Stars and Stripes FC - USA vs. Argentina, Copa America 2016: News, highlights, TV schedule, live streamHome of Brian, Brandi and Beerhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/38285/StarsAndBars_Fav.png2016-06-24T11:45:02-07:00http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/rss/stream/117361352016-06-24T11:45:02-07:002016-06-24T11:45:02-07:00USMNT vs. Argentina: Tactical Analysis
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<figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A comprehensive defeat which brought the USMNT's Copa ambitions to an abrupt end.</p> <h4>Starting Systems</h4>
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<p>Jurgen Klinsmann was forced to change his lineup from the quarterfinal win over Ecuador with the trio of Jermaine Jones, Alejandro Bedoya, and Bobby Wood, all of whom had been important in one way or another to this run to the semifinals, suspended. While DeAndre Yedlin was once again available having served his own one-match suspension last time out. Klinsmann decided to keep the 4-4-2 formation as his template and made the expected changes of Yedlin and Graham Zusi coming in for Matt Besler and Bedoya while Kyle Beckerman and Chris Wondolowski were selected over the likes of Perry Kitchen, Darlington Nagbe, and Christian Pulisic to replace Jones and Wood. The plan was clearly once again for the team to drop deep and try to catch out Argentina on rare counter opportunities, mainly through Bradley, Zardes, and Dempsey who needed to have big nights if the U.S. were to pose an attacking threat in the absence of the suspended players.</p>
<p>Gerardo 'Tata' Martino fielded the same Argentinean side that disposed of Venezuela in the last round sans Nicolas Gaitan, who was also suspended, with Ezequiel Lavezzi coming into his place. Their plan was as usual under Martino, to control possession of the ball and make it count by opening the pitch up to attack both vertically and centrally. Fullbacks Gabriel Mercado and Marcos Rojo were tasked with providing the vertical options while Lionel Messi and Lavezzi tucked inside from the wings not only to leave the wide spaces for them, but to help the midfield maintain possession and aid Argentina in numerically dominating the central areas of the pitch.</p>
<h4>Bad Early Set Piece Defending</h4>
<p>A big moment occurred early on in the game that may have changed everything and set the U.S. well on their way to an awful night where nothing fell in their favor. The moment in question is of course Ezequiel Lavezzi's opener inside the first three minutes where a poorly defended set piece led to an early conceded goal that the U.S. never recovered from, much like the Colombia match in the opening game of the tournament.</p>
<p>Lavezzi himself took a quick short corner from the left side with Marcos Rojo nearby while Zusi and Fabian Johnson were close by as well, defending them after spotting the danger early enough to get in position in time to avert the threat. Here's how things looked at this point:</p>
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<p>Then, less than five seconds and a Lionel Messi chip pass later:</p>
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<p>Zusi and Johnson made the mistake of tucking inside to try and limit the space for Messi to take a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but quick thinking and a well executed pass from Leo, which are two of his strongest suits as a player, allowed his team to exploit the space left behind by those two. Rojo and Lavezzi were both in wide open positions as a result of continuing their runs into the box. Either of them could have ended up scoring here, eventually it was Lavezzi who was closer to goal who got on the end of it and put it away with his head, although Brad Guzan's goalkeeping here was suspect to say the least. He came off his line and stopped halfway through his charge, which gave Lavezzi an easier task of just heading the ball over him and into the net, which he duly did.</p>
<p>Basically, just a very poor goal all-round to concede so early into a game in which the U.S. was already a major underdog and from here, it was clear that there was only ever going to be one winner on the night.</p>
<h4>U.S.' Midfield and Pressing Problems</h4>
<p>Aside from the early goal and the fact that Argentina was just a superior team in many ways, Klinsmann and the USMNT didn't help themselves with the poor structure of their playing system and lineup. Obviously Lavezzi's early header had a lot to do with that, but the response to conceding after just three minutes was a disappointing one from all those involved with the U.S. Instead of staying true to the way of playing that had gotten them this far in the first place, the U.S. abandoned their strategy and opted for more of a counter-pressing approach which was evident from the moment that they went down that route that they were not suited or well drilled to play such a style.</p>
<p>Take this image for example:</p>
