Colin Reese

Italy Wrong to Omit Mario Balotelli Again

by

Italy Wrong to Omit Mario Balotelli Again

Mario Balotelli’s reputation for misbehavior and some lack of maturity is really more of a media construct than a reality. Italy’s coach Giampiero Ventura left Balotelli off its most recent World Cup qualifying roster, but Balotelli has performed excellently for Italy in the past when it really mattered.

Italy is of course always open to recalling Balotelli, but it seems that Balotelli’s excellent form for Nice in Ligue 1 is being minimized due to minor comical incidents in the past that don’t matter.

It makes sense to contend that only two months of consistent, excellent form isn’t that much, but Italy doesn’t really have any other center forwards of Balotelli’s quality and experience. It’s also important to remember that Balotelli is a big-game player who really delivers under pressure. While Zaza can lead the line and Ciro Immobile is a talented striker, the thing about Balotelli is that he’s a world-class talent who really can score on anyone at any time.

The striker’s current form and goal-scoring rate more than merit a national team call-up for at least a back-up striker position. With Balotelli, one gets the sense that harmless, funny anecdotes about Balotelli are blown way of proportion. It’s a shame that Balotelli constantly has his past held against him. Currently, Balotelli is scoring a game per game for an excellent team in Nice, and an Italy selection based on current form and performances is warranted.

Additionally, there’s a strong argument that any possibility of Balotelli picking up a silly card is far outweighed by his ability to win games and score for Italy. Like other Italy coaches, Ventura was quick to say that no one has ever doubted Balotelli’s technical ability and overall quality as a player, but Balotelli’s two-month run of excellent form is still deemed to be not long enough. Maybe not starting Balotelli for Italy is a justifiable position, but not even having him as a center forward option off the bench comes off as being too confident in Italy’s ability to easily qualify from their group.

Good reports about Balotelli’s behavior from Nice should shift the focus back to Balotelli’s actual abilities. As a player, the Italian striker is excellent stretching the defense, holding up play, finishing with both feet, beating players 1v1, and taking and scoring off set pieces. Balotelli is an amazing athlete with world-class technical skill who doesn’t need to be told to aggressively attack the goal. More than a goal-scorer, Balotelli is a complete player who can quickly combine with his teammates with short 1-2 touch passes, and he can pass over distance and unlock defense. Matteo Bonetti of beIN Sports has often pointed out how Balotelli’s passing ability and style of play perhaps makes him more of a second striker than a Number 9, and this is another example of Balotelli’s range of skills.

A return to international soccer for the Italian would be good for Italy and good for the sport, as Balotelli is the type of player who brings quality and magic to the game. No matter how soon Balotelli returns to the Italy squad, he needs to continue his great form with Nice so criticisms of his behavior and mentality are a thing of the past.

 

Grading the Most Recent USMNT Roster against Mexico and Costa Rica

by

Grading the Most Recent USMNT Roster against Mexico and Costa Rica

Jürgen Klinsmann’s most recent United States Men’s National Team roster to face Mexico and Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying was light on technical skill and fullbacks. While the forward selections minus Alan Gordon were correct, the midfield and defense have makeshift feels. The midfield has only Sacha Kljestan in the creation, while Lee Nguyen, Darlington Nagbe, and Sebastian Lletget were all omitted. Juan Agudelo did enough to earn a roster spot only to see a big bruiser in Gordon take his roster spot.

Defense: C

The defense has too many center backs, and there isn’t a clear-cut back-up for the right back and left back positions. DeAndre Yedlin and Fabian Johnson are clearly the starting outside backs, but the substitutes aren’t clear like-for-like replacements. Timothy Chandler plays right back or left back, so he’s one left back substitute, which makes Michael Orozco the right back substitute. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of two clear right backs and two clear left backs. Cameron Carter-Vickers is an impressive young center back, but why were both Omar Gonzalez and Steve Birnbaum put on the roster then?

