So tomorrow is the beginning of the 100th anniversary of the Copa America (it hasn’t been played every year since it’s start… so it’s only the 45th Copa), with the host USA playing Columbia (with all signs pointed to the USA getting thumped). A really cool format this go around, with the 10 CONMEBOL squads being joined by 6 CONCACAF squads, forming a real tournament of the Americas.
The match of the first round is undoubtedly on Monday night when Argentina plays Chile in Levi Stadium. Argentina, though, is suffering from numerous injuries, including Messi who likely won’t be able to play on Monday night.
I’m very excited! I have tickets for the QF match at MetLife on June 17. If Brazil wins their group, I get to see them (although no Neymar!). I’ve only seen them live in friendlies before.
I’m thinking you are probably going to be seeing Brazil. Even without Neymar, their group consists of Ecuador, Haiti, and Peru… if they don’t win the group it’d be a massive upset.
And there is a chance that their opponent would be the USA, if we can finish 2nd in the group (we’d have to beat Costa Rica, I’d think), and that would really energize the atmosphere.
I am pretty excited for this, even though I’m not thrilled by some of the US team selections and think they’re 50/50 at best to get out of the group. The west coast start times are going to kill me for the weeknight games, especially since matches in the US don’t start as delightfully on time as the ones in Europe tend to. Clear my schedule for Tuesday morning! Can’t imagine being in Argentina or Brazil and being another hour later.
I’m hoping for exactly that scenario, but this Ecuador team can throw a monkey wrench into this whole thing. They just won 4 straight World Cup qualifying matches, including over Argentina and Uruguay.
Even if the US were to win the group, they’d likely play Argentina or Chile (whoever won the group) in the semi-finals. That’d be a rough game.
Speaking of the US, it appears as if the 4-3-3 has been seeing more use and has been very successful. I’m nervously waiting for Klinsmann to turn around and go back to the 4-4-2 diamond that we don’t play very well in, but there is a sliver of hope we do a 4-3-3 for the tournament. And I know its too much to ask, but could we start Nagbe and Pulisic as well?
Is Messi injured or “injured” - he was in a court room in Barcelona this morning, for his tax evasion trial - so it might be something that allows him to be in the squad to join up later, whilst still putting in an appearance for his legal proceedings? Anyway, he’s obviously not playing.
Opening match has me (American) pitted against Mrs Iggy (Colombian) in duel of the fans. She is so very excited and can’t understand that Americans will mostly greet this tourney with a collective “meh”.
Since I have to work when the game will be on should I wear face paint? And if so, red/white/blue on one cheek and yellow/red/blue on the other?
I bought mine on StubHub at $450 for 2. And not even great seats. But I didn’t want to commit to the MetLife Stadium package, which would mean purchasing all 3 games (not including the Finals).
Brooks was the only decent player for the US. Bradley’s worst ever national team game?
Expected a loss, but didn’t expect that toothless of an attack. If the US wins the next two, they should make it though. Hoping for a Costa Rica and Paraguay tie tomorrow.
Bradley was atrocious. I can’t say it was his worst ever, as I haven’t seen all of his games, but I can’t recall another time when he was this bad. He turned into Geno Smith.
The thing that is most curious to me is why the USMNT has never developed any ability for a quality first touch; just to receive a ball and keep it. Hopefully, someday, they can. Only then will they be able to compete at the level of a team like Colombia.
Im starting to think we have passed a “Golden Age” of UMNT soccer ending in 2014. There’s an actual danger they might not even make the World Cup, which would be devastating to the sport here. I don’t know, tonight I felt like I was watching a world class team in Colombia playing an unmotivated, out of shape team that didn’t seem to care or show any brilliance. Landycakes is retired and Tim Howard is pushing 40, Clint Dempsey is not getting younger, I fail to see who the next big star is who is going to lead USA to a World Cup Knockout stage.
After sleeping on it I’m less concerned. Getting any points off Colombia was always a bit of a long shot. He actually contained them pretty well defensively. Nothing from the run of play. Just didn’t generate any offense. Costa Rica and Paraguay are both games the US can definitely win so the tournament isn’t over like a lot of people are moaning.
The US will absolutely make the WC, no doubt in my mind. We’ll be fine across the back line, and while Guzan’s distribution is pretty poor, he’s a good shot stopper. Wood has looked pretty good, and I think both Nagbe and Pulisic I think will both do well.
I think the biggest thing we’ll miss isn’t Donovan or Dempsey, but it’s the steady play in the middle of Bradley and Jones. The former has fallen off a cliff in his play since leaving Roma and Jones is past it physically. Yeah, Donovan and Dempsey provided offense, but that won’t matter if we have a couple turnover machines in the center of the park.
On the replacing Donovan front, pay attention to Christian Pulisic. He didn’t see much of the ball yesterday, but he’s probably ahead of where Donovan was when Donovan was 17.