Shane O’Neill

Which American Defenders Are Good Enough For the World Cup?

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Chris Klute, the Best American Left Back. (Photo: Garrett Ellwood / Colorado Rapids)
Chris Klute, the Best American Left Back. (Photo: Garrett Ellwood / Colorado Rapids)

 

Using your best defenders regardless of age or international experience within reason is a customary and logical tactical game plan for competing in a World Cup.

Every national team in the world uses its best defenders either based on club performance, international performance, or skill-level regardless of their youth or lack of youth.

If the best American defenders are young players with plenty of club experience but not a wealth of international experience, then so be it. Soccer is a skill sport, and international experience doesn’t guarantee that defenders won’t make mistakes in a World Cup.

There are no guarantees in soccer; the best thing a national team can do is to play its best players.

Eight defenders is the traditional number of defenders for a national team roster, but seven defenders would suffice if some players double as center backs and as defensive midfielders.

This is precisely the case with Geoff Cameron and Shane O’Neill, the latter of whom really demonstrated throughout an entire season in Major League Soccer plus the U-20 World Cup that he was just as good if not better than Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler.

The United States Men’s National Team likely has defenders who are good enough to hold their own and even excel at the 2014 World Cup.

While Neymar and the like are essentially unplayable, which means incapable of being marked, players below that level can be well-defended and marked by the USMNT with team defense.

Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones or some other defensive midfielder in front of center backs like Geoff Cameron, John Anthony Brooks, or Michael Orozco should really be equipped to mostly contain much of the World Cup competition unless elite attackers really turn up the intensity and the style points, which almost no defender can contain anyway.

Whether it’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Mario Balotelli, Thomas Müller, or Neymar, players of that level are capable of victimizing and embarrassing any defender, so the best thing the United States can do is field the defenders with the defensive instincts and fundamentals, the athleticism, and the technical ability to perform well on the international level.

Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez have done well as center backs under Jürgen Klinsmann, but Geoff Cameron, John Anthony Brooks, and Michael Orozco are likely better.

That would be five center backs on the roster unless one takes the view that Cameron and Orozco are doubling as outside backs. Furthermore, Shane O’Neill is an excellent center back, but he was listed as a defensive midfielder in World Soccer Source’s previous article on midfielders.

At this point, Brad Evans and DaMarcus Beasley have shown that they can do well enough as outside backs in a pinch, but starting them over natural outside backs or converted outside backs like Cameron is misguided.

Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, and Andrew Farrell proved this season in MLS that they are likely the best outside backs available to the United States in addition to Eric Lichaj, Jonathan Spector, and Steve Cherundolo.

Fabian Johnson is also a capable outside back, but his defending and recovery defense seems outmatched by Farrell, Yedlin, and Klute. Johnson is an excellent player who attacks with speed and two-footed skill, but from a defensive standpoint, Farrell, Yedlin, and Klute are better defenders.

Farrell and Klute looked better than Yedlin from a defensive standpoint for most of the MLS season, but over the last few months of the season, Yedlin has evolved into an effective defender who has improved his ability to tackle and dispossess attackers.

Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell would be new to the United States Men’s National Team set-up, but that’s not a good enough reason to exclude them for players that are not only not as good but that are also being played out of position.

If the United States selects seven defenders with either Cameron or O’Neill listed as midfielders, then Brooks, Cameron, and Orozco add up to three defenders, and Yedlin, Farrell, and Klute make six defenders. The final spot should go to Eric Lichaj who is an experienced, young, and talented outside back that can play as a right or left back, and he has the club and international experience to be considered by and large a proven performer.

Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, Brad Evans, and DaMarcus Beasley didn’t make World Soccer Source’s list of preferred defenders for the World Cup, but Cameron, Brooks, and Orozco are all more complete center backs who aren’t a liability in terms of defending, speed, or technical ability.

Gonzalez isn’t quite as fast or as skilled defensively as any of those three, and Besler falls just slightly below Cameron, Brooks, and Orozco in terms of his overall package as a center back. Besler is certainly an upgrade from Carlos Bocanegra or Clarence Goodson, but anything that Besler can do, Cameron, Brooks, and Orozco can do better.

Shane O’Neill and Andrew Farrell are also better center backs than Gonzalez and Besler because there’s no weak area for O’Neill and Farrell as defenders. Both are tall, strong, fast, quick, and technically-skilled, and both are outstanding defenders who aggressively tackle without fouling.

Youth and international inexperience shouldn’t be qualities that disqualify Farrell, O’Neill, Yedlin, and Klute from the USMNT. All of these players were starters for their club teams for the entire season, and the international experience of Gonzalez, Besler, Beasley, and Evans as defenders was mostly against fairly weak competition.

The argument that many observers use for supporting Evans, Gonzalez, Besler, and Beasley as the starting Back Four is that they played for the United States during a nice winning streak, but the performance of all four of those players went down as the competition went up.

World Soccer Source would rather see USMNT defenders with the physical gifts and the tools to succeed against better competition, then just sticking with the status quo that looked shaky when the quality of the opposition went up.

With Shane O’Neill listed as a midfielder, Geoff Cameron, John Anthony Brooks, Michael Orozco, Andrew Farrell, Eric Lichaj, DeAndre Yedlin, and Chris Klute are the seven or really eight defenders that World Soccer Source believes have what it takes to perform at the 2014 World Cup.

Additionally, Gale Agbossoumonde is a center back prospect who is too promising to not be evaluated and seriously considered before the World Cup. Hypothetically, Agbossoumonde has everything one could ask for in a center back: excellent defensive instincts and fundamentals, refined technical ability with both feet, calmness, and great athleticism in a tall, strong physique.

As American soccer has continued to improve, it’s quite logical that newer American defenders are better than ones in the past. Major League Soccer has never seen a crop of defenders like O’Neill, Farrell, Yedlin, and Klute, and making them wait years for another World Cup is a waste of good talent that can help the United States to improve.

Starting a Back Four made up of DeAndre Yedlin, Shane O’Neill, Andrew Farrell, and Chris Klute with Geoff Cameron and Michael Bradley as the defensive midfielders is one of the boldest and best options for the United States in the 2014 World Cup, and another viable option would be to start Farrell, Cameron, Brooks, and Klute as the Back Four.

These are new Back Fours, but they are made up of better players than the Standard Klinsmann Back Four comprised of Evans, Gonzalez, Besler, and Beasley.

Finally, a Back Four comprised of Lichaj, Orozco, Brooks, and Klute with Cameron and Bradley as a two-man defensive midfield would be another option where basically everyone except Klute was experienced and by and large proven at the international level or at the high level of the Bundesliga in Brooks’ case.

 

Eight American Defenders Who Can Compete in the World Cup:

CENTER BACKS/DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS: Geoff CAMERON, Shane O’NEILL

CENTER BACKS: John Anthony BROOKS, Michael OROZCO, Andrew FARRELL.

OUTSIDE BACKS: Eric LICHAJ, DeAndre YEDLIN, Chris KLUTE, (Andrew FARRELL)

 

Which American Midfielders Are Good Enough For the World Cup?

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Freddy Adu (Photo: AP Photo)
Freddy Adu (Photo: AP Photo)

 

While the American defense has been a problem for the United States Men’s National Team, the midfield has also been an enormous problem because the U.S. hasn’t showcased quality passing and combination play at a level that’s good enough for a deep World Cup run.

