Dark Horse Candidates For Qatar

It's conceivable Matt Turner could start in Qatar. He's been an outstanding shot-stopper for a couple years in MLS while Steffen & Horvath may be riding pine for clubs. Many official comps for Turner to play in next summer to catapult him.

Striker is also a position that's very up in the air. If Frosinone gets promoted this week Novakovich will be playing in Serie A. And he's better among players who can combine + play the ball with his feet. He doesn't have them w/ his club but could w/ the USNT - Reyna, Pulisic, Weah, Pomykal, etc.

And if the young cb's - Richards, Otasowie, Robinson, Sands - don't take a step fw we could see a vet who didn't get much of a chance Ike Opara step up in his place if he has a strong GC amid fixture congestion for us next summer. He'll be 33. Ain't ancient for a fb. A lot of injuries, but doesn't phase him. Evocative of Naldo.

 

I'll throw in the 2010 edition just for some more past examples:

Defenders:

Clarence Goodson - had made only 1 substitute appearance at this point in the cycle, and was playing in the Norwegian second division.

Midfielders:

Stuart Holden - uncapped at this point in time and only just starting to break out in MLS. MLS Best XI the following year, and earned a move to the Premier League with Bolton in 2010.

Jose Francisco Torres - hadn't yet announced for the USMNT at this point in time, and was only just starting to break into the Pachuca starting lineup.

Literally our entire group of forwards:

Herculez Gomez - made the B-team Copa America roster as a bench option, but otherwise uncapped until 2010, with a mediocre record in MLS. Returned to the national team after becoming the joint top scorer in the 2010 Mexican Clausura (alongside Chicharito).

Edson Buddle - Essentially uncapped for the USMNT outside of a lone appearance in 2003. Returned to the national team in 2010 and made the World Cup in the midst of his highest MLS goalscoring season ever (17).

Robbie Findley - Essentially uncapped for the USMNT outside of a lone substitute appearance in 2007. However in 2009, Charlie Davies (who also had not really emerged yet at this point in time) became a key starter with the national team. When Davies got injured and was forced to miss the 2010 World Cup, Findley was brought in as an attempt to find the most in-form like-for-like for replacement that would allow us to maintain the style that Davies helped us play (Findley was coming off a respectable 12 goal season for RSL at that point).

Jozy Altidore - This one is debatable, but he had only started one game at this point in time for the USMNT and hadn't appeared in any competitive games yet. However I think everyone recognized him already as one of our top prospects, and expected him to have a much larger role in qualifying going forward.

 

This is a good question. There are the obvious, much-discussed young guys in Europe who move into the discussion pretty quickly if any of them take a leap forward and start getting first team minutes (Llanez, Ledezma, De la Fuente, Richards, etc.). It's hard to know which ones will break out and when. And I don't think position matters as much for this group. For instance, it doesn't matter if we're comparatively well off at winger--if De la Fuente starts getting minutes at Barca or even on loan with some other decent first division Euro team, he's on the roster.

Conversely, I think MLS dark horses are much more position dependent, i.e., we're more likely to see MLS dark horses at weaker positions like LB, FW, CB, and GK. We might have a good starter, but if there's no clear pick for backup, Berhalter might fall back on guys who've at least proved to be good MLS players. So, I think someone like Opara is good call here, maybe Pineda, Blackmon, or Keita from the younger CBs. Maybe Vines or Gaspar at LB.

At GK, I don't really know. I'm not sure if Turner counts as a dark horse now, since he's been called up a couple times. After him, it's hard to see any other MLS keeper without call-ups being brought in. It seems like it's too late for a steady vet like Frei or Melia, and there just don't seem to be many younger guys on the verge of breaking out. Maybe Ochoa?

 

Andrew Carleton, if he can maintain his discipline and professionalism during his season at Indy.

Joe Scally turns 18 on December 31st after which he'll join Moenchengladbach. It's unlikely that he'll be established by the time Qatar kicks off but you never know.

 

Malick Sanogo.

 

Kik Pierie. Talented player at a position of need. Got stuck on the bench of Ajax, putting him out of the picture for the Dutch national team. Now he's on loan and should get the minutes needed to be a solid player for the USMNT.

