Colin Reese

How the USMNT Needs to Improve Against Italy on Tuesday

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The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) played lifeless and overly defensive against England last Thursday and got housed 3-0. It was a goleada, which by definition usually requires a three-goal deficit.

When the USMNT plays Italy, the top priority has to be attacking more, and the next priority has to be passing and moving and keeping possession.

Some of David Sarachan’s lineup selections were questionable: most notably Will Trapp starting over Tyler Adams, Julian Green starting over Sebastian Lletget, and DeAndre Yedlin starting over Reggie Cannon. So, Sarachan got 8 of his 11 selections right, but three wrong selections is one or two too many.

Against Italy, the U.S. would be wise to start Lletget, Adams, and Cannon, but the players need to play with more urgency and more effort. All three of those players are direct and aggressive, and their inclusion should change the dynamic of the U.S.

If the U.S. trots out a midfield of Kellyn Acosta, Adams, and Lletget, then the team has a chance of having more possession and being more dangerous, but Italy is a soccer giant with great players.

The poor effort the U.S. displayed against England makes any real analysis of the game difficult. With the U.S. dogging it and sitting back, there isn’t much more to analyze about the performance.

Regardless of what many observers claim, the talent pool of American players is deeper and the technical ability and athleticism of the players in general is higher than in the past. So, the U.S. attack of Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, and Bobby Wood is fully capable of being dangerous and effective against even the best opponents. In fact, all three players play in Europe in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

The England game appears to be an aberration from previous recent USMNT games where the team and the players played and looked much better against good teams, even if they didn’t win.

Here is World Soccer Source’s preferred lineup against Italy: Guzan; Cannon, Miazga, Long, Villafaña; Adams, Acosta, Lletget; Pulisic, Wood, Weah.

Who Should Start for the USMNT Against England and Italy?

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The United States Men’s National Teams (USMNT) takes on England and Italy in the wake of taking on two strong South American sides in Colombia and Peru. Here is the lineup that this site believes should start.

USMNT Goalkeeper

With Zack Steffen having to withdrawal from this U.S. camp with an injury, Brad Guzan is the first-choice goalkeeper, but it’s possible Jonathan Klinsmann gets to start. It’s in the best interest of the U.S. to give Guzan plenty of minutes as he is an experienced and talented goalkeeper that isn’t very old. The U.S. will need him down the road, and they should keep him sharp.

USMNT Defense

There are some lineup dilemmas in the defense, but Reggie Cannon has really proven that he’s the best right back in the player pool. He’s even better than DeAndre Yedlin, Eric Lichaj, and Shaq Moore. Cannon looked very smooth and very good and very comfortable in his first cap with the U.S. Some players are just good, and Cannon definitely showed that’s he’s an impressive player who quickly locked down his starting spot. As fast as Yedlin is, he simply doesn’t have Cannon’s ability. Cannon’s fast too. Really fast.

Matt Miazga has looked like the best American center back for several months now, and John Brooks is likely his best center back partner. There’s still a battle going on in between Cameron Carter-Vickers, Brooks, Nate Parker, Aaron Long, and Erik Palmer-Brown, and we honestly don’t know who’s better.

At left back, Jorge Villafaña has always played well for the U.S. He’s great going forward and he defends well. He also uses both feet well, so when he cuts inside, he can actually pass, dribble, and shoot well with his weaker right foot. Nevertheless, Antonee Robinson has shown similar qualities. He did get burned by some elite Colombian attackers, but does that really make him not good and not deserving of the starting spot?

USMNT Midfield

Without Michael Bradley on this roster, the real battle is a three-way one between Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Kellyn Acosta for two of the three midfield spots. The third midfield spot needs to be given to Sebastian Lletget due to his overall quality and playmaking ability. In addition to covering plenty of ground defensively and facilitating possession, Lletget is a special attacking talent who creates goals and scores goals. After Christian Pulisic, Lletget is the best U.S. player. The team needs that transition between the midfield and attack, and both McKennie and Adams lack that next level of creativity and attacking skill that Lletget provides. Lletget should be playing his soccer in Europe in Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, or the Bundesliga. His skill-level is at that level. With Lletget playing, Pulisic, Timothy Weah, and Bobby Wood or Josh Sargent should be getting more goals.

