Pre-match: USA-Trinidad and Tobago, World Cup Qualifier, 8 June 2017

He may be back and if cleared may make the roster but this makes it a bit easier for Arena to leave him out of the 11 and buys him time to make a final decision for the remainder of the qualifiers. As we all know, Jones is no longer a spring chicken.

How the Galaxy play without Jones the next few weeks may also be important. They played better in the second half without Jones than with him. If that continues it may affect the decision.

 

That would be crazy if he was still invited, in spite of a significant injury. It would be Klinsmann-esque. It feels like we're perpetually in this situation of limbo with Jones either due to age, injuries, suspensions, or attitude. Let's make a clean break.

 

I do these all the time, so it's not like I was resorting to a cop out. It's just redundant. But I guess I can repeat:

fw's: Wood, Dempsey, Altidore, Morris/Agudelo (Morris if healthier than now)
mids: Cameron, Bradley, McCarty, Acosta, Nagbe, Johnson (if healthy), Pulisic, Feilhaber, Arriola
backs: Villafana, Besler, Brooks, Gonzalez, Zimmerman, Yedlin, Lichaj
gk's: Howard, Hamid, Guzan

 

This is pretty much what I think the roster will be. I just wonder about Feilhaber and Lichaj. It seems that Arena preferred Klestjan to Feilhaber going into the last set of qualifiers. I don't know if he still does, or even if doesn't prefer Klestjan, maybe he has another choice there, since neither is playing at their best right now in MLS.

And Lichaj hasn't been called in yet by Arena, right? I think he should be at some point, but I'm wondering if he goes with Ream as a safer option here, since he has some familiarity with him, and he's apparently in pretty good form.

 

Lichaj wasn't available for the last match. Bruce said he would have invited him otherwise. Since he has went on to win his club's POY. Bruce respects the Championship. There are no more games for Lichaj to get injured in. I fully expect to see him announced as part of this roster, especially given the fact that it's a bit out of season for Europe, and they have a friendly ahead, so they'll expand it beyond 23 and evaluate in camp. This is a nice luxury we have.

That could benefit Feilhaber, because Bruce could call in both him and Kljestan. I too preferred Kljestan last camp because of recent nt success, the qualifying opponents not being overly tough, and the previous season's form. But this season Feilhaber's stock has went up and Kljestan's has went down. And Benny has more mobility to aid us against Mexico on the road if need be. So I'd lean in his direction.

Don't know what Bruce does in regards to Feilhaber, Hamid, Arriola, and the 4th striker spot. I feel like he's going to find a way to work Bedoya and/or Zardes in there. He might well stick with Rimando over Hamid or Horvath, because of veteran trust. And he could go either way with Feilhaber/Kljestan. Feilhaber has scored under him already, but he was desperately trying to acquire Kljestan for LA. Johnson's and Morris' injury status' are really up in the air. On the last roster, Bruce was conservative when it came to selecting players with injuries.

If I had to guess, I'd say he brings 3 of Zardes, Bedoya, Kljestan, and Rimando as part of his final 23. Which overall would make the roster selection average. We aren't going to get everybody we want and should.

Anyway, the more important factor is going to be how he uses those in and around his xi's. Cameron starting at dm, Besler-Brooks as the cb pairing, Bradley as the 8 or finding a way to exclude him, Wood over Altidore vs. Mexico; these decisions will more make the difference between winning and losing.

 

I'd question how some of those players (Arriola, Lichaj, Zimmerman, McCarty) bring a ton of NT experience and recent caps compared to the players I named, but to each their own. The top roster spots are always going to go to the proven players. I don't know why you are quibbling so much over my opinion of which unproven (at the NT level) players get the last few spots. I don't expect you to necessarily agree with me, but I don't see how your team is much different in having a few players without much NT experience.

 

Zimmerman is really the only one who doesn't have significant recent or overall experience. He's my 4th-5th cb option. You have 3 cb's without significant experience/proof. If we had one injury, we'd hand the torch to an inexperienced guy.

- Lichaj has 11 caps. He played in an a-team Gold Cup final.

- McCarty has 6 caps. He's started this year. Played well. Is a long time MLS vet who has showed poise in bigger games. Trapp has 2 caps. None since 2015. Didn't play well in those games. Struggled badly in the u-23 playoff and MLS Cup final. This is a pet project choice, in a do-or-die qualifier. I wouldn't agree with the choice either for GC, but wouldn't have much of a problem with it either because that's the place for some pet projects to see if you can finally make them work.

