The United States' Copa America Centenario: Success with a Sprinkling of Disappointment

The United States saluting fans after the 4-0 win in the
group stage over CONCACAF rivals Costa Rica

Reviewing the United States’ run in the recently-ended Copa America Centenario is a pretty complicated task.

On one hand, the feeling of fulfilment and success is evident and clear - the United States did after all reach the semi-finals of the biggest tournament held on American soil since the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The United States did end up as semi-finalists in a major tournament a year after a tumultuous and long year in 2015, which included finishing fourth in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The win over Ecuador in the quarter-finals in Seattle will forever be remembered by those who witnessed one of the finer United States performances in years.

Still, with all that being said, there remained a feeling of more to be desired, particularly relating to the performance in the semi-finals against Argentina, granted a world soccer giant. Questions regarding the ability to not just beat, but stand a chance of competing with the elite sides of the world as we head closer to the 2018 World Cup in Russia remain and persist. Concerns regarding the integration of new younger squad members, as well as shoring up the depth of the side still exist.

In short, while the successes of the tournament for the United States are evident and can easily be seen, there remains a sprinkling of disappointments over the United States' Copa America Centenario run that could loom large over the next few years.

The successes in the tournament can’t be denied. Beyond the semi-final finish, the United States did end up winning their group, which during the tournament’s prelude was said by many observers to be the toughest group in the tournament by far (and those observations weren’t far off at all; Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica provided the United States the easy pickings in at least a top two nation in each group pot), defeated a very strong Ecuador side in the quarter-finals, and saw the United States displaying a new brand of confidence (save for the Argentina match) not seen in some time.

New faces also emerged as key cornerstones for the United States in future qualifying matches and tournaments.

Hertha Berlin's John Anthony Brooks solidified himself as the
USA's top center back for both the present and future.

John Brooks legitimized himself as the man in defense both for the present and the future. Coming off a tough Gold Cup last year, United States fans had doubts about the effectiveness of Brooks internationally, and whether the young German-American talent would be able to translate his improved form with Hertha Berlin into the national team. Brooks more than quelled those fears, showing great positioning and poise in the back, as well as a capable platform to start possessions at the back, a problem with this team for a long time. Brooks partnered well with Stoke City’s Geoff Cameron, a potential partnership that could lead to being one of the United States’ strength's should the team reach the World Cup two years from now.  

Meanwhile up front, Bobby Wood emerged as a clear threat up front. Not only did Wood use his speed to threaten defenses, as well as a top hold-up threat, but Wood’s presence opened up space countless times for the ageless Clint Dempsey to operate up front, helping in Dempsey’s three goal tournament haul. While fans will want to see more of Wood and consistency, at the very least Wood will help strengthen the depth of the United States’ forward position, which should help a lot heading into Russia 2018.

Seattle Sounders' Clint Dempsey and Colorado Rapids'
Jermaine Jones, both ageless wonders who look to contribute
more for the United States.

Speaking of Dempsey, doesn’t it feel like blasphemy that there were many calling for his benching heading into the Copa America? After Dempsey’s tournament, doesn’t that all seem ridiculous now?

Dempsey, and fellow veteran Jermaine Jones (spurned on by a hot start with the surprising Colorado Rapids) proved that age is just a number, and that the two have more to give to the national team as we head into the back-end of a World Cup cycle.

Dempsey was still the familiar deadly finisher up front, while Jones provided his trademark hustle in the midfield, constantly pressuring opponents. Jones’ absence for the Argentina match due to a red card obtained in the quarter-final against Ecuador was particularly noticeable. It is clear the two will be factors in the World Cup squad should the United States qualify, whether as starters or as bench options.

It has to be said, the United States was helped by a greater consistency with the squad selection shown by Klinsmann. It felt, weird really seeing Klinsmann settle with a familiar starting lineup unless changes were necessary. After all, United States fans have been familiar in expressing their dismay in Klinsmann trying out players in unfamiliar positions, that a constant approach in the starting eleven shown by Klinsmann was just weird.

Still, Klinsmann’s insistence to stick to the same starting lineup during the three group stage matches, then making only necessary changes along the defense thanks to DeAndre Yedlin’s sending off against Paraguay in the final group stage game, really helped the United States. It was also clear  that the wholesale changes for the Argentina match hurt the United States, even as the changes were necessary due to suspensions for Jones, Wood and Alejandro Bedoya.

One can only hope that Klinsmann will stick to a more consistent approach in figuring out the lineup during the rest of this cycle, allowing the team to settle into a more constant groove and making things easier for the players.

Still, disappointments were still seen and experienced, and in some ways there was a general lack of fulfillment in some sense for American fans. It feels weird to equate some sense of disappointment in a tournament featuring the Americas where the United States finished as a semi-finalist, but it was still evident.