USMNT Forwards/Attack

There’s no question that Christian Pulisic will be starting, but who else will start? Timothy Weah has looked too dangerous and too fast and quick not to start. His style of playing combined with his speed and skill create a lot of scoring chances for the U.S. Either Bobby Wood or Josh Sargent at the center forward is a good option. People still seem to downplay Wood’s abilities, but he’s an exciting and effective Number 9. He finishes well, plus he has great off the ball movement and excellent speed. Wood is also a Bundesliga striker. Compared to say Jozy Altidore, Wood is better at getting behind defenders and going straight to goal. Sargent is also good at these things, and we still don’t know who’s better. Maybe playing both of them would make the U.S. much more dangerous against top national teams, but playing both would take away a midfielder from the lineup.

Final USMNT Lineup:

GK: Brad Guzan

RB: Reggie Cannon

CB: Matt Miazga

CB: John Brooks

LB: Jorge Villafaña

CM: Weston McKennie

CM: Tyler Adams

RW: Timothy Weah

AM: Sebastian Lletget

LW: Christian Pulisic

CF: Bobby Wood

 

Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Kellyn Acosta Will Battle for USMNT Midfield Spots

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Over the past year, three new or newish center midfielders have emerged for the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT), and Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Kellyn Acosta are their names.

The Emergence of Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Kellyn Acosta Doesn’t Make Michael Bradley Disposable

The United States of course also has Michael Bradley, and many USMNT fans have baselessly decided that Bradley is the problem with the national team. This of course makes no sense as Bradley recently demonstrated his quality for the U.S. with his solo goal against Mexico from some 40 meters out where he dispossessed an opponent and dribbled through a crowd to chip Memo Ochoa.

McKennie, Adams, and Acosta Are All Skilled, Fast, and Intelligence Players Who Use Both Feet, but none of them are really true defensive midfielders

Off the three younger center midfielders, McKennie plays in the better league, but both Adams and Acosta have excellent technical quality. Acosta is perhaps the least popular and hyped right now, but he has demonstrated special skill with his free kicks.

McKennie plays in the Bundesliga for Schalke and Adams will be playing for Leipzig in the Bundesliga, but Acosta is a European-level talent. The Schalke midfielder has shown his ability to score, and while he is fast and quick, Adams and Acosta are devasting with their speed and nonstop running combined with their skill.

Both Acosta and Adams play quick one-to-two touch soccer, and they both excel at threading balls through the defense. They hit first-time passes that catch the defense off guard and release attackers into dangerous areas in the final third.

Most people seem to consider McKennie the best of the three because he starts for Schalke, but all three are quite excellent and perhaps better than anyone else the U.S. has had in the center of the midfield in the past. Even Bradley lacks their special impact because all three are bolder and more aggressive going forward, even though Bradley did net that recent golazo from distance against Mexico.

Starting McKennie, Adams, and Acosta Limits the Amount of Attacking Players Who Can Start: Most Notably Sebastian Lletget

Starting all three midfielders might be the right choice for the U.S. going forward, but this somewhat limits the amount of attacking players the U.S. can field. These three midfielders are all box-to-box midfielders, but all three can play as a true defensive midfielder. The best option is to have these players cover for each other when one goes forward instead of designating one as a true defensive midfielder. As good as they are going forward, they aren’t as good as Christian Pulisic and Sebastian Lletget in the attack.

Playing all three means there are three attacking places open for the U.S., and those spots should probably go to Pulsic and Lletget with Bobby Wood playing as the center forward. Rubio Rubin and Timothy Weah are strong attacking options, and Weah is likely too good to not start. Perhaps the U.S. needs to try Weah out as a center forward and see how it goes. Right now Wood is likely the better finisher, but Weah is just a teenager and he’s looked too skilled, too fast, and too dangerous not to start. The question is is he really a center forward?

