[CTcard]

I don't follow world soccer enough to really contribute much here, but a couple of broader things that just might be of some interest.

3. In the first question note the distinction between results and performance. By results, the team has fulfilled my expectations. But of course, part of the judgment is not just what you did but how you did it -- we've seen teams in every sport that momentarily overachieve despite so-so underlying talent or performance. (I think 2012 N.D. might be an example everyone on this board can agree upon.) Right now the U.S. are...that team exactly.

That is an interesting issue generally on judging teams and coaching performances, but much more subtle that often expressed.

Another team that had excellent achievements while not generally looking very good while doing so was 2012 Stanford football. My own evaluation is that in a "how well they played/underlying performance" basis, this was probably the worst Stanford team since Stanford became good in 2009. [Though indeed a close call with 2009 and 2014.] However, that team managed to go 8-2 in one score games - which is remarkable both for how many close games they played and the fraction they won.
What is less clear to me is whether that is a feather in the coaching cap of David Shaw [because he managed to lead his team to victories and a great season even when they weren't inherently so great] or a demerit for Shaw [because he didn't get the team to handily beat weak-sisters such as WSU, OSU etc.].

Beating the #13 team in the world, at home, is no great accomplishment -- the U.S. generally ranks in the top 15-20 teams in the world;

Just for point of reference, the current official FIFA rankings of the teams in the Copa America are:
#1 Argentina
#3 Coluombia
#5 Chile
#7 Brazil
#9 Uruguay
#13 Ecuador
#16 Mexico
#23 Costa Rica
#31 USA
#44 Paraguay
#46 Jamaica
#48 Peru
#56 Panama
#74 Haiti
#77 Venezuela
#82 Bolivia

[CTcard]

I don't follow world soccer enough to really contribute much here, but a couple of broader things that just might be of some interest.

3. In the first question note the distinction between results and performance. By results, the team has fulfilled my expectations. But of course, part of the judgment is not just what you did but how you did it -- we've seen teams in every sport that momentarily overachieve despite so-so underlying talent or performance. (I think 2012 N.D. might be an example everyone on this board can agree upon.) Right now the U.S. are...that team exactly.

That is an interesting issue generally on judging teams and coaching performances, but much more subtle that often expressed.

Another team that had excellent achievements while not generally looking very good while doing so was 2012 Stanford football. My own evaluation is that in a "how well they played/underlying performance" basis, this was probably the worst Stanford team since Stanford became good in 2009. [Though indeed a close call with 2009 and 2014.] However, that team managed to go 8-2 in one score games - which is remarkable both for how many close games they played and the fraction they won.
What is less clear to me is whether that is a feather in the coaching cap of David Shaw [because he managed to lead his team to victories and a great season even when they weren't inherently so great] or a demerit for Shaw [because he didn't get the team to handily beat weak-sisters such as WSU, OSU etc.].

Beating the #13 team in the world, at home, is no great accomplishment -- the U.S. generally ranks in the top 15-20 teams in the world;

Just for point of reference, the current official FIFA rankings of the teams in the Copa America are:
#1 Argentina
#3 Coluombia
#5 Chile
#7 Brazil
#9 Uruguay
#13 Ecuador
#16 Mexico
#23 Costa Rica
#31 USA
#44 Paraguay
#46 Jamaica
#48 Peru
#56 Panama
#74 Haiti
#77 Venezuela
#82 Bolivia