Super saiyan gifs aside, Mexican coach Miguel Herrera will likely find himself under fire if his squad fails to impress at the upcoming Gold Cup. And with expectations as high as they are for El Tri, that likely means nothing less than the trophy will suffice.
It’s been almost two years ago now since the exuberant Herrera played the role of savior. Tasked with rescuing Mexico from an horrific World Cup qualifying campaign – in which they flirted dangerously with elimination, eventually relying on a US result in another match to pull them through – he weathered the storm admirably. Herrera instilled discipline and stability into the group, leading them through the playoffs against New Zealand and guiding Mexico through the group stages where they finished as runners-up, tied on points with host nation Brazil. However, as they have for the last six editions of the World Cup, Mexico would find themselves out at the round of 16, losing 2-1 to Holland.
Fans are expecting more this summer from the most decorated Concacaf nation in the tournament. Mexico have won the Gold Cup a record six times, one ahead of the USA, and as usual both teams seem to be on a collision course for the finals. But like another challenger, Costa Rica, the untimely injury bug has left fans with some serious quandaries about the squad.
The highly anticipated tridente of Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, and Giovani Dos Santos, unfortunately won’t be making their collective tournament debut this time around. On July 1, Chicharito collided with Honduran defender Brayan Beckeles and suffered a broken clavicle, effectively ending his chances of competing this summer.
Chicharito’s tenacity will be missed up, front but there is no shortage of talent in the Mexican ranks. Oribe Peralta, the 31-year-old hero of Mexico’s Olympic gold in 2012, should fill in the gap. Though, on the back of an underwhelming club season and a rather paltry international strike record as of late — Peralta has only scored twice for Mexico since the beginning of 2014 — any impact he makes is likely to be off the bench.
Still, it’s a another recent injury that could prove even more troublesome for Herrera and Mexico. The loss of star defender Hector Moreno to a nagging metatarsal injury leaves a gaping hole at the back. Moreno has been pegged for a move to a higher-profile club after an impressive season for Espanyol in La Liga, but Mexico will be without his services for the time being as he came off at half-time in Mexico’s recent 2-2 friendly draw with Costa Rica.
The worry for Mexico in the wake of these two injuries and some underwhelming results leading up to the tournament is, ultimately, a lack of focus. Mexico will enter this tournament in spotty form, they haven’t won a match in seven games and though they should easily dominate a group with Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago and Guatemala (the Central American outfit likely their biggest threat), there is an overwhelming air of uncertainty pervading over the Mexican camp. Herrera still can’t seem to nail down a starting lineup despite a plethora of talent at his disposal.
All eyes will remain on an Mexican attack led by Vela, whose return to the squad after a three-year absence could not have been more timely. The Real Sociedad star made his triumphant return with a double as Mexico defeated Holland 3-2 last October, avenging their World Cup defeat. He’s made a name for himself in La Liga as a tricky forward with an eye for the spectacular; look for him to net at least one of his trademark chipped goal in this tournament. Vela was expected to work in tandem with Chicharito, but with Hernandez out, more of the weight will fall on his shoulders. He’s also dealing with some slight fitness concerns after limping off his the last friendly against Honduras. Vela has been recovering from a lengthy knee injury for the past few months perhaps – will this tournament come too soon for him to shine? Still, these will be his first competitive matches for Mexico since the 2010 World Cup and he’ll be eager to make up for lost time.
He’ll be supported by Giovani Dos Santos and Andres Guardado; Dos Santos more directly and Guardado through his swashbuckling runs down the left flank. Guardado is coming off an excellent season for PSV in the Eredivisie; he plays more defensively for his club but he’ll be granted license to attack for El Tri. Dos Santos, on the other hand, has heavily featured in the news recently, with his impending transfer to LA Galaxy almost official. Dos Santos has had a rather inconsistent year for Villarreal, only netting one goal in 27 appearances after netting 11 in the previous campaign. If he is to make his move to the MLS, the Gold Cup could be the perfect platform to show American fans just what a talent he is. Though many may remember this goal in 2011 Gold Cup final.
Despite his lack of playing time this season for Malaga, World Cup hero Guillermo Ochoa will be in goal again for Mexico. One surprise, however, in the starting lineup may be the inclusion of Carlos Esquivel, the 33-year-old midfielder with only 10 caps to his name. Esquivel has performed admirably in recent friendlies against Costa Rica and Herrera seems to trust him.
Mexico undoubtedly have the talent to go all the way but will they have the discipline and organization to make it through the trickier knockout fixtures? That remains the true test.
