Team USA Soccer

BigRedBuster said:
Oh...so you're saying the GC in 2021 will be half way through the final round of qualifying.  

I'm just confused on the qualifying because I read somewhere yesterday that the qualifying for 2022 has started.  I can't imagine how you can start qualifying for something that isn't going to take place for another 3 years.  
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They probably meant preparation starts now. If our younger guys develop to their full potential then we'll be really young in 2022. No starters 30+ years of age type of young. We need to make sure those guys are getting quality minutes in good leagues otherwise we're SOL. There's a 'lost generation' essentially between the Donovan/Dempsey age group to the Pulisic/McKennie age group.

 
Left Backs:

Starters

?

Backups

1. Kik Pierie 18 Ajax(CL)

2. Antonee Robinson 21 Everton

3. Chris Gloster 18 Hannover 96

Thoughts

Incredibly thin at this postion. I could've thrown a couple older guys in but by the time the WC rolls around I don't think any of them will have the quality or the legs to make much of a difference for us. Berhalter played Ream/Lovitz in this spot but both are more CBs or LBs in a 3 man back line (which is essentially what we had at the GC). Not a fan of losing a fullback in the attack so I'd rather stray from us going that route. Maybe play a RB if no true LBs can develop. Kik is a dual national with the Netherlands who has played his YNT games with them. He probably stays with the Netherlands but there is ample minutes to be had in US for an entire career if he wants it. Robinson played really well in last years friendlies where we rolled out essentially a u-24 squad. Haven't seen him play much besides that and he figures to be loaned out again this season. Gloster was another solid player for the u-20 WC. Probably set to play with Hannover's 2nd team or be loaned out.

 
Defensive Midfield:

Starters

1. Tyler Adams 20 RB Leipzig(CL)

Backups

1. Alfredo Morales 29 Fortuna Dusseldorf

2. Russell Canouse 24 DC United

3. Jackson Yueill 22 San Jose

4. James Sands 19 NYCFC

5. Chris Durkin 19 DC United

Thoughts

Adams is far and away the best player here. Question is will Berhalter play him here or as an inverted RB? He would be a fool IMO to think he knows better than a Champions League side. Going to be honest IDK much about Morales/Canouse/Yueill/Sands. Durkin played poorly at the u-20 WC.

 
Central Midfield:

Starters

1. Weston McKennie 20 Schalke

Backups

1. Paxton Pomykal 19 FC Dallas

2. Cristian Roldan 24 Seattle Sounders

3. Djordje Mihailovic 20 Chicago Fire

4. Kellyn Acosta 23 Colorado Rapids

5. Alex Mendez 18 SC Freiburg

6. Cole Bassett 17 Colorado Rapids

7. Giovanni Reyna 16 Borussia Dortmund(CL)

Thoughts

McKennie again the best player here. He can play a myriad of positions but I like him most as a box-to-box midfielder. Still needs some work though. At times sloppy with the ball and can get caught out of position. Pomykal was one of our best players at the u-20 WC and also is our only true CAM. Starting for FC Dallas but European teams are sniffing around and IMO it would be best for his development if he jumped on the right offer. Needs a way into the starting 11 though as he figures to be a key feature for the MNT going forward. Roldan is ok. Not mad if he makes the squad but he's a good MLS player at best. Mihailovic is a regular player in Chicago. His ceiling is probably that MLS All-Star or EFL Championship starter. Would love to be proven wrong. IMO Acosta squandered his development staying in the MLS over Europe. He has essentially plateaued for the past 2 years and plays on a really bad Colorado side. Mendez played well in the u-20 WC and will more than likely play for Freiburg's 2nd team or be loaned out to a smaller squad. Idk much about Bassett but he needs to jump to Europe if he wants to continue to develop. He'll lose PT and money short term but the long term benefits far outweigh the risk and the MLS isn't going anywhere so he'll always have that available to fall back on. Reyna recently signed with Dortmund. FWIW Pulisic signed with Dortmund when he was 15/16 so hopefully he can be a similarly skilled player.

 
Wingers:

Starters

1. Christian Pulisic 20 Chelsea(CL)

Backups

1. Timothy Weah 19 Lille(CL)

2. Tyler Boyd 24 Besiktas(EL)

3. Paul Arriola 24 DC United

4. Duane Holmes 24 Derby County

5. Jonathan Amon 20 FC Nordsjaelland

6. Jonathan Lewis 22 Colorado Rapids

7. Konrad De La Fuente 17 Barcelona(CL)

Thoughts

Captain America. Wonder boy. Christian Pulisic. Best player in the pool and probably the most technically gifted we've ever had. Doesn't mean he doesn't have his faults; he could do a better job with his final pass at times and finding teammates, but that's really getting picky. Weah recently got transferred to Lille. Played great at the u20s with a lot of technical skill and passing ability. Needs to be more consistent and work on his first touch. Getting 1st team minutes is a must. Boyd recently made a one time switch from the New Zealand NT to the US. Played great in the GC group stage, bad against Curacao, then wasn't seen again so I don't have any info on how he plays against good competition. Holmes made his USMNT debut in the friendlies leading up to the GC. Looked to be a good option as an attacking winger but those friendlies were a a nightmare for us and then got hurt in camp before the GC. Don't know much about Amon other than that he's fast and had a good season with his club. Lewis played poorly in what I saw of him in the friendlies and GC B squad against Panama. Konrad played poorly in the u20s but is only 17 so it's possible the couple years age gap made a big difference. Has been playing with Barca's unders team but hopefully he can get called up to their second squad.