- Arriola has several recent caps. Has played in 2 meaningful matches. Scored a goal in one, and in another.

That's the difference. It's significant/more than a quibble to me.

 

After letting in 3 5-hole goals on Monday, one must remove Guzan henceforth from any national team discussion. Three. 5-hole. I am still waiting to hear that AFCU tore up his contract.

 

I did that begrudgingly. I don't like him. But he'd be the 3rd keeper. I have a hard time justifying both Hamid and Horvath experience-wise. I'd start Hamid in the friendly and likely go to him if Howard went down, especially against Mexico where you figure we need some hero saves which Guzan is not capable of.

 

Jones news (not good for JJ) . .

Jermaine Jones could miss next set of USMNT World Cup qualifiers with knee injury

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/20...e-injury-la-galaxy-usmnt-world-cup-qualifying

Barring an accelerated timeline for his recovery, this would likely rule him out for the next two World Cup qualifiers against Trinidad & Tobago (June 8) and Mexico (June 11). This would leave a hole open in the midfield for someone else to fill. Candidates for that spot next to Michael Bradley in the midfield could include Kellyn Acosta, Dax McCarty, and Alejandro Bedoya just to name a few.

Jermaine Jones has 69 international caps to his name and has performed at a very high level at several high profile tournaments in his career. However, there are emerging concerns that we’ve reached the expiration date of his international career, at least with him being a focal point of every important lineup.

 

Disagree on your assessment of Benny's form this year. He's been consistently the best player on the field and looks like our best option at #10 in the NT pool.

Sacha has looked putrid. If he gets a call up, I give up on Bruce and this cycle. Bedoya, Wondo, Zusi and Jones should all be done, too.

 

Time for Acosta.

 

We dont need Jones for T&T. We'd play better with Nagbe, Bradley, Pulisic, Kljestan behind Wood/Dempsey.

Against Mexico its a potential problem because in recent years we've tried to stifle Mexico by putting Bradley-Jones as double destroyers. Not sure we know how to play against Mexico any other way

 

If true that there will be a wider group brought in for the friendly ahead of these WCQs, I sure hope Roldan gets called at least for the initial group.

I was skeptical of some of the praise I read of him based on what I saw of the Sounders last year, but indeed his play this season looks on-par with the others in the US pool at CM. To my eyes he has earned at least a 30-man-camp invite.

 

We will be prioritizing altitude training as we head to Denver and then Mexico City, where we will be playing for our first qualifying victory, ever . . .

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...e-training-ahead-of-june-world-cup-qualifiers

MNT training camp will open at the home of the Colorado Rapids towards the end of May, with a still to be announced friendly scheduled prior to the qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago.

Arena said he and his staff have gathered different opinions on how to best handle altitude training, though he has been through this before. During the 2005 Hexagonal, the U.S. MNT’s domestic-based players took part in a lengthy, late-winter camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., prior to heading to Azteca at the end of March.

Though the altitude training certainly accounted for one factor, the conditions in Colorado towards the end of winter couldn’t replicate the heat and air quality of what the team experienced on an early Sunday afternoon at Azteca. The U.S. surrendered two early goals and could never completely claw back in a 2-1 defeat on March 27, 2005.

“When we stepped on the field in Mexico City, it was about 85 degrees at noon with pollution and everything else. There’s a lot of variables you have to throw in there, and we’re going to try and get a little bit closer this time around.”

 

Bring in Hamid or Horvath as third GK behind Howard and Guzan. I like Rimando, but we need to start involving the youngsters.

 

Did you see his last match? Surely you must not have. He is done as far as I am concerned with the NT. For two reasons. One, he has never shown much ability to come up with the show stopper save. Steady and solid by just doesn't come up with that monstrous save. And now he has failed at making some less than difficult saves. Three five holers in one game. Are you kidding me.........

 

Is Robles out of the picture? I hope not.

 

Wait, did I write that again?

 

I'm a Red Bulls fan. The Red Bulls have allowed 1.36 goals per game, which is slightly better than the MLS average of 1.39.

 

While I understand everything you said, it's been clear his is the second-choice goalkeeper. But that's why Horvath, Hamid, etc need to be brought in. They are the future of the position.

 

I'm no expert but I like Bono's style

 

I’ll list the 25 players whom, as of now, I’d like to see Bruce Arena call into the camp (including the friendly against Venezuela on June 3) preceding the World Cup qualifiers against Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico.