Setting the defense to the side for the moment, the American midfield is something that can be examined with some basic math.

Normally, a World Cup roster would have eight or perhaps nine midfielders, with three or four of those players being defensive midfielders. If one accepts that Bradley, Jones, Donovan, Diskerud, and Dempsey should all be on the USMNT roster, then three midfield spots are open.

Any honest evaluation of the United States Men’s National Team’s player pool in the midfield reveals Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Landon Donovan, and Clint Dempsey to be players that are probably just too talented and way too capable of playing well against strong competition to leave off the roster.

Therefore, if one looks to add another defensive midfielder to that list, a player like Kyle Beckerman is too big of a liability from an athletic standpoint to put on a World Cup roster.

Beckerman isn’t just a player who isn’t quite quick enough or fast enough to put on a World Cup roster, but he is a player that is totally overmatched in terms of speed, quickness, and agility to really compete outside of MLS and CONCACAF.

Given this reality, the United States needs an additional defensive midfielder on the roster, and the only options are Maurice Edu, Amobi Okugo, Ricardo Clark, Perry Kitchen, Jared Jeffrey, Will Trapp, or Jeremy Hall.

Of course, Geoff Cameron, who has been listed as a defender, can play the midfield destroyer probably better than any American except Bradley, and Cameron has the defensive skills, the technical ability, and the athleticism to perform at the World Cup.

Additionally, another option would be to list Shane O’Neill as a midfielder, in which case he could play as a defensive midfielder, as a center back, or as an outside back.

O’Neill is probably a better defensive midfielder than all of the options listed above with the exception of Cameron, but selecting Beckerman to represent the United States in a World Cup would be a very unrealistic expectation of his ability to really keep up with the speed of international play.

With this information in mind, selecting Shane O’Neill to be the third defensive midfielder along with Bradley and Jones would likely be the wisest course of action, even if many people view it as a risky or crazy selection. O’Neill proved his worth not only in MLS but also for Tab Ramos’s U-20 side.

Turning to the attacking midfielders, by selecting Dempsey and Donovan, the United States is left with two to three roster spots for attacking midfielders, and Mix Diskerud, Joe Corona, and Benny Feilhaber stand out as players who have clearly shown that they have the tools to play at the international level with players like Bradley, Dempsey, and Donovan.

Whether one looks at Brad Davis, Graham Zusi, or Alejandro Bedoya, any realistic examination of the touch, vision, passing ability, and general playing style and technical ability reveals them to be quite a few levels below Diskerud, Corona, and Feilhaber in terms of their ability to receive and release the ball quickly enough to not be overrun by better national teams.

Based on the number of roster spots in the midfield, by selecting Bradley, Jones, O’Neill, Dempsey, Donovan, Feilhaber, Corona, and Diskerud, the USMNT has eight players who fulfill needed roles.

Players like Bradley, Jones, and O’Neill provide defensive coverage in the midfield and serve as passing outlets for the defenders, and they also are key elements to the midfielders’ ability to pass well and keep possession.

With these players providing quality defending and excellent technical ability directly in front of the defense, the need is then to have attacking midfielders who can foster quality passing that leads to possession and the creation of goal-scoring opportunities.

Dempsey, Donovan, and Corona are all attacking midfielders who can play centrally, out right, or out left, but Donovan and Dempsey are really better suited to line up out wide with lots of freedom to roam or as second strikers with the same freedom.

On the other hand, Corona is also a true playmaker like Diskerud and Feilhaber, and the inclusion of Dempsey, Donovan, Corona, Diskerud, and Feilhaber on the roster gives the USMNT many line-up options in the midfield in front of the defensive midfielders.

Even Feilhaber and Diskerud are capable of playing on the right or on the left because their style of play is predicated on showing for the ball and moving into space wherever they are needed.

Any brand of soccer based on confining attacking midfielders to a specific side of the attacking half or the attacking third eliminates any fluidity or quality to the passing play of the team.

Diskerud, Corona, and Feilhaber are players who allow the United States to field a Front Six where players with excellent technical ability, creativity, and agility can play in front of defensive midfielders like Jones and Bradley who provide a combination of defensive ability, running endurance, and passing ability that the attacking midfielders don’t have.

When it comes time to select midfielders for the USMNT’s World Cup roster, players like O’Neill, Diskerud, Corona, and Feilhaber are needed both as support and as substitutes for players like Bradley, Jones, Dempsey, and Donovan.

Diskerud’s international play in recent months seems to have convinced the American soccer media and the American fan base of his importance as a playmaker, and the play of Feilhaber and Corona for club and country greatly overshadows anything Brad Davis, Graham Zusi, or Alejandro Bedoya have ever done.

Stuart Holden showed just how important a complete midfielder can be for the United States, and young or not, Benji Joya is the only other midfielder in the American player pool who brings Holden’s combination of attacking and defending to the midfield.

While Michael Bradley is often described as a box-to-box midfielder, his attacking ability and creativity aren’t on par with Holden’s or Joya’s, and this is why Joya would be an inspired and needed selection for the 2014 World Cup.

Like it or not, there’s no room for Zusi, Davis, Bedoya, or Kljestan on the USMNT’s World Cup roster because they can’t outplay Diskerud, Corona, Feilhaber, Joya, and O’Neill.

Jozy Altidore, Aron Jóhannsson, and Juan Agudelo will need attacking midfielders and playmakers who can provide them with the service they need to score in the World Cup, and the likes of Davis, Zusi, and Bedoya just don’t match up to the U.S.’ better attacking midfielders that have proven that they can perform at a higher level.

To explain this gap in skill more clearly for the purpose of avoiding any misunderstanding, consider the following:

If Bradley, Dempsey, or Donovan are injured or suspended, the United States will need players like Shane O’Neill, Joe Corona, Mix Diskerud, Benny Feilhaber, and Benji Joya to compete against quality opposition.

On the off chance that Bradley, Dempsey, and Donovan couldn’t play, the U.S. could field a Front Six made up of O’Neill, Joya, Corona, Diskerud, Feilhaber, and Altidore and still be competitive, but the same thing couldn’t be said of fielding Jones, Kljestan, Bedoya, Zusi, Davis, and Altidore.

The collective thinking of the American soccer media and the American fan base is largely a parroting of Jürgen Klinsmann’s own opinions, and the reason that this is so is because many people feel that Klinsmann’s playing resume makes his coaching decisions infallible.

This refusal to question Klinsmann’s selections or to evaluate players based on their physical gifts and skills is probably the root of the problem of the United States’ tendency to underperform as far as the quality of the soccer goes.

Many people use Klinsmann’s win/loss record as evidence of the success of his methods and of his player selections, but consistent winning against better national teams requires improving the United States’ quality of play, and the steady improvement of Bradley, Dempsey, and Altidore has nothing to do with Klinsmann.

The collective skill-level of the players on the national team is directly related to the ability of the United States to begin to consistently challenge and beat better national teams.

If you were to ask a cross section of American soccer journalists who they thought should be the midfielders on the roster, you would likely find that the responses were consistent with whichever players Klinsmann had most recently called up to the national team.

Therefore, the collective thinking is probably that Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Graham Zusi, Mix Diskerud, and Fabian Johnson should be the USMNT’s midfielders, but Beckerman and Zusi can be immediately removed from the roster in favor of Corona and O’Neill, Okugo, Kitchen, or Edu.

