Gregg Berhalter’s roster for November has lots of continuity from October however the massive story is that Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic are lacking as a result of accidents. However that may open the door for others to fill the void, together with children Paxten Aaronson and Kevin Paredes. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the roster together with his ideas.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
November 09, 2023
11:30 AM
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ON THURSDAY, United States nationwide crew supervisor Gregg Berhalter introduced his 24-player roster for the upcoming Nations League quarterfinal in opposition to Trinidad & Tobago which will probably be performed over two legs this window. Ought to the U.S. crew advance, it is going to play within the match’s semifinal and qualify for 2024 Copa America.
Right here is the roster together with some ideas.
Roster by place
(Membership/Nation; Caps/Objectives)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 9/0), Gaga Slonina (KAS Eupen; 1/0), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 35/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 14/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 30/2), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 53/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 14/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 37/2), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; 27/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 7/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER; 1/0), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 9/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 19/0), Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim/GER; 1/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 48/11), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 31/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 22/6), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 6/0)
FORWARDS (5): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin/GER; 36/8), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 6/3), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; 2/0), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 20/9), Alex Zendejas (Membership América/MEX; 7/1)
Weah and Pulisic are out
Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic will not be included on this roster. Tim Weah was subbed out of Juventus’ win over Verona at halftime on October 28 as a result of hip-flexor situation. It was later introduced that the membership anticipated him again in direction of the tip of November.
Pulisic’s current accidents will not be as clear. He left AC Milan’s 2-2 draw with Napoli at halftime as a result of muscle “fatigue” after which didn’t swimsuit up over the weekend in a loss to Udinese. Then Tuesday in a Champions League win over PSG, he left the sport in second half stoppage time grabbing his hamstring.
It was reported on Wednesday that there was no muscle tear, however fairly a pressure and he would miss the upcoming sport this weekend for Milan. Given the continuing nature of this damage, he was left off U.S. nationwide crew roster.
Youthful Aaronson arrives
Paxten Aaronson is most probably a U-23 choice provided that he nonetheless doesn’t get common minutes for Eintracht Frankfurt but. However his versatility to play on the wing or within the center opens the door for him at this camp. With Weah and Pulisic out and Reyna more likely to have his minutes closely managed once more, there’s a enormous void to fill in a number of totally different positions together with each wing positions and in central midfield.
Aaronson will now get the possibility to fill these voids. As soon as these key gamers return to full health, Aaronson may shift again to the U-23 crew, but when he does nicely, maybe he’s right here to remain.
On one other word, this call-up marks the primary time each Aaronson brothers have been referred to as up collectively for a U.S. crew. Brenden Aaronson has been a mainstay for years, however now he’ll be part of his brother. The 2 not too long ago performed in opposition to one another as late substitutes when Eintracht Frankfurt defeated struggling Union Berlin 3-0.
Big alternative for Paredes
For me, Kevin Paredes is an important participant to observe on the roster for 3 causes: 1) he’s now enjoying nicely and beginning for Wolfsburg, 2) he’ll seemingly get an enormous alternative to fill the void left by Weah and Pulisic as a result of he now has hung out with the crew and may know what’s requested and three) he stays one of many extra proficient younger gamers within the system.
The query is now whether or not he can contiue his current surge with the nationwide crew.
Slonina will get the nod
Gaga Slonina additionally has a possibility on this camp provided that he has had a number of good video games not too long ago for Eupen. The truth that he’s enjoying can also be enormous as a result of Matt Turner seems to have misplaced his beginning spot with Nottingham Forest and Ethan Horvath just isn’t even registered to play league video games for Forest. Slonina is in an important place just because he’s a younger goalkeeper who’s enjoying.
Slonina can also be one other participant who may shift to the Olympics subsequent 12 months however continues to be on the bubble of the total crew now.
Roster Continuity into 2024
We’re beginning to see proper now that Berhalter is shifting ahead with rosters that don’t change very a lot from camp to camp.
Of the 24 gamers on this roster, 20 had been on the roster for the October camp. If Weah and Pulisic had been wholesome, it will have been 22 gamers. Then each time Tyler Adams returns, he’s more likely to be a continuing with the group.
It doesn’t imply Berhalter is ready on his crew. There are nonetheless some gamers who’re in weak positions. Lennard Maloney nonetheless has a lot to show. Alex Zendejas has not made the a lot of the alternatives but which have come his approach. Ricardo Pepi’s minutes are restricted and there could possibly be extra competitors for him because the season progresses. Tim Ream is enjoying nicely however he’s additionally older and in some unspecified time in the future Father Time will win the battle. Kristoffer Lund will even face competitors from a deeper American left again participant pool.
However Berhalter additionally should play the brief sport too. The Copa America is just seven months away. That could be a enormous match and an necessary barometer for this crew and for Berhalter. After that, there may be the Olympics and lots of of these gamers may have taken massive strides of their sport. Some will impress on the Olympics and as Berhalter stated, after subsequent summer season, he expects the U-23 pool to merge into the total nationwide crew pool. Then at that time, it is going to open the doorways for much more competitors.