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

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by xbhaskarx, Jun 13, 2022.

  1. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #1 xbhaskarx, Jun 13, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2022
    It's been confirmed that the World Cup roster will be 26 players up from the usual 23:



    Confirmed: The list for the Qatar World Cup will be 26 players. Everyone will be able to sign the form. 11 holder and 15 alternates. It was approved at an IFAB congress in Doha. It comes into effect on July 1 for all official competitions.

    There will also be five substitutions allowed instead of the usual three:
    The IFAB permanently approves five-substitute option in top-level competitions

    What does this mean for the USMNT roster?

    We're 5 months out from when roster submissions are due. It is generally 6 weeks before the start of the tournament, which would be around October 10.
     
    Pl@ymaker repped this.
  2. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The main argument I would make is that one of the three extra roster spots should NOT be wasted on a fullback... copy-pasting my reasoning here:

    ===
    Can someone explain the logic here to me because I don't get it...

    - With a 23 man roster you take 4 fullbacks, and one likely never even plays (see Chandler 2014).

    - So with a 26 roster why wouldn't we just take 4 fullbacks? Why 5 fullbacks for potentially two to never play?

    - Especially considering the following:

    - Scally can back up both RB and LB.

    - Dest will start at RB but can also back up LB

    - Adams, Acosta, and Richards will ALL be on the roster if healthy, and all can play fullback.

    - Worst case scenario Arriola could play back there.​
    It just seems like it would be an insane waste of a roster spot to take another fullback over ANY of another striker / central midfielder / center back / Sands DM-CB.

    In fact I can't think of a bigger waste of a roster spot than taking a fourth goalkeeper...
     
    TheRightPants, TrueCrew and FTGOTC repped this.
  3. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    The expansion to 26 probably doesn't mean guys currently out of the group get back in with a chance. It means some of these fringe insiders like Roldan, Arriola, Morris, etc. are back in with a shout. Arriola might be in anyway, but we have to remember that somebody needs to be displaced by Reyna.

    And it puts some guys from the bubble to "in." Hard for me to imagine a squad of 26 with a player like Pepi not included.
     
  4. papermache16

    papermache16 Member+

    Jan 30, 2009
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    (In no order):

    GK:
    Steffen
    Turner
    Horvath

    DF:
    Dest
    Scally
    Robinson
    Yedlin
    Cannon
    Zimmerman
    Long
    Richards
    Carter Vickers

    MF:
    Adams
    Acosta
    McKennie
    Musah
    De La Torre
    Aaronson
    Roldan

    FW:
    Reyna
    Pulisic
    Weah
    Arriola
    Ferreira
    Pepi
    Wright
     
  5. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    Interesting. We're not that deep, so I think augmenting to 26 is relatively unhelpful. Still, those are the rules.

    Here's my line of thinking. Start with your 23. Do we really have 3 more players who would add anything? Sure, I would be a great locker room presence, keeping everyone in stitches*, but I don't think I could be of much use on the field. Who could?

    Dike - when we discover that Wales and/or Iran have no answer for the combination of attributes Dike possesses, i.e. it's time to go full beast mode up front.

    Hoppe - when we're down a goal late and it's time to throw the system out the window or (more likely) time to add another tall player capable of heading for goal.

    Ream/Brooks - pretty astonishing to think Brooks has no place on a 26-man roster. I think Berhalter might go with Ream, as sort of a player-coach in practice and a left-footed CB (who's played a ton of games alongside ARob) should we ever morph into a three-CB formation.

    ++++++++++++

    *No, not those stitches.
     
    PANDEMONEUM, FTGOTC and Kirium repped this.
  6. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #6 rgli13, Jun 13, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2022
    oh man, a lot in my opinion- it allows for what i think are berhalters most problematic weaknesses. "the great reconciliation" is possible with extended rosters and keepping five subs- what i want and what im most concerned hes gonna do.


    gk steffen
    gk turner
    gk horvath/johnson

    rb dest
    rb yedlin
    rb scally/cannon

    cb richards
    cb brooks
    cb zimmerman
    cb epb/long
    cb/dm sands

    lb robinson

    dm adams
    dm acosta

    cm mckennie
    cm reyna
    cm musah
    cm de la torre
    locker room/rw listed as cm roldan

    rw weah
    rw arriola

    st dike/any other scrub
    st pepi
    st ferreira

    lw pulisic
    lw aaronson


    where i have multiple options its my preference first and greggs dumb mistake second. the third keeper wont actually make a difference, and hopefully the third rb wont either.

