by Jacob Klinger

Whatever remedies Jurgen Klinsmann prescribes to the defense and midfield of the US Men's National Team, much of his efforts will have been in vain if he fails to find a striker or two capable of regularly scoring at the international level. For better or worse, the direction of Klinsmann's forward line comes down to one man: Jozy Altidore.

Since transferring to AZ Alkmaar over the summer, Jozy has bagged five Eredevisie goals and four in the Europa League - good for third best in the competition to date. AZ play a system not too different from that of Klinsmann's national team, heavily reliant on wing play to service a very central forward. In both set-ups the center forward is asked to occasionally drop into midfield, hold the ball, feed his flanking teammates, dribble at defenders, and ultimately score. Altidore has done all this and then some for AZ, even engaging in some tasty combination play with his wingers. This improvement is beginning to mean everything for the national team too.

Jozy has always had the physical skills - strength, shot, and relative speed - to be the complete (read: lone) striker that he is still becoming, but while the difference in Altidore's play since his transfer, especially his touch, has been unignorable, his scoring touch has largely betrayed him in an American uniform. He did successfully step up to convert the penalty against Slovenia in what was his best game since Klinsmann took over in August.

Edson Buddle partnered Altidore in that game to the clear benefit of both strikers and the entire team. Just as he did under Bob Bradley, Altidore relished in the extra space he both found and created in a strike tandem. Klinsmann's shift from the odd-man fronts featuring a lone striker, sometimes accompanied by two advanced wingers, opens up the debate regarding who should partner Altidore in a two-striker set-up.

Buddle did a fine job himself against Slovenia, assuredly holding, attacking, and generally being a nuisance to the hosts, yet his 30 years of age make him a unlikely to be included in Klinsmann's long-term plans for the national team. In Buddle's defense, he remains the next best thing to Altidore to lead the line on his own.

Yet the search for Altidore's partner must look back as well as forward. Jozy has played best with another stiker by his side, most especially when that striker was a powerfully pacy Charlie Davies at the 2009 Confederations Cup. There their dynamic partnership gave American fans hope with Altidore bullying defenders while Davies added further torment with his own melting runs. Later that year, on October 14th, Davies was nearly killed in a car crash. After his miraculous recovery and a season-long loan with DC United, he appears to be returning to Europe. Should he regain his pre-injury form overseas or anywhere he would be a shoe-in for a call-up to the national team.

The true revelation of that partnership was Altidore's need for a swift strike partner. Consequently Bob Bradley attempted to place both Robbie Findley and Herculez Gomez into this role for the 2010 World Cup. Gomez proved to be more of a poacher than a speedster and Findley's lack of touch and vision damned him to ineffectiveness in South Africa. This year Gomez has scored seven goals for Estudiantes Tecos in the Mexican Primera División have kept his name in contention for a call-up, but like Buddle, his age (29) limits his appeal. Findley however, is still a prime-age player at the age of 26. He has since transferred to Nottingham Forest where he leads the team in scoring with five goals on the season. His pace is ever-present and his touch shows signs of slight but significant improvement. If he continues scoring, a reunion with Altidore would be well-deserved.

Of course the most promising young prospect to partner Altidore is Juan Agudelo. The two New York Red Bull products share a valuable student-mentor relationship that promises to pay dividends for Agudelo down the road. Hans Backe has come under fire for limiting the starlet's playing time, preferring Thierry Henry and Luke Rodgers to the rising star. Agudelo shows good instincs in the 18 in addition to his willingness to take defenders on off the dribble. For now, he continues to use his still-developing body well - not too differently from the way Davies once did - with his back turned to goal, making him a valuable substitue for a tiring Altidore. That said, if any out-and-out striker forces Klinsmann's hand into playing a 4-4-2, Agudelo's the most likely to be the guy.

Either one of Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan offer intriguing potential strike partners for Altidore as well. Depending on how he recovers this offseason, Donovan can offer plenty of pace in addition to what may be the most complete attacking skill set ever to course through an American player's veins. Dempsey too offers plenty in the attacking third. Although he is no speed demon, his flair for the creative in the dribble as well as the pass promise to link nicely with Altidore's increasingly intelligent runs. Should Klinsmann choose to start both Donovan and Dempsey - the two have yet to be on the field together under Klinsmann - a Altidore-Donovan partnership with Dempsey playing behind them promises the most dynamic forward play.

Despite the Slovenia 4-4-2, Klinsmann's long-term vision likely still features a 4-3-3/4-5-1 hybrid with robust wingers flanking a center forward. Of course, if the US finds itself in a must-win qualifier next fall, then Klinsmann could very easily revive the 4-4-2.

Until then, Klinsmann's team will continue to evolve with a lone striker up top. And for all the justified criticism concerning Jozy Altidore's finishing ability and work ethic, he remains by far the best player to lead the line under Klinsmann. Better still, all aspects of Altidore's game, including his work ethic, have been revitalized under Gertjan Verbeek at Alkmaar.

So long as Klinsmann requires a shifty, strong, and complementary presence at striker Jozy Altidore will continue to be first choice. As concerning as that may be, it is the expression of Altidore's god-given talents, more than anybody else's, that will pave the American way forward.

Jacob Klinger is a regular contributor to Soccer365 as well as No Short Corners. He is currently a journalism student at Syracuse University. His love for the game goes back as far as he can remember, but was truly christened during the United States' cardiac qualifying campaign for Korea/Japan 2002. Between classes and columns, he still plays. You can follow him on Twitter @MrJacobK. 

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