USMNT

The Return of Chris Klute

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The Return of Chris Klute

With the return of Chris Klute of the Portland Timbers back to full fitness, he immediately moves into discussion for a roster spot on the United States Men’s National Team at left back because the United States still doesn’t have one. Of course, Brek Shea, Jorge Villafaña, Fabian Johnson, and Kellyn Acosta all come to mind for the two roster spots for left back, but Jürgen Klinsmann has refused to settle on or stick with a viable choice.

Although Johnson is the clear front runner in that group, Johnson has a tendency to not track back enough on defense and run out of stamina during games. If you also consider the fact that Johnson is really a winger, then Klute’s name must be considered a viable possibility for the national team’s left back (Klute also plays right back).

Klute has several qualities that make him an worthy option to be the United States’ left back. He’s lightning fast and truly a two-way outside back, and Klute is technically-sound with both feet and a solid defender. Unlike many of the other left back options, Klute is not only comfortable playing the position, but he’s also very comfortable with both feet. He doesn’t have a tendency to avoiding using one of his feet to control, win, or play the ball.

Speed kills, and probably no one in MLS is as fast as Klute. But, don’t dismiss Klute has a speed merchant without technical ability or defensive skill. Klute is a clean tackler that times his tackles well. Having a left back that can chase down attackers and attack himself down the sideline can only help the U.S. National Team.

One area where Klute needs to improve is his willingness to shoot on goal when he gets himself near the penalty box. Klute can burn defenders and cut inside with ease, but he frequently doesn’t take advantage of the prime position into which he has put himself. Klute needs to channel his inner-Marcelo and let those shots fly. Rather than stopping his attacking forays and looking to drop the ball off to someone behind him, Klute needs to keep surging forward and force the goalkeeper to make a save.

Playing for the United States would expose some areas where Klute must improve, but Klute is quality outside back with an amazing x-factor of world-class speed.

Michael Bradley Should Play Defensive Midfielder for USMNT

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Michael Bradley Should Play Defensive Midfielder for USMNT

Michael Bradley was born to play as a defensive midfielder. Bradley’s incredible engine – meaning his cardiovascular stamina – has been praised for years, and this has caused some coaches and fans to push for him to play a more offensive role in the midfield. But, Bradley’s ability to run hard for more than 90 minutes is a key quality for a defensive midfielder.

Having the energy and endurance to constantly cover for the defense and present oneself as a constant passing option is vital for a defensive midfielder. Somehow, there is a belief that Bradley’s ability to run nonstop is wasted as a defensive midfielder, but that position is a physically demanding position. In fact, not having the air in one’s lungs or the power in one’s legs to be able to mark and chase down opposing players would be a major problem.

At the base of the midfield, Bradley can control the United States’ passing and protect the American backline from being overrun and burned. Playing the defensive midfield role doesn’t mean that Bradley can’t advance forward together with the team, and it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have any cover to make attacking forays. The Number 8 midfielder or box-to-box midfielder has the responsibility to cover for the defensive midfielder in this situation. The American midfield needs a tireless runner at its base, and this is where Bradley can best use his skill set. The base of the midfield even affords Bradley more touches on the ball, and therefore more influence on the game.

The misuse and miscasting of players has been a constant problem for Jürgen Klinsmann, and a non-American example of this was his attempt to get rid of Thomas Müller when Klinsmann was the coach of Bayern Munich. Bradley and Jermaine Jones have been consistently misused by Klinsmann, and the American midfield continues to be too weak as a result of not having a defensive midfielder with the technical ability and athleticism to truly compete against top national teams.

With the emergence of Darlington Nagbe, it makes sense to use the more dynamic Nagbe in his natural role as a Number 8 with a flair for the offensive. This means Bradley as the Number 6 and Nagbe as the Number 8 makes a lot of sense for the United States, and as World Soccer Source has previously written, Sebastian Lletget should be given the Number 10 role and set loose.

Bradley has many years of excellent soccer ahead of him, and it’s time to stop forcing him into different midfield roles that don’t suit him or his teams. For the National Team, using Bradley correctly as a defensive midfielder ultimately means the more creative Nagbe and Lletget can play the more attacking roles.

Don’t forget that, with AS Roma, Bradley’s position was listed as a “mediano” which is the midfield destroyer role.