I. Roster for TnT and Mexico Camp

An initial thought: For this U.S. camp and the team’s back-to-back qualifiers against Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico, I think Arena should call in more than 23 players. First, the club season is over for all the European-based and Mexican-based players who are candidates for the roster. So, if any of these players is called in to the U.S. camp, he won’t miss any games with his club. Second, it’s important that the U.S. have the best roster possible for these two World Cup qualifiers. These are important games as far as whether we will qualify for the 2018 World Cup. And if we qualify, that will do a lot in terms of helping grow the sport of soccer in the U.S. and Canada. Finally, in March when the U.S. had back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Panama, Arena ended up calling in 27 total players, and that number of players seemed to work well. Over the course of the two games, the team played well and got important results, namely an excellent win at home and a solid draw on the road. Paul Arriola, whom Arena called in after the Honduras match and prior to the Panama match, was the 27th player Arena called in. Arriola played eight minutes against Panama and helped the U.S. hang on for a draw.

A. Goalkeeper

1. Tim Howard
2. Brad Guzan
3. Nick Rimando

The decision is a hard one regarding the third goalkeeper. Nick Rimando played well in the U.S.’s friendly against Serbia in January 2017. Also, with 22 caps, Rimando has good international experience. However, Bill Hamid is more athletic than Rimando and has better size for a goalkeeper (6’ 3”, 225 lbs. vs. 5’ 10”, 189 lbs.). Hamid also leads MLS in saves; Rimando is 9th in saves.

In addition, Rimando is playing for the team with the second worst record in MLS. But, so far in his pro career, Hamid has been injury-prone. He also plays for the team with the third worst record in MLS. Furthermore, at the international level, Hamid is inexperienced. He has only two caps. If the third goalkeeper would be needed in one of these two World Cup qualifiers, it would be good to have a third goalkeeper who has done well at the international level and has some seasoning at that level. Remember: Rimando was the starting goalkeeper in five out of the U.S.’s six matches in the 2013 Gold Cup, a tournament that the U.S. won. So, I’d call in Rimando.

David Bingham is another option. However, this season in MLS, Bingham's save-percentage is lower than Rimando’s (69.8 percent vs. 62.5 percent). Bingham also has only three caps.


B. Right Back

4. DeAndre Yedlin
5. Graham Zusi
6. Eric Lichaj (who can also play left back)

In the 31 minutes that Graham Zusi played in the U.S.’s March 24 World Cup qualifier against Honduras, he played well. He made no important mistakes, and his passing and positioning were good. And then, on March 28, Zusi played decently in the difficult road World Cup qualifier against Panama in Panama City. In the match, Zusi made no mistakes that resulted in goals scored against the U.S., and his passing and ball-possession were pretty good. Although he sometimes gave too much space to the speedy and shifty Panamanian winger Alberto Quintero—and the latter got off a good shot or two—Quintero never scored or created a goal.

Also, in MLS this season, Zusi has played well at right back. His positioning has been good, and he has controlled the ball well when he has played the position. Perhaps he can be a poor man’s version of Brazil’s and Real Madrid’s left back Marcelo. In addition, Zusi has 46 caps and 5 goals for the U.S. and is far more integrated into the team than Eric Lichaj or Tim Chandler.

Should Arena call in a right back in addition to DeAndre Yedlin and Zusi? I think so. Yedlin has been somewhat injury-prone over the last season, and Zusi is not yet proven as a good right back at a high international level. In addition, Fabian Johnson, who is another candidate to play right back, has been injured quite a bit this season and just came back from a hamstring injury that kept him out for two months. Also, according to my research, Johnson started only one game at right back this season for Borussia Monchengladbach.

Finally, the most reasonable option to be the other right back on the U.S. roster for Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico is Eric Lichaj, and he is someone who may be able to help the U.S. at outside back—a position where the U.S. has been thin—during the remainder of this World Cup cycle. Since 2011, Lichaj has been a capable outside back in England, first in the English Premier League, and, for the last five seasons, in the English Championship. In fact, this season he was voted his club’s (Nottingham Forest) best player by the fans. Here is a link:

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/20...j-named-nottingham-forests-player-of-the-year

Moreover, in his 11 appearances for the U.S. National Team, Lichaj has, overall, played solidly. For instance, in the 2011 Gold Cup, Lichaj was sound overall. In the tournament, he played in the U.S.’s last four matches. In the semifinals against Panama, I remember him playing well. Here is a link to Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoney’s player ratings for the match:

https://www.socceramerica.com/article/42662/us-player-ratings.html?print

Mahoney gave Lichaj a 6.0. So, it would be good to get Lichaj into this camp. Let’s see what he can do at this level, and, if it looks like he can help the squad, let’s get him integrated into the team.

