USMNT

 

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

DeAndre Yedlin, Geoff Cameron, John Brooks, and Chris Klute. The new USMNT defense.

 

Before going any further, it’s important to point out immediately that Fabian Johnson has a really strong cases as a starter over Chris Klute.

 

Johnson has received rave reviews on the club and international level for his play as a left back and right back, and anyone that has seen him play knows his attacking quality, overall skill-level, two-footedness, and speed.

 

The Klute over Johnson opinion is based on the fact that Klute is more of a defender than Johnson and better at tracking back on defense sooner and not leaving open space behind him, and Klute is a lightning-fast player.

 

Johnson is a converted winger who is essentially world-class as a winger on either side who also does play the right and left back positions really well from an attacking standpoint, but Klute is a better defender who still excels at participating in the attack and playing crosses and passes from the flanks.

 

Johnson is a more technical attacker, but Klute is a better defender. Both players excel as left backs or as right backs.

 

Klute is a technical and two-footed player with underrated dribbling ability, but Johnson is a much more talented player in terms of his overall technical ability and attacking skills. Johnson can score goals, and Klute just doesn’t have the same ability to cut inside and score.

 

This is one of the the weapons that Klute needs to add to his game. His speed and ability to use both feet would be more dangerous if he looked to take shots and score more often than he does now.

 

But, if the USA wants a fast and modern two-way outside back, Klute provides much better defending while still bringing a constant attacking threat out wide. Klute’s speed is also something that is just an enormous weapon defensively and offensively.

 

Whatever gap there is between Klute’s technical ability and Johnson’s is made up for with the speed that Klute uses to track down attackers, to burst down the sideline in the attack, to cut off passes, to make tackles, and to dribble out of the back.

 

Perhaps the best use of Johnson is as a winger in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, but this would take a starting spot from Corona who knows how to orchestrate an attack and score and Dempsey who brings so much scoring ability and trickery to the attack.

 

Going forward, Yedlin and Cameron are the clear starting right back and right center back, and Brooks is a more complete and younger center back than Matt Besler who has done well for the United States and Sporting Kansas City.

 

The ability of Yedlin and Klute to get forward in the attack with pace and their ability to catch and defend speedy attackers make them the outside backs that the United States needs the most in the USMNT XI.

 

With Cameron and Brooks as the center back pairing and Yedlin and Klute as the outside back pairing, the United States has the type of defense that it’s looking for: a fast and technical one with strong defending.

 

Although this Back Four is a strong one and the type that the United States needs, the USMNT still needs to give Maurice Edu more minutes as a center back with Geoff Cameron, and Fabian Johnson and Chris Klute need to be tested against one another.

 

The Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, and Klute Back Four looks to be a strong one, but each of those positions need second-choice options, plus Johnson’s best role needs to be discovered.

 

As World Soccer Source will back a three-man midfield of Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber, and Benji Joya in a latter article, in addition to an attack of Joe Corona, Juan Agudelo, and Clint Dempsey, Fabian Johnson’s attacking skill as a two-footed winger who excels on either side makes him a starting winger for most observers.

 

Maybe having Feilhaber and Corona in the Starting XI would cause those players to get in each other’s way, or maybe it’s necessary to have two playmakers like that for the USA to see better possession and create more scoring chances. Either way, Johnson is a lock on the roster, but really ironing out the best USA XI will take some experimentation and time.

 

For now, a Back Four of Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, and Klute is a good starting point for the American defense, and Klute is more of an outside back than Johnson who really plays his best as a winger on either side.

 

 

Here is the USA Back Four that World Soccer Source supports:

 

Right Back: DeAndre YEDLIN

 

Center Back: Geoff CAMERON

 

Center Back: John BROOKS

 

Left Back: Chris KLUTE

 

 

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

According to World Soccer Source, here is the Best USMNT 23 as of August 2014:

 

GOALKEEPER: Tim HOWARD, Brad GUZAN, Cody CROPPER

 

DEFENDERS: Geoff CAMERON, John BROOKS, Shane O’NEILL, Andrew FARRELL, DeAndre YEDLIN, Chris KLUTE, Kofi SARKODIE, Kellyn ACOSTA

 

MIDFIELDERS: Michael BRADLEY, Jermaine JONES, Benny FEILHABER, Maurice EDU, Fabian JOHNSON, Joe CORONA, Benji JOYA, Dillon POWERS

 

ATTACKERS: Clint DEMPSEY, Jozy ALTIDORE, Julian GREEN, Juan AGUDELO

 

 

Roster Notes:

 

– Center Back is a deep position on this roster. Cameron, Brooks, O’Neill, and Farrell are center backs, as is Edu. Brooks is naturally left-footed, so the United States has a clear left center back starter, not to mention Cameron and O’Neill who are perfectly comfortable and capable playing left center back or right center back. Cameron is the obvious right center back starter.

