The USMNT 26-man roster for World Cup 2022 announced p80 #1991

Yeah, we are way to late in the game.

Most of what we see are the agenda driven who will never tediously stop, people with favs, and people who are desperate to find the magic potion at positions we wish were stronger. Pssst, the magic potion doesn‘t exist. It‘s just one guy with flaws over another. Hey, where are all the calls for Julian Green! There were so many in the fall and even winter.
Disrupting now, unless someone blows the doors off in the fall, would be foolish.

MMA and Puli actually were on the same field for three matches in a row I think.
Maybe even a bit of 4. That in itself is crazy. We need some stability.

 

Or you could actually read what I said instead of focusing a take on a word that’s triggering. He rigged this for Ferreira to perform well to build confidence going into the cup. If he doesn’t give him the Grenada game the most likely outcome is a great deal of near goals but no actual goals and mounting stress heading into September, note Ferreira frustration after another chance wasn’t finished after his opener against Grenada then note Ferreira’s comfort and ease as the shots finally started going in: #2, #3, and then #4. Ferreira smiling and visibly relaxing by the end. Berhalter wanted to manufacture that confidence so it would be self-reinforcing heading into September. He got it done.

As I mentioned earlier,!Wright didn’t get it done, that’s on him, as edge players, you have to take your chance and he didn’t. It doesn’t change how I see Berhalter’s actions but as I said earlier, I understood them and Ferreira earned that trust via chance creation in previous games, good for him. If you don’t see it that way, it’s fine, but it’s sure as hell not stupid, it’s precisely what Berhalter was trying to catalyze: a confident striker going into the fall, and he got it.

 

Or you could actually read my take instead of being triggered.

2 things can be happening at once (or more)

A coach can be loading the dice and yet be doing it w/a purpose that is beneficial long term.

My agenda is a strong performance at the World Cup, I don’t care whose responsible for it as long as the decision making is sound (as that makes a better result more likely). I may view what happens w/Ferreira and Wright as rigged, but I still view it as the right call, just unfortunate for Wright personally.

 

As far as the Wright/Ferreira conspiracy theory.................its all a load of hokum. Had nothing to do with wanting to make Ferreira look good. Berhalter has seen a ton of Ferreira in training and in matches. What he wanted to do was test Wright against the better opponent.

Its unfortunate that the conditions ended up being as bad as they were, because Haji wasn't able to put his best foot forward. But hell, this team was together for quite a long time. Gregg saw what he needed to see in training. Haji has now played 119 minutes for the USMNT this year. That's more than a bunch of guys. I believe Matthew Hoppe has zero minutes for the national team in 2022. I'm sure Hoppe would be thrilled to have gotten the chance that Wright did. Pefok has 30 minutes in 2022. Dike has zero minutes in 2022. Gioacchini has zero minutes in 2022. The list goes on and on with other forwards.

The idea was to test Wright against a good opponent in a game that mattered. If Wright had scored a hat-trick against Grenada, that tells Berhalter squadoosh.

 

I will try again post- El Salvador.

I do not think that it moved the needle much for most of the fringe guys. Horvath probably played himself off if he is not olaying regularly. Like Steffen.

As did Wright, though the cupboard is so bare, I think he should have a shot, still, but GGG seemed to throw him under the bus.

Cannon & Arriola were not impressive, but still have a ticket in my book, but it might need to be refundable.

GK: Turner, Johnson, ???
FB: Dest, Jedi, Yedlin, Cannon
CB: Zimmerman, Ling, Richards, Brooks
DM: Adams, Acosta (LDLT, Wes)
CM: Musah, McKennie, LDLT
WF: Pulisic, Weah, Reyna, Aaronson, Arriola
CF: Ferreira, Pepi
-----------------
24: Morris
25: ?? (prefer a LB)
26: ?? (CF or DM)
-----------------

In the running:
GK: Steffen, Horvath, Slonina
FB: Moore, Scally, Vines, Bello
CB: CCV, Ream, McKenzie, EPB, Miazga
DM: Sands
CM: Busio, Williamson, Tillman
CF: Sargent, Dike, Pefok, Wright, Zardes

I would not rule out someone from off the pace coming good late, especially at a position of need (Parades, Gomez, Reynolds, Ebobisse, etc).

Locks in Bold.

 

GK: Turner, Steffen, Johnson
FB: Dest, Jedi, Yedlin, Cannon
CB: Zimmerman, Richards, Brooks, Carter-Vickers
DM: Adams, Acosta
CM: McKennie, Musah, LDLT, Busio
WF: Pulisic, Reyna, Weah, Aaronson
CF: Pepi, Ferreira
-----------------
24: Pefok
25: Arriola
26: Tillman

Still hoping that in the September matches we will try going with a front three that doesn't include guys like Pepi or Ferreira. Would allow us to bring in Weah into the starting lineup.

 

I'll take a crack at it.

GK: Turner, Steffen, Johnson
FB: Dest, Yedlin, Robinson, Paredes
CB: Zimmerman, Long, CCV, Richards
DM: Adams, Acosta
CM: McKennie, Musah, Reyna, DeLaTorre
FW: Pulisic, Weah, Aaronson, Arriola
ST: Ferreira, Pepi

Round it out with Morris (wing or 9), Ream (probably should be Brooks but he's in the doghouse and I'm predicting a good start for Ream in the EPL), and I'll go off the board and say insert random youth player here who tears it up in the fall. But it'll probably be Roldan.

 

Players that could make a late move to join the roster with a good transfer and start to the season:

Konrad de la Fuente - Winger. If he moves to a team where he can start 10-12 games before the World Cup, and gets a few goals or assists, I could see him making the roster over Arriola, Morris, or Roldan.

