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US World Cup formation still unformed

By WTOP Staff

RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — When the U.S. soccer team talks strategy, it sounds a bit like people picking lottery numbers or the start of a keno game: 4-4-2. 4-2-3-1. 4-3-3.

Two weeks before the Americans’ World Cup opener, they’re still tinkering with their formation.

“There’s no such thing as a best system,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. “It’s the whole team, how it shapes up and how it works as an entire unit, how it attacks collectively and how it defends collectively.”

After replacing Bob Bradley as the Americans’ coach in July 2011, Klinsmann most often used a 4-2-3-1 formation: four defenders with two defensive midfielders in front of them. Higher up the field were three advanced midfielders supporting a lone forward.

Jozy Altidore usually was the striker when Klinsmann had his full player pool available, and Clint Dempsey was in the central attacking midfield role or advanced to a withdrawn forward.

But Klinsmann switched to a 4-4-2 for last month’s exhibition against Mexico with a diamond midfield that pushed midfielder Michael Bradley into an attacking position and moved Dempsey closer to goal, where he could link better with Altidore.

“It’s important to mix it up,” Dempsey said. “In the past, maybe I was more withdrawn at times. I’m trying to also be up there and be next to him in terms of just not having him be the only guy that’s up top.”

Bradley scored the opener in the 2-2 tie against Mexico and assisted on a goal by Chris Wondolowski, who started on a day Altidore remained with Sunderland in England.

In Sunday’s 2-1 exhibition win over Turkey, Bradley set up Fabian Johnson’s goal with a brilliant chip on a one-two exchange. Dempsey scored the second goal when a defender failed to clear a cross by left back Timmy Chandler.

But with Bradley farther up the field and Jermaine Jones alone in front of the defense, Turkey had a half-dozen good scoring chances in the first half. Klinsmann then told Bradley to drop back into a flat four midfield alongside Kyle Beckerman in the second half. Still, Bradley had to get higher when the Americans attacked, and a heat map shows he ran constantly between the penalty areas.

“My role? Is in the center of the field, in the center of the midfield,” Bradley said. “I try to do as much as possible to help the team, whether it’s scoring goals, setting up goals, winning tackles, intercepting balls. I try to have as big an impact on the game as possible. I think when you look around the world now, midfielders who can do everything are so important for their team, so that’s what I try to do.”

Bradley, the 26-year-old son of the former coach, has developed into the engine of the U.S. team.

“I think we’re starting to see more of the full Michael Bradley,” Altidore said. “You saw what he could do on the defensive side. He’s very good at winning tackles and distributing the ball. Going forward, he’s also very good.”

The U.S. has just two more big tests before leaving for Brazil: an exhibition against Nigeria on Saturday at Jacksonville, Florida, followed by a scrimmage against Belgium on June 12. The Americans open on June 16 against Ghana — which eliminated the U.S. from the last two World Cups — then play Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo six days later. The Americans close the first round against three-time champion Germany.

“You can win a tournament like Spain did two years ago, play a 4-6-0, leave all the strikers out and have midfielders that score all the goals,” Klinsmann said. “Systems in the near future have no meaning anymore, really.”

NOTES: Chandler transferred from relegated Nuremberg to Eintracht Frankfurt, his original club, agreeing to a three-year contract. … A day after arriving in Jacksonville, players went for a pre-breakfast run on a beach. … MLS has an all-time high 21 players on World Cup rosters, up from six in 2010 and its most since 19 in 1998. While 19 players were from the U.S. in 1998, 10 are from the U.S. this year.

___

AP Sports Writers Rachel Cohen and Janie McCauley contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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