The problem with the collective thinking is that if Bradley, Donovan, or Dempsey is unavailable for a game, then the national team is without viable substitutes.

By putting Feilhaber, Corona, and Diskerud on the roster, you ensure that those three players are available to allow the United States to pass well and create scoring chances.

While the collective thinking is that Bradley, Jones, Beckerman, Dempsey, Donovan, Zusi, Diskerud, and F. Johnson should be the USMNT’s midfielders, World Soccer Source believes that Bradley, Jones, O’Neill, Joya, Dempsey, Donovan, Corona, Feilhaber, and Diskerud represent a group of players who have the tools necessary to compete in the World Cup.

The decision is yours, but there isn’t any real evidence that Zusi and Beckerman can outperform talented and proven players like Corona, Feilhaber, Joya, or O’Neill against higher-level competition.

Then, there’s always Freddy Adu who has shown the ability to open up games and create scoring chances against top competition. Not a bad option to put on the roster given the lack of technical ability and creativity on the United States Men’s National Team.

Can Graham Zusi and Alejandro Bedoya really outplay Freddy Adu? The evidence says they can’t.

The good thing about Adu is that he can be listed as a forward in place of Terrence Boyd, which gives the USMNT four forwards: Jozy Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Aron Jóhannsson, and Freddy Adu.

This group of players leaves 10 rosters spots open for seven defenders and three goalkeepers, and O’Neill and Cameron triple as center backs, as defensive midfielders, and as outside backs.

 

The USMNT Best XI: October 2013

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Coming into October of 2013, and since the United States has already qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, here is the Best Starting XI that Jürgen Klinsmann can start for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in October.

Michael Bradley and John Anthony Brooks are currently injured with an ankle injury and elbow injury, respectively, but here is the best Starting XI that the United States could use, if both players are healthy in time.

This starting line-up combines proven-players with players who have shown a real ability to offer the United States Men’s National Team upgrades in certain areas, most notably in the defense and at the playmaker role.

The national team must keep starting its very best players like Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, and Jozy Altidore, but it should fill the rest of the starting line-up with new players with the tools to compete at the next level.

Here is World Soccer Source’s Best Starting XI for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers:

GOALKEEPER: Brad GUZAN

Chosing Brad Guzan over Tim Howard is a tough decision because Tim Howard excels at making game-saving stops that register high on the difficulty scale. There is some concern that Howard doesn’t always come off his line to collect balls played in the air fairly close to his own six-yard box, but goalkeepers are often judged too harshly. Nevertheless, it’s time to see if Guzan comes off his line better than Howard, and if Guzan is better at saving shots from distance than Howard is. Either way, this choice between two excellent keepers is a toss up, and until Guzan plays more, it will be hard to determine which keeper should start. Starting Guzan isn’t risky, nor is it a drop off in skill.

 

RIGHT BACK: DeAndre YEDLIN / Andrew FARRELL

The time for Jürgen Klinsmann to let DeAndre Yedlin or Andrew Farrell play right back is now. The United States has qualified for the 2014 World Cup, and both Farrell and Yedlin are better than Brad Evans. Both players are more technically-skilled than Evans, and both can stay with faster and more-skillful attackers better than Evans. Although Geoff Cameron can play right back quite well, Cameron has shown how he excels as a midfield destroyer with his tackling, passing, and running, so it’s better to let a natural and explosive outside back like Yedlin or Farrell play right back. Both Yedlin and Farrell are extremely fast and technically-skilled, but Farrell’s tackling is likely better than Yedlin’s (but Yedlin’s defense and tackling are quite good). Time will tell if Yedlin or Farrell is better or if they are just different, and time will tell if Farrell proves to be better suited to be a starting USMNT center back.

 

CENTER BACK: Shane O’NEILL

Just like DeAndre Yedlin and Andrew Farrell are legitimate options for the United States and likely upgrades at right back, Shane O’Neill is an upgrade at center back to both Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler. O’Neill is a better defender and a better soccer player in general, and O’Neill possesses a complete skill-set that allows him to play better defense and pass and dribble out of trouble better than Gonzalez and Besler. Both Gonzalez and Besler have become familiar to American soccer fans, and the recent winning streak makes people afraid to accept the possibility that there is another level above that at which Besler and Gonzalez play.

 

CENTER BACK: John Anthony BROOKS

Assuming he’s healthy, John Anthony Brooks should start at left center back for the USMNT. Brooks is a starting center back for Hertha Berlin at 20 years old, and he was named to the Bundesliga Team of the Week twice already this season. These facts combined with his agility, size, skill on the ball, and athleticism are just too much to ignore, and Brooks showed that he was ready to play international soccer against top competition when he started against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

LEFT BACK: Chris KLUTE

Chris Klute is the best American left back in the American player pool. Klute offers better defending and more speed than Fabian Johnson or DaMarcus Beasley, and Klute is a constant attacking threat who creates a lot of goals. Klute’s defending and attacking skills combined with his athleticism (most notably his world-class speed) make him too good to not incorporate into the national team now. Skeptics will argue that Klute is inexperienced, but since any defender has the potential to make a mistake or be beaten in any game, the possibility that a new defender may be beaten a few times is just an irrational excuse to ignore a talented player at a position where the United States is weak.

 

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER: Geoff CAMERON

Geoff Cameron’s passing, tackling, skill on the ball, and tireless and smooth running make for an excellent midfield destroyer to patrol the back of the midfield, while Michael Bradley has more freedom to attack and drop back as he sees fit. Jermaine Jones also likes to participate in the attack when he plays for the United States, and starting Cameron over Jones prevents a hole from being left in front of the American defense.

 

BOX-TO-BOX MIDFIELDER: Michael BRADLEY

Michael Bradley is a defensive midfielder who was always skilled as a passer and as a defender, and his trademark was his ability to run for the full 90 minutes participating all over the field. Bradley’s passing and technical ability have progressively improved, and Bradley’s forays into the attack and his combination play with Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan make him the ideal player to provide Cameron passing and defensive support deeper in the midfield, in addition to providing the link from Cameron to the attacking midfielders and strikers.

 

RIGHT MIDFIELDER: Landon DONOVAN

Landon Donovan’s skill-level and experience are a vital component of the USMNT, and using Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan together as attacking midfielders gives the United States good passing and excellent attacking in the midfield. Donovan’s speed and his ability to score and set up goals are well-documented. Starting Dempsey and Donovan together should be a priority for Jürgen Klinsmann.

 

PLAYMAKER: Benny FEILHABER

Benny Feilhaber brings playmaking qualities that Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan don’t have. Whereas Donovan and Dempsey are skilled-attackers who can score or help to create goals, Feilhaber is an actual playmaker who makes sure players like Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, and Clint Dempsey receive service when they make their runs in the final third. Feilhaber is a proven-performer, and he allows Dempsey and Donovan to focus on scoring goals and combining with Altidore, rather than being tasked with providing all of the playmaking responsibilities.

 

LEFT MIDFIELDER: Clint DEMPSEY

Whether Clint Dempsey is playing as an attacking midfielder out on the left or playing as a second striker, his role is a fluid role built around passing and moving throughout the attack in an effort to score or set up goals. As the best American soccer player ever and the most skilled American player now, Clint Dempsey is an obvious inclusion in any USMNT Starting XI that is looking to have the United States playing its best soccer.

