Riquelme had a hand in three out of the four goals. Crespo scored a brace. The Aimar header came from a beautiful cross from Heinze. Tevez rounded off the tally. However, the first goal came from a PK sweetly placed by Eddie Johnson. The match saw the US debut of Marvel Wynn and Hercules Gomez. Justin Mapp showed that he is a talent to be followed.
8 comments on “Video: Copa America: Argentina outclasses USA, 4-1”
(Not as a journalist, but from a US supporter’s perspective)
I wouldn’t say Justin Mapp proved much at all. He played a lot of the field and showed a couple of decent looking control moves, but he looked pretty slow and killed most of the possessions he was involved in. He also had trouble making decent contact on balls intended to travel more than 10 yards.
While Wynn took a brief moment to adjust to the speed of Argentina’s attack force, he definitely proved competent along the outside in defense as far as positioning, effort and execution.
Within the first 2/3 of the match, the US defense also rotated and collapsed well on threats up the middle, bogging down free-running attacks. It’s pretty noteworthy that the first Argentinian goal stemmed from set-piece just outside the box. And while they probably didn’t earn his respect, they had Messi frustrated.
It was pretty disappointing to see the lack of quality wing play from the Americans. With respect to their plans to contain the Argentinian passing game (in effect limiting wing release opportunities), even when they did make it up the lines, the quality of touches and crosses was atrocious from all parties involved. So they resorted to the “Go get it Eddy” longball which was profitable the first time around. But Argentina did their job in adjusting and Eddie Johnson didn’t appear to have the heart to push forward in subsequent chances while his support trailed cautiously at best.
But again regardless of the limited US depth and attack arsenal, I’ll side with many here stateside: The first 2/3 of the match was enjoyable and for that time, I believed that the US belonged on the field with the high octane Argentinian squad.
Good observations. But one of Messi’s assets is that he is also an unselfish player (a knock against him during the WC was that he had his opportunities but deferred to others) and so he often times becomes a provider.
I think wing play, just one of the hardest skills, develops as the players become more familiar with each other. It requires a co-ordinated effort and anticipation on the part of the player on the wings and the players who are the recipients of that service. This squad is very young and Bradley need to emphasize this aspect in his tranining. Otherwise we will see the all too familiar long ball as we did yesterday.
Overall not a terrible performance from the US. I thought Feilhaber was very good, Eddie Johnson was pretty good, though still a bit disappointing in terms of work rate, and Mapp showed some potential, though in the end I think he lacks the pace needed to be a real force. Bornstein still looks good going forward and still scares me in the defensive third. Wynne looked over his head in the first half in particular, though he was a bit better in the second. Maybe he’ll be something worthwhile in a few years. Conrad and Demerit were solid but unspectacular, and Rico Clark was thoroughly outclassed, for which he can be excused, given the level of competition. Finally, I would hope that this match settles the debate about whether or not Twellman can play at the international level–he can’t. As always his work rate was admirable but futile. Lots of runs to nowhere, flicks to nobody, loose control and sparyed passes. He lost every 50-50 ball in the air, ending up on his backside more often than not, and he was passive and backward looking rather than attacking when he did control the ball. If you aren’t dangerous in the air and you aren’t dangerous with the ball at your feet, you just don’t offer much as a striker. Nice guy, nice player in MLS, but not a legit strike option for the Nats.
lol Shourin his email wasn’t public until yer comment.
Feilhaber is one of our best players, we need someone else to take the freekicks tho. I hope we see more Lee Nguyen in this tournament.
It doesn’t halp that US carted the B team out there…
The Americans played with great heart and grit in the first 60 minutes. Bornstein and the other defenders did a great of containing Messi for 1st half and change. I didn’t know Riquelme was on the field till the goals began raining down. Great effort from our C-Team, we didn’t sit 10 men in the box and still played well, but were out-classed what could be called one of the best teams in soccer right now. Fantastic 1st touch and clinical finishing by Tevez.
Well I cannot be entirely disappointed with the US’s performance. They did bring out their B team that needed the experience and what better way to get it then going up against one of the best teams in the world. They held there own for the most part of the game and made things tough for Argentina. You could see it on Messi’s face.
Also, Bradley needs to develop the younger players and get them rolling in to the team. Any person who has played any team sport knows there is going to be rough games when a coach is testing his squad. How a team adapts is the true test and the way Bradley has been coaching, I have faith that he can put a solid team together with the selection he has right now.
With everything that has been said, I agree with most of it. Spitz makes good observations, as well as Shourin. Wing play is a tough skill for a team to develop, but never the less, a player at the international level should be able to put a decent cross in to the box, even across the field! I know I saw times where a field change was taking place and it was not put on target. I laughed a bit when Wynn was trailing back to an over kicked field change and he just gave up on it. That is my two cents on wing play
Tbrax, I agree with you on the Twellman comment. The guy works hard, but he is missing something. He has to find his step and get in to the groove of things if he wants to hold a spot on the team. By the looks of it though, don’t think he’ll be around much longer. A guy I would like to see play more is Herculez Gomez. I’ve seen him play a few games in the MLS and he can make things happen. Kind of reminds me of Bravo from Mexico.
Anyway, I’ll be done with this post. All in all, US took a punch but I have faith they can regroup.
Fellas we did not do so bad. The score lies. The game was closer than that. I know it looks as if we got rocked 4-1. But those goals came in the last 25 minutes of the game. The kids did well, just not great. I think we can beat Colombia (no offense and from that 5-0 they got yesterday no D as well). I know Paraguay has Roque but they are not Argentina. We are a very discipline team. We have some good young talent. We should make it as #2 team or one of the two #3 that advance. Hope that we can Mexico in the Quaterfinals, we will be alright if we get them since we are their PAPIS!!!!