Midfield: C

The midfield selections lack a Sacha Kljestan replacement at the playmaker or central attacking midfielder position, and that spot should be filled by Lee Nguyen. Lynden Gooch and Julian Green are arguably lower down the depth chart than Sebastian Lletget and Paul Arriola or Kelyn Rowe on the wings, and there has to be room for Darlington Nagbe and Kellyn Acosta to be substitutes in central midfield. Caleb Stanko is a talented defensive midfielder, but Perry Kitchen was being groomed to replace Kyle Beckerman. Alejandro Bedoya and Graham Zusi are the other wings on this roster, and those two don’t bring enough individual skill to the wings. Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Christian Pulisic, and Sacha Kljestan clearly earned their spots, but the rest of the midfield is questionable.

Forwards: A-

Except for Alan Gordon, the forward selections are strong. Juan Agudelo would have been a much stronger option than Gordon, so Klinsmann gets an A- for forward selections. Despite not seeing much club playing time, Rubio Rubin has impressed with the national team in the past, and it’s time to just start consistently putting him on the roster due to his talent level and aggressive play. It’s hard to say that Aron Johannsson isn’t a quality center forward though, so how can you question his selection?

Questionable Call-ups

Alan Gordon, Graham Zusi, Caleb Stanko, Lynden Gooch, Michael Orozco, Julian Green, Cameron Carter-Vickers

Notable Omissions

Sebastian Lletget, Juan Agudelo, Darlington Nagbe, Lee Nguyen, Kellyn Acosta

 

Time for Neymar to step out of the Messi Shadow

by

Time for Neymar to step out of the Messi Shadow

After losing a match to Manchester City in the Champions League, Barcelona has been underperforming, and somebody on the team needs to make up for this. Neymar is one player who can look to be even more impactful in order to inspire his teammates because, while Barcelona is famous for its attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Luís Suárez, and Neymar, people think of Messi when they think of Barcelona.

One of the things that makes Neymar a world-class player is his ability to play in and for a team. While Neymar is arguably the most technically-skilled player in the world, even more so than the untouchable Lionel Messi, Neymar knows how to play within a team framework and improve his teammates. The same cannot really be said of Cristiano Ronaldo.

To be fair to Neymar, he doesn’t really defer too much to Messi, but he should view himself as good or better than Messi. Messi himself would play as good or better with a more assertive Neymar, so Neymar’s looking to dominate games more wouldn’t impede Messi from continuing to play more or less the same.

Messi loves to cut in from the right wing, and Neymar has been really impressive when he’s played more centrally, even if playing out left is where he has normally played. Messi’s game is all about his left foot, and Neymar is a truly two-footed player, who uses his weaker left foot to dribble, pass, and shoot.

Andrés Iniesta is injured, and this presents an opportunity for Neymar to claim the role as Barcelona’s primary playmaker. Let Messi play out to the right and continue to cut inside onto his left foot; this doesn’t stop Neymar from playing centrally behind Luís Suárez and Messi.

In a soccer world dominated by Messi and Ronaldo, the fact that Neymar possesses a better skill-set than both goes under the radar. Neymar could be said to be a combination of a Number 10 player and a Number 11, and this makes his game extremely versatile where he can focus on playmaker or focus on playing off of a center forward. If an opponent looks to shut down Neymar’s scoring, then he can focus on setting up his teammates to score.

Maybe it would be better for Neymar to play for a different team, but even without leaving Barcelona, there is room for Neymar to boss games more than he does. Neymar can beat virtually any opponent – or crowds of opponents- off the dribble, and Neymar can destroy defenses with his passing as well. As a goal-scorer Neymar is prolific, and he scores with both feet and his head.

As Barcelona’s play features Messi, Suárez, and Neymar combining together, any improvement in Neymar’s play and work-rate just results in the other two playing better as well, but Neymar needs to make more of an effort to no longer just be Messi’s sidekick because Neymar is too good to accept this role.