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<p>Klinsmann set the team up in a 4-4-2 formation for this game for a reason; to continue the good work from the previous three games and with the same approach. But as soon as the U.S. conceded, they tried to alter their approach by pressing higher up from the front and trying to win balls back, which they clearly were not prepared well enough to do and this resulted in a big disconnect between the midfield and the defense, as displayed above. Given that they were already outnumbered by Argentina in midfield, trying to press high with their flat midfield four was a bad error of misjudgment and this resulted in plenty of spaces opening up for Argentina to punish them on the flanks and through the middle, so long as they could bypass the U.S. midfield which they usually did.</p>
<p>Another change we saw from the previous games was the compactness and narrowness of the team who focused more on defending the central areas than the flanks as against Ecuador and Paraguay, most probably as an attempt to compensate for the numerical inferiority to the Argentines in midfield. Instilling a pressing strategy that involved their whole midfield had already rendered this a , but by tucking their wide players inside to defend and play this way, this played into Argentina's hands with Gabriel Mercado and Rojo pushing up high and wide to exploit the deficiencies in the U.S.' defensive set up.</p>
<p>Here's how that looked:</p>
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<p>As pointed out in the last analysis on the Ecuador game, the U.S. did a good job of defending the flanks by focusing their efforts on stopping their most influential players in those areas but here they tried to go for a different approach which backfired completely. Martino is a manager who is known for his use of verticality in attack as he likes to spread the play and use the wide players when going forward, which also helps his teams keep possession more frequently in the process as by pushing the fullbacks up, they take attention from the wingers who drop deeper to defend against them and this leaves the opposition with less players forward and minimal possibilities to initiate counterattacks without losing the ball to a packed midfield of players hungry to win the ball back. The U.S. neither defended the flanks well nor did their compactness and pressing work as they were clearly technically and numerically inferior in the central positions. They just fell into Argentina's trap and it was a tactical disaster to watch.</p>
<p>While the U.S.' defensive failures have already been well broadcast in this article already, there were also clear flaws in the team's offensive game in the rare opportunities they got to build up play from the back or initiate a counterattack. This is one of the few situations they got an opportunity to do the latter and this is how it looked:</p>
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<p>Beckerman had the ball at his feet and took a couple of seconds to look around and decide who he was going to pass the ball to but, with no one available that had at least a few yards of space to run into, he took the safe route and passed to Bradley who gave the ball away and Argentina formulated a counter of much higher quality of their own. While Argentina's defensive positioning here should be noted as good, the U.S.' offensive spacing is not. Three of the midfielders are too close to each other which allowed Argentina to just cover that zone with players and make it difficult for the U.S. to get past them, while the forwards are too far apart and Zardes is alone on the other side up against Rojo with no support or chance of receiving the ball in that position.</p>
<p>The failures of the team as a whole were easy to spot throughout the entire 90 minutes, but the U.S. really let themselves down by trying to play in a way that they cannot or at least weren't ready enough to and this was most probably the most directly contributive reason for the one-sidedness of this match throughout. Not because the U.S. has no quality or is not competitive enough to give a team like Argentina a hard time, but because they abandoned their previously successful approach and tried to play something that they were not drilled well enough to do, causing disconnects in partnerships and destroying any chemistry they had prior in the process. They didn't play to their strengths and were ruthlessly punished as a result.</p>
<h4>Conclusion</h4>
<p>Overall, it was just an awful performance in almost every facet of play possible from the USMNT. The early goal was a big blow and led to a quick change of strategy from the U.S. that didn't really suit them well and wasn't something that they prepared for well enough to try out in a game like this, but the reality was that the U.S. were just second best in everything and were deservedly comprehensively beaten on the night. Add in the fact that the team abandoned the approach that got them here, which was the biggest disappointment of the match, and you have yourself a recipe for disaster.</p>
