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What to watch for when the USMNT takes on Argentina

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Argentina is good. Very good. Perhaps even the best. However, the CONMEBOL powerhouse and tournament favorites do have weaknesses that remain ripe for exploiting in Tuesday’s Copa America semifinal.

The U.S. Men’s National Team meets Argentina on Tuesday night in the aftermath of a quarterfinal win over fellow South American contender in Ecuador. Argentina, though, presents a whole new test, one that will be more difficult than any seen since the 2014 World Cup.

Alongside one of the game’s greats in Lionel Messi, Argentina boasts one of the world’s most in-form forwards in Gonzalo Higuain, fresh off a record breaking season in Serie A. Sergio Aguero remains waiting in the wings, while stars like Ezequiel Lavezzi, Nicholas Gaitan and Erik Lamela all provide threats from out wide. Add in a midfield duo featuring playmaker Ever Banega and bulldog Javier Mascherano, and Argentina has weapons. Lots of them.

The U.S. will need to limit those weapons, while highlighting the strengths of their own. For all of the narratives and the underdog status’ thrust upon them, the U.S. is a talented group, although it is also one that will need to battle through several notable suspensions.

Tuesday’s match is not David vs. Goliath; it’s a soccer match between two talented teams. One may be the best in the world, but the other will be given a chance to emerge victorious should they take advantage of the few flaws that stand on the other side. It will require a virtually perfect effort from an imperfect team, but there is room for a surprise on Tuesday night.

Here’s a look at what to watch for when the USMNT takes on Colombia:

LIMITING CRITICAL MISTAKES

Argentina is not a flawless team. Like any team, the Argentines make mistakes and, at times, they perhaps make a few more than many would expect from the world’s top team.

It all seems a bit obvious. Mistakes lead to goals and goals either win or lose you the game, depending on what side of the coin you fall on. It is no grand statement to say mistakes decide games, but the ability to create, and limit, mistakes will be crucial to the USMNT on Tuesday.

Against Venezuela, Argentina had their moments of sloppiness. Venezuela could have easily had a goal or two in the opening half, especially considering the horrendously taken panenka penalty that al but doomed them to defeat. Defensively, Argentina was far from perfect, as Venezuela created chances against an Argentina backline that is prone to mental lapses. A better and more clinical team will punish those mistakes, putting Argentina’s backs against the wall.

The issues lie in Argentina’s abilities on the other side. While his first goal was a moment of magic between himself and Messi, Gonzalo Higuain’s second finish came as a mere mental mistake. Then, with the game mostly decided, Erik Lamela fired Argentina’s fourth before Venezuela finished celebrating their own goal, as the Argentine’s took full advantage of a switched-off side in front of them.

The U.S cannot afford to switch off, even for one second. Argentina is too talented. However, the moments can and will come where the U.S. gets a chance to pounce, and their only hope is to be as clinical as ever in the face of those limited opportunities.

KEEPING AN EYE ON MESSI

It doesn’t take a tactical genius to point out that Lionel Messi will be a big part of the USMNT game plan. He’s widely regarded as one of the best players of all time, and is perhaps in his best form yet on the international level.

There’s no true blueprint for taking Messi out of the game. He’s too talented and too smart. The key is to limiting Messi as much as possible, something the U.S. does have the tools to do.

In the last match, Venezuela attempted the physical approach with varying success. Hack-a-Messi remains a viable strategy, but conceding set piece after set piece is a recipe for disaster. However, giving Messi space is equivalent to tactical suicide, as evidenced by his cross to Higuain on Argentina’s opener last time out.

Whether it’s Fabian Johnson or Matt Besler, the USMNT left back must understand their role. They cannot get caught up field, forcing John Brooks to step up to Messi. Leaving that side of the field exposed will all but certainly equal a chance, and Argentina doesn’t waste many of those.

Whoever plays in front of the left back must play their part, as will the midfielder brought into the lineup alongside Bradley. Messi is not a one-man job, and the U.S. will need to defend in numbers if they are to limit the Barcelona star’s powers. However, too many numbers will expose space for Higuain in the middle, leaving the U.S. in a bit of a lose-lose situation.