Neymar is an electrifying player who is arguably the world’s most skilled player and the world’s best 1v1 dribbling because of his arsenal of tricks and fakes, and he should look to lead Barcelona just as he leads Brazil.

Who Should Make the USA Roster Against Mexico and Costa Rica in World Cup Qualifying?

by

Who Should Make the USA Roster Against Mexico and Costa Rica in World Cup Qualifying?

The United States Men’s National Team soon faces off against Mexico and Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying, and those two national teams are both strong opponents who play better soccer. The United States needs to commit to fielding more skilled players and a playmaker, which Jürgen Klinsmann has been doing with Sacha Kljestan. World Soccer Sources rates Sebastian Lletget and Lee Nguyen better at the playmaker position, but Nguyen and Lletget can play together as Lletget is an excellent wing player who can beat defenders off the dribble and set up goals.

While our picks deviate from Jürgen Klinsmann’s likely picks, World Soccer Source backs these players as technical and athletic players with strong soccer minds. This isn’t a prediction; it’s an opinion. Much of Klinsmann’s core group of players is here minus Geoff Cameron who is said to be unavailable due to injury. Klinsmann’s picks have been better, but World Soccer Source still has a problem with the lack of attacking midfielders and skill players.

Goalkeepers- Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), William Yarbrough (Club León)

Say what you want about the overall skill level and soccer ability of the U.S. Men’s National Team, but they have always had goalkeepers. Ethan Horvath is another option as the third-choice goalkeeper. Who knows yet whether Yarbrough or Horvath is better?

Center Backs- Steve Birnbaum (DC United), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City)

*Geoff Cameron is injured

These center back choices are set up to have Steve Birnbaum starting with John Brooks, and this is more or less the first-choice pairing with an injured Geoff Cameron. Omar Gonzalez is a proven center back, but his lateral quickness and overall athletic ability are below those of Birnbaum. Mexico and Costa Rica have quick and skillful attacking midfielders who should be able to throw Gonzalez off balance. Andrew Farrell is listed below under center backs instead of right back where he has been playing for the New England Revolution; Farrell is a center back by trade who also uses his speed and individual skill well as a right back. Omar Gonzalez was reportedly having knee pain, so perhaps having both Steve Birnbaum (who was injured) and Gonzalez on the roster is risky.

Right Backs- DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest)

DeAndre Yedlin and Eric Lichaj are the clear best right backs in the U.S. Men’s National Team pool, but Klinsmann has never really rated Lichaj for whatever reason. Almost no one agrees with Klinsmann in this regard.

Left Backs- Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Robbie Rogers (LA Galaxy)

Right now, Fabian Johnson and Robbie Rogers are looking like the best left back options for the U.S. Jorge Villafaña has earned a spot on the national team, and Kellyn Acosta – a center midfielder by trade- has performed well when asked to play left back or right back.

Defensive/Central Midfielders- Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Perry Kitchen (Hearts), Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)

World Soccer Source sees Michael Bradley as a defensive midfielder or Number 6 midfielder even if Sigi Schmid sees him as more of a box-to-box midfielder or Number 8. Perry Kitchen is the other defensive midfielder in the field who looks ready to back-up Bradley or start with him. Darlington Nagbe has performed well for the national team when given minutes, and his type of ball skills, speed, and non-stop running could really help the United States. Kellyn Acosta is another important player to include because he can play either as a defensive midfielder or box-to-box midfielder, and he has been one of the young standout American players for his overall ability and athleticism. Acosta would be a strong partner for Bradley as Acosta would stay back and defend when needed or advanced forward when needed; this allows Bradley to alternate between playing deep in front of the defense or bombing forward with possession.

