American Soccer

Breaking Down the United States’ September World Cup Qualifying Roster against Costa Rica and Honduras

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Bruce Arena selected 26 United States players (three extra players) for his 23-man roster for September’s World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Honduras. The only real surprise on the roster was Chris Wondolowski, who was selected despite the roster having three other center forwards and Clint Dempsey.

Formation 

The roster appears set up to use a 4-1-3-2 formation with Michael Bradley playing as the lone defensive midfielder and Christian Pulisic playing as the center attacking midfielder behind two forwards.

Goalkeeper

Tim Howard and Brad Guzan were the first and second choice goalkeepers respectively on this U.S. roster, and Howard will probably start both games.

The Defense

With starting right back DeAndre Yedlin and starting center back John Brooks injured, Arena has two hard lineup choices to make. At right back, Arena seems to favor starting Graham Zusi, but, since it’s a World Cup qualifier, Eric Lichaj is the more experienced right back who has played the position longer.

For John Brooks spot, look for Omar Gonzalez or either Tim Ream or Matt Besler to start. Geoff Cameron as the team’s best defender will be starting at one of the two center back spots, and Besler might be the likely starting left center back because Cameron has been playing right center back for the United States.

At left back, Jorge Villafaña is the first-choice starter, and he has provided the U.S. with constant attacking play down the left sideline and plenty of balls played into the box or into dangerous positions at the top of the penalty box. Villafaña has a good understanding with Nagbe at left wing, and Nagbe frequently cuts inside where he can be more dangerous and Villafaña overlaps him down the left sideline.

Look for Lichaj, Cameron, Besler, and Villafaña to start as the U.S. Back Four.

Midfield

The U.S. midfield is pretty set as of right now. Bradley will play as the defensive midfielder behind a line of Paul Arriola, Christian Pulisic, and Darlington Nagbe from right to left as the line of three attacking midfielders.

There’s a chance that Fabian Johnson could start at right wing over Arriola, but Arriola has built up some momentum and credit with Arena at right wing. Johnson’s recent U.S. performances haven’t stood out enough to make him a lock as a starter.

Arena was smart enough to also include Kellyn Acosta, Dax McCarty, and Cristian Roldan on the roster. There’s a possibility of Acosta starting with Bradley, but that would change the formation to a 4-2-3-1, which would force either Dempsey or Pulisic to play wide. Alejandro Bedoya is also on the roster with Kelyn Rowe injured.

Forwards

Up top, World Soccer Source predicts Clint Dempsey and Bobby Wood starting as the two forwards. Dempsey is simply too good and too in form to not start, and Wood is a more dangerous, more talented, and faster forward than Jozy Altidore. Wood provides more movement than Altidore, and he’s more direct and clinical than Altidore.

It’s possible Wood and Altidore could start up top with Dempsey on the bench, but that’s risky considering how much the U.S. needs to get six points from these two games to get closer to first place in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

 

Complete USA Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC; 14/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 36/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)

DEFENDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo; 34/6), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City; 11/1), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG; 22/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX; 15/0), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas; 0/0), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 0/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 5/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 3/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City; 18/3)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 4/0), Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 3/1), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 9/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 35/7), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 16/1), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 7/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 9/5), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 0/0)

FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 38/16), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 39/18), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 3/0), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 10/4)

Darlington Nagbe Must Become More Selfish

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Darlington Nagbe has been told that he must be more selfish numerous times by many coaches. His club coach Caleb Porter has told him, and his U.S. National Team coach Bruce Arena has also told him.

Yesterday, Nagbe scored a wonder goal against United States goalkeeper, Tim Howard. What made the goal a wonder goal was how Nagbe sent the ball up over Howard and back down quickly and from close range. Nagbe also scored the goal from basically a standstill, which required him to put so much curve and spin on the shot without a run up to the ball. In fact, the shot was so good and so unstoppable that Howard didn’t even move, rather he just watched it go over his head and drop into the net.

 


Nagbe’s goal resembled a ping pong shot hit with lots of top spin, and the degree of difficulty on the goal further showcases how Nagbe must get into the penalty box for the United States more and take more shots. The fact that Nagbe scored the goal on a goalkeeper of Howard’s quality and experience just further adds to the level of the goal.

