ASN: Berhalter’s 26-player December camp roster mixes veterans and youth

The USMNT roster for the December camp is out and Berhalter has named a powerful mixture of veterans and youth. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the roster together with his ideas. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
December 01, 2021
7:00 PM

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ON FRIDAY, UNITED STATES nationwide group supervisor Gregg Berhalter introduced his 26-player roster for the upcoming December camp which is able to conclude with a pleasant in opposition to Bosnia & Herzegovina on Saturday, Dec. 18 (8:15 p.m. ET; FS1, UniMás and TUDN) at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park in Carson, Calif.

The core of the roster comes as no shock. With the camp and the pleasant not happening throughout a global window, golf equipment are usually not required to launch gamers to the U.S. nationwide group for this. Because of this, the roster consists largely of domestic-based gamers who are usually not among the many closing 4 groups alive within the MLS playoffs.

In an effort to maintain gamers energetic through the offseason and forward of the January worldwide window which is able to see the group participate in three qualifiers, Berhalter has known as up lots of the common domestic-based gamers who’ve already featured in qualifying.

Matt Turner, Walker Zimmerman, Ricardo Pepi, Gyasi Zardes, Jesus Ferreira, and Cristian Roldan have all featured in World Cup qualifying and are on the roster. The first goal is of this camp is to maintain these gamers match and in a rhythm forward of the January window.

There have been additionally some gamers who weren’t known as up and given the chance to relaxation – Miles Robinson, Sebastian Lletget, and Paul Arriola have been left off. Daryl Dike’s omission was additionally considerably stunning – however Berhalter made it clear it was about giving Dike restoration time. 

“He’s beat up, he needs recovery,” Berhalter stated. “The most important thing, this time for Daryl is to get rest and recovery that he can focus on coming back in January and building himself up again. So that one was pretty straightforward.”

There are additionally some attention-grabbing picks that present that Berhalter is widening the participant pool – maybe with a watch even past the 2022 World Cup.

Caden Clark has been known as up for the primary time after finishing his first full season with the New York Pink Bulls. Internacional’s Jonny Cardoso can even return to the group for the primary time in since 2020.  Taylor Sales space is available in from Bayern Munich II, U.S. U-20 goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina is introduced in after a powerful season with Chicago.

Right here is the roster in addition to some ideas.

ROSTER BY POSITION
(Membership; Caps/Objectives)

GOALKEEPERS (3): John Pulskamp (Sporting Kansas Metropolis; 0/0), Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fireplace; 0/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 12/0) 

DEFENDERS (11): George Bello (Atlanta United; 5/0), Justin Che (FC Dallas; 0/0), Jonathan Gomez (Louisville Metropolis; 0/0), Kobi Henry (Orange County SC; 0/0), Henry Kessler (New England Revolution; 1/0), Brooks Lennon (Atlanta United; 0/0), Aaron Lengthy (New York Pink Bulls; 21/3), Kevin Paredes (D.C. United; 0/0), Bryan Reynolds (Roma/ITA; 1/0), Auston Trusty (Colorado Rapids; 0/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 22/2)  

MIDFIELDERS (5): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 44/2), Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids; 0/0), Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; 2/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 29/0), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 15/0)

FORWARDS (7): Taylor Sales space (Bayern Munich II/GER; 0/0), Caden Clark (New York Pink Bulls; 0/0), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 4/2), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; 39/10), Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas; 6/3), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew; 65/14)

Necessary ahead competitors

Essentially the most attention-grabbing facet of the roster is the U.S. group’s ahead pool. There are a lot of questions on the No. 9 place and on the finish of 2021, there are few solutions. Among the many overseas contingent, Josh Sargent has struggled to attain, and Jordan Pefok may not match the skillset the group is on the lookout for.

Domestically, Berhalter has relied on Ricardo Pepi however he’s nonetheless very younger and really unproven. Gyasi Zardes has battled with accidents this 12 months. Jesus Ferreira had an excellent 2021 season, however he not often performs the No. 9 with the U.S. group.

With Pepi, Zardes, and Ferreira all participating on this camp, there’s a significant competitors for spots on the group shifting ahead. For these forwards, this is a crucial camp stuffed with alternative. There’s additionally the query of Daryl Dike and his absence – which stands out.