I would consider calling in one or both of Lichaj and Tim Chandler—perhaps both—for the 2017 Gold Cup.


C. Center-Back

7. Geoff Cameron (can also play right back and defensive-midfield)
8. Omar Gonzales
9. John Brooks
10. Tim Ream (can also play left back)
11. Matt Besler

I think Arena should call in both Tim Ream and Matt Besler. Besler has significant international experience (39 caps) and the second most international experience of all the center-backs in the U.S. pool, behind only Geoff Cameron (50 caps). Besler also played well in the 2014 World Cup, where he started all four matches. In addition, Besler has good composure, is a good passer, has a good positional sense, is solid physically and has pretty good speed. Finally, this season, he has started and played 90 minutes in 13 out of 13 games for Sporting Kansas City, which currently is in first place in the Western Conference and has the second best record in MLS, behind only Toronto. From what I’ve seen, Besler has played well in MLS this season. His passing and positioning have been good. He’s also been a good leader.

Meanwhile, in the U.S.’s March 24 World Cup qualifier against Honduras, Ream played fine in his 20 minutes. And, in the March 28 World Cup qualifier against Panama in Panama City, Ream played adequately. His positioning was solid, and he passed the ball well. However, Ream may have been partly at fault on Panama’s goal, the fluky long throw-in. On the play, Ream turned his back somewhat and didn’t get his head cleanly on the ball. A good angle of the play starts at minute 6:41 of these highlights:



However, it was a weird play. And it would have been hard for Ream to head the ball away. There was a lot of congestion and pushing in the box and players blocking Ream’s vision of the ball.

In addition, I watched Ream play 90 minutes in the second leg of Fulham’s promotion playoff series against Reading. He played well. His ball control, passing and positioning were good. He also did well in his one-on-one duals, both on the ground and in the air. And he didn’t get pushed around or outmuscled in the match, which he sometimes has been susceptible of at a high international level. However, there was one play in the second half where Ream got too far forward, and you could see that his lack of speed made it hard for him to catch up to the play. His man almost scored on a header. Still, overall, Ream had a good game.

Finally, I don’t know the status of John Brooks’ health. A hip injury caused him to miss a couple games for Hertha Berlin at the end of this season. Here is a link:

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/us...hn-brooks-injury-update-news-bundesliga-usmnt

Also, although Brooks played well for the U.S. in their World Cup qualifier against Honduras in March, he has had some poor performances for the U.S., most notably the November 2016 World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica. So, it would be good to have both Besler and Ream on the roster for defensive cover. An additional advantage of calling in Ream: He has shown that he probably can be a helpful left back at the international level. He played solidly at the position in the U.S.’s 2015 World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain. In his player ratings, Greg Seltzer gave Ream a 5.5 for the match. Here is a link:

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015...ot-left-be-desired-after-draw-trinidad-tobago

Another center-back option is Walker Zimmerman. He is a good player in MLS and played well for the U.S. in their friendly against Jamaica in February. But, for these games, I would worry about his lack of experience. He has only one cap, and that was in a friendly.


D. Left Back

12. Jorge Villafaña
13. maybe DaMarcus Beasley or Greg Garza

Should Arena call in either DaMarcus Beasley or Greg Garza (not both) for depth at left back? Or should Arena pass over Beasley and Garza and instead have only Fabian Johnson, Eric Lichaj and Tim Ream available to play left back if someone is needed to replace Jorge Villafaña? I could go either way. On the one hand, if, during these two World Cup qualifiers, Villafaña gets injured or is red-carded, I would be inclined to play Fabian Johnson at left back. When Johnson has played left back for the U.S. in the past, he has almost always played at least adequately. For instance, he played solidly at the position in the 2016 Copa America Centenario, a tournament in which he started at left back in four out of the U.S.’s six matches.

