2016 Centennial Copa America

I think anytime that you put on the national team jersey, it means something. Someone on here (I think Jump) was asking why they sure care about this tournament. I don't know about the rest of you, but I - and I don't even wear the jersey as a player - get hyped anytime the national team plays. There's something about hearing the national anthem at the beginning of a match that gives me goose bumps and fills me with pride... and if there's the possibility of a trophy at the end....

 

I absolutely did not see anything close to the Chile-Mexico result happening. I thought that was going to be an outstanding matchup and NOT.

 

The El Tri game was a train wreck, you couldn't keep your eyes off of. It reminded me of a youth game. The goals were basically tap-ins, lucky it didn't end 10-0. I can only imagine what the Mexican press said the next day.

 

Yahoo is my homepage, and to open the computer and see the headline for tonight's game 'Biggest Match in US Men's History' was surprising. I'd would either go with 02' WC quarterfinal or the Columbia match of '94, what are the biggest matches for you? Will be rocking my Dempsey black jersey (my better half bought for Father's Day, but gave it to me the morning of the Ecuador match, got to say, it's pretty sharp) w/the San Gabriel Valley chapter of the Outlaws in Covina @tim @LaxAttack.

Will be interesting to see the lineup, a couple of keys:

• Michael Bradley must bring it tonight. He has the ability and in the final 15 minutes his heart and determination were on full display v Ecuador. Expecting Beckerman in which would allow him to be more offensive. Oh Captain our Captain.....LET"S GO!!!

• Shake off opening nerves. Expecting Argentina to create some good chances in opening 10-15, just hoping we can withstand them.

 

Absorb (Brooks and Cameron and Guzan have been brilliant) and counter. I wouldn't be surprised with a 3-0 Argentina win and to the same, a 2-1 US wouldn't surprise me. I'm curious as to what the 11 will be, particularly up front. And %$#*#&# the federation that denied the Jones and Wood appeals. Jones has no business being suspended, terrible call - yeah, there's no emotion in these matches, Wood, regrettably, I could accept as a running rule that was applied.

 

And Wondo needs to atone for Belgium - he scores tonight b/c i lit a candle.

 

Between the suspended players and playing Argentina my expectations are low but my hopes are high.

I've been a Beckerman fan for years but I don't think he's the answer against Messi and company. However, without a formation change that moves Cameron into midfield I can't come up with a viable lineup that leaves Beckerman as substitute option.

 

"my expectations are low but my hopes are high" - BW

That was my mantra entering bars in my 20s. It seemed to work out ok. COUSA!

I think Beckerman can do the job - even against Argies

 

I'd love to be optimistic, but I just don't see us getting a sniff of their goal without Woods and Jermaine. Perfectly willing to be proven wrong as hell, but I also think Messi, Higuain and DiMaria will have a heyday against our defenders. The defense has been much better, but these guys are not just a little better than our opponents thus far, they're a LOT better. The best we can hope for is a gallant one goal defeat. Anything above that is a miracle. And anything can happen if it goes to kicks from the spot.

 

Funny you mentioned Mexico supporters Don, I saw the Argentine coach hope the Mexican fans in Houston would pull for them. All the El Tri supporters I know say Mexican fans HATE Argentina.

Saw the Chilean team got a new soft drink sponsor... 7-Up

 

In the words of Ric Flair: Wooooooooooooooo!!!!

 

Argentina is really good. The US played like crap. Even if they didn't play like crap, they likely weren't going to win.

Messi's free kick was unreal.

 

We certainly missed the 3 players (HD, Jones would've helped as well), but Argentina is on a mission and weren't about to take us lightly. Michael Bradley has been awful for 2 years now, the guy from 3-4 years ago is lone gone and I'm afraid he's never going to return. He literally has forgotten how to pass the ball to anyone else but the opposing team. I have a question that deserves it's own thread...

 

Just another day at the office for Albicelestes. And we were just bad. Midfield was a disaster. But about what I expected. Guzan took a half step the wrong way on Messi's free kick but, even if he hadn't, no way he gets more than a fingernail on it, if he's lucky. And Wondo's two bonehead plays that led to it were typical of the subs' contributions. The question is: Where do we go from here? I think we're stuck with JK on the touchline through Russia, so somebody needs to put a bug in his ear about team selection. We've got to have better options than Wondo, Beckerman, Zusi, etc. Somewhere. I've seen better players here in USL, for goodness sakes.

 

that was painful and i agree with the above posts. at some point when bradley took the armband he lost his talent - it's truly strange to see his regression. I expected a loss but also a better effort by all. Guzan was maybe at fault for the first goal, then whatever...Messi, in about the 20th minute, had four US defenders around him and he kept driving forward instead of going down. Because my wee one is a Barca supporter I've seen that for the past couple of years and it is a joy to watch the best player on the planet commit to continuing his play because it ultimately ends up rewarding his club/team. Wondo was a rough choice, but as I've made clear, he is close to my heart as a Quakes family. My boy said he would make up for the Belgium miss yesterday and oh how I wish that were true.

 

Well that was disappointing - not entirely unexpected, but certainly disappointing. So much for JK's talk about taking the game to the opposition. We seemed a bit star-struck for most of the game.

Maybe Guzan could have reacted better on the first goal, but who was marking Lavezzi? You can't let a guy have a free run inside the penalty area like that.

I've heard a lot recently about the depth of the US team. It certainly doesn't seem like we are quite there yet, with everyone's comments regarding the lost players. I think there were better options than inserting the over 30 squad.