ASN Infographics:

Who's to blame for the United States' Hexagonal-opening loss to Honduras?

Where do you assign the blame for the U.S.'s 2-1 loss to Honduras? The coach? The players? A little of both? Graph your projected outcome below and share some thoughts. To read others' comments, click on any shaded cell.

Posted
February 06, 2013 10:10 PM

SHARE THIS STORY

It's Klinsmann's Fault

The Players Are to Blame

The USMNT will be fine I'm officially worried

I'm an American. I like a coach to tell me exactly what he wants and then be encouraging while I go out an do it. I don't like Machiavellian head games. I don't like negativity toward players unless they have really done something wrong. If I'm tough-minded like Dempsey, I ignore JK. If I'm more sensitive (and there is nothing wrong with being sensitive), I pack up my bags and go home like Donovan. If I'm somewhere in the middle, I play but less confidently and less coherently with my fellow players. JK has opened up the roster, let new players know they have a chance. That's fine. But he needs to stop with the double talk. He can't trash talk to support. He can't say one thing in public and the opposite in private. This is true of players but also games: Don't tell the team and the US public you are playing to win to create a sense of urgency when you are clearly playing for a draw. If you win, most will forgive you. But short of winning, all Americans will hate you, and I mean average fans, not just the fanatics who post here. We like uncomplicated people, folks who always say what they mean and mean what they say. There is room for diplomacy, but we do not tolerate the complexities of dishonesty for long. I don't mean to minimize the problems with line up and tactics. I think JK likes to poke and prod and eventually does pull things back into a coherent whole that will work. That is why I'm not too worried that the US team will make it through the hex. But he is making too many tactical errors at the same time for my comfort level. EJ should not have come out unless he was injured. He was the only one doing anything. Zusi should have started. On that tall grass you rely on service into the box for one touch shots. I don't understand starting Williams or even Jones over Edu. Howard was the only true veteran, and the only leader, anywhere in the defensive lineup. Bradley is good both directions, but you need at least one veteran defender and at least one veteran attacking player to settle guys down, to keep them communicating, and to give everyone the confidence to play their best as a unit. Obviously, everything feels different if we win, but I was baffled by how defensive the formation was from the start and by the subs. The tall grass has to be considered in the game plan. You cannot dribble through the middle of that or make lots of short quick passes. You need long balls, direct runs up the wings, service into the box, and hard first touch shots. And the point about playing more local players, if possible, players more used to this climate and time zone is valid. But I think he has tried to give Mexican league players full consideration. Maybe a look at Beasley in the lead up. Maybe a start for Gomez. All these things could make sense, but might have been considered. I was a big Bob Bradley fan. I am a JK fan, but more for his vision for the distant future. He's got to learn quickly how to talk to Americans and how to play in these conditions. I don't expect perfection, but I do expect him to learn quickly. We are in trouble if he does not. — Scott