Alejandro Bedoya deserves a call up for the USMNT when they take on Guatemala in World Cup Qualifying. Bedoya has become something of a hero of late for French Ligue 1 side Nantes. After not scoring for Nantes for nine months, the United States international has now scored four in six games. Some of those goals have been extremely important.
On January 20, Bedoya came on as a substitute in the 105th minute against Mantes in the Coupe de France, with the score locked at nil-nil. Just two minutes later, he rushed through on goal and slotted past the keeper, allowing Nantes to squeak past the lower league opposition.
Just more than two weeks later, he did it again: again as a substitute, again in the Coupe de France, and again in added extra time. In a wild 4-3 win, which saw Nantes come from behind twice, Bedoya headed into the net in the 118th minute to seal the victory, catching the eye of Jurgen Klinsmann in the process.
exciting win in the 118th minute Alejandro !! Congratulations!! @AleBedoya17 pic.twitter.com/QUdOwq0HFy
— Jürgen Klinsmann (@J_Klinsmann) February 11, 2016
His recent form at club level suggests that Bedoya deserves a call up. Now, we must acknowledge the fact that Bedoya's record for the USMNT doesn't make for pretty reading: two goals and five assists in 43 appearances. He also hasn't played since that terrible 4-1 loss against Brazil in September 2015, when he was hooked after just 36 minutes.
Consider this though, Klinsmann has often misused Bedoya, more often than not deploying him on the flanks. Against Brazil, he made the baffling decision to play him as a defensive midfielder. You couldn't help but feel sorry for the man, as he ran around completely clueless as to what his role was.
For Nantes, Bedoya has seen success in the number 10 role. All of his goals in the last six games have come from his deployment as an attacking midfielder. The problem is that Klinsmann is choosing to deploy his team in a 4-4-2, which leaves no room for that advanced playmaker role. He seems to have the same aversion to the number 10 as Louis Van Gaal, which is strange considering that the U.S.A used a 4-2-3-1 to great effect at the World Cup.
The USMNT has a crucial couple of matches against Guatemala coming up, and Alejandro Bedoya deserves a call up.
Klinsmann's 4-4-2 just doesn't work because the strikers are not technically good enough to drop deep, hold, and play the ball (except for Clint Dempsey, but he has been preferred as the lone striker lately), which means that the team generally have to resort to lumping long balls forward. The USMNT are at their best when they have someone in that hole, and their wide players can focus on getting chalk on their boots and stretching the defense.
So, here's what I suggest, and it doesn't look a whole lot different from the setup at the World Cup. Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley as the holding midfielders, Bedoya as the number 10, Darlington Nagbe or Jerome Kiesewetter on the right flank, and Gyasi Zardes or Nguyen on the left. Whatever Klinsmann goes with, he would be wise to play Bedoya in his strongest position while he's in form.
As far as the defense...no Jones at center back please. Cheers.