 

STRIKER: Jozy ALTIDORE

Jozy Altidore has shown that he has blossomed into a more-refined striker with improved technical-skill and better movement off the ball; Altidore has also become a more aggressive striker and a more ruthless finisher who can score with both feet and his head. Altidore’s scoring drought with Sunderland is a product of no longer playing for a team like AZ Alkmaar that places a premium on quality passing and good technical play. Sunderland’s poor form doesn’t change the fact that Altidore has become a complete striker who brings skill, athleticism, and size to the front of the American attack.

 

USMNT Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Guzan; Yedlin/Farrell, O’Neill, Brooks, Klute; Cameron, Bradley; Donovan, Feilhaber, Dempsey; Altidore.

 

Klinsmann’s USMNT Options For October Qualifiers

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Joe Benny Corona. (Photo: MexSport)
Joe Benny Corona. (Photo: MexSport)

 

Despite the possibility of Michael Bradley and John Anthony Brooks still being injured, Jürgen Klinsmann still has a lot of new options for the United States Men’s National Team’s October World Cup qualifiers.

A prudent decision for the future success of the USMNT is for Klinsmann to start many of the proven players who he has chosen to snub in the past, but he should fill the rest of the roster with new players that need to be given experience.

The math on this is simple; Klinsmann has 11 starting line-ups spots that he can reserve for some of the more-experienced American players who he has chosen to not use, and he has 12 roster spots for the new talents in American soccer.

The other alternative is to use the same roster outlined above but start the new players.

If Klinsmann wants to start more-proven players, then this is a topic that can be discussed with specificity.

For example, Klinsmann could start Brad Guzan in goal with Jonathan Spector at right back, Shane O’Neill and Michael Orozco at center back, and Eric Lichaj at left back.

In front of them, Klinsmann can start Geoff Cameron as a defensive midfielder with Joe Benny Corona, Benny Feilhaber, and Mix Diskerud as a line of three attacking midfielders.

Up top, Klinsmann could start Juan Agudelo (if he’s healthy) or Terrence Boyd with Aron Jóhannsson.

The line-up proposed above leaves 11 or 12 roster spots open for Klinsmann, depending on the health of Agudelo.

Starting in the defense, the obvious names are DeAndre Yedlin, Chris Klute, and Andrew Farrell.

This leaves eight or nine roster spots (depending on whether or not Agudelo is healthy) for goalkeepers, midfielders, and forwards.

If there are eight roster spots, calling up Nick Rimando and some other goalkeeper like Clint Irwin, Dan Kennedy, Sean Johnson, Luis Robles, or Tally Hall leaves six more roster spots to fill.

For the final six roster spots, Perry Kitchen as a defensive midfielder, Amobi Okugo as a center back and defensive midfielder, Benji Joya as a midfielder who plays as an attacking midfielder or as a box-to-box midfielder, José Villarreal as a forward or attacking midfielder, Joe Gyau as a winger or forward, and Freddy Adu as midfielder or forward (it’s time for Klinsmann to check in with Adu).

The roster proposed above includes three goalkeepers, four outside backs, four center backs, four forwards, five attacking midfielders, three defensive or box-to-box midfielders (plus Shane O’Neill and Geoff Cameron).

To be clear, the USMNT could start the following fairly-experienced XI below:

Guzan; Spector, O’Neill, Orozco, Lichaj; Cameron; Corona, Feilhaber, Diskerud; Agudelo/Boyd, Jóhannsson.

On the bench, the USMNT would have the following players available:

Rimando, Irwin/Kennedy/Robles/S. Johnson/Hall, Yedlin, Klute, Farrell, Kitchen, Okugo, Joya, Villarreal, Gyau, Adu.

Starting Guzan in goal with Spector, O’Neill, Orozco, and Lichaj forming the Back Four should be a strong enough defense to win or at least they should be strong enough to win.

In front of them, Cameron as a defensive midfielder behind a line of three attacking midfielders (Corona, Feilhaber, Diskerud) should be a midfield with a strong defender and good passer patrolling the back with three creative midfielders helping the United States to maintain possession and set up goals.

Up top, Agudelo or Boyd with Jóhannsson is a potent young strike force who at the very least should cause problems for all but the very best of international defenders.

These forwards still have room to improve, but all three of them are real threats on the international level. There is no reason to think that they aren’t capable of easily scoring against CONCACAF opposition unless they simply don’t receive enough service.

Something similar to the roster and starting line-up proposed in this article combines the best of both worlds for the United States Men’s National Team: more-experienced players that Klinsmann hasn’t favored as starters with new talents who can gain experience and help to strengthen the national team.

On the other hand, if Klinsmann wanted to use mainly new and/or younger players, then he could start the following XI:

Guzan; Yedlin, Farrell, O’Neill, Klute; Cameron, Joya; Adu, Feilhaber, Corona; Agudelo/Boyd/Jóhannsson.

What Jürgen Klinsmann really needs to learn is whether or not he’s been using the best players and if the new talents or some of the out of favor talents can improve the ability of the USMNT to better compete or win at the highest level against better national teams.

The coach of the United States enjoys using the metaphor about tossing players into the cold water, and with the 2014 World Cup approaching next summer, it’s time to see who the best American soccer players are and prepare them for the big stage.

 

 

Depth Chart: USMNT Center Backs

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The Center Back Depth Chart for the United States Men’s National Team:

 

1.) Geoff Cameron (Stoke City)

Geoff Cameron is a level above Jürgen Klinsmann’s current favorite American center backs: Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, and Clarence Goodson. Cameron’s smooth running and technical ability in a tall frame instill confidence that the United States no longer has to use center backs who are prey for international strikers.

There’s simply no way to watch Besler, Gonzalez, and Goodson in action and come to the conclusion that they have the same athleticism and defensive instincts and fundamentals as those of Geoff Cameron.

How else would Cameron be able to play as an outside back and as a defensive midfielder in the English Premier League?

Cameron is a superior soccer player in terms of his touch, technique, movement, and vision compared to Besler, Gonzalez, and Goodson, and Cameron’s tackling, defensive instincts, and agility make him a far more qualified center back to face off against better attackers. Cameron is more equipped to deal with attackers who come at him with tricks, changes of pace, speed, and movement off the ball than Klinsmann’s preferred center backs are. Cameron brings a defensive package of size, skill, and athleticism, and it’s very possible that his skills are better suited to play as a defensive midfielder.

 

2.) John Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin)

John Anthony Brooks starts for Hertha Berlin at 20 years old, and he’s fast, agile, technically-skilled, defensively-sound, comfortable on the ball, and 6’4.”

Looking toward the 2014 World Cup, Brooks possesses the tools needed to give the United States a center back that won’t be totally victimized by the better forwards and midfielders in the 2014 World Cup.

Jürgen Klinsmann played Brooks with Cameron against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and both players were only guilty of being beaten to headers by a few inches against two elite strikers when Cameron and Brooks had never played together before.

 

3.) Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids)

Shane O’Neill proved himself in the 2013 U-20 World Cup when he played against a stacked French national team that was loaded with extremely-skilled winners of the genetic lottery.

O’Neill performed well in a trial by fire, and his play in MLS this season has proven him to be a 20-year-old versatile defender who has all of the requisite tools to excel at the international level as a defender: skill, strong defensive fundamentals, agility, good instincts, smooth technical ability, size, and good athleticism.

