<
>
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Get ESPN+

Why 3-5-2 formation doesn't fit U.S.

Is Jermaine Jones best suited as a center-back for the USMNT? And for how long? Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

United States manager Jurgen Klinsmann, entering his fourth year in the position, has proved he's not afraid to shake things up. The most recent example came in the team's first game of 2015, against Chile, where Klinsmann decided to experiment with a 3-5-2 formation. This tactical shift was a sudden change from the standard four-man back lines that the U.S. has always preferred, and opened the possibility of it being a regularly occurring formation in the future.