 

– Klute and Acosta play as right backs or left backs, and Yedlin and Sarkodie are really just right backs (although Yedlin can play left back). Farrell is also a right back.

 

– Bradley and Edu are listed as the defensive midfielders, but Cameron and O’Neill also excel in this role. Farrell is also known to do well as a midfield destroyer.

 

– Joya, Powers, Bradley, and Edu are all box-to-box midfielders in addition to other positions that they play whether those be defensive midfielders in Bradley’s and Edu’s case or playmakers in Joya’s and Powers’s case.

 

– Dempsey, Corona, F. Johnson, Green, and Joya can all play as wings on either side of the field.

 

– Dempsey and Green are midfield-forward hybrids that can play as second strikers or as wings.

 

– Altidore, and Agudelo are the Number 9s or first strikers on this roster, which gives the United States two out-and-out strikers in order to avoid the 2014 World Cup scenario where the roster only included one fully-healthy and quality striker, Altidore, who was injured in the first game. Aron Jóhannsson appears to have been playing injured even before the 2014 World Cup.

 

– Fabian Johnson listed as a midfielder because his best position is as a right or left winger, but Johnson is obviously a international-caliber right back or left back.

 

– Clear playmakers are present on this roster. Feilhaber and Corona are naturally central attacking midfielders, but Joya and Powers also excel in this role. Dempsey shines in this role as well where he’s really playing as a withdrawn striker, which is a variation of the central attacking midfielder.

 

– Each position of the 4-2-3-1 is at least two players deep on this roster, and the flexibility of so many of the players gives the United States plenty of tactical options and formation choices, including the fluid 4-3-3 formation.

 

 

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

With two international friendlies on the horizon, the United States Men’s National Team has to look to improve its mediocre passing in the 2014 World Cup, and it’s time to take stock of the player pool.

 

The 4-3-3 formation quickly becomes the 4-2-3-1 formation, but thinking of the USMNT as a 4-3-3 formation is a convenient way to list a balanced midfield and attack in a sport where players’ positions are so fluid.

 

As some attacking midfielders that play wide or centrally are referred to as forwards or attackers nowadays while other similar players are listed as midfielders, fielding a midfield three comprised of a defensive midfielder, a box-to-box midfielder, and a playmaker or central attacking midfielder is a simple and logical way begin forming a USA XI.

 

Most of this is semantics, and the important things are to have defensive coverage in front of the defense and to have link-up play between the defensive midfielders and the attacking players.

 

Nevertheless, selecting a defensive midfielder, a two-way central midfielder, and a playmaker is a great method to ensure that the USA has a nice balance of players in the midfield.

 

AS Roma is associate with the 4-3-3, and that’s exactly the type of soccer that the United States is looking to play – proactive with an organized and traditional defense made up of two-way outside backs and two center backs.

 

Tab Ramos in an interview with Soccer America explained how his U-20 USMNT roster from the last U-20 World Cup had Will Trapp as the defensive midfielder, Benji Joya as the box-to-box midfielder, and Luis Gil as the Number 10.

 

It’s easy to see how this playing philosophy demonstrates a strong fundamental understanding of how to field a midfield that is a balance between defending and attacking.

 

In addition to the three types of midfielders listed above, let some of the wingers or wide attacking midfielders that like to cut inside be listed as forwards if that makes selecting a balanced roster easier.

 

The important thing is to be two players deep at all 11 positions in a common and proven tactical formation such as the 4-2-3-1, the 4-3-3, or the 4-1-4-1. The players on the field are just going to move around constantly anyway.

 

Putting two defensive midfielders, two box-to-box midfielders, and two playmakers on the 23-man roster eliminates the problem that the United States had in the 2014 World Cup: no link-up play between the defensive midfielders and the attack.

 

For the United States right now, the midfield has to begin with Michael Bradley as the defensive midfielder, and Benny Feilhaber continues to make his case as the best American playmaker in the pool, plus he has the international experience and success to back up this claim.

 

Selecting a box-to-box midfielder is more difficult and controversial for many people. Should the USA go with a new talent like Benji Joya or Dillon Powers, or is it too soon?

