ASN: Evaluation: Copa America failure leaves USMNT with many questions, few solutions

ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the USMNT loss in opposition to Uruguay and the massive image of what a failed Copa America means. 

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Brian Sciaretta

Posted
July 02, 2024
10:30 AM

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THE UNITED STATES IS out of the 2024 Copa America after a 1-0 loss to Uruguay in Kansas Metropolis noticed them end third in Group C. Regardless of sending its high group. Regardless of a draw with opponents that included the worst group from CONMEBOL and a CONCACAF group that wasn’t Mexico. Regardless of internet hosting the match in favorable venues. All of this, the US is not going to play within the knockout levels.

The underside line is that the performances in opposition to Uruguay wasn’t nice, however it wasn’t unhealthy. It might have taken an upset to tug off the win.

However that highlights two large issues which can be larger than this sport.. The primary is on the gamers and the coaches as a result of the group by no means ought to have been in such a scenario the place they wanted to beat Uruguay. The loss to Panama noticed the group make errors which can be lethal in soccer. Tim Weah’s pink card, Cameron Carter-Vickers not staying together with his man, a poor tactical method whereas enjoying with 10-men.

In relation to main tournaments, the road between success and failure is skinny – and it’s typically determined in very temporary moments. These days, the U.S. group has been developing quick of their moments, whereas seeing opponents discover methods to have issues break their approach. Except the opponent is Mexico (who, unsurprisingly, face all the identical questions and are sometimes their very own worst enemy), the U.S. group doesn’t dominate video games it will possibly, and doesn’t threaten to tug off the massive upsets.

This U.S. group hardly ever appears to grab the second in large alternatives that may outline their period. When the stage will get large, they hit their restrict of “close, not bad, but no cigar.”

That brings us to the opposite drawback – and this isn’t on the gamers or workers. The alternatives for the USMNT to play significant video games exterior of CONCACAF continues to be extremely uncommon. There was all of the discuss concerning the USMNT or Gregg Berhalter needing a “signature win,” however not sufficient discuss how uncommon the alternatives are. CONMEBOL and UEFA groups get to face one another on a regular basis. Generously defining a “signature” win as defeating the highest six of CONMEBOL or the highest 15 of UEFA in non-friendly video games, Berhalter has had that chance 3 times (England and Denmark on the World Cup and Uruguay on the Copa America). Earlier than these three video games, the newest time was the 2016 Copa America Centenario the place the U.S. group defeated Ecuador and Paraguay, but in addition had two losses to Colombia and one unhealthy one to Argentina.

It is a structural drawback that comes with the appearance of Nations League in UEFA and CONCACAF which tie up the USMNT to the identical opponents again and again whereas limiting who they will play friendlies in opposition to subsequent. It explains that this Copa America run will sting longer than it ought to as a result of the USMNT will now play friendlies in opposition to Panama, New Zealand, and Canada within the fall. Even with wins, the Copa will linger.

The variety of occasions when individuals are absolutely invested in USMNT video games could be very few and much between. To fill the void, you might have over-hyping, over-analysis, over-anguish, and over-excitement.

CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cups aren’t practically sufficient. World Cup qualifying is a race to keep away from failure, hardly ever obtain glory. Now with 48 groups within the World Cup, the depth will solely additional be dialed again.

U.S. Soccer wants Copa America (or some form of match exterior of CONCACAF) involvement greater than ever. The USMNT has traditionally been invited, however solely with a guest-team tag that makes releasing gamers elective (and thereby any involvement pointless). Is there a approach U.S. Soccer can organize Copa involvement recurrently with obligatory releasing? I’m not certain of the innerworkings of CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, and FIFA, however this must be a precedence. The lack of the Confederations Cup nonetheless lingers.

These are some large image gadgets, Listed here are extra of the specifics with reference to the Uruguay loss and the match normally.

The circulate of the sport

To the U.S. group’s credit score, the U.S. group held up nicely bodily in opposition to an Uruguay group that was extraordinarily desperate to foul and deal with. It was a brutal sport and Uruguay most likely obtained the memo that the U.S. group has been fighting composure. On the steadiness, Uruguay was higher however as an elite group, the U.S. group managed to play with them for stretches and compete nicely when the sport was bodily.

Uruguay’s objective appeared offside, and a draw would have been a good outcome. However a draw was not adequate for the U.S. group to undergo.

Weston tops midfield struggles

The midfield was poor on this match for the U.S. group. Many of the group’s scoring possibilities got here from performs out of the again, set items, or particular person performs from the forwards/wingers. The midfield was absent in scoring on the Copa.

However scoring from the midfield has been an issue with the U.S. group for just a few years. It was a giant shock when Tyler Adams hit that marvel objective in March in opposition to Mexico. However there may be not a wide range of scoring on this group.

