The USMNT January qualifying roster in all probability will not contian many surprises however there are difficult questions relating to the shape and health of gamers in addition to COVID issues. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta appears on the points in numerous areas of the sector and appears at what he thinks would be the roster.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
January 19, 2022
1:05 PM
SHARE THIS STORY
IN A FEW DAYS, United States nationwide staff supervisor Gregg Berhalter will announce his roster for the upcoming January World Cup qualifiers. Not too many surprises are anticipated and the roster ought to be based mostly closely on the October and November home windows together with potential inclusions from the December and January camps.
There’s additionally a contingent COVID plan that the staff has to have within the occasion that quite a few gamers check optimistic. Late inclusions into the squad will in all probability must be domestically based mostly given the geographic proximity.
With the format reverting to a three-game window, a roster dimension between 26-29 is what I’m anticipating.
Here’s a have a look at the concerns with the roster quick approaching
Goalkeepers
Except there are late accidents or COVID points, this space of the sector appears slightly set as Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, and Sean Johnson ought to be the call-ups.
The standby checklist may embody U.S. U-20 standout Gaga Slonina, Ethan Horvath, and even veteran Brad Guzan ought to be on the checklist if a late keeper is required (though Horvath could be out there to be added late on condition that he’s based mostly overseas).
Fullbacks
Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson are the possible starters. Robinson is in excellent kind for Fulham and is a lock. Dest is in a murky time with Barcelona however has performed effectively for the U.S. nationwide staff and has an enormous function beneath Berhalter. It appears most unlikely he’s dropped.
The backup positions appear much less clear and there are issues over a bunch of choices. Additionally, Berhalter may name greater than 4 fullbacks – opening the door for different choices.
On the suitable facet, DeAndre Yedlin has misplaced his beginning spot at Galatasaray however nonetheless boasts a ton of expertise. In the meantime Reggie Cannon is taking part in for Boavista however for granted central defender in a 3-4-3 formation. The one different choice that’s within the combine on the suitable facet is Brooks Lennon who began in December and is concerned within the January camp.
On the left after Robinson could be very a lot up within the air – as Berhalter not too long ago mentioned there may be a gap. Sam Vines has been forward of George Bello because the begin of the Gold Cup and it’s onerous to see that being modified. Vines has sufficient expertise with the staff and is taking part in often sufficient to foretell he’ll go.
Uncapped Joe Scally looks like a protected wager given that he’s taking part in and the skilled veterans should not. He ought to be added as cowl on each the left and the suitable facet.
With Dest, Robinson, Vines, and Scally that makes 4 I be ok with. There’s a little bit of a battle between Yedlin and Lennon, however Yedlin ought to in all probability make it resulting from his expertise and that makes 5.
The wild card right here is DeJuan Jones. Berhalter singled out the athletic New England Revolution fullback as having a robust camp up to now. That comes on the heels of a fantastic season. Jones is right-footed however usually performs on the left facet.
May Jones exchange Vines? It’s solely potential. Jones additionally looks like a man who might be added if there’s a optimistic COVID-19 check among the many fullbacks. I don’t have him in proper now (with the above talked about 5 making it) nevertheless it won’t shock me in any respect if he sneaks into the roster – both initially, or if there’s a want for an addition throughout camp.
Central defenders
There are numerous questions in central protection – each by way of the variety of gamers Berhalter will take and the gamers Berhalter will take.
Chris Richards, Walker Zimmerman, and Miles Robinson have been starters in key video games for this staff since October. It’s onerous to see that altering regardless of MLS being in offseason.
The large query is whether or not John Brooks will return to the staff. Berhalter cited his robust run of kind for being left off the November. Whereas Wolfsburg’s is in a nosedive, Brooks has really performed decently – not nice, however a slight enchancment. I feel on condition that Brooks is in-season, he’ll in all probability be referred to as again.
By way of different potentialities, Mark McKenzie and Tim Ream are in all probability the following two out. If Berhalter goes with 5 central defenders, Ream makes probably the most sense now since he’s taking part in often proper now and taking part in often. McKenzie’s taking part in time has been too inconsistent recently.