    but its fundamentally wrong to me to have your starter at one spot also the only backup at another- so dest is our rb (and only our rb) and the fourth fb is jedis backup. i think scally is better/more prepared than either bello or vines.

    st is more consequential to me, because i think dike should play over any other option- but this allows for pepi, ferreira and whoever you think is good.

    the only real variable i see that could leave a more important player off is deal-or-no-deal tillman. id trade roldan for tillman, but no one else here.
     
  7. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i agree with one caveat- sands gives us depth at both cb and dm. i get that everyone "can" play somewhere else, but in those two spots it creates the least amount of ripples in moving guys around.
     
    FTGOTC repped this.
  8. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    #8 Maximum Optimal, Jun 13, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2022
    We have this fairly big falloff after our top 12 outfield players: Dest, Zimmerman, Richards, Robinson, Adams, Musah, McKennie, Reyna, Pulisic, Aaronson, Weah, LDLT

    After that there are 20 or so players of very similar quality. If one of our top guys gets hurt, Berhalter could go a number of ways given who is available in the second tier. There will be some useful second tiers players left off the roster. Depending on how injuries and card accumulation play out, it could matter. Even with the bigger rosters.
     
  9. papermache16

    papermache16 Member+

    Jan 30, 2009
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Don't forget Weah.
     
    FTGOTC and TimB4Last repped this.
  10. nobody

    nobody Member+

    Jun 20, 2000
    I honestly think we would struggle to fill out a 23 man roster with guys that we should actually feel comfortable playing any real minutes so for me the extra three guys are likely just along or the ride anyway. We've never played all 23 in the past so I would be surprised to see us play 26 this time around.
     
  11. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    Thanks. Fixed.
     
  12. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    There will be at least 10 guys who won't play. Even with a deep run. But there are always unexpected issues that come up. We just don't know ahead of time. So care must be taken to think about various contingencies.
     
  13. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    I'll kick it off by saying it is more plausible to me that certain contingencies will require Sands than Roldan.
     
    FTGOTC and The Clientele repped this.
  14. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #14 xbhaskarx, Jun 13, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2022
    My starting 11:

    Reyna
    Pulisic
    Weah
    McKennie
    Musah
    Adams
    A Robinson
    Zimmerman
    Richards
    Dest
    Turner


    The other 12-26:

    Steffen
    Horvath (S Johnson)

    Long
    CCV (Brooks)

    Cannon (Scally)
    Vines (Paredes)

    Acosta
    LDLT

    Aaronson
    Arriola

    Ferreira
    Pepi
    Wright (Sargent)

    25th: Roldan (Tillman)

    26th: Morris or a CB (EPB or maybe Sands)
     
    FTGOTC repped this.
  15. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Sands isn't really an "outsider," though.
    He's had 7 caps since the start of 2021.

    Anyway, the thought is that the move to 26 does open the possibility of somebody like Sands, Mihailovic (6 caps under Berhalter), Dike, and players of that ilk.

    Or Berhalter could decide that players 24-26 can be younger, high-ceiling fringe players unlikely to see the field.

    I don't know what Berhalter is going to do. We can analyze scenarios that make sense till the cows come home. Then Berhalter will name all of Dest, Scally, Cannon, and Yedlin to the roster. As if we need 4 guys who primarily play RB.
     
  16. rgli13

    rgli13 Member+

    Mar 23, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i dont think i registered the outsider part- i was just speaking in the sense of "wouldnt make it on a 23".
     
  17. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    Busio, Pomykal, Tillman, Ledezma and Gomez come to mind. The latter two dual nationals where a nudge might make a difference. I am not above using a couple of the extra slots to play that game.
     
  18. Yowza

    Yowza Member+

    DC United
    United States
    Oct 23, 2019
    Arlington
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree, five fullbacks is a waste. My hope is one or two of the slots are used on ‘specialists’, for example Kevin Paredes who can draw fouls and unbalance a defense in desperate situations and happens to be left footed, where we’re a little short. I’d also like a straight up speed merchant. Doesn’t look like Morris is that guy right now, but maybe Cowell can continue on the upswing.
    23 has been enough forever, my hope is gb gets creative and specific with the extra 3.
     
