For the Stars and Stripes, for the USA, if you guys had to put together a starting 11 for Qatar 2022, should you guys qualify, then who would be in your starting 11 right now...this is merely for fun but I obviously wanna pick your guys' brains on this
It’s still two years away, so there is a whole lot of prediction that far away... Now ————Sargent———- Pulisic——————-Morris ————Lletget———— ——McKennie—Adams— Dest———————Yedlin ——-Brooks—-Long——— ————Guzan————— Bench: Hamid (GK) Johnson (GK) Cannon (RB) Miazga (CB) Zimmerman (CB) Ream (LB) {maybe Vines - Antonee spot} Morales (M6) Pomykal (M8) Reyna (10) Ferreira (RW) {Arriola spot - maybe Llanez} Holmes (LW) {Weah’s spot} Zardes (FW) {maybe Altidore} injured: Steffen, Antonee, Weah, Arriola Then ————-Sargent————- Pulisic———————Weah —————Reyna————— ——-McKennie—Adams—— Dest————————Yedlin ———Brooks—Richards—— —————Steffen————— Bench: Guzan (GK) Horvath (GK) Cannon (RB) Miazga (CB) Miles (CB) Antonee (LB) Morales (M6) Pomykal (MF) Aaronson (MF) Konrad (RW) Llanez (LW) Ferreira (FW)
GK- Zack Steffen LB- Antonee Robinson CB- Aaron Long CB- John Brooks RB- Sergino Dest CDM- Tyler Adams LCM- Weston McKennie RCM- Brendan Aaronson LW- Christian Pulisic (captain) CF- Josh Sargent RW- Jordan Morris (4-3-3 that I would go with...for the USA)
---------------------------Morris--------------- ------------Reyna------Pulisic--------Dest----- ----------------Adams--------McKennie ---Robinson----------------------------------Cannon---- -----------------Brooks------Richards----- --------------------------Steffen---------
I like the format @Eleven Bravo used so I’m going to copy it... Now (assuming health) ————Altidore(but he won’t be healthy so Sargent)———- Pulisic——————-Morris ————Reyna———— ——McKennie—Adams—— Dest———————Cannon ——-Brooks—-Long——— ————Steffen————— Bench: Horvath (GK) Johnson (GK) Yedlin (RB) Miazga (CB) M Robinson (CB) A Robinson (LB) Yueill (M6) Pomykal (M8) Lletget (10) Weah Holmes Zardes Then ————-Sargent————- Pulisic———————Reyna —————Ledezma————— ——-Pomykal—Adams—— Dest————————Cannon ———Brooks—Richards—— —————Steffen————— Bench: Las/Ochoa (GK) Johnson (GK) Yedlin (RB) Miazga (CB) Miles (CB) Hernandez-Foster (LB) Ummm... Yueill? (M6) McKennie (MF) Holmes (MF) Morris (RW) Llanez (LW) Pepi (FW) in a perfect world, we would change the lineup to give us the best matchup with the opponent. Also, I view the ‘22 WC as somewhat of a building block for 2026. But I also think there are going to be a lot of young players who emerge at good clubs in the next 2 years.
If Altidore carries over to Qatar, then no doubt he will probably be captain in the sense of having the most experience but your lineup looks good but your 2022 line up could be a building block to 2026 when you, us Canada and Mexico all host
-------------morris ----pulisic--reyna----sargent ----adams--delgado-dest-- -----brooks--long---sands- ------------gk:horvath
A proper 2-striker look. McKennie and Adams are comfortable defending in space or in central midfield. Pulisic and Reyna are comfortable cutting inside or playing in space. Morris and Sargent are, likewise, versatile in how they can play.
Or another line up for USA you can go with: Starting 11 (4-2-3-1; one of the most youngest teams that will be in Qatar...but a team that will be exciting and fun to watch) GK- Zack Steffen (27 years old; 2022) LB- Antonee Robinson (25 years old; 2022) CB- John Brooks (29 years old; 2022) CB- Chris Richards (22 years old; 2022) RB- Sergino Dest (22 years old; 2022) DM- Tyler Adams (23 years old; 2022) DM- James Sands (22 years old; 2022) LAM- Christian Pulisic (captain) (24 years old; 2022) CAM- Jordan Morris (28 years old; 2022) RAM- Gio Reyna (20 years old; 2022) CF- Josh Sargent (lone striker) (22 years old; 2022) (4-2-3-1 formation for my American friends) Much respect from a Ghanaian-Canadian Bench GK- Matt Turner, David Ochoa RB- Reggie Cannon CB- Miles Robinson, Aaron Long LB- Sam Vines DM- Jackson Yueill CM- Weston McKennie, Paxton Pomykal AM- Brendan Aaronson, Richie Ledezma FW- Jozy Altidore (super sub)
It’s nuts how young this team is.... couple points: #1. If Jozy is playing, he must start. Even if he’s a rotating starting striker. He’s too injury prone for me to trust him coming on as a sub. Last thing we’d need is to sub him in, and have to sub him out. It’s unfortunate because otherwise, he’d be my de facto #1 striker. #2. Yedlin has to still be in the group unless somehow he is made obsolete. If it came down to Sam Vines + Dest playing on the right, or Yedlin + Dest plays on the left, Dest is going to have to play left back. #3 I love Aaronson, I am really high on him. Same with Ledezma, but we still need someone with some bite in this squad. Personally, Morales is my underrated player to provide some bite. #4 No way, McKennie doesn’t start. Personally, he’s my captain of the squad. Originally, I thought Adams. I think we all questioned if Pulisic should get it. But McKennie has the right amount of quality and personality for that position. Plus, he’s not as injury prone *knock on wood* #5 Morris is going to have to start on the wing, IMO, if he starts at all. Or, he’s going to be part of a two person striker formation, where he’s the wheels of the operation. #6 Damn, I’m high on Sands. But a starter? That’s optimistic. But who knows? He could get in.