Arturo Vidal Is an Outstanding Signing for Barcelona

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Arturo Vidal was an excellent signing for Barcelona, despite criticism to the contrary, and the Chilean is a world-class midfielder who fits Barcelona’s style of play. Vidal is a technical center midfielder who defends and attacks well, and this why Barcelona signed him when they had the chance.

Arturo Vidal is easily one of the very best two-way center midfielders in the world

Many pundits and journalists questioned the signing of the Chilean Number 8 claiming that he didn’t fit the profile of a Barcelona player, but the profile of a Barcelona player is one with outstanding technical ability who plays one-to-two touch soccer. This is exactly how Vidal plays. Any descriptions of Vidal as primarily a toughness player or an athletic player are inaccurate.

Anyone who has seen Vidal play for Chile with Alexis Sanchez and the rest of the squad for the last five years would never doubt Vidal’s ability to play Barcelona’s style of play. The reality is that Barcelona have a history of signing the top South American players, and Vidal is arguably the best box-to-box midfielder in the world, and he even scores a lot of goals for a midfielder.

There’s a myth that only players exactly like Xavi Hernandez or Andrés Iniesta or Sergio Busquerts are Barcelona players, but this isn’t the case. For example, Lionel Messi doesn’t play like those players. Despite being a world-class passer, Messi’s game is primarly based on dribbling past defenders and going straight to goal. Messi doesn’t pass you to death. He attacks the goal relentlessly.

Vidal is exactly the player Barcelona needs to win the Champions League again. He helps Barcelona both in its defending in the midfield and in its passing and attacking play. As good as Ivan Rakitic is, he’s nothing close to Vidal who possesses a level of skill on the ball and athleticism that Rakitic lacks. Vidal’s shooting, scoring, and dead balls bear witness to the Vidal difference. Ever as a penalty taker, the Chilean is known for crushing unstoppable penalties into the upper corner.

There has been a lot of criticism of off the field issues for Vidal, but there’s really no evidence that these have affected his play or that his playing level has dropped from his Juventus days. As a Bayern Munich player, Vidal wasn’t used enough due to Bayern’s tendency to rotate players and even change those same player’s positions.

For all the criticism of Vidal’s character, it’s important to remember that people criticized Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho too. Ronaldinho was essentially run out of Barcelona and tossed overboard for supposedly being fat, but even today several years into retirement Ronaldinho looks trim and his weight appears essentially the same as when he played.

As well as Paulinho played last season, Vidal should play even better as he is a level above Paulinho in his technical skill and defending. Vidal should prove to be not only a Barcelona style player but also a standout and reference point for the Catalan giants.

France Is Now the 2018 World Cup Favorite

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With only four teams left in the 2018 World Cup, France is now the clear favorite to win the tournament. From the goalkeeper to the center forward, France has the most talented squad in the tournament, and several scuffles against Uruguay in the quarterfinals likely strengthened team unity and resolve.

Kylian Mbappe is easily France’s best play. The 19-year-old forward can beat anyone off the dribble with speed or skill, and he can score with either foot. Against Argentina in the first round of the knockout rounds, Mbappe not only scored two goals, but he also made unstoppable runs behind the defense for his teammates to simply chip the ball to him on the run. On two occasions, his teammates hit him 50 yard passes in the air that he softly brought down only to get hacked by Argentina. This ability to blow past defenders and instantly control passes out of the air made him impossible to defend without fouling. The French forward is also excellent 1v1 in tight spaces from a standstill, and this combined with his passing makes him the best player left in the tournament and arguably the best player for the entire tournament.

France also boasts a world-class midfield anchored by N’Golo Kante as the defensive midfielder who is widely regarded as the best in the world at that position, and the midfield also includes Paul Pogba and either Corentin Tolisso or Blaise Matuidi. Pogba is something of a hybrid midfielder as he is center midfielder with a playmaker and Number 10 skillset. Pogba is next to impossible to push off the ball, and his individual skill level with the ball is world-class. Matuidi has been a very consistent performer for France who always provides non-stop running and defending for France, but his technical skill is a level below Tolisso’s. Tolisso is smoother technically and uses both feet whereas Matuidi is primarily left-footed. Nevertheless, Matuidi always performs, and he does occasionally score. Deschamps might have a difficult decision picking between the two.