Morris/Lengthy Return

Jordan Morris is on the group for the primary time in almost a 12 months after he spent most of 2021 recovering from his second ACL tear of his profession (suffered in February whereas on mortgage at Swansea Metropolis). Morris returned for the top of the common season with Seattle and was understandably rusty.

Morris is a winger who might nonetheless assist this group if he is ready to return to his peak type. Sadly, his return got here on the finish of the season, however his camp and subsequent month’s January camp provide an opportunity for Morris to point out the place he’s presently at proper now.

Aaron Lengthy additionally returns to the group after lacking almost the whole 2021 season with a torn Achilles. It’s unclear how a lot, if in any respect, he’ll have the ability to play in opposition to Bosnia however he can add depth to the central protection place after gamers like Chris Richards and Mark McKenzie have had inconsistent enjoying time. He’s nonetheless far behind these gamers after lacking the season, however his return does broaden the participant pool.

U.S. U-20 group added

What is especially attention-grabbing, however unsurprising, is that Berhalter has added quite a few key U.S. U-20 gamers to the group.

Cade Cowell, Justin Che, Caden Clark, Kevin Paredes, Gabriel Slonina, Jonathan Gomez, and Kobi Henry make up seven gamers who ought to be key gamers from the U.S. U-20 group this upcoming cycle. Ricardo Pepi can be age-eligible however his involvement on this group is questionable.

The U.S. U-20 group has an enormous job forward of it in 2022 when in the summertime it should try to qualify for each the 2023 U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics. The Philadelphia Union have three gamers who’re additionally eligible however are nonetheless alive within the MLS Cup playoffs.

Twin nationwide recruitment?

Gregg Berhalter doesn’t just like the time period “recruitment” when discussing gamers with twin nationality and who may need to choose when two federations are focused on their providers. Nonetheless, there are parallels and this camp is maintaining some gamers with choices concerned with the U.S. group.

Jonathan Gomez and Gabriel Slonina are two younger U.S. U-20 eligible gamers who have been invited and their involvement doesn’t cap-tie them, however it does assist to strengthen the bond they’ve with U.S. Soccer.

Gomez is coming off a robust season in USL with Louisville Metropolis and he’s set to switch to Actual Sociedad in Spain. As a left again, he’s the highest U.S. U-20 participant at his place and he has additionally attended camps for Mexico at totally different ranges.

Slonina, 17, is without doubt one of the high younger American goalkeepers and has already earned the beginning place with the Chicago Fireplace. Whereas the Fireplace fell in need of the playoffs, Slonina was one of many group’s most enjoyable gamers within the closing two months of the season. His mother and father are each from Poland and Slonina has stated it will be a really troublesome alternative if Poland known as (there are rumors their federation has reached out to him). However Slonina not too long ago participated in a camp with the U.S. U-20 group and now may have an opportunity at a extra senior degree, thereby maintaining him concerned and permitting him to work with Matt Turner.

When wanting on the season each gamers had, it looks like a smart move to make use of two roster spots on each promising gamers.

Reynolds lifeline

One other noteworthy decide was extending an invite to Bryan Reynolds. The previous FC Dallas fullback made an enormous transfer to AS Roma final December however has seen his progress slowed when the membership employed Jose Mourinho as head coach over the summer season.

Mourinho has made harsh feedback relating to lots of the group’s second alternative gamers after a brutal 6-1 loss to Bodo/Glimt within the UEFA Convention League. The feedback definitely weren’t productive in build up the arrogance of the group’s younger gamers and Reynolds definitely wants a mortgage away from AS Roma. As a substitute of leaving him in Italy, Berhalter requested and acquired a launch for Reynolds to take part on this camp.

Reynolds is a really promising however very uncooked participant. He wants enjoying time and he wants teaching to attain his upside. This call-up ought to be a pleasant confidence increase and probably assist him get a mortgage.

General, one other good call-up by way of serving to a participant additional his profession and get out of a nasty state of affairs.

Notes from Berhalter’s press convention

Berhalter stated gamers from the dropping groups of the Convention Finals wouldn’t be added. He additionally added that he actually put an emphasis on the U.S. U-20 group.

