Photo by Gary Rohman/MLS/USA TODAY Sports
Friendlies are done. The time for experimentation is over. The Copa America is set to begin and with it comes the U.S. Men’s National Team’s biggest test since the 2014 World Cup.
The U.S. kicks off this summer’s tournament on Friday night against Colombia, a team that was recently recognized as the world’s third best team in the latest FIFA rankings. Led by a potent attack feature James Rodriguez, Carlos Bacca and Juan Cuadrado, the USMNT faces a team that is almost certainly the favorites to advance out of Group A.
However, the USMNT enters on a run of form that Jurgen Klinsmann will find ideal. A trio of friendly wins, including one over South American contender Ecuador, has the USMNT’s confidence at an all-time high entering the tournament.
The true tests are set to begin on Friday night, as the U.S. looks to defend their hope turf in what Klinsmann calls a once-in-a-lifetime competition.
Here’s a look at a possible USMNT lineup for Friday’s match against Colombia:
Some thoughts:
All things considered, the USMNT’s back five is all but set in stone. Klinsmann said himself that Guzan will lead the way heading into the Colombia match, while the backline of Fabian Johnson, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron and DeAndre Yedlin have all but locked down their spots in defense.
The player that likely faces the toughest test is Johnson, who matches up with Colombian star Juan Cuadrado down the left-hand side. Although Johnson is certainly a competent defender, the pace and dribbling ability of Cuadrado is enough to trouble even the top fullbacks in the world. The Juventus loanee is a master at whisking past his defenders, and has the pace to beat them outright if his skill on the nullified. Johnson will likely need help down the left from both the midfield and the winger in front of him, while the presence of Cuadrado may limit Johnson from being too aggressive on the counter attack.
With James Rodriguez set to lead the Colombian attacking unit, the presence of a true defensive midfielder becomes all the more vital. Michael Bradley has shown to fit the playmaking aspects of the role against the likes of Ecuador and Bolivia, but the Toronto FC midfielder would have his hands full defensively with man-marking a player of Rodriguez’s talent. Kyle Beckerman is not as fast as he once was, but he reads the game like few in the USMNT pool. He may not be able to keep up with Rodriguez with his feet, but Beckerman’s discipline in the defensive end could prove vital in limiting Rodriguez from taking over like he did at the 2014 World Cup.
The change, if Klinsmann opts to go for it, would certainly neutralize the free-flowing nature the USMNT displayed over the past two weeks, and that’s okay. For Friday at least, a point is what is needed, and the U.S. can certainly sacrifice some of the excitement generated in the pre-Copa friendlies in pursuit of that point. More beautiful soccer can wait for Paraguay and Costa Rica, as Friday will likely be a rough, physical game with both teams jockeying for a tournament-opening result.
Even if the U.S. does bunker a bit, the options at the top of the field provide individual specialties that could open up the counter. Clint Dempsey routinely shows that he can play a killer ball in behind the defense, as evidenced by his play against Ecuador. Dempsey’s picking out of Gyasi Zardes proved the USMNT’s best chance in the Ecuador friendly, and Klinsmann would like to see more of the same from Dempsey on Friday night. Add in the Seattle Sounders’ forward continue tendency to be clinical in front of goal for the USMNT, and Dempsey remains a prime option to start on Friday night.
Alongside of him, he’ll have Zardes and Bobby Wood, two players who bring their own skill set to the mix. For all of his faults, Zardes remains a menacing option on the wing, one that should challenge the Colombia backline for pace and power. Even if his first touch lets him down on occasion, Zardes has shown the ability to finish, especially in the confidence-boosting win over Bolivia.
Wood, meanwhile, enters as the USMNT’s most in-form forward, and has more than justified his place in the lineup. A good finisher with confidence at an all-time high, Wood has shown a flair for the dramatic throughout his USMNT tenure. Goals against the Netherlands and Germany come to mind, as Wood has shown a tendency to step up in big games. It’s an unlearnable and unteachable trait and, to this point, Wood just seems to have the demeanor needed in crunch time moments.
With this lineup, the USMNT will likely lose the possession battle, something that will certainly be a bit upsetting given recent performances. However, the USMNT could also position themselves nicely for the war to come, as any points against group favorites Colombia sets the USMNT up for a potential run into the knockout rounds.
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What do you think of our projected lineup? Who would you change? Do you see the U.S. beating Colombia?
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