Sebastian Lletget For the USMNT

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Sebastian Lletget for the U.S. Men’s National Team

Sebastian Lletget is the Number 10 that the United States have been looking for. The LA Galaxy attacking midfielder and forward brings creativity, technical skill, quickness, a low center of gravity, and active movement off the ball.

Lletget is a triple threat in that he brings passing, dribbling, and scoring. Recently against the Portland Timbers, Lletget showed how he can thrive when playing his natural position as a playmaker. With Robbie Keane injured, all of the passing and play came through Lletget, and he was able to showcase what he can do when playing his best position. The former U.S. youth international is a complete enough attacker that he has also thrived with the Galaxy in a wide role, but in the middle, Lletget has more touches on the ball.

As several people have commented on social media, there are shades of Clint Dempsey in Lletget’s balletic dribbling, and this sort of comfort and facility on the ball is the main skill that the United States and American soccer have been missing. Let’s not forget that Lletget also knows how to put the ball in the back of the net with both feet. He’s proven himself to be a composed finisher.

Lee Nguyen and Darlington Nagbe have shown well with the national team, but their inclusion doesn’t exclude Lletget. In fact, taking nothing away from Nguyen, Lletget is a more valuable player than Nguyen. Despite being an attacking midfielder, Nagbe does bring a box-to-box element to the national team, so there’s no reason to think that he and Lletget cannot play together. Right now, a strong argument could be made that the best three-man midfield might be Michael Bradley, Darlington Nagbe, and Dillon Powers, and this leaves room for Lletget to start in the attack with Dempsey and a center forward.

The United States needs Lletget’s skill-set as a goalscoring playmaker that has a direct and creative style of play. Someone needs to provide some of the creativity and skill that usually only Dempsey brought to the table, so why not let Lletget play with Dempsey this summer in the Copa America Centenario?

Lletget is ready to play for the United States now. He isn’t just a promising player or an interesting prospect, but he is arguably the best American attacking midfielder now along with Nagbe. Based on his club form since the beginning of the 2015 MLS season and his overall skill level, Lletget should not only be on the national team roster, but he should be a starter.

Selecting a USA Copa America Centenario squad (April 2016)

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Selecting a USA Copa America squad (April 2016)

If you’re a fan of the U.S. Men’s National Team, then you should be concerned about how good the competition will be in the Copa America Centenario. Whether or not Lionel Messi, Luís Suárez, or Neymar play, most of the national teams are much better than the United States. The United States have a decent national team with certain players who are much better than the rest of the team, but with the best American footballers playing together, the United States can play better than ever under Jürgen Klinsmann’s tenure as coach.

In the last World Cup qualifier against Guatemala, Klinsmann made sure to not field an unbalanced lineup with players out of position, and several players like DeAndre Yedlin and Steve Birnbaum proved to be improvements to previous players at their positions. This is something positive for the United States. With Geoff Cameron partnering with Birnbaum in the center of the defense, the American defense looks more technical and less porous.

I’ve always contended that Klinsmann doesn’t ever have a first team in mind with substitutes for each position, and this causes him to select a roster that has too many players for some positions and not enough for others.

Looking at the American player pool and recent U.S. games, it is possible to propose a decent 23-man roster starting with the goalkeepers and on down to the center forwards.

Goalkeepers

Brad Guzan, William Yarbrough, David Bingham

Brad Guzan is the Number 1 right now as he’s younger than Howard and playing regularly in the EPL. The second-choice goalkeeper should be William Yarbrough who has performed solidly for the United States when given the chance, plus he’s a starting goalkeeper in Liga MX. Yarbrough is a reliable goalkeeper that’s good with his hands and feet, and he’s in good form. Maybe some of the other goalkeepers in the pool are just as good or better, but Yarbrough is a wise choice here. David Bingham looks like the third goalkeeper for now. He has been widely praised for his play in MLS. Clint Irwin has a case here as well.

Defenders

Center Backs (4): Geoff Cameron, Steve Birnbaum, John Brooks, Matt Miazga

Right Backs (2): DeAndre Yedlin, Fabian Johnson

Left Backs (2): Brek Shea, Jorge Villafaña

Cameron and Birnbaum seem like the best center back options right now, but Matt Miazga and John Brooks are quality center backs that also bring the combination of skill, athleticism, and defending. Let’s not forget the Miazga is on Chelsea’s roster, and Brooks is a proven Bundesliga center back who is a frequent scapegoat for USA fans.

