ASN: Berhalter names his 26 gamers for Qatar: a deep ASN breakdown

After years of predictions and guesses, we lastly know who will make up the primary United States World Cup crew since 2014 as head coach Gregg Berhalter has introduced his 26 gamers for the 2022 event in Qatar. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the roster and affords up his ideas and evaluation. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
November 08, 2022
9:30 PM

SHARE THIS STORY

EVER SINCE THE USMNT didn’t high quality for the 2018 World Cup, the duty was all the time to get again to the largest stage within the sport. That occurred in March when the US crew certified for Qatar. On Wednesday, U.S. supervisor Gregg Berhalter formally named his roster that may compete within the 2022 World Cup.

For probably the most half, the roster comprises few surprises. The complete core of the crew is included in addition to many of the common mainstays who’ve been with the crew all through qualifying.

Right here is the roster in addition to some ideas.

THE USMNT ROSTER
 

GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Luton City/ENG; 8/0; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Sean Johnson (New York Metropolis FC; 10/0; Lilburn, Ga.), Matt Turner (Arsenal/ENG; 20/0; Park Ridge, N.J.)

DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 11/0; Southend-on-Sea, England), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan/ITA; 19/2; Almere, Netherlands), Aaron Lengthy (New York Crimson Bulls; 29/3; Oak Hills, Calif.), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 15/1; Powder Springs, Ga.), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 46/1; St. Louis, Mo.), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 29/2; Liverpool, England), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 3/0; Lake Grove, N.Y.), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; 75/0; Seattle, Wash.), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 33/3; Lawrenceville, Ga.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 24/6; Medford, N.J.), Kellyn Acosta (LAFC; 53/2; Plano, Texas), Tyler Adams (Leeds United/ENG; 32/1; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 12/0; San Diego, Calif.), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 37/9; Little Elm, Texas), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 19/0; London, England), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 32/0; Pico Rivera, Calif.)

FORWARDS (7): Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 15/7; McKinney, Texas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 49/11; Mercer Island, Wash.), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 52/21; Hershey, Pa.), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 14/4; Bedford, N.Y.), Josh Sargent (Norwich Metropolis/ENG; 20/5; O’Fallon, Mo.), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 25/3; Rosedale, N.Y.), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor/TUR; 3/1; Los Angeles, Calif.)

100% core in place
 

There have been all the time worries concerning the timing of this World Cup and the way it got here in the course of the season. Gamers wouldn’t get to recuperate from the strains of a season within the common month-long run as much as the World Cup because the membership calls for would take the crew proper as much as the week of the primary sport. And sure, there’s nonetheless the upcoming weekend for membership video games, and something may occur.

However as of now Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah, Antonee Robinson, and Yunus Musah are on the crew and have been enjoying repeatedly for his or her golf equipment the month main as much as this announcement. Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest are on the roster and have been coping with accidents however each ought to be again in some unspecified time in the future forward of the primary crew – whether or not they’re again in full health stays to be seen.

Type of the core
 

The type of the core nonetheless is a very completely different matter. As I’ve been saying for the previous two months, success is all about how effectively the core does and a giant a part of the success or failure of the core will come all the way down to their kind main into the event. We noticed this within the September window. the core was in poor kind throughout the board heading into these video games and it was not a shock the crew struggled badly towards Japan and Saudi Arabia.

Christian Pulisic: is enjoying repeatedly for Chelsea however largely sub minutes and cameos.

Weston McKennie: Is coping with a quad harm and may return this week. Whereas Juventus is bettering, McKennie has had some nice video games but additionally some poor ones as effectively. It’s been an inconsistent season from him and he struggled with the U.S. crew in September.

Gio Reyna: The Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder/winger has made monumental strides the previous month and is taking up a workload the place he can begin three video games in two weeks. His enchancment has been the largest increase to the U.S. roster since September.

Yunus Musah: Has been enjoying and his performances haven’t been unhealthy, however they haven’t stood out both. It’s largely quiet from him.