 

My long shot: Andrew Gutman

 

Alex Mendez

My rationale is that although he is the least fancied of our European young talents, but if GGG persists with the deep lying play-maker role there is no real competition. He could end up on the team by just being better than a terrible Michael Bradley or Will Trapp, it worked for Yueill.

 

Chris Richards.

 

I see Sands playing in front of a back 4 in a plan B scenario, and slotting in to a back 3 when the full-backs go forward.

 

My top 5: Cameron Harper, Niko Gioacchini, Johnny, Folarin Balogun, Bryang Kayo
Others: Phillipe Sandler, Kik Pierie, Owen Otasowie, Chris Richards, Richy Ledezma, Bobby Wood, Artur, Chase Gasper

 

Bobby Wood

 

The likelihood is that this COVID period has really hampered players outside of the picture from being introduced into the national team. When we open back up, WCQing will start shortly thereafter. The pool for that is basically the existing group, which is pretty darn young anyway.

The uncapped players likely to be introduced are the elite European-based prospects that are so obvious that even I can make the selection. Gio Reyna, for instance.

This is sort of a positional thing, as well. There's an opportunity at CB. We'll see what Chris Richards does in 2020/2021. He has an opportunity there.................

I'm not sure we'll have dark horse candidates coming out of nowhere. It's guys we already know. Why would say, Andrew Gutman, be incorporated? Is something happening to Sergino Dest, DeAndre Yedlin (who's in his prime), and Reggie Cannon (whose transfer to Europe is supposedly imminent)? I'm not picking on that selection. It's just I don't see why that type of player having much time to be incorporated.

One other category of player that has a chance is the dual-national that has't committed yet.................that plays a position of need. In other words, this cycle's version of Julian Green. Somebody mentioned Balogun of Arsenal above. That's the kind of player that maybe we go hard after trying to recruit. I see that player being more likely than a low ceiling MLS player like Chris Mueller. Nothing against Chris Mueller................

 

The LOCKS:
Zack Steffen
Gio Reyna
Christian Pulisic
Tyler Adams
Wes McKennie
Sergino Dest
John Brooks
Josh Sargent

These are the guys the pool will/should be built around, and these are the guys who can already count on being on the plane.

GOALKEEPERS:
Brad Guzan - Not a dark horse to make the squad, but as much as others would like someone else to emerge, Guzan is still the most reliable back up we have. Prediction: 7/10

Matt Turner - I’m not necessarily jumping for the moon for the guy, but our goalkeeper options are barren. Prediction: 5/10

Ethan Horvath - Not exactly an unknown, but he really just needs to find a decent European club where he can be a regular starter, and he’s going to get his shot to be on the 23. Prediction: 5/10

Sean Johnson - He’s a good MLS player, and he might do well in a pinch. But he’s not going to be the secretary of defense either. Prediction: 5/10

Bill Hamid - I wonder if Hamid is a head case. There are moments of brilliance and moments where he forgot his brain. He hasn’t been the same player since his failed move to Denmark. Prediction: 5/10

Brady Scott - I could see Scott’s move to Nashville being like Steffen’s move to the Crew. He should be able to start, which means he should push for the #1 spot for the Olympics. That should open the door for him to be back up for the full team. Overall, the best move that he could make. Prediction: 4/10

Steffen Frei - Older than the rest, but more reliable. Prediction: 4/10

Tyler Miller - Although I think he’s behind some others in MLS, he’s still a decent MLS keeper. Prediction: 3/10

David Ochoa, JT Marcinkowski, Matt Freese - Rating all the same because they need to lock down a starting spot in MLS and it’s race to see who does so first. Prediction: 2/10

Zac MacMath, Steve Clark, David Bingham, William Yarbrough, Luis Robles, Jeff Attinella, Tim Melia, Andrew Tarbell, Alex Bono, Quentin Westberg, and all the other starting, or starting quality GK’s in MLS - There’s still space on this squad to go from nobody to somebody quickly. Prediction: 1/10

Damian Las, Chituri Odunze - too far away to be considered a legit option to even be a dark horse. Prediction: 1/10

Jesse Gonzalez - I don’t see him rebounding , but stranger things have happened. Prediction: 1/10

FULLBACKS:
Antonee Robinson - Hopefully, he’s no longer considered a dark horse. Prediction: 9/10

DeAndre Yedlin - Is he in or out? Either way, he needs to sort out his club situation. Prediction: 8/10

