ASN: Excessive expectations and large questions for the U.S. U-20 crew forward of qualifying

The US U-20 crew will kickoff its World Cup qualifying marketing campaign on Thursday towards Puerto Rico in Florida. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta can be protecting the event and right here is his preview for the primary stage. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
October 31, 2018
5:00 AM

SHARE THIS STORY

ON THURSDAY, america U-20 nationwide crew will open its World Cup qualifying marketing campaign towards Puerto Rico and it’ll kick off a brutal schedule the place Tab Ramos and his gamers will play 5 video games in 9 days within the opening group stage.

To advance, america should win its group and on paper it’s favored in each single sport. The issue is that one single slip up might show to be deadly to the crew’s qualifying. With the crew enjoying each different day, each participant should count on to begin each single sport.

One protected guess is that Ramos will most likely choose his high lineup towards Puerto Rico as a result of that may enable him to pick out his finest crew once more for the November 5 matchup towards Trinidad & Tobago and the group finale on November 9 towards Suriname. The matchups on November 3 towards the U.S. Virgin Islands and November 7 towards St. Vincent and the Grenadines will most likely characteristic a second-best beginning lineup.

Versatility and endurance can be key to success on this group. It’s unrealistic to count on this crew to at all times be at its finest nevertheless it should show it could win ugly when vital.

With only one crew advancing from each group and the U.S. crew the favourite in Group A, it signifies that each opponent can be placing out its finest lineup and finest effort towards the U.S. crew. So the stress can be there for Ramos and the gamers each single sport. The U.S. crew certified the final three cycles however in every event, there have been occasions after they flirted with elimination. There can be big checks alongside the best way.

The excellent news is that the U.S. crew can be internet hosting this event for the primary time in a long time. That ought to result in an improved efficiency as the standard of fields in current editions of the event within the Caribbean and Central America was removed from supreme. Poor situations usually function a expertise equalizer and with the situations supreme this yr, the standard has a greater probability of rising to the highest.

Close to the U.S. crew, listed here are some issues to look at.

Central Protection depth can be examined
With Chris Richards not launched for the event and Mark McKenzie nonetheless with the Philadelphia Union for the playoffs, Ramos will flip to younger and inexperienced central defenders. Julian Araujo is enjoying up this cycle (eligible for the 2021 U-20 World Cup crew) and got here on very late when he impressed Ramos whereas enjoying for the U.S. U-19 crew that defeated the U-20 crew.

In the meantime Sam Rodgers is the opposite central defender the place he performs with the Seattle Sounders 2 crew in USL. The final two U.S. U-20 cycles had been stacked in central protection. That’s not the case right here. The drop off after Richards and McKenzie is steep.

Two objects to contemplate on this. First, throughout this event, Ramos may ask fullbacks Jaylin Lindsey or Matthew Actual to play in central protection. It’s not supreme, however towards lesser opponents they need to be capable of get the job achieved.

Second, Ramos may go along with two defensive midfielders at this event at occasions to protect the backline. Brandon Servania is often a No. 8 however has been enjoying as a No. 6 thus far in camp. One choice to play alongside him could be Juan Pablo Torres.

It’s a troublesome name as two defensive midfielders may restrict the assault, and the U.S. crew ought to be capable of rating a number of targets towards all opponents. If the U.S. crew takes multigoal leads, second half changes to supply extra defensive chew within the midfield might be anticipated.

Rather a lot driving on Llanez
Together with Araujo, Ulysses Llanez is one other participant who’s enjoying up this cycle. Ramos actually wants each gamers able to step up and ship on the older age group. Araujo to cowl for central protection and Llanez to produce the wanted assault.

Llanez is the crew’s finest winger on this opening roster. Maybe later within the event and presumably heading to the World Cup he can be aided by Jonathan Amon, Tim Weah, and Nick Taitague. However for now, Llanez should shoulder the burden.

Up to now Llanez has impressed with U.S. youth groups this yr and is in good kind. That should proceed.

Who will end?
It’s attainable that Ramos will be capable of add quite a lot of offensive firepower within the second stage, if the U.S. advances. Sebastian Soto, Tim Weah, and Josh Sargent are all potential gamers who might be added to the crew.

For now, that burden will fall on the Indiana College duo of Justin Rennicks and Griffin Dorsey together with Toronto FC Ayo Akinola who was on the 2017 U.S. U-17 crew.

Rennicks has impressed at occasions this cycle. In June, he stood out in an away pleasant towards Honduras. Akinola has expertise with U.S. youth nationwide groups and Dorsey is considerably new to this degree however has been performing effectively in school and helped the U.S. U-18 crew win the Vaclav Jezek Match within the Czech Republic.

There’s not quite a lot of skilled expertise among the many ahead contingent and that isn’t concept. Nonetheless, they’ve means to get the job at this degree in CONCACAF.

Predicted Beginning XI vs. Puerto Rico
GK: Brady ScottRB: Jaylin LindseyCB: Sam RogersCB: Julian AraujoLB: Matthew RealMid: Brandon ServaniaMid: Alex MendezMid: Isaac AngkingWing: Ulysses Llanez Wing: Frankie AmayaForward: Justin Rennicks