So far for the United States, Nagbe has mostly used his individual skill to surge forward with the ball into the attack, but he’s hesitated to get into the penalty box to hit quality shots on goal. Christian Pulisic in comparison or of course Clint Dempsey don’t hesitate to really attack the goal with more boldness or aggressiveness than Nagbe.

The Portland Timbers midfielder isn’t exactly a playmaker, but he does have the skill set to play this role. In the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, Arena will hope to see Nagbe surge into the penalty box and attack the goal with the same flair and spontaneity with which he left Howard for dead yesterday.

Nagbe has repeatedly been called one of the most talented players in the pool by many of the best American players, and his game could use more selfishness and more use of his left foot, which he rarely uses. In the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, Nagbe should look to combine more with Pulisic and Dempsey, and Nagbe should attack the penalty box and take more shots.

 

Bobby Wood Should Start in the September World Cup qualifiers for the United States

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Bobby Wood is too electric and too clinical not to start alongside Clint Dempsey for the United States in the September World Cup qualifiers.

For many Jozy Altidore is the first-choice U.S. center forward, but he doesn’t provide the same scoring threat as Wood. The Hawaiian Number 9 plays more direct and more aggressive than Altidore who doesn’t look to get behind the defense as much as Wood.

When Wood plays he makes runs all over the attack looking to receive a through ball or chip over the defense, and he attacks the goal more. Altidore has really improved his passing and playmaking, and this causes him to often not be high enough up the field to receive a final ball. Wood on the other hand plays higher up the field and also attacks defenders directly off the dribble, and he has better 1v1 skills than Altidore.

A trademark of Wood’s play for the U.S. is his willingness and accuracy with half chances and shots off the turn. Even when he’s marked, he can create enough space to hit a quality shot on goal. A more electric and creative forward like Wood is harder for opposing defenses to contain, and his play draws the attention of defenders, which leaves Christian Pulisic and Dempsey more open.

Often center forwards are either the kind that like to play with their back to goal or the type that face the goal and try to slip behind the defense. Altidore actually likes to face the goal and receive balls to feet in space, but Wood does this same thing better. When you watch Altidore and Wood play, you have to concede that Wood is the one that looks smoother, faster, and more skilled, and those qualities are much more effective and harder to defend.

There’s nothing wrong with Wood and Altidore starting together, but if the option is one or the other with Dempsey, then the best choice is Wood who is faster, more clinical, and more direct than Altidore.

Statement Game from Christian Pulisic on Bundesliga Matchday 1

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Christian Pulisic looks like he has Landon Donovan’s speed with Clint Dempsey’s technical ability and creativity.

Pulisic starts for Borussia Dortmund in an attacking position, and that already puts him ahead of all other American players in the past in terms of the skill required to play at that level.

Pulisic is playing in the Bundesliga, which is a league with much more skill than the English Premier League. Playing in Germany, Spain, or Italy has always been more impressive than playing club soccer in England.

Pulisic’s game on Matchday 1 for Dortmund was something of a statement game. The American teenager was impressive for Dortmund last season, but on Matchday 1 he was one of the focal points of a squad with the German playmaker and forward, Mario Götze, who scored the winning goal of the 2014 World Cup, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a striker that everyone wants because he’s one of the best scorers and Number 9s in the world.

The USA Number 10 has a lot of flash to his game, and more so than Dempsey, Pulisic is able to use that flair and skill to fake out defenders and blow past them off the dribble.

I can still remember how Donovan told the press after Benny Feilhaber scored his 2007 Gold Cup winning volley against Mexico that he (Donovan) was thinking “No!” when he saw Feilhaber about to hit his volley, and this illustrates how Feilhaber and of course Pulisic and Dempsey were more willing to go for big plays without overthinking them. Donovan was thinking no, but Feilhaber was thinking “I can smash this volley in with the outside of my foot.”

