Facing off with Argentina will never be an easy task, but the U.S. Men’s National Team’s Copa America semifinal will be all the more difficult given several notable absences.
Heading into Tuesday’s semifinal clash, the USMNT will have to overcome suspensions to Jermaine Jones, Bobby Wood and Alejandro Bedoya. The trio’s absences will leave the USMNT without several key pieces in the starting XI, leaving Jurgen Klinsmann’s side shorthanded against Lionel Messi and the highly-favored Argentines.
The return of DeAndre Yedlin does provide Klinsmann with his favored right back, while several other performances in the team’s quarterfinal win against Ecuador could prove to be the difference-maker as Klinsmann puts the pieces together to take on Argentina.
With that said, here’s a look at one potential lineup Klinsmann could go with for Tuesday’s semifinal:
Some thoughts:
Heading into the match against Argentina, one thing is clear: the USMNT will have some major shuffling to do.
Suspensions to Jermaine Jones, Bobby Wood and Alejandro Bedoya rob the USMNT of three definite starters. In their absence, the U.S. will be without their top No. 9 and two pieces of a three-man central midfield, leaving Klinsmann with some major decisions to make when it comes to reassembling his starting XI.
Starting from the back, DeAndre Yedlin will rejoin the starting lineup following suspension, while the centerback tandem of Brooks and Cameron will look to build on what has been a magnificent tournament. The main decision comes at left back following Matt Besler’s strong showing against Ecuador.
Against Argentina, the left side of the field will be vital, although Wood’s suspension leave the U.S. in need of adjustment on the flanks. Whoever starts at left back will be charged with the almost impossible task of keeping an eye on Lionel Messi. Besler provides a defensive-minded option, one that will almost certainly avoid being caught out of position throughout Tuesday’s match.
Fabian Johnson would be pushed up the field to his preferred left wing position, allowing him freedom to use his speed to get forward while also keeping him local to keep an eye on Messi should a double-team be necessary. The only way to mark Messi is by committee, and having two players with defensive chops on one side of the field will only aid the USMNT cause. Johnson will need to pick his spots of when to get forward and when to get stuck in, but the USMNT’s best chances at stopping Messi will be by fully utilizing his ability in the midfield.
Next to him will be Michael Bradley, who will need to adjust to a new partnership one way or another. Given his performances, Klinsmann will likely be hesitant to move Bradley away from the No. 6, making the inclusion of Kyle Beckerman a bit of a negative one. Throughout the tournament, the USMNT has looked to be proactive in the face of challenges, and adding in Beckerman from the get-go would seem to be an invitation to break the USMNT down for 90 straight minutes. However, given everything Argentina possesses, Beckerman is the logical choice.
Defensively, he can protect the backline in the moments where Messi cuts inside, while also keeping an eye on playmakers like Ever Banega. The inclusion of Darlington Nagbe is a tempting one, but given his inexperience and Klinsmann’s comments about his need to improve on the defensive end, it’s hard to see the USMNT going with him in a winner-take-all clash with Argentina.
Sticking with the 4-4-2 formation that has proven successful, the right midfield spot remains open following Bedoya’s suspension. Graham Zusi appears the obvious replacement. Although he doesn’t defend as well as Bedoya, Zusi is another player that can grind and grind, making him a valuable presence down the line against Nicholas Gaitan or Erik Lamela. To this point, Zusi has impressed whenever he has gotten time, and his introduction provides a potential goalscorer and playmaker down the right side.
Up top, Dempsey will drop deeper as he typically does, helping the USMNT facilitate an attack against Argentina’s backline. Despite all of their talents, the Argentina backline is prone to mistakes, especially out wide. Dempsey will be key in exposing those mistakes and the spaces that come, while the Seattle Sounders star remains the USMNT’s most potent option in front of goal.
While Dempsey facilitates play, Zardes serves as the USMNT’s battering ram. The forward’s athleticism will pose a problem for even the most talented defenders, giving the USMNT a chance at creating those one or two moments that will need to lead to goals. Venezuela provided a blueprint in a game that could have been much close than it was, and it will be up to Zardes and Dempsey to take advantage of the chances that Venezuela wasted in what turned out to be a rout.
Depending on the situation, the USMNT will have options off the bench. Perry Kitchen seems a logical substitution should the U.S. need to hunker down, while Nagbe could provide an attacking spark in place of Beckerman should the U.S. need to push up. Christian Pulisic remains an option, despite limited minutes, although an introduction against Argentina would be a lot to ask of the young star.
Given the hand they have been dealt, the USMNT face a difficult task, but one that isn’t impossible. They will need to play mistake-free, while the U.S. will also need to capitalize in ways that Venezuela could not. Even with the personnel limitations, Klinsmann still has plenty at his disposal to orchestrate what would be one of the most memorable wins in USMNT history, one that would send the team to a major tournament final.