By: COLIN REESE
Using only players with a realistic chance of making the United States Men’s National Team roster, which World Soccer Source will assume contains Mix Diskerud and Joe Corona and not Benny Feilhaber, here is this writer’s preferred USA XI for the 2014 World Cup.
One of the caveats is that World Soccer Source is operating under the tactical assumption that having Joe Corona, Mix Diskerud, and Clint Dempsey in front of Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley will prevent Jones and Bradley from making attacking forays at the same time as they will have players with whom to link up, which should encourage them to look to play passes to those more attack-minded players.
World Soccer Source did not put Landon Donovan in its USA XI, but World Soccer Source backs the use of Donovan as the right wing with either Corona or Diskerud as the central attacking midfielder.
USA XI (4-2-3-1)
Tim HOWARD; DeAndre YEDLIN, Michael OROZCO, Geoff CAMERON, Fabian JOHNSON; Jermaine JONES, Michael BRADLEY; Joe CORONA, Mix DISKERUD, Clint DEMPSEY; Jozy ALTIDORE
Rationale
World Soccer Source’s USA XI is limited to players with a likely chance of being selected to the World Cup roster by Jürgen Klinsmann, which eliminates Benny Feilhaber, based on Klinsmann’s past preferences.
Landon Donovan is not in this Starting XI, but either Diskerud or Corona could be deployed in the Number 10 role with Donovan playing on the right wing.
A Donovan-Corona/Diskerud-Dempsey line of three attacking midfielders would be well-received and applauded by World Soccer Source.
The thinking behind keeping Donovan out of the line-up is to let the younger Diskerud and Corona start with Dempsey because Corona and Diskerud are perhaps more more likely to play quick passing combinations and play final balls for Jozy Altidore or Clint Dempsey.
Here is a USA XI with Donovan starting on the right wing:
At this point, it seems necessary to start DeAndre Yedlin at right back with Fabian Johnson at left back. This is no better option, unless Klinsmann is going to call up Chris Klute and Greg Garza to the roster and toss them into the fire of the World Cup by getting them ready in the three games leading up to the World Cup.
Using Brad Evans, Michael Parkhurst, or DaMarcus Beasley doesn’t put the USA in the best position to use the best two-way outside backs available to the United States. Using Yedlin and Johnson gives the USMNT fast outside backs with good technical ability plus the tools needed to keep pace with World Cup attackers and force them wide.
Geoff Cameron is needed in the center of the defense over Omar Gonzalez. Cameron is a better defender and player because his marking, tackling, and technical skill are better than Gonzalez’s, in addition to being a much, much faster, quicker, and more agile player. Cameron is also a tireless runner in a tall and athletic frame, and he’s as strong in the air as with the ball at his feet. His two-footed ability will be very useful in tight spaces in the back with limited time afforded on the ball against World Cup attackers.
World Soccer Source selected Michael Orozco over Matt Besler who has become a favorite of Jürgen Klinsmann, the American soccer media, and the American soccer fan base. As a personal opinion, this author commends Besler but finds Orozco to be a better and more athletic defender with more quickness. Besler is fast, but Orozco is a also fast while being quicker and more agile and mobile. Besler is also fairly one-footed compared to Orozco. Orozco isn’t a guarantee of elite World Cup defending but he is a center back who has excelled in Mexico for several years, and no observer really doubts his defending, skill, or quickness.
Jozy Altidore was selected over Aron Jóhannsson who is a more technical player than Altidore, but Altidore is also technical, plus he stretches the defense and is an incredible athlete. Altidore’s technical ability has skyrocketed from his early days with the USMNT. With Juan Agudelo a fringe roster pick, World Soccer Source backs Altidore, but Agudelo is the most talented and the most dangerous American striker in the pool.
The Michael Bradley-Jermaine Jones defensive midfield partnership concerns people (with good reason), so here is a similar USA XI with Maurice Edu taking Jermaine Jones’ spot.
