Copa America: United States Humiliated by Colombia
I hate this team. I really do. Don't get me wrong, I love the United States and am a proud American. But my lord I hate this team. I hate the way the Men's National Team is constructed. I hate the way that Jurgen Klinsmann refuses to adapt to the game and play players with some form of creativity. Instead of the ones that he trots out that lack imagination. I also hate that if a player perceives to swipe at him, that player ends up in the doghouse and is replaced with an inferior player(hi Guzan). I hate Brad Guzan starting over Tim Howard when everyone knows that Guzan is terrible. I hate the fact that Sunil gave Jurgen so much power and yet has there have only been minor results. I hate how this team really lacks a high soccer/football IQ. Every thing I hate was embodied in the match against Colombia.
The Copa America is such an important tournament for the United States. Mainly for the man in charge of the team. It has been five years since the German manager took over for Bob Bradley. Five years after being promised attacking, exciting, winning football and the results have been mediocre so far. After a series of disappointing losses, the pressure has mounted on Jurgen Klinsmann to achieve. To actually win a tournament that matters. Five years later he has failed to do that. Yes, he has made some steps, but his setbacks have been terrible. It is critical that the men's team does well in the Copa America. This means somehow, some way getting out of the group of death again. If not Jurgen Klinsmann will likely be fired. Which is why the match against Colombia was so important. The team needed to get off to a get start, a draw or a win, against one of the favorites. To send a message that the United States Men's Team is making progress and needs to be taken seriously. It did not happen.
The United States starting lineup for the match against Colombia did not inspire much confidence in the squad. While the change to a 4-3-3 was a smart move by Klinsmann, there were some questionable decisions. Once again Brad Guzan, the worst keeper in the premier league last season, starting over Tim Howard especially in a tournament with so much on the line is easy to criticize. But an earlier talking point was the inclusion of Bedoya was a starter. Bedoya has never wow'd when he has played. Don't get me wrong, he is a good player, but not a superstar. With Colombia starting both Cardona and Cuadrado, it was easy before the match to criticize the choice of Bedoya. Nagbe should have been the choice as he offered more speed and creativity. Something the United States desperately needed headed into the match. With these questionable choices, some fans felt uneasy headed into the match. This turned out to be a huge mistake. The United States needed creativity and someone to link with Bobby Wood. But nope Klinsmann stuck with the useless Bedoya.
The match itself got off to a poor start. While the Men's team did start off physically and punched Colombia in the mouth with the physicality. We even got a fun Geoff Cameron spin move. Oh but the joy only lasted so long. 7 minutes into the match Colombia got a free kick deep in the United States territory. And well Christian Zapata made the United States pay. Geoff Cameron lost Zapata on a screen from a Colombia player and Zapata easily got past the hapless void that is Brad Guzan. There were two players to blame for that goal. Cameron is obviously a scapegoat because he lost Zapata. The other player to blame is Guzan. It is his job to organize the defense. Yet here the defense was unorganized and Guzan was out of position as Zapta put the ball right down the fucking middle of the goal. I now have empathy with Villa fans having to deal with this incompetence all season long.
Then after the United States was aggressive for most of the half following the first Colombia goal. In fact Dempsey was just inches away from scoring. But then disaster struck. On a play that was allowed to continue, despite a foul in a American player, Colombia got a handball on Deandre Yedlin. Instead of looking at the ball and keeping his arms down, Yedlin turned his back and stuck his arm out. Penalty for James and Colombia. James put the ball past the incompetent Guzan and Coombia took a 2-0 lead. The match was over by halftime.
Poor Bobby Wood. After the first Colombia goal, the young man tried to carry this team on his back. He was aggressive, tried to press to take the ball away from Colombia. He seemed to be the only player to get the memo that Colombia is not that good under pressure. Yet it was Wood that was the only one pressing. It was Bobby Wood that was trying to create and get the team back into the game. Bobby Wood was the one chasing down the piss poor lobs that his teammates attempted to give to him. It was Wood, who was played out of position, was the only bright spot in this game. And how was he rewarded by being subbed off in the 65th minute when he did not deserve to be subbed off. Sometimes it's ok to question what the hell Jurgen is doing.
This game lacked any imagination. Let us be honest with one another, this game sucked. The US Men's Team was atrocious in this game. In a tournament so critical, you would think that the team would have tried something, anything different. But instead we got the same shit we have seen since last year's Gold Cup. Unimaginative, , stupid, terrible soccer/football. Here's a fact when the host nation loses its first game it does not advance in the tournament. The United States just got embarrassed. Yes, I know that there are still a few games to go, but if this game is any indication this team will not advance out of the group.