<p>As bad as the result was, the manner of the defeat was the most worrying aspect from a USMNT perspective as the hosts didn't come anywhere near troubling Sergio Romero's goal, neither from open play nor even from set pieces. Argentina were in control of proceedings and dominated the match from start to finish in as comfortable a knockout match as you'll ever see. The absences of Jones, Bedoya, and Wood didn't help the U.S. one bit in preparing for this game, nor did the shock of conceding early, but falling way short in every department was unacceptable from a USMNT perspective, regardless of Argentina's quality, and this will go down as one of the worst competitive showings in the modern era to date from any assembled U.S. squad.</p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/24/12008666/usa-vs-argentina-copa-america-2016-tactical-breakdown-and-analysisEdin Halilović2016-06-23T06:45:03-07:002016-06-23T06:45:03-07:00USMNT vs. Argentina: Stock Up, Stock Down
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<figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>That was rough. Not a whole lot of players performed well, and the game plan wasn't thought through properly. The defense was repeatedly torn to shambles and the offense was nowhere to be seen. It was a historically poor performance from the USMNT, I know it was Argentina and that they were on tremendous form on the night, but it was still disappointing to see the USMNT knocked out in such humiliating fashion. But enough with the negativity, at least for now. Let's take a deep breath and look (really hard) for the positives. Here's who saw their stock go up.</p>
<h4 style="margin-top: 0.75em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; font-size: 25px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; line-height: 28px; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; color: #292929;">Stock Up</h4>
<p id="paragraph2" class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Gyasi Zardes </b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Gyasi Zardes may very well be the only player who had a decent game against Argentina. He tracked back well. When he had the ball, he was insistent on carrying it forward and relieving some pressure instead of playing the ball back into the opposition. Considering the players around him regularly played poor passes when confronted with a pressing Argentine, Zardes played with a level head. We've seen him grow through the tournament and he looked a much better player in spite of the overwhelming context.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Christian Pulisic</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Christian Pulisic came on for Chris Wondolowski at half time in the hopes that he would jump-start the attack. I personally think it's a bit much to expect that a 17-year-old will come on and completely rejuvenate a nonexistent attack, but, you know, maybe that's just me. In any case, it didn't work. Pulisic didn't add a whole lot to the attack. Frankly, considering how disjointed the team was, I am not surprised. What Pulisic did show was no fear in front of the Argentine players. He willingly took them on and tried to make progress up the pitch. He won the USMNT's only corner and he put in a few crosses. In a game where nearly everyone on the USMNT played timidly, it was refreshing to see a prospect come on and try to implement his own game with some confidence.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Jordan Morris</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. It was a bit controversial to see Morris left off the roster in favor of Wondolowski. After the poor performance of the later against Argentina, it's hard to say the omission wasn't a mistake. While I don't think Morris' inclusion for this match would have changed the result, I certainly think it's likely that playing the Seattle forward would have made the attack look at least a little bit better. The USMNT was historically bad going forward, failing to register a single shot for the first time since at least '98. The USMNT needs to come up with new options for forward after Bobby Wood, and, at this point, that conversation needs to start with Morris.</p>
<h4 style="margin-top: 0.75em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; font-size: 25px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; line-height: 28px; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; color: #292929;">Stock Down</h4>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Chris Wondolowski</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">In another post, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/21/11983448/usmnt-wondolowski-dempsey-altidore-morris">I promised I wouldn't blame Wondo for playing.</a> And I plan to keep to my word here. Sometimes, circumstances are circumstances. However, those circumstances aren't going to make Wondo's stock look better. Wondolowski didn't do anything for the team except commit a couple of fouls and pick up a yellow card. In fact, the professional foul he was carded for happened to lead to the free kick that Messi scored from. Wondo already didn't have the best reputation at the international level, and it could very well be that his international career is now over.