Extra importantly, the U.S. group was utterly outworked within the midfield. Weston McKennie accomplished 18 passes in 90 minutes. Adams accomplished 24 passes in 90 minutes. Yunus Musah accomplished 10 passes in 72 minutes. In different phrases, the three beginning midfielders accomplished simply 52 passes mixed within the sport.

Ball successful was much more brutal. McKennie was 1/8 in floor duels and 1/4 in aerials. Adams was the most effective within the bunch at 3/6 in floor duels and 1/2 in aerials Musah was 0/2 in floor duels and 0/1 in aerials.

McKennie had a poor match throughout the board and performed far beneath his potential. In his three video games, he gained 4/18 in floor duels and was 2/12 in aerials. He was a step sluggish and was outworked for free balls.

 When the place this group performed poorly, midfield is the place to start out. When the group went right down to 10-men in opposition to Panama, they nonetheless ought to have been capable of maintain the ball extra. However then in successful duels and second balls, the group was absent.

Scally, Pulisic, and Balogun had been positives

When wanting on the positives, Christian Pulisic performed nicely and he continued to point out that he’s a bigtime participant for the U.S. group. It’s much like Landon Donovan who had an incredible monitor file of displaying up for the U.S. group in large video games. The issue, nonetheless, is that Pulisic doesn’t have a Brian McBride or Clint Dempsey to shoulder the load. As an alternative, every part goes via Pulisic and if he’s shut down, there’s a good likelihood the U.S. group is shut down too.

Folarin Balogun additionally had some good moments on this match and maybe he will be the man who takes a number of the offensive duties off Pulisic’s shoulders. The Monaco ahead continues to be not there but, however this was his most promising step.

Joe Scally additionally had a very good match enjoying instead of the injured Sergino Dest. He wasn’t very efficient getting ahead, however he defended nicely sufficient in opposition to groups with good wingers (while you additionally embrace the complete nationwide group.

Disappointments deep within the pool

Sadly, on this match, too many gamers both didn’t get a chance or didn’t reap the benefits of a chance to enhance their standing. Balogun helped his case essentially the most, however many of the gamers who’ve been on the sting of the group for years remained on the sting.

Malik Tillman is one instance. He has been with the USMNT for over two years, however is basically the identical participant. He had an incredible yr for PSV Eindhoven, however doesn’t seem like any nearer to being a trusted participant to generate offense. Luca de la Torre has been nothing greater than a distant backup in large video games for nearly 5 years. Johnny Cardoso may be making extra progress than the others, however it is rather sluggish. When Adams is wholesome, Cardoso continues to be far behind. When Adams is out, Cardoso is preventing with Musah for these minutes.

In the meantime Gio Reyna and Ricardo Pepi are nearer to the core than the opposite gamers, however each gamers confirmed the rust of not enjoying a lot for his or her membership group over the previous season.

The online result’s that other than Balogun and Scally, no different gamers took steps ahead within the Copa America or the 2 previous friendlies. For everybody else, it was the established order or a step again.

Berhalter’s future
 

The massive query after the ultimate whistle was the way forward for head coach Gregg Berhalter.

U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker was non-committal together with his assertion after the sport.

“Our tournament performance fell short of our expectations. We must do better. We will be conducting a comprehensive review of our performance in Copa America and how best to improve the team and results as we look towards the 2026 World Cup,” mentioned Crocker.

Berhalter may be in deep trouble. The largest indicator is that the Copa America roster was constructed closely off the 2022 World Cup group with the addition of a wholesome Chris Richards and Gio Reyna, together with Folarin Balogun added to the group.

Taking a younger group like that to World Cup was all the time speculated to be an indication of progress. As if this group would proceed to develop and progress collectively into one thing even higher in 2026. However now in 2024, the USMNT seems to have taken a step backward with the identical group of gamers. If Berhalter was rebuilding a group after the final World Cup, then it might be a distinct story.

As an alternative, a group that ought to have chemistry, ought to have expertise, and may have the benefit of being of their prime years has taken a step again. A few of that’s on the gamers. Weston McKennie’s poor efficiency was on McKennie, not Berhalter. However ought to Berhalter have had a “Plan B” if McKennie wasn’t figuring out? Does he have a Plan B for the core gamers? Extra importantly, are the core gamers too comfy proper now beneath a coach who depends so closely on them?

After all, the query then turns into whether or not it’s good to fireplace Berhalter only for the sake of firing him? Or does U.S. Soccer should know who else is ready and prepared to take the job? Can it hearth Berhalter after which look? Or does it should have the successor lined up?

It doesn’t matter what, U.S. Soccer wouldn’t be clever to have one other prolonged interval the place the group is in limbo beneath an interim head coach. This has occurred twice within the final seven years (with the final interval having two interim head coaches).

No matter occurs must occur rapidly.