Antonee Robinson: regardless of conceding a decisive penalty towards Manchester Metropolis final weekend, it has been an excellent season from him. He has been enjoying like a greater than common Premier League left again (which is a good degree) and his protection is miles forward of the place it was two years in the past in his first season in England’s prime flight.

Tyler Adams: Nobody within the core is coming into the World Cup enjoying in addition to Adams proper now. The defensive midfielder has shined at Leeds United and has stood out within the crew’s final two spectacular wins.

Brenden Aaronson: He’s nonetheless adjusting to the Premier League and life in a Massive 5 European league. At occasions he exhibits an enormous ceiling and at occasions it doesn’t all click on. However the vitality he can provide off the bench is gigantic.

Sergino Dest: Whereas he has had a couple of glimpses of constructive play for Milan this season, this transfer has largely been a wrestle with irregular minutes. He’s now additionally coping with a seemingly minor harm.

Tim Weah: Weah has solely not too long ago returned to Lille’s beginning XI after lacking the season’s first two months. Whereas it’s large that he can begin video games, he’s nonetheless rusty.

So, within the single greatest query for the U.S. crew, the place does this go away the U.S. crew primarily based on the type of the core?

It’s extremely combined. Adams, Reyna, and Robinson are clear wins. Musah and Aaronson are wholesome however combined (most likely respectable sufficient). Weah and Pulisic are very inconclusive. Dest and McKennie are well being and rust points.

Persons are going to see what they wish to see on this concern. There may be hope and the chance that it may all come collectively, however there’s a whole lot of wishful considering in that as effectively.

Ream, Wright, & Moore spotlight shock inclusions
 

Among the many gamers who made the crew, there have been a couple of surprises given their irregular time with the crew over the previous few years.

Tim Ream: With Tim Ream making the World Cup crew, it is among the greatest tales on the roster. When Ream pulled himself out of the roster in October 2021 for the second spherical of World Cup qualifiers resulting from household causes, it appeared to mark the top of his involvement. However what he has accomplished since then has been exceptional.

In 2021/22, Ream performed 4017 out of a doable 4140 minutes for Fulham to cause them to promotion. This yr he began and captained each certainly one of Fulham’s video games within the Premiership as they sit inside the highest 10 of the league.  

– Tim Ream performed 4071 out of a doable 4140 minutes final season within the Championship – He is performed 988 out of a doable 990 minutes to begin this EPL season- That is a complete of 5059 minutes performed out of a doable 5130 minutes (98.6%) since August 2021- He simply turned 35

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) October 20, 2022

Ream is by far the oldest participant on the U.S. roster having simply turned 35 however he is a good veteran presence on what’s in any other case a really younger crew. He brings a way of management and the prospect of getting a Premier League captain brings alongside advantages each on and off the sphere.

Ream has been on the surface of the crew as not too long ago as September however he continued to pressure Berhalter’s hand and is now heading to his first World Cup.

Shaq Moore: The Nashville SC proper again might be seen as a shock to make this crew by many, however he most likely shouldn’t be upon nearer inspection. Berhalter has all the time rated Moore larger than most and this dated again when he performed for Tenerife in Spain’s second tier. Moore made the Gold Cup crew in 2021 and helped the crew win that event.

How did Moore make this crew? For one, he beat out Reggie Cannon in a late push. Whereas that is likely to be a shock, it shouldn’t be. For Moore, he has been persistently a backup behind Yedlin, Dest, and Cannon on the suitable facet and Berhalter has steadily singled him out in press conferences as a participant who’s doing effectively.

As for overtaking Cannon, the difficulty might be that Cannon struggled within the September window and he has not performed with no consideration again in 2022. Cannon has been enjoying as a central defender.

Moore is an effective defender and that’s not a selected power for Dest or Yedlin. Late within the sport, Moore might be seen as somebody who carry some defensive depth. Moore can also be a great crosser and he may be used late within the sport when the U.S. crew is making an attempt to get the ball within the field in quest of a purpose.

What’s attention-grabbing about each the Moore and Ream inclusions is that it offers the U.S. crew some chemistry within the backline as Ream and Antonee Robinson play collectively at Fulham whereas Zimmerman and Moore play collectively at Nashville. 

