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

Also, there's an established track record of MLS defenders being ... adequate ... at the World Cup - Pope, Besler, Conrad, etc. The track record for strikers .... McBride.

 

Omar Gonzales was excellent in Brazil too.

 

Why bring 3 forwards when you can bring 5 instead?

3 GK: Turner, Steffen, X
4 CB: Richards, Zimmerman, X, X
4 FB: Dest, Robinson, Yedlin, X
2 DM: Adams, Acosta
3 CM: McKennie, Musah, LDLT
5 W: Pulisic, Weah, Reyna, Aaronson, X
5 F: Jesus, Pefok, Vazquez, X, X

Pefok is probably the only forward in contention that cannot also play as a winger, so that opens up Pulisc, Reyna, or Aaronson to cover at CM for whatever reason (matchups, injury, suspension, tactics).

 

I think you have to bring 5 CBs. Why? Because they could get cards and suspensions. So maybe only 4 forwards.

 

You make an excellent point. Also, defending has gotten better in the MLS over the years, as has attacking, so the point is further strengthened.

Frankly, Eddie Pope could defend almost any player in the world, with a tiny few exceptions.

 

I will respond simply. Aint no freaking way they are taking 5 forwards to Qatar. Dumb.

 

We would have to be pretty unlucky to need 5 centerbacks. Could Acosta be the 5th CB in this unlucky circumstance or one of the back up LB or Right Backs? I suppose 5 CBs is the standard like having 3 goalkeepers. Having 5 forwards (or 4 for that matter) does not mean having forwards on the bench wasting space. One could be on the wing. And I do see how that is problematic if Jesus or Vazquez took the Weah, Pulisic, Gio wing position. I choose to see it as a good problem. Move the pieces around per opponent. Might mean sitting Adams or Musah and dropping Pulisic to CM. The goal would be to get 2 of our most prolific in form goal scorers on the field at the same time. One as a 9 and one as a winger. I understand that Pulisic, Weah, and Gio are better players than any of the forwards in contention...so yes it is a painful exercise. Just desperately looking for more goals.

 

Scenario: 3rd match. You rest LCB #1. LCB #2 starts and gets a yellow card in the first half. You want to sub at 60'. Who? You use your spare CB, who can play on both the left or right side.

 

Isn’t this why a guy like Sands makes sense though?

He can be your 5th CB or your 3rd #6.

 

we are taking 7 wings ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Wynalda was great in '94.

 

2bund eric wynalda?

 

Curious:

1) Who are the top 3 aerial threats in the pool regardless of position?
2) Who are the top 3 fastest (speed/pace) in the pool regardless of position?

When considering bubble players, it seems like choosing at least one from each of #1 and #2 would be helpful.

Also: I have not seen McKennie offered as the best option for target forward. I can't be the first one? Moving Dempsey from mid to forward seemed a pretty popular choice back when that was a question.

When I say a "pool" I mean all the core and bubble players including Tilman and Vazquez.

 

Feeling more confident about the forward pool than I have this entire cycle. I think the three forwards gotta be Pefok, Vasquez, and Ferreira. The situation is sorting itself out. Honestly, Vasquez is the sort of forward we have been craving in this system.

 

You must have been watching the MLS scores just now. Jesus gets 2 so far. and Vazquez 1. Very encouraging. Now for the Euro based players...

 

Str: Pefok, Vazquez
Wing: Pulisic, Weah, Aaronson, Reyna
CM: McKennie, Musah, DLT, ?
DM: Adams, Acosta
FB: Jedi, Dest, Vines Scally
CB: Zimmerman, Richards, Long, ?
GK: Turner, Horvath, Johnson
Vibes: Arriola, Ferreira, Roldan

Watching:
Striker: can Hoppe make a run?
Wing: Tillman has games in Europe in addition to the SPL.
CM: can Mendez continue the strong start to the season? Can Mihailovic get back on track?
DM: Sands has been playing CB.
CB: Tim Ream has been playing well. Can Auston Trusty slip in? How is CCV doing? EPB?

 

Vazquez is tearing up MLS. It helps to be getting passes from Luciano Acosta.

 

Tillman is the most exciting bubble player right now. Now that the team has its own character and leadership I would bring Michael Bradley. I need to watch some trusty, sands and Mendez. I was rooting for mihailovic before his injury.