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Brad Guzan</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Getting scored on four times is not a good look for any goalkeeper (though I suppose Guzan is used to it by now after his time with Aston Villa.) The USMNT was always going to need a clinic from their goalie and Guzan didn't deliver. He looked shaky and timid in goal. He was slow off his line. He didn't inspire confidence. And that first goal. When I was a kid and I played keeper, I was taught that, when it comes to getting off your line, you have to make a split-second gut decision and totally go for it. Never hesitate. When Messi played a cute little dinked ball into the box, Guzan made the right decision to come out. And then hesitated. Lavezzi promptly lobbed a soft header over the keeper's head and into the goal to open the scoring. It looked to me like Guzan could have gotten there in time to block the shot, but even if he would have been late, getting into an attacker's face increases the likelihood that they make a mistake. Because Guzan doubted himself on that early goal, the USMNT were dead on arrival.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; line-height: 24px; color: #292929; font-size: 16px;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Michael Bradley</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" style="margin-top: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">I genuinely don't know what has happened with Michael Bradley. He's still got the amazing athleticism and endurance. He's gained better discipline and positioning. But his passing ability has absolutely deteriorated. Against Argentina, he could barely put two passes together. He was a turnover machine and his decision making was horrible. Instead of clearing the ball upfield or passing it wide, Bradley played a bad ball into Birnbaum, leading to the fourth goal. Against both Colombia and Argentina, we saw that Bradley can be easily forced into giving up the ball away in bad places. But it hasn't just been against teams who press high up the field. Bradley's had shaky moments in almost all of the games in this tournament. Paraguay and Ecuador may not have been able to capitalize on them, but those moments are worrying. This is a far cry from the sort of play we expect from the Toronto FC midfielder. It's been often said that, as Bradley goes, so too does the USMNT. As I pointed out, his positioning and discipline have improved and been an asset on defense. But the bad mistakes are costing this team, both cutting our offense short and setting up the defense for failure.</p>
<h4 style="margin-top: 0.75em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; font-size: 25px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; line-height: 28px; font-family: 'Sentinel SSm A', 'Sentinel SSm B', Georgia, serif; color: #292929;">(Dis)Honorable Mention</h4>
<p><b style="color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Clint Dempsey</b></p>
<p>Dempsey was anonymous throughout the whole match. He barely completed any passes and his most notable action was an elbow to a defending Argentine player.</p>
<p><b style="color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Kyle Beckerman</b></p>
<p>Beckerman came into steady the defensive line in the wake of Jermaine Jones' suspension. And he didn't really do that. On the flip side, he may very well have had the best hair on the pitch.</p>
<p><b style="color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Jurgen Klinsmann</b></p>
<p>Jurgen Klinsmann got the game plan all wrong. He had a tough job replacing the suspended players, but failed to make the right choices. The players pressed ineffectively and the offense was nonexistent.</p>
<p><b style="color: #292929; font-family: 'Mercury SSm A', 'Mercury SSm B', Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">The Nike Kit Designer</b></p>
<p>On the night, the United States wore light-blue and white while Argentina wore a dark blue. From the television's view, it looked like the kits were flip-flopped, which may have had something to do with why so many USMNT players insisted on passing to Argentina.</p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/23/12003836/usa-vs-argentina-copa-america-2016-stock-up-stock-downAdnan Ilyas2016-06-22T18:28:23-07:002016-06-22T18:28:23-07:003.29 million people watched USA/ARG on FS1
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<figcaption>Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/united-states" class="sbn-auto-link">United States</a>' loss to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/argentina" class="sbn-auto-link">Argentina</a> in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/copa-america" class="sbn-auto-link">Copa America</a> Centenario semifinals was seen by a lot of people. With each passing match since the final group match, the USMNT have broken Fox Sports 1's record for ratings for a soccer match. This match was no exception and in fact, it destroyed the record.</p>
<p>3.29 million viewers tuned in on FS1 alone for the important match. For reference, the USA's quarterfinal win over <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/ecuador" class="sbn-auto-link">Ecuador</a> previously held the record with 2.13 million.</p>
<p>The match also set the Fox Sports Go record for most unique streamers with 228,000, beating the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fifa-womens-world-cup" class="sbn-auto-link">2015 Women's World Cup</a> Final between the USA and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/japan" class="sbn-auto-link">Japan</a> (207,000).</p>