 

Landon Donovan, DeAndre Yedlin, and Juan Agudelo have all debunked the belief that young and inexperienced American players can’t deliver on the international level, and Joya is at the top of the list as far as young American box-to-box midfielders go.

 

By all accounts, Joya is the central midfielder that will be a fixture for the USMNT for the next 10 plus years.

 

Dillon Powers is another option, and perhaps he should already be thought of as the second-choice box-to-box midfielder behind Joya.

 

Either way, Joya and Powers are ready to be on the roster now because the best you can do is pick your best players for each position even if they aren’t too experienced internationally.

 

Talented young players need to be allowed to play to keep a club or national team with a steady pipeline of talent with playing time.

 

The other advantage of both Joya and Powers on the roster is that the USA does have the option of using a midfield three comprised of two box-to-box midfielders with a defensive midfielder.

 

With two box-to-box midfielders flanking a defensive midfielder, the playmaker on paper can just be in the front line of three attackers who will all be constantly moving, roaming around, and swapping positions with one another, except for the striker who should be playing higher and looking to stretch the defense.

 

For simplicity’s sake, a three-man midfield made up of Joya, Bradley, and Feilhaber is a technical and athletic group that are all two way players with some differing skill-sets.

 

The four-man defense should be a foregone conclusion. Whether one chooses Fabian Johnson or Chris Klute as the left back, the USA Back Four should be DeAndre Yedlin, Geoff Cameron, John Brooks, and Johnson or Klute.

 

The argument can be made for Matt Besler as the left center back, but Brooks is a better 1v1 defender, more two-footed, and a Bundesliga starter. Brooks is therefore a better defender and a better soccer player than Besler, plus he’s younger. This makes Brooks the better option.

 

The three-man attack is really two attacking midfielders plus a striker. With Joe Corona out right and Clint Dempsey out left, both players can cut inside, play wide, and float behind Juan Agudelo who is the most talented and complete striker in the American pool.

 

Both Corona and Dempsey are attacking midfielders that are always looking to score and to get into the penalty box, so using these two players behind Agudelo gives the American attack lots of combination play and goal-scoring ability.

 

In many ways this set-up is just a 4-2-3-1 in disguise (with Corona, Feilhaber, and Dempsey as the line of three), but listing it as a 4-3-3 is a convenient way to separate the midfielders with the midfield-forward hybrids like Corona and Dempsey.

 

Bradley and Joya would be the line of two defensive midfielders – with Joya being the box-to-box midfielder and Bradley being the stay-at-home defensive midfielder. Corona, Feilhaber, and Dempsey would be the line of three attacking midfielders, and Agudelo would be the striker.

 

This sort of balanced and organized tactical set-up would allow the United States to maximize its talent while not continuing to play too defensively without the link-up players needed to have an effective and technical attack.

 

What would a USMNT 4-3-3 look like?

 

GUZAN

YEDLIN CAMERON BROOKS KLUTE/JOHNSON

JOYA BRADLEY FEILHABER

CORONA AGUDELO DEMPSEY 

 

– This USA XI includes four lines of players comprised of a goalkeeper, a defense, a midfield, and an attack.

 

– Specifically, this 4-3-3- has a goalkeeper, a right back, two center backs, a left back, a  box-to-box midfielder, a defensive midfielder, a playmaker, two attacking midfielders that line up out wide and cut inside, and a striker.

 

– With this USA XI, it’s also easy to select a suitable back-up for each of the 10 field positions, plus two more goalkeepers.

 

 

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

Many American soccer writers, commentators, pundits, and fans won’t ever even consider the use of young and inexperienced American players on the United States Men’s National Team because those players aren’t the current starters, so there’s never any real pressure placed on the USMNT to conduct an actual examination of the player pool, which holds the United States back.

 

Better national teams are comprised of players playing in top European or Latin American leagues, so although the World Cup or international play is a different animal, new players’ club play offers up a sense of how they will perform at the international level against top competition.

 

Cruising along with the status quo is a bad strategy for the USMNT to close the gap with first and second-tier national teams.

 

The United States needs to start bringing new and talented players into the fold and see how they do. If these players don’t appear to be capable of playing well at the international level after several appearances, then other players should be tried out.

 

U.S. Soccer keeps a list of players in the pool, but there definitely needs to be a list of around 100 players organized by position that need to be monitored.