Moreover, if, during these two World Cup qualifiers, Villafaña were to get injured or red-carded, Eric Lichaj might be my second choice (behind Fabian Johnson) to play left back. Over the last few seasons for Nottingham Forest, Lichaj has played a decent amount at left back. For instance, this season he started at left back in 12 games across all competitions. Here is a link:

http://www.football-lineups.com/footballer/46310/

And apparently Lichaj has been a competent left back for Nottingham Forest. He also played pretty well at the position for the U.S. in the 2011 Gold Cup. Finally, although Tim Ream has played exclusively at center-back this season for Fulham, Ream has played decently at left back in the past for club and country. In the 2015-6 season for Fulham, Ream started 12 league matches for Fulham at left back compared to 14 matches at center-back. Here is a link:

http://www.football-lineups.com/footballer/46169/?t=1477&s=18

On the other hand, for these two World Cup qualifiers, maybe it would be good for the U.S. to have one player on the roster who can play left back in addition Villafaña, Johnson, Lichaj and Ream. Although Villafaña has played well for the U.S. in each of the four games in which he has played, he has only four total caps. And, on Panama’s goal against the U.S. in the qualifier in March, Villafaña may have been partly at fault. On the long throw-in that led to the goal, the player who scored may have been Villafaña's man. So, in case Villafaña falters, gets injured or gets a red card, it might be good to have plenty of cover at the left back position.

Moreover, how much can we count on Fabian Johnson at left back? After returning from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the last two months of action—and 10 matches across all competitions—Johnson played only two matches at the club level, with only one start. Also, this season for Borussia Monchengladbach, he played almost exclusively as an outside midfielder in a four-player backline or as a wingback in a three-player backline, not as an outside back in a four-player backline.

In addition, Eric Lichaj is a bit of a question mark as a left back at a high international level. He has only 11 caps, and, since 2011, he has played only three matches for the U.S. (all friendlies) and a total of 54 minutes. Also, at the club level, he generally plays right back.

As for Tim Ream, according to my research, for Fulham this season, he did not play any matches at left back. He played only center-back. In addition, when he has played left back for the U.S. in the past, he hasn’t added much to the attack. So, I’d probably call in Beasley or Garza for cover. Beasley has tremendous experience and is a great guy to have in the locker room. He was on the U.S.’s roster for their March World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Panama, and the U.S. did well on those matches. So, maybe he has a positive influence on his teammates. But Garza is a better tackler than Beasley. Let’s see how they each play this weekend in MLS.

One option open to Arena: For the start of the camp, he could choose not to call in either Beasley or Garza. But if something were to happen to Villafaña and/or one or more of the other left back candidates during the time that the team is together (for instance, during the Trinidad and Tobago match and before the Mexico match), then Arena could call in Beasley or Garza.


E. Central Midfield

14. Michael Bradley
15. Dax McCarty
16. Benny Feilhaber
17. Kellyn Acosta

For central midfield, I definitely think Arena should call in Michael Bradley and Dax McCarty. I also think Alejandro Bedoya is an option to play central midfield against Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico. I’ll discuss McCarty and Bedoya below. However, what other central midfielders should Arena call in? Benny Feilhaber, Kellyn Acosta and Sacha Kljestan are all options. I favor Feilhaber over Acosta and Kljestan. Acosta’s international experience is thin. He has only 5 caps compared to Feilhaber’s 43. Also, in MLS, Acosta seems to turn the ball over more than Feilhaber. And, over the course of the last two seasons in MLS, Feilhaber has been more productive than Acosta. In 2016, Acosta had 2 goals and 5 assists; Feilhaber had 7 goals and 13 assists. This season, Acosta has 3 goals and 2 assists; Feilhaber has 2 goals and 3 assists. Finally, in the U.S.’s 1-0 win against Jamaica in the February 2017 friendly, Feilhaber had a beautiful dribbling move and assist on Jordan Morris’ goal, the U.S.’s only goal in the match. Here is a link to the highlights of the match:



The sequence involving Feilhaber’s move and assist starts at minute 2:23.

However, by a very narrow margin, I would call up Acosta over Kljestan. In the 15 minutes Acosta played in the World Cup qualifier against Panama in March, he did okay. I don’t remember him doing anything really bad, and he helped the U.S. hold on for the draw. In contrast, Kljestan didn’t play against Panama. He also didn’t play against Honduras. And, from what I’ve seen of them this year, Acosta and Kljestan have been fairly comparable in MLS. Kljestan is tied for second in MLS in assists with six. But he hasn’t been the kind of orchestrator of the attack that he was last season. In many games, he has been fairly quiet. And the Red Bulls have been mediocre. They have more losses than wins. Meanwhile, Acosta has been a better tackler and ball-winner than Kljestan, and FC Dallas has been a little bit better of a team than the Red Bulls.