Haji Wright: The Antalyaspor ahead is probably the largest shock on the roster – to me. At the same time as not too long ago as early this week, I wrote that he had little likelihood of going to Qatar. Sure, he had been scoring in droves in Turkey all of 2022. However the truth is that Josh Sargent, Jesus Ferreira, and Ricardo Pepi have additionally been scoring for many of the previous 10 weeks. Particularly, leapfrogging over Pepi is especially noteworthy on condition that Pepi bought the decision in September when he was enjoying poorly and is now getting lower whereas enjoying effectively.

However the objectives that Wright is scoring are most likely extra just like a World Cup atmosphere than the objectives Pepi is scoring in Holland. Wright is scoring and enjoying bodily. His purpose over the weekend, a robust header, was certainly one of his finest in 2022. He’s bodily combative and he’s utilizing his tempo.

Sargent and Wright give the crew physicality together with goalscoring. Jesus Ferreira is a distinct ahead and he affords a distinct kind of look. It might or might not work out however you may see the place Berhalter goes together with his choice.

Who isn’t right here?

With each roster there’s speak over the powerful cuts. Even with 26 gamers on this roster, there are nonetheless some cuts which can be vital and have to be talked about.

Zack Steffen: the one-time assumed No. 1 goalkeeper will not be on the crew and with that, it probably implies that Berhalter has selected Matt Turner because the No. 1 goalkeeper (however probably Ethan Horvath or Sean Johnson). However this additionally implies that Berhalter will not be comfy proper now with Steffen to be the backup, which takes a distinct form of mentality and the have to be constructive within the locker room or on the bench. The truth that Steffen has gone from being a neck-and-neck starter to being off the crew fully is gorgeous.

However Steffen hasn’t had a great a number of years. He’s gone by means of very lengthy stretches of being injured – sometimes in his knee. He was a backup for 2 years at Manchester Metropolis and when he did play, he had powerful moments (significantly within the FA Cup). Then, in January, he withdrew from the U.S. nationwide crew roster for private causes. In September, he was recovering from an harm and was left off the roster regardless of enjoying within the remaining sport for Middlesbrough earlier than the window. His kind at Middlesbrough started shaky however has picked up in latest weeks.

Berhalter must spend time speaking to the media over this lower as a result of in contrast to a participant equivalent to Jordan Pefok, Steffen has been with the crew repeatedly each time wholesome.

Malik Tillman: The Rangers attacking midfielder has some versatility and was introduced into the crew in June after he filed his change of affiliation change from Germany. His mortgage to Rangers has been combined. Sure, Rangers made the Champions League however had a near-historically unhealthy marketing campaign with 0 factors from six video games and a -20 purpose differential. Tillman was in a troublesome place in these video games however wasn’t strong defensively. Within the Scottish Premiership, he’s been respectable at occasions. He scored an ideal purpose towards Motherwell however struggled towards Celtic.

The actual fact is that he’s simply so new to first crew minutes and hasn’t stood out but with the U.S. crew and he doesn’t have a robust relationship with the crew given his latest inclusion. He’s solely 20 and is one for the long run. Maybe the Olympics, as long as his German youth nationwide crew video games don’t make him ineligible as they had been a part of UEFA Olympic qualifying.

Ricardo Pepi: Will probably be one of the vital talked about gamers lacking from the roster on condition that he was referred to as up in September when he struggled however is enjoying significantly better now. On this case, the reasoning is probably going that he fell behind Haji Wright – who can also be scoring. The distinction might be as a result of truth Berhalter felt Wright is extra prone to replicate his objectives in a World Cup atmosphere than Pepi within the Eredivisie, which is extra assault pleasant.

