USA vs. Costa Rica: Time To Start Darlington Nagbe?

The U.S. plays Costa Rica tonight, after dropping their opening Copa America group match 2-0 to Colombia. The Americans got a reprieve, with Costa Rica and Paraguay playing to a 0-0 draw. Getting at least four points from the next two matches should put them in good position to advance to the knockout round.

However, the U.S. effort Friday underwhelmed. Changes may be required for a jump start. Here are some issues the U.S. needs to address.

Don’t Play Colombia

This is the first step. Colombia is a much better team than the United States. They are the group’s best and, on their day, one of the world’s best. Colombia did not play well. The U.S., perhaps, missed a chance for a result. But, Costa Rica and Paraguay are less capable. Seas should be smoother for the rest of the group stage.

Stop Making Stupid Mistakes

Klinsmann called the run of play even. That’s pushing it. Colombia deserved their result. But, the U.S. was not played off the pitch. The two goals came from preventable errors. Geoff Cameron lost a man on a corner kick. DeAndre Yedlin did not tuck in his arm. Such mistakes can be limited. Better brain farts at the back than serious systemic issues. The back four looked decent for the bulk of the 90 minutes. John Brooks looked, dare we say it, commanding.

Figure Out the Final Third

The U.S. managed 11 shots. Just two were on target. The best chances were coming from outside the penalty area. Clint Dempsey made a couple look better than they were. The U.S. needs to do better breaking down Costa Rica and Paraguay. How is the question.

Dempsey creates issues. He’s not a natural center forward. He’s past his physical prime. Dempsey can’t hold the ball up. He won’t move off the ball to open up space. He’s someone who makes plays turned toward goal with the ball at his feet. His natural inclination is to drift back to find it. He fits in the hole behind a lead striker.

Drop Dempsey? Not so simple. Maybe you get more out of Wood and Zardes. It’s not apparent what getting more out of Wood and Zardes means. Dempsey remains the most dangerous American attacking player. He has a proven scoring record. Would a better flowing collective be worth sacrificing the most impactful individual? Probably not.

Change the formation to accommodate Dempsey? It may create more issues than it solves. Klinsmann opted for a 4-3-3 over a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 because the latter formations don’t fit the present team. The U.S. can’t control central midfield with three players. Trying to do so with two is bound to be a disaster. The best U.S. options to play on the wings in a 4-4-2, are already in the Starting XI at fullback.

Switching formations resolves one headache, maybe, by creating others.

Make Changes In Midfield

There’s no clear answer up front. The better solution may be trying to get more attacking impetus from the three central midfielders. Bradley didn’t have his best game against Colombia. Jones was abysmal. Bedoya didn’t add much. That lineup is worth a rethink.

Klinsmann, we suspect, sticks with Jones, for the same reason he’s still in the team at 34. The U.S. needs an all-around, box-to-box midfielder. No one has kicked Jones out of that role.

There are two options to get more attacking. One is familiar: move Bradley forward and play Beckerman in behind him. The other is less familiar: keep Bradley deep, start Nagbe in an advanced central role. He’s never started for the U.S. But, he has the technical, incisive passing quality to make a difference going forward. At this point, the potential benefits of a player like that outweigh the risk.