Dammit, Jürgen Klinsmann!

Look at this shit.

The United States Men’s National team is about to host Argentina, (maybe) the best soccer team in the world, and Jürgen Klinsmann trots out a retread of the group that managed two competent forward passes at the 2014 World Cup? The U.S. roster is not deep or anything like that, but there are some genuinely exciting players who might benefit from testing themselves against the best the world has to offer (to the long-term benefit of our benighted soccering nation) and instead Klinsmann has opted to replace his three suspended starters with three knockoffs who can kinda sorta replicate their skillsets, the problem being that all of them are difference makers on this team, and their replacements aren’t particularly dynamic.

Here is the case for this lineup: Kyle Beckerman plays defense, Wondo allows Zardes to keep playing in the same spaces he’s played in all tournament, and, uh, Graham Zusi has good hair. Here is the case against this lineup:

The United States is about to play their biggest match on home soil in many years, and they are embracing mediocrity instead of boldly playing like they have nothing to lose. I would love to be wrong, but, hey, at least this starting XI means we’ll see some subs early, unless we don’t, in which case, COME ON JÜRGEN.