This can in all probability likelihood within the months forward. Erik Palmer-Brown is having a resurgence in France. Aarn Lengthy is close to his comeback. James Sands is within the combine too though it appears as if he’s a midfielder for Rangers in the intervening time. Cameron Carter-Vickers continues to be regular in Scotland.
For now, we’re saying Brooks, Zimmerman, Robinson, and Richards get the decision for January.
By way of COVID contingency, I feel Henry Kessler and Austin Trusty are on standby as each are domestically based mostly and have been with the staff not too long ago.
Midfield
First, what number of midfielders will Berhalter take? The perfect guess is seven or eight. The primary three are very straightforward to nail down.
Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Yunus Musah are locks if wholesome. McKennie has been the most effective American participant within the sport since Pulisic lifted the Champions League trophy and he’s responded very effectively to adversity after being dismissed from the U.S. camp in September.
Acosta is a logical backup for the No. 6 or No. 8 and if he’s taking part in effectively in camp, he’ll go. Gianluca Busio has additionally had his inventory rise this yr, even earlier than becoming a member of Venezia from Sporting Kansas Metropolis. His minutes could be on the decline at Venezia recently however he’s within the combine.
That brings us to 5. The remaining spots are harder to foretell. We additionally don’t assume Gio Reyna will make this roster and be an choice.
There’s all the time a debate over Luca de la Torre, who’s beginning and taking part in effectively for a Heracles staff that’s hoping to keep away from a relegation battle. For this camp, given the season, we expect he’s in.
Even when the U.S. staff was taking part in with many backups on the Gold Cup, Roldan was usually coming off the bench (he didn’t begin vs. Canada, Jamaica, Qatar, or Mexico). In World Cup qualifying, he’s a bench choice too. He has an outlined function of being an vitality sub off the bench – irrespective of the state of affairs. It’s a well-defined function and one he’s embraced. I feel he’s in.
If Berhalter needs to take yet one more midfielder, will he take Sebastian Lletget? Presumably though his function has been declining (he was an unused sub in November and wasn’t within the squad vs. Costa Rica in October) and we’ve seen with Berhalter that gamers slowly fade out.
If it isn’t Lletget and Berhalter needs to take yet one more midfielder, who’re the opposite choices? Perhaps Cole Bassett who scored in December and simply made the transfer from Colorado to Feyenoord. If he needs extra of a deeper midfielder (which could be good on condition that Adams is taking part in on a yellow) he may herald Yueill, Sands, Tanner Tessmann, and even Johnny Cardoso.
For now, we expect Lletget has the place albeit with a declining grip. Within the months forward, there will likely be elevated competitors from gamers based mostly each domestically and overseas.
I’ll predict eight midfielders on this roster: Adams, McKennie, Musah, Acosta, Roldan, de la Torre, and Lletget.
By way of a COVID contingency of domestic-based gamers who might be added final minute, I feel Yueill and Djordje Mihailovic are on standby.
Forwards/wingers
Proper now, I feel 9 attackers rounds out the staff. That is on the bigger facet given the uncertainty of some gamers.
The locks are Christian Pulisic and Brenden Aaronson on the wings and Ricardo Pepi on the No. 9.
Concerning the opposite wing choices, I feel will probably be Paul Arriola, Tim Weah, and Jordan Morris – all are on the bubble. Weah solely simply returned from a six-week harm however might be a bench choice. Jordan Morris is again within the combine and wholesome, albeit rusty.
By way of the No. 9 choices after Pepi, the largely possible call-ups appear to favor Gyasi Zardes and Jesus Ferreira (who may assistance on the wing). Daryl Dike has solely not too long ago joined a brand new membership and Jordan Pefok has been out of the staff since September. Pefok was taking part in effectively in December however has been solely taking part in friendlies since then. Matthew Hoppe was on the Gold Cup and October qualifying roster however has solely simply returned for Mallorca.
—-
Author : usa-foot
Publish date : 2024-12-27 15:46:49
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.