Any other veteran oldsters besides Bradley that might add something?

 

I have long decided that you must take either EPB or Sands for that very reason. Unless of course we select one of them as a top 4 CB, in which case you take them both, for the same reason.

 

Sands is going to get in for his CB/Dmid versatility. Getting games at rangers as a centerback is going to look great on his world cup resume. One guy who can effectively fill two spots? Yes, please

 

A couple of questions I have after this Saturday:

With Dest now really out of favor for Barca, does that open the door for anyone to displace him or is there any loan/transfer rumors?

Chelsea having such a deep attacking group seems to limit Pulisic to spot duty. As that comes into a during season WC, is that a plus or a negative?

Sargent and Pepi not starting but coming off the bench seems to at the least keep them from taking the spot behind Ferreria. Is that going to go to Vazquez, Pefok or Novakovich who seems to be really finding a good groove with American teammates in Venezia or someone like Zardes, Hoppe etc?

Does Tim Ream re-enter the discussion with solid performances at Fulham beside Arob?

Some interesting battles amid the backups.

I think the September roster will likely be the group that goes to Qatar.

 

I see quite a few people saying that there are only 3 or so legitimate openings for this roster. I diaagree. There are a ton of question marks. Our goalkeeper situation is in flux. Our CB situation is in flux. Our CF position is in flux. No one here can convincingly state who the 3rd and 4th outside backs are. Reyna is constantly injured and simply cannot be a lock at this point. Who is the the 4th wing forward, especially with Reyna hurt? Who is the 4th #8, assuming Luca is the 3rd? If Luca is on the bench in Spain from here to the World Cup, is he even the 3rd? Guys like Vazquez and Tillman, with little or no experience with the team, are charging. Sam Vines, who has gotten no copy here, is playing very well. I simply dont have the pie-in-the-sky view of the ease of selection that others share.

 

Yes, there are plenty of question marks, but I don't think that means that the roles will be filled by that many new names.

Like, who are more likely to be our 3rd and 4th outside backs. Cannon and Scally, or DeJuan Jones and Kyle Duncan? Who is more likely to be our starting GK, Zach Steffan or Stephan Frei?

So yeah, there are only 3 or so legitimate openings in the roster indeed unless you think there is a chance Berhalter is calling in 3+ brand new players for the roster.

Of the names you mention - Tillman was specifically courted and convinced by Berhalter in the very recent past, so he is not that much of an outsider. Vines has been called into the past and is now playing well, he has always been in the mix. Vasquez is the one true outsider, and he basically has put together the perfect 1 in 100 run of form to even be in consideration.

 

One thing that will be very relevant, I think, but we haven't discussed a lot, is what the testing protocol for COVID will be in November.

If there is daily testing, I think you need to think of the 26 man roster in terms of how you get as deep as possible in every position. I think we've all thought of these as free spots, but they are really there for when half your team runs into healthy and safety protocols.

If they are only testing based on symptoms or otherwise, these become less urgent. Vaccinated, healthy players can be affected, but are much more likely to have it manifest as a milder illness.

But if we are testing, and any positive sidelines you, you really need versatility here. You may be barely able to field a team.

 

By my count there are about 15 spots or so that are definitely spoken for barring injury (Steffen, Turner, Jedi, Dest, Zimmerman, Richards, Acosta, Adams, LDLT, Musah, McKennie, Reyna, Pulisic, Weah, Aaronson, Ferreira) . Then there’s another 5 or so which fall into the category of fairly likely (Long, Yedlin, Cannon, Morris, Arriola). And that’s not counting the 3rd goalie which will almost certainly be one of Johnson or Horvath. That leaves to me about 5 spots or so that are really up for grabs. To me three of those spots are a backup left back, 4th centerback, and a backup 9. Then there’s two extra spots where it’s unclear how Berhalter will want to use them.

Of course in the 20 probables I included Dest, Yedlin, and Cannon and it’s very possible we won’t take more than two right backs. That doesn’t even take into account Scally who I think is still in contention too.

There’s likely to be injuries as well, which will probably open up additional spots.

I do think Vines, Tillman, and Vazquez have a very good chance of making the final roster if they continue playing like they’ve been playing.