Copa America game thread

DJnVa

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
54,114
That's right boys and girls, big time soccer/football is back in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Pulisic. It's time to let freedom ring all over again, in a tournament named after us--Copa America.





Up first, Colombia, for some Copa America revenge. That's right, 1995 hasn't been forgotten, even if our best player (Pulisic, what????) had not even been born yet. The US finished 4th in the Copa America that year, mostly cuz Colombia get all uppity in the consolation game.

I hope Colombia is ready to see some of this:


Because the only way they won't see 90 minutes of that tomorrow night is if Jurgen takes pity on them and saves Pulisic the important games in the knockout round and only plays him 20 minutes or so. Even if that happens, he's still the odds on favorite for the Golden Boot, because Pulisic.






Friday schedule:

Colombia vs. 'Merica, 9:30

Let's get ready to rock.
 
rodderick

rodderick

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 24, 2009
12,846
Belo Horizonte - Brazil
Rooting against Brazil, as always. Dunga is a joke, CBF is probably the world's most corrupt entity and brazilian football needs serious structural reforms that will only be possible if the national team continues to embarrass itself to the point it precipitates change. So go everyone else!
 
Zososoxfan

Zososoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2009
9,235
South of North
rodderick said:
Rooting against Brazil, as always. Dunga is a joke, CBF is probably the world's most corrupt entity and brazilian football needs serious structural reforms that will only be possible if the national team continues to embarrass itself to the point it precipitates change. So go everyone else!
Click to expand...
Marcelo approves this message.
 
Jed Zeppelin

Jed Zeppelin

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2008
51,536
Tangled Up In Red said:
Praying for Nagbe.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I'm kind of expecting to see them roll very conservative at the open with an older and less optimized version of the WC lineup. Jones, Beckerman, and Bradley with Dempsey ridiculously alone and useless up front. Poor possession, bunkerball for 70 then bring on Wood and hope he can find a seam. Of course, with such a lineup I would secretly hope to concede in the first 45 to force some positive changes.
 
coremiller

coremiller

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
5,854
rodderick said:
Rooting against Brazil, as always. Dunga is a joke, CBF is probably the world's most corrupt entity and brazilian football needs serious structural reforms that will only be possible if the national team continues to embarrass itself to the point it precipitates change. So go everyone else!
Click to expand...
If losing a world cup semifinal at home 7-1 wasn't sufficiently embarrassing to precipitate change, what is?
 
Cellar-Door

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,787
I fully expect Jurgen to roll out the slow mid-field of old people who won't be on this team in Brazil, then have to sit really deep to make up for their inadequacies while the CF plays CM, and our attack is stagnant.
 
Zososoxfan

Zososoxfan

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 30, 2009
9,235
South of North
I don't disagree with the sentiment in here, but if the strategy is to have Bradley serve long balls to Clint, Zardes, and a third target, that's not necessarily a bad defensive strategy if it let's you have two strong holding MF (Jones/Beckerman) play behind/alongside him. James is going to create a lot of problems and Cuadrado is a workhorse who will create a numerical advantage, so having Jones/Beckerman bracket James and help on Bacca is a nice defensive setup. It also gives the FB more of a chance to bomb forward while providing cover so Cuadrado doesn't get behind Yedlin or Johnson consistently. Ideally Clint plays as a #10 behind Wood, because I think he can hold up play and dictate a late arriving offense (and an occasional break) nicely.

Guzan/Howard
Johnson-Brooks-Besler-Yedlin
Beckerman-Bradley-Jones
Zardes (shuttling on the outside)
Dempsey
Woods

More likely though, Bedoya starts and not Woods, and he and Zardes are shuttling on the outside and Dempsey is up top with minimal help. But, I don't have a problem with being solid in the midfield. My issue is more with Dempsey lining up as an out and out striker.
 
McBride11

McBride11

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
22,175
Durham, NC
Im oddly more excited about this than the gold cup. I think we have a better chance of seeing some of the new blood out there, which we really need. If we try rolling Jones/Beckerman/Dempsey alone come 2018 we wont leave the group. We may not make the quarters v Brasil but could get the kids some experience.
 
Titans Bastard

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,457


A few thoughts:

1) Defense as expected, can't imagine there will be too many complaints. (It would be nice to have FJ play midfield, but well -- LB is what it is for us.)

2) I like this midfield more than a Bradley/Jones/Beckerman midfield, which I worried would be too imbalanced with all three wanted to occupy too much of the same space.

3) I don't love the offensive configuration, since Dempsey really isn't a CF. I expect, though, that we'll see some sort of asymmetric configuration with Wood playing a little higher and tucking in and Dempsey dropping deep at times.


I look forward to seeing what Nagbe and Pulisic can do as impact subs.


EDIT: and the continuity is good. Build understanding between Cameron & Brooks. Build on Bradley's productive three halves as DM, etc.
 
Cellar-Door

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,787
Not bad.
If it plays like it did last time, it's really more of a 4-4-2 diamond since Dempsey kept falling back into more of a CAM role with Zardes (and to a lesser extend Wood tucking inside). Though at other times it felt like a 4-2-3-1, (Bradley and Jones deep, Zardes on the top).
 
Tangled Up In Red

Tangled Up In Red

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Nov 8, 2004
4,543
Potrero
Should play it as a 4-3-2-1 with Wood high. Be interesting to see how Bradley, Bedoya & Jones handle the 6/8/8+ (no real 10) rules.
 
Titans Bastard

Titans Bastard

has sunil gulati in his sights
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 15, 2002
14,457
It's going to be a hot one. The US players are dripping sweat and the game is still 45 minutes away. JK will need to keep an eye on Fabian in particular, who has a rep for struggling in the heat later in the game.
 
DJnVa

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
54,114
So, twitter was wrong or the team changed their minds--wearing white.

What's weird is that one tweet said the US is technically the visitor and that's why they would be wearing road black.
 
luckiestman

luckiestman

Son of the Harpy
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
32,821
DrewDawg said:
So, twitter was wrong or the team changed their minds--wearing white.

What's weird is that one tweet said the US is technically the visitor and that's why they would be wearing road black.
Click to expand...

Man, I don't like the shade of blue on the sleeves
 
candylandriots

candylandriots

unkempt
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 30, 2004
12,377
Berlin
Ok I'm not an expert by any means, but why is Bradley playing in front of Wood?

Never mind, looks like a mistake on the broadcast I'm watching.
 
Last edited:
DJnVa

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
54,114
I'm calling it--2-1 US with a Pulisic goal late to win.
 
DJnVa

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
54,114
They need to fix the audio, it makes it anti-climatic.
 
OCST

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,560
The 718
Audio might be a distortion caused by the stadium, this place is an abortion
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom