photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – If Oguchi Onyewu's recent string of performances for Sporting Lisbon wasn't a sign that he's getting back to top form, his outing against Honduras likely was.
Having not played for the U.S. men's national team since a 4-0 loss to Spain in a June friendly, Onyewu ended his international hiatus by coming off the bench at halftime to replace the injured Michael Orozco Fiscal at Sun Life Stadium on Saturday. His main objective: to help the United States maintain the 1-0 lead it had taken over the Catrachos in the first half off a goal from Clint Dempsey.
Onyewu did just that, showing glimpses of the player that was a lock to start every game for the U.S. team back in 2009. His aerial presence was on display almost immediately after he stepped onto the field, and although the defense did give up chances with him on the field, his physical style of play helped the Americans keep a tricky Honduras attack off the scoresheet.
"I was just happy to be back on the field with the national team after not playing in the summer with the Gold Cup and the last few camps not being called in because of my lack of playing on club level," said Onyewu. "As of lately, my condition, my form has been peaking, so I'm just happy to be back and be progressing as I am."
As solid as he was defensively, Onyewu almost put the game away for the United States in the 66th minute.
After Dempsey got a shot off following a clever stepover, Honduras goalkeeper Donis Escobar made a diving save, the rebound falling to Onyewu. But rather than knocking the ball into the open net, Onyewu volleyed it over the crossbar.
"I was off balance and leaning back," said Onyewu. "I probably was in my head celebrating before I kicked it and it went high. But I'm not a striker and I'm just happy to get the victory more so than scoring a goal."
U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmman was likely just as pleased with the 1-0 result, as it marked the first win for the team since he took over back in July.
But after the game Klinsmann made sure to point out that Onyewu needs to continue to get playing time with Sporting CP, especially since that's been tough for him to do for long stretches since suffering a devastating knee injury back in October 2009.
"He's physically looking okay; he still has a way to go," said Klinsmann. "He needs to play a whole year through, every week in and week out games, and we just hope that he stays healthy and gets that rhythm. Then he's a huge asset for us, there's no doubt about it."
Onyew agrees. Playing in his first camp under Klinsmann, the World Cup veteran admits that a main difference from now and recent months is that he's injury-free. Onyewu also acknowledges that while practice is beneficial, nothing helps as much as getting into games regularly.
While that might seem like the obvious explanation for his improved form, it is also at least part of the reason for his current mood.
"I'm happy right now. I think I'm in a good place and a good position to get back to where everyone esteemed I was prior to my injury," said Onyewu. "Definitely on the club level, we've been having a great run of games and fortunately I've been a part of all those games, so I'm hoping to continue in that run."
If Onyewu continues to demonstrate that same kind of ability on the international level, it shouldn't be long before he earns his first start under Klinsmann.
You’re still neglecting position.
I like the Beasley/Castillo prototype at LM.
I don’t like him at LB.
Thus, I like Beasley; I don’t like Castillo.
Please go on and actually explain your assumption that somebody would like 2 similar players just because they have the same attributes even though they play 2 completely different positions.
Or don’t; you already made your point.
for me it was easy, since I have seen them both play in person up close. physically, they are just about the same weight class, although Beasley may be an inch taller. both can drible inside with no problem, both have a good first touch, both can be muscle away from play, should I go on? I think I made my point enough said.
Altidore would be Haitian-American, yea?
Dunno if folks just don’t realize this or what, but for the record, referring to Orozco as “Fiscal” is equivalent to referring to Castillo as “Carrillo” or to Torres as “Mezzell”, and so on.
That’s the same thing I saw. I also saw Fiscal make a few nice plays (one specifically cleaning up Chandler getting beat). By no means do I think Fiscal played well but if one is going to repeatedly post in the live chat about him being beat, it would be fair to mention when he makes a nice play.
Spector, Edu?, Williams (who I would bet my next paycheck will get put there at some point), Cameron…
Tell that to the ref who booked him for a textbook tackle, seconds after Gooch blew up the same player, with what looked like a pretty reckless challenge, and wasn’t even whistled for a foul.
