GOAL US writers debate USMNT in Gold Cup, who has impressed and the chances of actually lifting a trophy at the end
Job one done, then. The USMNT won their first two games, and made it through to the Gold Cup last eight without breaking much of a sweat. They brushed aside a very bad Trinidad & Tobago, 5-0, before making it a little bit trickier on themselves with a dicey 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia.
Still, it's the results that count here, and that already-not-very-scary Haiti fixture on Sunday night now looks even less concerning.
Addages about "you can only play who's in front of you" aside, there's quite a bit to take from the opening two games. This, remember, is still largely a USMNT B team – one missing the likes of Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and Weston McKennie – with opportunities for players to break into the World Cup side.
Good performances count for both now and the future. It's a fine time to impress Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT coaching staff. And a fair few have. Diego Luna looks good. Chris Richards is excellent at the back. Malik Tillman is making his case.
And with the steadying presence of veterans such as Tyler Adams and Tim Ream, mixed with a number of relatively inexperienced players getting more and more minutes, the USMNT will be hoping to continue a run in this Gold Cup. They have now advanced past the group in all 18 editions of the tournament, and only once failed to reach the semifinals – in 2000 when they lost to Colombia in a penalty shootout.
Two up, two down, on to the knockouts. Do the USMNT look more or less likely to win the tournament?
GOAL US writers break it all down in another edition of… The Rondo.
Getty ImagesHow do you rate the USMNT's Gold Cup performance?
Jacob Schneider: Make it 5/10. In tournament soccer, all that matters is winning – it doesn’t matter how you get it done. For the USMNT, though, it’s just been generally uninspiring and bland. Sure, it’s the B team, but through two games it’s been tough to see the vision of where this team can actually go.
Ryan Tolmich: We'll give it a nice 8/10. Two wins from two, you can't fault them there – even if the Saudi Arabia game was a little tighter than some would have wanted. In the long run, that will be seen as a good thing, a test of this team's mettle and persistence. Generally, though, compared to the performances this team produced prior to the Gold Cup – losing four straight coming in – their tournament efforts have left little to criticize.
Alex Labidou: The first two games, 6/10. Heading into the Gold Cup, there were viable concerns about the state of the USMNT – and Pochettino did an underrated job of stabilizing the ship amid poor performance and outside noise. That's not easy, and many team would capitulate under the same circumstances. That said, after an inspired performance against Trinidad and Tobago, the Americans of came back to earth against Saudi Arabia's B team. Some of the issues that have plagued the team for years remain – and time is running out to find the solutions.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWho has been the USMNT's most impressive player?
JS: Richards was brilliant against Saudi Arabia, and Jack McGlynn was fantastic against T&T. However, McGlynn was a ghost against Saudi Arabia, so cheers to the Palace defender. He’s your guy.
RT: Maybe not the best player, per se, but the one who has gained the most? Tillman. For years, the knock on him was that he couldn't make an impact in a USMNT shirt. That narrative is starting to fade. He was fantastic against T&T, scoring twice. And, while Saudi Arabia kept him quiet, he had moments of quality that few in the player pool can really match. Most of the doubts around Tillman are gone – and he can end them for good with one or two big games in the business end of this tournament.
AL: Tillman's first game was incredible and generated a ton of excitement about his potential. Yet, he was held quiet against the Saudis. So, let's go with consistency and give Richards a shout. This appears to be his year after a FA Cup-winning club season, and he continues to make his mark in the USMNT's backline. Richards is the quintessential modern center-back. Yes, he's likely stronger in a three-center back formation, where his occasional struggles defensively are masked. But he does so many positive things, from dominating in the air to covering a ton of ground, that he more than makes up for any deficiencies. He will only get better and it appears as if he's embracing being a leader in this Gold Cup.
Getty Images SportWhat’s your biggest critique through two matches?
JS: What tactical identity is Poch trying to instill? There are still too many questions and not enough answers as to what he’s trying to do with this team. The vision isn’t there.
RT: Wide play! There are just no natural old-school wingers on this team and, at some point, that might have dire consequences. Turkey dared them to find something out wide. Saudi Arabia did, too. The U.S. has generally found some form of answer, but that solution will never be "run past a guy" or "dribble past a guy" in a wide area. Can this team go all the way without that level of individuality out there? It's going to be tough.
AL: Pochettino was brought in to elevate the program and, while he can't generate world-class players out of thin air, it appears as if some of the issues with this team remain – especially in attack. The World Cup is less than a year out and there are still question marks at striker. Scoring is the most essential part of the game, yet the U.S. have scored just eight goals in the six matches since the end of January camp. Five of those came against Trinidad and Tobago. The U.S. needs find a long-term solution is when it comes to scoring – and so far there hasn't been anyone on this roster who appears to be the answer.
Getty ImagesAre the USMNT now Gold Cup favorites?
JS: Mexico and Canada should are still the favorites. The U.S. haven’t shown they can compete with either team over the past year.
RT: Canada is the favorite, by a mile. This tournament is Canada's to lose, largely because they have the most talent in their squad. The Jesse Marsch nonsense could derail them, but it might even just help this group, fueling a "us against the world" mentality. Having that approach, plus a whole lot of pure quality? That's a recipe for a trophy.
AL: No. It's increasingly likely that Canada will break an almost three-decade dry spell and lift the Gold Cup, barring injuries.
