For years, Clint Dempsey has been the U.S. Men’s National Team’s most consistent attacking option. On Friday against Colombia, he was the team’s most active attacker yet again, but his role remains up for debate as the U.S. continues through the Copa America.
Dempsey was far and away the USMNT’s most creative forward in the 2-0 loss to Colombia in the Copa America opener. In total, Dempsey fired seven of the USMNT’s 12 shots, while also mustering both of the team’s shots on target. Overall, it was an eventful day for Dempsey, who repeatedly tested goalkeeper David Ospina, but just could not best him.
While Dempsey proved the best option on the day, it remains questionable if he should remain the primary striker going forward. If the USMNT continue to play in a 4-3-3, Dempsey’s inclusion pushes the team’s most in-form forward, Bobby Wood, to an unfamiliar position on the wing while limiting his chances inside the box.
Heading into Tuesday’s match against Costa Rica, Jurgen Klinsmann has several options when it comes to deploying Dempsey. He could keep the status quo with Dempsey as the team’s center forward, while pushing Wood to embrace a role that still remains a bit new. He could swap Dempsey and Wood, allowing Wood to play in his familiar forward role while allowing Dempsey to tuck in and pick up the ball in deeper areas.
Or Klinsmann can opt for a formation change, playing a two striker set. It would require a bit of shuffling, including Gyasi Zardes deep and hypotehtically putting Alejandro Bedoya or Darlington Nagbe out wide, but it would give the USMNT options in attack that were lacking against Colombia.
Finally, Klinsmann could go for a more drastic option and utilize Dempsey as a super sub. A front three of Christian Pulisic, Wood and Zardes is one that could certainly cause problems, while also leaving Dempsey as a late game-changer should the match call for it. However, Dempsey’s role with the team remains much bigger than his play, as the veteran forward serves as the embodiment of the team’s desired never-say-die attitude.
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