ASN: A Story of Two Rosters: The U.S. Senior Aspect and U23s

Olympic and World Cup qualifiers resume in March for the U.S. males’s nationwide group and the U-23 squad, so ASN’s Brian Sciaretta assessed the present participant pool and examined how the rosters may look.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
February 17, 2016
3:20 PM

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MARCH IS GOING TO BE A PIVOTAL MONTH for U.S. Soccer. The complete nationwide group will play a pair of World Cup qualifiers towards Guatemala whereas the U-23 group would be the underdog when it takes on Colombia in a two-games sequence with an Olympic spot on the road.

Rosters for every will include 23 gamers, with some youthful gamers within the combine for each. And particularly after final month’s joint coaching camp, there’s loads for Jurgen Klinsmann and Andi Herzog to debate. Right here’s a take a look at how each squads might form up.

The Senior Group
GOALKEEPERS

1. Tim Howard2. Brad Guzan3. David Bingham

Within the combine: Nick Rimando, Luis Robles, Sean Johnson

Howard and Guzan are the plain prime selections regardless of benchings at their respective golf equipment. The third goalkeeper spot is prone to come right down to Robles and Bingham, who break up begins within the January camp video games. It’ll be shut, but it surely’s value noting how fast Klinsmann was to reward Bingham afterward.

DEFENDERS

4. DeAndre Yedlin5. Steve Birnbaum6. John Brooks7. Omar Gonzalez8. Matt Besler9. Geoff Cameron10. Jorge Villafana11. Tim Ream

Within the combine: Timothy Chandler, Brad Evans, Brek Shea, Ventura Alvarado, Michael Orozco

Centrally, John Brooks is offered for the U-23s, however Hertha Berlin isn’t required to launch him for that group like it might for World Cup qualifiers. Matt Besler regarded stable at January camp and Omar Gonzalez is taking part in his finest soccer since 2011, whereas Ventura Alvarado is driving the bench at Membership America. Geoff Cameron, in the meantime has been coping with accidents, but when he’s again to taking part in, he’s a daily starter within the Premier League—and had a robust displaying on the CONCACAF Cup in October.

The surface spots are going to be fascinating. DeAndre Yedlin may very well be ready to earn minutes the following few weeks at proper again for Sunderland, which might put him in place to do the identical for the U.S. Like Brooks he’s eligible for the U-23s, however not like Brooks he has but to be part of that group.

So far as different choices go, Jurgen Klinsmann mentioned that Steve Birnbaum’s efficiency at proper again towards Canada “outstanding,” including that “the way he kind of intercepted so many balls, cleaned them up, and connected them cleanly with midfielders or even strikers was important.” Primarily based on these feedback, Birnbaum might need jumped forward of Brad Evans in the best again pecking order.

Fabian Johnson stays an possibility at left again, however given the 12 months he’s had there’s a robust case to be made that he belongs within the midfield. If that’s the case, who’s left? Nicely, Tim Ream performed left again for the group in 2015 and will stay an possibility. However Edgar Castillo has fallen out of favor and Greg Garza continues to be harm. In case you’re searching for a participant who might sneak in for his first nationwide group call-up, then, take note of Jorge Villafana, who’s off to a promising begin at Santos Laguna.

MIDFIELDERS

12. Michael Bradley13. Kyle Beckerman14. Alejandro Bedoya15. Fabian Johnson16. Darlington Nagbe17. Alfredo Morales18. Ethan Finlay19. Lee Nguyen

Within the combine: Danny Williams, Tony Tchani, Combine Diskerud, Perry Kitchen

A number of gamers, corresponding to Michael Bradley and Alejandro Bedoya, are locks. Johnson will certainly be concerned additionally, however as famous above, he may very well be listed as a defender. With Jermaine Jones suspended for these video games, Kyle Beckerman is a possible choose, though Geoff Cameron might play defensive midfield as nicely, as he did within the 2014 World Cup towards Belgium. If wholesome, Darlington Nagbe appears one other positive wager after impressing in his U.S. debut in November.

Value noting: MLS will nonetheless be within the early elements of its season in March whereas the European-based gamers (and even the Mexican-based gamers) shall be in midseason type. That most likely will make issues tough for Combine Diskerud, competing towards the likes of Alfredo Morales and Danny Williams. Morales has but to totally break into this group, however he’s taking part in frequently within the Bundesliga for Ingolstadt and will get the nod.

