3 Issues Mexico Must Resolve Following Their Copa America Centenario Exit

It may still be a little raw, but Mexico must quickly move on from their Copa America Centenario disappointment.

El Tri travelled to the United States with high hopes of winning the tournament for the first time. They returned home after receiving a footballing lesson from Chile in the quarter-finals.

The 2015 Copa champions thrashed Mexico 7-0 in California on Saturday. Seven to nil.

Such heavy defeats always lead to calls for change.

Coach Juan Carlos Osorio accepted responsibility in the aftermath. Per Reuters (h/t the Daily Mail), he said: "I got it all wrong, I erred in my choices for the squad, I assume that responsibility, none of our players were at their best."

Now, though, it is time to look forward, rather than back.

Here, Bleacher Report focuses on three issues Mexico must solve to help them improve.

Pick a goalkeeper, any goalkeeper

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Osorio constantly changing outfield players is one thing. We get it, Juan Carlos, you like to tinker.

However, the Colombian coach also played musical chairs with the goalkeeping position at the Copa America.

Alfredo Talavera was first up, yet he looked far from convincing in the 3-1 victory over Uruguay. Under pressure in the air, the Toluca player was uncertain and spread panic through his team-mates.

Guillermo Ochoa took over for the game against Jamaica and looked a more reliable option in a 2-0 win. Yet despite the clean sheet, he was left out for the group finale against Venezuela.

Jose de Jesus Corona started the third game. He conceded early and then had very little to do as El Tri fought back for a 1-1 draw that clinched top spot in the table.

When it came to the quarter-final against Chile, no one was quite sure who would get the nod. It ended up being Ochoa, who ended up being in the firing line.

While the Malaga 'keeper didn't cover himself in glory with the first and fifth goals La Roja scored in the rout, he wasn't helped by his team-mates folding faster than a bunch of origami experts.

Having struggled for playing time at his La Liga employers until the end of the Spanish season, Ochoa had not even been in Mexico's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in February and March.

Osorio needs to pick one 'keeper and stick with him in the future, thereby giving the team a chance to settle with a consistent presence as the last line of defence.

Marquez: In or out?

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Despite a difficult season with Club Atlas, Rafael Marquez was still picked in Mexico's 23-man Copa America squad.

The 37-year-old showed just why Osorio recalled him to the international setup with his performances against Uruguay and Jamaica, including playing as the holding midfielder against the latter.

Yet for some reason, that was the last time Marquez appeared in the tournament.

Leaving him out against Venezuela—sparing him from playing for a third time in the space of eight days—made some sense. Ignoring him for the quarter-final was a real surprise, though.

However, David Faitelson of ESPN FC revealed Marquez had been absent for two days of training prior to the Chile fixture, allowing him to go home to Guadalajara for the birth of his son.

There is a Confederations Cup to come in 2017, but Marquez will be 39 by the time the next World Cup comes around. Could he stick around for another two years to play in Russia (provided El Tri qualify)?

More importantly, does Osorio feel the former Barcelona player is part of the squad's long-term plans?

As Tom Marshall pointed out for ESPN FC, Marquez is a major presence in Mexican football. It is a gamble to keep him around as nothing more than a peripheral figure:

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There has long been a suggestion that Marquez holds much sway in Mexico's dressing room, perhaps partially explaining why Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre stopped picking him. Osorio has attempted to get on Marquez's good side by stressing his experience and leadership qualities, but the former Barcelona player didn't start against Chile and wasn't even brought off the bench.

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Marquez fits Osorio's profile. He can help build attacks from the back with his passing abilities while also providing a calming influence that was so sadly lacking against Chile.

Either way, the current coach—or whoever ends up being in charge, for that matter—needs to make a decision over the legendary figure, provided Marquez doesn't opt to retire.

Keep the faith

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This isn't a change to do with tactics or personnel, but instead a change in mindset.

Despite recording nine wins and one solitary draw prior to the Chile game, Osorio's future has been questioned after such a humiliating defeat.

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) are not known for their patience.

However, now is the time to keep the faith. If Osorio was the unanimous choice before the Copa campaign, then stand by your man. Do not let the score against Chile suddenly alter your opinion.

Jon Arnold of Goal.com believes changing the coach would be a short-term fix when long-term vision is required: "For Mexico to finally break through at a non-Gold Cup major tournament and get to a fifth match, it needs to stick with the one who has brought it here. In this case, Osorio has only just begun to implement his ideas. Any change at the top will set back Mexican soccer a year."

There is also a need to understand where Mexico sits in the world order.

Yes, they're 16th in the FIFA world rankings, but El Tri have not reached the quarter-finals at a World Cup since hosting the tournament in 1986. They have never won the Copa America.

The upcoming Olympics in Rio, Brazil, will offer Mexican fans a glimpse into the future, as they look to retain the title they won at the London Games in 2012.

But there is no need to rip up the current plan and start all over again.

While Javier Hernandez is in his prime years, Hirving Lozano (20) and Jesus "Tecatito" Corona (23) are talented forwards who are not even close to reaching their peak yet.

Corona has benefited from playing for FC Porto alongside compatriots Hector Herrera and Miguel Layun, two more pivotal building blocks for the future.

Lozano, meanwhile, seems destined to head to Europe sooner rather than later. Per Jack Gaughan of MailOnline, Manchester United have spoken to the player's club, Pachuca, over a potential move.

The more exposure Mexico's players get at a higher level, the better it will be for the national team.

What are the areas where you think El Tri must improve? Which of the current players should be building blocks for the future? Have your say via the comments section.