With the next round of World Cup Qualifying almost upon us, I think it’s important to touch upon a few key points regarding the things we learned from the United States’ performance in the Copa America.
There is Still Room for Dempsey on this Team
There have been many critics and pundits saying that Clint Dempsey’s time is up on the National Team. Dempsey was the best player for the Unites States and was the only player that could be counted on to score a big goal. He should definitely be on the field during World Cup qualifying if the United States want to have their best squad on the field.
Bobby Wood is a Very Solid Target Striker, But…
Bobby Wood certainly played well as a target striker during the entire tournament and he certainly has a promising future, but it’s hard to feel completely satisfied with him as our number one option up front. However, it’s important to note that I haven’t felt satisfied with a United States target striker in my entire life, so this isn’t really too big of a knock on him. I really hope he’s able to take his game to the next level as the potential is there for him to be one of, if not the best, striker that the United States has ever had on the field.
John Brooks is the Real Deal
One of the biggest uncertainties that has occurred since the last World Cup has been the center back pairing. We have many strong good center backs, but for whatever reason, none of them have ever truly solidified themselves as a starting center back on this team. In my opinion, over the course of the tournament, John Brooks has done just that. He was solid in every game the team played, whether it was distributing out of the back or making key tackles in the oppositions attacking third. At only 23, he still has room to mature and get even better, which is very exciting for U.S Soccer fans.
What do you think of the U.S performance in the Copa America?
~ Steven Hold
Leave a Reply