I’ve seen this match before from the U.S. National Team.

Today’s contest at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Nigeria just looked too familiar. The Red, White and Blue going up against an international heavyweight and giving it their all, but coming up short in the main components of the game.

Wilmer Cabrera’s team showed a number of promising attributes during this event, but in today’s game they looked outmanned physically in the 50/50 battles, 2nd-best technically in giving the ball away way too many times, a bit naïve tactically particularly on the defensive end, and somewhat inferior on the mental side.

In fact that last component may have been our strongest area in that the team at least never quit pressing for an equalizer and had some chances to get it. But composure in these opportunities compared to our bigger opponents, seems to always be lacking for U.S. teams, whatever the level.

But it’s also true that performance at this event every two years is not really the greatest gauge of how our player development system is performing. The real test will come in coming years as we see how the individuals do on the professional level.

With that in mind, I repeat my stance that Bradenton Residency, for all the good it has done, is close to outliving its usefulness. I would like to see it scrapped (at least in its current incarnation as a full-time residency) after this next 2-year cycle ending in the 2011 U17 World Cup. Let’s put the professional development onus on our top youth clubs, the USSF Development Academy and on our professional teams. Two years is enough time to get the right structure in place so our top players can have this opportunity without having their home lives disrupted at such a young age.

This also prevents our pegging players at age 15 as being the best in the country when, for all but a few in each cycle, there are well more than 40 players at a similar level – and we need to be developing all of them. More on this later…

A look at individual player performances from Wednesday:

Earl Edwards: Solid as ever. If he wants to be a professional now he could be.

Zac Herold: Not as active going forward today, probably due to exhaustion.

Eriq Zavaleta: Composed in the back and good in the air. Really showed a lot this week, despite an indisputable red card at the end from a desperate situation.

Jared Watts: A true lion heart in the back for the U.S., but had some unfortunate moments on the goals.

Tyler Polak: Always reliable and industrious at left back. Had a great tournament.

Stefan Jerome: Dangerous on the right in the first half but seemed to be exhausted as the match wore on.

Nick Palodichuk: Always industrious and showed some initiative in the attack.

Marlon Duran: Quiet game and will have wanted to do better in holding possession and getting involved.

Alex Shinsky: Ran his socks off. Always willing to go for it on the left, fatigue seemed to get the better of him today.

Luis Gil: Probably the player of the tournament for the U.S. and again showed a lot of skill, plus a bit more industry, on this day.

Jack McInerney: The missed penalty is what everyone will remember. Still shows a lot of good qualities but will regret his overall finishing record at the event.

Dominick Sarle: Showed a lot of skill on the ball and definitely added something to the attack. Set up what should have been an equalizer.

Victor Chavez: Tough miss in limited time for the big striker.

Juan Agudelo: Also active on the ball in limited time.