I don’t necessarily disagree with much on that about John but I still would argue Ream is better than John in distribution from the back (long and short). I would say John is an good option but right now i’m also willing to trust the opinion of Klinsmann over my own in talent evaluation. For whatever reason, John just doesn’t fit Klinsmann’s system for some reason. Jurgen’s seen a lot more soccer than I have so I feel like we should give him the benefit of the doubt right now.
Mind if I ask who your source is though? I’m just kind of curious since that’s the first I had really heard about that although I wouldn’t doubt that Bob had called him in.
poo,
you need to get outta Gooch’s arse. before his debilitating injury he was beginning to show marked improvement at the technical aspects of football. More fluid in the hips, better vision and field awareness, etc., but then came that horrible injury and it was as if he went back to square one and has lingered there.
Saturday’s performance was by far the best he’s looked since recovery, and at the very least is encouraging.
John has 1v1 game that’s wanting for NOTHING, the ariel game of Gooch and Gonz, , passing that is on par with Ream (with the exception of the long ball). Hes as fast or faster than any CB in our pool minus maybe (2 ankles ago) Opara…
FCD pundits have said last year that he was better than Goodson before he transf across the pond…so to say he has no upside as some do..?????
I heard from someone close to the matter that John had actually been called into the Mexico game by Bradley only to get a callback from the new regime telling him he wasn’t wanted.
Klinnsy you need better talent evaluators on your staff. Get if figured out sooner than later please
Thank you
Beckerman SUCKS.
or rather, he hopefully is only a placeholder until a more desirable candidate presents himself.
The lack of connection between the back line and the attack is responsible for the disjointed look of the team. We need more quality in the middle of the pitch and Beckerman isn’t it.
Bottom line is; the US is better with Gooch….for god sakes take the blinders off….starting for Sporting Lisbon is better than playing for any MLS team [PERIOD]. Our other options are of coarse Goodson but most leave out Whitbread which I think is an error on the USMNT scouting board. I have watched him since his Liverpool days and he is better then John, Gonzo or what ever MLS upstart flavor of the month. This Fiscal cat has always been a liability and whenever I watch him play he always has that dumb look like “holy crap these idiots called me in again. lol!” With all that vestibular crap being said the US’s biggest problem is not having a true # 10. We needed one Saturday and will continue to need one. I am not sure if Landycakes or Demps are this player but we need someone in the middle of the park pulling strings and being the puppet master.
To end this rant; I think there were some glaring mistakes by Klinsy….the bad; Beckerman (sorry he is no international center mid); Fiscal (do I need to say anything) and not starting Bradley. The good; I think Beasley was very active and still looks like he has some wheels. Howard (the sh it) and scoring and winning the game! RAWR!
That’s a weird assumption to make re Beasley. Left backs defend first, come forward second. Left midfielders (at least in most systems) are attack builders who do little stand-up defending. ‘The only difference’ plays a HUGE part in determining a player’s worth.
How on Earth can you say that just because two players are similar, someone should like them both?? In my opinion, they are similar; that style of player makes a great reserve option at left midfield, but a poor option at any point in a game at left back.
I don’t understand how someone can make this comment without thinking for a second about what they just said.
I do agree with you. I did jump the gun a little bit with that comment of Gonzo has not done nothing for the Galaxy.
i thought he gives the ball away every time he kicks it long ball down field.
Ok, maybe Gonzo has done nothing for USA but for the Galaxy? Are you kidding me? They went from one of the worst defenses in MLS to one of the best after adding Gonzo. Before Gonzo, Galaxy were worst in the league in GAA. Now, the Galaxy are a league best in GAA.
I also would like EDU to get a tryout at CB, he has all the tools to be BOCAs successor.
His biggest asset to be a CB is that he is not reckless.