 
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Forwards:

Starters

?

Backups

1. Jozy Altidore 29 Toronto FC

2. Josh Sargent 19 Werder Bremen

3. Sebastian Soto 18 Hannover 96

4. Andrija Novakovich 22 Reading

5. Haji Wright 21 Schalke

Thoughts

Altidore right now is still our best forward. He can physically CBs and hold the ball but his finishing leaves much to be desired. He also has some problems with injuries. Sargent should've been on the GC roster. Young but was able to get some valuable experience last year with 10 Bundesliga matches including 1 start and 2 goals. Look for him to to be a regular on the first team whether off the bench or starting. Soto was great in the u20s especially since Sargent declined them to try and make the GC roster. Hannover got relegated last season so hopefully this means Soto will be able to get some 1st team minutes. Novakovich has been on Reading's senior team since 2015 but been loaned out each year. He's played well on his loan spells so hopefully he's proven to Reading he's ready for a more stable future. Boy when watched Haji Wright playing in the u-17s I really thought he was going to be a star. Then again I was more focused on the goals scored and when you have guys like Pulisic, McKennie, and Adams feeding you the ball you tend to look really good. Either way he was able to crack Schalke's first team last year with 7 Bundesliga appearances and 1 goal. Hopefully he's able to get more first team minutes or is loaned out to a smaller squad in the top flight of European football. Needs to be getting first team minutes wherever he is for his development. at 6'3 he could dominate crosses in the opponents box.

 
Now time for a very optimistic 2022 WC squad that would also work as a 2020 Olympic squad due to age restrictions. Berhalter prefers a 4-3-3 I believe but IMO a 4-1-4-1 would take better advantage of our best available players.

                  Sargent

Weah-McKennie-Pomykal-Pulisic

                   Adams

Pierie*---Books---Miazga---Yedlin

            Steffen/Horvath

If I'm Berhalter I'm putting everything into trying to get Kik Pierie. We're so thin at that position and you could offer Pierie multiple starts in the WC and possible Olympic games. IDK the Netherlands depth there but you'd have to imagine we'd give a way easier path  to minutes although probably on a worse side that doesn't play in European competitions as well as the fact hes been with the Dutch unders teams and would rather stay there. If he says no slot in Antonee Robinson or a RB. Put in either Cannon or Dest at RB and/or Richards/CCV at one of the CB slots and that's your potential Olympic squad that works within the age restrictions. TBH that would be a very good Olympic squad.

 
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RedDenver said:
Why the face palm?
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Suspending money for a WC because of a pay dispute I’m sure he knows nothing about. Listen I have no problem with the women using their success as leverage for more money but throwing mud on the MNT whether intentional or not is wrong. IDK how you would even decide what is equal when the women get salary plus benefits while the men are pay-to-play with no benefits. If you gave the women the exact same deal the men get I’d bet they would decline it because then the USSF wouldn’t pay their NWSL salary as well so they’d have to move to Europe where they get upwards of 10x their NWSL contracts so they get steady pay. The NWSL would then probably dissolve when the USWNT players leave as only 2 of the 9 operate in the black as is.  

 
DrunkOffPunch said:
Suspending money for a WC because of a pay dispute I’m sure he knows nothing about. Listen I have no problem with the women using their success as leverage for more money but throwing mud on the MNT whether intentional or not is wrong. IDK how you would even decide what is equal when the women get salary plus benefits while the men are pay-to-play with no benefits. If you gave the women the exact same deal the men get I’d bet they would decline it because then the USSF wouldn’t pay their NWSL salary as well so they’d have to move to Europe where they get upwards of 10x their NWSL contracts so they get steady pay. The NWSL would then probably dissolve when the USWNT players leave as only 2 of the 9 operate in the black as is.  
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Manchin doesn't mention the MNT at all.

 
Just a couple updates on the USMNT player pool.

Chris Gloster and Alex Mendez transferred to PSV who is in the Europa League.

Lots of hype around Gio Reyna. Very possible he sees first team minutes by the end of the year.

Sergino Dest made his first Champions League start for Ajax the other day as they advanced to the group stage. Seems he’ll be getting a lot of PT this season which is great for an 18 year old.

Champions League group stage draws were announced and Chelsea (Pulisic), Lille (Weah), and Ajax (Dest) are all in the same group so that should be fun to watch.

USMNT has friendlies against Mexico 9/6 and Uruguay 9/10.

Edit- Mendez transferred to Ajax. 18 year old Richard Ledezma who plays CM transferred to PSV.

 
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