All of a sudden, striker is a position of strength for the USMNT
The United States haven't really had options at striker for a decade now. There was Jozy Altidore -- when he was fit -- and, well, that was about it. It handcuffed the Americans and left them impotent up top far too often. But now the U.S., thanks to the last three months, seems ready to call striker a position of strength. And depth.
Altidore suffered yet another injury this summer and missed Copa America Centenario, but it didn't matter much. That's because Bobby Wood continued his rapid ascent and put on a show all tournament. He scored a goal, but more importantly, was a constant threat that brought his teammates into the game and turned the American attack into a truly dangerous one. Then Altidore returned this month for World Cup qualifiers and bagged three goals in two matches alongside Wood up top.
All of a sudden, the U.S. have a budding striker partnership.
"Bobby coming sometimes back, Jozy staying up front and vice versa," explained Klinsmann. "Even if we laid out as a 4-4-2, but it works more like a 4-2-3-1 so one of them is checking in a little bit behind and that’s how we played at the Copa America."
Even Trinidad and Tobago manager Stephen Hart raved about the pair after Altidore scored twice in the Americans' 4-0 win over the Soca Warriors on Tuesday.
"Wood today was dragging us all over the place and running deep, running deeper, making us move away from the midfield and then Altidore was finding space," said the T&T boss. "That was a very dangerous combination."
For five years, Klinsmann changed his system constantly. That was especially the case up top, where he played with a lone striker or two strikers and often asked different things of them from match to match. He struggled to find something that worked, in large part because he wasn't working with much. But that's not the case anymore.
Wood scored 17 goals for Union Berlin a year ago in his breakout season. It earned him a move to Hamburg, and he had a great summer at Copa America with the U.S. Then he kicked off the new campaign with a goal in his first ever Bundesliga match. But Wood's impact is felt far beyond goals. It's about the space he creates and the way he brings his teammates into the attack.
"You have a Bobby that does tremendous work holding up people and making them work," Klinsmann said about the striker. "Bobby is a big time part of this team so that’s really important to us."
Then you have Altidore, who has long struggled with injuries, but appears to have found some fitness. Unsurprisingly, the goals have followed. He scored in four of his last five matches for Toronto FC before joining up with the U.S., where his goals jumped him to third on the U.S. all-time list. Now the only real focus going forward is making sure he can stay on the field.
“We are very very happy to have Jozy back. You know, healthy, getting sharper every game," Klinsmann said. "We want to make sure nothing happens again. I think he’s aware of his situation, he knows 'I cannot afford more injuries. I need to make sure my lifestyle is OK, I look after myself, I prepare for every training session, doing all that work.”
All of the excitement around the U.S. strikers isn't limited to just Wood and Altidore either. There's also Clint Dempsey, who partnered Wood at Copa America. Dempsey missed the September matches, but the Americans expect him back soon and Klinsmann pointed out that he gives the team another option. Hart also brought up Dempsey's return and the threat that will present for opposing teams.
Klinsmann also has an ace up his sleeve off the bench -- Jordan Morris and his blazing pace, which terrorized Trindad and Tobago late as the youngster picked up a goal.
"You have a player coming off the bench like Jordan that has pace and goes at people," Klinsmann added. "That’s what defense lines fear, especially when you getting a little tired."
Quality. Options. Depth. Choices. For the United States at striker? It's a brave new world, and one Klinsmann is hoping doesn't change as quickly as it developed.
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