If you follow American soccer, then the outside backs are self-explanatory. With two right backs and two left backs listed, this group is already better than Klinsmann’s normal treatment of outside backs as an afterthought. Yedlin and Johnson are the best starting options, but there is some concern that Johnson doesn’t always look like he has the stamina to track back on defense. Shea normally looks like he has more energy to chase down attackers out wide. Johnson is a much better winger than outside back, but he’s needed here on the roster to fit in the midfielders needed below.

Midfielders

Defensive Midfielders (4): Michael Bradley, Perry Kitchen, Fatai Alashe, Kellyn Acosta

Attacking Midfielders (4): Dillon Powers, Darlington Nagbe, Sebastian Lletget, Christian Pulisic

The midfielders included here are essentially two defensive midfielders, two box-to-box midfielders, two attacking midfielders, and two wings (Ethan Finlay listed in the forwards is a winger by trade as well and Sebastian Lletget is really a Number 10). With these eight midfielders, the American roster actually has the personnel needed to field a balanced and effective three or four-man midfield. Fatai Alashe and Kellyn Acosta are great examples of how Bradley is needed more as the defensive midfielder instead of the box-to-box midfielder which is where these two thrive, and Klinsmann rates both of them. Kitchen is a true Number 6, and he has shown himself to be a player with the requisite athleticism and skill-set to play the defensive midfielder role at the international level. Dillon Powers hasn’t been used by Klinsmann before, but can anyone who follows American soccer really doubt this player?  One area where American soccer has improved is the arrival of midfielders like Powers who have a higher baseline of skill than most of the American players before them. For this writer, Sebastian Lletget is too talented to leave off. Lletget has really stood out in the American player pool as a talented, technical, and creative attacking player that can really play. The LA Galaxy midfielder/forward is a true Number 10 that can play wide or centrally and combine with talented players like Dempsey. Lletget is a goal-scoring playmaker with good vision and creativity, and the U.S. really needs those qualities. Lletget also plays as a second striker. During the month of April Christian Pulisic has proven to be a real talent for Borussia Dortmund. This player is much more than hype, as the Bundesliga player has displayed individual skill, quickness, and creativity against strong European club competition.

 

Forwards

Second Strikers (2): Clint Dempsey, Ethan Finlay

Center Forwards (2): Juan Agudelo, Rubio Rubin

With Juan Agudelo and Rubio Rubin as the center forwards, World Soccer Source is picking the skill and dynamism of those two over the familiarity with seeing Jozy Altidore’s name always on the team sheet. Altidore is a capable Number 9, but Agudelo and Rubin bring more skill and activity to the head of the attack. Ethan Finlay is needed to play as a second striker or as a wing on either side. Finlay brings plenty of passing ability and speed to the attack, and he also knows how to put the ball in the back of the net. Clint Dempsey is still the undisputed best American player, and he’s needed to score and lead the attack.

 

Article Updated on April 29, 2016

The Best USMNT XI (April 2016)

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The Best United States Men’s National Team XI (April 2016)

With the Copa America Centennario coming up this summer, Jürgen Klinsmann should continue to use more appropriate lineups like the one he used against CONCACAF minnows Guatemala. Using players out of position needs to be a thing of the past for Klinsmann.

Against Guatemala, the United States started a defense composed of DeAndre Yedlin at right back, Geoff Cameron and Steve Birnbaum at the center back spots, and Edgar Castillo at left back. Left back continues to be a position without a clear best option, but certainly Yedlin, Cameron, and Birnbaum are all qualified and capable of manning the other three positions in the defense.

Both Cameron and Birnbaum looked comfortable on the ball and defensively solid, and both center backs bring the level of athleticism needed to perform at the international level, especially against soccer’s giants in South America. Yedlin too looked strong and comfortable, and the young right back finally looks like the clear best option at that position.

