The World Cup is now lower than three months away and ASN’s Brian Sciaretta makes his prediction as to what the USMNT roster will appear to be.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
August 09, 2022
3:00 PM
SHARE THIS STORY
PREDICTING THE WORLD CUP roster is at all times tough however the reality is that this World Cup ought to be a bit of bit simpler to foretell. In regular cycles, the World Cup comes on the finish of the European season and in the course of the MLS season, then coaches have a full month with the crew to construct a cohesive unit. This 12 months, that’s utterly the other way up.
The US will play its first recreation of the World Cup six days after the golf equipment break for the event. There is no such thing as a month-long preparation or pre-World Cup friendlies. The September worldwide window should be a mixture of preparation and giving gamers final appears to be like.
The chance that gamers utterly on the fringes of the participant pool make the crew is small. There’s a probability, however it’s small. There’s extra of a necessity for gamers to be conversant in the crew by the point November hits.
For the U.S. crew, I can see a number of surprises – however not many. The World Cup crew might be going to be principally acquainted faces courting again to the Nations League in 2021 and thru the newest June window. A lot of the surprises will come at back-up positions.
Right here is the ASN predicted 26-man roster – understanding that the scenario stays very fluid.
Goalkeepers
1) Matt Turner
2) Zack Steffen
3) Sean Johnson
Within the combine: Ethan Horvath, Gaga Slonina
Abstract: Everyone knows the problems. Steffen and Johnson had unhealthy weekends. Turner is a backup. Horvath didn’t even need to make a save final weekend and has performed few video games over the previous 4 years. Slonina remains to be inexperienced. Individuals can basically make arguments for or in opposition to anybody.
However Turner and Steffen had been there all through the previous 12 months when the video games mattered. They’re going. Sean Johnson was there for many of World Cup qualifying and carried out nicely in June. He’s additionally the third goalkeeper and is extraordinarily unlikely to play in Qatar.
Fullbacks
4) Sergino Dest
5) Antonee Robinson
6) Reggie Cannon
7) DeAndre Yedlin
Within the combine: Sam Vines, Joe Scally, John Tolkin, George Bello
Abstract: Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson are going because the presumptive starters. It’s honest to query whether or not Dest will likely be in kind because the minutes don’t look like there for him at Barcelona. He’ll begin, however is he going to be one of many crew’s finest gamers, as anticipated? Berhalter has sometimes not introduced a real backup left again as Dest has the potential to slip over to that facet. It’s not superb, however until Sam Vines can persuade in any other case, Berhalter would possibly deliver each Cannon and Yedlin. Cannon is taking part in nicely at Boavista however extra without any consideration center-back in a three-man backline. Yedlin nonetheless boasts expertise and management for that backup job.
Central defenders
8) Chris Richards
9) Walker Zimmerman
10) Cameron Carter-Vickers
11) Aaron Lengthy
Within the Combine: Erik Palmer-Brown, James Sands, John Brooks, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Matt Miazga
Abstract: The harm to Miles Robinson opened the door since he was a key a part of qualifying. Zimmerman has been too necessary for too lengthy to recommend he’s not going. Chris Richards has began when wholesome. He’s more likely to go, however will he play at Crystal Palace? The June window opened the door for Erik Palmer-Brown and Cameron Carter-Vickers.
There’s room for one in all Ream and Palmer-Brown to sneak into the crew however it would possibly require Richards merely not taking part in in any respect, Lengthy and the Purple Bulls persevering with to wrestle, or an harm. There’s additionally the unlikely scenario that Berhalter takes a fifth central defender.
Midfielders
12) Tyler Adams
13) Kellyn Acosta
14) Weston McKennie
15) Luca de la Torre
16) Yunus Musah
17) Cristian Roldan
18) Brenden Aaronson
19) Gio Reyna
Within the Combine: Richard Ledezma, Eryk Williamson, Gianluca Busio
Abstract: There are plenty of locks right here. Adams is the beginning No. 6 and Acosta is the backup. Musah and McKennie have rounded out an efficient beginning trio. Aaronson has been each a winger and a midfielder (most just lately a midfielder), and Reyna can also be a No. 10, winger, or a false No. 9. Reyna continues to overlook plenty of time – so whereas he’ll seemingly go to Qatar, the quantity of minutes he can log are in query.
De la Torre and Roldan have been backups for many of qualifying. Roldan can plug into completely different roles and seldomly performs a lot anymore, however he has had season for Seattle and Berhalter appreciates his tenacity off the bench if wanted. De la Torre has had run with the nationwide crew and will make it though it stays to be seen if he’ll play a lot at Celta Vigo after a tough ending to his 2021/22 season with Heracles.
Wingers/Forwards
20) Christian Pulisic
21) Tim Weah
22) Jordan Morris
23) Paul Arriola
24) Jesus Ferreira
25) Jordan Pefok
26) Brandon Vazquez
Within the Combine: Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, Daryl Dike, Matthew Hoppe, Jeremy Ebobisse, Josh Sargent, Konrad de la Fuente.