In the same way, Pulisic is an aggressive and bold player who plays with flair, and flair is unpredictable and hard to defend. Bruce Arena was right to start Pulisic as the United States’ playmaker and Number 10 behind Clint Dempsey and another forward. It’s possible that the leading role Pulisic played for the U.S. recently emboldened him to be more aggressive for Dortmund.

The way that Pulisic scored his goal on Matchday 1 by firing his shot between a small gap between two defenders to the far post is a perfect example of how Pulisic is the real deal. That goal required the boldness to take the shot where there was only half a chance, and it required the skill to be able to execute the shot in the Bundesliga from the run of play.

The most notable thing about the American teenager, Pulisic, is definitely the combination of skill, creativity, speed, and a big-game mentality. Dempsey didn’t have the extra gear of speed that Pulisic has.

 

Projecting the United States Roster for September’s World Cup Qualifiers

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Projecting the United States Roster for September’s World Cup Qualifiers

World Soccer Source recently published a “Who Should the United States Call Up for the September World Cup Qualifiers?” article, and now there have been several injuries to defenders DeAndre Yedlin, John Brooks, and Omar Gonzalez, so coach Bruce Arena will have some hard roster choices to make. In front of the defense and in the goal there are no injuries to key players with the exception of Kelyn Rowe who’s made a strong argument for a substitute spot in the midfield.

Here are World Soccer Source’s predictions for Arena’s roster selections for the September World Cup qualifiers:

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Ethan Horvath

Tim Howard and Brad Guzan are instant selections, and you’d have to think Ethan Horvath is the third-choice pick if William Yarbrough isn’t selected. Yarbrough plays in Liga MX, and he’s done well for the U.S. in the past where he’s played with authority and confidence.

The U.S. has never had problems with goalkeepers. The problem has been having technical skill at every other position and special skill in the attacking positions, so the third goalkeeper spot isn’t that crucial.

Defenders: Graham Zusi, Eric Lichaj, Geoff Cameron, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Besler, Tim Ream, Jorge Villafaña, Justin Morrow

Lots of injuries to American defenders. Starting left center back John Brooks is injured, and maybe Big Bruce lives a little and calls up Walker Zimmerman and Steve Birnbaum who have both done well for the U.S. in the past in the center of the defense since even Omar Gonzalez is also injured.

Luckily Matt Besler is available, and the good thing about him is that he isn’t slow and he isn’t poor technically, although he could stand to just play some easy passes on the ground instead of playing soft chips to nobody when he doesn’t have any life-changing passing ideas.

Arena will have to start Graham Zusi at right back, and Zusi hasn’t been bad at a position that he has basically been forced to play by his club coach and Arena. He’s done a decent job at right back because he has decent speed and good technique with both feet. At left back, Jorge Villafaña has to be the starter with Justin Morrow as his substitute. I though Morrow looked pretty smooth and aggressive going forward at left back, which is what you’d expect from a left back. We’ll see if he keeps improving and looking good.

Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Dax McCarty, Kellyn Acosta, Cristian Roldan, Paul Arriola, Christian Pulisic, Darlington Nagbe, Alejandro Bedoya

The United States has been using four midfielders with Michael Bradley as the defensive midfielder and Paul Arriola, Christian Pulisic, and Darlington Nagbe from right to left.

From that trio, Pulisic is the playmaker or Number 10 without question, and Arriola is the likely right wing starter with Sebastian Lletget still injured.

Dax McCarty, Kellyn Acosta, and Cristian Roldan are all substitutes or partners for Bradley depending on the formation. Acosta and Roldan are box-to-box midfielders or central midfielders.

Injuries have forced Alejandro Bedoya to likely be on this roster, and Bedoya lacks the smoothness and passing ability of Lletget and Rowe, both injured.

Nagbe has excelled as a left wing where he adds to the team’s creativity and technical ability, but the Portland Timbers player needs to be more selfish and aggressive closer to goal. He’s really involved and active in the midfield, but closer to goal he hesitates to pull the trigger or burst into the penalty area.

Forwards: Clint Dempsey, Bobby Wood, Jozy Altidore, Jordan Morris

You have to think that Clint Dempsey and Bobby Wood are the starting forwards here. For as much as Jozy Altidore has looked smoother and more dynamic, Dempsey is too good not to start, plus he has a great partnership with Christian Pulisic.