F. Outside Midfield

18. Christian Pulisic (can also play central midfield)
19. Darlington Nagbe
20. Fabian Johnson (can also play left back and right back)
21. Alejandro Bedoya (can also play central midfield)
22. Paul Arriola

Paul Arriola or Gyasi Zardes? In the 2017 Liga MX Clausura season, Paul Arriola had 23 appearances across all competitions for Tijuana, with two goals and three assists. I watched him play a decent amount. He was solid. His defensive positioning was good. In the games I saw, he was never beaten defensively. In addition, when Tijuana had possession, Arriola always seemed to position himself well and make good runs, creating multiple passing options for his teammates. He also showed the ability to beat an opponent and get off a decent cross. However, on the downside, his passing was good but not exceptional, his crossing was nothing special, and he often didn’t make that much of an impact on the field. He’s also small, only 5’ 6”.

For me, Arriola’s competition for a roster spot for is Gyasi Zardes. Since returning from a broken foot (from a dirty tackle) and knee surgery, Zardes has not played at the level that he did played prior to the injuries. In the seven MLS games that Zardes has played since returning, he has played mainly at forward. He has no goals and only one assist. He hasn’t been that dynamic offensively, and his touch has sometimes let him down. On the positive side, he has played better in the last three games than he did in the previous four. His touch and runs have been better. Also, in the last three games, his play at forward has helped open things up for other Galaxy players, including Giovani Dos Santos. Zardes also has good size. He is 6’ 2”, 175 pounds.

Right now for the National Team, I see Zardes’ best position as outside midfield. When playing there, he is able to really utilize his big strengths, namely his work rate, endurance and commitment to getting back on defense. Right now he is not scoring enough goals for me to want to play him at forward for the National Team.

But I might go with Arriola instead. For the 2017 Liga MX Clausura season, Arriola was an important player—and generally a starter—for Tijuana, which had Liga MX’s best regular-season record and made it to the semifinals of the playoffs (“La Liguilla). And Liga MX is better overall than MLS, where Zardes plays. In addition, Arriola’s touch might be better than Zardes’.

But it’s a tough call. Arriola has modest international experience, and Zardes has good international experience and much more international experience than Arriola. Arriola has four caps and two goals; Zardes has 31 caps and 6 goals. In addition, in the 2016 Copa America Centenario, Zardes started and played at least 89 minutes in all six of the U.S.’s matches. The U.S. did a good job to place fourth in the tournament. Zardes had a good tournament, especially defensively, and he was one of the few U.S. players to do okay in the 4-0 loss to Argentina in the semifinals.

But partly because Arriola seems in better form at the moment, I may go with Arriola. However, I will watch Zardes play for the Galaxy against San Jose on Saturday night. If Zardes were to play very well against San Jose, for me, he could jump over Arriola.

Arena also could call both players into camp.


G. Forward

23. Clint Dempsey
24. Jozy Altidore
25. Bobby Wood
26. Jordan Morris

I would like to put C.J. Sapong on the roster. He is currently tied for third in scoring in MLS with 8 goals (to go along with two assists). He has more goals in MLS than any other player eligible to play for the U.S. National Team. He also is a good athlete, and strong and good with his back to goal. But he has only two caps, and they were both in friendlies played back in January of 2012.

I probably would not call him up for this camp, but, if he continues to play well and produce in MLS, I would seriously consider calling him up for the 2017 Gold Cup. I also will try to watch him play this weekend for the Philadelphia Union. If he can stay hot, I would consider calling him into this camp, probably instead of Beasley or Garza.

(continued)

 

(continued)

II. Starting line-up versus Venezuela

A. Center-Back

In the friendly against Venezuela on June 3, I would want to start a line-up that is similar to the one I would plan to start in the World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago on June 8. And right now I rate a healthy and in-form John Brooks as the U.S.’s second best center-back behind Geoff Cameron. For instance, in the U.S.’s World Cup qualifier against Honduras in March, Brooks played well prior to leaving the match in the 70th minute due to dehydration. Moreover, in the past, Brooks has been better on the ball than Omar Gonzales. Thus, if Brooks is fully healthy and looks good in training prior to the Venezuela friendly, I would consider starting him at center-back against Venezuela, next to Cameron.

However, if Brooks is not fully healthy and/or does not look good in training prior to the Venezuela friendly and Gonzales looks good in training, I would start Gonzales next to Cameron against Venezuela. Moreover, even if Brooks is fully healthy and plays well in training prior to the Venezuela game, I still might start Gonzales next to Cameron against Venezuela. Gonzales is more durable than Brooks and physically stronger. Brooks also played poorly against Costa Rica in the U.S.’s 4-0 loss to the Ticos in the November 2016 World Cup qualifier. In addition, I’ve seen Gonzales play far more than I have Brooks. So, I have a clearer idea of what I would get from Gonzales against Trinidad and Tobago.

