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U.S. is the clear Gold Cup favorite now, even if Bruce Arena doesn't want the label

With the arrival of veteran standouts to reinforce the roster, the USMNT has now become the obvious choice to win the CONCACAF tournament

U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena had to know the question was coming. After calling in World Cup veterans and established American stars Tim Howard, Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, as well as dangerous midfielder Darlington Nagbe, Arena surely knew his team would go from being seen as an experimental squad during the group stage to the clear-cut favorite to win the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

That didn't stop Arena from trying to dance around and avoid accepting ownership of the label he and his team have no choice but to wear.