Jordan Pefok: was a giant supply of controversy when he was left off the roster in September. However at the moment, Union Berlin was main the Bundesliga and Pefok was scoring. He’s gone chilly since then and hasn’t scored since September 18. In his latest video games, he’s struggled to get touches and missed two video games with an harm (since then, his performances have particularly dropped). He’s not competing with Jesus Ferreira who brings a distinct skillset. As an alternative he misplaced out to Josh Sargent and Haji Wright, who’ve each had good seasons and have extra comradery with the roster (each in USMNT video games and relationship again to youth nationwide groups).

Paul Arriola: The FC Dallas winger has been a mainstay with the U.S. crew for many of this whole cycle. He is a good vitality participant and an ideal teammate. Defensively, he can put in a strong effort and he’s coming from an ideal season with FC Dallas. The issue for Arriola is that the crew has simply too many gamers who can play on the wing and there wasn’t sufficient room as soon as Reyna and Weah returned to well being.

Reggie Cannon: He has been a prime backup proper again for many of the cycle however he fell behind different gamers like Scally, Moore, and Yedlin as a result of he merely doesn’t play proper again anymore at Boavista and doesn’t have the reps on the place he would wish to play. When he was introduced into the sport towards Japan in September, he was uncovered on Japan’s second purpose.

Mark McKenzie: The KRC Genk central defender is a part of an unimaginable run for Genk which sits atop the Belgian desk by 9 factors and has 14 wins and one attract its final 15 video games. McKenzie, nonetheless, has struggled with the nationwide crew and wasn’t sharp in September.

Erik Palmer-Brown: The Troyes central defender has lastly discovered a beginning job in certainly one of Europe’s Massive 5 leagues however hasn’t been in a position to get the identical seems to be that McKenzie and Cameron Carter-Vickers have. It appears probably he’ll get again withing the crew subsequent cycle when he can have an extended likelihood to show himself with an extended resume at a great membership.

Different lower gamers

There are different gamers who had been lower that most likely needed to make Berhalter give it some thought for awhile. Djordje Mihailovic had an ideal season with Montreal, and he earned one of many highest ever switch charges paid by AZ Alkmaar. With Luca de la Torre nonetheless not at 100%, he appeared like a possible inclusion as a part of an offensive midfielder.

Johnny Cardoso was additionally a part of the U.S. crew within the September window. Whereas he didn’t stand out, he can play a deeper midfield function and his enjoying time with second place Internacional in Brazil is considerably elevated from earlier years. He stays a probable choice for the U.S. Olympic crew as he’s nonetheless simply 21.

John Brooks has all the time been a controversial absence however he has performed only a handful of actual minutes since Could.

Chris Richards was most likely favored to make this crew however his restoration from harm has been simply too gradual, and he’s nonetheless not again to full-team coaching with Crystal Palace.

An enormous USYNT presence

Per U.S. Soccer’s launch, 14 gamers on the crew have performed for america in a youth World Cup: Kellyn Acosta (2011 U-17; 2013, 2015 U-20), Tyler Adams (2015 U-17, 2017 U-20), Cameron Carter-Vickers (2015, 2017 U-20), Luca de la Torre (2015 U-17, 2017 U-20), Sergiño Dest (2017 U-17, 2019 U-20), Sean Johnson (2009 U-20), Shaq Moore (2015 U-20), Christian Pulisic (2015 U-17), Gio Reyna (2019 U-17), Josh Sargent (2017 U-17, U-20), Joe Scally (2019 U-17) Tim Weah (2017 U-17, 2019 U-20), Haji Wright (2015 U-17) DeAndre Yedlin (2013 U-20).

However there are different notes to incorporate. For one, Ethan Horvath was initially on the 2015 U-20 World Cup crew however his membership, Molde, withdrew his launch when Zack Steffen was introduced on the starter. Second, Jesus Ferreira frolicked with the 2019 U.S. U-20 crew and Tab Ramos wished him for the U-20 World Cup however he couldn’t get his citizenship in time. Weston McKennie was wished for the 2017 crew however was not launched by Schalke.

With that mentioned, the manufacturing that U.S. youth nationwide groups have given the U.S. crew over the previous 4 years has been one of the vital necessary tales in rebuilding this crew. Gamers have been recognized at younger ages and introduced up by means of the proper channels.