How do you rate a team that hasn’t really played so far? Bob Bradley is probably dealing with this himself after two hopeless games against Italy and Brazil. Touted as a tournament that would provide answers to persistent lineup questions for the U.S., the Confederations Cup has provided more of the opposite: questions – some about tactics and most about individuals. I imagine that for Bob Bradley, who hasn’t impressed with his decisions, watching the Confederations Cup has been as unrevealing and unhelpful as shaking a magic eight ball.
Does DeMarcus Beasley deserve another chance after one of worst performances of his career? Looks doubtful.
Will I give him another one if he promises to do better? Outlook good.
Does Sacha Kljestan deserve another chance after a completely ineffective first half and a rash challenge early in the second that saw him sent off and once again put added pressure on the U.S. to defend when that was the last thing the team needed? Maybe.
Ricardo Clarke? Maybe.
Jermaine Jones? No.
Jermaine Jones? Yes.
Why didn’t I play Jose Francisco Torres? Yes. Definitely.
Did Jonathan Bornstein play well enough to cement a place at left back, at least for a few more games? Concentrate, and try again.
Has Clint Dempsey really been bad enough to lose a starting position? My sources say no.
Do other players resent me for playing my son without question? Doubtful.
Is that why they’re not trying anymore? Or is it because they don’t respect me? Or believe in me? We went over this Bob. You can only ask yes or no questions so that I can give you a meaningless answer.
Is Jozy Altidore really the 19-year-old phenom that can solve our striker problems? Nice one. Try again.
Has the U.S been bad enough on the attack to warrant giving other young Americans like Freddy Adu and Robbie Rogers and even Stewart Holden a chance? Bubbles fizzing around. Indicator stuck.
Bradley stares in shock and confusion, pretending like he doesn’t want to break the thing against a wall, like he he’s seen this before, like he knows what the answers and he’s not afraid.
Alright, enough, before I get sick. What does this U.S. team look like when it plays well? Aside from solid spells against Mexico in the first qualifying leg, I have no freakin idea.

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