ASN: The return of Adams and Sargent spotlight the USMNT Nations League roster

ASN’s Brian Sciaretta provides his ideas and evaluation of the USMNT roster for the 2024 Nations League closing rounds. This would be the staff’s first of two main tournaments in 2024 and can function a key preparation for the 2024 Copa America. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
March 13, 2024
3:45 PM

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ON WEDNESDAY, United States nationwide staff supervisor Gregg Berhalter introduced his 23-player roster for the ultimate rounds of the 2024 CONCACAF Nations League the place the U.S. staff enters as the 2 time defending champion. The roster is usually anticipated however the huge shock is the return of 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams.

Total, it’s principally a full-strength roster with essentially the most notable harm absence going to Cameron Carter-Vickers who has been lacking time with Celtic in 2024 with a minor hamstring harm.

Berhalter additionally opted to maintain Sergino Dest on the staff regardless of his on-field antics in November which resulted in a pink card and can have him suspended for the semifinal sport towards Jamaica.

Right here is the roster with some detailed ideas:

DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION
(Membership/Nation; Caps/Targets)

GOALKEEPERS (3): 22-Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), 18-Ethan Horvath (Cardiff Metropolis/WAL; 9/0), 1-Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 37/0)

DEFENDERS (8): 2-Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 32/2), 23-Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), 16-Mark McKenzie (Genk/BEL; 13/0), 13-Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 55/1), 3-Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 14/1), 5-Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 39/4), 12-Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 28/3), 19-Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 8/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): 4-Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 36/1), 15-Johnny Cardoso (Actual Betis/ESP; 9/0), 14-Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 20/0), 8-Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 49/11), 6-Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 33/0), 7-Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 24/7)

FORWARDS (6): 20-Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 8/3), 17-Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 8/0), 9-Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 22/10), 10-Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 64/28), 11-Josh Sargent (Norwich Metropolis/ENG; 23/5), 21-Tim Weah (Juventus/ITA; 35/5)

Adams returns

Tyler Adams injured himself practically a 12 months in the past in a Premier League sport final March for Leeds. He then reinjured himself in his membership debut for AFC Bournemouth in a league cup sport. He has been working his method again to a return however has up to now made only one reserve staff look in his comeback. He was on the bench over the weekend however went unused. Over the previous 12 months, he basically solely has 20 minutes of first-team soccer below his belt.

Berhalter has elected to convey Adams into this camp and that may be a testomony to how a lot Berhalter charges Adams’ management and presence on the staff. It’s most likely not smart to foretell he performs a lot, however Berhalter sees worth to having Adams again for the primary time for the reason that 2022 World Cup.

Sargent joins ahead contingent

With Josh Sargent enjoying terrific soccer in 2024 for Norwich, there was a query about whether or not he may supplant both Folarin Balogun or Ricardo Pepi, who have been the duo Berhalter relied on within the fall. Would Sargent be left off this roster to let him relaxation as Norwich supervisor David Wagner stated two weeks in the past he was nonetheless managing his ankle harm which noticed him miss 4 months in late 2023? Lastly, may Berhalter convey Sargent together with Balogun and Pepi?

The reply to this query is that Berhalter introduced Sargent together with Pepi and Balogun. It isn’t clear how Berhalter will use all three forwards or what the pecking or is true now, or if any of them are introduced in to additionally play the wing.

However Sargent has 12 objectives in 1099 Championship minutes. That’s nice and it made him too good to be left off the staff. Proper now, he’s essentially the most in-form striker within the participant pool.

Excessive Expectations for Cardoso & Tilllman

It was anticipated to see Johnny Cardoso on the staff. However on this camp, there will likely be loads of excessive expectations given the shape he has proven at Actual Betis. Since shifting to the membership in January from Internacional in Brazil, Cardoso has impressed with Betis and has made the La Liga staff of the week and U-23 La Liga participant of the month.

With Adams probably not able to play a lot, Cardoso ought to get an opportunity to take huge steps with the USMNT and present he is able to be a reliable midfielder for Berhalter.

The identical will be stated for Malik Tillman who has been with the U.S. staff for 2 years however is but to have a breakthrough efficiency. He’s having a pleasant season for PSV Eindhoven, however will this be the camp the place we see his membership type translate to the nationwide staff?