Attacking Midfielders and Wings- Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Monchengladbach), Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution), Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew)

These attacking midfielder and wing positions have been a major weak point for Klinsmann, and a lack of talented options has not been a problem. Klinsmann has simply refused to use a playmaker until very recently, but there are capable players in the pool. Lee Nguyen, Benny Feilhaber, and Sacha Kljestan were all specifically mentioned by Sigi Schmid in an interview with Alexi Lalas for the Mutant Gene Podcast as suitable playmakers for the national team, and now the United States also has Sebastian Lletget who can also play on either wing, in central midfield, or as a second striker. World Soccer Source sees Lletget, Nguyen, and Christian Pulisic as perhaps the ideal line of three attacking midfielders in front of Bradley and Acosta as the holding midfielders. Kelyn Rowe and Ethan Finlay provide needed depth in the wings, and they can both play on either side. Rowe is also a Number 10 himself.

Center Forwards- Bobby Wood (Hamburg), Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution)

It was difficult to leave Jordan Morris off this list, but World Soccer Source went with Juan Agudelo who is likely the most talented and impressive striker in the American pool. With that being said, Bobby Wood is still a lock at striker for this writer and Klinsmann. Wood is a smooth and skillful center forward who attacks the goal very aggressively and stretches the defense. Compared to Jozy Altidore who simply doesn’t attack with the same ferocity of Wood, Wood really stands out. Wood constantly threatens the defense and makes run on and off the ball. Wood can finish with both feet and his head, and he combines well with forward partners. Altidore is still an impressive forward who has underrated creativity and technical ability, which he has shown time and time again during his career. Altidore has suffered the most by Klinsmann’s reluctance to use a playmaker in the past, but Wood has done a better job of making runs dictating a pass from his midfielders or striker partner. There’s nothing wrong with starting Wood and Altidore together, and this doubling up of center forwards in the lineup is the type of attacking shift the national team needs.

 

Our Preferred USA Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1): Howard; Yedlin, Farrell, Brooks, Johnson; Bradley, Acosta; Lletget, Nguyen, Pulisic; Wood.

2016 MLS Playoffs Match-Up: Sebastian Lletget vs. Dillon Powers

by

Important MLS Playoffs Match-Up: Sebastian Lletget vs. Dillon Powers

When the Los Angeles Galaxy play the Colorado Rapids tomorrow on Sunday, Dillon Powers and Sebastian Lletget are set to face off in the semifinals of the Western Conference of the 2016 MLS Playoffs, and this is an exciting duel for American soccer fans.

World Soccer Source has been high on Lletget and Powers for a few years now, and of the two, Lletget is the more exciting talent. Nevertheless, Powers is the type of complete midfielder that the United States didn’t have on the national team a decade ago.

It’s hard to see why these two don’t play for Jürgen Klinsmann on the national team yet, but the MLS Playoffs offer a chance for fans to see these two play in important games, and the two should motivate each other to raise their games.

Both Powers and Lletget have been played in basically every midfield position by their coaches, but one would have to say that Lletget is an attacking midfielder and Powers is a box-to-box midfielder. Lletget has more trickery and creativity than Powers, but Powers is a technical and creative player in his own right. Powers will shake people off the dribble, play skillful assists, and score. Using both feet to dribble, pass, and shoot is an often overlooked skill, but both of these midfielders use both feet well.

When the LA Galaxy face the Colorado Rapids, the Powers-Lletget matchup won’t be the main storyline or talking point, but this is what soccer fans and U.S. national team fans should focus on. This matchup will be a battle of two fairly young American midfielders who offer a glimpse of a more talented breed of American attacking midfielders. Although Powers was described as a box-to-box midfielder, he is also an attacking midfielder who hasn’t been mentioned when the media and fans discuss possible playmakers for the U.S. Men’s National Team.

If you want to look at the improvement and growth of American soccer, looking at these two midfielders is a great place to start. For a few decades now, Americans and non-Americans have been wondering when American soccer would really improve, and the fact that two complete midfielders like these are playing in MLS really showcases how the ability and soccer-mind of American players has noticeably improved.

It will be interesting to see if Lletget will look to turn on the creativity and individual trickery against Powers, and it will be interesting to see if Powers can wear Lletget out in the midfield. Based on this season’s play, we should see Powers displaying more skill than he gets credit for, and we should see Lletget show that he can run hard for the entire game.