France’s defense is also world-class. The two French center backs, Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti, both start for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, and how many national teams can say that their two center backs start for those two clubs? The fullbacks or outside backs for France have been excellent despite being considered the back-ups by most people. Djibril Sidibe and Benjamin Mendy were supposed to be the starters, but Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez have been excellent. One starts for Stuttgart and one starts for Atletico de Madrid, so neither were unknowns playing for small clubs.

France is the second best talent producer in the world after Brazil, so it’s no surprise that France has a stacked squad again who are performing well in the World Cup. France had deep runs in 1998, 2006, and 2014, so France often perform well in the tournament.

This World Cup is France’s to lose, and not winning the 2018 World Cup at this point would have to be viewed as a choke or at least a failure. The tournament is cleared of all the killer shark teams like Germany, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil, so France should win.

France’s Best Lineup for the 2018 World Cup

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Didier Deschamps has selected a deep and talented roster for the 2018 World Cup, albeit with several big snubs including Karim Benzema, Kurt Zouma, and Kingsley Coman. Nevertheless, France will have a great starting lineup at the World Cup with Kylian Mbappe being France’s best player.

Alphönse Areola has made a strong argument to be the starting goalkeeper for France with his excellent season with Paris Saint-Germain where he showed his ability to make big saves, but Deschamps will likely be starting Hugo Lloris in goal as he has been the goalkeeper for France for years without ever giving France a reason to drop him.

Djibril Sidibe is France’s best right back option, and the Monaco right back is an attacking threat down the right sideline. Benjamin Mendy is France’s best left back option, and the Manchester City outside back can actually play either right back or left back.

France’s center backs are one of the team’s strong points with Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti being the clear starters. Zouma was a snub from the roster, but Umtiti is one of the two starting center backs for Barcelona. Varane is a level above Umtiti in terms of skill, defending, and speed, but Umtiti is still  arguably a world-class defender. The midfield and attack is where the real lineup battles are.

N’Golo Kante will start for France as the team’s defensive midfielder anchoring the midfield, but the real question is who will start with Paul Pogba further up in the midfield? Corentin Tolisso is a starting center midfielder for Bayern Munich, and he’s likely a better player than Blaise Matuidi. But, if France starts Kante and Pogba then perhaps starting Thomas Lemar as more of an attacking midfielder is a more aggressive option for France. A midfield of Kante, Pogba, and Lemar balances defending with playmaking and attacking skill. Pogba is something of an anomaly as all great players are. He’s a center midfielder with the attacking skill and creativity of a forward. Pogba is an excellent 1v1 dribbler, playmaker, and scorer, but he doesn’t need to really be the attacking midfielder on paper to be effective and show all his skill.

The French attack is slightly handicapped by the omission of Benzema from the squad as Olivier Giroud is a slower less skilled and less direct forward, but Giroud is a good center forward with plenty of talent. Mbappé is the real attacking threat for France, and Deschamps will likely start him on the left wing with Antoine Griezmann on the right wing. A bold move would be to start Ousmane Dembele over Griezmann as Dembele has shown over the last few months with Barcelona that he is a special talent who can score, pass, and dribble with both feet. Dembele has had a trial by fire by playing with Lionel Messi and Coutinho, and his skill and speed have skill stood out despite playing with those two world-class players.

No one really knows exactly who France will start, but Mbappe will be the star regardless.

Kylian Mbappe Is the Fourth Best Player in the World

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The French phenomenon Kylian Mbappe improves every game for France and Paris Saint-Germain, and he is already the fourth best player in world football.

Recently, Mbappe has greatly improved his passing and left foot. Both skills were likely already high, but Mbappe has been showcasing both recently. The French forward has been making a habit of threading through balls through crowds of defenders recently, whereas in the past he mostly just showcased his 1v1 dribbling ability and electric speed. Earlier in the season, Mbappe was providing plenty of assists, but now he has been executing incisive through balls through the defense. This added feature of his game just makes him even better.