Different notable inclusions

There are another gamers on the roster who’ve essential areas to debate.

Gio Reyna: it’s not stunning that he made the roster given his long-time inclusion within the staff and the truth that Berhatler and Reyna have moved on from the 2022 World Cup fallout. However Reyna’s lack of enjoying time has gone from dangerous to worse together with his transfer to Nottingham Forest. He’s missed the final two video games with a obscure “knock” and he’s heading to his third straight sub-1000-minute season. We’re again to acquainted questions with Reyna? What’s his type? How a lot can he play? What is going to his response be if he doesn’t play a lot?

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Mark McKenzie: With Carter-Vickers lacking time just lately for Celtic, McKenzie will get the nod in central protection over different choices like Austin Trusty. Will he play? How has he grown as a participant up to now few seasons at Genk?

Drake Callender: Regardless of Zack Steffen’s return to the sphere, Callender will get the decision as a back-up keeper. He’ll face competitors within the 12 months forward after Gaga Slonina and Patrick Schulte full the Olympic cycle and Zack Steffen doubtlessly shakes off the rust. But it surely’s a pleasant alternative for Callender.

Notable exclusions

There are essential gamers to say who may have been on this roster, however who didn’t make it. This doesn’t embrace gamers who’re most likely with the U-23 Olympic staff as a substitute.

Brenden Aaronson: And not using a dobut, the not noteworthy participant not on the roster is Brenden Aaronson who solely has performed 610 minutes for Union Berlin this season on his mortgage from Leeds United. Aaronson has been a mainstay with the USMNT for years and he sometimes has been an lively bench possibility. However is Berhalter sending a sign to Aaronson that he needs to see extra on the membership stage?

Brandon Vazquez, Haji Wright, Jordan Pefok: There are solely so many No. 9 forwards Berhalter can name and he has three on this staff. However there are nonetheless three forwards who’re scoring objectives on the membership stage who have been left off. Vazquez is noteworthy provided that he has by no means been called-up below Berhalter and he’s nonetheless on the lookout for his likelihood. It additionally appears attainable that one in all these choices emerges as an Olympic overage possibility. Vazquez appears more than likely for that.

Lennard Maloney: The Heidenheim defensive midfielder was known as up in October and November of 2023 however most likely misplaced out on making this staff with the return of Tyler Adams.

Olympic U-23 concerns

Berhalter has stated the U-23 staff is a consideration for him by means of the summer season and that after the Olympics and the Copa America, he sees each participant swimming pools merging.

However by way of gamers who will not be on this USMNT roster however are Olympic eligible, there are some huge takeaways.

Kevin Paredes: He’s the perfect instance of a participant who is true on that fringe of the U-23 staff and the USMNT. He may go both method and isn’t on this staff. That probably places him on the U-23 roster. His season for Wolfsburg goes okay. The staff is winless in 10 Bundesliga video games, however Paredes is beginning greater than lately. He nonetheless solely has two objectives and the Olympic staff provides him an opportunity to be an influence gamers versus a sub possibility.

Paxten Aaronson: The youthful Aaronson brother has been getting extra possibilities on mortgage at Vitesse from Eintracht Frankfurt and he has turned in some good performances within the Eredivisie just lately. However like Paredes, he’ll play extra and have extra alternatives with the U-23 staff than being a bench possibility on the USMNT proper now.

Rokas Pukstas: Berhalter needed to convey Pukstas into January camp however was blocked by Hajduk Cut up. Pukstas as not been with U.S. groups as a lot as he or the U.S. employees would really like, however giving him a possibility to be with the U-23 staff looks as if a great guess.

Patrick Schulte and Gaga Slonina: The 2 Olympic goalkeepers have regular enjoying time and each have taken huge strides the previous 12 months. However they have been all the time going to be behind both Turner or Horvath. They’ll probably be part of the USMNT pool after the Olympics.

Esmir Bajraktarevic: At simply 18, the New England Revolution winger is among the higher American youngsters proper now. He had a great January camp and has achieved properly with the U-23 staff in two camps whereas enjoying up a cycle. He’s on a quick monitor, however the U-23 staff is a large enough take a look at for him proper now given his age.