Jones Not a Winner Against Panama

We have watched several years of the Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley experiment for the US National Team, and tonight against Panama brought no different results. Jones is an attacking predator, preferring to roam around the pitch. Michael Bradley likes to stay organized and dictate tempo for the US from a defensive deep role. When the two of them get together it isn’t peanut butter and chocolate.

Thank goodness they don’t play together at the Galaxy, but it’s a warning about Jones’ style of play that Galaxy fans must keep in mind. In particular with the news that Sebastian Lletget is going to be sidelined for several months. Jones will be paired with another Galaxy midfielder that is going to have to learn his mannerisms and play.

Tonight for the US against Panama, Jermaine Jones was pretty brutal. He roamed around the midfield aimlessly leaving gaping holes, and his passing wasn’t all that great either, when he actually did get passes from his midfield compatriots.

Here’s his passing map against Panama:

There’s a gaping hole in the center of the park, and that’s a sad amount of decent touches for how long he was on the pitch. He also had four defensive actions...total. That’s on a night where the USMNT defense was on skates.

He has played better for the Galaxy to start the season, but hopefully Joao Pedro and Baggio Husidic will continue to build rapport, or the Galaxy are in for a long season of Jermaine Jones hero ball where on field positional discipline is optional.

The USMNT got what they needed with a professional road point during world cup qualifying (win at home, draw on the road), but hopefully Jones rebounds by the time the Galaxy plays Vancouver this weekend.