By: COLIN REESE
This list attempts to balance the most proven veteran players with new players that need to be incorporated into the United States Men’s National Team. The USMNT has been using a 4-3-3 formation recently, and this list of players fits into that formation as well as the 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-3-2 formations.
With Michael Bradley injured, the spine of this roster is essentially Brad Guzan in goal, Jermaine Jones and John Brooks in the center of the defense, Geoff Cameron anchoring the midfield, Mix Diskerud and Benny Feilhaber in the creator roles, and Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore leading the attack.
For World Soccer Source, Charlie Davies’ proven track record with the USMNT in big games plus his current MLS form and chemistry with Jozy Altidore move him back into the national team.
Michael Bradley, Joe Corona, and Joe Gyau aren’t included on the roster below due to injury.
Here is World Soccer Source’s Best USMNT 23 (November 2014):
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad GUZAN, Clint IRWIN, Tally HALL
DEFENDERS (8): Jermaine JONES, John BROOKS, Michael OROZCO, Shane O’NEILL, DeAndre YEDLIN, Fabian JOHNSON, Greg GARZA, Chris KLUTE
MIDFIELDERS (6): Geoff CAMERON, Benny FEILHABER, Mix DISKERUD, Dillon POWERS, Benji JOYA, Maurice EDU
FORWARDS (6): Clint DEMPSEY, Jozy ALTIDORE, Juan AGUDELO, Charlie DAVIES, Gyasi ZARDES, Kelyn ROWE
INJURED: Michael BRADLEY, Joe CORONA, Joe GYAU
Here is a USMNT XI option from the players listed above:
USA XI (4-3-3): GUZAN; YEDLIN, JONES, BROOKS, JOHNSON; DISKERUD, CAMERON, FEILHABER; DAVIES, ALTIDORE, DEMPSEY.
USA B-Team (4-3-3): IRWIN; KLUTE, OROZCO, O’NEILL, GARZA; POWERS, EDU, JOYA; ROWE, ZARDES, AGUDELO.
Roster Notes:
– The defense includes four center backs with only Shane O’Neill being somewhat inexperienced on the international level. O’Neill has plenty of experience with the youth national teams.
– The defense also includes four outside backs with only Chris Klute being inexperienced on the international level. Klute is too promising to not be given several international caps to gauge how he does and give him time to get acclimated to the international game.
– The midfield contains two defensive midfielders (Cameron and Edu) and four creative two-way midfielders (Feilhaber, Diskerud, Powers, Joya) that could be classified as central midfielders or attacking midfielders.
– Readers will notice that several of the players on the roster play as center backs and as defensive midfielders. Cameron, Edu, and O’Neill fit into this category.
– Players like Joya, Rowe, and Powers need to be incorporated before Dempsey retires in four to five years. They are also needed in case Dempsey is ever unavailable. All three know how to create and score goals, and hypothetically, strikers like Altidore and Agudelo should be carrying the scoring load whenever Dempsey isn’t playing.
– In the attack, Dempsey and Rowe are second strikers or wingers, and Altidore, Agudelo, and Zardes are Number 9s or first strikers.
– It’s time to bring Charlie Davies back into the national team fold. Naturally a second striker, the attacker brings experience, proven skill, and loads of speed to the attack., Davies has a proven chemistry with Altidore, and Davies can play as a wide attacker or as a False 9.