Timmy Chandler - I’m not counting the Bundesliga man out. He can play RB, RW, and even LB, LW in a pinch. I don’t think we can ignore that. Age has been kind to him, so far. Prediction: 7/10

Reggie Cannon - Hopefully, he’s ready for a big European move, where I think he’s good enough to start for a club in the big five. Prediction: 7/10

Chris Gloster - If he becomes a regular for PSV, at left back, no less, he’s in. Prediction: 5/10

Tim Ream - Back in the Premier League! And honestly, at his age, he should probably be a center back full time. But we are so desperate at left back, that’s probably where he’ll play for us. Prediction: 5/10

Sam Vines - Is he still a dark horse? We might like to think so, but he might already be one of our best backup options at left back. Prediction: 5/10

Shaq Moore - If Shaq played on the left, his number would be a lot higher. But because he’s mostly limited to the right side. That knocks him down. Still, he’s quietly impressing in the Spanish second tier. Prediction: 4/10

Nick Lima - Last season didn’t end to kindly to Lima who went from possible starter to not in the picture. Still, he’s young enough, he’s versatile enough, and he might be good enough to remain in contention. Prediction: 4/10

George Bello - I still want to believe that he finally locks down his starting spot for Atlanta at left back, and emerges as the next US phenom. He has the talent to surpass Vines, but he’s behind him because he hasn’t proven it yet. Prediction: 3/10

Chase Gasper - The older left back option in MLS to Sam Vines. He’s not dynamic but he’s been reliable. Prediction: 3/10

Kobe Hernandez-Foster - Widely considered one of our best prospects at left back. If he even gets a sniff of action, he’s probably in the picture. Prediction: 3/10

Joe Scally - Comparable to Kobe, Scally has a lot of promise. But Kobe plays on the left and Scally plays on the crowded right. Prediction: 3/10

Aaron Herrera - Probably not international level, but he is on my Olympic roster. Especially, because he can play left or right. Prediction: 3/10

Brooks Lennon - Behind the race with Yedlin, Cannon, Chandler, Dest, and a few others. Still, he should get a shot in the Olympics, where he might make a name for himself as a winger. Prediction: 3/10

Julian Araujo - Sort of in the same boat as Lennon, Herrera, in that he needs to prove himself at the Olympic stage, and he needs to become more of a regular in MLS. Still, Berhalter rates him. Prediction: 3/10

Fabian Johnson - Age and injuries have not been kind to a man who I once thought was a UCL level defender. He could play anywhere on the field, but we need him at left back. He needs to find a club though. Prediction: 3/10

Eric Lichaj - He’s probably missed his chance, but the fact he can play left or right, and he has a ton of experience, he might sneak in. He just needs to find a club. Shouldn’t be hard for a former captain in England. Prediction: 3/10

Niko Hamalainen - Probably needs to prove he’s at this level at the Olympics first. But we can’t ignore left backs. Prediction: 2/10

Hassani Dotson - Probably not good enough for this level, but he’s doing well in MLS. Prediction: 2/10

Kyle Duncan - Now getting minutes for NYRB, the Olympics is his next proving ground. And the fact that he can play left or right back is a huge bonus. Prediction: 2/10

Keegan Rosenberry - Not a bad MLS player but probably not good enough for the international stage. Prediction: 2/10

Tommy Thompson - I don’t see it happening, but he could do enough to get a January call-up, and from there, who knows? Prediction: 2/10

Jake Nerwinski - The forgotten man at Vancouver. Prediction: 1/10

Ryan Hollingshead - If we turn to an older MLS vet, his name might be called. Note that is not unthinkable for defender to rely on a veteran presence. Prediction: 1/10

Daniel Lovitz - Is the nightmare finally over? Let’s all hope so. Prediction: 1/10

Andrew Gutman - Who knows? He could go to Celtic, become a starter. Prediction: 1/10

Manny Perez - Similarly, we could have a starting left back and right back at Celtic. Would I count on it? Not really. Prediction: 1/10

Caleb Wiley, Travian Sousa, John Tolkien, Jaylin Lindsey, Dylan Nealis, Tristan Blackmon, Graham Zusi, Chris Duvall, Raymon Gaddis, Ben Sweat, Matthew Olosunde, Sebastian Anderson, Zarek Valentin, Brandon Bye, Marco Farfan, Jonathan Gomez, Leonardo Sepulveda, Matt Real - Not enough to write a review. Prediction: 1/10