Sacha Kljestan once tweeted to Klinsmann, “Are you even watching?” Obviously, he is watching, but maybe there are more American skill players out there than he will acknowledge.

Sigi Schmid Discusses the United States’ Need for a Playmaker

by

Sigi Schmid Discusses the United States Men’s National Team’s Need for a Playmaker

In a long interview with Alexi Lalas for the Mutant Gene Podcast, Sigi Schmid discussed a wide variety of soccer topics including his belief that Jürgen Klinsmann should be starting a playmaker on the United States Men’s National Team.

This discussion included a detailed discussion of positions, formations, and playing styles. Schmid also articulated his belief that Michael Bradley isn’t a playmaker or a defensive midfielder, and that Klinsmann often had Jermaine Jones and Bradley playing the same position without a playmaker included. He also expressed his belief that Klinsmann has used wings, but he has neglected to use a central midfielder who can playmake.

Below is one of Schmid’s comments about the need for a playmaker, and how Schmid identified Benny Feilhaber, Sacha Kljestan, and Lee Nguyen as playmakers over 10 years ago in 2005. You can listen to the episode of the Mutant Gene Podcast here.

“But those three playmakers (Feilhaber, Kljestan, Nguyen) that I just mentioned you know if you add those three players together, caps under Jürgen (Klinsmann) are under 20… You can play a DeAndre Yedlin on one wing and a Julian Green on the other wing and those guys are gonna have speed and they’re gonna try and attack people, but you’re not gonna get any playmaking out of that position. Pulisic now is a little different. He can playmake a little bit.”

This writer has criticized Klinsmann’s reluctance to use a playmaker going back to 2011, and Bob Bradley has also been guilty of not starting a playmaker either, although Bradley was starting Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan at the same time, which gave the team much more playmaking that it has seen under Klinsmann.

Recently, Klinsmann has in fact been starting Kljestan as a playmaker, but Schmid’s comments might carry more weight with Klinsmann who values a fellow German’s opinion on his tactics.

World Soccer Source has written about Sebastian Lletget on numerous occasions, and Schmid named Lletget as a player with playmaking abilities who he liked as a wing player. Based on Schmid’s comments, you could almost infer that he wanted to see Lletget on the national team as a winger, but he still wanted to see either Feilhaber, Kljestan, or Nguyen as the central attacking midfielder or playmaker.

Whenever a respected coach has constructive criticism for the United States Men’s National Team, the American fan base benefits. The United States is still seeking to be a technical and better national team, and any commentary that helps the national team go from a hustle team to a skill team is needed.

 

Andrew Farrell Is Ready to Be DeAndre Yedlin’s Backup for the United States

by

Andrew Farrell’s Ready to Be DeAndre Yedlin’s Backup for the United States

The United States Men’s National Team’s defense is better than it has been in years, but the outside back positions still aren’t two players deep. Andrew Farrell of the New England Revolution can help with the depth at the right back position, plus Farrell’s best position is actually center back. One of the criticisms of DeAndre Yedlin, the starting right back for the national team, is that his actual defending is still developing, but that’s never been said of Farrell.

Farrell is difficult to get past as a defender, and that’s not only due to his ball-winning and marking, but also due to his speed. Something that both Yedlin and Farrell have in common is that both are fast even for professional soccer standards. Recently, Jürgen Klinsmann has been having Geoff Cameron play right back, which is not his best position. Calling up Farrell allows Klinsmann to start Cameron at center back or even at his very best position: defensive midfielder.

You could make a strong argument that Farrell is a better right back than Yedlin because he provides Yedlin’s speed and technical ability with better defending and more of an intimidation factor.

Even though Farrell is a top defender in MLS, it would be an exaggeration to say that he’s a world-beater at the international level. He’s only been a pro for several seasons, but he does solidify and improve the right side of the United States’ defense.