O’Neill’s performances in MLS this season speak for themselves; all one has to do is watch his games on MLS Live. O’Neill proved he was ready for international play when he faced off against Yaya Sanogo of France and Arsenal. Any questions about O’Neill’s ability to mark a quick, fast, skilled, and tall freak of nature like Sanogo were answered in the U.S.’ tie against France in the 2013 U-20 World Cup.

 

4.) Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution)

Andrew Farrell brings skill on the ball, blazing speed, excellent tackling, a complete set of fundamentals, and impressive strength. Farrell has a ruthless streak in him where he chases down opponents and dispossesses them with hard but clean tackles where he frequently keeps possession of the ball and gets up to dribble off with it.

Farrell owes a big thank you to the Peruvians with whom he grew up who are probably the reason that rather than just being athletic and physically-imposing that he’s also technically smooth. Kick and run and boot ball are simple illegal in South America. That style of play was surely strongly discouraged in Peru.

Despite being a center back, Farrell has been playing as a right back, but Farrell can give the United States Men’s National Team a needed combination of speed and skill that has been lacking from the center of the American defense. Farrell passes and dribbles well out of the back, and he chases down opponents with no mercy.

Cameron and Brooks did well against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it’s hard to imagine that players like Gonzalez, Goodson, and Besler would have been able to hold their own against players like Edin Dzeko. Farrell, like O’Neill and Brooks, is new, but his skill-set, speed, and controlled defensive aggressiveness are a level above those of Besler, Gonzalez, and Goodson.

 

Conclusion:

The center back rankings listed above do not mesh with the conventional wisdom of the American soccer media, but the center backs listed above have the tools necessary to give the United States more talented and athletic center backs with good defensive instincts and fundamentals. It’s better to be good than to just be experienced in recent CONCACAF games.

 

The USMNT Youth Movement

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A strong argument can be made that the best Starting XI for the United States Men’s National Team would look nothing like the ones that Jürgen Klinsmann has been using with the exception of Tim Howard, Geoff Cameron, Fabian Johnson, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, and Jozy Altidore.

Those players along with Brad Guzan leave Jürgen Klinsmann and the USMNT 15 open roster spots to improve the U.S. national team.

There has been a fantastic youth movement over the last two years in the United States, and Juan Agudelo burst onto the scene a little before that time when he was only 17 years old.

The influx of new and better American players into Major League Soccer and other leagues is what the American soccer community has been waiting for. Making these new players wait to play for the national team is a poor long-term strategy and a poor strategy for the performance of the United States Men’s National Team now.

After the United States plays Mexico on Tuesday, Jürgen Klinsmann either needs to call in Jonathan Spector, Eric Lichaj, and Benny Feilhaber to play in the next World Cup qualifiers to give the United States experienced and proven players or he needs to start filling the roster with the better younger players. To be fair, Feilhaber, Spector, and Lichaj aren’t old players themselves.

The United States needs to shore up its national team all over the field, and the players to do this are currently in the American player pool. Players like Benji Joya, Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, Andrew Farrell, John Anthony Brooks, and Shane O’Neill are the most pressing.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that Juan Agudelo, Joe Benny Corona, and Mix Diskerud are young players who have been included on some of the rosters, but they haven’t played as big of a role as they deserved.

There are also players like José Villarreal who are definitely national team material, but they aren’t as needed with both Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan on the national team.

Gyasi Zardes should be ready for national team play in several months, but he too isn’t as needed with strikers like Jozy Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Aron Jóhannsson, and Eddie Johnson on the roster. Zardes’ time will come, and the more refined his attacking skills become, the harder it will be to keep him off the national team

Nevertheless, there is a growing list of players who look more than capable of playing international soccer, and some of them are more ready than others.

Of all the players discussed, several fill urgent needs.

Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, and Andrew Farrell are very talented and athletic outside backs, and the United States needs outside backs with the tools to play international soccer.

Farrell is naturally a center back, and athletic and skilled center backs like Farrell who have strong tackling instincts and skills would be beneficial to the national team.

Despite the growing popularity of Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler among the American fan base, there are two younger center backs who are better in almost every area: John Anthony Brooks and Shane O’Neill.

O’Neill can play as a defensive midfielder, as an outside back, and as a center back, and nothing about Gonzalez’s and Besler’s physical gifts or skill-sets suggests that either player is anywhere close to Shane O’Neill in terms of defensive ability, overall skill on the ball, and athleticism.

Not only is O’Neill a superior 1v1 defender and ball-winner, O’Neill does Cruyffs in his own defensive third and can dribble out of the back and play passes on the ground through crowds of people, and Gonzalez and Besler simply can’t do that.

It’s not clear where many people in the American soccer media insist that a 20-year-old Bundesliga center back is somehow less qualified than Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler who have both never played abroad nor have they put in strong performances against elite attackers, but Gonzalez and Besler are certainly skilled defenders who are far better than defenders like Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, or Oguchi Onyewu ever were.

Brooks is only 20 years old, but selection to the national team should be based on merit. Brooks is better than both Gonzalez and Besler who will both likely never play club soccer outside of the United States.

While MLS is producing very good players who are international-caliber players, there is no way to argue that Gonzalez’s and Besler’s experience in MLS make them anywhere close to as good as a 20-year-old center back like Brooks who starts for Hertha Berlin.

Brooks proved his abilities against Bosnia and Herzegovina where he was only guilty of losing sight of the ball on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s third goal when Geoff Cameron jumped up to try to get high enough to clear the cross, but the jump obstructed Brooks’ view of the ball.

Therefore, Brooks is a 20-year-old and skilled Bundesliga center back and Shane O’Neill is a 20 year old MLS center back who is more athletic and more skilled than both Gonzalez and Besler. Additionally, both Brooks and O’Neill are tall enough to not be liabilities on crosses or balls played in the air.

World Soccer Source has covered Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, Andrew Farrell, and Benji Joya extensively, and all four of those players fulfill pressing needs for the United States Men’s National Team.

Joya is a technically-skilled central midfielder who can play out wide, and he offers outstanding technical-ability and passing vision with better defense than Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan provide. Joya offers the complete package of technical-ability, defensive skill, athleticism, and a big-game mentality.

While not a true playmaker, Joya brings skills that are different but compatible with Michael Bradley’s, Clint Dempsey’s, and Landon Donovan’s.

Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell are quite simply modern outside backs (and also center backs in Farrell’s case), and they represent an improvement in skill, athleticism, and international-caliber play. Klute and Yedlin pose an attacking threat up the sidelines that the USMNT has never seen before, and Klute has an equally strong defensive-skill set, which is above Yedlin’s steadily improving defensive skills.

When comparing Farrell to Yedlin at right back, Farrell is definitely the better defender without a drop-off in speed or athleticism compared to Yedlin. Farrell’s technical-ability is close to Yedlin’s.

Of all three outside backs, Klute appears to be the fastest, but the important thing is that all three players give the United States more speed and skill at the outside back positions; all three players can play as right backs or as left backs, which is another reason that they should be on the national team.

With the arrival of the three outside backs discussed above, Kofi Sarkodie has been flying under the radar, but Sarkodie continues to be more of an attacking threat, and he too is a legitimate option for the national team; Sarkodie deserves to be included in the national team set-up more, and he should be evaluated closely and monitored.

There are numerous other young American players who are international-caliber players such as strikers like Mario Rodriguez and Alonso Hernandez, and there are defensive midfielders such as Perry Kitchen, Jared Jeffrey, and Will Trapp who are players to monitor closely.