The French attacker has also increased the use of his left foot for shooting, passing, and dribbling, which makes him much harder to defend and contain. While claims that Mbappe could be better than Neymar are premature, there aren’t totally crazy as Mbappe is good enough to make such a comparison. Even compared to Isco, Paulo Dybala, Coutinho, and Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe is a cut above. His breathtaking speed and world-class technical ability make him above everyone in world football with the exception of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

While Mbappe has displayed his ability to finish in the box with both feet at the near post and at the far post, he hasn’t of yet been scoring goals from outside the box or off free kicks. This will probably be the next area where Mbappe raises his game, and the only reason he hasn’t been scoring these types of goals is probably because his speed allows him to get really close to goal.

Of all the players in the world, Mbappe is one of only three players who can simply just dribble past defenders and go straight to goal. It’s a wonder that he simply doesn’t just dribble past defenders from half field and go all the way to the goal more often. Mbappe isn’t just a speed merchant, and thinking of him that way would be a mistake.

 

Sebastian Lletget Is the Second Best U.S. Player in MLS After Clint Dempsey

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Sebastian Lletget is the third best American soccer player in the world after Christian Pulisic and Clint Dempsey, and the second best American player in MLS after Dempsey.

What makes Lletget special is that he combines playmaking ability with individual 1v1 skill. He also runs all game and has good speed. Unlike most American players, Lletget is a flair player whose flair is effective, and he always looks to score. Many American players don’t aggressively attack the goal, but Lletget does. He’ll hit accurate shots with either foot as soon as he has a yard of space to shoot.

The LA Galaxy midfielder knows how to have the team play through him to facilitate possession, and he plays incisive and creative passes to unlock defenses and set up goals. Anyone that watches Lletget play can see that his skill on the ball is much higher than your average American player. He stands out in MLS and for the U.S. Men’s National Team.

Lletget should be one of the center pieces of the U.S. Men’s National Team going forward along with Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Kellyn Acosta, and Tyler Adams. Adams, McKennie, and Acosta have all been on the rise over the last year, and even compared to the latter three excellent players, Lletget has more creativity and individual skill. What’s good for the U.S. is that all four players are a little different and bring different qualities, but Lletget is definitely the playmaker of the group along with Pulisic who he has shown that he can play with for the U.S.

A close look at Lletget’s playing style shows that he is a player who not only uses both feet interchangeably but who also excels at dribbling, shooting, and passing. It’s rare to find an American player whose ability with all three skills is good enough to be effective even against top international opponents. Additionally, Lletget appears to be something of a big game player, who isn’t intimidated or psyched out by big games and top opponents. He also covers a lot of ground recovering the ball and making tackles.

After falling out of favor with West Ham United, Lletget’s play in MLS looks impressive enough to get him into a top European league again. Since Lletget has the skill, mentality, and athleticism to play in a better league, he or his agent should be quietly trying to get him into a better league.

Although Lletget is a good goalscorer and assist provider, he could use a season with impressive goal and assist numbers to get him more recognition and interest from better clubs in a better league. The season before Lletget was injured he was playing a box-to-box midfielder role which greatly reduced his goal and assist numbers. The Galaxy should be deploying him as a playmaker this season behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and it would appear that is exactly what coach Sigi Schmid is doing.

Lletget deserves more recognition than he is currently receiving, and it’s hard to name an American player other than Pulisic and Dempsey with more individual skill. Like Pulisic and Dempsey, Lletget is a scoring threat against top opponents, and he should be a starter for the United States, as he was before getting injured.

 

Mario Balotelli Is Still the Best Italian Player

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Italian criticism of striker Mario Balotelli and Italy’s continued exclusion of him from their rosters is getting old. Balotelli is clearly the best Italian player. Even on their best days, neither Lorenzo Insigne or Ciro Immobile could reach Balotelli’s ability with a 10-foot pole.

This season with Ligue 1 side Nice, Balotelli has reminded everyone with his 14 goals so far why he continues to be a much sought after striker in European club football. Despite being the best Italian player and the player who performed the best in the 2014 World Cup, Balotelli was again left off Italy’s most recent roster even though the Azzurri didn’t even qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Even for a meaningless game, Italy still excluded Balotelli.