<p>Those numbers only factor in the English language TV networks. Univision are enjoying some amazing success with viewership during the Copa America as well. 4.8 million people watched the semifinal on the Univision networks carrying the match. And on the whole, Univision Deportes was the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-22/univision-doubles-money-on-70-million-bet-on-copa-america">most-watched sports network</a> in the United States in June.</p>
<p>Needless to say, TV viewership for the Copa America has been nothing short of a smashing success.</p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/22/12010124/usa-vs-argentina-crushes-tv-and-streaming-ratings-recordsRob Usry2016-06-22T10:30:15-07:002016-06-22T10:30:15-07:00USMNT vs. Argentina: Final Player Ratings
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<figcaption>Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The results are in. </p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/united-states" class="sbn-auto-link">United States</a> were trounced by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/argentina" class="sbn-auto-link">Argentina</a>, 4-0, in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/copa-america" class="sbn-auto-link">Copa America</a> Centenario semifinals. It wasn't a surprising result, but the poor overall performance from the U.S. was a little startling. They were completely out-classed in every way possible.</p>
<p>Judging from the community's voting, there weren't any good individual performances, but there was one who stood out as the least bad.</p>
<h4>Man of the Match: Gyasi Zardes</h4>
<p>While almost all of the Americans looked shell-shocked and out of their depth on Tuesday night, Gyasi Zardes put in a respectable shift with his work rate and energy on the wings. It wasn't anything to get excited about, but he was one of the few players on the night that weren't an embarrassment to watch.</p>
<p><b>-----------</b></p>
<p><b>Final Player Ratings:</b></p>
<p><b>GK: Brad Guzan - 4.01</b></p>
<p><b>RB: DeAndre Yedlin - 5.28</b></p>
<p><b>CB: Geoff Cameron - 5.15</b></p>
<p><b>CB: John Brooks - 5.01</b></p>
<p><b>LB: Fabian Johnson - 4.58</b></p>
<p><b>RM: Graham Zusi - 3.85</b></p>
<p><b>CM: Michael Bradley - 2.68</b></p>
<p><b>CM: Kyle Beckerman - 3.19</b></p>
<p><b>LM: Gyasi Zardes - 5.41</b></p>
<p><b>ST: Clint Dempsey - 4.18</b></p>
<p><b>ST: Chris Wondolowski - 1.96</b></p>
<p><b>SUB: Christian Pulisic - 4.71</b></p>
<p><b>SUB: Steve Birnbaum - 3.29</b></p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/22/12005178/usa-vs-argentina-copa-america-2016-final-player-ratingsRob Usry2016-06-22T08:45:03-07:002016-06-22T08:45:03-07:00Jurgen's choices were bad, but Argentina was great
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<p>Yes, the US lost 4-0 to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/argentina">Argentina</a>, and it could have been worse if <i>la Albiceleste </i>changed up out of second gear. It is also true that right now, Argentina are the best national team in the world by a considerable margin. What happened last night in Houston lives somewhere in between bad lineup decisions, lack of personnel and a world-class team on the other end of the pitch. In looking for answers and explanations, only peering into the black and white won't bring the discussion forward. The answer as always, lies in the grey area.</p>
<p>It is true that Jurgen Klinsmann sent out his team wrong tonight. He tried to replace what he lost with Jermaine Jones, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110919/alejandro-bedoya">Alejandro Bedoya</a> and Bobby Wood suspended by trying to find their most like-for-like replacements in Kyle Beckerman, Graham Zusi and Chris Wondolowski. Those moves backfired spectacularly. Many will say that was inevitable, and that's certainly not wrong, his insistence on sticking to a style of play that got them to this stage is by no means a bad decision. While Klinsmann has many bad tactical decisions on his resume, this was an admirable one against a team that not only is miles better than anyone they have played thus far, but is in form like no US team has faced potentially in years. Klinsmann was not helped by Michael Bradley being put in a position where he couldn't succeed (and didn't), Kyle Beckerman looking out of his depth on the international level and Tata Martino's tactics to win the midfield battle being spot on. Klinsmann also said the US showed Argentina too much respect, which was absolutely true, as they certainly looked overawed by the situation. To a point, Klinsmann can only do so much before the players have to bear the responsibility for giving Argentina too much respect.</p>
<p>But beyond poor tactics, poor performances and a deer-in-the-headlights feel to the game, there's more to this than just what came from the Stars and Stripes.</p>
