Jurgen Klinsmann has held the position for more than five years now, and he has learned just how difficult it is to fight through the flaws inherent in American soccer to try and field a competitive national team that can not only succeed, but make progress and show clear signs of growth.
Taking Osorio’s job: Who should Mexico call up?
As challenging as the job may be, it’s fair to say most of us would take the job if Sunil Gulati came calling. What’s not to like about a seven-figure job coaching a team that is already stocked with enough talent to get to the World Cup?
Everybody who follows the national team, be they fan or journalist, has spent at least a little time pondering what the team might look like if they were in charge, and with two huge World Cup qualifiers approaching on the horizon, that exercise is sure to be a popular one.
Before diving into the selections we would make if we were in charge, take a closer look at the squad we see Klinsmann calling in by clicking the link below:
Projecting USA’s roster to face Mexico
To be fair to Klinsmann, there probably aren’t a ton of changes we would make to the projected squad we see him calling in, but then again the coach is usually good for a surprise or two in every roster..
With that in mind, here are the 23 players Goal would call up for the November qualifiers:
Goalkeepers: Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Ethan Horvath (Molde)
Defenders: Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle), Omar Gonzalez (Pachua), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United)
Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Perry Kitchen (Hearts), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)
Forwards Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Bobby Wood (Hamburg), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Julian Green (Bayern Munich)
The third goalkeeper position probably doesn’t seem all that important, with a pair of veterans like Tim Howard and Brad Guzan manning the top spots. Though it may not impact these upcoming qualifiers specifically, being a part of the experience of the Hex is invaluable and Ethan Horvath looks like the future of the posiiton, so why not bring him in?
Reports out of Mexico suggest William Yarbrough is going to get the nod as the third goalkeeper, and while he is a worthy option now that he has re-established himself as a regular starter, it’s tough to see him as having more upside than the 21-year-old Horvath. Perhaps Klinsmann is worried about Horvath not being ready in time to be the U.S. No. 1 if Howard and Guzan endure major drops in level in the next year. That or Klinsmann saw something from them in the October training camp that leads him to believe Yarbrough is the better option.
Could Klinsmann choose to leave Guzan out given the fact he hasn’t played since September? Don’t bet on it. That said, if Horvath is available, he should be one of the goalkeepers in Columbus next week.
It may seem a bit unfair to drop Michael Orozco considering he’s become a regular starter at right back for the team currently in first place in Liga MX. He certainly has a better argument for a role on the U.S. team than he did earlier in the year, when he was stuck on the Xolos bench and still earned regular calls from Klinsmann. The reality is Orozco hasn’t been all that impressive in the chances he has had lately.
You might try and argue that Orozco is more familiar with Mexico’s players than any other options at right back, but will Juan Carlos Osorio really deploy Liga MX-based wingers in his lineup?
What makes it easier to leave Orozco behind is the fact that DeAndre Yedlin has grabbed a starting role at English side Newcastle, becoming a regular starter on a stacked team. And say what you want about Yedlin playing in the League Championship, but the English second division is a better league than Liga MX, and Newcastle is a team destined for a quick return to the Premier League.
So who gets the nod at fullback if you don’t bring Orozco? Steve Birnbaum has done an excellent job with every opportunity Klinsmann has given him, albeit mostly in central defense, but even if he isn’t an option at right back, there is always Geoff Cameron to move to right back if you need to solidify the position.
We all know about the soap opera that was Darlington Nagbe’s skipping of the October friendlies, which by now most people figure will mean a lengthy, if not permanent national team banishment for the Portland Timbers midfielder. As much as Klinsmann would be well within his right to decide he doesn’t have faith in Nagbe at the moment, we give the Portland Timbers star the call in November.
No, he isn’t coming off his best season, and yes we realize he hasn’t played since the Timbers’ ugly loss in their regular season finale, but that said, he still brings unique qualities that can help the national team, especially against technically-gifted teams like Mexico and Costa Rica.
Nagbe’s ability to keep the ball, and pass the ball — not to mention his ability to beat defenders one-on-one — make him a very useful weapon, particularly in central midfield, where the U.S. is light on such options. Nagbe isn’t someone who is going to start for the U.S. at the moment, but he would be a very good bench option to bring in when you need help keeping possession.
There is no debating that Chris Wondolowski is one of the most well-liked players within the national team pool. His selfless disposition and affable personality helps bring a certain level of positivity to the locker room, which Klinsmann values.
Unfortunately for Wondolowski, he simply hasn’t done enough with the actual chances he has been given by Klinsmann, and at 33, he’s well past the age you should be calling in a forward who hasn’t already proven himself on the international level.
The U.S. forward pool might feel a bit light without Clint Dempsey and Gyasi Zardes available, but with Jordan Morris playing well and looking like a viable option in support of Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wood, it’s worth taking a chance on Julian Green as a forward. Carlo Ancelotti believes striker is where Green’s future lies, and based on what we saw from Green in the October friendlies, he has grown in stature, confidence and ability over the past year. Chances are he won’t be needed, but at 21 years old, Green has a bright future and his fearless disposition bodes well for making the most of a chance if he is given one.
Our inclusion of Jermaine Jones in the projected U.S. squad might have surprised some, but it’s tough to see Klinsmann not calling on the veteran midfielder if he is healthy. The Colorado Rapids playoff match against the LA Galaxy on Sunday will tell us quite a bit about just where he is in his recovery.
Some might not bother with Jones for the U.S. given his age and lack of playing time in recent months, but we see his value. The man steps up in big games and brings a competitiveness and tenacity to the group that is much-needed. That being said, the fact he hasn’t started a match since being injured on July 3 raises real questions about his sharpness for matches as important as Mexico and Costa Rica. The central midfield is set at the moment with Michael Bradley and Sacha Kljestan, so Jones isn’t needed to start.
So why even bring him? He helps set a tone in training, and he can still be an effective option off the bench. He showed in his substitute’s appearance for the Rapids last week that he can come off the bench and make an impact.
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