Klinsmann started Kyle Beckerman, Michael Bradley, and Graham Zusi in the midfield, and certainly Beckerman and Zusi are a level below Bradley. Beckerman is a trustworthy defensive midfielder, but he’s always been on the slow side. Now in his mid-thirties, it’s time to have a quicker defensive midfielder starting.

Bradley is a born defensive midfielder, and something of a prototypical defensive midfielder. Surely, starting Bradley at the defensive midfielder spot in a midfield three is the best choice for Klinsmann and the United States.

Darlington Nagbe thrived in MLS in a box-to-box role, and he has been a standout in his several appearances with the national team. Using Bradley and Nagbe as two of the three midfielders is really a no-brainer.

The third midfield spot could go to Lee Nguyen as the attacking midfielder or perhaps going with Dillon Powers of the Colorado Rapids as a combo Number 8/attacking midfielder would serve the best interest of the national team. Both Nagbe and Powers are two-way midfielders with the vision and passing ability to set up goals, so starting them with Bradley would make a lot of sense for the United States.

If Klinsmann elects to use the 4-3-3 formation, then the lineup needs three forwards with Clint Dempsey being the one on the left.

The center forward spot could go to Jozy Altidore, Bobby Wood, or Juan Agudelo, but Charlie Davies is a capable and proven center forward too.

On the right wing, Fabian Johnson or Ethan Finlay fit the bill, and Sebastian Lletget is also worth trying for multiple games. The L.A. Galaxy attacking midfielder has proven his ability to play quick, one-to-two touch soccer with the likes of Robbie Keane, so he is more than capable of combining with the likes of Clint Dempsey and whoever the center forward is. Lletget is too talented of an attacking midfielder to leave off the roster and starting lineup.

The type of lineup outlined above is just like Klinsmann’s most recent lineup, but there are several changes. One has to think that after Klinsmann finally came under widespread criticism about his lineups and tactics that he will be less likely to field another bizarre lineup with multiple players out of position.

The German still hasn’t done an excellent job in selecting the right players for his 23-man rosters, but perhaps a more defined lineup concept will guide his future selections. With a starting lineup in mind, Klinsmann merely has to select 11 second-choice options plus an additional goalkeeper.

The smart money would be on betting that Klinsmann won’t continue to utilize questionable tactics that insult the intelligence of American soccer fans and the media. With this change something of a guarantee, the United States should begin to display more team chemistry and more collective skill as things aren’t in so much turmoil.

The big question remaining about Klinsmann is will he continue to recycle the same group of players. Klinsmann has a bad habit of dropping and reintroducing the same players into the pool rather than testing out new ones who have more or less proven their capabilities.

Going forward, Dillon Powers, Kelyn Rowe, Jorge Villafaña, and Sebastian Lletget stand out as names that Klinsmann needs to bring in, but Klinsmann deserves credit for brining in Kellyn Acosta, Fatai Alashe, and Will Trapp. Those seven players are all players that this writer considers worthy of national team spots right now, and Klinsmann has introduced some of them into the team.

As a next step, Klinsmann would be wise to make some four lineup changes: Edgar Castillo, Kyle Beckerman, Graham Zusi, and Gyasi Zardes. As replacements for those four spots, the following players fit the bill: Villafaña at left back, Powers and Nagbe in the midfield, and Johnson or Finlay at right wing.

World Soccer Source sees something like this lineup as the logical next step for the U.S. Men’s National Team: Guzan; Yedlin, Cameron, Birnbaum, Villafaña; Powers, Bradley, Nagbe; Lletget, Agudelo, Dempsey.

How the U.S. National Team looks after the January friendlies

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After the January friendlies and recent club play, there’s a clearer picture of the best United States Men’s National Team lineup.

Tim Howard or Brad Guzan is an automatic starter in goal, and Geoff Cameron and John Brooks have to be considered the two starting center backs.

At the fullback spots, Kellyn Acosta and Jorge Villafaña have separated themselves. Acosta played left back in the recent friendlies, but right back is the position where the national team needs him most.

Villafaña enjoyed an outstanding MLS season at left back for the Portland Timbers, and his play earned him a promotion to a better team in a better league. Villafaña now plays for Santos Laguna in La Liga MX.

One huge benefit of the defense outlined above is that all five players are actually deployed in the correct position and the position where they are enjoying good form.

Midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Lee Nguyen have displayed their technical qualities in recent months (and for years before), and starting these two midfielders with Bradley would be an inspired choice. Three technical midfielders are just what the doctor ordered for the United States. The alternative is to continue to do nothing to attempt to improve the lack of enough technical ability in the midfield.

Bradley anchoring the American midfield as the defensive midfielder or central midfielder or whatever name you want to use is frankly a no-brainer. Using Bradley as an attacking midfielder is a waste of half of his skill-set and his engine. He was born to anchor the American midfield.

If the United States elects to go with the 4-3-3 formation, then all that’s left is the attacking trident made up of two wings and a center forward. For much of his career, Clint Dempsey played on the left side of the attack or midfield, and there’s no reason he can’t play as the left forward in the American attack.

Fabian Johnson’s form is too good in the Bundesliga right now to not start, so Johnson deserves that right wing starting spot.

Leading the line as the center forward should be Jozy Altidore (with Juan Agudelo deserving strong consideration). Altidore has frequently been starved for service at striker, and Altidore has become a more active and complete striker in recent years. During the January friendlies, Altidore displayed a leaner and lighter frame which can only help the extremely muscular Altidore. There’s nothing wrong with being lighter, leaner, and more agile.

Just starting the most deserving players won’t fix the United States’ problems without some continuity and chemistry. There’s nothing wrong with making adjustments to the lineup as the coach sees fit, but continuing to completely shuffle around the lineup will slow down the U.S.’ progress.

Going into World Cup qualifying, here again is that lineup that could improve the United States’ play: Guzan; Acosta, Cameron, Brooks, Villafaña; Nagbe, Bradley, Nguyen; Johnson, Altidore, Dempsey.

USMNT Positional Battles in the American Player Pool

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Despite being a national team that is criticized for lacking technical quality and game-changing creativity or skill, the United States Men’s National Team has enough depth in the player pool to have real positional battles.

Consider the center of the American defense, an area where the United States has been destroyed by quality opposition. It’s unclear what the best center back pairing is for the U.S. Is it Geoff Cameron and Matt Besler, or is Maurice Edu paired with Cameron a stronger partnership?

Edu and Cameron have really only been partnered on one occasion, but with these two players an argument can be made that they have all the club and international experience and skills needed to perform well when the better national teams play the United States. Omar Gonzalez and Besler don’t have any notable performances against elite attackers, but Edu and Cameron have much stronger club and international playing resumes. Edu has played all over Europe and in the Champions League, and Cameron is an EPL veteran. Edu is still under 30, so it remains a mystery why Edu and Cameron haven’t been allowed to show what they can do, especially since Cameron can play left center back well due to his skill with both feet.

There are other center backs in the player pool that warrant a serious look, and these center backs include Matt Hedges, Steve Birnbaum, Matt Miazga, and Andrew Farrell amongst others. Birnbaum and Hedges are left-footed and thus naturally-suited to play left center back, whereas Miazga and Farrell are more suited to play right center back – although these right and left center back labels are slightly small-minded and limiting in the center of the defense where both players are by definition aligned centrally.

There are of course battles at the fullback positions as well. Jorge Villafaña has emerged as a quality left back this season in MLS, so much so that he now plays for Liga MX side Santos Laguna. Brek Shea, Chris Tierney, Robbie Rogers, and Chris Klute must also be considered for one of the two left back spots on the roster. As for the other side of the defense, DeAndre Yedlin and Eric Lichaj have a silent battle for the starting right back spot. Lichaj as been one of the bizarre omissions by Jürgen Klinsmann.

The midfield is where the biggest positional battles should be. Michael Bradley is best when used as a defensive midfielder, and the United States needs to see if Benny Feilhaber and Darlington Nagbe can partner well with Bradley as a three-man midfield. Both are underrated in their ball-recovery and work rate.

Kellyn Acosta is another technically-skilled and athletic central midfielder with a complete skill set and huge work rate. Acosta also has many game-changing elements in his game, which range from bursting runs through the midfield to two-footed goal-scoring ability from distance. Acosta would bring a level of skill and athleticism to the midfield that the U.S. has never really had. The FC Dallas midfielder is even several levels above MLS-standout Dax McCarty as far as skill and athleticism go. Starting both Nagbe and Feilhaber over Acosta might make the American midfield too easy to penetrate and boss around.