It’s all about balance and reading the game. Messi will force the USMNT into split-second decisions, and those decisions will have to be correct if the U.S. is to survive the onslaught on Tuesday.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WIDE AREAS

Throughout the Lionel Messi Era, Argentina’s achilles heel has always been their backline. An attack featuring Messi, Higuain, Sergio Aguero and co. makes that somewhat natural. On Tuesday, the USMNT will need to attack that backline, especially in the wide areas.

The fullback position has been a bit of an issue. Ramiro Funes Mori has been deployed out wide like fellow central defender Marcos Rojo, while Gabriel Mercado has generally held down the right back position. Generally, the backline has been Nicolas Otamendi and Funes Mori in the middle with Mercado and Rojo to the outside, and it is the latter two that are most ripe for exploiting.

Venezuela’s goal last game came after Rojo was beaten out wide before a cross found the head of Salomon Rondon. The U.S. does not have a physical beast like Rondon in the middle, but they do have players that can do damage out wide.

Whether it’s Gyasi Zardes, Graham Zusi, Fabian Johnson, Christian Pulisic or whoever else Klinsmann chooses to attack down the flanks, the U.S. has weapons. The key for those weapons will be finding space and dragging Otamendi and Funes Mori out of position, giving Dempsey the one-on-one matchup he needs to find the back of the net down the center.

Space will be limited down the middle, especially with Javier Mascherano patrolling in front of the backline, but if the U.S. can drag Argentina out wide, the door will open for potential chances in front of goal.

USMNT WILL NEED TO GRIND TO EARN RESULT

The U.S. cannot and will not win pretty on Tuesday night. They cannot go blow for blow with Argentina in an attacking slugfest and hope to emerge unscathed. If they are to slip into the Copa America finals, they will have to make it a brawl, and an ugly one at that.

Venezuela was prepared to go toe-to-toe with Argentina. What did they have to lose? They were unheralded underdogs against the world’s best. Look what it got them: a 4-1 defeat. You get no style points for pride, and the U.S. must swallow theirs a bit on Tuesday.

After months and years of preaching proactive soccer, the U.S. will need to be reactive on Tuesday. Argentina will dictate the play and will create a majority of the chances. The U.S. will need to be disciplined and smart, and cannot get too caught up in the moment by making heroic runs that look foolish when punished on the other side.

Much like they did in the second half against Ecuador, the U.S. will need to grind. They will need to foul and clear and time-waste, should the situation call. It will not be pretty and it may not be entertaining, but it will represent the USMNT’s best chance at earning a historic berth in the tournament finals.

Comments

  1. David was not a 3 or 4 to one dog. This isn’t Leicester City at a 1000 to 1. While it is likely that Argentina will win, If you can get 8 to 1 or better, the bookies say get your money down.

    Reply
  2. It is David versus Goliath. I don’t believe there was a King Davis in the Bible.

    Speaking of believing, I don’t believe that Gaitan can play tonight either.

    Go USA.

    Reply
  3. Maybe the US feels like the other pilots in Top Gun:
    Gentlemen, this is your first hop. The jets you are flying against are smaller, faster… and more maneuverable… just like the enemy MIGs. The clock is ticking, and we’re now keeping score.

    Reply
    • Wolfman: “Thirty seconds. He went like this, he went like that. I said to Hollywood”Where’d he go?” Hollywood says “Where’d who go?”

      Hollywood: “Yeah and he’s laughing at us.”

      Inserts Messi for Viper and Cameron and Brooks for Wolfman and Hollywood

      Reply
  4. I stopped by Rice University yesterday and watched a little bit of Argentina’s practice.
    They were walking around punching each other in the mouth like wham suggested our team should do.
    The boy is a genius.
    wham about to call me the two worst things he can think of, a woman or a mexican, in 3…2…1…

    Reply
    • I sure acquired a lot of real estate in that brain of yours didn’t I? Lets be real, you’ve never been anywhere near a University.

      Reply

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