Findley sucked, but it was either roll the dice on a forward who could stretch the field with speed or blow up the entire elite counterattacking operation that had been built. Shitty situation either way.
IMO the bigger problem in the latter years of Bradley's tenure is what
@coremiller is alluding to — he could never get the central midfield to function effectively. The US was weak defending the central space between the defensive and midfield lines until Klinsmann installed Beckerman as the #6 in the lead up to 2014.
Interestingly, Bradley is taking the "F@#$ It!" approach to CM defense to the next level with LAFC right now. Since the somewhat more defensive-minded Mark-Anthony Kaye was lost for the season, he's experimented with a starting CM pairing of Feilhaber and Nguyen. Bradley certainly has his flaws, but one thing I respect about him is that he's still fiddling and experimenting at age 60. Many managers are set in their ways and fighting the tactical battles of two decades ago at that age.