I would start Pulisic and Nagbe and Dempsey and tell them to get into the attack early and score goals. I would tell Zardes to trail the offensive play from the right and get into the empty channels and wait for a poach or pass and get back fast on the turnover. I think Fab might end up in mid, man marking DiMaria a/o Messi from mid while Besler plays left back defensively. So, ----Yedlin----Cam----Brooks---Besler -------Zardes---?Bradley---Johnson- --------------Nagbe-------Pulisic -------------------Dempsey If Nagbe cant hack it and gets dispossessed a lot or cant advance the ball we can..........well, I'm not sure what we do because we left Morris home and the dmids are Ktichen and Beckerman if we send Johnson forward. Not sure how either of those pick DiMaria or Messi up at midfield. A healthy Hedges would have been good for this game, much as for the Belgium game but Klinsman is usally planning for Guatemala-Mexico level
Haven't had an update from the Argentine media other than he might be available for the semi, but that was shortly after he was injured. He'd been running around in practice. Found an update. He's expected to be on the bench and available. #AngelDiMaria iría al banco de suplentes frente a #EstadosUnidos por la #semifinal de la #CopaAmerica @as— Veronica Brunati (@verobrunati) June 19, 2016
I doubt they play him. I'm sure they're confident they can beat us without him and want to rest him to make sure he's ready for the final.
If they need a goal late I don't think they hesitate to put him in. IMO he's almost as much a driver of the team as Messi. He keyed the win over Chile. But yeah ideally they won't need him.
I know I'm a Houston guy, but I've been to the last 7 World Cups and really believe this stadium is about as good as it gets when it comes to really large-attendance soccer games (i.e, excluding the small places like in Lens or Kaiserslautern), other than the unfortunate fact that the field will probably be 2-4 yards narrower than optimum. It's got vertical, steep stands, so the views of the field for a 70K-seat stadium are as good as you can get for that size. One (not me) could argue the stands are too vertical, so much so that it causes some problems with growing natural grass throughout the field year round. This is an excellent stadium when it comes to the business of watching soccer. I just wish they didn't rely on the retractable rooftop environmental control as much as they do.
In incredibly not shocking news: The protest against the cards issued to Jermaine Jones & Bobby Wood has been dismissed. Neither eligible for #USAvARG— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 20, 2016
I'm really worried about Yedlin, but I guess I'm outnumbered 100-1 in not wanting him in the starting lineup. I'd like to see him used as a super-sub wing, like in the World Cup. Of course, we have no ideal replacement at right back, but we knew that when the roster was set.
The positive side is that despite all the reports that Jones would be suspended for two matches (violent conduct), most media sources are saying that Jones is only suspended for one match.
The rules state that any straight red card due to violent conduct is punishable by a minimum of a 3 game suspension however, the Copa America rules don't mention anything pertaining to this. It's stupid an official announcement has not been made to clear this up.
I agree 100%! I want to match up with the best, and Argentina is a monster. We'll never get better if we don't play these kind of matches. We're surrounded. It's the last stand Amigos. Welcome to Houston! Time to roll up our sleeves and get mean. Wish they'd play this tune prior to the game though.
And kroos, and James. It also saw Man U overpay for rojo. On the one hand, I saw Venezuela have chances at the end of the half, and basically gift the argies the first two goals. On the other, Argentina is th class of this tournament. It will take our very best and for them to have a bad day. Not having jones......well it depends which jones was going to show up to know how that trade works out. Bedoya is replaceable by zusi. Wood is the one we'll miss. If you'd told me a month ago I'd say that I would have called you a liar My 11 for now. Move fab to bedoyas left wing, dy at right back. Zusi to right wing, zardes up top for pace. I think I want nagbe in for jones. Becks is too slow against this team. I might even bring in kitchen and sit both he and Bradley deep.