ASN: Accidents, Lack of Taking part in Time Plague U.S. Again Line

With two World Cup qualifiers coming in early September, Bruce Enviornment is confronting an injury-plagued defensive corps that would pressure him to get artistic. Brian Sciaretta handicaps the conundrum. 

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Brian Sciaretta

Posted
August 18, 2017
6:00 AM

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AS THE SEPTEMBER WORLD CUP qualifiers strategy, damage considerations for some and lack of taking part in time for others might restrict Bruce Enviornment’s choices.

The questionable

DeAndre Yedlin After a really profitable outing with the U.S. nationwide crew in June, on August third we realized that Deandre Yedlin suffered a pulled hamstring with Newcastle United. The timetable for return was listed at three weeks, which might mark his return at roughly August 24—eight days forward of the Costa Rica qualifier.

That timeline is slicing it very shut and hamstring accidents are usually unpredictable. It’s in all probability going to be an in depth name if he returns in time and may regain health.

For the U.S. crew this primarily guidelines him out for the rest of 2017 and the following time he’ll probably get a shot with the Yanks will likely be in March 2018. Brooks, 24, is a possible starter and key participant for the U.S. His absence is critical even when his appearances are at instances too inconsistent for a participant of his immense expertise.

Omar GonzalezAfter serving to the U.S. win the Gold Cup, Omar Gonzalez returned to Pachuca however was compelled out of an August 9 Copa MX within the twenty fourth minute with an undisclosed damage. He subsequently missed the next weekend’s Liga MX recreation for Pachuca as nicely.

Gonzalez, 28, is a back-up central defender if everyone seems to be wholesome–and he probably sits behind Geoff Cameron on the depth chart on the suitable facet of central protection. However with so many gamers questionable, his damage might pose main issues for Enviornment.

Eric LichajApparently making a long-overdue return to the nationwide crew to play within the Gold Cup might have had powerful penalties for Lichaj who has been an unused substitute in every of Nottingham Forest’s first three video games of the Englosh Championship. His solely minutes this month have are available a League Cup matchup. Regardless of being the crew’s greatest participant final season, Lichaj is struggling for minutes to begin 2017-18, which isn’t very best if he needs to proceed to stay within the nationwide crew image.

Matt MiazgaAfter a robust second half of the season for Vitesse, the place he gained the Dutch Cup, Miazga returned to the nationwide crew for the Gold Cup however hardly ever performed. He elected to return to Vitesse for one more mortgage in 2017-18 however he missed preseason once more.

It is nonetheless too early to say he’s not a first-choice starter in the meanwhile for Vitesse however he was an unused substitute on August 5 within the Dutch Tremendous Cup and solely got here off the bench within the 82nd minute in Saturday’s 4-1 route over NAC Brede within the Eredivisie opener. He’ll probably re-emerge within the beginning lineup ultimately for the reason that membership pressed Chelsea arduous to safe him for one more mortgage, however for proper now it doesn’t assist in with the nationwide crew.

Jorge VillafanaAfter beginning for the USA nationwide crew in its win over Jamaica within the Gold Cup ultimate, Jorge Villafana returned to Santos Laguna solely to experience the bench for 2 straight Liga MX video games. He managed to play a full 90 in a Copa MX win on Tuesday however that’s sometimes a lower-level experimental match within the early levels.

As a robust candidate to be the USA’ beginning left again, Villafana wants constant minutes at left again. His lack of taking part in time to begin the season in all probability gained’t drastically harm his possibilities in September as a result of in contrast to Lichaj or Miazga, he performed quite a bit on the Gold Cup. But it surely might shortly grow to be an issue if it continues.

Fabian JohnsonWhile not a defender below Enviornment or at Borussia Monchengladbach, Johnson’s historical past as a fullback makes him an possibility there with so many gamers coping with accidents and an absence of minutes.

Johnson, 29, is a lock to make the U.S. roster when helathy however his minutes for Monchengladbach appeared to drop this preseason. Within the German Cup first spherical recreation final weekend towards Rot-Weiss Essen, he solely appeared as a stoppage-time substitute in a late comeback win.

Regardless of the inconsistent preseason, Johnson stays an essential possibility for Enviornment.

The Potential Options

Because the central protection back-ups, Gonzalez and Besler stand an honest probability to make the crew if Gonzalez can return to well being. If not, Miazga will probably take Gonzalez’s place. There’s additionally an opportunity Enviornment might deliver 5 central defenders if he needs to maintain the choice of going with a three-man central protection formation like he deployed towards Mexico in June.

Additional down the depth chart you have got gamers who’ve been with the crew in 2017 like Matt Hedges, Walker Zimmerman, and Steve Birnbaum.

Left BackDespite Villafana’s lack of minutes for the reason that Gold Cup, left again doesn’t have that many points proper now. Villafana performed sufficient on the Gold Cup to nonetheless be in respectable form for September. The ageless DaMarcus Beasley has discovered the fountain of youth in 2017 for Houston and Enviornment nonetheless in all probability sees him as an possibility there after his efficiency within the Azteca in June.

In the meantime, Johnson can nonetheless make the roster as a midfielder whereas being a professional possibility at fullback.

Proper Again Enviornment has each cause to hope Yedlin will likely be recovered and in form for the beginning of camp this month in New Jersey. In June, Enviornment performed Yedlin for 270 minutes in an eight-day span which revealed the Newcastle fullback’s significance to the crew.

After Yedlin, there are 4 choices and none of them are very best. Graham Zusi is making an attempt to transform to the place and his efficiency progressively improved through the Gold Cup after a poor begin. Nonetheless, taking part in at house towards Costa Rica will likely be an unlimited problem—past something Zusi has confronted but.

Lichaj shouldn’t be taking part in for Nottingham Forest and his minutes on the Gold Cup had been restricted. Within the instances he noticed the sector, he had some good moments however he additionally made some dreadful errors.

Timothy Chandler has but to play for the U.S. below Enviornment and there’s all the time some danger given Chandler’s tendency to underperform with the nationwide crew. His final look with the nationwide crew got here towards the identical Costa Rican crew final November—and it was a catastrophe. Nonetheless, he has been taking part in nicely for Eintracht Frankfurt in preseason after a principally constructive 2016-17 marketing campaign.

Equally, Johnson has not performed within the backline below Enviornment regardless of principally taking part in there below Jurgen Klinsmann. Johnson prefers midfield and desires to maintain his roles related between membership and nation. In an emergency he’ll fill in and may really be the most suitable choice. However whether or not or not Enviornment performs him there’s a separate challenge.

Wanting into my crystal ball, I feel Enviornment will go along with a backline towards the Ticos that consists of Beasley at left again, Ream and Cameron within the center, and Zusi at proper again.

Some U.S. followers won’t like the concept of Zusi at proper again however Enviornment tends to choose familiarity in essential video games and the truth that the Sporting Kansas Metropolis mainstay went the space within the Gold Cup semifinal and ultimate makes him powerful to wager towards for the backup job proper now. Yedlin may make it again however it all the time appears to be dangerous to foretell a fast return from a hamstring—particularly for a participant who depends on velocity as a lot as Yedlin.

There’s additionally an honest probability that if Zusi is the highest possibility, Chandler makes the squad as his backup. Enviornment might be going to need to discover Chandler as an possibility sooner or later and see how he responds in camp. Maybe Enviornment will discover a manner get probably the most out of him. 

Who would you wish to see beginning for the U.S. towards Costa Rica? Share your ideas beneath.