World cup 2010 The USA vs Slovakia

USA’s World cup campaign goes on as it competes with it’s second Group C match that is against Slovenia.

If Bob Bradley’s team want to qualify for the second round a win is very important.

With Friday’s big game coming up, we ask the coach five questions, before the game.

The American side is on territory, it is not familiar with: going into Friday’s match against Slovenia, as definite favorites.

With a team that usually thrives on being the underdogs, this is going to be quite an unusual situation.

Quite a lot of the teams best results and games have been from coming up against higher-ranked sides, and that includes Saturday’s 1-1 draw against England and last year when they defeated Spain in the Confederations Cup.

The US can struggle, when it’s presumed they are going to be victorious.

It was with surprise that the team was defeated 3-1 by Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier, and then went down with the same score in a friendly match up against Honduras at the beginning of 2010.

While in a game with England, the USA goalkeeper had to get treatment after an incident with Emile Heskey.

At the finish of the match it was thought he may have broken a rib, but after a medical examination it was shown that Howard just had bruising.

It appears that the Everton goalkeeper has got clearance to play, and Bob Bradley is very relieved about this, as his team was saved on several occasions on Saturday, by his favorite choice.

The US team has actually been relaxing and not worrying to much about the injury, and Howard appeared at training with only a small plaster over his rib cage.

Having already three points on the board after the 1-0 win over Algeria, Slovenia may come to the decision that two draws in it’s next two matches going up against England and the USA will be sufficient to bring the team into the second round.

Therefore it is very likely that Matjaz Kek, the Slovenia coach will be trying to grind out a goalless draw and get a point against the USA on Friday.

So how is the USA going to score up against a team that only allowed six goals in 12 qualifying matches that led  up to South Africa?

It will be difficult for the USA to find areas to move with Slovenia’s well applied defense, so they will need to seek out other ways to goal.

Donovan and Dempsey should be planning to come in from wide positions and try going for shots from a distance.

Even if it’s the case that this does not allow them to score, applying this tactic might compel the Slovenian defenders to have to come out and shut them down, and therefore this will open up some space behind them.

Using its fullbacks, in general, is how Slovenia chooses to launch its attack, so for Bob Bradley it might be an idea for him to get the Slovenians to move forward.

If an attack can be busted up by the USA, a fast long pass forward could see Jozy Altidore
be able to use any gaps down the wings.

After the draw with England US midfielder Ricardo Clark, came up against a lot of criticism.

The Eintract Frankfurt player was accused and found guilty of ball watching with England’s goal, after he was unable to track the run of goal-scorer Steven Gerrard.

The replacement of Clark has been the demand from a lot of US fans, and possible replacements that have been considered are Jose Torres and Maurice Edu, for the central position.

With a serious knee injury is how Edu spent the final half of 2009, but he came back to support his club side Rangers win the Scottish league title.

His first international goal was recently scored in the friendly defeat to Czech Republic and it’s probable that he is the favourite to replace Clark if Bob Bradley so decides.

For Pachuca in Mexico, Torres plays his club football and could have played for the southern neighbors of the USA, due to the fact his father is Mexican.  He is very good at tackling, but as his passes are loose this should knock him out of contention for the Slovenia game.

After a fantastic game in which he dominated England’s defense with his energy, Jozy Altidore will be a definite to begin against Slovenia.

For the Hull City striker, who will partner, is an entirely different matter.

For the USA’s opening match, Bob Bradley picked Robbie Findley, but the genuine
Salt Lake player, had trouble getting into the game.

The coach must be considering different options, as the US wants to score against Slovenia’s well disciplined back line.

Edson Buddle took the place of Findley with 13 minutes that was left against England, but they didn’t get much of an opportunity to impress anyone.

On saying that, the LA Galaxy striker was there in the 3-1 warm-up match against Australia, where he achieved his first two international goals.

It might be the time for Bradley to give Buddle and opportunity to begin in the hope that
the 29-year-old’s know how, will help the US to win.