Bobby Wood is a more dangerous Number 9 that Altidore for a variety of reasons. Wood is more technical, more clinical, and more direct forward than Altidore. Wood is also better at creating his own shot, finishing off balls in scoring positions, and stretching the defense. Since the U.S. has a playmaking like Pulisic, Wood is the player who makes the runs that Pulisic can feed.

You even have to say that Jordan Morris might be more dangerous that Altidore. The Seattle Sounders forward runs all over the attack non-stop and he’s never needed an invitation to attack the goal and score. Altidore is a good center forward, no doubt about it, but too many people feel like backing Wood over Altidore is somehow betraying Altidore. A team needs several quality center forwards.

 

Takeaways from the United States’ 2017 Gold Cup Victory

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Takeaways from the United States’ 2017 Gold Cup Victory

It felt like the United States eked out its 2017 Gold Cup victory, rather than truly outplaying its competition. There were plenty of positives to take away from the tournament and the championship, even if the rotation of players led to a lack of excellent team passing and creativity most of the time.

Jordan Morris, Kellyn Acosta, and Paul Arriola all either reaffirmed their talent or they showed more of what they were capable of. Acosta and Arriola oddly received some criticism for not showcasing enough talent and special qualities, but Acosta looked smooth, skillful, and involved, while Arriola looked fast and dangerous.

Without Christian Pulisic acting as a Number 10 behind the forwards, there definitely was a lack of playmaking and creativity in the attack that saw Jozy Altidore dropping back into the midfield to receive the ball and playmake. Luckily, Clint Dempsey was around to win the semifinal and break the deadlock in the final, but Bruce Arena deserves some criticism for cutting Kelyn Rowe after the group stage and not always starting someone to operate as the team’s playmaker. Arena has several quality playmakers to choose from in the field, and he arguably didn’t have any of them on the roster for the group stage or knockout rounds.

Against a weak CONCACAF field of B Teams, the United States should have been more dominate and impressive. Arena did what was necessary to win the tournament, but the U.S. barely won most of its games. The only rotating of players that made sense was not starting Dempsey in the semifinal when he had just played 90 minutes a few days before. Other than that, there was too much meddling with the starting lineup, which affected the team’s performances negatively. Not starting Dempsey in the final didn’t make much sense either since Dempsey only played some 20 minutes in the semifinal.

After so many years of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones not pairing well as the team’s holding midfielders, Acosta proved himself to be a box-to-box midfielder who partners well with Bradley. Acosta plays with graceful skill and easy athleticism, and he passes well. Arena now has the option of either using two holding midfielders or two forwards, and this allows him to field a more attack-minded or slightly less attack-minded lineup whenever he wants. Morris continues to be a direct and aggressive striker who scores goals and unsettles opponents with his speed, so the United States has another striker like Bobby Wood who can get behind the defense and score.

Without the first-choice center backs, right back, striker, and playmaker, the United States’ Gold Cup squad wasn’t it’s A Team, so this wasn’t a chance to see if the United States has built on its progression under Arena. Nevertheless, at least the United States won the tournament, which should have been much easier to win. The real lesson is that the United States should always be starting its very best lineup until they are more dominant.

 

Bruce Arena Taking United States 2017 Gold Cup Competition Too Lightly

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Bruce Arena has been a better national team coach than Jürgen Klinsmann in terms of his player selection and tactics, but Arena has taken the Gold Cup competition too lightly. In the 2017 Gold Cup, the United States has been drawing or barely winning, and in the semifinals, it took Clint Dempsey coming on in the 69th minute to break the deadlock with an artistic assist and a masterful free kick goal to finally beat Costa Rica.

Arena’s coaching decisions in this Gold Cup haven’t been poor, but they haven’t been excellent either. Arena has been taking opposing teams too lightly by shuffling lineups and auditioning players too much while also failing to start a playmaker behind the strikers to fill Christian Pulisic’s Number 10 role. Pulisic is already back with his club team Borussia Dortmund, and the United States’ passing, creativity, and attack has been subpar compared to previous recent U.S. National Team games.