Ethan Finlay shall be a really shut name, however there are only a few gamers within the pool who play a pure winger function, in order of now he has distinctive instruments to supply. Lee Nguyen, lastly, was singled out by Klinsmann for his preparedness on the January camp, and he might have confirmed sufficient within the two friendlies as a playmaker to warrant one other name.

FORWARDS

20. Clint Dempsey21. Bobby Wood22. Jozy Altidore23. Gyasi Zardes

Within the combine: Chris Wondolowski, Andrew Wooten

This group is relatively simple. It’s exhausting to see Dempsey not being a part of the equation regardless of his not being a part of January camp or the November qualifiers. Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wooden are common elements of the group now, whereas Gyasi Zardes was one of many most-used gamers in 2015. Aron Johannsson may return to Werder Bremen earlier than the tip of March besides he could be greater than a bit behind by way of health and rhythm. 

The U-23 Group
GOALKEEPERS

1. Cody Cropper2. Ethan Horvath3. Zach Steffen

Within the combine: Jon Kempin, Charlie Horton

These three are the established prime trio for this age group. The one cause another person may sneak in is in case of an harm or if a membership doesn’t launch a participant; the latter already occurred with Horvath and Molde in October.

DEFENDERS

4. Desevio Payne5. Eric Miller6. Matt Miazga7. Cameron Carter-Vickers8. Tim Parker9. Kellyn Acosta10. Brandon Vincent

Within the combine: Oscar Sorto, Shane O’Neill, David Romney, Boyd Okwuonu, Erik Palmer-Brown, Juan Ocegueda

A giant issue for this camp would be the launch of European gamers corresponding to Matt Miazga, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Desevio Payne. Payne has been getting high quality Eredivisie minutes, and after a robust U-20 World Cup in 2015, he looks like a robust candidate to re-enter the fold.

Usually a midfielder, Kellyn Acosta began at left again for the complete group at January camp and impressed. He didn’t present nicely on the CONCACAF qualifying event in the identical function, however it might appear he’s gotten the grasp of it. Brandon Vincent, additionally part of January camp, is a possible first-time inclusion with the U-23s for these matches.

Andi Herzog, in fact, would like to carry John Brooks and DeAndre Yedlin alongside. It appears an extended shot.

MIDFIELDERS

11. Wil Trapp12. Matt Polster13. Marc Pelosi14. Gedion Zelalem15. Emerson Hyndman16. Luis Gil17. Christian Pulisic18. Julian Green19. Dillon Serna

Within the combine: Fatai Alashe, Gboly Ariyibi, Paul Arriola

Most of the gamers on this group have been with the group for some time, however the one newcomer to observe is Christian Pulisic, who has been getting a number of consideration after breaking into Borussia Dortmund’s first group over the previous month. Julian Inexperienced has been out and in of this group, however his World Cup expertise most likely earns him the nod. If Inexperienced stumbles, although, there may very well be a gap for Paul Arriola, who’s taking part in extra frequently with Membership Tijuana and had a robust 2015 U-20 World Cup.

FORWARDS

20. Jordan Morris21. Jerome Kiesewetter22. Rubio Rubin23. Khiry Shelton

Within the combine: Jose Villarreal, Maki Tall

Jordan Morris is the star ahead on this group, however Rubio Rubin is slowly getting back from surgical procedure and will issue into these video games. Jerome Kiesewetter is a lock after offering a prompt the bench in each January-camp friendlies, and Khiry Shelton ought to be a part of him after having been a part of the November friendlies and January camp.

Closing Ideas

America senior group needs to be wonderful whatever the query marks surrounding a couple of positions. Incomes some extent away at Trinidad and Tobago in November was possible its hardest check of this World Cup qualifying spherical.

The U-23 group, nevertheless, has a critical uphill climb and avoiding a multigoal defeat in Colombia is vital if it needs to drag off the upset. Securing the discharge of European gamers shall be an actual check for Klinsmann and Herzog. If Brooks and Yedlin might one way or the other be a part of the U-23s together with Pulisic, Miazga, Payne, Carter-Vickers and a wholesome Rubin, it may very well be fascinating.

Sadly, there are too many “ifs” for U.S. followers to really feel optimistic at this level.

What do you consider these two potential rosters? Can both or each get the job finished? Are there different gamers you’d relatively see on these squads? Share your take beneath.