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USA a good side, but need tactical tweaks | Zonal Marking
Basically the US play a system that is generally called a 4-4-2, but there are two different styles that are different that both get called 4-4-2, depending on where Donovan and Dempsey play.
If Dempsey and Donovan are both outside midfielders. Brazilian style 4-2-2-2 where the central midfielders sit deep and the advanced ones have free roam to cut in as attacking mids/mediapuntas/trequartistas occasionally, othertimes they play as typical wingers (although one as an "inverted" winger, with his strong foot on the inside). This means a pure striker plays with Altidore. I like this system when Charlie Davies is healthy, but our other strikers aren't that good.
If one of Dempsey or Donovan, usually Dempsey, joins Altidore as a forward then it becomes a loose 4-4-2/4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 mix Depending on how close to Altidore Dempsey plays (formations are rarely as strict as they are listed). As it is drawn it is more of a 4-4-2.
Altidore is the main striker with Donovan playing as a second striker behind and around him, Donovan about on the same axis as Dempsey, a little further back perhaps, one on side with usually Holden on the right or Beasley on the left. The central midfielders sit deeper than in the other formation.
I Prefer the second system, both because it gets more quality players on the field and gets more out of Dempsey, one of our two best players. Donovan, the other best player is as good in either system.
Plus a specific breakdown of the Turkey friendly, also covers the general tactics
http://theshinguardian.com/2010/06/0...-usa-v-turkey/