CENTER BACKS:
Matt Miazga - His attitude is what hurts him. He needs to prove he’s a first tier player. And he’s yet to do that. Still, he’s one of the best we got. Prediction: 7/10

Aaron Long - Dark horse? I still think so. His European move fell apart and he hasn’t been the same sense. Prediction: 7/10

Chris Richards - If he can get minutes at Bayern (unlikely), he’s a lock. But if he can get minutes in the Bundesliga (very possible), he could still be a lock. Prediction: 6/10

Erik Palmer-Brown - EPB has quietly started to become a decent, not great, European option. Unfortunately, due to our lack of elite level center back talent, he could sneak past the regulars. Prediction: 5/10

Ventura Alvarado - Like EPB, Alvarado has quietly put together a nice career. He’s honestly probably still on the level of Long and Zimmerman, but with a good run of form, we could return to see a Brooks-Alvarado combo. Prediction: 5/10

Walker Zimmerman - Although Zimmerman is rated, he isn’t leading the pack. Prediction: 5/10

Mark McKenzie - He needs to prove himself at the Olympics. Prediction: 4/10

Miles Robinson - Similarly, he needs to prove himself at the next stage. Prediction: 4/10

Cameron Carter-Vickers - Remember him? It’s obvious he’s not Tottenham material, but I could see him being good enough for a top Championship side, and a Jay DeMerit level defender. Prediction: 4/10

Phillip Sadler - There’s rumors that he’s USMNT eligible, and chances are that he’ll never be good enough for the Dutch. If he’s interested, he’s a contender. Prediction: 4/10

Kik Piere - If there’s one position on any national team that I wouldn’t want to contend for, it would be center back for the Dutch. If he rediscovers his 2018-2019 form, and chooses the US, he could be an asset. Prediction: 4/10

Ike Opara - Probably too old at this point, but still one of the best defenders in MLS. Prediction: 3/10

Justen Glad - He needs to step up his game. He has stagnated. Still, he’s a good option, but he needs to prove more to demonstrate that he’s better than a crowded, yet mediocre position. Prediction: 3/10

Tim Parker - Jeez, he fell off a cliff. Prediction: 2/10

Lenard Maloney, George Campbell, Auston Trusty, Aboubacar Keita, Michael Edwards, Brenden Hines-Ike, Steve Birnabum, Jonathan Campbell, Shane O’Neill, Mauricio Pineda - Not enough to write about. 1/10

MIDFIELDERS:
Alfredo Morales - Let’s be honest, I like Fredo. He has bite to his game, and we need that. Prediction: 6/10

Darlington Nagbe - Counted out? Perhaps so. But if the move to Columbus was all he needed to sort out his family issues, Nagbe is instantly in the picture as a very reliable sub option in the midfield. Prediction: 6/10

Jackson Yuiell - Clearly, Berhalter favors him, and clearly he’s one of the best young American midfielders in MLS. Still, as fans, we probably wish for more. Prediction: 6/10

Paxton Pomykal - I’m worried that Pax’s injury history is going to be the determining factor in his career. Prediction: 6/10

James Sands - Quietly, making a name for himself at NYCFC, Sands has been a bulldog for them, anchoring their midfield, and offering the defensive skill that we need out of our #6. Prediction: 5/10

Chris Durkin - Quietly building a solid European resume in Belgium. He still seems too limited, in my opinion, but he should get his shot to make the Olympic squad. Prediction: 4/10

Wil Trapp - We think we’ve seen the last of Trapp, but Berhalter clearly likes him. If he regains form, expect Berhalter to call him in. Prediction: 4/10

Kellyn Acosta - Acosta is likely going to be a player who was a solid MLS pro but never quite good enough for the national team level - sort of like Cristian Roldan. Prediction: 4/10

Eryk Williamson - From promising prospect to Portland’s purgatory to USMNT prospect again. Still, he needs to prove that he can do it consistently. Prediction: 4/10

Marky Delgado - I see him as a younger version of Alejandro Bedoya, without quite as much offensive bite. Prediction: 3/10

Johnny Cardoso - He’s a bit of an unknown, but reports are good. And in truth, after Adams and McKennie, the midfield is wide open. Prediction: 3/10

