Brad Evans has certainly generating more than his share of talking points in this revelatory move to right back.
In some ways I am more impressed with Friday’s performance, imperfect as it was, than with Sunday’s ballyhooed outing against Germany. (We talked a lot about that one here.)
Against the Reggae Boyz down in Kingston on Friday, he attacked cautiously – but he did push here and there into the opposition half. In the pressure of a World Cup qualifier, it would have been easier for someone so new at the position to play it even safer. You wouldn’t blame Evans (pictured, down there … somewhere) for thinking, “Stay home. No mistakes. Nothing crazy. Maybe lean forward more at home next week.”
Meanwhile his passing was OK at very best and his defending was exposed at times.
All of that will be excused for now for that dramatic game-winner, the one that saw the United States accomplish what teams around the world struggle to do: win a World Cup qualifier on the road.
From U.S. Soccer, here’s what U.S. manager Jurgen Klisnmann said late Friday night, probably hitting just about the right note on a guy whose work at this position still needs work.
I think he’s growing into his role. He understands that it’s there for him to grab. He’s finding his game, finding an understanding with the centerbacks and finding and understanding with the midfielders in front of him, in this case Graham Zusi. This is not happening overnight but we need to give him time to play that role. The moment was there for him tonight and we need to give him a compliment for that.”