The key to improving the United States Men’s National Team is continuing to use better players, as opposed to using makeshift line-ups that can’t do real damage to better national teams.

It’s time to start incorporating and seasoning Agudelo, Corona, Diskerud, Joya, Klute, O’Neill, Brooks, Yedlin, Farrell, Villarreal, Sarkodie, Rodriguez, Hernandez, Kitchen, Trapp, Jeffrey, and Zardes.

 

The O’Neill-Brooks Center Back Tandem

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World Soccer Source is more than willing to come right out and declare that both Shane O’Neill and John Anthony Brooks are better center backs than both Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler.

Since World Soccer Source would like to see Geoff Cameron playing as the midfield destroyer, Shane O’Neill is the center back partner being proposed for John Anthony Brooks.

This declaration doesn’t mean that Gonzalez and Besler aren’t international-caliber center backs or that they shouldn’t be on the roster, but this writer is voicing the opinion that O’Neill and Brooks are better center backs and better soccer players than Gonzalez and Besler.

When Brooks played against Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic, he really wasn’t guilty of making any serious mistakes.

On Bosnia’s first goal, Eddie Johnson was stripped of the ball in front of his own penalty box as he was trying to find a way to get the ball out of the danger zone, and Bosnia stole the ball and played a pass through John Anthony Brooks and Geoff Cameron, which both players got their feet on. So, both Brooks and Cameron both blocked an expertly played through ball, but the ball managed to ricochet through a crowd.

That’s hardly a mistake, and when Brooks and Cameron were blamed for not crashing the net to stop the second attempt after Tim Howard blocked the first shot, it is very possible that both defenders were trying to keep their marks offside.

On Bosnia’s second goal scored by Vedad Ibisevic, Geoff Cameron was likely expecting John Anthony Brooks (who was ball side of Cameron) to head a ball played in both of their directions out, but Brooks was pushed in the back in the process of going for the header. This push not only prevented Brooks from jumping, but it also threw Cameron off. There is also the argument that Vedad Ibisevic was offside, and Cameron was behind him because he was trying to keep him offside.

On Bosnia’s third goal, Geoff Cameron was closer to a cross coming in Brooks direction and Cameron jumped really high to attempt to head the cross out, but he wasn’t able to get up high enough. This writer would argue that it’s likely that this jump obstructed Brooks view of the ball coming in for a split-second, but an elite striker like Dzeko was equipped to still finish the cross with his head, even with his view obstructed for a split-second.

The point of reviewing these three goals is to demonstrate that both Cameron and Brooks put in a very good defensive performance against an elite Bosnia-Herzegovina side where their only mistakes were being beaten to two headers by fractions of a second, and on both headers, there is a strong case to be made that their timing was thrown off by the situations described above.

As John Anthony Brooks is a Bundesliga starter, the question is now, “Why should Shane O’Neill start at center back for the USMNT?”

The answer to this question is simple. O’Neill is a more talented defender than both Gonzalez and Besler because he not only has a more complete set of defensive and overall fundamentals, but he also has the athleticism and understanding of the game to play as a center back, right back, left back, and defensive midfielder.

O’Neill brings a greater amount of agility in terms of his ability to keep up with quicker and craftier attackers, whereas against Germany even Matt Besler was easily rounded by André Schürrle. Besler is certainly fast and talented, but the same degree of quickness and mobility isn’t there.

This writer would argue that the actual defensive timing and positioning of O’Neill is well beyond that of Besler and Gonzalez, and even Tab Ramos is a big Shane O’Neill supporter.

It shouldn’t be forgotten than Shane O’Neill performed very well against France’s U-20 World Cup squad, which was stacked with elite European players, whereas Gonzalez and Besler have really only played fairly well against a Germany B Team, that in all honesty took it very easy until they decided to take the scoreline from 4-1 to 4-3 in a matter of minutes.

There’s a strong argument to be made that Germany wasn’t really trying very hard until the prospect of suffering an embarrassing loss to the United States became possible.

To be fair to Gonzalez, he has had the misfortune of coming up against some forwards who almost everyone has trouble defending, including Neymar, Romelu Lukaku, and Christian Benteke

While Gonzalez and Besler are definitely international-caliber center backs, the combination of technical ability, defensive timing and fundamentals, and athleticism seen from both Shane O’Neill and John Anthony Brooks looks to be superior to that of both Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler.

Many observers view Gonzalez and Besler as locks at center back, but two realities remain: O’Neill swam with the sharks against France’s ruthless U-20 World Cup squad and Brooks is a Bundesliga starter for a major club who faced off against an elite Bosnia and Herzegovina side without showing any nerves or real weaknesses.

Gonzalez and Besler are players who are strong candidates to start at center back for the USMNT, but whether or not they are the best American center backs remains to be seen.

Jürgen Klinsmann should strongly consider the possibility that not only is John Anthony Brooks better than Gonzalez and Besler, but Shane O’Neill is as well.

 

A New USMNT Back Four

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Shane O'Neill (center) should partner with John Anthony Brooks at center back. (Photo: Bart Young / Colorado Rapids)
Shane O’Neill (center) should partner with John Anthony Brooks at center back. (Photo: Bart Young / Colorado Rapids)

 

New players like Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, and Shane O’Neill have been thoroughly covered by this writer, and with the arrival of John Anthony Brooks, it would appear that the United States Men’s National Team has a new crop of young and talented defenders who can improve the quality and efficacy of the USMNT’s Back Four.

Despite being perhaps the U.S.’ most talented center back, Geoff Cameron isn’t included in this list because he can be more effective for the USMNT as a midfield destroyer to partner with Michael Bradley who plays the more box-to-box defensive midfield role.

World Soccer Source has covered in various articles how Cameron and Bradley can partner together better than Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley, and World Soccer Source has also extensively covered how a new Front Six has emerged for the U.S. national team that has the potential to produce better and more effective soccer.

Using a Front Six made up of Geoff Cameron, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Joe Benny Corona, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore should greatly improve the USMNT, but a new and improved Back Four is needed as well.

Many observers view change as risky, but Jürgen Klinsmann’s defenses and line-ups have been characterized by change.

With the skill and athleticism that John Anthony Brooks and Geoff Cameron showed as center backs against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States displayed for perhaps the first time ever a tandem of higher-level center backs playing technically-advanced soccer against a top national team.

Given this writer’s belief that Cameron would be better served in the midfield, Brooks will need a new center back partner, and it’s time to start incorporating or starting Shane O’Neill of the Colorado Rapids as Brooks’ center back partner.

O’Neill has shown over almost a full MLS season a much higher level of technical ability, athleticism, and defensive skills than both Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler; O’Neill just didn’t receive the credit for it.

O’Neill surpasses both Gonzalez and Besler in a number of areas, including the ones outlined above, but more importantly, O’Neill is quite visibly a better overall soccer player who shows an excellent understanding of the game and where he needs to be.

Based on how well Brooks played against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to the fact that he’s a Bundesliga starter, Brooks has to be considered a starter from now on for the USMNT, and O’Neill gives Brooks a center back partner, who like Cameron, isn’t just a good defender, but a good all-around player with a thorough understanding of the game and the ability to play well when the competition goes up.