A counterpoint to your contention that Klinsmann prefers not to use big defenders in back: Per Mertescker and Arne Friedrich were his guys for Germany in the 2010 WC.
gooch is improving, good form? maybe a little stretch for now. If you like Beasley then you also probably liked Castillo, since they are both the same type of player with the difference that one plays LB and the other LM. Now, Beckerman had better games form the NATS but he wasn’t at his best against Honduras, my biggest issue with him is that he is not fast enough for the NATS level and his passing is very safe, he won’t try a forward pass under pressure.
Maybe my memory is letting me down but I dont recall Gooch having a “sharp” game or anything sincerely of note.
Backline was shaky at times with both pairings.
I notice how many people are saying that they want these young players (Fiscal, Ream, Gonzo, etc) to step in right away and be perfect. That’s not possible. Look around at the game across the globe. Normally, the younger players who make an impact earlier in their careers are attackers. Defenders take more time to mature and learn the game and as a result, it’s extremely rare to see a top level centerback for a national team under the age of 25 or 26. Granted, this isn’t a perfect rule (Pique for instance) but it holds true fairly well. Ream and Fiscal are still young and they’ll learn. Don’t write them off yet.
Second, it’s clear Klinsmann wants a faster centerback to pair with Boca (or even Gooch I’m guessing) because neither one is good on speed. He wants that Cannavaro marking centerback who can keep up with people. Otherwise, you leave yourself vulnerable to counters and speedy forwards. Anyone remember the gold cup final? I’m not saying Fiscal is the answer (although I’m still holding out hope for Ream once he breaks out of his slump) but I think it’s clear what Klinsmann is looking for and trying to do.
that’s just the us pool. outside of ream, orozco, gooch, goodson and boca…there is only john and omar. and despite everyone’s hardon for john and OG, they aren’t any better. they are at or below the same level.
If Geoff Cameron keeps getting time at CB, a new solution will be on the horizon soon…
If you look at the interview that JK did with Jorge Ramos for ESPN, he pretty much clarified what he was trying to say with respect to tapping into the latino market. He did a little back-tracking and his explenation was convincing.
That said, there are a few journalist as well as folks on message boards that wont keep the flame from burning out.
+1 good anaysis.
you mentioned Opara, havent heard much about him in a while, how is he doing at SJ? any Quake fans out there?
Stupid comment… Beckerman, Gooch, & Beasley are all on good form. That is the exact opposite of mediocre. Larentowicz I wouldnt even call mediocre, its just crazy he has been called in with there being better options our there.
about as many as come from the increased pressure and more opposition possession from Gooch kicking the ball out of bounds or long to no one.
might not be as clear of a direct threat, but it’s true
I never liked Fiscal. Having Gooch back is nice, but where are the youngsters ready to step into his shoes!?
well considering both gooch and Boca arent spring chickens its time to blood some young talent. JK seems to think this is Orozco, though no one else seems to agree.
I’m sorry, but Gooch is limited. It’s been almost 2 years since the injury, he’s clearly lost mobility that he isnt getting back. On top of that he is so uncomfortable with the ball at his feet. Not much sense in having a possession focused midfield if all your CB can do is boot a ball forward and hope it stays in bounds (which is a coin toss with Gooch).
I’m sorry, but it’s time to move on, Goodson near term someone else longer term
its hasnt been the best, but i think he would play well at CB. I could see a Edu-Onyewu back line playing well off eachother.
not sure where that would leave Capt’n Blackmouth…
relative to the rest of our pool Gooch, Beas and Beckerman should be labled “mediocrity”!
Sure Gonzalez, John, Ream, etc have promise but a heathy Onyewu is vital to our WC run.
still disappointed he missed the sitter on the open net.
Onyewu may not make nice passes like Ream but he keeps it simple and doesn’t give the ball away. Ream will make beautiful passes but then give the ball away that results in a goal. And how many of Ream’s passes lead to a goal for USA?
Goodson sure. Gonzo and Ream are still learning. They aren’t even up to CONCACAF level much less the rest of the world. Gooch is returning to 100%
Two Points:
I’m not ready to write Fiscal off yet, but he’s not doing himself any favors but I see him (and Ream) as a potential future replacement for Bocangra, not Onyewu or Goodson. Having said that I don’t think anyone looked 10 feet tall and bulletproof against Honduras, but I chalk that up to a new system a new coach and feeling a bit of pressure to get the”W”. To put that on any one player is a but simplistic.