This season might be the best season of the Italian’s career, and his combination of skill, creativity, speed, and strength are still a nightmare for defenders. Although a striker by trade, Balotelli has always displayed world-class passing ability, which includes the ability to provide assists or unlock defenses.

Recently against Paris Saint-Germain, Balotelli was all that PSG’s defenders Thiago Silva and Presnel Kimpembe could handle. The Italian’s side Nice has a talented and cohesive squad that features excellent players from the defense to the attack. Balotelli not only has pass masters in the midfield behind him, but he has electric and creative attackers with him up front. From all appearances, the Italian thrives with him teammates and enjoys playing with them. 20 plus goals is within reach for Balotelli this season.

Balotelli has a tendency to loss focus in games too often and to engage with the referees too much, but you have to wonder what’s really motivating Balotelli’s critics. The striker has proven over his career that he can be dangerous and effective in any league, and he has proven that he performs well at the international level as well. Balotelli was one of the only Italian players to perform well at the 2014 World Cup, but after the tournament, he was blamed by the Italian press, fans, and coach for Italy’s exit from the tournament. Coach Cesare Prandelli went as far to call selecting Balotelli for his World Cup squad a mistake. If it was such a hard roster decision, then why did Prandelli start him rather than just using him as a substitute. Prandelli clearly rated him enough to start him.

No other Italian player has the same ability to score off any free kick within 40 meters. Any free kick for Balotelli is something close to a 50/50 chance of scoring, which displays his overall technical ability and scoring threat. Of all the Italian players, only Balotelli truly worries even the very best of the elite defenders.

Balotelli remains the best and most special Italian player. No other Italian player has his technical skill and creativity, and no other Italian player is better at eluding defenders, passing, and scoring.

Coutinho Has Already Impressed at Barcelona

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Philippe Coutinho has stood out and impressed in all of his games for Barcelona so far, and this last weekend he proved once again along with Ousmane Dembele to be a worthy partner for Lionel Messi.

Coutinho received rave reviews while playing for Liverpool in the English Premier League, but it’s fair to say that he was still wildly underrated on a global scale. One could argue that Brazil really began to see a resurgence under its coach Tite when Coutinho began starting for the Seleção. This last thing was the real indicator of just how good Coutinho was. Anyone who can stand out for Brazil when Neymar is also playing is really a special player.

The individual skill and dribbling of Philippe Coutinho stood out when he was just a teenager with Inter Milan, and now with Barcelona, it’s clear that Coutinho was exactly the caliber and type of attacking player that Barcelona needed. Barcelona needed another player like Andrés Iniesta, and don’t believe any of the rumors that Iniesta is really close to retiring at only 33 years old. El Ilusionista will be playing at a magical and world-class level for at least two more seasons.

With Barcelona, Coutinho has shown that he not only has the individual skill for a club like Barcelona, but he also has the passing ability to fit in instantly with Barcelona. Coutinho excels at quick one-to-two touch passing, long distance passing, and incisive passes to open up the defense and create goals. The Brazilian also knows how to score.

Even before the Brazilian was sold to Barcelona, Coutinho was one of the top five players in the world, but that fifth place spot was a tie between Coutinho, Isco, and Paulo Dybala. Now, Coutinho has to be considered by himself in that fifth place spot below Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappé. You could argue that Coutinho is better than Mbappé because of the combination of the Brazilian’s passing, dribbling, scoring, and free kick ability, but Mbappé’s combination of skill and speed are even more impressive than Coutinho’s. Known mostly for his speed, Mbappé has already shown that he can leave defenders for dead with inventive and magical trickery. The French winger and forward also scores with both feet and provides plenty of assists.

Ray Hudson provided the commentary for beIN Sports for the Barcelona-Athletic match, and Hudson noted how he had underrated Coutinho’s ability to turn away from defenders and navigate tight spaces. The Brazilian’s ability to elude defenders is probably his best quality, and if Neymar is still injured when the 2018 World Cup arrives, then Brazil will need Coutinho even more.