<p>Argentina two years ago looked nothing like this. The personnel is largely the same, but with Tata Martino in charge instead of Alejandro Sabella, there's a fluidity, a motion and a verve to Argentina that wasn't present when under Sabella they seemed to look for that one moment of magic to win. They haven't just been the best team in this tournament, they've been the best team in the world including the Euros. Without Messi (and with Di Maria), they were able to boss a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/chile">Chile</a> team that just won its last two games by a combined score of 9-2, and made their press look toothless. After they lost Angel Di Maria, they plugged in Nico Gaitan, and didn't show a drop in form. After Gaitan was suspended due to yellow card accumulation, Martino played Ezequiel Lavezzi, and again, Argentina still look world class. And with that pool thinning ever still after Lavezzi's injury last night, Martino can still play Javier Pastore, Erik Lamela or even Kun Aguero. Depth in numbers is something Argentina has in spades, and the US certainly doesn't, even with the full XI on the pitch. While the US player pool is getting better, albeit slowly, they're nowhere near the level Argentina is where they can afford to leave a Paulo Dybala at home.</p>
<p>No lineup Jurgen Klinsmann could have put out there tonight would have beaten Argentina in the form they are in. Even with Pep Guardiola pitting his wits against Tata Martino tonight, the US still would have likely been beaten comprehensively. While Klinsmann didn't put his team in the best position to win, even if he did, that likely wouldn't have changed the result. With all of his best personnel at his disposal, Argentina are simply too good right now to be beaten by anyone who doesn't have that perfect combination of luck and skill, and the US certainly didn't have that last night.</p>
<p>It is also possible to say that there is no shame in getting beaten solidly by Argentina while saying they should have given a better account of themselves. Worse US teams have played better against equally good teams in the past, but comparing teams across eras is silly. A combination of poor tactics, poor performances, being in awe of the moment and facing a very good team in incredible form are the catalysts for the 4-0 defeat, not any of those factors individually nor even a sampling of two or three.</p>
<p>Playing in the third place game on Saturday in Glendale against a quality Chile or <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/colombia">Colombia</a> side is going to be a great litmus test of the US' nerve and resolve, because they will be judged on the performance then too, even though third-place games are almost always dead rubbers. But don't let that result, or tonight's result, take away from what has occurred in this tournament: progression forward. There has been improvement, even if it hasn't been dramatic or anywhere near what some would have wanted. Many teams in the world would have been blown away by Argentina tonight, or Sunday night, and the US isn't at the level where they can make simple mistakes and expect to play catch-up. Not many teams in the world can.</p>
<p>Could Klinsmann have picked an XI that would have put at least one shot on target? Yes. Could Michael Bradley have had a much better game? Yes. Would that have changed the inevitable? No.</p>
<p>The US can have an off night against a team that right now looks incapable of having an off night, and can beat anyone if they're at their best. Those factors can co-exist, and they do. We can find that 4-0 defeat against Argentina in the grey area where all of those factors played a key role.</p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/22/11998232/usa-argentina-lineup-copa-america-klinsmann-messiMatt Lichtenstadter2016-06-22T08:44:57-07:002016-06-22T08:44:57-07:00The USMNT didn't manage a single shot vs. ARG
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/united-states">United States</a> were comprehensively beaten by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/argentina">Argentina</a> in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/copa-america">Copa America</a> Centenario semifinals. There's just no pretty way to try and paint a 4-0 defeat. Silver-linings or moral victories? There were none.</p>
<p>With only 33% of the possession, the Americans were totally and utterly outclassed by the far superior Argentinians and their lineup of world-class talent.</p>
<p>According to ESPN's stat guru, Paul Carr, the performance was so bad that it made history. The USMNT didn't manage a single shot on target for the 90 minutes for the first time since at least 1998 and likely further back in history.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight was the first time since 1998 (as far back as I have data) that the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USMNT?src=hash">#USMNT</a> did not have a single shot in a game.</p>
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/PCarrESPN/status/745463431407378434">June 22, 2016</a>
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<p>There's just no getting around it. It was a pathetic performance by the USMNT. Were we happy to be there? Absolutely. Were Argentina always likely to win? Of course. Does it make the result and performance any more tolerable? I don't believe so. It's still unacceptable to not muster a single real chance in the match.</p>