Taking nothing away from Besler and Gonzalez, the next step for the United States would be to employ more athletic and more skilled center backs like Brooks and O’Neill who are also tall with two modern outside backs like Chris Klute and DeAndre Yedlin who present a two-way threat from their outside back positions.

The United States Men’s National Team continues to have more quality players in the American player pool, but it’s time to use these players rather than waiting for some unknown amount of time to use them.

Yedlin, O’Neill, Brooks, and Klute have all shown a glimpse of what using four defenders with excellent athleticism and technical ability could look like for the USMNT, and the key to improving the national team is to actually use these better players.

While many people do not feel comfortable using new or younger players in a World Cup qualifier, it is important to not remain complacent and just ride out a winning streak, especially when the very last game against Bosnia and Herzegovina used many different players than the players responsible for the wins before.

Therefore, the USMNT has been winning with different players during the winning streak, and the next step is to have the courage to use fast and skilled two-way outside backs with tall, athletic, and skilled center backs.

Defensively, mistakes can always happen whether a coach uses the same defenders or new defenders, so there is never a guarantee that merely using most of the same defenders will eliminate mistakes. At any time, a ball can be played over or through the defensive back four, no matter how experienced they are.

If Jürgen Klinsmann learned anything during his time as head coach of the United States Men’s National Team, it’s that many of the new players that he introduced into the line-up exceeded his expectations. Players like O’Neill, Yedlin, and Klute have an extensive body of MLS performances, and in some cases, international performances that show the types of players that they are.

While playing out of position, Brad Evans and DaMarcus Beasley have held their own at right back and left back, but Yedlin and Klute look to be a higher-caliber of natural, modern outside backs who present a threat attacking and defending.

To continue to improve and close the gap with top national teams, in addition to being better prepared for the 2014 World Cup (assuming the U.S. qualifies), it is time to use the new players who have the tools needed to compete against better competition, rather than just using defenders who hold their own.

For a country that has been producing better and better players, the path to greater soccer success at the international level is to incorporate and field the new and better players.

A close examination of Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, Shane O’Neill, and John Anthony Brooks will reveal a more talented group of defenders than Brad Evans, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, and DaMarcus Beasley, even if the four defenders just mentioned have done well against CONCACAF competition.

It’s important to remember that Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, and DaMarcus Beasley didn’t play against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that the USMNT’s winning streak has included a revolving door of players.

Some of the new defenders are very impressive, and they have earned the right at the very least to be strongly considered for the USMNT.

 

MORE ON THE USMNT’S FRONT SIX AND BACK FOUR:

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/american-mls-defenders-to-watch/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/the-cameron-bradley-defensive-midfield-tandem/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/usmnt-back-four-options/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/better-usmnt-front-6-emerges/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/new-progress-in-usmnt-tactics/

 

USMNT Roster Options for Klinsmann

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Chris Klute (arms raised). (Photo: USA Today SPORTS)
Chris Klute (arms raised). (Photo: USA Today SPORTS)

 

Making an improved 23-man USMNT roster is much easier than choosing the best Starting XI.

The primary difficulty now is not finding quality American players but rather cutting the pool down to 23 players and deciding how many new players should receive roster spots.

Any national team roster normally contains three goalkeepers, four outside backs, four center backs, 4 defensive midfielders, four attacking midfielders, and four forwards, but frequently players can play more than one position so the amount of players at each position can vary.

At goalkeeper, Tim Howard and Brad Guzan are clearly the best two American goalkeepers (excluding Brad Friedel), and the only decision for Jürgen Klinsmann to make is who the the third goalkeeper should be. Maybe it should be Nick Rimando or some other goalkeeper like Clint Irwin, Dan Kennedy, Tally Hall, Sean Johnson, or Luis Robles, but perhaps Cody Cropper or some other young goalkeeper should receive the third goalkeeper spot.

When selecting center backs, a wise decision would be to have four center backs. The primary center backs to choose from for the USMNT are Geoff Cameron, George John, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Orozco, Michael Parkhurst, Tim Ream, and Matt Besler. These center backs are some of the more experienced center backs that aren’t too slow for or not skilled-enough for international play.

Additionally, there are younger center backs like Shane O’Neill, Andrew Farrell, Amobi Okugo, Gale Agbossoumonde, and Caleb Stanko who are worthy of a look. Assuming John Anthony Brooks plays for the United States, which isn’t definite, he also has to be strongly considered as a front-runner for one of the four spots.

Therefore, at center back, the coaching staff of the USMNT has at least 12 players to look at without doing more extensive scouting of all of the other options.

When choosing four center backs, the final decision comes down to deciding which center backs have the defensive instincts and fundamentals combined with the technical ability and athleticism to realistically be able to compete at the international level.

Outside back is an area of some concern for the United States. Without any exploration of new players, the obvious starting point is to choose from Eric Lichaj, Jonathan Spector, Timothy Chandler, and Fabian Johnson, but then one has to strongly consider new players like Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, and Andrew Farrell. Furthermore, Steve Cherundolo when healthy is still likely the best American outside back.

The United States has several quality defensive midfielders, and Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Geoff Cameron, and Maurice Edu are the first names that come to mind. There are additionally some MLS defensive midfielders like Perry Kitchen, Jared Jeffrey, and Jeremy Hall who need to be looked at.

Without even including Shane O’Neill and Caleb Stanko, who were listed above in the center back section, Jürgen Klinsmann has seven defensive midfielders to choose from for four spots.

Just looking at this list of defensive midfielders, Bradley, Jones, Cameron, and one other player are the obvious choices.

At the very least, Bradley, Jones, Cameron, and Edu are a good starting point unless Klinsmann is willing to pick one of the newer defensive midfielders instead of Edu.

Benji Joya falls in between the realm of the defensive midfielders and the attacking midfielders. Joya is somewhat more of an attacking midfielder than he is a defensive midfielder, even though he has stated that he is a holding midfielder. Joya has also stated that he can play a variety of positions. A young, complete midfielder like Joya is another name that deserves serious consideration for the USMNT because he can bring defensive coverage and excellent passing and attacking skills to the American midfield.

The decisions now are attacking decisions.

For a country that has a reputation for not having very technically-skilled players, the United States has more quality attacking midfielders than it has roster spots. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan should be obvious choices, and then the team realistically needs to select two playmakers. The obvious group of playmakers to choose from includes Benny Feilhaber, Joe Benny Corona, Mix Diskerud, and Freddy Adu.

While contending that Corona and Diskerud should be the playmakers on the roster is a logical and good decision, both Feilhaber and Adu have demonstrated their ability to perform well against strong opponents in international play.

Choosing Feilhaber should be a much easier choice than it appears to be for Klinsmann because Feilhaber has an excellent track record at the international level, and his comfort on the ball, passing ability, set piece taking, and his excellent shooting skills are quite evident.

Nevertheless, Corona and Diskerud have recently shown their ability to bring strong playmaking qualities to the United States, but of all of the playmakers, Feilhaber has the most international experience and the most proven-ability on the international level.

Additionally, the USMNT has wingers like Brek Shea and Joe Gyau in the player pool who can bring speed and skill as well attacking strength out wide.

At striker, the United States actually has more than four capable and effective strikers. The player pool includes Jozy Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Terrence Boyd, Eddie Johnson, Herculez Gomez (injured), and the pool has newer strikers like Mario Rodriguez, José Villarreal, Alonso Hernandez, Gyasi Zardes, Teal Bunbury, Aron Jóhannsson, and Tony Taylor.  With the exception of Villarreal, those are all first strikers including Tony Taylor, but a roster normally has four forwards who are not always just first strikers.