There hasn’t been any movement in the media or fan base to start Acosta for the national team or even call him up, and this is a mystery. Perhaps too many people cling to experience as if it’s a guarantee for greater success.

What about some of the wingers in the pool? How will they fit in, and where should they play? Sebastian Lletget, Ethan Finlay, Fabian Johnson, and Kelyn Rowe are all international-caliber players, and they need to be incorporated into the roster and tested. The U.S. National Team needs to find out which wingers can help the team the most. If the team uses a 4-3-3 formation, then there are spots on the right and left wing in the attack, but Clint Dempsey should occupy one of those spots for a few more years.

Another battle is the battle for the center forward or Number 9 spot. Who should be the striker? Jozy Altidore has never been given enough service or enough quality service. It’s not good enough to just hit passes up in Altidore’s general vicinity. There is a real question of whether or not Altidore is better than Juan Agudelo and Rubio Rubin. Agudelo is likely the best striker in the pool because he has an arsenal of skills, creativity, and trickery that other American strikers don’t have. Agudelo can beat defenders off the dribble or score bicycle kicks or towering headers. Agudelo causes more problems for defenses, and he requires closer marking.

The best way to answer all of these positional questions is to systematically test out the best players vying for theses various starting spots without changing the whole lineup at the same time, and Jürgen Klinsmann is simply unwilling or incapable of doing this. If the United States wants to find its best players and its best chemistry, then the best and most proven players need to be played together while new players are tested out.

Right now, the main questions are the following:

Can Feilhaber, Bradley, and Nagbe form a viable three-man midfield?

Are Cameron and Besler a capable center back pairing, or should Edu and Cameron be tried for a while?

Who should be the starting fullbacks: Yedlin and Villafaña?

Is Agudelo a better center forward than Altidore, and does Agudelo play better with Dempsey ?

Is Fabian Johnson, Agudelo, and Dempsey the best attacking trident if the 4-3-3 formation is used or should Finlay and Lletget start somewhere in the Front Three?

Those are the main questions, but these are the main positional battles:

Wingers- Sebastian Lletget vs. Ethan Finlay vs. Kelyn Rowe vs. José Villarreal

Attacking Midfielder- Benny Feilhaber vs. Darlington Nagbe vs. Lee Nguyen vs. Sebastian Lletget vs. Luis Gil

Central Midfielders- Benny Feilhaber vs. Darlington Nagbe vs. Dillon Powers vs. Kellyn Acosta vs. Dax McCarty

Defensive Midfielders- Michael Bradley vs. Maurice Edu vs. Kellyn Acosta vs. Dax McCarty vs. Perry Kitchen vs. Victor Ulloa

Left Backs- Jorge Villafaña vs. Chris Klute vs. Brek Shea vs. Robbie Rogers vs. Chris Tierney

Left Center Backs- John Brooks vs. Matt Besler vs. Matt Hedges vs. Steve Birnbaum

Right Center Backs- Maurice Edu vs. Omar Gonzalez vs. Andrew Farrell vs. Matt Miazga vs. Zach Loyd

Right Backs- Eric Lichaj vs. DeAndre Yedlin vs. Kofi Sarkodie vs. London Woodberry

Goalkeepers- Clint Irwin vs. Bill Hamid vs. Luís Robles vs. Tally Hall

Three Improvements for the U.S. National Team in 2016

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Since the U.S. Men’s National Team has been having a major problem keeping possession and creating scoring chances, there is plenty to improve in 2016.

Here are three things the U.S. National Team can do to improve in 2016:

Play Michael Bradley as a defensive midfielder

Once Bradley has been named the team’s starting defensive midfielder, then two or three other midfielders can be chosen to play with him to improve the midfield’s possession problems.

If a three-man midfield is used, then a center midfielder and attacking midfielder can be penciled in to start. There is also the option of starting two other center midfielders with Bradley.

Looking at the American player pool, both Kellyn Acosta and Dillon Powers can start as the center midfielder with Bradley, and Benny Feilhaber, Darlington Nagbe, or Sebastian Lletget can be started as the attacking midfielder. Once Bradley’s position is settled as a defensive midfielder, then the National Team can find the best supporting class to help the team actually keep possession and look to dictate the game.

