With the U.S. Men's National team without its all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan, the question now shifts as to whether starting striker Jozy Altidore can fill in the huge shoes left by Donovan.
Altidore is just one of the five players in the current roster with previous World Cup experience. He also set a team record of at least one goal in five consecutive games last year.
But the 24-year old had a poor season at the English Premier League playing for Sunderland, scoring just twice in 38 games. The Livingston, New Jersey-born Altidore needs to play better than that if the U.S. wants to make it out of the so-called Group of Death that features powerhouses Germany, Portugal and Ghana.
Altidore spoke of his struggles at the English Premier League on Friday just two days before the US National Team plays Turkey in a friendly. He told NY Daily News: "It wasn't easy. A lot of changes went on there during the year and it was emotional as well. It was a learning experience and at the same time it's something I want to build on."
But his teammate Tim Howard defended Altidore's performance, saying: "The Premier League's a tough league, you know? I think you look across the board, very few strikers who come in on their first year set the place ablaze. It's tough. You have to really find your feet, but that's not a worry for us."
Still, coach Jurgen Klinsmann is optimistic Altidore will deliver, saying: "I think a lot of guys when they come into the national team in this group tend to play better than they do at their clubs."
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