After the year the United Stats men's national team has had, it might be best to look ahead to 2016.

Because what a strange year 2015 was, even by the Yanks' mercurial standards.

View photos Jurgen Klinsmann's senior side won only two of its last eight games. (Getty Images) More

A lone win from the first four games to start the year, followed by yet another 2-0 victory over archrivals Mexico. Then came rollicking, come-from-behind upsets of the Netherlands and Germany, and three more consecutive wins after that made for a nine-game unbeaten run in all. But things had frayed by the end of that spell, and the Gold Cup would end in a premature semifinal ouster to underdogs Jamaica. Starting then, the U.S. lost five of six – once in extra time and once on penalties – including a playoff against Mexico for a spot at the 2017 Confederations Cup.

Jurgen Klinsmann and his men got their acts together in time for World Cup qualifying, though. In spite of rather unfathomably going behind early to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the part-timers were routed 6-1 last Friday. On Tuesday, the Americans traveled to Trinidad and Tobago and played the rising Caribbean power to a mirthless 0-0 stalemate.

For now, Klinsmann's job seems safe, having gained passable results in the most recent games. Many had wondered if a stumble against one of the ampersand opponents might bring his four-year tenure to an end well before his contract expires in 2018. Such had been the depths of the morale around American soccer and the national team's stubbornly unconvincing showings.

Perhaps the satisfaction of gaining four points out of six against less talented teams is a sign of diminished expectations under Klinsmann. All the same, it's hard to imagine him being displaced before the pair of qualifiers against Guatemala in March.

For better or worse (hint: better), 2015 is over now. And 2016 promises to be a big year with another slate of World Cup qualifiers and the one-off Copa America Centenario on home turf, pitting the USA against all of South America as well as its own region.

Before then, however, there are many questions to find answers to.

Can the back line stabilize?

View photos Geoff Cameron must continue to start at center back. (AP Photo) More

Klinsmann wedged a stick in the revolving door that has been his back line since the 2014 World Cup by going back to a Matt Besler-Geoff Cameron pairing in central defense in November. And much like in the last cycle, they proved a sound and steady foundation to the back four. This underscored that there was never any need to replace them with the shaky duo of Ventura Alvarado and John Brooks during the Gold Cup – especially considering that Besler and Cameron, at ages 28 and 30 respectively, aren't in danger of aging out just yet.

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