Nico Gioachinni - Like Konrad, if he latches onto a first-division team and scores goals, he will be in the mix.

Matt Miazga - Also needs to start in a top Euro league to make the roster. If he gets a run of 10-12 starts, I would prefer him over CCV, and possible EPB too.

Matthew Hoppe - We all love his mojo. With some starts and goals, he's back in the mix.

Richie Ledezma - Mostly plays attacking midfield, so only has a shot if Reyna and Aaronsen are hurt.

Cole Bassett - In similar spot to Ledezma.

Players who have disappeared and we'll likely never see again:

Timmy Chandler - Never played his best in a US shirt. Still probably more talented than Yedlin or Cannon, had he been committed to the program.

Tyler Boyd - Went from a quasi-savior on the wing to nobody quite fast. Turkish league did him no favors.

Duane Holmes - Though probably more talented than Arriola or Roldan, unlikely to see him again.

Tim Ream - Served us well, but now we have younger/quicker options.

Lletget - Had a nice run there, but no longer good enough.

Zardes - See above. Crazy he had two starts this qualifying cycle, both away losses to Panama and Canada.

 

I think Sarge could make a late charge if he starts scoring in Aug. and Sept.

I predicted long ago that Gregg would default to Zardes, but that seems less likely now.

 

And that's where Morris comes into the picture. He's big and fast (although not as fast as he used to be), and can play both with his back to goal or as a winger trying to get behind the defense.

 

I think Busio is one of these as well. Don't think it was a coincidence his form dipped after he had Covid as we've seen in soccer/other sports. If he gets a loan to a good situation, I can see him playing very well. But KDLF, Hoppe, Ledezma, and Bassett are guys I don't think you can write off at this point.

 

I feel like these guys are all pretty big longshots.

If Ledezma establishes himself as a regular starter from the start of the season he'd have a shot at September camp at least, but I don't think that will happen.

If Miazga makes a move to say Burnley, starts regularly and plays well, I could see him getting into the September camp.

I just don't see it with KDLF, Hoppe, Gioachinni, or Bassett. They're going to have to wait for next cycle and I think all but Gioachinni are also eligible for the Olympics (if we qualify).

 

If you took every match we played since 2021 where any of our first choice European players were available, and tried to construct a roster by including everyone with at least 7 appearances in those games (+ the 3rd keeper with the most appearances), the roster would look like this:

GK: Turner, Steffen, Horvath
RB: Dest, Yedlin, Cannon
CB: M. Robinson, Zimmerman, Long, Richards
LB: A. Robinson
DM: Adams, Acosta
CM: Musah, McKennie, de la Torre, Lletget
WF: Pulisic, Weah, Aaronson, Reyna, Morris, Arriola
CF: Pepi, Ferreira, Pefok/Sargent

In bold are the XI with the most starts in those games.

-Replace the injured Miles Robinson with another CB (Brooks and McKenzie are tied for the next highest number of A team appearances with 6, but CCV and EPB are the only CBs who have earned a cap this year);
-Replace the long out of favor Lletget with another midfielder (Roldan would be next in line based on appearances, but he's the only player in that pool who hasn't even played a full half in any of those games; after that would be Busio)
-Potentially replace Yedlin or Cannon with someone who can provide LB depth (I believe Scally and Bello are the only other players who have even received a single A team start there, and both of them have only received 1 start each at the position in those games)
-Potentially replace Pefok/Sargent with another striker that starts off strong next season (Dike or Wright are next in line)
-That may also be an excess number of WFs, though possibly 1 or 2 of them can play CM.

 

Maybe just me, but this stuck as 1) very true and 2) very salient. Wild how fast he went from something to nothing.

 

Ledezma is my darkhorse for making a late charge to a roster spot.

 

Triggered? I was responding to the other post. Sorry if I offended but I fly through these at times. I think I agreed with what you said for the most part. Just tough timing for Haji for the most part. That and JF fits the scheme.

 

Yup. just tough circumstances for Haji. Tough conditions. As I stated, timing is everything for fringe guys for a tourney every four years. The staff did have a long time to look at him also. For the most part they have made good decisions,
If we go back and look at the flavor du jour who is getting screwed I hink hindsight would show the staff has done way better then the net guys.

 

Sorry, but given the lack of a true warm-up camp and pre-tournament friendlies, I don't see anybody making a "late charge" for a roster spot. The two September matches will be used to get the starters as much playing time together as possible, NOT to test out new guys.

That's what this June window was for....if you were healthy and didn't get invited, you're out of contention. The only healthy players who didn't get June invites who might still be in contention would be a known-quantity veteran like Brooks, or some of the strikers (i.e. Sargent, Pefok, etc.).

 

Indeed. The September camp/game will only be to gel the chosen squad. Barring injuries, there won't be late charging "new guys." The guys are the guys.

This isn't an exercise on paper. This is a TEAM. Remember in 1998 when Sampson mucked with team chemistry by naming a "new guy" at the last minute to the WC squad? Half the team revolted. Jeff Agoos burned his USMNT in response. [That team had other issues of course.]

The guys who went thru the wars of qualifying are the guys likely to be selected.

 

You are confusing your anecdotes. Goose burned his jersey after being the last cut in 1994.

 

I don’t know him that well but doesn’t he have the sort of skill set that Gregg has tended to value less highly? He just hasn’t played the distributors-with-vision in his attacking midfield much, as far as I can tell. Isn’t Ledezma supposed to be that kind of 8/10?

 

I'd expect a late charge at leftback and at striker. Needs must.