Is Farrell or Yedlin better? That’s in the eye of the beholder, but Klinsmann would be wise to at least let Farrell be Yedlin’s back up. It also wouldn’t hurt to also give the national team another center back who brings an impressive combination of defending, technical ability, and athleticism.

Who Should the United States Start against Cuba?

by

Who Should the United States Start against Cuba?

Jürgen Klinsmann and the United States Men’s National Team should use their best lineup in the friendly against Cuba, rather than doing too much experimentation.

Klinsmann has found a strong defensive unit, and he should stick with that Back Four. That also means starting Michael Bradley and Sacha Kljestan again in the center of the midfield with Christian Pulisic out wide. Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wood have formed an effective striker partnership, and doubling up on strikers is an excellent idea for a national team like the United States that has struggled to score enough against top competition.

Using Altidore and Wood not only allows Altidore to have a strike partner, which allows him to be more involved, but it also makes it harder for the defense to mark Wood.

Maybe the only change to the lineup would be starting Paul Arriola on the right wing. If Pulisic is going to be on the left wing, then Arriola is the obvious choice to man the right wing, and Arriola has already performed well for the United States. Like Pulisic, Arriola brings speed and skill to the wing, and Arriola can also create like a Number 10. The Tijuana midfielder and forward also knows how to score.

Possible Starting Lineup (4-4-2  Formation)

Goalkeeper- Ethan Horvath

Right Back- DeAndre Yedlin

Center Back- Geoff Cameron

Center Back- John Brooks

Left Back- Fabian Johnson

Right Wing- Paul Arriola

Center Defensive Midfielder- Michael Bradley

Center Attacking Midfielder- Sacha Kljestan

Left Wing- Christian Pulisic

First Striker- Jozy Altidore

Second Striker- Bobby Wood

 

 

Klinsmann Has Improved as United States Coach

by

Jürgen Klinsmann Has Improved as the United States Men’s National Team Coach

Jürgen Klinsmann is improving as a coach in his tactics and player selection. His rosters still have a tendency to feature two or three of his favorite players who don’t deserve a call-up, but all coaches have their favorites. With a few exceptions, the rosters contain the right amount of players for every position. No longer is there a sense that the rosters and lineups don’t have the players needed to perform well.

Chris Wondolowski stood out as a poor selection to this recent roster because the roster already had four other talented center forwards, and his spot could have gone to Sebastian Lletget of the LA Galaxy who is needed to play with Christian Pulisic in the midfield or attack. Even with Sasha Kljestan on the roster to play the playmaker role, Lletget is too creative and effective to omit. His technical ability and impact on games stand out every game for the LA Galaxy regardless of the opponent.

The defense that Klinsmann is set to use in the upcoming friendlies is once again a strong defense, but the outside back selection was once again poor. You could argue that the United States doesn’t have many good outside backs, but that would be inaccurate. Eric Lichaj is a talented and experienced right back who defends well and can go forward. Andrew Farrell of the New England Revolution is as good or better than Lichaj, and Farrell plays center back or right back equally well. At left back, Robbie Rogers and Chris Tierney are strong options, and their play in MLS over several years has been impressive enough to make the argument that they aren’t ready for international play weak. Both players are also fast enough to perform well against competition like Mexico that is often better than MLS.

Klinsmann called Paul Arriola up again, and despite limited playing time with Tijuana, Arriola is an excellent attacking player who can play wide or centrally just like Pulisic. For this writer, Lletget is impressive enough that making an argument for him again is justified. With Pulisic, Arriola, and Lletget playing, the United States would be evolving into a more technical and fluid team that was playing skill soccer and not hustle soccer.

The United States under Klinsmann is now fielding lineups where the pieces fit together, and the only major criticism is of certain player selected. There is still a sense that Klinsmann thinks the national team is all about him, and he continues to think that nobody else in the United States really knows much about soccer except for him. The players produced by the United States are so much better now that it will be hard to continue insisting that he doesn’t have the players he needs.