 

Here, World Soccer Source identifies 12 players from the United States Men’s National Team’s World Cup squad that Jürgen Klinsmann should continue to use, and 11 new players that are needed to fill the remaining roster spots and improve the national team are also identified.

 

 

PLAYERS THE USMNT SHOULD KEEP:

 

GK: Tim HOWARD, Brad GUZAN

CB: Geoff CAMERON, John BROOKS

OB: DeAndre YEDLIN, Fabian JOHNSON

DM: Jermaine JONES, Michael BRADLEY

AM: Clint DEMPSEY, Mix DISKERUD, Julian GREEN

S: Jozy ALTIDORE

 

 

PLAYERS THE USMNT SHOULD DROP/ADD:

 

OUT: Nick RIMANDO

IN: Cody CROPPER

 

OUT: Omar GONZALEZ

IN: Shane O’NEILL

 

OUT: Matt BESLER

IN: Michael OROZCO

 

OUT: DaMarcus BEASLEY

IN: Chris KLUTE

 

OUT: Timothy CHANDLER

IN: Kellyn ACOSTA

 

OUT: Kyle BECKERMAN

IN: Maurice EDU

 

OUT: Alejandro BEDOYA

IN: Joe CORONA

 

OUT: Brad DAVIS

IN: Benji JOYA

 

OUT: Graham ZUSI

IN: Dillon POWERS

 

OUT: Chris WONDOLOWSKI

IN: Juan AGUDELO

 

OUT: Aron JÓHANNSSON

IN: Benny FEILHABER*

 

*Not a like-for-like switch but the final roster has a first and second choice option for each spot in the 4-2-3-1 formation.

 

 

The Updated USMNT Roster:

 

GK: Tim HOWARD, Brad GUZAN, Cody CROPPER

 

RB: DeAndre YEDLIN, Kellyn ACOSTA

RCB: Geoff CAMERON, Shane O’NEILL

LCB: John BROOKS, Michael OROZCO

LB: Chris KLUTE, Fabian JOHNSON

 

DM: Michael BRADLEY, Maurice EDU

CM: Jermaine JONES, Dillon POWERS

 

RW: Joe CORONA, Benji JOYA

CAM: Benny FEILHABER, Mix DISKERUD

LW: Clint DEMPSEY, Julian GREEN

 

S: Jozy ALTIDORE, Juan AGUDELO

 

 

 

Abbreviation Guide:

 

GK- Goalkeeper

CB- Center Back

OB- Outside Back

RB- Right Back

RCB- Right Center Back

LCB- Left Center Back

LB- Left Back

DM- Defensive Midfielder

CM- Central Midfielder

AM– Attacking Midfielder

RW- Right Wing

CAM- Central Attacking Midfielder

LW- Left Wing

S- Striker

 

 

 

 

 By: COLIN REESE

 

Looking at the depth chart for the United States Men’s National Team by position in a 4-2-3-1 formation is an organized and logical way to go about evaluating the depth chart of the United States.

 

Below is an examination of a first and second choice option for each of the 11 positions in the 4-2-3-1 formation (and some of these players can play multiple positions or on more than one side of the field):

 

GOALKEEPERS:

 

1. Tim HOWARD

– Tim Howard proved that he is still the best current American goalkeeper with his performance in the World Cup, but Brad Guzan is arguably just as good.

 

2. Brad GUZAN

– Whether or not Brad Guzan is better than Tim Howard won’t be known until Guzan sees more minutes with the USMNT, but Guzan has certainly shown that there is no drop-off when he starts over Howard.

 

RIGHT BACKS:

 

1. DeAndre YEDLIN

– Given his consistently high level of play at such a young age in MLS, DeAndre Yedlin should not have been a controversial pick for the USA’s World Cup squad, but he was. Yedlin showed his two-way threat in the World Cup where his attacking and technical ability were equally as influential as his ability to keep pace with and slow down fast and creative attackers on the big stage.

 

2. Kofi SARKODIE

– Anyone who follows MLS has seen how Kofi Sarkodie is one of the best American right backs around, and he also fits into the mold of the two-way outside backs that the United States wants playing for its national team.

 

 

RIGHT CENTER BACKS:

 

1. Geoff CAMERON

– Of all the American center backs, Geoff Cameron is the one that brings the most complete package of skills and physical gifts, and he represents the type of higher-caliber center back that the United States wants.