1- With Altidore I really debated putting him in my 11 but with him being injury prone, I figured it was better to have him come off the bench. At least, that way off the bench he would easily be able to create a spark especially in that young offense. Which is why I went with Sargent up top as lone striker. 2- Yedlin will probably still be a part of the group but right now I doubt it which is why I dropped him...for me he would be at best in my provisional squad but he would get dropped. At least with Dest and Vines, yes they may have youth on their side but right now certainly in American football, they are probably one of the best young players which is why I included them more or less in my 23 3- Aaronson and Ledezma at least with them in the team, yeah they may not carry that bite but they are fast and technical on the ball which is why I went with them at least on my bench 4- Pulisic is going to be the captain I think that is inevitable given that he's the face of American soccer right now as its golden boy. McKennie yes he probably would make a great captain but I just can't see it. 5- I can agree with you on Morris being on the wing or if they went with a 4-4-2 he would be that second striker option but I can see whoever the coach is come 2022, doing a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-3-3 6- Sands was a revelation last season in the MLS for NYCFC which is why I included him in my 23 especially as a starter because I just believe he has what it takes
Definitely all fair and logical points. On Aaronson, Ledezma, and Pomykal... I doubt all three make it in the squad unless it’s impossible to leave them off of it.
Which is why for me Pomykal most likely would be the odd man out and I would take Aaronson and Ledezma to Qatar
I don't dislike this at all, but it's a very aggressive, attacking rollout. Six of the 10 are really fundamentally offensive players that aren't known for defensive play. Do you have concerns about the defensive abilities of this lineup? You almost have to have Adams and McKennie to stay home because your fullbacks aren't and your forward CMs are not strong defenders.
Pretty youthful USA side but this team being so young essentially it could make them not only an exciting team to watch but it could even make them a dark horse come Qatar
It's similar to the run-n-gun Bob used, but with Reyna and CP in the roles of Duece and Donovan. Granted, narrow formations tend to expose the backline more. Oddly enough, in WC'10, rather than the fullbacks, it was Rico and JF Torres who were exposed up the middle by the pace and power of the opposition. We have a sturdier pool of center-mids, this time around, in any event. Also, on paper, our backline should be much better than the '10 version was.
It is but it all comes down to the US being prepared in qualifying too because we all know what happened in 2018 qualifying. USA got complacent against teams that they should have beat and then afterwards depended on teams to bail them out. Huge part of that can be blamed on a rotation of coaching changes but still that US team was at least good enough to qualify for Russia 2018 but didn't and all they needed was a win or even a draw against Trindad. Win and they would have qualified directly to Russia and Panama would have gone to the playoff against Australia. Draw and USA would have went to the playoff against Australia and then we could have seen if USA could have qualified. However, now fast forward to 2022 this USA team is not only a different team, a much younger team than in year's past but a team that can on any day beat the best. What matters or what USA can do and probably should do is get rid of Berhalter as manager and hire on a new manager to replace him. If they do that, then by all means they can surely qualify. Either hire another American to be manager or you hire a foreign coach. Either way Berhalter needs to be gone like yesterday.
Agree on the center mids -- McKennie and Adams are better on total talent. Though both tend to roam quite a bit, and I wonder how needing to stay home positionally affects them -- I think Weston, in particular, could lose a lot of that effectiveness. You're right that it's not dissimilar to the 2009/2010 run and gun -- probably our best teams ever, but I do think those teams tended to have fullbacks that also stayed back quite a bit. I don't know if Dest / Robinson are built for that, skillwise. Interesting team, though, and like I said, I like the aggression. We're just going to be so, so young. It's not disqualifying, but it's a factor to consider.
Yeah you guys will be young but you guys will have that speed on the ball and on counter attack to be exciting but being young has its disadvantages but it has its advantages too like also that aggression and that team spirit...makes you strong in CONCACAF
I'm anticipating Adam and McKennie's games will continue to mature and round out over the next two years. I would also not be surprised to see the two get pushed for their spots. Likewise with Brooks. The up and coming talent is quite promising. Dest did well staying back against Canada to shut down Davies and Osario.