The goal is to close the gap with the world’s best national teams, and Jürgen Klinsmann’s roster selections always contain way too many players that are solid at the club level but lacking that next level of skill and athleticism needed to do battle with elites and magicians.

The next step for Jürgen Klinsmann should be to at least call up all of his players with the most proven-ability at the international level, and he also needs to play them together. The starting line-up of proven-players would be something like this formation below:

Tim Howard; Jonathan Spector, Michael Orozco, Maurice Edu, Fabian Johnson; Geoff Cameron, Michael Bradley; Landon Donovan, Benny Feilhaber, Clint Dempsey; Jozy Altidore.

On the other hand, if the USMNT was willing to use more inexperienced players in the defense to try and improve the level of play of the United States, then perhaps this line-up below would be a good place to start:

Howard; Yedlin, O’Neill, Farrell, Klute; Cameron, Bradley; Donovan, Feilhaber/Corona, Dempsey; Altidore.

 

American MLS Defenders to Watch

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Gale Agbossoumonde. (Source: Toronto F.C.)
Gale Agbossoumonde. (Source: Toronto F.C.)

 

This MLS season has seen the rise or appearance of several quality defenders who look to be international-caliber players who Jürgen Klinsmann and the United States Men’s National Team would be wise to call up to the national team or at least closely scout and seriously consider.

Defense is a problem for the USMNT, and with a Front Six potentially made up of Geoff Cameron, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Joe Benny Corona, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore, the defense appears to be the real problem to be addressed right now.

MLS has seen an increase in skilled American players at every position over time, and this season has shown that there are a number of exciting national team prospects playing in MLS who can improve the national team.

Below is the list of several of the more notable international-caliber MLS defenders who mark an increase in the skill-level of MLS defenders.

 

Chris KLUTE

The Colorado Rapids left back has been covered in great detail by this writer, but this extremely fast outside back brings excellent defensive timing and fundamentals with a willingness to surge forward in the attack and look to play crosses or cut inside toward the penalty box. Klute is a two-footed left back who has a tall, lean frame that makes him a natural runner and sprinter, but his game is built on using his speed and skill in concert, as opposed to just relying on speed. An excellent athlete who plays with skill, elegance, and aggressiveness.

More on Chris Klute:

http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/07/soccer-website-calls-rapids-defender-chris-klute-best-us-left-back

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/player-profile-chris-klute/

 

Andrew FARRELL

The New England Revolution right back has described himself as a center back who has been playing as a right back for New England, and his speed and technical ability allows him to be able to defend fast and crafty attackers by dispossessing them and passing or dribbling out of trouble in the back. While Farrell has excelled as a right back, the USMNT could use speed, strength, technical ability, and good defensive qualities in the center of the national team’s defense. Farrell has been receiving more media attention that Chris Klute, but both players are new and exciting talents that the national team would be wise to incorporate.

 

DeAndre YEDLIN

The Seattle Sounders right back has received even more media attention than Farrell and Klute, in addition to a spot on the MLS All-Star team. Yedlin is an exciting player who brings speed and aggressive attacking play at right back, and this is something that the USMNT has never really had. Yedlin looks to go forward as much as possible, and he knows how to play wall passes and make overlapping runs as he looks to break down the sideline. Looking at Klute, Farrell, and Yedlin, there is a nice crop of new MLS defenders who look to be international-caliber defenders in terms of their skill and athleticism. Often described as primarily an outside back that attacks well but lacks some polish defensively, Yedlin doesn’t shy away from slidetackles, and he possesses both good timing on his tackles and an ability to tackle leading with either his right or left foot. Yedlin’s defending is better than it’s made out to be, and perhaps the USMNT would be wise to not hold the age and lack of international experience of Klute, Farrell, and Yedlin against them.

 

Gale AGBOSSOUMONDE

Gale Agbossoumonde’s name has been floating around in American soccer circles for years, and the 21 year old is now playing MLS this year. Agbossoumonde’s athleticism, calmness and skill on the ball, and defensive awareness are evident, and he enjoyed a string on starts at center back while other Toronto FC center backs were injured. Agbossoumonde is an important player for MLS and the USMNT because he represents an upgrade in skill and athleticism to Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, and Oguchi Onyewu. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes for Agbossoumonde and how much he plays, but the technical and defensive skills combined with excellent athleticism are certainly evident in his game. It might be hard for Agbossoumonde to get close to seeing time with the national team unless he becomes a regular starter for Toronto FC. Regardless of playing time, Agbossoumonde is a player who has the calmness in the back as well as all of the physical gifts and technical skills to be a useful player for the U.S. national team.

 

Shane O’NEILL

The USMNT needs center backs. Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez are certainly an upgrade to Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, and Oguchi Onyewu, but Geoff Cameron is clearly the most talented and athletic center back, despite being the scapegoat for many observers. Cameron looks to be very useful as a midfield destroyer to partner with Michael Bradley in the line of two defensive midfielders, and even if Cameron were playing at center back, he would still need a capable partner.

Shane O’Neill has looked very capable and free of any serious flaws. O’Neill performed well in the 2013 U-20 World Cup, and he has excelled for the Colorado Rapids this season where he has not only played center back but also as a defensive midfielder and as an outside back. O’Neill like the other defenders listed above is young, which prevents many observers from seriously advocating for him to be included on the USMNT, but O’Neill is certainly good enough.

While Cameron was asked to play as a right back or used as a defensive midfielder, Gonzalez and Besler have held their own as center backs at the international level, but Klinsmann and the United States need more center backs. Shane O’Neill should be a serious contender for one of the center back spots on the USMNT, and O’Neill’s play in MLS and with the U-20 squad has received widespread praise. O’Neill’s age shouldn’t prevent him from being taken seriously for a national team spot, especially since he can perform as a center back, outside back, and as a defensive midfielder.

 

WHERE DO THESE DEFENDERS FIT INTO THE USMNT POOL?

At center back, the current players who actually have the combination of defensive qualities, technical ability, and athleticism to really compete against better competition are Geoff Cameron, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Michael Parkhurst, Matt Besler, and Omar Gonzalez. The center backs listed above (Agbossoumonde, Farrell, and O’Neill) deserve the opportunity to show how they compare to the defenders listed in the previous sentence. As Cameron looks to be a vital piece of fielding a strong midfield, the younger MLS defenders deserve an opportunity to compete with Orozco, Parkhurst, Besler, and Gonzalez for center back spots.

The situation at the outside back positions is totally different for the national team, as Timothy Chandler’s level of commitment is unclear and many of the selections at outside back look to be merely makeshift selections. Additionally, Fabian Johnson appears to be more of a winger than a left or right back.

Furthermore, outside backs like Jonathan Spector and Eric Lichaj have been totally frozen out of the national team set-up by Klinsmann.

Given this outside back situation, players like Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell (who also plays as a center back) deserve serious consideration, rather than holding their age against them. Lots of young players prove to be valuable and necessary additions to national teams, and the USMNT simply isn’t good enough to not consider players like Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell.

 

OTHER AMERICAN MLS DEFENDERS TO WATCH CLOSELY:

Amobi OKUGO

Zach LOYD

London WOODBERRY

 

MORE COVERAGE OF THE USMNT DEFENSE:

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/usmnt-back-four-options/