 

2. Shane O’NEILL

– Shane O’Neill is better than Omar Gonzalez because he’s a center back along the lines of Cameron in that his skill and defending is more nuanced and complete than being strong in the air and making clearances. O’Neill is also a better athlete than Gonzalez.

 

 

LEFT CENTER BACKS:

 

1. John BROOKS

– John Brooks is a better center back than Matt Besler. Brooks plays in a better league. He’s younger and more two-footed, and his 1v1 defending and passing are better than Besler’s.

 

2. Michael OROZCO

-Michael Orozco probably would have been on the 2014 World Cup roster had he not had a hamstring injury right before the World Cup. Orozco has years of experience playing in Mexico, and he is a complete package of defending, technical skill, athleticism, and competitive intensity. Orozco is exactly the type of center back that the USA needs.

 

 

LEFT BACKS:

 

1. Chris KLUTE

– Chris Klute is likely the best American left back (and he’s just as good at right back), but Klute’s lack of international experience continues to be the justification for not giving him any international experience. Unlike other MLS players like Brad Davis or Chris Wondolowski who used to have very little international experience, Klute’s game looks like it translates much better to the international level than other MLS players without any U.S. caps.

 

2. Kellyn ACOSTA

– Kellyn Acosta is one of the very young, technical, and athletic MLS players that the United States needs to just put on the national team. These kinds of very talented and athletic young players simply need to be allowed to play for the U.S. and get acclimated to international play because the USMNT will need them to get to the next level.

 

 

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS:

 

1. Michael BRADLEY

-Michael Bradley’s best position is as a defensive midfielder or Number 6, and he is world-class at this position. If the goal is to play very technical and athletic players at each position, then Bradley is the player that the United States needs to start as the defensive midfielder, instead of trying to push him into a more attacking role where frankly other players are better.

 

2. Maurice EDU

-With Jermaine Jones’ tendency to attack, Maurice Edu is the defensive midfielder that the United States should use when Bradley is unavailable. Edu is more technical and two-footed than he gets credit for, and his defending, speed, and athleticism are ideally suited to protecting the center backs and keeping track of opposing attackers. Edu also boasts legitimate European experience and success.

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS:

 

1. Jermaine JONES

– Jermaine Jones’ ability to be a two-way threat and score was on display in the 2014 World Cup, and if Bradley is tasked with playing the stay-at-home defensive midfielder role, then Jones is the player to bring the bulk of the two-way play to the American midfield.

 

2. Dillon POWERS

-Dillon Powers can play as a central attacking midfielder or as a central midfielder, but Powers brings much better defending than one generally sees in playmakers. Powers’ engine and defending make him just the type of player that can bring quality passing and defending to the center of the American midfield.

 

 

RIGHT WINGS:

 

1. Fabian JOHNSON

– Fabian Johnson is a real weapon with either foot on the wings where he can attack wide or cut in toward the goal to score or to set up his teammates. Given the power and control than Johnson has with his left foot compared to other American players, Johnson is the best right wing in the American pool, plus he can play equally well as a left wing.

 

2. Benji JOYA

-Benji Joya can play any position in the midfield well against high-level competition because he’s a complete and creative midfielder that plays with a lot of intensity, but listing Joya as a wing frees up a roster spot for a player like Dillon Powers that mostly thrives in the middle. Joya is a more creative and explosive player than Powers, so it makes sense to let Joya use his technical ability and trickery as a wing that can cut inside or play wide.

 

CENTRAL ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS:

 

1. Benny FEILHABER

– Benny Feilhaber has been the best American playmaker since right after the 2006 World Cup, and it’s a shame that he was left off the 2014 World Cup roster. Feilhaber’s international play along with his play the last two seasons with Sporting Kansas City should have finally silenced his critics. The USA needs this type of player to really compete against top national teams.

 

2. Joe CORONA

– Joe Corona is a little more skilled and athletic than Mix Diskerud but not quite as good yet as Feilhaber. Corona is a better 1v1 dribbler than Diskerud and Feilhaber, and Corona has a better knack for getting into scoring positions in the penalty box. Corona can play as a Number 10 or on either wing where he can play final balls and open up defenses, and he’s shown enough skill and creativity against top competition in Mexico and in the Copa Libertadores to earn this spot as the second best American playmaker.

 

 

LEFT WINGS:

 

1. Clint DEMPSEY

– Clint Dempsey is the best American player, and playing Dempsey out left where he’s arguably done the best through his career allows a natural Number 10 to line-up more centrally while Dempsey is free to roam where he sees fit. A Number 10 playing with Dempsey maximizes his skill-set and goal-scoring ability.