While Klinsmann has drastically improved his tactics and roster selection, there are still too many quality MLS players who appear to be almost ignored by Klinsmann and the U.S. Soccer Federation.

 

The Best 23 Players for the USMNT Roster (September 2016)

by

The Best 23 Players for the USMNT Roster (September 2016)

Who Jürgen Klinsmann will select for the United States roster and who he should select are two different questions. The American player pool is experiencing a real depth at striker with some five strikers on form: Jozy Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Bobby Wood, Rubio Rubin, and Jordan Morris.

The defenses that have been used recently have been solid and cohesive, but Klinsmann has shown a tendency once again to shuffle around the players in his defense too much.

The midfield is the real area that needs improving, and better two-way central midfielders as well as better creative midfielders are included in the midfield section below.

Here is World Soccer Source’s list for the best 23-man United States roster right now:

Goalkeepers- Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Ethan Horvath

There’s no reason not to have both Tim Howard and Brad Guzan on the national team, and only which third goalkeeper to include is very debatable. The United States has many excellent goalkeepers, and Ethan Horvath is currently the favored third goalkeeper with the coaches, fans, and media.

Defenders- Geoff Cameron, John Brooks, Steve Birnbaum, Matt Besler, DeAndre Yedlin, Andrew Farrell, Fabian Johnson, Jorge Villafaña

The four center backs listed above are all proven defenders who enjoy widespread support with the fan base and media, and the same can be said of the four fullbacks selected. Andrew Farrell is back to playing right back this season, but he is as good or better at center back. Dominic Kinnear’s selection of Farrell for the MLS All-Star team is a strong indication of his abilities, and the national team needs any defender like him than it can get. Farrell is fast, technical, and difficult to get past. He also is an attacking threat whose speed up and down the sideline is a big weapon like DeAndre Yedlin’s is.

Midfielders- Michael Bradley, Kellyn Acosta, Fatai Alashe, Dillon Powers, Darlington Nagbe, Sebastian Lletget, Kelyn Rowe, Christian Pulisic

This group of midfielders is more or less four defensive midfielders and four attacking midfielders. Michael Bradley is a given for a starting spot for the United States, and including Kellyn Acosta, Fatai Alashe, and Dillon Powers improves the overall two-way ability of the U.S.’ midfielders. Darlington Nagbe excels in this category as well, but Klinsmann hasn’t given him many minutes for some reason. Nagbe can be used as a playmaker or central midfielder, and the same applies for Dillon Powers. Christian Pulisic has proven to be a combination of speed and skill with no problem performing well in the Bundesliga or on the international level, and he can play in a wide or central attacking role for the team. Sebastian Lletget and Kelyn Rowe are included for their skill and creativity because the United States is weak in these categories. Like Pulisic, they can play on either wing or behind the forwards, and both can also play as central midfielders. It’s surprising that neither one of these players has ever been selected for national team duty, but they should be.

Forwards- Bobby Wood, Juan Agudelo, Rubio Rubin, Landon Donovan

Wood, Rubin, and Agudelo are all more active on and off the ball than Altidore, and this makes them more dangerous than Altidore. Even with Altidore in great form, these three are more talented and technical players, which means the United States has better forwards than it used to have. One gets the impression that these three cause the opposing defense more problems. With Landon Donovan back playing for the LA Galaxy, even at 34 years old, he’s too talented and savvy to omit, but Klinsmann will omit him. Donovan was a very fast and quick player in his prime, and his overall quickness hasn’t diminished enough to consider him over the hill. The inclusion of Donovan means that there isn’t room for Paul Arriola of Tijuana FC, who has consistently performed well whenever Klinsmann has given him the chance to play. The likely inclusion is Arriola or a scenario where Altidore is one of four center forwards on the roster as Wood and Rubin can play first or second striker.

*Clint Dempsey not medically cleared yet, but he is a must inclusion when cleared.