Originally posted on 06/07/2016:

Since the loss to Colombia all I've seen on sites are articles about how much the US needs to win this game but what about how much Costa Rica has to win this game? Did some digging last night and also this morning and I've come up with many reasons and explanations as to why I think Costa Rica wins.....
Costa Rica last 5 overall 2-2-1 6:3 2 Friendlies 2(1-1) WCQ (1-1-0) 1 Copa (0-0)
USA last 5 home games 4-0-1 13:2 3 Friendlies 1 WCQ(1-0) 1 Copa (0-1)
Last 5 matches vs each other C.R. 3-0-2 5:3 ...
last meeting 10-13-2015 in NJ 0-1 Costa Rica...the next 3 meetings were in 2013 2 WCQ and 1 Gold Cup
Costa Rica has won the last two meetings and comparing the line-ups from those games and USA vs Colombia and C.R. vs Paraguay line-ups for USA have changed 5 players. C.R. line-up 3 players .
Costa Rica is coming off that Cinderella WC run they made in 2014 and have returned a lot of key players from that team as well as gained key players. After WC coach was fired for nonsense but the new coach Ramirez is just as defense oriented as his the prior coach. He coaches league team Alajuelense. They have continued to play extremely well after WC 2014. Already promoted to the next stage of WCQ's with an impressive group record of 3-1-0 7:2 wins vs Jamaica, Haiti, and Panama. USMNT currently 2nd place in group stage 2-1-1 10:3 but their group is much weaker and for them to be in 2nd says a lot.

Ok now that I got stats outta the way time for the fun part..

Jurgen Klinnsman....where to start.....his 1st key decision as head coach cut one of the most exp'd and arguably best player to come out of the US(when Donovan wasn't taking league of absences) Klinnsman reasoning behind this Donovan wasn't fit and there were better options...also because he wanted to prepare the younger squad for 2018...His "testing" line-ups which ultimately translates to I have no idea how to get this line-up correctly. Take the Colombia game for example he publicly came out and said his strategy for the Copa is to play defense 1st half and then in 2nd half try(his actual words are try) to score once subs are brought in. So for close to an hour the only chance they may get to a shot is if Dempsey can run like he did when he was 23 and his counter attack was awesome but he's not 23 and he has lost a few steps. The lack of offense or actually the nonexistent offense vs Colombia shows I'm not just saying this to say it there is actual evidence this system Klinnman is using is not working. I saw his press conference yesterday and he doesn't plan on changing anything. The US in the 1st half had 0 SOGs 0 Corner Kicks and his defense 1st well I guess Colombia didn't get the memo because they managed 5 SOG scoring 2. I really liked when USA brought Klinnsman to coach I remember watching the 94' WC when Germany won he played great and he did bring the US the furthest they've ever gone in WC but I think he expects too much from his players and unfortunately the US talent vs the world's talent we aren't on the same radar. I think Pulisic is a future star but Klinnsman sees the bigger picture and we as Americans need immediate results not 4-8 years from now. Part 1 over lol no tv+ tropical storm overhead = this i guess..