by Jason Davis

Brian Ching is a very good MLS forward, slowing down just a bit now as he traverses his early 30s. He's still capable of some impressive play, remains an asset to the Dynamo, and will even pop up to score a few goals on occasion.


Which is exactly what he did last night. Three of them, in fact.


And since hindsight is crystal clear, Ching's big night against Chicago looks like strong evidence that Bob Bradley's decision to leave the striker off of the World Cup roster was a terrible one. Because surely Ching would have played better than the selections Bradley did make. He couldn't possibly have been worse than Robbie Findley, and it's not as though Edson Buddle burned up the fields of South Africa.


That's the other side of the equation, where hindsight is also at play. It's not just that Ching's hat trick shows he's still got it and should have been on the plane, it's that the forward(s) that went instead of him didn't make a mark. Two plus two is four.


Never mind that Ching was coming off of a hamstring injury in May, or that Bradley was wedded to as system that needed someone with speed up top (hence Findley). Ching was hard done by when the decision was made, and performances like last night will only serve to strengthen the believe of Ching-backers that he should have been in the World Cup team. Even a few who weren't in Ching's camp in June will use the opportunity to bash Bradley with vigor.


Don't get me wrong; I don't blame anyone for suggesting Ching should have been on the team in South Africa after how he played last night. Even if I don't agree with using happenings in August as reason for Ching to make the team in June, it's human nature to look at this thing (Ching's hat trick) and that thing (ineffectual forwards) and draw a conclusion. In this case though, human nature is unfair.


The argument that Ching should have gone to South Africa has merit; it had merit before, and it has merit now. But last night's hat trick doesn't prove Bradley wrong. If anything, the lack of goals from forwards in the World Cup did that. If Ching was still struggling with his injury back in May, I find it difficult to come down on Bob for leaving Ching at home.


Here's the best of the lot from Ching last night, an acrobatic bicycle effort for his second:

The USMNT, the "B" version, takes the field tonight against El Salvador in Tampa. While it's not the team we'll see in South Africa, it's still worth our attention, if for no other reason that it will help take our minds off of the MLS CBA fustercluck.


I'll be watching the play of the forwards most closely, with an eye to see who (if any) can distinguish themselves out of a somewhat underwhelming group. I've defended Brian Ching and what he brings to the table in the past, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want someone else to step up and zoom past him on the pecking order. It just feels like it's time.


The problem, of course, is that there's only one other guy who will be dressed tonight that also plays Ching's target forward role: Conor Casey. Hmm...maybe we'll forget about the target man problem for now. Though Casey did surprise us all once in Honduras, I suppose it's possible he could do it again.


The other two forwards are Robbie Findley and Jeff Cunningham, players who use their speed to create chances. I root for Findley, though I'm beginning to wonder if he has that extra bit of talent that would make him a viable inclusion for this summer's World Cup squad. Cunningham knows how to score, as evidenced by his MLS tally last year, but is inconsistent and ill-equipped for the international level.


Why do I plan to watch the forwards closely again?


The other areas of interest really has more to do with the future of the squad past the World Cup than it does with the present; aside from seeing how Bornstein does (he's a lock in my opinion) and whether Goodson can add to his case for a reserve centerback spot, the young guys will be the most intriguing.


Onto to the Match Fit USA/American Soccer Show schedule of events for this evening:

Keith Hickey will be running a MFUSA live blog during the game

I'll be there, just not consistently enough to run it myself, so Keith will handle the duties. It's been a long time since we've had reason to do one of those.

The American Soccer Show will be live immediately follwing the final whistle (shortly after 9PM)

Zach and I will give our own takes on the game as well as get your immediate reactions via Skype (AmericanSoccerShow is the show Skype name), Twitter, Email, and the show chat room at the UStream page.

You can listen at the aforementioned American Soccer Show UStream channel, or through the show's website.

On this week's Match Fit USA Soccer Show, Jason and Zach cover the USA-Mexico TV issue, discuss the Gold Cup with All Things Footy and MFUSA contributor Kevin McCauley, return to the Beckham saga, and finish up with the Brian Ching's Twitter transgression.

The Match Fit USA Soccer Show, part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network.

