USMNT: Replaceable World Cup Players

 

Chris Klute (arms raised). (Photo: USA Today SPORTS)
Chris Klute (arms raised). (Photo: USA Today SPORTS)

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

Many American soccer writers, commentators, pundits, and fans won’t ever even consider the use of young and inexperienced American players on the United States Men’s National Team because those players aren’t the current starters, so there’s never any real pressure placed on the USMNT to conduct an actual examination of the player pool, which holds the United States back.

 

Better national teams are comprised of players playing in top European or Latin American leagues, so although the World Cup or international play is a different animal, new players’ club play offers up a sense of how they will perform at the international level against top competition.

 

Cruising along with the status quo is a bad strategy for the USMNT to close the gap with first and second-tier national teams.

 

The United States needs to start bringing new and talented players into the fold and see how they do. If these players don’t appear to be capable of playing well at the international level after several appearances, then other players should be tried out.

 

U.S. Soccer keeps a list of players in the pool, but there definitely needs to be a list of around 100 players organized by position that need to be monitored.

 

Here, World Soccer Source identifies 12 players from the United States Men’s National Team’s World Cup squad that Jürgen Klinsmann should continue to use, and 11 new players that are needed to fill the remaining roster spots and improve the national team are also identified.

 

 

PLAYERS THE USMNT SHOULD KEEP:

 

GK: Tim HOWARD, Brad GUZAN

CB: Geoff CAMERON, John BROOKS

OB: DeAndre YEDLIN, Fabian JOHNSON

DM: Jermaine JONES, Michael BRADLEY

AM: Clint DEMPSEY, Mix DISKERUD, Julian GREEN

S: Jozy ALTIDORE

 

 

PLAYERS THE USMNT SHOULD DROP/ADD:

 

OUT: Nick RIMANDO

IN: Cody CROPPER

 

OUT: Omar GONZALEZ

IN: Shane O’NEILL

 

OUT: Matt BESLER

IN: Michael OROZCO

 

OUT: DaMarcus BEASLEY

IN: Chris KLUTE

 

OUT: Timothy CHANDLER

IN: Kellyn ACOSTA

 

OUT: Kyle BECKERMAN

IN: Maurice EDU

 

OUT: Alejandro BEDOYA

IN: Joe CORONA

 

OUT: Brad DAVIS

IN: Benji JOYA

 

OUT: Graham ZUSI

IN: Dillon POWERS

 

OUT: Chris WONDOLOWSKI

IN: Juan AGUDELO

 

OUT: Aron JÓHANNSSON

IN: Benny FEILHABER*

 

*Not a like-for-like switch but the final roster has a first and second choice option for each spot in the 4-2-3-1 formation.

 

 

The Updated USMNT Roster:

 

GK: Tim HOWARD, Brad GUZAN, Cody CROPPER

 

RB: DeAndre YEDLIN, Kellyn ACOSTA

RCB: Geoff CAMERON, Shane O’NEILL

LCB: John BROOKS, Michael OROZCO

LB: Chris KLUTE, Fabian JOHNSON

 

DM: Michael BRADLEY, Maurice EDU

CM: Jermaine JONES, Dillon POWERS

 

RW: Joe CORONA, Benji JOYA

CAM: Benny FEILHABER, Mix DISKERUD

LW: Clint DEMPSEY, Julian GREEN

 

S: Jozy ALTIDORE, Juan AGUDELO

 

 

 

Abbreviation Guide:

 

GK- Goalkeeper

CB- Center Back

OB- Outside Back

RB- Right Back

RCB- Right Center Back

LCB- Left Center Back

LB- Left Back

DM- Defensive Midfielder

CM- Central Midfielder

AM– Attacking Midfielder

RW- Right Wing

CAM- Central Attacking Midfielder

LW- Left Wing

S- Striker