Association Football

Bornstein doesn’t cut it at leftback for the USMNT yet.

He gets caught out of position way way to much and provides very little defensively, and frankly doesn’t do all that much getting forward. Has he ever put a cross into the box? Just contrast Bornstein with Cherundulo. Cherundulo was involved in almost every Swedish attack and was able to get involved in the attack to some degree.

But there is a larger issue here. Do we really need to play with wingbacks – ie a LB and RB who constantly push forward. Yes you want to involve more players in the attack, but the frequency with which we give away the ball in the middle of the field frequently leaves us exposed in the back, as our wide players our stuck up field. And lets face it our center backs aren’t the best in the world and are prone to mistakes or being beaten.

Also, with Beasley on the left, his pace makes him able to get box to box effectively. Bornstein seems to get in his way by attracting additional defenders. I say leave Beasley isolated on the left and play Bocanegra is more of a flat LB that can cheat going forward, but whose primary task is defend.

Filed under: USMNT |