Include an attacking midfielder in the lineup

As discussed above, Feilhaber, Nagbe, and Lletget are all Number 10s or playmakers. Any of them can improve the U.S. National Team from going from no playmaking at all to at least some.

Feilhaber has been blackballed by Jürgen Klinsmann, but both Nagbe and Lletget can start at the same time. Whether a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation is used, Nagbe and Lletget can both start. In the 4-2-3-1, Nagbe and Lletget can be used in the line of three with Dempsey, and in the 4-3-3, Nagbe can be given a spot in the three-man midfield with Lletget given a spot in the attacking trident.

No matter what the National Team does, an attacking midfielder needs to start to fix the total lack of possession in the midfield and the lack of link-up play with the attack.

Build a 23-man roster with a Starting 11 in mind and substitutes for every position

Picking a Starting 11 and its substitutes should be an easy albeit controversial exercise for the U.S. National Team coach.

It’s easy to select a decent national team roster, but finding world-class players isn’t easy for anyone. Klinsmann can rightly claim that he doesn’t have world-class players, but he doesn’t have the right to say that he can’t call up a decent, balanced roster.

In 2016, the U.S. National Team needs to use an effective roster where every position has a first and second-choice option. Instead of using the best players he has, Klinsmann thinks he has to play players out of position because he doesn’t have world-class players. For Klinsmann, having a bizarre lineup is better than having a decent lineup.

The American Soccer Non-Crisis

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There isn’t a crisis in American soccer right now, but there is a need for change on the U.S. Men’s National Team. Major League Soccer will gradually improve over time as the percentage of more technical and athletic players increases.

As head coach of the national team, Jürgen Klinsmann has spent some four years either omitting needed players from the roster or playing players out of position, and this has resulted in dull and ineffective soccer that doesn’t look anything like aggressive or proactive play.

Too often the lineups have been lacking enough technical or creative midfielders to link up the more defensive midfielders with the attack. While the United States doesn’t have any world-class attacking midfielders, it does have attacking midfielders that can improve the team’s passing and attacking play from where it’s at now.

The constant rotation of the same players in and out of the roster has never really corrected the problem of make-shift midfields and defenses. Clint Dempsey has done as well as he can without any real help on the roster except for Michael Bradley in the midfield, but Bradley is a defensive midfielder that Klinsmann has oddly been playing as an attacking midfielder for a year now.

Without Bradley anchoring the midfield, the rest of the midfield is mostly filled with different players played out of position, whether it be Mix Diskerud or Alejandro Bedoya as a defensive midfielder or Gyasi Zardes as a wing or outside midfielder.

At the bare minimum, Klinsmann should be using his best options at the correct positions rather than always fielding at least one player out of position. Even just one player used out of position can kill the chemistry and interplay of the other 10 players.

The best professional American soccer players are going to stand out and be noticed by the media, fans, and club coaches, so as a first step the United States needs a coach that at least fields a lineup that makes sense and then makes adjustments as new or different players distinguish themselves.

Most clubs and national teams make coaching changes when they feel new ideas are needed, and this make Klinsmann’s long-tenure as head coach unusual.

As technical director of U.S. Soccer, Klinsmann has made it clear that he believes that the problem with the national team is a lack of talent in the player pool, but this opinion only explains the lack of elite-level soccer from the men’s national team and not the lack of decent collective play on the national team.

It seems unlikely that Klinsmann will make fundamental changes to how he selects players to the national team and makes lineups, and this means that the person above Klinsmann, Sunil Gulati needs to remove Klinsmann from both of his positions (technical director and head coach).

There is a talent gap between the United States Men’s National Team and the top soccer nations, and there is even a big gap between Clint Dempsey and every other outfield player except for Michael Bradley.

Klinsmann’s bizarre rosters and tactics combined with his insistence on publically trashing his players and never taking any of the blame for results mean that Klinsmann must be replaced.

Replacing Klinsmann won’t make the U.S. Men’s National Team an elite team, but it can allow a new coach to come in and field tactically-sound lineups that can be improved as better players distinguish themselves.

The Best USMNT XI (August 2015)

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Jürgen Klinsmann keeps starting players out of position for the U.S. Men’s National Team, and he won’t stop doing it. Players are started out of position every game for the United States.