<p>Then there's the topic of Lionel Messi. Not only did the USMNT have a historically bad night for themselves, but they also became a part of the history books in another way. Messi's incredible free kick just after the half-hour mark was his 55th international goal. It brought him over Gabriel Batistuta's all-time scoring record and gives him yet another milestone in a tremendous career.</p>
<p>There's no shame at all in getting beaten by Messi. He's without a doubt the best soccer player of our generation and likely will end up being the best ever. But being the team that will always go down in history as the one that conceded his record-breaking goal just adds a little more sting to the insult of the entire evening.</p>
<p>Some pundits keep saying that the USA "will learn some lessons" from this match. I'm not sure exactly what they'll learn other than they aren't good enough and Argentina are just superior in ever aspect of the sport to them. But, that's just American soccer. We have a long ways to go and these types of results should be motivation to one day get to that level.</p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/22/12002510/the-usa-were-historically-bad-against-argentina-in-more-ways-than-oneRob Usry2016-06-22T07:15:02-07:002016-06-22T07:15:02-07:00USMNT vs. Argentina: What we learned
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<p>Argentina got the upper hand early, and the Americans never found their footing.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/united-states">United States</a> men's national team was ousted in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/copa-america">Copa America</a> Centenario semifinals Tuesday night in Houston, falling by a 4-0 margin vs. top-ranked <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/argentina">Argentina</a>. The U.S. fell behind early, giving up a 3rd minute goal and never truly threatened to get back into the game. A spot in Saturday's Third Place Match vs. the loser of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/colombia">Colombia</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/chile">Chile</a> awaits. Here's what we learned:</p>
<h4>"They are who we thought they were..."</h4>
<p>Yet in this case, the USMNT never came remotely close to having it's opponent on the hook.</p>
<p>Argentina is the best team in the world. Lionel Messi is the best player in the world. We knew these things before the game. Losing this game was not a surprise, nor was it especially surprising to lose it decisively. What was surprising was the way it went down.</p>
<p>The U.S. played scared from the opening whistle and paid a heavy price. Jurgen Klinsmann said afterward, "I think in general we had far too much respect for them." Well, he should count himself amongst that number, because his starting lineup selections had much to do with fostering that attitude.</p>
<p>With three players missing due to suspensions, Klinsmann had choices. In all cases, he chose the older, allegedly "more experienced" player. Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic are better players than the ones Klinsmann chose. When you have better players available and don't select them, it means you don't quite trust them; that you fear they'll make mistakes. As a result, the team that actually took the field looked terrified to make a mistake.</p>
<p>The Americans began this game fearing the mighty Argentina. They got exactly what they expected.</p>
<h4>Bradley as an attacking mid? I thought we had this conversation.</h4>
<p>Look, I like Kyle Beckerman. He's a fine player, and he's been an effective player for the U.S. over the years. But he's also not Jermaine Jones. That's neither a criticism nor a shortcoming, they're just different players with different skill sets.</p>
<p>The success of the USMNT over the past several weeks can be attributed to many things, but you can't get too far down the list without acknowledging the role of Michael Bradley. He's most effective as a deep-lying six, with a partner in front of him who can provide good hold-up play.</p>
<p>The introduction of Beckerman into the lineup was always going to force Bradley higher up on the field. It did, and the results were predictable. Turnovers under pressure, passes to nowhere, poor decisions, and he never looked comfortable. Bradley needed an outlet to link up with Clint Dempsey, who was rendered invisible by a midfield that couldn't keep the ball, even on the counter. That outlet could have been, and should have been, Nagbe.</p>
<h4>It's time to move on.</h4>
<p>And when I say it's time, I mean now. Right now.</p>
<p>The younger players on this roster need to start on Saturday night. Whether the United States finishes third or fourth in this tournament is of no real consequence. The opponent will be very difficult again, and it's a challenge that players like Nagbe, Pulisic, Wood, Kitchen, and Horvath need to experience.</p>
<p>Numerous players on the wrong side of 30 have performed well in this Copa. Jermaine Jones (34), to be sure, was invaluable. Graham Zusi (30 in August) played well. Geoff Cameron (31 next month) was solid, but isn't getting any younger. Kyle Beckerman (34) and Chris Wondolowski (33), who contributed minimally, won't be heading to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/russia">Russia</a>. Even Clint Dempsey (33) can't be relied upon forever.</p>