Abstract: For nearly your complete cycle, Weah and Pulisic have been the beginning wingers when wholesome. Reyna, Aaronson, Arriola and Morris have been the backups. However with Aaronson seemingly now taking part in extra within the midfield and Reyna nonetheless in query over when he’ll have the ability to begin usually, Arriola and Morris are one of the best bets to backup proper now. Malik Tillman is elevating his recreation proper now and that would change issues. However the tiebreak nonetheless goes to the incumbents.
At heart ahead, it’s powerful to learn as a result of nobody has claimed the job. Pepi and Sargent have struggled. Matthew Hoppe appears to be like extra like an Olympic participant for the time being after a misplaced season at Mallorca and now a probable mortgage to Middlesbrough.
Ferreira, Pefok, and Vazquez are the most popular three proper now. Ferreira is a special type of ahead who appears to be like to mix with wingers and make performs. Pefok is a straight finisher and whereas his final time with the USMNT went poorly, a powerful begin to the season with Union Berlin might open doorways. Vazquez can be essentially the most stunning decide on the roster as he has by no means performed with the USMNT earlier than. However he’s amid an impressive season that ought to give him a glance in September as a “last look” alternative. It stays to be seen if he makes the crew, however watching him this season, he appears to be like the half.
Bubble Watch: Trending Up
These are some gamers not on the roster above, however who’re trending in the precise path to maneuver into the within of the bubble.
Malik Tillman: He solely performed a number of inconsequential video games for Bayern Munich final season and his USMNT debut was lackluster as he was attempting to play by way of an harm. However he’s off to a powerful begin to the season with Rangers. He might take a spot both on the wings or in midfield.
Tim Ream: The oldest participant within the USMNT pool, Ream had an amazing season within the Championship in 2021/22 and would possibly begin within the Premier League at the start of this season. If Issa Diop replaces him within the beginning lineup, he’s in a troublesome spot. However he was the captain in Fulham’s opener in opposition to Liverpool and performed nicely. Having a veteran one other veteran on the World Cup roster wouldn’t damage.
Sam Vines: The previous Colorado Fast left again is off to a powerful begin this season the place he has began for a Royal Antwerp crew that has 9 factors from three video games in Belgium’s top-flight. As of now, he’s the second-best pure left again within the pool after Robinson. The query for Vines is convincing Berhalter that the back-up left again spot must go to a pure left again versus sliding over a proper again in Dest (or perhaps even Scally).
Joe Scally: Scally made 30 Bundesliga appearances in 2021/22 with Borussia Monchengladbach and he performed nicely within the 2022/23 opener. He can play each on the precise and left sides, though he’s primarily a proper again. His versatility helps his case right here. The back-up left again spot is unclaimed and having the ability to play each ought to give consolation to Berhalter that he has enough cowl. If he’s seen strictly without any consideration again, it will get more durable for him as Cannon has been with the crew for much longer and hasn’t performed poorly in any respect for membership or nation. Cannon has been constant over the previous 12 months and doesn’t seem as if he’ll be overtaken.
Bubble Watch: Trending down
John Brooks: In each single one in all his press conferences over the previous 10 months, Gregg Berhalter has been requested concerning the absence of John Brooks. Brooks had an up and down season in 2021/22 with Wolfsburg, however some argued he was nonetheless among the many finest gamers within the participant pool. That is irrelevant now. Wherever anybody stands on that facet of the controversy anymore, Brooks shouldn’t be in a great place – by any commonplace.
It is his personal fault too. Heading into the center of August, Brooks has now been and not using a membership since Could 14th, when Wolfsburg’s season concluded. Brooks has additionally been in a position to signal with any membership since January. He’s missed your complete European preseason. That is coming at a time when all gamers all through the pool are doing no matter they will to make their finest case to make the World Cup crew. Brooks has executed nothing.
Even when he indicators with a membership now, when will he be match to play? Will he instantly unseat the starters? If he was on the margins over the previous 12 months, how is he going to place himself on the within of the bubble after lacking preseason come mid-August?
Gianluca Busio: Enjoying now in Serie B, Busio has slipped a bit of bit within the depth chart and Venezia has been unconvincing this preseason that they’re going to be among the many finest in Serie B. Deciding to stay with Venezia most likely hurts his World Cup possibilities though it’s higher for his long-term development. Preventing in Italy’s second tier for the membership that owns his contract (avoiding the mortgage military) goes to assist him. He wants so as to add extra physicality and protection to his recreation.
George Bello: Bello has been the common backup left again for a lot of the previous cycle though he has most likely misplaced his grip. Even final 12 months, Sam Vines was the higher left again between the 2 on the Gold Cup. However Bello was struggling on the finish of his closing season in Atlanta, his time at Arminia Bielefeld has not gone nicely. Now with the membership relegated in to the two.Bundesliga, the begin to his season in Germany’s second tier hasn’t gone nicely as he isn’t the starter to start 2022/23.
