Last night, in the hot spring air of Cleveland, Ohio, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team played a friendly against Belgium. A final score in soccer can have a variety of meanings. For instance, a 1-nil affair could be thrilling or downright dull. In the case of the 4-2 final score between the U.S. and Belgium, it too had its defining dynamics.

The Belgians were terrific at making quick, cutting runs towards the goal while moving fluidly on counter-attacks while the United States’ defense looked like a castle with no draw bridge when the enemy charged. Combine the two together and there’s the final tally of 4-2. After each mistake the defensive backline of the U.S. made, the commentator, former MLS (& briefly USMNT) player Taylor Twellman, rigidly defended (at least one American was defensive last night) how the errors in the defense were easily fixable.

The score was 1-1 at halftime.

Then, during a fifteen minute span (56′-71′), the sharply dressed Belgians put three past the Americans to make the game a quintessential blowout. Again, patience was professed by Twellman regarding the latest, yet still “easily fixable” mistakes of the defense. We the fans just need to continue to be patient for these defenders to develop.

Three years ago during the World Cup in South Africa, the backline consistently conceded a goal within the first ten minutes or so of a game. Its predictability deserved its own mathematical proof. As it was said then too, the players in the back were still great defenders and all of this was just bad luck or was, again, “easily fixable.”

It was never fixed.

What we the fans and the team needs is not patience in the defense anymore, but rather serious changes in personnel. The “easily fixable” mistakes continue to happen over and over and over again. The defenders are not defending. This is a minor problem when you’re a defender. Perhaps, these players are not capable of making the easy fixes. The bottom line is that the wrong combination of players are being assigned to play directly in front of Tim Howard. Of all the lines in any formation for any team, the defense needs to be the most solid and have the strongest foundation. Period. Think about the backline of a chess or checkers game…

(And yes, I’m aware Carlos Bocanegra (34) and Steve Cherundolo (34) were both absent. However, the World Cup is about a year away and must-win qualifiers are right around the corner and conceding goals in bunches is a recipe for disaster)

Twellman also said during the broadcast that defender DaMarcus Beasley could catch anyone on the field with his recovery speed. False. He literally stopped running when coming back to defend a Belgian attack and his mark was the player who, seconds later, calmly played the ball across the box to his teammate who scored a goal.

Omar Gonzalez, heralded as a “great defender,” was absent-minded on the first Belgian goal as he stopped defending his mark around the American’s penalty box. He was absent-minded during other critical moments throughout the course of the game. Geoff Cameron (also a “great defender”) was directly responsible for the first goal as he stopped running and covering his man after an initial shot by the Belgian and save by Howard. The rebound by his mark was an easy slice into the back of Howard’s net (I will give Cameron isolated props for getting the equalizer at 1-1 about fifteen minutes later). On another occasion, Beasley literally bounced off his mark and the Belgian was then able to easily cut to the top of the 18-yard box for an uncontested shot on goal. Quite frankly, Beasley is not strong enough to be a defender.

The only bright side of the defense may have been Clarence Goodson.

The problem in soccer is that each team is only afforded three substitutions and having to replace your entire backline is usually not an encouraging sign.

P.S. I think Chad Marshall and Josh Williams own cell phones…and after watching Brad Guzan, add Andy Gruenebaum to the call list as well.