Why Jozy shouldn't be the main striker

A rather lively discussion ensued at CounterAttack headquarters yesterday:

After three matches in the World Cup, the US has played excellent on attack, held the ball well in the midfield and have been composed in defense. The MNT deserves to go through to the Second Round and further, to be honest.

One of the most exciting developments has been the progress of Jozy Altidore. He's been a monster, running down the wing, bringing the ball in a linkup from defense to offense, taking shots when possible, drawing fouls that leave defenders more cautious. There's no doubt he's one of the best players on the squad and a genuine star for the future.

BUT.

He is effectively playing as an attacking midfielder. And Jozy is a striker. If you look all the things he’s done well, there is one glaring omission. A striker scores goals and Jozy hasn't. In fact, in all of 2010, he has exactly one goal. That's not an indictment, it's just a statement of fact.

Good strikers need to score because they get into grooves. With that confidence, everything they touch turns to goal. Scoring is just infectious and feeds on itself and right now, the US player in that sort of groove is Clint Dempsey.

The difference between Deuce and Jozy is that Clint has been scoring for Fulham and the US. This doesn't mean Jozy shouldn't be on the pitch, but the CounterAttack would argue that he should switch roles with Deuce. What happens if Jozy moves back a bit, into that attacking midfield role, and Clint slides forward? We think it would create a more lethal strike combination.

Why not come out in a 4-3-1-2? That's with Bradley, Edu and Landon in the midfield, and Altidore just ahead of them. Play Deuce in the #10 role and Gomez as the #11 up front.

This creates a triangle formation with several options. Gomez at the apex, Deuce just off to the left or right, as needed. Jozy, meanwhile, plays right behind them and switches with Deuce; whenever Clint moves one way, Altidore goes the other. That leaves Donovan with a wing man at all times.

Effectively, this is a 4-3-3 but it means that Jozy doesn't need to run so much. If you watch his matches, he tends to lose the ball if he has too much green to run. So let’s limit how much he needs to roam, shorten that distance while still providing options up front for him to pass the ball. Or, to be fair, to take the shot if it's there. Why not, he's nearly scored twice.

Now, with Ghana you need to move quickly and decisively. This formation would provide two genuine goal-scoring threats in Donovan and Dempsey, plus Gomez, who we think still has a lot to offer, and Jozy’s potential to score. Now you have three- and four-pronged attack options from Gomez, Dempsey, Donovan and Altidore.

Meanwhile, Baby Bradley and Edu can hold the ball, a critical need against the Ghanese with their wide-open speed rush. The midfielders can start the attack off counters to feed Lannie, who can either take things up on his own or use Jozy as a wingman. Deuce and Gomez are still up front, denying defenders the luxury of leaving their marks to double-team any US attacker. Oh, by the way, Bradley can score too.

It also means that the US will have at least five or six men defensively protecting against Ghana’s counterattacks and yet not lose anything shifting towards attack. If Ghana attack down the right, Edu and the center-halfs can push the ball out towards Trumbolo. Ol’ Man Dolo has been completely overlooked by many as the true spark as wingback. He has started so many counterattacks with his runs down the wing and has not been beaten badly down his side in defense. So add yet another attacking option without losing anything in defense.

So right now, and only right now, and only based on these three recent matches, Jozy Altidore absolutely belongs on the pitch but as an attacking midfielder or a winger, to provide service to Clint Dempsey and whomever else is lucky enough to be paired with him up front.

Of course, that's a step too far for Bob Bradley. That’s not a criticism, especially as he has gotten more attack-oriented as the tournament has progressed. Bradley deserves enormous credit just for that alone, as it is a monumental shift in US tactics. But dropping Altidore back is too much for Bradley to envision, beyond his comfort zone.

But it could work.


Image via Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty from LA Times