As much as there is a need to start all 11 players at one of their natural positions, there is also a need to incorporate several new players into the starting lineup.

The American Midfield Three and Attacking Trident

Starting a more dynamic center forward like Juan Agudelo is a must for the USA, but so is starting Ethan Finlay out on the right wing. Finlay brings a real wide threat as much as he brings an overall ability to set up goals and score them.

Using Finlay out right allows Dempsey to play left of the center forward, and this creates a more dynamic and versatile American attack.

Benny Feilhaber and Sebastian Lletget would be excellent choices to start to the left and right of Michael Bradley, who should play in the center of the midfield as the anchor, metronome, and defensive stopgap in front of the Back Four.

The quality of the passing and the amount of possession is not good enough for the USMNT, and starting Lletget, Bradley, and Feilhaber improves these midfield problems of passing and low technical ability.

Currently, the United States’ tactics seem to be just Bradley getting the ball and blazing forward into the attack on solo dribbling forays and hoping that Clint Dempsey scores. Bradley’s engine and ability to push the ball upfield are great qualities, but having a central midfield advance solo upfield is predictable and easy to stop.

Bradley’s qualities are better maximized when combined with Feilhaber and Lletget who are better in the final third than Bradley. Both Feilhaber and Lletget are exciting midfielders in their own right who aren’t just support for Bradley. The U.S. would be better served with Bradley sitting in front of the defense and orchestrating the midfield’s play from a slightly deeper position.

The American Back Four 

The center of the American defense continues to be a weak spot, and Maurice Edu and Geoff Cameron have proven to be a strong center back pairing in the past against Mexico. The USMNT needs to right the ship, and at least Edu and Cameron are experienced, talented, and athletic – plus they are in their prime.

Using these two with Bradley sitting in front of them as a center midfielder can shore up the United States’ poor defense, which really might be less to blame for the poor performances  for the USA than the weak midfield.

It’s common to scapegoat central defenders and goalkeepers, but many defensive problems stem from a midfield that gets bossed around and taken to task by the opposition.

With the midfield and the attack already discussed, the outside backs have been glossed over. Eric Lichaj at right back and Greg Garza at left back are strong choices for now, and it’s difficult to argue that there are better options at these positions right now.

DeAndre Yedlin is a much better right back than he gets credit for, and having a right back with electric pace like Yedlin’s makes for a harder right flank to get behind and stay behind. Yedlin has shown that he can defend well 1v1, and he can quickly recover to dispossess or tackle attackers if he’s initially beaten.

Even though many people want to see Tim Howard return as the starting goalkeeper, Brad Guzan is an excellent, experienced, and proven goalkeeper, and it’s his time. The time has come to pass the torch to Guzan, who has been ready for years to start for the National Team. Guzan isn’t a step down from Howard, and it’s time to make this change.

Game Tactics

Compared to previous USMNT lineups, this lineup uses proven players in their natural positions, and it includes newcomers like Finlay and Lletget whose qualities the National Team needs now. Delaying their inclusion is unwise and pointless.

A midfield three with Lletget, Bradley, and Feilhaber has a balance of ball recovery and ball possession, and the overall technical quality of this trio is higher than most midfields the National Team has used in the past. This trio will be able to provide enough service and link-up play for an attacking trident of Finlay, Agudelo, and Dempsey.

If Dempsey is still injured or if the USMNT wants to try out an attack for the future, then Lletget can be started in the attack with Dillon Powers taking his midfield spot.

Below is the USA lineup discussed above:

Goalkeeper- Brad GUZAN (Aston Villa)

Right Back- Eric LICHAJ (Nottingham Forest)

Center Back- Maurice EDU (Philadelphia Union)

Center Back- Geoff CAMERON (Stoke City)

Left Back- Greg GARZA (Atlas)

Right Midfielder- Benny FEILHABER (Sporting Kansas City)

Center Midfielder- Michael BRADLEY (Toronto FC)

Left Midfielder- Sebastian LLETGET (Los Angeles Galaxy)

Right Wing- Ethan FINLAY (Columbus Crew)

Center Forward- Juan AGUDELO (New England Revolution)

Left Wing- Clint DEMPSEY (Seattle Sounders)