don't look intimidated or overwhelmed. This isn't necessarily something that is going to show itself in the results that are achieved, at least not overnight. Hopefully, its not something that causes any kind of major setback like missing out on a World Cup. Ultimately its what has to be done in order to advance as a soccer nation and now the U.S. are starting to get the players to do it. Hopefully, they have the manager who can lead the way.