I think because people expect the US to just get better and better every cycle they do not take account for the fact that we are a small football nation and we will have periods of less talent.
You can say, "well we got Clint, Bradley, and Landon," and I would ask who else? The US would love to have a John O'Brien, Eddie Pope, Claudio Reyna, McBride and a few others right now. Those guys would walk into this team. Tony Sanneah too.
he has been awful for 14 months for the US.
If he is on hte roster, its because of the lack of quality at the forward position, not because of Altidore's play.