  19. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Mexico might use that extra slot on Gomez....................

    My point is that this isn't the Baton Death March. We play 3 games and hopefully 4/5. Not all 23 guys typically play in a World Cup...................not to mention 26. [With increased substitutions might come more opportunities.]

    So one can make an argument that you don't actually need that 4th right back. Why not use that extra slot to bring along a high ceiling youngster? An elite U20 performer. Why bring Yedlin if you have Dest and Cannon? Why not bring...................Justin Che if you think he has a higher ceiling than Yedlin? [I don't know if that's the case. Just using it as an example.]

    The extra slots may also allow a coach to roll the dice on a player of uncertain injury status. Then your bring both the uncertain player and a fill-in. As opposed to one or the other.
     
  20. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    WE have an embarrassment of riches in the first xi and get thin real fast around the 18 man roster mark.
    I could only manage 21 inc 3 keepers when the roster size was 23 as foll:.
    Pepi and Sands are speculative because they would have to get off the bench at clubs real fast and early this season. I'm counting on Morris to get into A1 shape. He's much better than many realize.

    ---------pulisic----aaronson---ferreira----weah
    ---------(morris)-------------(pepi)----------(arriola)
    ---arob------musah---(reyna)-----adams-----dest
    ---(scally)---------------------------(sands)---(cannon)
    ----------------------long-----------zim
    -------------------------------------(ccv)
    --------------gk: Turner/Horvath/Johnson (I have no idea what is up with Steffen
    )

    With regard to various names mentioned:
    McK and Sarge are outside mids in flat 442 but Berhalter doesn't play that. Richards seemed too green at a position that needs a lot of experience. I'd take Scally over Vines. Belgian league a little suspect. Acosta can't pass in a midfield that needs more / better passing (for one thing). I get that LDLT is there to do what Musah does in case the latter can't go; I guess he could be added altho I'm skeptical. Brooks is too problematic. Wright has always had problems at higher level. I'm not opposed to Roldan based on his swiss knife quality and the expansion to 26 but Berhalter never plays him. I have Sands in my list but I don't think Berhalter trusts him since he gave up a pk

    As far as I can tell, we can't really fill out this roster til the season starts in Europe and we see how various players are making out but our last friendlies are in September. This will go down to the wire.
     
  21. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yep it most likely means fringe MLS guys get the caps.
     
  22. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    I see the dropoff in quality coming after our 12th best player (LDLT). After that it's a blob of 20-30 players. But it's not an undifferentiated blob.

    12 is an interesting number. If everyone is healthy and available (never seems to happen), it gives you two more than useful subs on the bench. And the others are more situational guys.

    If Miles had been healthy, it would have been potentially 13 quality outfield players. Goalies are another matter.

    As things currently stand we won't have a weak link in our starting lineup. Except for goalie. But they are a different kind of animal. Not really soccer players.
     
  23. dspence2311

    dspence2311 Member+

    Oct 14, 2007
    Guessing your 12: Dest, Zimmerman, Richards, Jedi, McKennie, Adams, Musah, LDLT, Reyna, Aaronson, Pulisic, Weah
     
    Pl@ymaker repped this.
  24. gomichigan24

    gomichigan24 Member+

    Jul 15, 2002
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I doubt Mexico will do that. It's very much not Martino's style to just bring along a youth player to the World Cup for the sake of it. Mexico is all about having to go through the process and playing for each team you're eligible for. Especially if Gomez continues to play for Real Sociedad B in the 3rd division.

    My prediction is that we won't see one Mexican-American on Mexico's World Cup roster.
     
  25. gomichigan24

    gomichigan24 Member+

    Jul 15, 2002
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My general sense of the last 3 spots is you bring people who can play multiple positions and give you cover there. Or you bring guys who give you something unique that you don't have like you say.

    I don't see us bringing undecided dual nationals for the last few spots unless they are elite Pulisic/Reyna type prospects.
     
    Marko72, FTGOTC and Yowza repped this.

Share This Page