Well, that was an anti-climax wasn’t it? Thanks for the memories, Copa America.
As has been said elsewhere, by smarter people: the end of the Copa America is also the end of real competition for 2007, unless you are excited about our friendlies this fall, including a match at the Nou Camp against a “country” that FIFA doesn’t even recognize. Yee haw, look out world football powers, here come the Yanks.
Regardless, there are some things we can all learn from this experience, including never to drink the agua in the team hotel. Meet me after the jump for some thoughts from the Copa.
I’ll be the first to admit that I thought the USMNT played poorly in Copa America. It was clear that in defense we were simply shambolic, while in the midfield we struggled to maintain possession and the forwards remain unable to generate any significant pressure. That, combined with Kasey Keller’s sleepwalking rotunine against Paraguay give weight to the argument that this was not a showing of quality futbol from the US squad, but what did we learn? Here are a few things, numbered for your convenience. Please to enjoy.
1. You heard it here: Bob Bradley is the real deal
If its true that Bradley wanted Donovan to come to Copa its clear that Bradley wanted to have Landon in South America to provide leadership, which means Bradley knows the team pretty well but also wanted to give Landy Cakes a choice. He tried to include Donovan, but now Bradley has started grooming replacements for Landy Cakes, who probably will be neither the captain nor the best player on the squad when the US gets to South Africa. Nice work BB. And oh yeah, he can coach his butt off.
2. Feilhaber is to Peyton Manning as Donovan is to Dan Marino
When he plays in the middle of the park the US are a better team than when he doesn’t, which separates him from Landon who could not be less of a leader. Paired with Michael Bradley and Freddy Adu, Benny is the future of the USMNT because he makes the team better, which Donovan doesn’t do. Feilhaber’s winning strike against Mexico is probably just the first of many and his passing is getting better by the day. Seriously, he could be the best US player ever, and it shouldn’t take long to show it.
3. Kasey Keller is finished with the USMNT
Did you see some of his efforts against Paraguay? Compared with his replacement Brad Guzan, Keller looked confused and a few steps slow. Guzan played with more confidence as the Columbia match wore on, and his Guzan’s penalty stop was a nifty bit of keeping, if you like that sort of thing. Thanks for the memories, Double K, please don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. I just hope that this opens the door for the next generation of US goalkeepers.
4. Everyone needs to go to Europe
Not on vacation, but to play soccer. And I mean right now. Bornstein, Boswell, Sacha K., Guzan, Mapp, Clark, Wynne and Gaven, just for starters. These guys are young enough to be able to learn from higher quality European coaches, just like the guys in Copa America who kicked their butts. I don’t care if we take every good US player under 26 and ship them all to play in the Norwegian Tippeligaen, US players need games that matter against players who want to win. MLS doesn’t provide that, its too safe. Look at some of the players in the US team who are improving the most, guys like Dempsey, Pearce and DeMerit. They’re busting it every week in Europe, not hanging out in California with Bianca and the dogs.
5. The team is getting better
While the Copa result leaves a bad taste in our mouths and nothing much to hold onto (a little like Spring Break) I think most soccer fans recognize that the decision to take a team to COMNEBOL’s tournament, even if it was a weak squad, was a bold move for the USSF. We risked something, (especially in a country like Venezuela, where we are not well liked at the moment) which is not something US Soccer is in the habit of doing. If we had taken a better team, I think we might have advanced past the group stage, as it is I think that the growth of our youngsters on the senior national team, combined with a good showing at the U-20 World Cup gives plenty of hope for the future of US Soccer, which looked to be pretty bleak only a year ago.
