By Ridge Mahoney in Hamburg First game on the bench, second game at left back, third game somewhere else?
That might be the scenario for defender Carlos Bocanegra, who has bounced between positions for club and country since leaving MLS for English Premier League club Fulham two and a half years ago.
Bocanegra didnÆt get on the field as the Americans were thumped, 3-0, by the Czech Republic, but against Italy Saturday he replaced Eddie Lewis at left back and played the entire game in an extraordinary 1-1 tie. Unlike the Czechs, who deployed five midfielders behind giant striker Jan Koller, the Italians lined up two strikers and an attacking midfielder just behind them.
Coach Bruce Arena, wary of Francesco TottiÆs ability to service Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino, needed outside cover for central defenders Oguchi Onyewu and Eddie Pope.
ôIn the game against Italy, we suspected that weÆd be put under a little bit of pressure and we needed in particular some help with our center backs in dealing with their two frontrunners,ö said Arena of his choice. ôThe initial impression was that [Luca] Toni would be matched up with Gooch most of the game and he needed help off his shoulder from a guy whoÆs more of a permanent defender than Eddie Lewis. We didnÆt need our left back in this game attacking as much as we needed him to be rock-solid defensively.ö
Bocanegra started a bit nervously. His giveaway in the Italian half led to a counterattack and a free kick from which Italy took a 1-0 lead, but he improved as the game unfolded and the U.S. equalized with an own goal. ôWe were lucky to get one back right after they scored,ö he said, ôbut we did come out with maybe a different mentality because weÆd been embarrassed in the first game.ö
Bocanegra repelled most of the attacks down his side, coolly cleared a driven ball just yards off the goal line, and got forward to head a shot over the bar on a corner kick. He also got up the left wing to cut a ball back that Pablo Mastroeni fired high from 30 yards out.
Lewis, a midfielder for most of his career, is obviously more skilled offensively, but on both sides of the field Bocanegra didnÆt flinch against one of the worldÆs top teams.
ôWeÆve been training him since almost day one of training camp as a left back,ö said Arena, whose defensive options have been limited by pre-tournament injuries to Cory Gibbs and Frankie Hejduk. ôHeÆs just played very well and it was obvious we needed to get him on the field. He showed the kind of competitor he is and the quality he has as a player and played extremely well.ö
In qualifying play last year, Bocanegra changed positions from game to game: Left back in four-man systems against Mexico and Guatemala; left-side defender in three-man system against Costa Rica; central defender in 4-3-3 versus Panama.
HeÆs been used both outside and inside by Fulham manager Chris Coleman in a traditional 4-4-2 setup. Bocanegra played mostly left back after arriving in England in January 2004, spent some time on the bench last season, then came back into the starting lineup as a central defender.
ôI feel comfortable at either position,ö says Bocanegra, a former U.S. U-20 and MLS Rookie of the Year in 2000 and Defender of the Year in 2002 and 2003 with Chicago. ôI played a whole season with Fulham at left back. Whatever role Bruce has me in IÆm fine with.ö
With Pope suspended for the Ghana game, Arena can leave Bocanegra at left back and replace Pope in the middle with Jimmy Conrad, or he could move Bocanegra to the middle and recall Lewis at left back or use Chris Albright there. Or the coach could switch to a three-man system.
ArenaÆs need for flexibility and BocanegraÆs versatility meshed in the Italy game. He might not have quite the quickness a coach would prefer in an outside back, but his size (6-foot, 170 pounds) and defensive instincts shored up a U.S. lineup riddled by refereeing decisions.
ôIn an unfortunate situation, you try to dig a little bit deeper and try to raise your game even more,ö said Bocanegra, who finished the game alongside Conrad, his former teammate at UCLA. ôI donÆt think itÆs just the defense that picked up the game.
ôThe midfielders did a tremendous amount of running, Brian McBride chased everywhere up front, and I think the entire team got a pretty big lift when Eddie [Pope] went down. HeÆs a pretty strong defender right down the center of the field for us, which is an important position.ö
Every position will be an important one against Ghana, which has remarkable athletes all over the field and a true gem in midfielder Michael Essien. The Ghanaians power and pace overwhelmed the Czechs in a 2-0 victory, and Arena will want to blunt those elements with ruggedness and resilience, which are personified in Bocanegra, who also has six goals in 41 games for the U.S. and might find openings on set plays if defenses concentrate on McBride and Onyewu.
The U.S. can only advance by beating Ghana, and victory wonÆt be enough if Italy and the Czech Republic tie. So it goes.
ôWe canÆt really control what happens in the other match,'' says Bocanegra. ''So as long as we do our part and win, we have a chance.''
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