The United States were outclassed comprehensively
in the semi-finals against Lionel Messi and Argentina.
The United States failed to muster up a shot during the
course of the game. 

Starting with the Argentina match, while the United States reaching the semi-finals was an unquestioned success, how the match with Argentina played out can’t be mentioned in the same sentence as “success”. The United States looked like they did not belong on the same pitch as Argentina, clearly incapable of maintaining possession or even threatening the Argentinians. The United States very easily succumbed to the pressure put forth by the strong Argentinian midfield, as well as incapable of stringing together a simple pass sequence.

The display was gutless, with the United States having failed at even getting one single shot (not at goal) on the Argentinian defense. The showing felt like a lost opportunity, particularly with a large pro-American crowd at the NRG Stadium in Houston, large television audience around the country, and the fact that the United States really had nothing to lose against Argentina. A more open, daring approach would have been best.

The display against Argentina leads to this question: are you more confident of managing to nab a result against a true elite team (Argentina, Germany, Belgium, France, etc) should the United States qualify for the World Cup in 2018 and make it out of their group? Is the United States, in the midst of what Klinsmann has sold as a “soccer revolution”, closer to competing with those type of teams? Has the United States progressed to a point beyond what was seen during the Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley days with regards to beating or playing even with elite teams, as was seen in the match against Germany in the 2002 World Cup, Italy in the 2006 World Cup, or Spain in the 2009 Confederations Cup?

The answer to all those questions has to be a clear “NO”. While that factor shouldn’t dilute and take away from the success experienced by the side in the Copa America, it still leaves a feeling of unfulfillment for fans and everyone around the side. Coming closer to beating the elite teams in the world, and changing the United States’ approach for matches against those teams will probably be an issue that will be left at the desk of whoever will replace Klinsmann, most likely after the 2018 World Cup.

The tournament also didn’t fully answer and address the concerns of being a team far too reliant on older stars, being in the midst of a transition generation, and a satisfactory number of new talent emerging as key contributors for both the present and future. While it can be said that the play of both Dempsey and Jones contributed to the success of the United States in the tournament, and also the emergence of Brooks and Wood as contributors for both the present and future, the concerns of being a team far too reliant on older talent still wasn’t completely addressed.

Another disappointing tournament for United States captain
Michael Bradley

It should be an indictment on Klinsmann, who did coach a fine tournament owing to his greater consistency with the approach of selecting a starting eleven, that Chris Wondolowski and Kyle Beckerman remained key parts of the squad. It should be an indictment on Klinsmann that the team has no options in replacing a poorly-performing Michael Bradley, who had a third straight poor tournament appearance for the United States. Perhaps it is time that Bradley’s status as a sure-fire starter and captain be revisited.

Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic, both talented young
players who probably should have received more action
in the Copa America Centenario.

Fans clamored for more time and faith shown for young attackers in Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic. Pulisic, the young Borussia Dortmund talent, got meaningful substitute minutes while Nagbe, the talented Portland Timbers midfield maestro, got limited minutes. Both players look to be important players for the American attack in the future, and the integration of the two in the first team needs to be a priority moving forward.

These issues must lie squarely at the foot of Klinsmann. The American soccer talent pool has never been deeper than it is today. Even though it is a fair point to make that the top-end of that said pool may not be as strong as it was in 2002 or 2005 or 2010, there are more and more Americans playing top-division level soccer around the world, and not having addressed the concerns of adequate squad depth is an issue that falls on Klinsmann. The approach of coaching a national side, particularly with a talent pool as deep as the United States’, like a club side is an outdated approach.

The Copa America came at a precarious time for the United States, right in the middle of the 2018 World Cup cycle and being in a position where qualification to the Hexagonal stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers is still not guaranteed. The United States have two games left in the second round of CONCACAF qualifying, away at St. Vincent and the Grenadines and at home against Trinidad & Tobago. While it is fair to expect the United States should easily qualify for the Hexaognal stage, the importance of these two remaining games is still clear.

United States head coach Jurgen
Klinsmann. 

Again however, it has to be said that Klinsmann coached a good tournament. Consistency and positional sanity finally prevailed in Klinsmann’s mind. The United States played smart, effective and efficient soccer throughout most of the tournament. These are good omens for the important qualification matches set to challenge the United States in the coming year.

The feeling of success surrounding the United States can’t be understated and undermined. Despite all that has been said about mistakes, shortcomings and frustrations with the team during the Copa America, the United States still did finish fourth in a Copa America. The United States still did match their best-ever finish in a Copa America, tying the 1995 United States side’s fourth place finish in Uruguay. The United States still played inspired soccer, and has also inspired a greater confidence from the fanbase after a rather rough year in 2015.

We can only hope that the success of the United States’ Copa America campaign will serve the side well and help the team in qualification for the World Cup in 2018.