Just how important is the U.S. vs. Netherlands friendly?

Monday, 01 March 10, 01:44 PM · Comments (0)

Some folks out there are staking a lot of claim in the Wednesday friendly between the U.S. and Netherlands. And that's an easy thing to do -- it'll be the last chance that the U.S. gets to beat a difficult opponent, away from home.

The Americans have a chance to send out a warning to the rest of the world by marching into Amesterdam ArenA and knocking off the No. 3 ranked team in the world. Neglecting the fact that FIFA rankings tend to over-hype some teams -- look no further than the U.S. back in 2006 -- the Netherlands are a talented squad, and a win would be positive.

Would a successful time against them Wednesday prove all that much? Perhaps, but for anyone who has followed the U.S. men's team for a long time knows them to be consistently inconsistent.

As is the case with the previous match against El Salvador, however, it's also a chance for players to prove something. A player who puts in a solid shift against the Oranje will do wonders for his World Cup stock. Those that struggle, could hit the final nail in the coffin and miss out on this summer's main event.

But would a win over the Netherlands be a harbinger of success in South Africa? Of course not. It would be a good step certainly, though this match is about getting to see another group of players perform with each other. Yes, the team will look a lot more like the one that will take the field on June 12. However, Bob Bradley is still looking to fill spots on the roster and will tinker and tweak with different approaches.

In the same way that a poor performance shouldn't induce panic, a good match should not lead to a swell of overconfidence (need I point out 2006 again?) heading into June.

There's still the matter of a healthy Oguchi Onyewu, perhaps the addition of Charlie Davies, possibly being available -- two factors that would massively change things. Not to mention the absence of Clint Dempsey.

Like El Salvador before, this one will be more about the depth of the U.S. than a gauge of World Cup chances. If Stuart Holden and Maurice Edu show they belong, all the better. If the opposite is true, keep your fingers crossed about the U.S. players maintaining their health.

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Just how important is the U.S. vs. Netherlands friendly?

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