The beautiful game is becoming more inspirational concept for the U.S. fans in their dream pursuit of developing history and success pretty soon in a unique circumstance. The historic Copa America Centenario tournament will take place across eight cities of America this summer with incredible vision and significant pathways to highly transpire the heritages of world’s most prestigious football nations and their admirable experiences into American newly insurgent supporters of the game with aim to revolutionize soccer identity at the heart of U.S. steam of Concacaf ambitious young generations while developing deeper grassroots to lead the nation to enjoy more challenge at their home soil after this Sunday night draw in New York.
16 teams will be paired into four groups, 10 South American participants and 6 Concacaf nations of North, Central& Caribbean qualifiers will go head-to-head in a major tournament. with a quick glance to each groups and their leaders, there will be intriguing battles to determine the reality check specially for Concacaf two traditional major powers; Mexico and U.S to understand a distinguishable class of South American superior brand of football and their glorious remarks will be an awakening call for two concacaf big boys. U.S will lead a group A along with Colombia, Paraguay and Bolivia in what would be called “group of death”.
There has been a grown criticism on UMNT since over last year clearly for their tactical inefficiency, lack of inspirational quality and highly problematic evidence of squad’s failed re-identification effort on both collective and leadership terms. after that pulsating world cup 2014 show in reaching round of 16 play-offs, Jurgen Klinsman’s side rapidly signaled its promising international remarks in their pursuit of becoming worthy contender and claimed to be the region’s best team, but their post-world cup picture entirely proved as disappointment to define that theory. while everyone fancied them to defend their gold cup title at home in last summer, they struggled to convincingly win their group stage and nearly were survived a 1-1 draw against Panama in the last match. despite trying many players to select his best starting, German coach further faced limitation to introduce immediate solutions to his boring attack, while became desperate to indicate his tactical clarity which was overlooked in their 6-0 trashing of very weak Cuba side in quarter-final. but the growing concern signs had reached its disaster, when Jamaica cracked them 2-1 in the semi-final with an emphatic display to deny U.S. a place in the final and inflicted their first home loss in this tournament. the backline had been exposed so often in 2015 and even the role of Michael Bradley as a commander of midfield instead comprised for him dropped very deep in most of the matches.
Clint Dempsey goal-scoring flame and world class touches was not enough to prevent his side being denied at trophy. with young generations of players like Andre Yedline and Diasi Zardes has slim chance of providing magic as they regretfully witnessed their old foe Mexico lifting the title at the end. the struggling approach to adapt an strategic changes during unlikely transition has further vanished U.S. brilliant past image as the region’s best side and turned their rollercoaster scenario even more complicated. Klinsman had a penultimate chance to reclaim a trophy to put U.S. back on the track when facing Mexico on October 10. the newest title edition of concacaf, a single championship duel of previous two winners of gold cup to represent region in Confederations cup 2017 in Russia appeared to be most historic game between the two rivals and it was Oribe Peralta’s astonishing volley that triumphed Mexico to an amazing 3-2 extra-time win at Rose Bowl stadium to claim of being king of region, once again denying U.S. a major trophy, which would considered the most prestigious one in all their history.
The exclusion of London Donovan as the truly legend of U.S modern era by German Coach prior to brazil 2014 has emerged a simplified indication to rejuvenate more unity and cohesion to the heart of squad to impress in the world cup, however; the gap caused by his absence eventually has deepen the missing element of sparkling quality and difference making impact carried out by Donovan in the past; as it hugely affected their attacking mechanism visually, while proving almost impossible to be inspired by other player at Klinsman disposal at the moment. so the transition seem to continue its pathway to solidify and adapt some ideal pattern to change the overall shape of U.S. style perhaps by german coach, and more importantly the essential factor of effective communication and willingness must returned to dressing room very soon. with American being drawn in a touch group, it is a critical time for them to underline a much needed instruction and productivity to move step forward to catch up competing with bunch of gifted individuals in James Rodriguez, Jackson Martinez and Theofilos Gutierrez of Colombian team, whom DNA characteristics allow them to possess the ball, playing with so much fluidity and skill going forward, providing a new experience for American defense to rise their sharpness and awareness.
Colombian also struggled to produce a delightful show at last year Copa America except that masterful winning performance against Brazil, but eventually were eliminated by Argentina in the play-offs. James Rodriguez was far ineffective due to his struggling form at Real last year, while the entire team lacked sharpness in defensive transitions during last year’s tournament. they grasped four points from their first four world cup qualifying matches since November and surely will seek more time to be prepare physically and hoping to have all their stars available in this summer, given U.S. a real threat regardless of their circumstances until June. The opener against Colombians technically will be the most difficult one to boos confidence and earn at least a point in front of home fans. Paraguay will provide an intense tactical puzzle for American with their traditional packed and tight pressing defensively, committing to off the run quickly and when have a chance to switch a forward play with pace of Cardozo, they are good enough to link up and break American shaky backline. counter-attack and set pieces are their strength like how they played in the first meeting against Argentina in group stage of Copa America, coming from 2-0 down to equalize it through long balls, they actually were destroyed by the same opponent in the semi-final 6-1 and that happened mainly because their holding line pushed higher up the pitch in search of through forward balls, widen up spaces across two central midfielders for Argentinean’s skillful player to interchange and winning spaces constantly when gaining possession all over the midfield, denying Paraguay very little time to drop back. this fact would be considerable to Klinsman to set his team more combative across the flanks to win open runs if South American prefer to play more open passing, but the reliability of this approach to some extent will defuse its executions relatively on lack of flair and needed skills from U.S. attackers. going into this game with tossed up 50 percent chance of win could encourage American to dictate the physical pattern and take it away. the last opponent is one of American’s fierce rival in the region, Costa Rica.
They fairly established an international benchmark to be recognized as the region’s best ranking side when reaching quarter-final of 2014 world en route to their glorious performance, the best ever shown by Concacaf side. beaten Italy and Uruguay through strategic high pressing line, coordinated change of pace in midfield and exploiting wing plus great finishing contributed to their sensational intelligence trend of game, while being resilient and crafty to hold on Greece 1-1 after extra time with one man down over an hour before securing a delightful quarter-final birth by winning a penalty, entirely demonstrated their superb flexible interaction at dictating the pace of the game through their positional sense, while are capable technically to ignite rhythmic passing movement to punish opponents, U.S are well aware of spontaneous risks apparently flourishing by Costa Rican side to cause them a tactical makeshift and it could possibly ruin their dream therefore.
Joel Campbell club form with Arsenal in EPL and European cup provided inspiration, his dazzling left-footed runs on the flanks sparks flair and pace to wave off defenders when cutting inside, striking fearsome shots and slick passes will integrate creativity in attack, while Johan Vengas speedy play at wings brings great inswing crosses as Bryan Ruiz ample vision and experience boosts them a momentum in attacking transitions. playing with 5 defenders when pressing deeply increasing their mobility to win spaces and link up with crafty touches to change the pace on the flanks as Oscar Duarte or Giancarlo Gonzalez drifting centrally in advance positions to create and Bryan Ruiz shielding a holding defensive area to keep back line in comfort zone. their capability to exchange neat short passing game define their technical depth and tendency to press defensive positions across the midfield energetically if keeping up with physical challenge, boasts them a chance to knock opponent. so U.S. will have a lot to understudy prior to this tournament, it is beyond their comfort zone with largely experimenting quantity against rivals, meanwhile this event is ultimately a unique opportunity to adapt new technical patterns to their game and seeking a new benchmark at caliber international class if they want to inspire their brand of football from this struggling transition, a sensitive case for under-fired Jurgen Klinsman to achieve a history above all.
