US Soccer on shaky ground in the Gold Cup

Following a lackluster 1-0 victory against Guadeloupe, the US Men's Soccer team has advanced to the elimination rounds of the Gold Cup... Barely. 

The odds on favorite to win the tournament, the US didn't even advance first out of their own group. The games they did win, the team looked disinterested once they owned a lead. 

That being said, the US did advance and will take on Jamaica this Sunday. However, advancing out of the group stage isn't something the Americans should celebrate. Not in a region as weak as CONCACAF, which fields teams like Guadeloupe who FIFA doesn't even recognize as an independent nation.

So, while I was tough on Bob Bradley following the US's 4-0 loss to Spain, I'm not willing to completely pull back my criticisms of a coach who has left many question marks hanging over his own head...

The biggest area of concern for the US has been their back line. Bradley has tried different combinations in each of the three Gold Cup games, the last combo being the most effective by far.

He finally relented to the Tim Ream experiment, opting to put team captain Carlos Bocanegra back into the middle to run the defense. Bocanegra's effort, coupled with an MVP type performance from left back Steve Cherundolo, solidified the US defense in Tuesday's win over Guadeloupe. 

Still, going into a major tournament like the Gold Cup, experimenting with new players on the back line was not a good idea, and the biggest reason the US qualified second, not first, from their group.

Offensively, Clint Dempsey failed to find the back of the net, despite an open net from two yards out and a wide open header from five yards. Landon Donovan, normally solid and creative, lacked the proper touch and weight on his passes and seldom had the ball on his feet moving forward.

When a team plays uninspired and unfocused, I look to the coach to provide both. Bradley provided neither.

Bradley does deserve a small break for not having a few players available due to injury. Stuart Holden, who had an excellent season in England, would be starting in our midfield where he plays an intelligent point guard along side Michael Bradley.

Additionally, Benny Feilhaber, our top midfield sub, is hurt, forcing Bradley to look at other players. I give Bradley credit for bringing in Sash Klestian and Alejandro Bedoya. Both looked very comfortable on the field yesterday as second half subs. Neither will start in the future, but both provided quality relief minutes for the starters.

Also, had Charlie Davies been healthy, it's likely he would have received a roster spot. Davies was playing well in the MLS this season before suffering a leg injury. Davies' absence forced Bradley to look elsewhere for striking options, although, I'm still unsure what he sees in striker Chris Wondolowski.

Yes, he was on a tear in the MLS, but top goal scorers from the MLS have a history of under performing on the national stage. Taylor Twellman, Josh Wolf, Kenny Cooper and Epson Buddle all torched the MLS at times, but non posed any real threat while playing with the National Team.

If nothing else, Wondolowski is proving the MLS is not a breeding grounds for national team strikers. It may be in time, and Juan Agudelo is certainly looking like a good product of that system, but for now, the MLS is still a minor league system.

For now, the US is advancing due to superior talent. As we get further into the tournament, the US won't have massive talent advantages over teams like Mexico and Costa Rica. To beat those teams, we will have to play our best soccer.

Perhaps Bradley can right the ship in Sunday's match against Jamaica, a team the US can probably beat without playing our best soccer.

However, continue to play this way, and the Rastas might be the last team the US plays in this year's Gold Cup.