 

2. Julian GREEN

– Julian Green looks fast, skilled, creative, and ready to go. The United States tossed Green into the deep end during extra time of a Round of 16 World Cup game against Belgium, and he scored quickly. Green’s performance in the World Cup in addition to being on the books for Bayern Munich makes him someone that fully deserves to be on the USA roster and see lots of playing time giving Dempsey’s positional flexibility.

 

 

STRIKERS:

 

1. Jozy ALTIDORE

– For now, Jozy Altidore should get the benefit of the doubt as the best American striker not named Giuseppe Rossi, but Juan Agudelo looks more talented while still boasting the size and athleticism of Altidore.

 

2. Juan AGUDELO

– Juan Agudelo has a strong argument as the best American striker, and despite his relative lack of national team minutes, Agudelo always looks much more talented and dangerous than Altidore.

 

 

What would this USA XI look like?

 

HOWARD; YEDLIN, CAMERON, BROOKS, KLUTE; BRADLEY, JONES; JOHNSON, FEILHABER, DEMPSEY; ALTIDORE.

 

 

What would a second-choice USA XI look like?

 

GUZAN; SARKODIE, O’NEILL, OROZCO, ACOSTA; EDU, POWERS; JOYA, CORONA, GREEN; AGUDELO.

 

 

What is Jürgen Klinsmann’s Possible First-Choice USA XI?

 

HOWARD; YEDLIN, CAMERON, BROOKS, BEASLEY; BRADLEY, JONES; JOHNSON, DEMPSEY, GREEN; ALTIDORE.

 

 

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

New American players will emerge seemingly out of nowhere, and some older players will prove themselves too worthy and too fit to be counted out for the 2018 World Cup; other older players might prove to be not as equipped for the speed of international play as other options. Time will tell.

Nevertheless, here is World Soccer Source’s first take on who the United States could possibly call up to the 2018 World Cup roster, assuming the United States qualifies.

 

 

GOALKEEPERS: Brad GUZAN, Cody CROPPER, Clint IRWIN

 

CENTER BACKS: John Anthony BROOKS, Shane O’NEILL, Andrew FARRELL, Erik PALMER-BROWN

 

OUTSIDE BACKS: DeAndre YEDLIN, Chris KLUTE, Kofi SARKODIE, Kellyn ACOSTA

 

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS: Michael BRADLEY, Geoff CAMERON, Maurice EDU

 

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS: Joe CORONA, Fabian JOHNSON, Julian GREEN, Benji JOYA, Dillon POWERS

 

FORWARDS: Jozy ALTIDORE, Juan AGUDELO, Mario RODRIGUEZ, Paul ARRIOLA/Joe GYAU

 

 

*NOTE: Darlington NAGBE isn’t officially a U.S. citizen yet.

 

 

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

As many pundits, writers, commentators, and ex-players have pointed out, the quality of the soccer played by the United States and the success of the United States in the World Cup hasn’t improved from either the 2002 or the 2010 World Cups.

 

Certainly, the United States now has better soccer players and more of them, but the roster and the line-ups that Jürgen Klinsmann used in the 2014 World Cup did not reflect these improvements with the exception of DeAndre Yedlin.

 

While Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson, John Brooks, and Julian Green all played well in the 2014 World Cup, these players are a product of German soccer.

 

Some of the players from the 30-man preliminary roster such as Joe Corona, Terrence Boyd, and Maurice Edu that Klinsmann cut from the final 23-man USA World Cup roster could have added to the improvement in the overall skill of the team that players like Yedlin and Brooks brought to the squad.

 

Klinsmann did select the central attacking midfielder Mix Diskerud, but he didn’t use him at all in the World Cup. And, this one specific example showcases the coach of the United States’ inability to make adjustments to his tactics of deploying three defensive midfielders and two wings behind Clint Dempsey as the lone striker once Jozy Altidore injured his hamstring in the first match against Ghana.

 

The USA could have made the best of an unfortunate injury by using Diskerud as a central attacking midfielder to help the United States to improve its passing and improve the link-up play between the defensive midfielders and Dempsey.

 

Fabian Johnson, DaMarcus Beasley, and DeAndre Yedlin were already providing attacking width to the USA in their roles as outside backs, so starting Alejandro Bedoya and Graham Zusi was not as important as starting Diskerud.

 

The use of Diskerud was the one change that Klinsmann had available to him to improve the USA’s biggest weaknesses: possession and attacking strength.

