The future, nearly here

Back to back matches for Jozy Altidore, and four more goals to his tally. Six in nine games is a legitimate pace. Can anyone doubt that he is the future of American soccer? Nah, this is what everyone expected from Altidore, the first true international striker the US has ever had.

The fun begins now, though. For the first time, the Men's National Team is solid up the middle. Altidore is a true go-ahead striker with a nose for goal. He is balanced by attacking midfielder Clint Dempsey. It remains a mystery why Deuce is not featured more for his club but the fact remains that this guy can play. Both attackers are supported by midfielder Michael Bradley, who was good enough to play below his own usually-high standards and yet remain effective. Behind them is Oguchi Onyewu, the imposing central defender called Gooch who is a monster in defense, strong enough to make up for lack of pace. And then the anchor, Tim Howard, the latest in a decade-long run of excellent US goalkeepers.

The revelations from the Trinidad & Tobago and El Salvador matches: Landon Donovan is an excellent winger, DeMarcus Beasley can play a wingback from the left side, and Pablo Mastroeni still has mileage left as a defensive midfielder. While Steve Cherundolo should still be the right fullback when he returns, Frankie Hejduk is making himself indispensable. I still think he wouldn't be as effective against top-tier sides; one goal and an impressive game-saving tackle make it impossible to overlook him.

Let's hope that Coach Bradley keeps this formation, with Donovan on the wing and Jozy up front. Heck, even the pairing of Jozy with Brian Ching could be really effective - Brian is strong enough to create space for Altidore if necessary, and he can mop up on goals, putting away second-chance opportunities.

It is the new role for Donovan, however, that really excites. Putting him a little further back in the formation means he gets the ball earlier, which puts his on-the-ball talents to work. He can still shoot and even wander into the penalty area but if defenders collapse on him, then Landon can simply dump out to Altidore... or Dempsey. Both have a nose for goal, and suddenly the US has a three-pronged attack.

Having Beasley as left fullback, in a wingback role where he pushes the ball up from the back, might be another stroke of genius. It all depends whether he can regain his ability to withstand physical challenges. If he can, the tradeoff in defensive abilities would more than pay off.

Of course, playing in Confacaf doesn't provide a good enough test of what's up. Beating T&T is not necessarily saying much. But then again, Holland had to play Macedonia - roughly the same test. That said, it's important for teams to beat up the weaker sides, so a 3-nil victory is indeed impressive. Let's not forget that the MNT can consistently beat second-tier European sides.

The frustration is when the MNT plays the Italys and Hollands in a match, friendly or tournament. One of these days the US will not be impressed by England's shirt and get a win against the Three Lions, which historically flatter to deceive.

What we can see now is the future of the US national side. US Soccer should look to schedule friendlies against top-tier sides, heading down to South America for a different style of play besides playing the usual Euros. And if they play European teams, they should concentrate on playing France, Spain, Germany in favor of the Polands of Europe.

This is a solid team that can begin to establish itself as a perennial second-round-or-better, and eventually perennial quarterfinalists. It's not an automatic path, of course, but watching Jozy makes it a more realistic possibility.

A coming-out party, or how to win a draw

One could look at the match v El Salvador as a negative. Leading the Hexagonal in Concacaf's World Cup qualifiers, the US should have been able to win in Tegulcigalpa. The MNT has only one loss in Bob Bradley's career in WCQs while winning 15 qualifying matches. So by rights, a 2-2 result should be an indictment.

Here's the thing: I can't recall the last time the MNT came back from two goals so late in a match to gain points. I'm quite sure it's "never".

The team didn't play so well but never gave up - a hallmark of all MNT squads since at least the 1990s. This time, however, that can-do spirit was matched to the best talent the US has ever had. The difference maker, quite obviously, was Jozy Altidore.

Why Bob Bradley insists on keeping him on the bench is a mystery. You can say all you want about his lack of playing time at Xerez (wanna bet that doesn't continue much longer?) or that he's only 19 or... whatever. The thing is, this. kid. can. play.

He has the size to match physical defenders, is strong on the ball, and always wants the ball. More importantly, he knows what to do with the ball once he gets it. Don't forget that this is the kid who overshadowed David Beckham in the "Beckham match" at the Meadowlands some 18 months ago.

This time, Altidore came on around the 60th minute and instantly changed the tenor of the match. Within minutes he had created a shot on goal. A lackluster squad suddenly had a focal point. That's what Jozy can do. Not only did he score the first goal but if Hejduk had missed getting to his header for the win, guess who was right behind Frankie, sure to pick up the ball and almost certainly ready to put the ball away?

So let's hope we see more of Jozy. A 19 yr-old with his skills should be starting, and if there are reasons why he's kept on the bench, then find a way to work around them. No one else on the squad can do what he does.

Diamonds, after all, need light to shine.