By: COLIN REESE
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad GUZAN, Nick RIMANDO, Copy CROPPER
CENTER BACKS (4): Geoff CAMERON, John BROOKS, Maurice EDU, Michael OROZCO
OUTSIDE BACKS (4): DeAndre YEDLIN, Fabian JOHNSON, Timothy CHANDLER, Chris KLUTE
MIDFIELDERS (7): Michael BRADLEY, Benny FEILHABER, Jermaine JONES, Mix DISKERUD, Joe CORONA, Dillon POWERS, Benji JOYA
ATTACKERS (5): Clint DEMPSEY, Jozy ALTIDORE, Juan AGUDELO, Julian GREEN, Joe GYAU
This group of 23 players allows Jürgen Klinsmann to trot out the United States Men’s National Team in several formations, most notably a 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, or 4-1-4-1.
With the names above, a USMNT XI comprised of Guzan, Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson, Edu, Feilhaber, Bradley, Corona, Altidore, and Dempsey is an XI with two defensive midfielders, but there are plenty of other slightly more attack-minded options, including only starting one defensive midfielder: Bradley.
At center back, Cameron and Brooks is the strongest center back pairing, but Orozco has certainly proved his ability to perform at a high level against strong opponents as either a right center back or left center back. Additionally, Edu has shown well and been effective when used as a center back for the United States and at the club level.
As for the outside backs, Yedlin and Johnson are the obvious starting right back and left back, and Chandler like Johnson excels at either right back or left back, which gives the USMNT an excellent back-up at either the right back or left back spot. Finally, Chris Klute has performed too well and too consistently in MLS to not be a very strong candidate for a national team spot, and Klute is an excellent left back, in addition to thriving at right back as well. Klinsmann’s persistent insistence on not letting Klute have a chance to show how he fares on the international level continues to be surprising.
In the midfield, Bradley and Jones provide the ball-winners the USA needs, and Klinsmann can either start both players or just Bradley. There is also the option of starting Edu and Bradley as the defensive midfielders where Edu would play the more stay-at-home defensive midfielder role with Bradley playing the box-to-box role.
At the more attacking midfielder roles, Feilhaber, Corona, and Diskerud give the United States plenty of creativity, technical quality, and options. The USMNT can start one of these players at once or start two of them with Bradley.
Additionally, players like Joya and Powers provide a combination of defensive strength, lots of running, and technical and attacking quality. Joya is not only a central midfielder but also a central attacking midfielder and winger. Powers too is a central midfielder that also plays as a central attacking midfielder that also has no problem playing in wider roles on the right or left.
These two players give the USMNT two complete and young midfielders that can contribute on both sides of the ball and give the national team important utility players to field a more balanced midfield. The thing that Powers and Joya offer is the combination of technical skill with a high work rate and two-way play, which is what Klinsmann wants from USMNT midfielders.
Up top, Altidore and Agudelo are the two clear best strikers in the American player pool according to World Soccer Source, and Dempsey isn’t a pure striker but rather a second striker (withdrawn forward) or attacking midfielder that can play in almost every attacking role.
At the other forward spots on the roster, Gyau and Green give the squad speedy and skilled forwards that can play out wide on either side and that look to cut inside toward the goal or attack along the flanks.
This group of 23 players allows the USA to start a different XI than the one listed at the beginning of the article. Another strong XI would be Guzan, Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Johnson, Edu, Bradley, Corona, Feilhaber/Diskerud, Dempsey, and Altidore/Agudelo in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and that Starting XI, while other permutations are plenty, offers skill and experience at every position plus the right balance of defending and attacking.