BTW I am already tired of the whole “latin/hispanic” issue being tied to him Torres and Castillo–I don’t think ethnic background should have anything to do with inclusion or exclusion on any team and the seeming constant reminder that these guys are “latin” players shouldn’t be any more important than Beasely and Altidore being african-american of Bradley and Dempsey being causaisan or chander being a Germarican. Talking about style of play is one thing, but tying it to race or ethnicity is unsettling. The cynic in me thinks it’s a marketing ploy and I hope that I’m wrong.
Anyway, back to my original thought… I’ve always thought that if you have the chance to put someone with size on your back line and in set plays you should always try provided he can play ball. Gooch might not be a wiz with his feet, but he is avery solid in the air and positionally and he has an understanding with the core group of players and have some really good experience and in spite of some folks painting him as a bit of a “lurch” type player, I actually think he’s got a pretty good head for the game. It’s good he’s coming back as a strong option. Right now the only player that I think seriously be argued to fit that bill as well or better is Goodson. Everyone else is a solid theory right now.
If we can get the CB pool 5 or 6 players deep that would be great and right now it’s only 2 or 3…
I really hope that come January we’ll have the opportunity to see players like Gonzalez, Whitbread, Opara, Parkhurst, all folks getting minutes with respectable clubs.
No way have you seen Edu passing for the nats the last three games. It has been horrible. He even past the ball to Casper the friendly ghost in the Honduras game. He plays good for Rangers, but for the nats his passing is not good. I have no idea why this is the case in my opinion, but it has been bad.
I think it’s pretty obvious what Klinsmann wants to partner with Bocanegra: a CB with some foot speed. He seems to favor more Cannavaro type CBs than the big hulking guys we normally play. If we’re going to force the tempo and press up the field, we need someone who’s faster than Gooch or Boca to better cover the counter. That’s got to be the reason Orozco Fiscal keeps getting this extended look, right? (The only reason I can think of, anyway.)
That’s also why he doesn’t seem to favor Gonzalez or John: they’re just younger, less experienced versions of Gooch and Goodson.
My 2 cebts: If Klinsmann really wants a fast CB, Edu should get some more time back there. He’s got pace, good attacker on set pieces, takes him out of logjam at DM, and he has tons of international experience, including at CB (Olympics in ’08 and even played there to help close out the Slovenia game at WC2010). Although Gooch and Goodson are great for games where we need aerial presence, neither are going to win any footraces.
Are you crazy you would rather take Ream and Gonzo over Gooch ? Are you serious because Ream and Gonzo have done nothing in MLS or for the USA to be rated over Gooch. I know you are probably taking Gooch age into consideration. But I would never take those two over Gooch. Goodson maybe, but Ream and Gonzo never.
Bocanegra, Onyewu, and Goodson are fine for now, but Klinsmann needs to expand the depth chart for CB. Orozco and Ream don’t inspire confidence.
Did you see Beasley in the attack? He’s not dead yet. IMO he looked more dangerous on Saturday than Donovan has been recently.
Gooch may not be a Pique, but his aerial ability is superior to Orozco Fiscal. To me, that is the most dissapointing part of Orozco Fiscal’s game. He is not a dominating defender of the long ball.
I’d take Goodson, Gonzo, or Ream over gooch. none of these guys are perfect, but goodson is a bit more stable, and the other two are still improving.
Anybody, but Fiscal.
Who do you propose should partner with Bocanegra?
just because they are mediocre doesn’t mean they are the best available.
Mediocrity at it’s finest. Gooch will not move this team forward. The same goes for Beasley, Beckerman, Larentowicz amongst others.
was pretty much the same old gooch. A beast in the air, pretty good one one one defending, but playing with 2 left feet. really can only keep possession when going backwards.
Gooch is Back. Goodson is his competition but he should be able to start. Especially if he keeps starting for Lisbon