Owen Otasowie - I’m doubtful. I’m betting he’s one that sparkles then faded. I hope to be wrong. If he becomes a rotational player for Wolverhampton, he’s in the conversation. Prediction: 3/10

Frankie Amaya - I foresee the Olympics as Amaya’s next step. From there, we’ll see. Prediction: 3/10

Taylor Booth - It’s highly unlikely that he has the skill to break through at Bayern, and he’s still probably too young, but he is still one of our top rated youngsters. Prediction: 3/10

Christian Cappis - With a USMNT camp under his belt, Cappis just needs to boost his stock. The Olympics seems like the next step. Prediction: 3/10

Brandon Servania - Similar to Cappis, just needs to boost his stock and do so in the Olympics. Prediction: 2/10

Michael Bradley - Are we finally retiring Bradley? You would think so, but with Berhalter, you can never be sure. Prediction: 2/10

Keaton Parks - What’s his deal? Extremely inconsistent player. Still young enough for Olympics. Prediction: 2/10

Cole Bassett - Unfortunately, Bassett has not been able to build on successful 2019 yet. But it’s obvious the talent is there. It’s just a lot to ask for such a young player to be ready by 2022. Prediction: 2/10

Emo Hyndman - Likely not good enough for the national team level, but probably good enough to be a solid MLS pro. Prediction: 2/10

Danny Leyva - Leyva needs to build on 2019 and emerge this year as a reliable back up option. He has the potential, but it’s probably too much to ask for this cycle. Prediction: 2/10

Bryang Kayo - Good enough to catch Berhalter’s and Wolfsburg’s eye already but probably too soon. Prediction: 2/10

Russell Canouse - Once thought to be a superior option to Wil Trapp, Canouse has fallen off a cliff since his move to RB. Prediction: 2/10

Mix Diskerud - He’ll still be young enough to be in the picture, and although he’s playing all over the world, and not necessarily in the places we might want to play, let’s not forget that Mix was once one of our best midfielders. Prediction: 1/10

Marcelo Palomino, Edwin Cerrillo, Tanner Tessman, Justin Haak, Sebastian Berhalter, Ian Hoffman, Alan Sonora - Not enough to write a review. Prediction: 1/10

ATTACKERS
Brenden Aaronson - He has to angling for a big money move to Europe. In my opinion, the most likely to emerge as a Tyler Adams level talent. Prediction: 8/10

Konrad de la Fuente - While Reyna is now an obvious inclusion, there’s a real possibility that Konrad could jump ahead of the pack if he ever becomes a mainstay for Barcelona. Still, that seems like a mountain to tall to climb. But it’s very likely that he’s good enough to start for a club in the big five. Prediction: 6/10

Ulysses Llanez - I’m worried he’ll never crack the Wolfsburg first team, but the talent is clearly there that he is capable of being a starting talent in the big 5 in the near future. Prediction: 6/10

Duane Holmes - Injuries have unfortunately derailed Holmes’ chances with the USMNT, but Holmes has the ability to at least deserve a look. Prediction: 5/10

Seb Lletget - He looks to be taking a back seat to guys passing him in MLS. Still he has done a decent job at the international stage when called upon. Prediction: 5/10

Richard Ledezma - On the fringes of PSV, we could really benefit if Ledezma takes that leap. Prediction: 5/10

Tyler Boyd - Dark horse? Or just not good enough? Possibly both. Boyd’s career at Besiktas has been terrible, but at one point, he was going to be the man for us. If he transfers somewhere or manages to turn things around, he could re-emerge. Prediction: 5/10

Nick Taitague - I still worry that he’s not able to stay healthy long enough, and that he’s good enough to prove he’s ready to be a Schalke regular. Prediction: 5/10

Alex Mendez - Similar to Ledezma, although signs point that he’s further from the first team, Mendez can go from nobody to somebody very quickly if he cracks into Ajax’s first team. Prediction: 5/10

Indiana Vassilev - Konrad is the sexier pick, but Vassilev has the easier route to first team minutes. And the USMNT is not so good that it can ignore a PL caliber winger. But, there’s also the very real possibility that Vassilev becomes another Lynden Gooch. Prediction: 5/10

Chris Mueller - Mueller had an outstanding showing for Orlando in 2020. Personally, I believe his ceiling will never surpass Jordan Morris, but I could be wrong. Prediction: 4/10

