My point is though, if the USA are so good they'd at least get honorable results against Costa Rica away from home. They didn't and I can't see that changing this time either. If you want to qualify for the WC in South America, you either need to win all of your home games, or win a few and get a couple of results away from home. Neither of which the USA are capable of in my opinion and I base that off the away results in CONCACAF over the last 2 qualifying cycles. If the USA were to ever have qualified in South America I'd say in 2002 as the only time. The USA were irrelevant before 1994 and they weren't good enough to qualify in the other cycles. ESPECIALLY not in this one.
Respectable. I can understand getting the thrill to play against the South American sides, and even beating 2 of them, but I just think some people on here are being bitter and getting ahead of themselves. Like that one guy who said USA are better than every CONMEBOL side other than Chile and Argentina, that's a shocking statement to make really.
Ok you want to play this game let's play it. If the USA was thrown into Conmebol they would need roughly 25 points assuming 5 spots are up for grabs with all your top dogs competing. These are mostly likely results for the USA as of right now Home- Boliva, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela Away- Boliva, Venezuela , Draw vs Peru That's 22 points with no upsets. (because I do give us a punchers chance vs Colombia at home)That only puts us 3 points out of qualifying position without the possibility of getting 1 point vs any of your top teams Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and Colombia
The problem the U.S. had last night boils downtown awful tactics. We played a press with our front three and conservatively with the back 7. Stupid. This opens up space between and served up our biggest weakness (Beckerman's range). You can press, but all 10 field players must do so in coordination. You can also sit back with all 10 (but not park the bus). Ideally, you mix this up (maybe 70-80% of the time back absorbing and the balance pressing in 4-5 minute spurts). First goal was down to horrible marking on a short corner. It was as if we never even thought abt this scenario. It's on 1-Klimsmann and 2-Beckerman not even bothering to see the player who scored. Second goal was pure Wondo selection being asked to duplicate Wood. Dumb. We were dumb. Plain and simple. Credit to Argentina for being the best team in the world IMO, but our tactics made things too easy by opening up space between Bradley+KB. Played more intelligently, could have easily been a 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 type of match. Argentina clearly would have been in control, but our formations/selection actually expose our weaknesses. Mind blowing. And Klimsmann had the nerve to say we respected them too much. No JK, you hung the middle of the field out to dry. Beckerman at his most fit/athletic at 26 couldn't have done what you asked him to do. 4-5-1 would have made sense.
The home wins seem reasonable. Can't argue there. Away wins? Venezuela and getting a draw in Peru is a big maybe but you won't win at Bolivia. Draw max.
And why wouldn't we win at La Paz? Bolivia has had a tough opening qualifying because the only teams around their level that they have played are Venezuela which they beat at home and a lost to Paraguay away
Altitude. Its extremely difficult to play there, and if there isn't enough preparation, you'll get smashed. For example, Argentina didn't prepare for Bolivia away in the 2010 qualifiers. Result? Bolivia beat Argentina 6-1. Uruguay beat them in La Paz this time, but it was their first ever win in La Paz in their entire history. The teams that usually beat Bolivia in La Paz are Colombia, Chile and Ecuador, all 3 teams who have players who are somewhat used to altitude, and even they struggle. I've been in Cusco. Just climbing up the stairs made me lose my breath. Imagine playing a 90 minute game of football.
The US has trouble regularly with the altitude of Azteca and Bolivia is worse. Hell, even Brazil and Argentina struggle away at Bolivia.
You might as well say teams like 2014 Switzerland, 2006 Sweden, 2002 Denmark, 2002 Sweden, etc. wouldn't be able to handle something South American qualifying yet all those teams eliminated South American teams in the World Cup.
capital of La Paz Department. It is located on the western side of Bolivia at an elevation of roughly 3,650 m (11,975 ft) HOLY CRAP THAT'S HIGH
Playing European opposition on neutral ground is different than playing South American opposition at their home turf.
I think USA's away results to fellow American sides are quite poor and probably is a good argument that they would struggle to get wins away to South American teams in competitive matches. However, had 1 or 2 of those results gone differently, you could argue it differently, so there is not much in it.
I feel the USA would be like Paraguay in terms of success, able to qualify on occasion but certainly not every single time.
tournament games are different to conmebol qualifiers its like cup vs league games case study is Peru have not failed to get out of CA groups since 97 (SF in 2011 and 2015) but have struggled mightily in the marathon format of conmebol
Id have to say the US could qualify in SA but it would be extremely rare, if US plays all qualifying games in Seattle they stand a better chance than playing in other cities. Truth of the matter is that to qualify in SA you must protect home Ecuador, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil rarely lose a game at home during qualifiers in fact they've only lost 3 combined last qualifier, and to add Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela are no cakewalk either averaging 2 losses each Paraguay having 4 at home. Out of 72 qualifying games last qualifier only 13 matches have been in favor of the visiting team thats about 18% and 10 of those came from Chile, Argentina, and Colombia, 12 if you add Uruguay. Winning away is a blessing thats why most teams are more than happy to walk from enemy territory with a draw it a big result. Half the teams in SA would be able to walk into the US and take 3 points easy, the others are more than capable of a draw. I can see the US beating Bolivia and Venezuela at home. It very hard to see the US qualify in SA not saying they cant but it's hard.