The second-time U.S. coach was close to fielding a strong lineup against Costa Rica in the semifinal, but again there was no real attacking midfielder or playmaker until Dempsey came on late in the game. Pairing Kellyn Acosta and Michael Bradley as the holding midfielders behind the more attacking players was an improvement for the squad as Bradley could sit deeper in front of the defense and Acosta was free to go forward more. On the other hand, starting Graham Zusi once again at right back was suspect at best. Arena is apparently going to insist on having Zusi as a right back option, and Arena has really dug his heels in on this questionable decision.

Against Jamaica on Wednesday in the 2017 Gold Cup Final, Arena will likely start Dempsey rather than saving him for the end like last game which was done on purpose to account for Dempsey’s 90 minute performance just a few days prior to the semifinal against Costa Rica. Look for Dempsey to play alongside Jozy Altidore up top in the attack or to play as the center attacking midfielder behind Altidore and possibly Jordan Morris. We could see the United States drop Acosta in order to go with the more attack-minded 4-1-3-2 formation, but maybe not.

Arena has been taking the United States’ Gold Cup competition way too lightly in the 2017 Gold Cup, but against Jamaica in the final, Arena would be wise to not start the likes of Zusi or Gyasi Zardes. It will be interesting to see if Paul Arriola or Joe Corona starts in the final, but with many first-choice attacking players like Pulisic, Sebastian Lletget, and Kelyn Rowe not on this roster, one of Corona or Arriola should start.

 

The United States Must Build All Lineups around Christian Pulisic

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The United States Must Build All Lineups around Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic should be the first name on the United States’ team sheet, and he should be on the team sheet in the Number 10 role.

When Bruce Arena first deployed Pulisic as a Number 10 beneath Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore, what Arena did was set the United States up to showcase its best passing and best attacking play ever.

Recently, when the United States tied Mexico 1-1 in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Arena was somewhat forced to not use his first-choice players because they were operating on only a few days rest from a previous World Cup qualifier, but Pulisic nevertheless started. In the 3-4-3 formation used by Arena, Pulisic was operating out on the left wing in an attacking triangle, and this lessened his impact to attack Mexico and facilitate the American attack. Pulisic didn’t have as many touches on the ball out left, and he wasn’t in a position to feed Bobby Wood up top at striker as much as Pulisic could have in the middle.

Rotating players was excusable, but there was no need to use Pulisic out left or to use one less midfielder. Arena made the wise decision to start Kellyn Acosta in the center of the midfielder with Michael Bradley, and with Acosta helping out Bradley, there was no need to use three center backs instead of two. With the set-up used, there was a big gap between where Acosta and Bradley were and where Wood was up top.

This game against Mexico, while a good draw for the U.S., nevertheless showed how much the U.S.’s passing and attacking ability weakened with Pulisic out wide instead of behind the striker or strikers, and the team’s passing was certainly worse with Darlington Nagbe on the bench as one of the rotated out players.

Given Pulisic’s abilities and importance for the U.S., some minor criticism of Arena’s tactics against Mexico is warranted. The U.S. did earn an important point for the draw, but that point likely mostly came from an incredible and sensational golazo from Bradley.

Starting Pulisic as the center attacking midfielder should take precedence in an Arena lineup for the United States, and the real decision for Arena going forward will be whether or not he starts Acosta again with Bradley in more of a 4-2-3-1 or if starting two forwards is key for Arena. Whatever Arena goes with, Pulisic must be used centrally to orchestrate the American attack and to score and create goals.

 

 

Christian Pulisic Represents a New Level for American Soccer Players

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Christian Pulisic Represents a New Level for American Soccer Players

Christian Pulisic is the first American soccer player to be starting at an attacking position for a top European club team. That already makes him different than other top American soccer players in the past.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder from Pennsylvania Pulisic is not only technically-skilled enough to play for a club like Borussia Dortmund, but he also has electric speed, creativity, coolness under pressure, and great vision. Just for clarification, Borussia Dortmund is one of the top German club teams in the Bundesliga, which is a league that is much better than say the English Premier League in terms of overall skill and quality of play.