Gianluca Busio - I think we all forget how young Busio actually is. If he grows into his body more and develops his game, he could live up to the hype. Prediction: 4/10

Paul Arriola - Dark horse? Now he is. I believe that Arriola’s injury will knock him down to the point that others will surpass him in the race that he can’t recover from. Nonetheless, stranger things have happened. Prediction: 4/10

Julian Green - Okay, I haven’t given up the guy. Maybe I’m a homer. And I realize his physical limitations, but he can still strike the ball arguably better than anyone in our pool. I could envision a scenario where a lower level Bundesliga clubs signs him, and him doing well enough to earn interest from the USMNT again. Is that likely? Eh, anything is possible. Prediction: 3/10

Jonathan Lewis - It’s evident that Berhalter rates him, although he can’t find a starting position in MLS. Rumors have it that he might transfer to the Championship. We could really use his speed, but I don’t believe he has what we need at this level. Prediction: 3/10

Matko Miljevic - Sort of forgotten, but let’s not forget that at one point, Miljevic was receiving interest from Argentina. Sometimes we forget to look outside of Europe. And he still has talent. Prediction: 3/10

Emmanuel Sabbi - At one point, Sabbi was receiving USMNT interest, but that interest has chilled lately. Still, he’s a freak athlete. Prediction: 2/10

Lynden Gooch - From nobody to somebody? I’m a bit shocked that Gooch has not got out of Sunderland, but I’m of the opinion that Gooch actually possesses the talent to be at the level of Paul Arriola pre-injury. That was good enough for the NT before. Prediction: 2/10

Djordje Mihailovic - At the start of 2019, Mihailovic had the promise of someone who went from out of the woodwork to the next Stu Holden. But then, his career stalled. And it’s become apparent, he lacks athleticism. But he’s still young. Prediction: 2/10

Sebastian Saucedo - Finding a home and Liga MX and still making a name to enter into the USMNT discussion can be difficult. He still is a contender for the Olympics, from there, who knows? Prediction: 2/10.

Malick Tillman - Count me as pessimistic, but I believe, if Tillman is good enough for the USMNT, he’s just going to wait for Germany. Although I could be wrong. Prediction: 1/10

Romain Gall - Talk about streaky! Gall went from promising prospect to nobody to somebody to back to nobody, all before we could blink. Chances are very slim. But stranger things have happened. Prediction: 1/10

Jonathan Amon - Is he still playing soccer? This former DMB wannabe had a lot of promise and he’s still very young. Prediction: 1/10

Kenny Saief - What happened? Before his injuries, Saief resembled a starting quality player, but he has disappeared. Prediction: 1/10

Matteo Ritaccio, Tyler Wolff, Luca de la Torre, Andrew Carleton - Not worth the time to write a review. Prediction: 1/10

FORWARDS
Jordan Morris - If I’m Morris, I wouldn’t think my position was very secure. There is a lot of young,
more promising YA talent in the wind. Still, he was our best player last year. Prediction: 7/10

Tim Weah - If he gets healthy and returns to form, he’s in.

Jeremy Ebobisse - 2020 might be the year that Ebobisse goes from dark horse to mainstay; especially since, Altidore is done, Zardes is limited, Soto fell off a cliff, Weah has been hurt, and there have not been a ton of other options to compete against Sargent. Prediction: 6/10

Gyasi Zardes - I’ll say that he’s still on the outside looking in, even if he feels like a mainstay. Prediction: 5/10

Andrija Novakovich - Novakovich reminds me of Kenny Cooper and Andrew Wooten’s love child. He’s big enough, but plays like a small striker. He’s easily forgotten, and then explodes on the scene, and then fades again. He’s still not an old striker, and if he could land in the top tier of the big 5 Or at least score consistently, we could desperately use another CF. Prediction: 5/10

Ayo Akinola - Exploding into 2020, Akinola has entered the discussion, to be at least equivalent to Jeremy Ebobisse, and surpassing Mason Toye - who fell off a cliff - and Vasquez who is currently a never was. Prediction: 5/10

Jesus Ferreira - Personally, I’m waiting to see what everyone else raves for. He has skill but does have the ability to be a striker, or is he stuck in A striker’s midfield purgatory - good enough to play but not good enough for the #9? Prediction: 5/10