 

Going forward, there are several things that Klinsmann and the USA need to do to improve the quality and effectiveness of the United States Men’s National Team and close the gap with better national teams.

 

1. Call Up and Field More Attacking Midfielders with Real Quality

 

Kyle Beckerman, Jermaine Jones, and Michael Bradley comprised the center of the American midfield, and all three of these players are defensive midfielders.

 

While Bradley and Jones are also box-to-box midfielders, they fall under the umbrella category of defensive midfielders compared to players like Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Benny Feilhaber, Mix Diskerud, and Joe Corona who are attacking midfielders.

 

At the very least, a line of three attacking midfielders made up of Donovan, Dempsey, and Corona wasn’t too much to expect from Klinsmann, and all three were on the preliminary 30-man roster.

 

Klinsmann can’t make the same mistake of passing over too many of these attacking midfielders in the future.

 

Instead of just including Dempsey and Diskerud only to never even play Diskerud, the United States could have used Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Benny Feilhaber, Joe Corona, and Mix Diskerud all on the World Cup roster.

 

Luckily, the USA also has young, talented, and complete midfielders such as Benji Joya and Dillon Powers ready to play international soccer right now, and these two players are great two-way central attacking midfielders that also excel as box-to-box midfielders. Joya is also effective and dangerous on either wing.

 

Starting Beckerman/Cameron, Jones, and Bradley in the World Cup made sense for Klinsmann if he wanted to protect the center of the park and of the defense, but the moment that he was using Bradley as a central attacking midfielder and Jones as another attacking midfielder he was hurting the the USA’s ability to pass and attack.

 

Either Bradley or Jones needed to play the role of the stay-at-home defensive midfielder. Adding another defensive midfielder was playing too defensively, and it was also playing too small to speak metaphorically. Klinsmann needed to give either Bradley or Jones strict orders to play the role of the stay-at-home defensive midfielder.

 

The USA needs three or four defensive midfielders on the roster along with four or five more attack-minded midfielders on the roster. Nine midfielders comprised of defensive midfielders, box-to-box midfielders, and attacking midfielders (either wings or playmakers or both) is the way to go, and this leaves roster space for three out-and-out strikers or Number 9s.

 

2. Call Up Two to Three Quality Number 9s

 

Jozy Altidore, Aron Jóhannsson, Juan Agudelo, and Terrence Boyd would have been great selections to the World Cup roster, but there was no excuse for Chris Wondolowski being selected as a striker.

 

The United States cannot continue to have no back-up target striker and not enough attacking midfield options off the bench.

 

 

3. Use More of America’s Talented Young Players Like DeAndre Yedlin

 

DeAndre Yedlin was mocked by many professional pundits and writers for being inexperienced and too young, but once he took the field in the World Cup this turned out to be totally wrong. Klinsmann promised more proactive and better soccer, and he didn’t keep his promise when he cut Joe Corona from the 30-man roster. Corona is older and more experienced than Yedlin, and if Yedlin was deemed ready then Corona should have been deemed ready as well, especially since he was a proven attacking midfielder that could play wide or centrally.

 

Shane O’Neill, Chris Klute, Benji Joya, Joe Corona, Andrew Farrell, and Juan Agudelo are all young American players that are ready to play now, and Klinsmann owes them a fair shot. Since Yedlin impressed at the World Cup, then it’s time to showcase the improvement in the overall quality of American players such as O’Neill, Klute, Corona, Joya, Farrell, and Agudelo.

 

Since the 2006 World Cup only Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley, and Feilhaber have really shown a consistent ability to showcase noteworthy technical skill against top national teams, and young players like Corona, Joya, and Agudelo in particular are definitely ready to give the USMNT additional technical players that can improve the collective skill level of the national team.

 

 

4. Start Balanced Line-Ups

 

Starting Tim Howard, DeAndre Yedlin, Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler/John Brooks, Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Joe Corona, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore would have made sense before the World Cup, and starting this XI would not have been risky nor would it have required much soccer acumen.

 

Klinsmann has been overcomplicating his line-ups. He likes the 4-2-3-1, so he should start four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders, and one striker.

 

Using the 4-2-3-1 correctly requires better scouting of players and using the best players at their natural positions, and the other consideration that needs to be taken into account is making sure that the 10 field players play well together; merely using the very best player at each position might not yield the best collective performance.