Pulisic has mostly featured as wing for Dortmund, but he has played centrally as a playmaker, which is where United States coach Bruce Arena started playing him several games ago. Using Pulisic as a Number 10 opened up the American attack making it more dangerous, and it also allowed Clint Dempsey to have a playmaker playing behind him that could actually feed him the ball in scoring positions and play on his level. The U.S. National Team has had the problem where Dempsey and Landon Donovan were much better than all of their teammates, but now Dempsey has an attacking player player playing with him who seems even better than Donovan. It could even be said that Pulisic is a better passer and assist man than Donovan, as Pulisic has displayed more creativity and trickery than Donovan who didn’t used to attempt the kind of bold and audacious passes that Pulisic has routinely been pulling off without any hesitation.

While the players on the national team are much better than in years past, Pulisic has been a revelation for the team not only for his playmaking and ability to set up Dempsey but also for his own scoring ability. Pulisic is clinical in front of goal and he doesn’t hesitate to pull the trigger with either foot. Based on the type of skill and movement that Bobby Wood and Pulisic have shown in the attack, it’s fair to say that the United States is a more skilled and creative team than it was in the past, and Pulisic is the orchestrator and driving force of the United States now. Dempsey is still likely the best player, but Pulisic is the key to creating more opportunities for Dempsey and the teams other forwards.

When you watch Pulisic play for the United States, what you see is a player who plays with the combination of skill and speed need to beat defenders, and the U.S. didn’t used to have that. Donovan was skilled and fast, but it wasn’t at the same level as Pulisic, plus Donovan was also not quite as aggressive and direct against top competition. Dempsey was and is very technically-skilled and quick, but he lacks the extra gear of speed and quickness that Pulisic uses to blow past defenders.

 

Bruce Arena’s Forward Options for the U.S. National Team

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Bruce Arena’s Forward Options for the United States Men’s National Team

Bruce Arena has five good forwards for arguably only four forward roster spots. Some of these forwards are clearly better than the others.

For starters, Clint Dempsey is the best forward in the pool, and the best American soccer player ever.

Next, Bobby Wood is the best center forward in the pool, even better than Jozy Altidore. Wood is more technical, faster, more aggressive, and more clinical, and all of these reasons make him better than Altidore.

After Altidore, comes Juan Agudelo, who is more creative and more skilled than Altidore. Like Wood, Agudelo is a more aggressive and direct player than Altidore, who himself has undergone something of a Renaissance. Altidore has vastly improved his playmaking and passing, plus he has been attacking defenders more directly and beating them off the dribble.

Finally, we have Jordan Morris, who plays like Bobby Wood, but Morris still heavily favors his right foot; Morris has also not shown the type of clinical finishing that Wood has shown, but Morris can definitely put the ball in the back of the net. Morris offers speed like Wood, but Morris has to be faster than Wood, who himself is devastatingly fast.

So, we see that Arena has a good problem, and the way the Dempsey plays makes him something of a playmaker, which allows Arena to put all five of these players on the roster. Maybe it’s too many forwards since all are center forwards, but Agudelo, Wood, and Altidore all also play like second strikers or withdrawn forwards.

Because the United States historically has had problems scoring enough goals against elite competition, there is something to be said of just making a habit of calling up four to five forwards who have no problems scoring. Using two forwards at once is common enough and often wise, and a substitute for two forwards would give the roster four forwards, plus Dempsey who of course is also an attacking midfielder.

The major story line for the United States’ next game will be whether or not Arena will be wise enough to start Dempsey and Wood together without getting distracted by all the attention and buzz around Altidore’s much improved play. There is also the storyline of Agudelo’s more consistent club play where he’s starting and scoring as a Number 9 for the New England Revolution, and leaving him off the roster would be a big mistake. If one forward has to be left off, then it might have to be Morris, but not calling up a forward with world-class speed combined with aggressive and skillful play might be a big mistake too.

Is Altidore’s improved play more impressive than Agudelo or Morris’ abilities?

We’ll see.