A manager’s explanations for a striker who doesn’t score are well-known by now.
“His link-up play is excellent.”
“He’s doing the dirty work.”
“He’s getting in good positions. If he wasn’t doing that, then I’d be worried.”
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And so it goes for center-forwards on the U.S. men’s national team ahead of the World Cup qualifying encounter Sunday with Canada. In the 1-0 win Thursday over El Salvador, there was Jesus Ferreira darting this way and that, creating a team-high four chances (per ESPN Stats & Information) and getting credited with a generous assist on Antonee Robinson‘s goal.
Then there were a pair of missed chances in the first half, when converting either one would have done plenty to settle U.S. nerves and likely would have led to a more…
