The Daily Wave: A Klute Call-Up For Brazil Seeming Less Likely

Jurgen Klinsmann went into the USMNT's match against Jamaica with a bit of experimentation on his mind. Minutes were given to guys like Aron Johannsson and Mix Diskerud (as a starter) and guys like Edgar Castillo and Alejandro Bedoya (as substitutes). The US had already clinched a spot in Brazil, so it was tinker time with the roster, and the US managed to pull a rather boring 2-0 victory out of their hats.

Notably, one spot did not see any experimentation, and it hasn't for essentially the entire Hex. Left back is a spot we all expected to be wide open with no clear starter going into 2013. Fabian Johnson had the spot locked down for quite a while, but then Klinsmann got a taste for putting him in the midfield. That left noted not left back Demarcus Beasley as the man in charge of the spot.

I don't think most of us were expecting him to make the spot his, but he's managed to do so. That goes for, essentially, the entire US back line. Klinsmann has seen what we've seen, and he's liked it. For any complaints about the US defense that we may have, the numbers aren't exactly against him: the Yanks did not allow a single goal at home during the Hex, were able to get a famous 0-0 result in Mexico, and only looked weak defensively in spurts during matches against tough Costa Rica and Honduras teams.

All that in mind, our dreams of Chris Klute being the general on the left side of defense for the Yanks will probably have to be shelved for the time being. Our best bet at it happening is if Klute is included in the general MLS call-ups at the end of the season and is able to absolutely bedazzle the US coach in a few appearances in friendlies.

Jurgen doesn't strike me as the type of coach who will make a gang of surprise inclusions ala Bob Bradley and Robbie Findley/Edson Buddle/Ricardo Clark in 2010. We'll see, though.