Finally, in the U.S.’s March 2017 World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Panama, Gonzales played fine in his 90 minutes against Honduras and solidly in his 90 minutes against Panama. For instance, in neither match did he make any mistake that led to a goal. I also have seen Gonzales play a lot for Pachuca, who were recently crowned club champion of CONCACAF and who will be playing in the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup. Gonzales has been good for Pachuca, including at the end of this season. He has been dominant in the air, his positioning has been good, and his passing has been improved.

If Gonzales were to start against Venezuela, I would start him at right center-back and Cameron at left center-back. Gonzales seems more comfortable on the right, and Cameron has played well at left center-back for the U.S., including when he has been paired at center-back with Steve Birnbaum. Also, Gonzales played right center-back and Cameron at left center-back against Scotland in a 2013 friendly. Here is a link:

http://us.soccerway.com/matches/201...es/scotland/united-states-of-america/1593562/

If, however, Brooks were to start against Venezuela, I would start Brooks at left center-back and Cameron at right center-back. Brooks is left-footed, which is an advantage when playing left center-back. Also, with Cameron at right center-back and Brooks at left center-back, the two played well for the U.S. in the 2016 Copa America Centenario.


B. Central Midfield

1. Bradley and Bedoya

For the June 3 friendly against Venezuela, I’m having a very hard time deciding whom Arena should start next to Michael Bradley in central midfield. Here is a one option:

-----------------------------------------Howard----------------------------------


Yedlin-------------Gonzales (or Brooks)---------Cameron------------Villafaña


--------------------------------Bradley------------Bedoya--------------------------


Pulisic-------------------------------------------------------------------------Nagbe


-------------------------------Dempsey-----------------Altidore-----------------------


For the past two seasons with the Philadelphia Union, Alejandro Bedoya has played central midfield in a 4-2-3-1. And he has played the position well, particularly this season. His passing and ball-control have been good. Also, with 59 caps and the 2014 World Cup under his belt, Bedoya has significant international experience.

In addition, for the U.S. National Team, Bedoya has played central midfield about eight times. So, he has some experience playing the position at the international level. However, overall, he has been mediocre at central midfield for the National Team. He hasn’t made much of an impact. And some games he has turned the ball over too much. For instance, in a September 2015 friendly against Brazil, he started at central midfield in a 4-2-3-1. Here is a link to the starting line-up:

http://us.soccerway.com/matches/2015/09/09/world/friendlies/united-states-of-america/brazil/2114527/

In the match, Bedoya struggled, and Jürgen Klinsmann took out Bedoya before halftime. But there have been other matches in which Bedoya has played central midfield for the U.S. and been solid. For instance, in a 2015 friendly against Peru at RFK Stadium, Bedoya played the first half in central midfield in 4-4-2. Here is a link to the starting line-up:

http://us.soccerway.com/matches/2015/09/05/world/friendlies/united-states-of-america/peru/2108439/

Bedoya was decent in the match. For instance, his defensive positioning was good. Moreover, in the U.S.’s 4-0 win against Costa Rica in the 2016 Copa America Centenario, Bedoya started at central midfield in a 4-3-3. Here is a link to the line-up:

http://us.soccerway.com/matches/201.../united-states-of-america/costa-rica/2178755/

I just finished re-watching the match until right after Jermaine Jones' goal, which came in the 37th minute. In the match, the U.S. started in a 4-3-3 formation and played it until immediately after Jones’ goal. While in a 4-3-3, Bedoya played central midfield, to the right and in front of Michael Bradley. After Jones’ goal, the U.S. switched to a 4-4-2, with Bedoya moving from central midfield to left midfield. While playing central midfielder in a 4-3-3, Bedoya played well. His defense was very good, his positioning was outstanding, and he completed literally all but one of his passes. He also had a good passing sequence with DeAndre Yedlin that led to Yedlin’s cross that resulted in Bobby Wood getting taken down in the box and the U.S. being awarding a penalty kick. Here are the highlights:



The sequence starts at minute 4:06. Bedoya also had a run down the right flank that helped open things up for Clint Dempsey so that he could assist Jones’s goal. The sequence starts at minute 11:28.


2. Bradley and McCarty

Another option against Venezuela is to start Dax McCarty in central midfield next to Michael Bradley and play McCarty and Bradley at a comparable depth. And if McCarty plays well against Venezuela, I probably would start Bradley and him in central midfield (playing at a comparable depth) against Trinidad and Tobago on June 8. First, in the U.S.’s February friendly against Jamaica, McCarty played well at defensive-midfield in a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield. His passing was good, he covered a good deal of ground, and his positioning—especially on defense—was excellent. McCarty also had the pass to Benny Feilhaber that led to Feilhaber’s assist to Jordan Morris. Here is a link:



The sequence involving McCarty’s pass starts at minute 2:23.

