TheNearPostLets start of thinking of how this suits the players rather than the tactics first off. Altidore, while suited for the target/lone striker role, is very keen to drift wide left and run at the opposition right fullback. Here, he sits in the channel between the right fullback and right centerback when the USA is defending. When the USA has the ball, he is given freedom to either drift in front of either the right centerback or right fullback, or he can split the channel between the two. In essence, this occupies two defenders with one attacker.

Dempsey is useful as an attacking midfielder, but is just as, if not more dangerous up front. In this shape, he plays as something of a false nine, staying high up the field on offense but dropping into the midfield in attack. With the right centerback semi-occupied with Altidore, the left centerback might track Dempsey into the midfield, leaving a giant hole in the backline for the likes of Altidore.

Donovan is clearly dangerous from both central and wide positions, so the key for him will be to allow him to drift between the two areas of the pitch.

Johnson seems to be pretty useful on the left side in his games in the Bundesliga. Against Slovenia he played a mix of a left sided midfield and a central midfield on the left of a diamond, defending centrally but allowed to drift to the left going forward. Here he is in roughly the same role.

All in all, the shape is something a 4-1-3-2 and a 4-1-2-3.

08.02.2012