Jozy Altidore - I believe his injuries have caught up to him. Prediction: 4/10

Charlie Kelman - League One isn’t a sexy league to watch, but he’s still a kid, and he’s getting looks from bigger clubs. Kelman could easily be the guy who makes a name for himself at the right time. Or, he could be a 2026 prospect, or he might just fade. Prediction: 4/10

Niko Gioacchnini - Not scoring a lot of goals in France’s second tier has not prevented Berhalter from openly disclosing looking at the youngster. Prediction: 4/10

Jordan Siebatcheu - He would have to commit and rediscover some type of form to be in the equation. Questions remain if he’s better than Zardes or not. Prediction: 4/10

Sebastian Soto - Man, did he get some bad career advice. From the man to nobody overnight. He’s still young enough to turn it around. Prediction: 4/10

Haji Wright - A recent move might be the right move for this youth phenom who needs to start producing. Prediction: 4/10

Folarin Bolagun - Youth results are always a hit/miss way of analyzing the trajectory of a player. But if those results are to be believed, dual-national, Bolagun could go from zero to hundred if he becomes a regular for Arsenal. Prediction: 3/10

Malick Sanogo - Similar to Bolagun, if Sanogo becomes a first team player for Union Berlin and scores with any sort of regularity, he’s going to be in the picture. Only thing is he might be too young. Prediction: 3/10

Mason Toye - I wish Atlanta would have made a move for him in the wake of Josef’s injury, but he should still be considered on the watch list for the Olympics. Prediction: 3/10.

Robbie Robinson - A very promising collegiate prospect who needs to demonstrate he can play in MLS then prove he can play on the international stage. Prediction: 2/10

Ricardo Pepi - Chances are that he’s too young for this cycle. Prediction: 2/10

Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez - Further behind Pepi and not likely to emerge in time for 2022. Prediction: 1/10

Aron Johannsson - Can you believe it? He’s scoring again! Still, only a matter of time before he’s injured again. Prediction: 1/10

Bobby Wood - Who? Prediction: 1/10

Christian Ramirez - I wouldn’t bet my house on it, but our forward options are terrible. Prediction: 1/10

Jack DeVries, Johan Gomez, Matthew Hoppe, Cameron Harper, Maurice Malone, Jalen Hawkins, Josh Pynadath - Too soon probably and not worth my time to write a review. Prediction: 1/10

 

Charlie Kelman and Johan Gomez.

 

I tried to to base this from roles I can see opening up in the 23-man roster given the current pool. Vassilev and Siebatcheu and a few others probably aren't really dark horses though

- Stefan Frei for the experienced third GK spot if Guzan retires
- Tristain Blackmon I can see waiting in the wings if Yedlin or Cannon flops, looks sharp at LAFC and is the type of physical RB I can see coaches not being afraid going from MLS straight into international play against better teams
- Sam Vines for the solid, left-footed defense-first LB role
- Ventura Alvarado, Kik Pierie for backup LCB if Ream retires/ages
- Fernando Arce Jr, Johnny Cardoso, Chris Durkin, James Sands for backup #6
- Bryang Kayo I can see breaking into Wolfsburg's first team rotation at the beginning of the 2022-23 season and forcing his way onto the roster
- Indiana Vassilev, Chris Mueller, Khiry Shelton for the Arriola hustle-sub winger role
- Jordan Siebatcheu, Folarin Balogun, Charlie Kelman, Andrija Novakovich, Mason Toye for backup #9

 

Philippe Sandler, Bryang Kayo, Kellyn Acosta, Jeremy Toljan, Joe Scally, Folarin Balogun, Malick Sanogo.

 

Now, if I had to just pick 5 way out there, no real justification to pick this guy or not, just pure stab in the dark guess, on who might blow up on the scene out of nowhere in 5 years...

I’ll pick 5:
1. Robbie Robinson
2. Folarin Bolagun
3. Charlie Kelman
4. Malick Sanogo
5. Taylor Booth
Bonus: Brady Scott

 

I should add Alejandro Bedoya. We don't really have a guy on the bench who can shut down a flank in midfield.

 

Julian Gressel, it is my understanding that he will be eligible.

 

Donovan

 

Dark horse, not dead horse!

 

Very very long

 

Cameron Harper
Florain balogun
Jeremy ebobisse
Ricardo pepi

If Gregg doesn’t take both zardes and jozy, that means a young third striker has established himself