 

Going forward, starting Howard, Yedlin, Cameron, Brooks, Klute, Edu, Bradley, Corona, Feilhaber, Dempsey, and Agudelo seems like a good Starting XI to try out, and at least this line-up uses two two-way outside backs, two complete center backs, a defensive and box-to-box midfielder, two technical and dynamic wings, a creative playmaker, and a complete striker.

 

This sort of balance between defensive-minded and attack-minded midfielders to improve the possession and passing of the USA is certainly better than starting the types of unbalanced or overly-defensive Front Sixes used in the World Cup, which were devoid of any link-up play.

 

Since he coaches a country of 315 million people, Klinsmann should be expected to field a line-up that is balanced, talented, and capable of scoring and keeping a decent amount of possession against top national teams. The United States certainly has the players to do that.

 

 

 

By: COLIN REESE

 

In my previous post, I proposed a 23-man USMNT roster made up of lots of players that the United States should call up to take stock of the talent pool, but this different roster seeks to include the best and most proven players along with the new talents that appear ready right now.

 

Fabian Johnson is listed as an attacking midfielder even though he is also a right and left back, and Geoff Cameron is listed as a center back even though he is also a defensive midfielder and an outside back. Maurice Edu is listed as a defensive midfielder, but he has certainly shown that he is a capable and effective center back.

 

Mix Diskerud is not included for now, despite being the victim of seeing no minutes in the 2014 World Cup for no logical reason. I consider Diskerud to be a gifted and experienced playmaker that has proven himself on multiple occasions on the international level against strong competition. Diskerud was unjustly the victim of not enough roster space.

 

Likewise, Aron Jóhannsson isn’t included despite not getting a fair shot at the 2014 World Cup, but now it appears that he might have been injured during the United States’ run in the tournament.

 

Jóhannsson has shown his ability and effectiveness on the club and international level, but this writer placed a higher premium on Juan Agudelo’s combination of skill, size, and speed as well as Terrence Boyd’s ability to play as a target striker like Altidore.

 

Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley aren’t included either although a strong argument can be made that both should be on this list. They deserve to be on the list, but I leaned toward the potential upside of letting younger players like Joe Corona, Shane O’Neill, Benji Joya, Chris Klute, and Kellyn Acosta use their youth and skill to hopefully bring the type of proactive soccer that Jürgen Klinsmann claims that he is looking to bring to the United States Men’s National Team.

 

The roster below contains four center backs and four outside backs, and the roster also contains defensive midfielders of the stay-at-home variety and those of the box-to-box variety. Most of the defensive midfielders can play either role. The roster also contains both wings and central attacking midfielders along with players that play both positions. Finally, this roster contains three Number 9s along with players like Clint Dempsey and Julian Green that can play a variety of forward and attacking midfielder roles.

 

Below is this writer’s opinion of the Best Current USA 23 as of July 2014, and the players are divided into their relevant categories in what this writer feels is a balanced line-up:

 

GOALKEEPERS: Tim HOWARD, Brad GUZAN, Cody CROPPER

 

CENTER BACKS: Geoff CAMERON, Matt BESLER, John Anthony BROOKS, Shane O’NEILL

 

OUTSIDE BACKS: DeAndre YEDLIN, Chris KLUTE, Kellyn ACOSTA, Andrew FARRELL

-Fabian Johnson is listed below as an attacking midfielder despite excelling as a right and left back.

 

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS: Michael BRADLEY, Jermaine JONES, Maurice EDU

 

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS: Joe CORONA, Fabian JOHNSON, Benny FEILHABER, Julian GREEN, Benji JOYA

 

FORWARDS: Clint DEMPSEY, Jozy ALTIDORE, Juan AGUDELO, Terrence BOYD

 

 

 

What is the Best USA XI from this roster?

HOWARD; YEDLIN, BROOKS, BESLER, KLUTE; CAMERON, BRADLEY; CORONA, FEILHABER, DEMPSEY; AGUDELO.

-Both Brooks and Besler are left-footed, but if a starting line-up can have two right-footed center backs, then why can’t it have two left-footed center backs? Brooks has proven to be very two-footed, and starting Brooks and Besler at center back allows Cameron to play as the stay-at-home defensive midfielder.

-Jones isn’t listed as a starter despite his superior play to Bradley in the World Cup because the Cameron-Bradley partnership gives the two-man defensive midfield more defined roles. Futhermore, the often attacking role that Jones played in the World Cup can be taken up by Corona, Feilhaber, Dempsey, and Agudelo.