“It’s important for us to start integrating some of these younger players – especially in a camp like this where we can afford to do that,” Berhalter stated. “So we were earmarking a number of U-20 players to bring into this camp. Paxten Aronson was one of them Caden Clark was one of them. Brian Gutierrez was one. Gaga Slonina is coming in as a goalkeeper so it’s important to start bringing these guys up to the senior team and get given them that experience.”

Berhalter stated that Djordje Mihailovic wasn’t known as up as a result of he was on his approach for a coaching stint with Bologna in Italy’s Serie A.

“I had a conversation with Djordje talking about what we’re focused on in this camp,” Berhalter stated. “The objectives to keep guys moving, look at some new faces. Djordje is going to be training with Bologna. He left today to go there. So he’s checking that box we’re familiar with. We will potentially see him in January, for our training camp them.”

Berhalter spoke about Jordan Morris’ return and harassed that he doesn’t but know his degree and if he is ready to assist the group in January’s qualifiers.

“If we don’t bring him into this camp he has no chance of playing qualifiers, right?” Berhalter stated. “So our job now is to work with him these next four weeks and then when we’re in camp to get him ready to see if he can make an impact and help in qualifiers. We know his talent level, we know what he brings to the team, it gives us a different dimension and it’d be nice to get him in a place where he can perform in these games but we just don’t know yet, so we’ll have to wait and see when he’s in camp. He’s made a lot of progress with Seattle they did a great job of getting him back on the field.”

Berhalter spoke concerning the Atlanta United fullbacks of Brooks Lennon and George Bello being on the group and what he expects from them.

“For both of those players it’s going to be about being aggressive going forward – being really clinical in the penalty box, good decision making in around the penalty box.” Berhalter stated. “With Brooks I think he showed that relentlessness of attacking and defending up and down the line, really, really good fitness and he’s a player that for some reason or another we haven’t been able to get in camp. There was issues with it with Atlanta releasing players in January camp so he couldn’t come before. And so we’re thankful that they were released him now so we can get a good look at him.”

“With George [Bello], it’s just about continue to develop to develop,” he added. “He has some really high parts of his game he also has some, some inconsistencies that we want to continue to work with him. You know the left back spot – Antonee has done a great job and after that it’s pretty open. We are hoping that these guys will try to make a big impact with us this camp.”

Johnny Cadoso will be a part of the group late and Berhalter nonetheless doesn’t know when he’ll arrive primarily based on Internacional’s schedule. Berhalter stated the identical factor is true for Bryan Reynolds.

Berhalter spoke at size concerning the resolution to play the 2 January video games in frigid temperatures.

“A few of the standards we’re on the lookout for is minimizing journey and a professional U.S. crowd. So now you begin interested by stadiums which you can reduce journey have a professional U.S crowd. El Salvador, it is powerful. El Salvador in DC is actually powerful. You’ll be able to’t play there, proper? It is going to be a house recreation for El Salvador in the event you do this, Honduras may be very comparable on the japanese seaboard. New York comparable from Honduras and and El Salvador, as you get in the direction of hotter climate probably in Florida. You are still operating that threat of the group. We wish a professional us crowd you guys have seen what a professional us crowd does for the boys does for the, for the ambiance.

“Now we start having to weigh the risk of that of the weather extreme weather,” he added. “We know a large portion of our guys are playing in Europe, they’re playing in cold weather right now they’re coming back and should be able to adapt pretty nicely. We know the field in Columbus is going to be good. Some other venues weren’t able to get the field up to standards to play in the winter so we had to exclude them, and Minnesota and Columbus popped out from a travel and field standpoint… It’s tough for us and we have guys playing in in Europe and cold weather, what’s it going to be like coming from Honduras midweek – 85-90 degree temperatures to go to Minnesota? What’s it going to be like for them? So we see that as an advantage for us, honestly, and, you know, in the qualifiers about winning games”

Lastly, Berhalter stated that the paperwork was nonetheless being finalized to have Luchi Gonzalez be a part of his employees as an assistant coach. Whereas it isn’t carried out, the tone on the decision was optimistic.