Also, from what I’ve seen, right now McCarty is playing better in MLS than all the other reasonable MLS candidates to start next to Bradley, namely Bedoya, Benny Feilhaber, Kellyn Acosta and Sacha Kljestan. McCarty covers more ground than any of them. He also is more durable, he has at least as good a positional sense for a defensive-midfielder, and is a better ball-winner. He also has become a good passer. According to whoscored.com, McCarty has an 84.6 pass completion percentage, which, among reasonable candidates to start for the U.S. in central midfield against Venezuela, is second only to Michael Bradley (86.4 percent) and tied with Alejandro Bedoya. He also has three assists this season. Consider the quality of this assist to Nemanja Nikolic:

https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/m...ed-bulls-vs-chicago-fire/details/video/101805

In addition, according to whoscored.com, McCarty is averaging 1.4 key passes per game. Among reasonable candidates to start in central midfield against Venezuela, that only trails Sacha Kljestan (3.2) and Benny Feilhaber (2.8). And, according to IndividualEleven, McCarty led MLS in key passes last week with six. Here is a link:

https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/mls-flavors-of-the-week-2017-edition.2038152/page-75#post-35475419

Finally, last season, Chicago was—at least in terms of winning-percentage—the worst team in MLS. This season, they have been one of the best. The addition of McCarty, whom Chicago acquired during the offseason in a trade, has been a key to this turnaround. He is Chicago’s captain, and he is a workhorse in midfield. He covers so much ground and has such a good positional sense that Bastian Schweinsteiger’s older legs aren’t as big a detriment to the team as they would be on most other teams. McCarty allows Schweinsteiger to play somewhat like Marco Etcheverry. In essence, McCarty is the Richie Williams of Chicago—except McCarty is a better passer, more athletic, and quite a bit taller (5’ 9” vs. 5’ 5”) than Williams.

However, McCarty has scant international experience. His has only six caps. In fact, he has played only 205 total minutes for the U.S. National Team, all in friendlies. Furthermore, I wonder if, at a high international level, McCarty would turn the ball over excessively. In past MLS seasons, he has had spells where he makes too many bad passes. So, if I were to start McCarty in the friendly against Venezuela, I would consider replacing McCarty early in the second half at central midfield with Bedoya or moving Pulisic from outside midfield to attacking center-mid and playing a diamond midfield. If Bedoya or Pulisic were to play better than McCarty, I probably would start Bedoya or Pulisic at central midfield (along with Michael Bradley) against Trinidad and Tobago.


3. Bradley and Pulisic

A third option for the Venezuela friendly is to start a diamond midfield, with Michael Bradley as the defensive-midfielder and Christian Pulisic as the attacking center-midfielder. This is the way Arena started the team against Honduras in the March World Cup qualifier, and the U.S. played superbly in the match. But I would be a little uneasy starting this line-up against Trinidad and Tobago on June 8. I would worry that it would leave the U.S. too vulnerable in defense and defensive-midfield. Would there be enough protection for the backline and the defensive-midfield against a team as athletic as Trinidad and Tobago? But it definitely is an option to keep in mind for Trinidad and Tobago. It worked very well against Honduras.

For the player I would like to start against Venezuela in central midfield along with Bradley, my current order of preference is McCarty, Pulisic and Bedoya. Up until now, Bedoya hasn’t been that good at central midfield at the international level. In addition, I worry about starting in a diamond midfield against Trinidad and Tobago, and I would want to start a line-up and formation against Venezuela that is similar to the one that I would start against Trinidad and Tobago. So, against Venezuela, I currently would favor starting Bradley and McCarty in central midfield over starting Bradley and Pulisic there.

One thing Arena could do is start Bradley and Pulisic in a central midfield against Trinidad and Tobago and then start Bradley and either McCarty or Bedoya in central midfield against Mexico, with Pulisic at outside midfield. This would give the U.S. an attacking formation to go for the win against Trinidad and Tobago and a more defense formation against Mexico at the Azteca.

 

Dude, you lost me after "I'll list the first 25 players..." Don't you know this is the twitter generation, not the long form generation? Hell they even had to coin the term "long form" to denote a story that can't be read in the time it takes for a red light to turn green. I hate this era. Good football though.