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MLS has fined Houston forward Brian Ching $500 for his criticism of the referees through Twitter. Ching took exception to the controversial goal given to Seattle in last week's Sounders-Dynamo match, and spoke out against the referees via the social network.

Quite the sign of the times. I was somewhat shocked to see Ching be so public with his displeasure when it came across my feed, and I'm not quite sure he realized the ramifications.

Ching's offending tweet:

"Ref in seattle just cheated the dynamo. What a joke. Not even close. Ref is a cheat"

Ching apologized for his comment, again via twitter, the next day.

"Look i made a rash comment yesterday. I dont know who the ref was. I didnt understand how someone could all a goal when it wasnt 100% clear"

"I apologize for the comment which i made in the heat of the moment. Everyone tries their best and mistakes happen."

It looks like someone (probably with Houston's front office) let Ching know that his comments weren't appropriate and that the league wouldn't be too keen on them.

It's hard to argue with Ching's feelings if you saw the match (or just the offending goal), though MLS is forced to fine him; criticisms of the refs by players is a sticky proposition, and no matter the form they come in, shouldn't be encouraged by inaction.

What do you think? Is the fine fair?

Here it is, people. The winner of the first MFUSA contest. Jason Kuenle has tackled the tactical concerns of the USMNT, and makes a strong case for why the dreaded long ball isn't going anywhere.

Thanks to all that submitted for the contest, and if you didn't get in under the wire this time around, I'm sure there will be more opportunities in the future.

Jason's thoughts after the jump.

By Jason Kuenle

Brian Ching. No US player elicits a stronger response from US soccer fans than Brian Ching. He stands for so much of what is “wrong” with the national team and MLS. He lacks flare, he plays best receiving long balls, he doesn’t score, his assets are physical not technical.


Meanwhile, a World Cup starting XI with ten foreign stationed players is a real possibility; the technical ability of the US player pool has never been higher; young players including Adu, Altidore, Bradley, and Torres look poised to take the US to the next level; and the US continues to rely on the long ball. It is a frustrating situation for many fans

But, the US will continue to use the long ball. When high pressure is put on our backs, they panic and pump balls long. No amount of playing time in Europe or coaching is going to cure that by 2010. Currently, the player pool in the back is not deep. There are not four backs that have the defensive ability to defend against a top team and the technical ability to effectively dribble or pass around a team of the same caliber. Therefore, for the foreseeable future US backs are going to serve up long balls. Because of this, Bradley has consistently made the decision to place a target striker up top. There is no reason to think he will change that tactic.

…Nor should he. Few countries in the world can match the United States in terms of athleticism. The strength and speed of the US player pool rivals any in the world. The physical advantages inherent in the US player pool should be exploited, with strength being used up the middle and speed on the sides. Emerging players such as Marshall, Cooper, Wynne, and Rogers show the diversity that these physical assets bring. One place that physicality can be exploited is in the target striker position. To abandon an area where the US has an international advantage in order to play “pretty” soccer is to leave points on the field unnecessarily.

For soccer powers, their natural styles of soccer have evolved over generations of players, learning what works and what does not for their talent pool. The Brazilian, English, Italian, and German styles have remained unchanged for so long because the talent pools in these countries have remained virtually unchanged. Players come and go, but the combined physical and technical abilities of the player pool remains about the same. However, the US talent pool is evolving. The lineup employed in the last third of the El Salvador game and the entire Trinidad game may show the beginning of an evolution in style to match the change in the talent pool. This style merges the long ball style and the quick ground passing game in a hybrid style that allows an attack to be built from the middle with technique, but allows for the ball over the top from the back.

By selecting backs based primarily on defensive rather than technical ability, a true defensive midfielder is not necessary. This allows the US to play two of the younger creative midfielders to work the ball up to wingers with a nose for goal and a striker whose sole job is to score. If the eventual replacement for Ching is a target striker that can also put home his share of goals, the US becomes a very dangerous squad capable of playing both long and short, with five or six players on the pitch capable of scoring in the run of play.

I believe that Bradley is on the right track to finding a US soccer style that fits what the US team will be in 2010 and well beyond; one that will continue to use the long ball, but do so as part of a more comprehensive attack.