<p>Start the kids, and start as many as you can. They'll be needed as <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/fifa-womens-world-cup">World Cup</a> Qualifying heats up again this fall. Initiate the process now. There's a competitive match on Saturday night against a FIFA Top 5 opponent. Take advantage of this opportunity to build a foundation with players that will be critical to USMNT success over the next two-plus years, and beyond. Let's begin to find out what we have. There won't be another stage like this before the summer of 2018 arrives.</p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/22/11999772/usa-vs-argentina-copa-america-2016-what-we-learnedRoderick MacNeil2016-06-21T21:35:03-07:002016-06-21T21:35:03-07:00USA vs. Argentina: Match Highlights
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<figcaption>Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Re-live the magic.</p> <p>The United States men's national team have been forced to the third-place match of the Copa America Centenario with a loss against Argentina at NRG Stadium in Houston Texas. Argentina put in a strong performance and earned a deserved 4-0 win.</p>
<p>Lionel Messi was clearly the Man of the Match, with one goal and two assists.</p>
<p>Here are the highlights via <i>FOX Soccer</i>:</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/idbDNF-F5ek" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><span>Ezequiel Lavezzi scored in the third minute.</span></p>
<p>Lionel Messi scored a beautiful free kick goal in the 32nd minute.</p>
<p>Gonzalo Higuain scored in the 50th minute.</p>
<p>Higuain scored again in the 86th minute, finishing a squared ball from Messi.</p>
<p>According to Ryan Rosenblatt of <i>Fox Soccer</i>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/the-usmnt-loss-was-about-more-than-argentina-simply-being-better-than-them-062116">Argentina was simply the better team</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>No matter what the U.S. did, they were probably going to lose. Argentina's worst player is someone the U.S. would covet. But that doesn't mean that the Americans couldn't have done better. They could have done a lot better, from Klinsmann's lineup and tactics, to the attitude they were reflective of, and all the way how to how the team played. It was a lost night for the U.S., and that before you get to the 4-0 scoreline.</span></p>
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<p>Messi's goal broke <a target="_blank" href="http://www.espnfc.us/argentina/story/2891319/lionel-messi-breaks-argentinas-all-time-goal-scoring-record">Argentina's all-time goal-score record</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>Lionel Messi has overtaken Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's all-time top goal scorer.</span></p>
<p><span>Batistuta struck 54 times in 78 appearances for Argentina (the AFA does not count two goals he scored against the Slovakian youth team in 1995) in an international career that ran between 1991 and 2002 and included winning the 1991 and 1993 Copa America and scoring hat tricks in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.</span></p>
<p><span>But Messi, 28, has now broken that record and is likely to extend it significantly with Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain, on 33 and 26 goals respectively, his closest rivals of current international teammates.</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Expect to read a lot more about Jurgen Klinsmann's decision to start Chris Wondolowski. <a target="_blank" href="http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/jurgen-klinsmann-chris-wondolowski-for-usmnt">The consternation has already begun</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span>Unsurprising were the additions of Kyle Beckerman and Graham Zusi stepping into the roles vacated by the suspended Jermaine Jones (red card) and Alejandro Bedoya (yellow card accumulation).</span></p>
<p><span>What was surprising was the addition of Chris Wondolowski, the veteran San Jose Earthquakes striker best known at the international level for missing a sitter against Belgium in the last World Cup.</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The USMNT will take on the loser of Colombia versus Chile in the third place match on Saturday, June 25th.</p>
<p><b>Lineups</b></p>
<p><i>United States</i>: Brad Guzan; DeAndre Yedlin, Geoff Cameron, John Brooks, Fabian Johnson; Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, Graham Zusi, Gyasi Zardes; Clint Dempsey, Chris Wondolowski</p>
<p>Substitutes: Christian Pulisic, Steve Birnbaum, Darlington Nagbe</p>
<p><i>Argentina</i>: Sergio Romero; Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi, Ramiro Funes Mori, Marcos Rojo; Augusto Fernandez, Javier Mascherano, Ever Banega; Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Ezequiel Lavezzi</p>
<p>Substitutes: Lucas Biglia, Erik Lamela, Victor Cuesta</p>
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2016/6/21/11989968/usa-vs-argentina-copa-america-2016-full-match-highlightsBrendan Joseph