Bruce Arena is the best American manager ever. He led the United States to their best World Cup finish in the modern era, going to the quarterfinals in 2002, and winning an astounding 10 trophies in MLS. His place in American soccer lore is set, but for all of his brilliance, his success is usually chalked up to man management and the ability to bring teams together. His tactics are rarely lauded, and sometimes even denigrated – he's often thought of as the man married to the 4-4-2.
And yet there was Arena, taking the U.S. into the vaunted Estadio Azteca on Sunday in World Cup qualifying, rolling the team out in something that was far from conventional.